Chapter 6: The Thousand Whips

Deflecting the attack endlessly, Lumiere begun to catch his breath.

"Haa..." Damn amulet why don't you heal me right now?! Of all the time why aren't you working now?! Damn this body why you have to be so fragile!?

In the middle of attacking, Lord Cecil clenched his fist and raised his hand as a sign of refrain.

All of the attacks finally stopped.

"Let's go!" Lord Cecil said furiously.

"Haa... Haa... Lord Alice are you-" Lumiere couldn't finish his words. Everything went spinning and his eyes became so heavy. He lost his balance and was about to fall from his feet when suddenly a hand grabbed his waist and embraced him. Lord Alice rested Lumiere on his arms.

Lumiere's eyelids were starting to feel heavy. He tried to reach and caress Alice's cheeks but his eyelids gave up and closed his eyes. Before he lost conscious, Lumiere saw a glimpse of Alice's face. He saw Alice's amethyst eyes crying. His crying eyes looked like an amethyst stone sweating pearls and dropping like raindrops.

Lumiere doesn't know if he was just seeing hallucinations or something. He couldn't think anymore his eyes went shut and couldn't open it.

"Lumi? Lumi! Lumi wake up! Why did you-? What's happening with you?!"

Alice's voice shaken. all the colors from his face went drained. His hand was trembling as he hold Lumiere on his arms.

"Hey have you heard about the Lord's past Lover?"

"He has?"

"Yes,he do. Unfortunately they broke up"

Those Exchange of words came into Lumiere's memory as his body turned limp.

" Lumi can you hear me?!"

How pretty... your ex is so dumb to leave you

.Lumiere thought.

" Lumi! "

Lumiere couldn't hear anything but Alice's voice.

Lord Alice is calling me... Does he need something? I'm so tired...

"Lumi? Did I hear it wrong?" Lord cecil paused. "perhaps I'm hearing things..." he added.

...

"Lumiere-sama... Lumiere-sama! Lumiere-sama wake up! The queen, your majesty will scold you! You're already late to your lecture! "

Lumiere promptly opened his eyes and wake up from his bed.

"Ni-ni, why didn't you wake me up?! "

Black hair, long ears, white skin tone, and an innocent face. Seth, Lumiere's closest servant put his hand on his temples and said, "My Lord, I've been waking you up since earlier but you won't wake up."

"Ah... I'm dead! I gotta go!"

Lumiere immediately dash and went to the Blood moon's sacred house.

He silently sneak into the backdoor without making any sound to not be caught, but before he could sit on his chair, a scroll went flying towards him.

"Lumiere Cecil! You are late again!" White hair, wrinkled face, and a grumpy expression welcomed Lumiere as he enter the sacred house.

"Good morning too Grandmaster." Lumiere said as he bows down.

He sat down on his chair and said, "Principle 5 values of blood moon clan; violence shall not be allowed specially at a sacred place."

Hearing that, the face of the grandmaster became even more furious that blood could come out from his eyes.

" You damn brat! You even dare to recite our clan's principles, when you come here so late and goes carrying that forbidden instrument! How many times do I have to tell you not to carry that sinister thing around!? Give it to me I'll burn it!"

" Ah... No... Grandmaster, this instrument isn't even formidable just look at this. " Lumiere took out the wooden thing that looks similar to a kokyu from his back. He pluck a string and said, "see? This thing won't kill you. It produces a good sound. " He then took out the bow and rest the formidable instrument on his chest. He swayed his hand and rubbed the bow against the string of the formidable instrument. A light and soothing sound flew like a fiery moth inside the whole house. All of the disciples inside was astonished. Their head felt light and relaxed. But despite of that, the grandmaster became even more furious.

He slammed the desk and bind Lumiere using a sacred rope.

The rope wrap Lumiere's body and put him down like a worm on the ground.

The other disciples begun to murmur.

"Second Lord Cecil is dead."

"Yeah he is."

"Grandmaster, what is this?" Said Lumiere.

"You damn brat! How could I even have a grandson like you?! You never listen to me! You even dared to play that forbidden thing inside this sacred place?!" The grandmaster said furiously.

"Grandmaster, this is called a violin. I made this thing so how is this formidable? Or is it formidable because this person made this thing?" Said Lumiere.

"Nonsense!" Said the grandmaster.

"Then why is this forbidden? This thing is way too beautiful to be forbidden! Hah if our clan will forbid beautiful things this humble person is afraid that someday he'll be forbidden on our own clan."

The other disciples chuckled.

"Manners!" A voice belongs to a handsome man spoke up.

Black hair, high tie pony tail, and a purple kimono. Tall and handsome, yet his face is giving the vibes of a hot tempered young mistress. With Aki's word's the disciples went low and apologized.

"We're sorry your highness."

"Shu, get my whip!" Said the grandmaster.

Shu immediately took the whip.

" Lumiere Cecil, do you know what wrong you did? " the Grandmaster asked calmly.

" I did nothing wrong. How is bringing this thing forbidden? With all of my respect ,At least the Grandmaster shall give me a valid reason why is this thing forbidden , then I shall oath not to bring this thing again. " Said Lumiere.

The grandmaster took a deep breath and prevented his brows from meeting together. Calmly he said, " Kneel in front of our principles and recite it all while being whipped!"

" Huh?! I mean- Yes. " Said Lumiere.

"Hey does the grandmaster really meant that? Wouldn't Second Lord Cecil die from it?" A disciple commented.

"Well Second Lord Cecil seems to have a death wish so the Grandmaster gave it."

The Grandmaster then make Lumiere's Violin float in the air and burnt it with a snap of his finger.

"Ah-! No!"

Lumiere couldn't do anything but to watch his own instrument burned in front of him. The word "despair" was written all over on his face. He just let out a deep sigh as a tear from his eyes came out.

"Everyone shall learn from this lesson. One must not bring nor create any forbidden things on this empire or else this punishment won't be the extent." The Grandmaster said as he puts his hands on his back.

"Yes Grandmaster, we understand." The disciples responded.

Whips after whips. Blood keeps dripping from Lumiere as he recites the principles of their clan in front of the sacred stone. Each principle is equivalent to a whip. The Blood moon empire have more than a thousand principles in total. Reciting all while being whipped is impossible. One will die before even making it midway.

"Blood moon clan principle 101; One shall not be friended with evil. If so, that person shall be regarded as an evil-" Lumiere spat out mouthful blood.

Disciples passing by couldn't help but to pity for him.

"to the whole clan..." Lumiere paused a little to catch his breath.

"Why did you stopped?" Said the Grandmaster .

Damn... People here really are ruthless. Am I even your Grandson at this rate? Old hog, show a little mercy could you?!

"Ah... I just thought that this stone wall have still many spaces. I wonder if the majesty still wants to add some, because I'm really having a good time reciting it all." Said Lumiere.

"Don't worry, I'll suggest to the majesty to add more principles just for you. I'll also convince the other elders so it could be applied as soon as possible." Said the grandmaster.

"Ruthless..." Lumiere murmured.

Someone please save me! I'm gonna die here!

"Blood moon clan principle; 102 One must remain the purity of soul to-"

"Grandmaster, on behalf of my brother, I am apologizing for his wrong doing. If possible could the grandmaster let it slide? As a part of the branch family, I promise to correct my brother's wrong doing and it shall never happen again." Aki said as he bows down in front of the Grandmaster .

Ahhh finally a hero! Thank you big brother! thought Lumiere.

The Grandmaster looked at Lumiere and still seem hesitant.

Seeing that ,Lumiere couldn't help but to yell on his thoughts.

What the heck old man?! What's with that look?! Why are you hesitating ?! Do you really want to kill your grandson?!

After a quiet pause, the grandmaster finally spoke up. "I'll let it slide this time,but he still have to write down all of the principles ten times and write down tht he's regretting what he did on a scroll ten times."

Huh?! I'd rather die! Of all things, I hate writing! Lumiere howled on his thoughts.

"We understand Grandmaster. Thank you for your consideration." Aki said as he bows down.

The Grandmaster took his leave along with his two disciples.

Aki helped Lumiere to stand up.

"Lumiere Cecil! Are you having a death wish?!" Aki said.

"No, it's the death who's courting me." Said Lumiere.

"Idiot!" Aki said.

Lumiere chuckled. "Hahaha. I wonder what will other say if they saw this side of you. The well mannered crowned prince saying such a word."

Idk stomped Lumiere's feet.

"Hey that hurts!"

" Stop whining! "

Finally they arrived at their bamboo house. Lumiere's servant immediately ran towards them and said worrily,"Lumiere-sama what happened to you?! You're bleeding too much!"

"Ni-ni my whole body hurts. The old hog punished me to death!" Lumiere cried.

Aki smacked Lumiere's head. "Ouch! Big brother you're so cruel! Why are you like that?! Can't you see I'm dripping blood yet you even hit me! "

" Stop acting! I know you already healed yourself using your magic while being whipped. I saw it . "Said Aki.

"Ah... No! Ni-ni don't believe him! Please heal me using your magic. "

" Tch!" Aki clenched his fist and walked away.

"What a hot tempered. " Said Lumiere.

"Right Ni-ni? " Lumiere turned around and looked into his servant's face and saw his eyes looking like a wing of a moth that has been endured.

Seeing that, Lumiere's eyelashes went down.

Lumiere's servant and his brother used to be so close like real brothers, but ever since that night at the Mt. Yurei happened everything has changed.

"Ni-ni I want some apple could you get me some? Ah I want a newly harvest!" Said Lumiere.

"I understand Lumiere-sama." Said Seth.

Seth left to get an apple on the tree on the backyard.

"What a drag..." Said Lumiere. His chest glowed crimson and an amulet showed up on his neck.

"What a weird amulet." He paused .

He then held the amulet on his neck And look at it. "You always hide whenever there's a person around. Just what the point of you being an accessory , when you always hide whenever there's a person huh?"

The amulet disappeared again.

" Lumiere-sama here's the apple that you want. " Said Seth.

" Thank you Ni-ni. "

It disappeared again...

" Lumiere-sama the God festival is near. Have you been practicing your dance that's why you always leave the palace at the time of curfew and comes back after midnight? " Said Seth.

" How'd Ni-ni know? " Said Lumiere as he smiled at him.

Though... The whole time I was only playing my violin.

"feed me." Said Lumiere.

Seth peeled the apple and sliced it into pieces.

"Ahh" Lumiere opened his mouth widely.

Idk fed the apple to Lumiere.

"Ni-ni I want more!" Lumiere nagged like a child.

"Sigh... What do I do with you?" Seth said.

...

Night has come. A group of people were by passing at the mount of Dewa Sanzan, when they saw the villagers Climbing up to the mountain carrying a lady who wears a dress for a dead and was tied up in a pole .

The group of people stop by. All of them was wearing a robe and a mask.

Long braided blond hair, tall, white skin tone. A man who carries a fan among the group, spoke up.

"Your Highness, look at those people! What are they doing?! Are they going to kill that poor girl?!"

" it's called 'hitobashira' . " Watari said.

" Hito?So they're really gonna kill that woman!? Are they mad why would they do that?! " Azazel cried.

He opened his fan and wave it fast. " Oh my... What a poor thing... " He said.

"Nevertheless... Your Highness what should we do? How are we supposed to-" Azazel couldn't finish his words. The man in front him raised his hand as a sign of refrain.

" We've provoked the Goddess! We're doomed! We're all gonna die!" One of the villager cried.

"They are really mad! " Said Azazel. "Let's just head out and get out of here!"

The man in front Azazel stepped forward and asked the villagers.

"Pardon our intrusion,but could I ask on what is happening?" Said the highness politely, But The villagers just went mad and yelled,

"We've provoked the Goddess! We're gonna die!"

"They keep repeating the same thing." Said the highness.

He then grabbed the old man in front of the group. The old man was so short and was about to height 5'5. Surely, the reason why he grabbed him is because he is the eldest so probably he is the elder of the village.

The highness snapped his finger and put the old man to his charm.

"Tell me why are you doing a hitobashira." said the highness.

The old man answered eagerly without any hesitation.

"I think we've provoked the Goddess of this mountain. It's been two weeks since people start vanishing. " The old man paused. "Every 9 pm we're hearing some faint sound of beautiful music,"

Anyone who's under the highness' charm couldn't tell a single lie nor disobey to anything that the highness would say. That kind of enchantment was forbidden because of the potential threats it hold. In the three realms, only a current ruler of an empire is allowed to use forbidden enchantment like this, but it also depends on the situation or reason. To use it for wicked doings is surely a taboo.

"Oh my, Music? What kind of music?" Azazel asked.

"I don't know we have never heard that kind of music. But I think it is some kind of musical instrument, judging from its sound I think it uses string. It's not a biwa nor koto the sound is very different from them, but its sound is so similar from kokyu, but I know that it's not a kokyu. The sound is different."

"String music instrument but not kokyu? Hmm I wonder what that could be... anyway what happened next." Azazel said.

"after that a mark of a flower will show up on the neck of few villagers . They will get mad to go outside and insisting to go in the middle of the forest! They acts like a mad dog they would hurt anyone who'll get in their way!" The old man added.

"Your Highness... this... do you also think what i am thinking?" Said Azazel

"yeah" The highness replied

"After that, those people didn't come back. Our great wizard said that it's a work of the Goddess of this mountain! We don't know what we did to provoke her. So no matter what happens we must do the hitobashira!"

" oh my just how could you be certain about that thing?" Azazel arrogantly asked.

"Our great wizard have the ability to do that and there's no way that he'll be wrong!" The old man cried.

Azazel bent to face the old man and said,

" Alright alright, Old man stop crying. Tell us where is that mage of yours."

Suddenly Azazel felt something poking his back. It wasn't that sharp and has a rough texture.

"Just what in the world are vampires doing here?" An average height lad points his staff at Azazel.

Azazel's companion unsheathed their sword and point it at the young lad

"Put your swords down" the highness ordered.

"We understood." Said the vampires

"Who are you?" The highness asked.

"That should be my line " the young lad replied. "What brings a royal blood vampire here?" Said the lad.

Hearing that, The highness was amused. It has been many years since the vampires disappeared in the three realms, but a mere human managed to recognized their identity.

"Kid." The highness was about to say more, but the lad interrupt him.

"I'm older than you." He said.

"Huh." The highness was just dumbfounded.

"As I judge your appearance, the highness is about seventeen or sixteen."The lad added.

As I thought he isn't a simple mortal. The highness said on his thoughts.

" I'm a hybrid elf and human." Said the lad.

"What elf?" The highness asked.

"Before answering that, would you mind taking your staff off my back?" Said Azazel with a furious aura.

"Then mind if you remove your blade fan behind my neck." The lad sneered.

Both of them removed their weapons at the same time. Azazel stood up staright and waved his fan.

"Dark elf." Said the lad. Suddenly, his ears and cheeks glowed revealing his long ears and elf mark.

"Tell us your name, so we won't be rude to call you hybrid elf." Said Watari.

"Call me Leon. " Said the hybrid elf.

"Leon, how long have you lived? " Said Watari with a neutral tone.

Leon sat on the rock beside them and said,"I've witnessed the making of The lunatic God at the blood moon's empire. "

With just one sentence, the vampires immediately understand Leon. 'The Lunatic God of blood moon's empire ' is an incident happened seventeen years ago.

Witnessing the making of the Lunatic God means he have lived almost hundred years ago or more. But Putting it on that sentence, others might get the wrong idea by the word 'making'.

Watari sneered. He asks, "Then does senior Leon really telling the truth to that old man?"

Leon rests his cheeks to his hand and said, "I dare ask then. Does the vampire sect think that I'm lying."

The highness answered without hesitation."Yes."

"Oh? How so?" Leon sneered.

"First, I don't think this is a work of a Goddess. The monsters that the old man was talking about are seemed to be a cursed demons." Said the highness.

" Ah so you dare to call yourselves monsters huh? Amusing. " Leon sneered.

Hearing that, the other vampires couldn't help but to get mad and clench to their swords as if they was ready to draw it anytime. And were just waiting for their highness' signal.

The highness raised his hand again as a sign of refraining and said,

"It's okay. We, vampires are still part of the demon race, he has his point." The highness said humbly.

Hearing that, the soldiers couldn't help but to follow their highness' order.

The hybrid elf laughed. He said, "Amusing! the new vampire sect is something else! Ahahaha! Does kicking you all out from all the three realms made you guys like this? You guys are funny! "

The highness and others just remained silent as they watch Leon slendering their whole race.

" Even to mortals, they only see you guys as a mad dog who always wants to suck blood! " Leon even laughed wildly.

The vampires still remained silent. After a moment their highness finally spoke up.

" Are you done? " He said. A single sentence and the atmosphere become cold as ice.

The hybrid elf felt a little embarrassment. He fixed his composure and said, "Pardon my rudeness I couldn't help myself. Maybe next time I'll try to learn some joke."

Azazel waved his fan and said, "Oh my, it's okay. We understand your lacking. Your race is also lacking after all. It's half-half! " Azazel then laughed in a demeaning way.

Hearing that, Leon seemed to be a little insulted. He fixed his composure and changed the topic.

"If the young highness doubt me then, why won't you guys wait here till it reaches the ninth?"

"Fine then." The highness replied nonchalantly.

Leon ordered the villagers to retreat and go back to the village. But before that, Alice made a condition that all of the villagers should just stay in one place so he could monitize all.

The night is becoming deep. The moon was already set high. Just two more minutes then the clock will set at ninth.

All of the villagers were gathered beside the hallway of their residence and waiting at the ninth to come under the pale moonlight surrounds by their boarder wall with the barrier set by their highness in case something happens. The waning crescent moon lits up everybody, with the cold wind blowing into them. The leaves of the peony were dancing elegantly.

Leon was sitting at the stone in front and the elder of the village beside him. The vampires were scattered into sides to monitor each villagers, except for the highness and his close friends Azazel and Watari.

"You guys sure is taking this thing so much. Come on you guys look so serious! Have some little happy aura won't you? The villagers will die because of you guys' pale aura, instead of the violin sound." Leon sneered.

"Peacock, could you stop being racist?" Said Watari with a cold tone.

"It's ninth." Said the highness.

Hearing that, all of the villagers went panicked and yelled.

"We're doomed! We're all gonna die!"

"The Goddess will take lives again!"

Azazel opened his fan halfway and wave it graceful. He said, "What's wrong with them? Running around like idiots. There's nothing to hear at all! Hah you guys are probably lying."