Trails of intertwined stars: Chapter 56

~Chapter XIII: The Viscount of Vanity~

Ryan ran through the first-class hall on the balcony, sweating. He groaned, the ship slanted. It really was sinking slowly.
"Damn!" Ryan cursed," Where is he-!?"
The ship swayed, Ryan yelping and falling off the balcony. Before he could crash, someone grabbed his foot.
"Oooh, I say!" Grell giggled, leaning in with a haunting expression," You're quite a catch, dear boy! I've got you hook, line, and sinker~!"
Ryan wailed, flailing, upside down.
"So, you're Ryan, hm?" Grell tilted her head.
"Wha--!? How do you know my nam-?"
"Okay, okay!" Ronald slid next to Grell," That's enough small talk. Are we right in assuming you're the fellow who doctored the corpses to make them move?"
Ryan gasped.
Ronald sighed, turning to Grell," Ah, such a pain, aren't they? These 'irregular' types. 'Death' is s'posed to be a rule that can never be overturned in this world."
"Well?" Grell raised her eyebrow," How do you stop those corpses?"
"Th-There's a device!" Ryan yelped," In my room! That will nullify their absolute salvation!"

Ryan lead the grim reapers to his cabin, gasping in horror. It was gone.
"You were saying?" Grell twiddled her hair in between her finger," Where's this device of yours then?"
"Th-This can't be...it truly was here!"
Ryan grimaced.
"Don't tell me...!! That man made off with it!?"

Sebastian ran down the corridor, holding Malice close, it was uncomfortable for the entity to say the least. They paused, an elegant shoe stepping out into the corridor.
"You're-!" Malice gasped.
The Viscount of Druitt stared at them, elegantly, holding a wine glass.
"The Viscount, we met earlier!" Malice gasped, recalling him when they attended the Aurora Society meeting.
He tilted his head," And who are you? How do you know who I am?"
Right...they were in disguise.
"Well," The Viscount of Druitt ran his fingers through his hair," I suppose it is indeed difficult to not know of me, as I'm celebrated in society circles for being the personification of beauty."
How petty and vain.
"With all due respect," Sebastian interrupted," What are you doing in a place like this, Viscount? The walking dead are ambling through this vessel as we speak."
The Viscount smirked," There's something here that I daren't leave on this sinking ship, even if it means exposing myself to mortal danger."
Behind him, men carried a large, clunky machine.
"To begin with," The Viscount sighed," Those corpses amount to nothing more useless than dolls to me. Oh dear.  I've nattered on too long...if you'll excuse me."

He turned to leave.
"The eternal flame in this breast!" Sebastian announced.
He glanced back, gasping," Cannot be quenched by anyone! We are-!"
The Viscont, Malice and Sebastian posed in the phoenix pose with a dramatic yell.
"PHEONIX!!"
"Ahhh!" The Viscont of Druitt sighed," So you were comrades! Speaking of, I do get the feeling we've met before."
Malice swiftly jumped in," That contraption! Can it perhaps be to stop the movement of those corpses?"
The Viscount raised an eyebrow," Where did you learn that? If you wish to know, follow me. I shall allow you to bear witness as well. To the advent of a new aurora way of medicine...that is."
The Viscount of Druitt, hummed, walking away, down the hall. Malice and Sebastian met each other's gaze, before Sebastian led them both down the hall. The demon's gaze lingered over the machine being carried.
"Should we take it by force?" Sebastian whispered.
Malice shook her head, keeping her voice low," No, we don't know how to use it. Let's just have him activate it for u-"
"Guh hee hee!"
The strange man from before turned to look at them, giggling. Malice could have sworn his name was something random, like Scythe...or Graveyard or maybe...

"Undertaker?" Sebastian raised an eyebrow, ah right, that was his name," What are you doing here?"
"Hee! Hee! Hiiiya!" The Undertaker giggled," I was told to help carry this as I was in the middle of running for my life, you seeeee! Then I caught sight of the butler hollering 'Pheonix' once more, and--"
Sebastian scowled," You would be wise to forget it, swiftly."
Malice frowned," More importantly, do you have an clues on how to work this thing?"
"Can't say that I doooo?" The Undertaker snickered," I wonder if something like this serves any useful purposes at all, you know?"
They stepped into the first-class longue, which was eerily still and stained in blood. Their footsteps echoed throughout the marbled building, filling the horrible silence. The workers heaved, panting as they set the bulky machine onto the floor.
"Be very cautious with it!" The Viscount scoffed," It is worth more than your lives!"
His workers glared at him, before sighing and deciding to resist the urge to argue.
"Will you start it up now?" Malice inquired.
"Not yet," Viscount of Druitt stated," Our cast is still one player short."
Sebastian furrowed his eyebrows," One player?"
"ARGH!"

Everyone turned swiftly, to face the balcony. Ryan stood there with Grell and Ronald, clinging onto the balcony as he seethed at the Viscount.
"YOU RAT!" Ryan roared," Why did you steal the device!?"
"Ah, hello there, Ryan," The Viscount gasped, it was like some invisible wind billowed his blonde locks, majestically," I've been waiting for you! This day shall mark the fall of your empire in one night and the day my new empire was born!"
Ryan blinked, confused.
"With the power of this device!" The Viscount of Druitt exclaimed," I shall build a new empire!"
Malice and Sebastian blinked, confused.
The Viscount tutted, posing dramatically in his own version of the phoenix pose.
"He who possesses eternity shall rule with immortality and decadent beauty! And it shall be called the Aurora Empire!"