The next morning came faster than expected. To Kirigan, it was like 30 minutes gone and dawn has come. His eyes were swollen to show he didn't have enough sleep.
"I feel tired" Kirigan said to himself as he stood up from the bed.
He walked straight to his suit box. He opened it and brought out a violin case.
"Just hang in there Extase, I know you've been blunt and in need to slay the dark" Kirigan said as he caressed the violin case.
The door opened. Twas Sister Hibana.
"Breakfast's ready, you can join us before leaving
"Oh right" Kirigan said as he dropped the violin case.
"Oh my, you play the violin?"
"Yeah"
"What kind of song do you play, I'd love to hear one" Hibana requested.
"I'm sorry, this is only used during war to slay the dark. Maybe next time when you're opportuned to watch the light and dark fight" Kirigan said.
"You know, you never seem to amaze me sir"
"I know, people always tell me that. Let's run along before the food gets cold"
"Yeah, sure"
The duo walked downstairs. The children were already seated waiting to be served.
"Sister you're late, we've been waiting for you to dish the food" Ketil complained.
"Couldn't you just serve yourself?" Ketil asked.
"We have to wait for sister in order to a avoid cheating. I'm just quoting Sister Hibana's exact words"
"Alright children, sorry for wasting your time"
Sister Hibana served the dishes and everyone started eating.
"U-um, I have something to say" Sister Hibana said
"I met with a family and they decided to adopt one of us, so I put Mirana up for the adoption"
"Whatt???"
"Hey Hibana, you didn't even consult me before taking this decision" Sister Grace protested.
"You can't take her!!, I won't let you do that!!" Seren screamed at the top of his voice.
"And why is that Seren?" Hibana asked.
"You took Dante from us this exact same way, You just woke up one silly morning and start talking adoption without our consent. Besides I made a promise to Dante I'd never leave Mirana so if she's leaving so am I Tell the adopter to take us both" Seren aired his view
"Listen Seren, you are not making sense"
"No you are not making sense Sister. Have you even asked Mirana for her opinion?"
"I will in front of you, right now "
Sister Hibana turned to face Mirana.
"Mirana, do you want to go with Mr. Sagest?" Hibana asked.
Mirana was quiet for sometime before finally giving an answer.
"Y-yes Sister, I'd go with him" Mirana spoke up.
Seren froze. Twas exactly as with Dante or much worse.
Before Dante got adopted, Dante had promised Seren he'd never leave him but on that day, Dante had simply denied him.
"I should have known, like brother like sister. I should have known nobody cares about me or my life" Seren said as he dashed out of the dining table.
"Um, I think I'm done here, I'll start packing now" Kirigan said as he went back to his room.
As he entered the room he met his violin Cas floating.
"Oh, you felt it too right, if I'm not wrong, there's a shadowsouled in this building" Kirigan said.
*********
Seren stood at his window, gazing outside. Pain and bitterness were written all over him.
"First twas Dante, now Mirana. No one cares about me"
Seren had always had it rough. Among all the children in the orphanage, he was the one who was abandoned. No, not abandoned he was SOLD to the orphanage. He was always considered as a commodity not humanity. Dante had brought meaning to his life until he was adopted.
"Still brooding over what cannot be changed" a voice was heard from behind. Twas Kirigan.
"Um Mister, I'd appreciate if you let me be" Seren said without looking back.
"I understand what it feels to be loved only to find out you don't matter. Trust me I've been there"
"You'd never understand!!"
"Of course I do. My parents abandoned me, called me a freak because I was extraordinary. I was all alone until I met someone who I thought loved the real me only to discover she was using me all along"
"As in how?"
"She introduced me to a man she said was her boss only to discover they were exploiting me"
"What made you so extraordinary?"
"Can't say, can't tell. But one thing I can say is that Mirana is bewitched"
"What do you mean, there's nothing like being bewitched"
"Of course she is, and I'm sure this Dante of a person was also under the same spell"
"How can you be so sure?"
"Well, we wait until nightfall"
*********
"Greetings Saints" Bram said as he took a bow.
"What brings you to our presence?"
"I bring news concerning Kirigan, Lady Lyka"
"And what could that be, has he found the one?" she asked
"Kirigan seemed frustrated about finding the one. He said he's returning to the sanctuary in three days time"
"I understand how he feels, for 20 years, he's been looking for the one" a Saint called Lord Harbinger said.
"But he should continue searching, we don't want it turning to the dark" Varrick, an assistant of Lord Harbinger spoke up.
"Any news about the crystal glory and the nine tailed tiger demon?" Lady Lyka asked.
"I'm afraid not your lady"
"We need to find their vessels, especially the nine tailed tiger demon. His vessel needs to be eliminated" Harbinger said.
"As for the crystal glory, we'll wait until it awakens"
"Yeah you're right my lady. If you'll excuse me" Bram took a bow before leaving.
"Lyka, we need to act fast before the shadowsouled gets them"
"I know Harbinger but where are we starting from?"
"Valda help us"
********
Nightfall came.
"Alright children, let's say our final words to Mirana before she departs"
Of course everyone had something to say to the youngest child in the orphanage. The children said things but one person was absent. Seren just locked himself in his room.
"Alright children, retire to your various rooms as per the lights would go out" Sister Hibana ordered.
"Aye sister" they all moved to their various rooms.
Since Sister Hibana announced Mirana's adoption, Grace hasn't been herself. Questions and instances of same occurrences kept resurfacing.
"It was like this with Dante, Sasha, Samuel and Connie and each of them as I can remember had an interval of 3 years. In all these instances, she never told me and I never saw those adopting them. Something's happening and I'm being left out here"
She had tried on several occasions to find out but all efforts proved futile as Hibana knew how to cover her tracks.
"Sister Hibana, what are you hiding?"
"Yeah, I sure want to know too" She heard a voice from behind. Twas Kirigan
"You, I thought you'd left"
Yeah but I sensed the dark and here I am, trying to find it's source" Kirigan explained
"Don't tell me--- you're a tarveren??"
"How did you know?"
"My Father was a tarveren, those were his kind of words I just wasn't cut our for this kind so I became a sister" Sister Grace explained.
"Ohh, I see"
"You're sure when you said you perceive the dark?"
"Absolutely"
"Please protect the kids for me"
They heard footsteps.
"Hide"
They hid at a corner to view who was coming. They saw Hibana holding Mirana by the hand.
The stood at the centre of the hall and started drawing a magic circle.
"What is she doing?" Grace asked.
"Who knows"
After drawing, she ordered Mirana to stand on the middle of the drawing.
Mirana followed her instructions like she was being controlled.
"All hail the betrayer of hope, the dark against the night, the forsaken, accept my humble offering as I elevate the rank----"
"Stop!!"
Hibana hadn't finish her incantation when she was interrupted by Grace's scream.
"What are you, Sister Hibana??"
"Me??, I'm sister Hibana of course" She tried to defend herself
"I don't mean who you are, what are you??"
"Awwn, I wish you never found out. I'm a shadowsouled, aiming for the position of the Naeblis"
"Now I understand what you meant when you said your family worships Malkia, you serve Asphod, god of the dark!!"
"Yeah, you're right and I'm aiming to become one of its general"
"I want you to tell me the truth. Dante, Connie, Sasha, Samuel, they were all adopted r-right??"
"Yes, they were adopted by the dark. They served their purpose as fodder for Asphod" She said.
"In other words, you killed them" Kirigan said
"Oh, don't put it that way Kirigan, that's a foul way of saying that. Well you two know too much so I can't let you live"
"I wasn't planning on letting you go free either. EXTASE COME FORTH!!"
A sword flew out of the violin case.
"So you're tarveren, my nature sworn enemy!!" She said as she released spikes from her body
"My soul is the flame's breath, I converge thee and return to thy abyss. DIVINE GRACE!!"
The spikes were being repelled. It was Grace's doing.
"I thought you weren't cut out for these things?" Kirigan asked
"I never said I didn't know how"
"You secure the children, I'll take care of her"
"You're sure?"
"Of course, it'll take more than that for me to croak" Kirigan said with a smile.
"I order you not to die tarveren"
"At your service, your highness"