Abigail strutted through the the manor towards her mother's wing. As she passed by she greeted the maids and servants she saw along the way and they greeted her back enthusiastically. They gushed at how adorable the little girl now appeared to be. Unbeknownst to everyone, the Duchess observed everything happening from her window. She looked down at the servants who happily talked about Abigail.
Was this really Abigail? How did she she change so much? She felt like she didn't really know her children that well, Abigail especially. She had always had a practical thought process and would only pay attention to important matters concerning them. Gabriel and Rose always made her proud of their many achievements so most of her focus were on them and not the disappointing Abigail.
She was fine with the way things were, and focused more on her duties as the Archduchess. But now... her children were changing so much.
Abigail was already becoming so mature and sensible, she did well in her studies and also marvelously in sword practice. She was growing up to be a beautiful young woman. She was supposed to be proud of her children, every mother should but how could she when she contributed nothing to their current achievements?
She had begun to feel the yearning to be a good mother, but how was she supposed to start? How could she make things right? As she was deep in thought she suddenly heard a knock her door which startled her a little, she wasn't expecting anyone neither did she call a maid so who could it be.
" Come in ", she said. Soon the doors opened and a cute little girl with jet black hair walked into the room.
" Abigail... Why are you here? ", she asked observing her daughter. Was something wrong? What could have happened to her? Her mind was in a mess but her face remained calm with an indifferent look.
" Actually mother, I came to give you these ", she then gave her mother the desserts. Eliza was stunned. This was the first gift she ever got from her kids, the feeling was really pleasant. She then began cooking up scenarios of her thanking Abigail like a normal mother but of course it was all in her head and she still wore her indifferent look.
" Thank you... Abigail ", she then managed to say this after series of internal contemplation. Abigail simply smiled at her causing Eliza's heart to involuntarily beat. Was her daughter always this adorable? She was inwardly gushing as she took in every detail of this adorable daughter of hers.
Abigail on the other hand was feeling uncomfortable with her mother's intense stare. Why was she looking at her for this long? Maybe she's in a bad mood, maybe I'll come back later? She thought.
" Mother I'm leaving now ", Abigail said catching her mother off guard. " N-no, don't leave yet! ", she gently caught hold of Abigail's arm startling them both.
Eliza then gained her composure and coughed, " What I mean is... how have your studies been coming along ".
This question surprised Abigail, as she stared at her mother with a dazed expression. So this was the feeling others got from her change in behavior. The feeling was really unique to her. She then mustered up the courage to answer, " Its been going really good actually, the tutors don't really know what to teach me anymore ", she joked. Eliza felt a warm feeling in her chest as she watched her daughter laugh.
" I'm really glad ", Eliza smiled at her causing Abigail's eyes to widen. Her cold mother actually knew how to smile? But at the same time, her smile was mesmerizing. The mother and daughter duo continued this peaceful silence for another moment.
" I'll leave now mother, I'll make sure to bring you more desserts later on ", the cute little girl then hurried out the room. It was empty again, Eliza thought. She then focused her attention on the bag her daughter had given her.
" It's a gift... from Abigail ", a cheerful expression replaced her previous indifferent one. She was beaming in joy as she stared fixatedly at the dessert bag. What now? Do I eat it? Why not.
She then put a brownie in her mouth and her eyes sparkled. These were delicious, she thought as she took another then another. She didn't even notice when she had eaten half of the desserts she had received.
" I'd better keep these away for later, till she brings another ", she said happily as she stored the desserts away. Sure she could just get some herself but she felt it'd taste better if Abigail brought them.
Elsewhere, Abigail wasn't as joyful as her mother but she was still happy she got to relate with her mother nonetheless. She didn't have a mother in her past life, and she had been at loggerheads with this one since she started this new one. She didn't want too many unnecessarily messy relationships, plus she wanted to have it in her mind that she at least had a parent that cared for her. Eliza's performance jut now had greatly satisfied her.
As she skipped away, she didn't notice a pair of beautiful red eyes throwing hate at her. What was she doing at the Duchess's wing? Why did she seem so happy. Rose had so much hatred flowing in her that it could flood a town, she really didn't like seeing her half sister happy.
She had to stop whatever Abigail was planning no matter what.
Soon it was evening and the estate was already falling asleep before it became really dark. Abigail had taken her bath and settled in for bed, Martha had stoked the fire and left the room. The whole manor was quiet now, even a pin drop could startle a few.
This tranquility didn't last, there was suddenly a loud bang that came from within the Manor then screams ensued the whole of it. Abigail was startled awake, no sane person could be able to sleep through that. She sat up and threw her duvet off, getting out of bed and walking out of her bed chamber then room.
She walked down the corridor and turned at the bend to a sight she didn't expect, it was a gory scene as the walls and floors were dyed. Dead bodies littered the hall way, most not fortunate enough to be in one piece. She felt whatever she had for dinner come back up, she fell to her knees retching uncontrollably on the blood soaked carpet beneath her.
She wouldn't be this shaken by the scene before her, but then again she was Abigail now and not Lauren. A fourteen year old sheltered child that hasn't witnessed something so morbid in her entire life
What happened here? She could recognize some of the dead bodies, they were the servants she had grown acquainted to for the past month she had been here. Her body shook as she realized those people were now dead, even those who mocked her were gone. Her first reaction was to shed tears but that didn't even last as she heard more screams from further down the corridor, her body unconsciously following the sickening noises. That was when she reached the main hall.
More dead bodies littered this area, the majority had changed from being servants to the guards stationed at the manor, the common ones at least. She saw her brother, father and some elite guards currently engaged in battle with dastardly gruesome looking abominations. They were fearsome beats with pale skin, elongated uneven limbs and appendixes, scanty hair, a hunched back and pitch black eyes.
She involuntarily shuddered at the sight of these abominations. She was all too familiar with them as she has recently been studying different creatures in this world and these were not the good kind that one would like to encounter. These ones appeared in the beast encyclopedia.
They were Wights. A lesser vampire, more like beasts that fed on flesh. They were mindless and usually moved in packs. They were known for staying in secluded areas and never went anywhere near human settlements. Why could they be here? Could their nest have been destroyed? Why would they appear in the Stone Estate of all places?
She had so many questions she wanted to ask but who could she ask? Soon a scream came from near by, a maid was currently cornered by a lesser Wight. The other knights were busy and couldn't reach her on time. As it slashed its blood soaked claws a the maid, a blade came into view stopping the claw from proceeding further.
The maid looked up to see a petite girl with her black hair standing before. The maid was so shocked that she didn't hear what Abigail was saying the first few times. " Get out of here, run! ", she screamed again hoping to catch the maid's attention. Luckily, the maid quickly regained her senses and ran off while Abigail was holding of the lesser Wight before her.
She didn't understand why her body had moved in that instant, she wasn't a hero. She wouldn't have gone out of her way to save someone, even the former Abigail didn't have that kind of mindset. But know that it happened, she would have to see it through the end.
Once the maid had made it out safely, she became serious. She used the blade in her hand to move the Wights claws to the side, quickly sidestepping before it could land another blow. It wasn't even able to recover it's stance when she had lunged forward and struck its abdomen with a powerful thrust, it let out a pained cry as it moved back. It used one of its hands to cover its abdomen while the second one went for another attack. She barely managed to avoid the attack again and shot her blade into the Wights mouth till it came out from behind its head, its wailing stopped soon after as it fell to the floor.
She was panting heavily as she pulled the blade out then leaned against a near by pillar to control her breathing, she had really pushed this body to the limits. The Wights facing the others all suddenly paused as they sensed the death of their youngest, they all shrieked unanimously turning their heads to a common enemy. Gabriel who was confused as the Wights disengaged turned towards their target.
" Abigail!! ", he screamed, she was surrounded by seven or so Wights with majority being at the intermediate level. He tried to force his way through but the Wights blocking his path as he got closer to her weren't giving him a chance, he could only grit his teeth and try to break through the encirclement. Roland as well was in the same predicament.
Even the knights were busy as well so Abigail could only face it herself. She attacked the lesser ones mostly and she managed to injure one, hiding behind anyone to block attacks from all over. They didn't give her any room to launch another attack and also made it harder for her to avoid the attacks.
Aren't these creatures meant to be mindless? It didn't seem that way at all, their attacks were weirdly coordinated. They even made sure to protect the lesser Wights as she could wound them easily.
Just as the battle had reached its climax, the temperature dropped at a frightening speed, " Why, what's happening ", they began to question and to their astonishment, a new Wight had arrived in the hall, it was bigger than the rest but its powerful aura was what really made it different.
"Oh no.... it's a king!! ", Roland screamed, " Everyone fall back and wait for reinforcements ".
But before anyone could move, the king Wight rushed towards the enemy that had the most of its subjects attacking, Abigail. Sensing its approach, she immediately raised her sword in that direction to block the incoming attack but it was futile. As soon as the attack connected, she was sent flying by several feet before crashing into a wall.
" Abigail!! ", Gabriel's voice was the last thing she heard before everything went dark.