A Solitude That Asks Nothing in Return

He then got in between the horde and one by one, the soldiers started to try to gang in on Claude. But it was useless. The sharp threads that he quickly placed were piercing through all of them. From severed heads, cut ankles, among other limbs were all being cut out. He took then took the knives and threw them at the other soldiers. They were now dealing with a seasoned and venomous devil. “Are you enjoying yourself Grell!” He yelled wherever Grell was in the hordes of the undead.

"This is only delaying the inevitable! So! Grell! Can consider ourselves as allies at this point?"

He tucked the thin, death book into his coat pocket. “Well, it’s been lovely chatting, but she was my last and I’m looking forward to going home. If you’ll excuse me.” Grell walked by him, toward the open window he used to enter the manor.

“Wait!” Claude yelled out as this grim reaper was prepared to leave. “If you know of where I can find Sebastian, then I will go along as well.” The reunion of two devils, two contractors, and two men who were to the brim of each other. He walked with Grell in the calm manor he had and jumped down the open window. This was going to accompany him but, then there was a noise. A marching noise, as if it were from commandos or an army. “Grell, I know we are acquaintances at this point, but” Claude looked around where this noise was coming from. It was all too out of hand. “Do you hear that?”

  “I never mentioned harming him” he paused as he had that cool composure he always kept on him. He was looking down at Grell from his tall height and only continued walking with him. “It’s only been a while, actually a long time since I’ve seen the man. The last time I saw him, he was the one who entered into this estate.” And he was right. Sebastian posed as a traveler, but even Claude knew something did not feel right. “Now, Grell was it? I think we are not alone here. Take a look over here.” He pointed to the window behind both of them. A horde from the distance was eminent. He saw nothing but black shadows walking to the front. Not even marching.

Grell looked up. “Now…what are they…” He eyed the beings. “No souls…that’s very odd..”

Claude looked at those shadows and wasn’t scared. If anything, he felt a sudden urge to “greet them”. There was never any fear but a bloodthirst. He knew they were never here for greetings or to pay a visit. Instead, they were here only to claim a few lives. “Grell, this is an invitation but…would you kindly join me in ‘greeting’ my guests?”

Grell grinned and caught his death scythe as it materialized in front of him. “Oh I’d love it~” he said, his tail twitching.

“Shall we get started then Grell?” 

He then got in between the horde and one by one, the soldiers started to try to gang in on Claude. But it was useless. The sharp threads that he quickly placed were piercing through all of them. From severed heads, cut ankles, among other limbs were all being cut out. He took then took the knives and threw them at the other soldiers. They were now dealing with a seasoned and venomous devil. "Are you enjoying yourself Grell!" He yelled wherever Grell was in the hordes of the undead.

“I… don’t know,” she said after a moment, considering her words carefully. “I don’t really care about being stronger than anyone else, but… The last time I was offered this kind of power, it turned out to be totally corrupt. I can’t say a word until I know every detail. And anyway, if this is a deal then I’m supposed to have to give something in return, right? What’s my end of the bargain?”

And with that, Claude gave a cold demeanor on his face. In a manner of speaking, he was trying to say that this deal was a serious one, nothing without any limits, just restrictions to follow.

“You can never go back on these terms the moment you agree.”

It was hard to maintain her resolve when this man was so intimidating, and with every passing second it only got worse. It was like the sun was conspiring against her and lending him the ambience of night to compel her. She didn’t want to end up doing something she was going to regret, but if he could really grant her such incredible power… she wasn’t sure she would regret it.

  “I can understand your concerns. However, this could open up your possibilities and acquire a new and life-lasting asset for you and your companions. Enough power to defeat even the likes of devils.” At this point, Claude gave his final mean to the end of this proposition. He knew this would send a chill down her spine but possibly enough to put a compelling reason into signing this blood deal.

But she’d gotten the feeling she was going to have to lose something very important if she wanted this power. Something she should never, ever give up.

"The only things that you will need to forfeit in this deal would be two things: one of them Kikyo, would be surrendering a portion of your years to us. You see..." He paused as he adjusted his glasses again and folded his arms. "We are, not the normal contract men. But imagine the power that you can achieve. All of the things that are not even possible to achieve even if you train for your years. You can, in otherwords, become a defender, and a vanguard."  

He tucked the thin, death book into his coat pocket. “Well, it’s been lovely chatting, but she was my last and I’m looking forward to going home. If you’ll excuse me.” Grell walked by him, toward the open window he used to enter the manor.

“Wait!” Claude yelled out as this grim reaper was prepared to leave. “If you know of where I can find Sebastian, then I will go along as well.” The reunion of two devils, two contractors, and two men who were to the brim of each other. He walked with Grell in the calm manor he had and jumped down the open window. This was going to accompany him but, then there was a noise. A marching noise, as if it were from commandos or an army. “Grell, I know we are acquaintances at this point, but” Claude looked around where this noise was coming from. It was all too out of hand. “Do you hear that?”

  “I never mentioned harming him” he paused as he had that cool composure he always kept on him. He was looking down at Grell from his tall height and only continued walking with him. “It’s only been a while, actually a long time since I’ve seen the man. The last time I saw him, he was the one who entered into this estate.” And he was right. Sebastian posed as a traveler, but even Claude knew something did not feel right. “Now, Grell was it? I think we are not alone here. Take a look over here.” He pointed to the window behind both of them. A horde from the distance was eminent. He saw nothing but black shadows walking to the front. Not even marching.

Grell looked up. “Now…what are they…” He eyed the beings. “No souls…that’s very odd..”

Claude looked at those shadows and wasn’t scared. If anything, he felt a sudden urge to “greet them”. There was never any fear but a bloodthirst. He knew they were never here for greetings or to pay a visit. Instead, they were here only to claim a few lives. “Grell, this is an invitation but…would you kindly join me in ‘greeting’ my guests?”

Grell grinned and caught his death scythe as it materialized in front of him. “Oh I’d love it~” he said, his tail twitching.

"Shall we get started then Grell?" 

He tucked the thin, death book into his coat pocket. “Well, it’s been lovely chatting, but she was my last and I’m looking forward to going home. If you’ll excuse me.” Grell walked by him, toward the open window he used to enter the manor.

“Wait!” Claude yelled out as this grim reaper was prepared to leave. “If you know of where I can find Sebastian, then I will go along as well.” The reunion of two devils, two contractors, and two men who were to the brim of each other. He walked with Grell in the calm manor he had and jumped down the open window. This was going to accompany him but, then there was a noise. A marching noise, as if it were from commandos or an army. “Grell, I know we are acquaintances at this point, but” Claude looked around where this noise was coming from. It was all too out of hand. “Do you hear that?”

  “I never mentioned harming him” he paused as he had that cool composure he always kept on him. He was looking down at Grell from his tall height and only continued walking with him. “It’s only been a while, actually a long time since I’ve seen the man. The last time I saw him, he was the one who entered into this estate.” And he was right. Sebastian posed as a traveler, but even Claude knew something did not feel right. “Now, Grell was it? I think we are not alone here. Take a look over here.” He pointed to the window behind both of them. A horde from the distance was eminent. He saw nothing but black shadows walking to the front. Not even marching.

Grell looked up. “Now…what are they…” He eyed the beings. “No souls…that’s very odd..”

Claude looked at those shadows and wasn't scared. If anything, he felt a sudden urge to "greet them". There was never any fear but a bloodthirst. He knew they were never here for greetings or to pay a visit. Instead, they were here only to claim a few lives. "Grell, this is an invitation but...would you kindly join me in 'greeting' my guests?"

He tucked the thin, death book into his coat pocket. “Well, it’s been lovely chatting, but she was my last and I’m looking forward to going home. If you’ll excuse me.” Grell walked by him, toward the open window he used to enter the manor.

“Wait!” Claude yelled out as this grim reaper was prepared to leave. “If you know of where I can find Sebastian, then I will go along as well.” The reunion of two devils, two contractors, and two men who were to the brim of each other. He walked with Grell in the calm manor he had and jumped down the open window. This was going to accompany him but, then there was a noise. A marching noise, as if it were from commandos or an army. “Grell, I know we are acquaintances at this point, but” Claude looked around where this noise was coming from. It was all too out of hand. “Do you hear that?”

  "I never mentioned harming him" he paused as he had that cool composure he always kept on him. He was looking down at Grell from his tall height and only continued walking with him. "It's only been a while, actually a long time since I've seen the man. The last time I saw him, he was the one who entered into this estate." And he was right. Sebastian posed as a traveler, but even Claude knew something did not feel right. "Now, Grell was it? I think we are not alone here. Take a look over here." He pointed to the window behind both of them. A horde from the distance was eminent. He saw nothing but black shadows walking to the front. Not even marching.

Green reflection of trees in the mirror [Manoir à la verrière] (FR)

His utterance had definitely caught her attention. Cocking her head to the side, Orihime murmured, “What … what do you mean? What exactly is it you’re offering?” Her brows dipped, wondering where this conversation could possibly be leading. All she knew was that she needed to stay on her toes and carefully watch what she said.

"With restrictions, I know you Orihime. You can call me somewhat of an 'accountant'. I know of the paranormal experiences you've had with your group of allies, your group of fellow friends so to say." He paused. The wind continued to blow down only a little more harder and the leaves from the tree beside them were falling down. "And I know how some things did not go in your favor, so to say. With someone such as a Ichigo Kurosaki." 

“I… don’t know,” she said after a moment, considering her words carefully. “I don’t really care about being stronger than anyone else, but… The last time I was offered this kind of power, it turned out to be totally corrupt. I can’t say a word until I know every detail. And anyway, if this is a deal then I’m supposed to have to give something in return, right? What’s my end of the bargain?”

And with that, Claude gave a cold demeanor on his face. In a manner of speaking, he was trying to say that this deal was a serious one, nothing without any limits, just restrictions to follow.

“You can never go back on these terms the moment you agree.”

It was hard to maintain her resolve when this man was so intimidating, and with every passing second it only got worse. It was like the sun was conspiring against her and lending him the ambience of night to compel her. She didn’t want to end up doing something she was going to regret, but if he could really grant her such incredible power… she wasn’t sure she would regret it.

  "I can understand your concerns. However, this could open up your possibilities and acquire a new and life-lasting asset for you and your companions. Enough power to defeat even the likes of devils." At this point, Claude gave his final mean to the end of this proposition. He knew this would send a chill down her spine but possibly enough to put a compelling reason into signing this blood deal.

“Now that you’re finished Grell” Claude spoke in a somewhat upset tone of voice, “How do you know Sebastian? Just who told you about him?”

“Personally you say?” He asked as he silently revealed his attentiveness to about Sebastian and how he was connected with Grell. “Just how long were you there for? If you do not mind me personally saying. It’s a little interesting to see a grim reaper living in a manor such as the Phantomhive.” 

He tucked the thin, death book into his coat pocket. “Well, it’s been lovely chatting, but she was my last and I’m looking forward to going home. If you’ll excuse me.” Grell walked by him, toward the open window he used to enter the manor.

"Wait!" Claude yelled out as this grim reaper was prepared to leave. "If you know of where I can find Sebastian, then I will go along as well." The reunion of two devils, two contractors, and two men who were to the brim of each other. He walked with Grell in the calm manor he had and jumped down the open window. This was going to accompany him but, then there was a noise. A marching noise, as if it were from commandos or an army. "Grell, I know we are acquaintances at this point, but" Claude looked around where this noise was coming from. It was all too out of hand. "Do you hear that?"