Infusion of EssenceNayeli Niji
Part Two: Samhain Festivity
Vergil wandered back onto the Coven's grounds after being away for the night. He found Adelina's balcony and entered through it like he usually did. This time, he found her there on her bed laying on her front in a silk, violet night dress and reading a book idly. He leaned back on the closed doors and watched her apathetically.
She smiled playfully, though didn't look up from her book, “I almost didn't expect you to return so soon.”
He scoffed in the usual manner, “Don't flatter yourself, woman.”
Adelina finally looked up, “Shall I speak nonsense at you again?”
He fingered his o-katana, Yamato, “Why not?”
The smile broadened, “Where did you get that?”
“It was a gift,” he unsheathed it slightly.
She closed her book and stood to approach as if beckoning him to do it. She watched him expectantly as she shifted her weight onto the desk nearby, “Hesitant?”
In one moment of blinding speed he'd forced her against the wall with his blade at her neck. The murderous intent in his eyes frightened her further as if the sudden movement she hadn't prepared for didn't do enough of that. She froze where she was while watching him unblinkingly. His narrowed eyes flickered with something like satisfaction as he trailed the tip of the o-katana down the muscle in the side of her neck to her collarbone. When she shivered from the cold steel's touch, he finally drew it back and sheathed. Adelina let out an anxious breath and slid to the floor with her hand on her chest.
“How pathetic...” he muttered towering over her.
She moved an enraged gaze up to his defiantly, “Keep at it, half-breed. By
Samhain I won't be so helpless.”
Vergil cocked a brow, “
'Samhain'? More of your jabberwock, I presume?”
She pulled herself to stand, “Not quite. It's a holiday we celebrate...”
He rolled his eyes not bothering to listen any more, “A ritualistic excuse to slack.
Brilliant.”
Adelina let out a sigh of frustration, “I know it means nothing to you, being who and what you are, but...” something about her changed from angry to hesitant – he was sure it was their bond that made him notice, otherwise her human fickleness wouldn't have penetrated him -- as she finished, “I'd like if you showed up to the Samhain Masquerade. It takes place on the day, the last day of this month.”
Vergil patronized her with his skeptical gaze, though before he could reply, she added, “It's not some sort of trap to destroy you or whatever I'm sure you're going to suspect. It's completely up to you if you participate in our “ridiculous customs”! I'm just stating that I would appreciate your presence...”
He sighed and turned away not answering. Of course he wasn't going to go. What good would his presence serve? They'd probably use the event as a peace attempt with their opponent city, anyhow. He was sure she hadn't been completely daunted by his outburst. Adelina sighed and picked the book off of the bed to travel across the room and place it on her vanity stand. She looked into the mirror as she mused to him, “What is it you want?”
He turned towards her abruptly at the unexpected question, “Explain.”
She rolled her eyes now, though a small smile flickered for a brief second, “Grandfather said you were an ambitious man with goals of your own…”
“Power...” he said before he could stop himself, “It's the only thing of importance. Without it, you can protect and achieve nothing!”
Adelina nodded, “I can understand that...” she turned around to face him, “With the lacking of my full power, I'm completely defenseless. I can protect nothing I care for even if I tried...so, if you were in a moment like such, what would you do? Would you die for your cause, or flee?”
“Do what you can to survive. Otherwise, gaining power is impossible,” he stated immediately.
Nodding slowly, she watched his face like searching it for something. He felt quite safe in that he was perfectly safe from her speculation as he'd trained himself to conceal everything. His internal victoury was cut short as she moved closer still watching and unblinking.
“You're struggling.” she stated reaching to touch his cheek.
He instantly grabbed her wrist to stop her, “
Do not touch me.”
Her expression defied, “Afraid I'll burn you?”
He tightened his grip, “I fear nothing, especially a weakened
human such as yourself.”
“I don't need to touch you, y'know,” she said suddenly, “Our bond tells me exactly if something is bothering you, if you're happy and so much more.”
It utterly annoyed him how much she knew about this 'bond' and more so that she'd know about everything he felt, and probably what he did.
“It would seem you're getting more out of this bond than I am...”
“Because I know how to read people. Even without this bond I could sense inner turmoil...”
His first thoughts skipped back into the past to the day his mother was killed and he was taken away. Furiously, he shoved her back onto the top of the vanity stand and grabbed her by the throat, “
How dare you...”
She stayed calm, though. Adelina's richly coloured gaze stayed on him as she didn't struggle or panic, “You can't do that. Weren't you the one who said 'do what you can to survive'?”
He let go and clenched his fist as he snarled, “I will find a way to break this bond! And then there will be nothing stopping me!”
She tilted her head, “I'm sure you're right...but how long will that take?”
In that moment, he could swear she was implying her own eagerness to break the bond of which held his life in her hands. Was it to finally be rid of him, or because she was unsure of her ability to handle that sort of responsibility? Delicately, she picked up her brush and began to run it through her blue-tinted bangs, “In any case, Vergil...I would welcome you still to the masquerade.”
Adelina's last words were like a drug as he exited her room into the corridour. Even when he found Dante waiting next to her door, her invite still lingered in the surface of his mind. Dante smirked and chuckled, “Aw, look at that. Vergy just received his first invite from a pretty lady!”
Vergil glared at his twin, “Nothing changes even in my years of absence, does it? You're still as incompetent as ever, brother...”
Dante didn't seem to take offense, “And you are still as unaware.”
He rolled his eyes, “Fine, I'm biting.”
Dante's smirk announced his victoury, “I thought you were the one more versed in scriptures...but I guess you wouldn't make the connection seeing as you have yet to experience her power for yourself.”
“Get to your point,” he growled through clenched teeth.
“I found a book that may interest you, brother,” he tossed said book to Vergil who caught it with ease; “There's a detail of our father's history that's not always given a level of importance. Remember that priestess who gave her blood to seal the gate? That wasn't her only legacy...”
As Vergil skimmed quickly through the pages; he found it described Sparda's battle against the demons alongside the aforementioned priestess. This book, though, went into more detail of her story. It told the tale of how she was granted her power by the Gods and her line would enjoy these gifts to the end of the humans' time. Dante was pleased when he saw Vergil's eyes flicker with realization. He slammed the book shut, “I'll be keeping this.”
The moment he began again down the corridour, he heard the door to Adelina's room open and slam shut carelessly. He sighed knowing full well of how his brother acted around women...it shouldn't have bothered him as much as it did, though.
***
Dante sat in a chair at a long table in the ballroom with his feet propped up onto the table. He watched lazily as Adelina and her older sister, Jezebel, sorted through the Samhain decorations and preparations explaining to Kyrie the significance of certain colours, scents and items. Adelina leaned across from the other side of the table and slapped his boot playfully, “Instead of infecting the table with the soil on your feet, why don't you come help with the decor? We could use a tall, strong man to help us.”
He smirked and returned the playfulness, “So we've lowered ourselves to flattery now?”
Adelina laughed a bit and slapped his foot again, “Quit it! We need help, now get over here you lazy ass!”
“Whoa! Do you kiss your grandfather with that tongue?” he chuckled as he stood and jumped over the table.
Jezebel and Kyrie laughed at the question as Adelina kicked him from behind, “Get to work, old man!”
He gave her a look as he rubbed his chin, “...really? I didn't look too bad this morning when I got up...”
Rolling her eyes, Adelina handed him a long black banner with swirling and spiraling designs of orange and purple and green. She instructed him to hang it above the doorway letting the bottom trim – laced with loose strings – hang down a bit.
As he did so, Jezebel and Kyrie went to the very back of the large room where an under-decorated altar resided. It was bigger than the average altar as this was the special one where everyone set their gifts for deceased ancestours and lit their candles. She set the box down on the floor between them and explained the significance of each fruit, item and element set upon it and why it was to go in a certain place. Kyrie seemed utterly indulged in every detail of their customs. She was definitely the right person to send as an ambassadour.
Dante let himself slide back down the latter he'd been provided with to hang the banner. Adelina was arranging the many long tables – two on each side of the room – and then covered them with deep maroon table clothes. She set three black candles on thin golden handles on each table accompanied by small pumpkins, acorns, ferns and sage. Dante noticed her liveliness in the past few days returning. It was already three days to Samhain and she wasn't kidding when she said by then all of her essence would return to full strength.
He approached and leaned an arm on her should shifting a portions of his weight on her. She buckled slightly under it and elbowed him when he tried to catch her, “What the hell is wrong with you?”
He laughed and shoved her playfully, “Just testing to see just how much of your strength has returned.”
“Of course you wouldn't think of the consequences of what I'll do to you in three days when it
does return,” she smirked triumphantly.
He rolled his eyes mockingly, “Yes ma'am.”
Adelina snickered and shook her head before gazing silently out at the ballroom that was slowly being filled with black and orange in celebration of Samhain. She smiled as she went back to the boxes of decoration and sifted through it for Dante's next job.
“So, I can't help but notice your interest in my brother,” he teased as he lean-laid on the table near her.
“O please, I was wondering when this would come up!” she said shaking her head again.
“So you don't deny it!”
“Dante!” she playfully slapped the side of his head, “Your jealousy is flattering, but you’re wrong.”
“What if I am jealous?” he taunted.
“I guess that's your problem,” she said sardonically.
“O, that hurt! Such a low blow!”
“Well, you deserve it.
Something needs to lower your testosterone levels a bit,” Adelina giggled as she said this. It was a wonder how informal he made her act. His mannerisms were contagious.
“Evil woman!” he accused in mock pouting.
“Demon man!” she retorted as she tossed a small spherical candle at him.
He caught it easily and picked up two more from another box closer to him to begin juggling. Adelina giggled and stopped sifting through the box to watch him, “Perhaps you should dress as a jester and perform for us!”
He stopped abruptly and caught all three candles, “
No.”
She laughed, “Bad jester history?”
Dante raised his brows, “You have
no idea.”
“Well, if you’re both quite done flirting,” Vergil interrupted from behind Adelina, “I’ve come on a favour. Your elders would like to speak with you, Adelina.”
She dropped her things and nodded, “Yes…Dante, take care of things for me?”
Dante smiled warmly, “Of course.”
She smiled gratefully as she hurried off through the large double doors her long, light blue skirt flowing gracefully behind her. Dante’s gaze on her was broken when Vergil stepped in front of her fading image, “You know my teeth hurt whenever you speak of me, correct?”
Dante laughed at that, “Then I should talk about you more often!”
Vergil rolled his eyes, “Don’t tell me you’re buying into that girl.”
He shrugged, “Why not? She’s cute, funny,
beautiful, and legal…”
Vergil slammed a fist on the table, “
Dante!”
“Hey, all I’m saying is, if it bothers you so much…”
“It
doesn’t,” he seethed, “The problem is I can feel everything she does and her fickle emotion is utterly distracting! Keep her in one mood, preferably a
pleasant one!”
Dante roared with laughter, “I am tempted to seduce her now!”
In the blink of an eye, Vergil’s Yamato was at Dante’s neck as he announced dangerously, “
You will do nothing
of the sort…”
Dante wasn’t bothered, though. He rubbed his chin in contemplation, “Hmmm…do you realize how good that’d feel for both of you if you two…”
Vergil yelled out in opposition and turned away, “Release those thoughts! I assure you
nothing like that will
ever come to pass!”
Dante smiled knowingly,
‘Heh…just like you don’t care about my fate, right brother?’
Vergil was in complete denial when it came to his emotions. Dante knew very well that Vergil had them even if he disowned them completely. In fact, they were fairly strong ones, and all too human for Vergil’s control; which is why he shunned them. But even Dante knew that even if he denied them, he still held them. As Vergil denied caring for him, most likely what he denied about Adelina was true as well. It could just be the bond he’d never shared with anyone, but there was something there. Dante wondered if Vergil would eventually act upon it…or would he have to do some meddling?
***
The day before the Samhain Masquerade was a day of stress and anxiety. People were hurrying around in last minute preparation. Vergil was somehow amused by merely watching this display. It was so entertaining how important this was for them. What he had picked up from his eavesdropping, or “silent research”, was that the holiday
Samhain was the renewal of ‘
The Wheel of the Year’ and a specific day to honour their deceased, especially fallen warriors. They apparently believed that the veil between the world of the living and that of the dead was at its thinnest on this night – October 31
st -- and that the spirits of the departed loved ones walk the earth, visit family and friends, and join in the ritual celebrations. This made Samhain a prime night for any type of spirit contact rituals. The story behind the holiday, and reenacted in front of the entire ballroom, was that this was the night that the old God died, returning to the Land of the Dead to await rebirth at
Yule, and a time when the Crone Goddess would go into mourning for her lost son/consort, leaving her people in temporary darkness.
It all seemed so ridiculous to him. How could anyone believe such far fetched tales of a Goddess who's son was both her child and consort? And furthermore, there was no real proof of these two deities to speak of. He kept all of this within the boundaries of himself, Dante and Adelina. Dante because he agreed; Adelina because he knew she wouldn't do anything to change his mind. Also, because he knew it insulted her, and the spite made him feel a special sense of accomplishment.
“Daydreaming again?” came Adelina's usual tease. She always seemed to catch him just as he'd took a moment to think.
"What would I have to daydream of?” he asked bluntly.
She merely giggled and was on her way down the corridour again with a bag of acorns. The sight of what must've been hundreds of acorns filling it seemed strange to him despite knowing that they were one of the many symbols of the holiday.
He glared after her before rolling his eyes and disappearing for the night again. His patience with her was wavering quickly. Before the thoughts could further their intrusion of his mind, he front-flipped off of Adelina's balcony landing softly on the grass two stories below. He headed for the shops and city. Even if he couldn't stand humans, being among them – not bothered by them – was a better option. Though, much to his dismay, contentment was a distant dream. No matter where he went, he was trapped by Samhain and the festivity it brought with it.
---
Yaaaaaaaay for filler chapters! :D This one is pretty amusing. Vergil's slowly losing his mind, muahahaha! Okay, that's all. Enjoy.
Btw, “Samhain” is pronounced “Sow-hen”. Yea. It wasn't my idea. Hahaha.
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