CHAPTER 34:SONGS OF DEATH: PEACEFUL END

Standing under the bright moonlight, Chauncey took a step back and started to pant. Looking to Keir, he saw that his rapier had a blood smear on it. Two hours already had passed and they had only started to exchange attacks. Keir was the only one who was unscathed.

If it weren't for Chauncey's unflinching determination, he would most likely be dead by now, given the severity of his wounds. His blood is flowing all over the ground, and he looks up at Keir, who is covered in blood coming from Chauncey. He tries to attack him again, but Keir casually avoids it, looking pityingly on him.

"enough, Chauncey. you already lose."

"I haven't lose yet. I"m still alive!" he rashed towards keir once again. as he just keep attacking him with all his might.

"can't you just give up..? you're so beat up already! just let me.. kill you in peace." there's still a hint of sorrow when he said those words, but then, Chauncey just laughed bitterly again.

"haa.. I tell you many times that I have no intention to give up! unless if you let me escape and spare my life. I'm going to leave in the country along with my sister peacefully without telling to anyone about devian's true identity and your betrayal to the organization, but I doubt you would do that. you were under someone's order after all!" Chauncey rushes towards Keir and takes his pistol, shooting him one after another. This makes a loud bangs that echo throughout the campus, attracting the attention of everyone. Including Damion, who glances in the direction of the gunshots.

"five gunshots?! damn! we have to hurry!" fynn shouted at them, damion was taken aback after hearing this before nod to fynn and elyze.

"the security room was just meters away, let's go!" they run towards upstairs, since the security room was situated on the fourth floor of building B and as of now, the elevator isn't working yet. damion started to anxious for some reason. he have no idea that what awaits him to the security room was something he wouldn't expect to happen.

While they were running up the stairs, they suddenly stopped as the lights around the campus started to turn on one by one. This made Damian feel relief. The phone also went back to normal at the same time, and Alexandra called him. When he opened the video call, his eyes widened when he saw the bloody scene behind her.

[Thank god I manage to contact you damion! the situation here is too bad! there's a lot of casualties mostly students!]

"how many..?" he asked calmly.

[more than five hundred people! the gymnasium becomes a bloody battlefield!]

"What about the others..?"

[I'm with zepphyr right now! we've got separated with the others when the lights fade out! I couldn't find elyze either!] there's a worried expression on Alexandra's face, so elyze decided to get closer to damion to assure her, when Alexandra saw her, her worried face had gone.

[good thing you're with damion! If you just know how bloody the gymnasium right now!]

"thanks for worrying, I appreciate it." elyze smile sweetly to her, this time, it was damion who spoke first.

"listen, Alexandra, go to the headmistress immediately and tell her our situation, we were in security room right now and there's something else we need to do here, I'll explain it to you later!"

[b-but.. *BEEP* *BEEP*] damion didn't let her to finished what she was about to say and hang it up, after that, he look to fynn and elyze seriously.

"Now all that is left is to find the person who instigate this incident, she must've in security right now and haven't left yet. we should go and meet that person."Damion looked unhappy as he wore his cold expression. She felt a satisfaction just looking at it, or rather, she felt amusement seeing him getting played by her own hands. Had it not been for Damion being in front of her, she probably would be laughing right now and drinking her favorite red wine. Besides, she knows that she can't let her guard down around him, Damion is quite observant, after all. Just one wrong move and all of her plan would be in vain.

As soon as they reach the fourth floor, they immediately run towards the security room. However, as they slowly approaches the room, they stop running when they saw four corpses lying on the ground and the door was forcibly opened by someone. Finn look on it's passcode, the wire was cut off with no atleast one evidence can be seen. It looks very clean.

As they enter inside, they see six bloody corpses on the ground. Some of them have their heads decapitated, and others have slash wounds on their throats or stomachs. The smell of blood is strong, and they cover their noses as they walk through it.

"seems like the instigator of this incident really loves gore scenes like this." damion said sarcastically.

"a stabbed on their heart, a decapitated head, and slash on it's throat, as well as some of their internal parts scattered around. whoever did such a things like this was just too heartless." elyze replied with poker face, suddenly, fynn went on the decapitated head Infront of him and stare at it, after that, he grabbed it's bloody red hair and then throw it on damion's direction.

"catch it damion~ there's an important clue there~" damion manage to catch it and when he saw what he was holding, he was taken aback and let it go immediately before glare to fynn who's still smirking at him.

"You damn.."

"ah,ah, I told you to take care of it~ don't you see the scars from that person's face?" damion didn't finished what he was about to say before use his feet to look at the decapitated head's face. and when he saw a familiar scar on it's forehead, his eyes widened in surprise.

there was a weighing scale carves on it, which is very familiar to damion, it was the symbol of the revolutionaries. how could that be?

"this is.. made by those revolutionaries?"

"probably. the others have a weighing scale carve in each of their body as well." this time, it was elyze who speak while looking on the corpses lying on the ground.

Soon, their eyes diverted in front of the huge screen when the light from the security room faded once more. In that monitor, they saw a teddy bear sitting in an old chair, with one eye having a scar, and the other one without a scar. It also wore a black top hat and a purple ribbon around its neck. They stared at it for a few minutes before... it spoke out of nowhere, sounding like a familiar voice.

[...don't give me that fuck! I swear if I survive here, I'm going to tell to the higher-ups that you planned to kill me so that they could give you a punishment! after that.. I.. I'm going to hunt the person who dare to do such things like this to you!]

[I haven't lose yet. I"m still alive!]

by the time damion heard the voices, he immediately realize the person who's talking.. there's no way he would get wronged by it. a voice full of determination, there's only one person he knows who have a strong will to live.

"This voice.. It's Chauncey! it's a recorder!" damion said, the same time, he gradually understands everything from the beginning. The last piece of the puzzle he's been looking for had been found, and so he couldn't help but to punch the walls out of disappointment, while gritting his teeth and clenching his fist. He was so disappointed right now for not knowing the schemer's true intention, so he just laughed bitterly.

"It seems that the explosion and the dispute in the student council election were all just a ploy to get rid of Chauncey Steinhart. I can't believe I was played like that."he laughs maniacally, but there is a hint of bitterness in it, Finn had never seen Damion like this, but even so, he still couldn't help but be afraid of him, whoever started this event would definitely be hunted down.

"if it's Chauncey then, his life must be in danger right now." elyze replied while wearing her worried face, damion stop Laughing when he heard her voice, so he calm his self before speaking.

"the gunshot earlier.. we should follow the gunshot." damion said in serious way, she frowned when elyze saw how cold his expression was. for some reason, she felt anxious while looking to him.

"judging by the gunshot we heard earlier, he was approximately one hundred meters away from us, in other words, he was just at the back of class zero building, in angelical flower garden." fynn commented in solemn way before looking on them.

"we have to go there before everything gets too late, he probably fighting someone right now."

elyze nod, while damion was still silent as ever. they walk outside of the security room, all the way to the elevator and when elyze was about to enter inside the elevator, damion stop her.

"...wait, there is something I would like to check first. the music room. so you should went there first, fynn, elyze and I will follow you later." this makes elyze frowned in confusion once more, so she asked him.

"do I have to go with you..?"damion just give her a simple smile and said,

"you'll be a good shield, elyze."

"you son of a.." elyze lips twitched in annoyance when she saw damion smirking on him, so she just let out a sigh. ".. I'm a lady, you should be my shield instead of me."

"who knows.. you're quite good at protecting someone."

"ah, hahaha.. we should go now." elyze replied while avoiding her gaze and step back on the elevator, fynn just stare to the both of them before crossing his arms and arching his eyebrows.

"if you're done, then I'm going now.." fynn let out a sigh before press the no 1 button as the door of elevator slowly closed. after that, only the two of them have left, elyze was about to walk when damion hold his wrist that makes her surprise.

".. is there something wrong..?" she became anxious even more and started to sweat. did he found out already? did he already knew her true identity? lots of questions started to popped up on her mind, but she still staring at damion's eyes no matter how nervous she is.

soon, her eyes widened when damion suddenly hug her tight that makes her heart skipped a beat out of anxiousness, will he going to stab me? will he kill me? that's what she thought. when damion heard a thump coming from elyze chest, a small smirk curve on his pinkish lips.

"What's wrong.. moriarty? why are you so nervous? are you.. afraid of me?" he whispered softly on her ears.

"all the ladies will get afraid if they were hugged by a strangers." she said calmly, so damion just narrowed his eyes.

"Calm down, I won't do anything to you. there's a sniper pointing at you, two hundred meters away from the east wing of the school." elyze was taken aback when he heard what damion says, so she look around using her peripheral vision and find the sniper. soon, he notice a silver light coming from the east wing of the school, the mysterious figure from the rooftop just click it's tongue as soon as it saw damion hugging elyze. nevertheless, this didn't stop him as he place his finger on the trigger.

meanwhile elyze just look at it coldly as she started to think a possible reason why does someone was planning to assassinate her. if the assailant keeps targeting her, it might affect the mission.

'damn.. you've gotta be kidding me, whoever that person is, I'm going to kill him for sure.' she thought.

meanwhile, damion was still hugging her, as her perfume lingered on his nose, it's smell were so sweet so he look at her neck intently, as another smirk curve on her lips. for some reason, this gives damion an urge to kiss her neck. but then, he stop himself when elyze suddenly spoke to him.

"On count of three, we have to duck." she whispered.

"one.."

"two.."

"three..!" just as when they duck together, the bullets fly towards the walls instead of them, when the assailant saw this, she click his tongue once again and keep firing them another bullets one after another, which make damion and elyze unable to stand up.

"shit.. I can't hit her!" the mysterious guy said in annoyance, but then, he froze when he felt a cold object pointed on his head that makes his sniper rifle fell on the ground.

"Idiot.. let me demonstrate you how to shot a person with one bullet, for example.." as the mysterious figure look on his back, he saw another man smiling to him while holding a gun, "Like.. This!" as a loud gunshot echoed around the campus once more.

*BANG!*

–—–

*BANG!*

Keir looked up when he heard another gunshot coming from the campus, but he paid it no mind. He continued to watch Chauncey's direction instead. He was panting, sweating, and bloody. His white suit was already covered in blood, but he still tried to stand. This irritated Keir, so he dashed towards him and kicked him in the stomach as hard as he could. Chauncey vomited a mouthful of blood, but he still stood by using every ounce of his strength. Keir just kept kicking and punching him with all his might.

"I told you enough already! just give up!" he shouted on him. chauncey's beat up face just laugh as he tried to stand up once more. he's so pitiful, but even if he's so pitiful, he's still standing up.

"I.. I can't.. M-my sister was waiting me to comeback.. I-I still need to pay damion back for b-betraying him t-two years ago.. and most of all.. w-we still have a lots of things to do! I-I still want to hear you playing a violin Infront of the crowds for these y-years music festival! t-that is why.. I can't just die here!" He shouted as loudly as he could before dashing towards Keir and attacking him. Hearing this, Keir suddenly let go his sword, which makes Chauncey gasp. When he saw Keir giving him a genuine smile, it felt as if all the memories he made with Class Zero popped up on his mind.

This caused him to stop attacking when his knife was close to Keir's heart, as he slowly kneels down next to him, looking at him with a terrified expression, tears streaming down his eyes. Keir then looks at him pitifully and sat down next to him.

You did great, Chauncey.. you don't need to give up if you want to, you just have to rest. be assured, your sister was in a good hand. the phantom's knight won't kill her, they protecting her instead.. so please.. just rest."

"I- I want to live.. I still want to live! I-I j-just wanted to live like an ordinary person, damn it! I don't need luxury or a title, a-all I just want is t-to live happily w-with charlotte! I-I don't want to die yet.. I'm afraid to die! I.. I.." When Keir suddenly embraced Chauncey, a warmth and tranquility spread through him. It was a feeling that he had longed for ever since he was a child, and at this point, Chauncey couldn't help but to smile in satisfaction. His vision becomes blurry, as he starts to remember all the memories he made with the class zero, to Keir especially to his sister. Finally, Chauncey feels at peace, knowing that he has made some good memories as well as all the sins he made which he regretted the most.

The day when he first enter in the academy..

'Chauncey steinhart here! nice to meet you!'

the night when he first met keir beneath the camellia trees..

'You're so good in playing violin! how old are you?!'

and lastly, his promise to Charlotte about coming back on her one day.. which he would never fulfill once more..

'Once everything is settled, Lets play all nighttt! Ma princesse..'

'that's a promised, brother!'

"C-charlotte..." He smiled bitterly as he closed his eyes and fell asleep among the camellia trees, gradually and slowly. Even at the last moment of his life, he just kept mentioning his sister's name, the only family that had ever been there for him since their mother died.

When Keir saw this, he leaned Chauncey against the tree and placed some camellia flowers in front of him. There's still a peaceful look on Chauncey's face, like a person who has found freedom in his life after years of striving in the middle of the desert. So Keir just stands up, looking solemnly on the shadow where he saw a white loose robe flutter from it, due to the wind.

"Chauncey Magnus is dead."

".. Looks like it." The shadowy figure coming out of the darkness saunters towards Chauncey, with a smirk on its face. Suddenly, Keir's eyes open wide as if all the memories from the past were coming back to him all at once. He clenched his fist and gritted his teeth in anger.

"you really dare.." but he stopped talking, remembering something from his past. they were the words of the person he looked up to so much. the person who showed him the light and teach him how to be kind and compassionate to others. It's the person he and his brother respect deeply, and most importantly...the only person who shows love, care, and affection towards him and sacrifices himself only for them. So he just closed his mouth and avoided his eyes.

shameless bastard.."

and the person he respect and look up so much was none other than his older brother, devian xenon. or rather, Lucifer Léger, the first prince of empyrean kingdom.

–—–

*CHAUNCEY'S POV*

when I opened my eyes, I saw myself surrounded by a garden full of red camellias. the sky was painted in red as I saw a beautiful lady with a white dress as if it's waiting me, and when she looks on my direction, tears started to fall down when I recognize her clip similar to a camellia so I run towards her and hugged her tightly and spoke my last words..

"Mother..I'm here."

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