Chapter 5

Marionette stabbed herself. Victorique smiled as Marionette unflinchingly took a knife to her chest, ripping through flesh and muscles and sinew to penetrate her core.

Victorique’s smirk widened.

She confirmed what she needed. Marionette proved it to her right then.

For Marionette did not die. There was no heart in her chest cavity at all. In fact, no blood seeped from her wound, and she was as Hollow as a Doll, as Dolls should be. She was a homunculus of some kind, probably created from a dead body and reinforced with life. However, Marionette didn’t need a beating heart to sustain her— she was living and moving and thinking with a will of her own without a heart. Perhaps a blessing of an angel? Was her master more than what he seemed? What a delight.

Victorique then patted Marionette on the head and kissed her.

“Thank you, Marionette,” Victorique said sweetly. “You just confirmed something for me.”

“Mistress,” Marionette said as she glanced at the knife in her hands.

“Yes,” Victorique said as her grin grew wider and wider. “I thought that I destroyed them all, but you…you’re living proof that they still exist. This is too rich!”

Victorique laughed, while Marionette bowed her head.

“Mistress, whatever are you going to do now?”

The golden-haired girl stopped laughing for a moment, pausing to breathe, before she laced her hand together behind her back and said in her sweetest voice. “What? Well, I’m going to appeal to this angel master of yours. If he doesn’t fulfill my wish than I will destroy him like I did his brethren; I want him to let me to continue to live for a little while longer, or else I will extract all the information out of you and destroy his precious creation.”

“Mistress, I do not fear dying for my master,” Marionette said. “But it would be inconvenient if you simply took his life away. I think that you two would have a mutually beneficial relationship with one another…if you would top and listen to my humble proposal. Would you listen, Mistress?”

“Maybe I will, maybe I won’t,” Victorique said in a sing song voice, before she leaned forward to kiss Marioeette on the lips. “Maybe I’d like to have you for myself. I don’t like to share”

Marionette smiled. Victorique saw that she truly did not fear Death, because she didn’t know what life was. Wasn’t it cruel of her master to give her a half life like the one that she had? But she wondered, why exactly, did the angel that was the overseer over Marionette acting as the master of Death and Shadows would try to revive a dead body on a human. Perhaps he was thinking of trying something bigger? Maybe she was an experiment? Or was…he trying to revive the angels again?

“Dear Marionette,” Victorique said as she whispered towards her ear, her lips barely brushing the lobe. “Call your Master here. Right now.”

Marionette’s eyes fluttered, the only signaling factor that she weasn’t a complete doll, or that she had once been human.

“What’re you going to do, Mistress?”

“Oh, just have a little chat,” Victorique said while looking at her nails. “I want to see him with my very eyes.”

Marionette nodded. She folded her hands in prayer, closing her eyes and kneeling in supplication. A flurry of feathers appeared, that disappeared and melted into the ground like snow, and just like that, the angel appeared before her.

His eyes were silvery, almost colorless, and his long white hair flowed freely down his shoulders. Victorique smiled.

“Why hello, Varus. I remember you.”

“Victorique,” Varus said with a stiff nod towards her. “I prefer that you refer to me as the Master of Shadows and Death. If I were to be revealed as an angel, then..”

“People will imprison you and keep you captive,” Victorique said pleasantl. “Or worse, harvest your bones and organs for the magical properties that they bear.”

Stolen novel; please report.

“So you understand,” Varus said.

“Give me your Marionette,” Victorique said while looking at her nails. “Or else I will kill you.”

“Just like you killed my brethren,” Varus said in a cold voice. “Why do you want Marionette.”

Victorique preened herself. “Oh, she is very fascinating. One of your wonderful creations.”

“She is…very important to me…” Varus said.

Victorique smiled. “Do you know why I castrated you and eliminated most of the angels?”

“I can only guess at the dark mechanisms behind your mind.”

Victorique cocked her head to the side, before she hummed to herself. Was there something that she was overlooking? She leaned close to the Master of Shadows and Death, smiling sweetly at him. His face remaiend impassive like stone.

Then, without warning, Victorique grabbed him directly in the crotch.

“Oh?” Victorique said as her smile widened even further. “So they DO grow back. How fascinating.”

Varus flushed.

“What in the nine hells are you doing,” He hissed.

Victorique smirked again. “Oh, were you planning on keeping her ignorant of the wonderful joys of life? Just like you, Varus. A stuffy old man in the guise of an angelic youth. Did he impregnate YOU, Marionette?”

Marionette curtseyed. “He hasn’t touched me in an inapprorpiate manner in any way whatsoever, Mistress. In fact, he has been ever a gentleman to me and says that I shouldn’t let men touch me.”

“Does that mean he allows women to touch you?” Victorique purred, before Varus slapped Victorique’s hands away from Marionette.

“Get your hands off of her,” Varus frowned.

Victorique laughed. “I take very good care of my toys when I’ve found one that I like. But tell me, Varus…what are YOU planning on doing?”

“I should think it would be in my best interest not to reveal anything,” Varus said.

“Indeed, it’s the only leverage that you have against me,” Victorique said with a smile, her sharp toothed grin turning more wicked by the moment. “It’s through Marionette that we meet together again at last. Do you remember our last conversation?”

“That was centuries ago, I believe,” Varus said stiffly.

Victorique laughed again. “Well, you have a sharp memory, or are you playing the part of a senile old man?”

“There was one thing that I always wanted to try, before I go out in a blaze of glory,” Victorique said as she looked t her nails. “I want to start the revival of the Golden Witch. I’m also ensuring the safety of the people underneath my domination ability as we form an empire. Those who do not submit underneath my will are to be crushed underfoot like the cockroaches that they are.”

“I see,” Varus said. “Perhaps I should’ve eliminated you a long time ago back then. But it was through my ignorance and naivete that I allowed you to flourish and become the person that you are today.”

“Oh? Victorique said as she chuckled behind a hand. “What do you propose to do about me, Mister Varus? You have nothing left except dear sweet Marionette.”

“Marionette will carry on my legacy,” Varus whispered.

“She is fascinating, to be sure. Though she has no concept of humanity because she had no true humanity to begin with. You love her, though her personality twisted out of control from your grasp. Poor Varus, I bet you’re in despair right now.

Marionette bowed. “Master Varus, I’m sure that you’re very weary, but please don’t tire yourself further. It’s been a long day. I’m sure that we can convince Victorique to our side. I see hope and redemption for Victorique yet.”

“Your optimism is misplaced, Marionette,” Varus said sourly. “Though Victorique, I have a proposal for you.”

“I might be inclined to listen, if you give me something interesting,” Victorique purred.

“I will give you something of great interest if you answer a question. I just want to know…why? Why did you destroy the angels and the afterlife?”

Victorique turned, as something flashed through her head. White hot pain seared through her, and she squeezed her eyes shut in pain as she put a hand to her forehead. Now wasn’t the time to succumb to something as lowly as a headache!

“Wouldn’t you like to know, Varus,” Victorique said as she struggled to regain her composure and sneered at the angel. “I destroyed them because I could, that’s all.”

Varus frowned.

“That’s not a satisfactory answer, Victorique.”

“Then, whatever you have probably has no value that I couldn’t gain by myself,” Victorique said with a lazy smirk. “I will create a utopia in my vision. Whether you are a part of those plans is still to be determined. You need to plead your case to me if you want to live with your life—instead of being a mere hollow Doll.”

“I will revive the Witch Sopheria,” Varus said stiffly. “For you to so generously spare my life.”

“Now that is an interesting proposal,” Victorique said. “I did miss dear old Sophie, after all.”

“However,” Varus said. “I will place Marionette as a piece in our little duel with one another. If you manage to break me complete and dominate me to your will, then you are free to do whatever you like with humanity as you please. However, if I manage to convince you that humanity is worth saving despite the fact that the may do truly evil deeds and atrocities, then I will put you to rest.”

“A game, you say,” Victorique said with a smile. “I’m always willing to gamble.”

“This is no game,” Varus said seriously. “Life and death is a very serious matter.”

“Well, I’m always willing to gamble, even if it is my own life,” Victorique said with a sharp toothed smile. “Tell me, Varus, what are you planning to do with a broken world such as this one? Is humanity even worth redeeming?”

“Yes, I believe so,” Varus said. “I will defend humanity from the likes of you.”

“Very well,” Victorique said. “Let’s use our magic to amass armies then. Marionette will be the pawn that balances everything together. Whoever gets her soul first is the one who wins.”