fire flower; leopold vermillion x oc [Black Clover]

Chapter 35: Imitation

I wonder why he hasn't killed me. For days he has simply been visiting me—if you can call it that. Sometimes he only stands there for a few minutes, sometimes for hours, simply: staring. Even when I wave my hands and my magic shoots up as a covering between the bars and his face, he still remains, unmoving, silent.

What does he want? The question has been plaguing me for what seems like ages. After he beat me at my own game, he locked me in this cell with thick iron bars and a musty cot. The logical move would be to get rid of me, but it seems that Sebastian is anything but logical. It seems that he needs me for something, that I am of use to him. The thought sickens me.

Today, as the sun climbs to its peak, he enters once again. I try to ignore him, try to stare out the window, but then he snaps his fingers. The portal opens underneath my feet, and I tumble down, a jolt of panic seizing me. I land on my side, and I sit up, clutching it, breathing raggedly. I am in a white room, completely blank, nothing but Sebastian and a short girl by his side standing in front of me.

"Here she is, Bellona," he says, smiling down at me.

I glare back at him, and try to leap to my feet, but I'm still struggling to breathe from the fall. Before I can do anything, the girl, Bellona, steps forward. Her shiny black hair is in a short bob, and one eye is covered. When she fixes her gaze on me, a chill creeps up my spine as I stare back at her blank expression. Then, right before my eyes, she transforms into me. I find myself staring into my own dark eyes, and my breath catches in my throat.

"What is going on?" I hiss, trying to get as far away as possible from this unholy clone.

"Nothing you need to concern yourself with." Sebastian smiles and steps forward, blocking Bellona from sight. He snaps his fingers, and once again, a portal opens up underneath my feet. I land on my bed with a thump in seconds, the white room disappearing above my head, along with the two Moon Shade members.

A sinking feeling of dread settles upon my chest, and I rush towards the cell bars, gripping my hands around them. There is a little space outside of my cell, and I scream at the top of my lungs, desperate to just do something. Sebastian is definitely going to use Bellona in some scheme that will involve the squad, and I can't just sit back and let it happen. He's made his move, now I have to make mine.

I push myself away from the bars and summon up a bit of dark magic. I hurl it at the cell, eyes wide, ready for something to happen. My magic bounces off and dissipates as soon as it touches the bar. Stupidly, I keep at it, trying to form a dent. But nothing I try works. Finally, my desperation running rampant, I turn to the window. I blast it open, but the frame is too small for me to even try to squirm through. Then my eye catches the glint of a jagged piece of glass lying on my bed; debris from my attack. I pick it up, ignoring the cuts starting to blossom on my fingertips. A crazy idea leaps into my mind, and I know it's a stretch, but I'm out of options.

Clenching the glass, ignoring the stinging pain and the warm blood now running down the lines of my palms, I angle it towards my throat, tilting my head back, leaving the skin exposed.

"I'll do it, Sebastian!" I shriek. "I'll do it! They know I have a birthmark on the inside of my forearm! Your fake will be found out!"

It works like a charm. He sprints into the room through a portal, his features contorted with anxiety and rage. He pulls himself up to the cage and glares through the bars.

"Drop it, Princess! Show me the birthmark!"

I inch forward, still holding the glass up to my throat. A few more inches... almost... there... Once I'm within range, I swiftly grab Sebastian by the long locks of his hair and yank his head upwards, now holding the glass over his throat.

"Let me out of here," I growl, clenching the glass so hard that my hand starts to tremble.

"Prin... cess..." he wheezes, fixing his unnaturally wide eyes on me.

"Do it!"I yell, touching the point to his throat. A thin trickle of blood slides down to his collarbone.

He feebly manages to snap his fingers, and a portal appears to my right. I tie his hands together with my magic, and then I leap into the portal, remerging outside of the cell, behind Sebastian. I grab both his wrists and release the bonds as I press the point against his back.

"Take me to my sword and my grimoire, and if you so much as breathe in the wrong direction, you know what happens," I whisper into his ear, digging my fingernails into his skin.

His Adam's apple bobs up and down once, and he nods slowly. Then he begins to walk towards the door. I release one hand and allow him to open it; he knows that I can stab him faster than he can create a portal for me to fall into. Then we're striding down a series of hallways, robes billowing behind us, taking lefts and rights.

He stops at a wooden door and pushes it open, revealing my sword and my grimoire lying on a dusty table. I strap him to a chair before I loop my sword belt around my waist and place my grimoire back in its place. Then, I yank Sebastian up again.

"Take me to the room where I challenged you, and gather Moon Shade."

He complies, snapping his fingers once again and walking through a portal. We emerge in the same auditorium-like room, and I drag him up to the center so that we face the curved rows of benches. Moon Shade members pour in and take their seats quickly.

Finally, they notice me and Sebastian, and murmurs explode in the room.

"Silence!" I bellow, my voice carrying over the crowd. "I have your leader captive! I have beaten him, and so I will take his place!"

"You can't do that!" Someone shrieks.

"I have proven that I am stronger! Do you all want this pathetic, insane weakling leading you? Or do you want the Dark Wizard? The one destined to lead Moon Shade?"

The crowd falls back into murmurs, with some outbursts and protests, but eventually, they quiet down. 

A golden-haired wizard steps forward and bows before me. "We accept your new authority, Mari Ebonelle, leader of Moon Shade."

I suppose I have to congratulate him, to honor him. "Very well. What is your name?"

"Mithras, my leader." He raises his head, showing his cerulean eyes.

"You will be my right-hand man, Mithras. Congratulations." Yes, dangle a reward before them for loyalty. Earn their trust.

I bind Sebastian, and he grunts as I shove him towards Mithras. "Your first order: lock him up."

Mithras bows once more and hurries off, dragging Sebastian with him. I turn back to the crowd and growl, "Any objections?"

No one says a word.

I smile.

Now, to take care of the clone.