#opera seria

Oz is dancing with Alice when a familiar face across the ballroom catches his eye. Distracted, he turns quickly, accidentally stepping hard on Alice's foot in the process. Though she only barely manages to swallow her scream, Oz seems to hardly notice.

"Phillipe?!" he gasps. There's no mistaking that messy haired child. But why is he here? And why is he wearing that red robe....?

Oz takes off towards the small group of children lingering by the wall. But the mass of dancing bodies bump and block him. Before he knows it, he's lost sight of both Phillipe and Alice... And Isla Yura, too.

Oh no.

His emerald eyes scan the crowd. He spots Gilbert, seeming to do the same, and the two manage to find each other through the sea of people.

As they confirm they've both lost sight of their target, Oz can't help but glance over in the direction of those children once again.

Just in time to see Phillipe take off, running and giggling.

Urgh.

"Oz?" Gilbert tries to get his attention, only to be shushed by his sworn master.

"I'll go look for Alice!!! You stay here and keep looking for Isla Yura!" Oz calls as he takes off. He's already lost sight of the other two. As least he knows Phillipe's direction as he watches that red robe flick around a corner.

But after several minutes of empty halls, it becomes clear that he's lost the trail. If he keeps going, he'll just get lost himself, too. Sighing, Oz turns back in the direction he had come.

But lingering just outside the ballroom, he spots two different, equally surprising figures.

Is that really....?

His hair is pinned back from his face on one side with ornate silver barrettes. It's tied in a ponytail, and undeniably shorter. No glasses obscuring his eyes. Still, there's no mistaking him... Or the tall, blond man beside him. Especially as he turns those mismatched red and gold eyes in Oz's direction.

"Vincent..? Leo.....?!"

As he turns, Leo's dark eyes meet Oz's widened stare. He gives a little wave.

"oh! it's good to see you, Oz. it's been a while, hasn't it?" Leo takes the black feather from his lapel as he approaches, Vincent following two steps behind. "i'm sorry it's not the right color. our family didn't exactly get an invitation."

He gives Vincent a nervous glance, but Oz's focus is mostly on Leo. He's never seen those eyes so clearly before. Staring into them now, for just a second, he can't help but remember his brief time in the Abyss--

Something feels like water rippling under his skin.

Hesitantly, Oz takes the offering. He spins it between his fingers, but he still keeps his confused, concerned stare on Leo as he adds the feather to the others on his belt.

"Your family...?"

Another glance toward the silent Vincent.

Leo just smiles.

"you haven't seen Elliot, have you?" Leo dismisses Oz's question with his own.

"He was back in the ballroom, keeping an eye on Isla Yura with Gil..." Oz speaks slowly. Hesitantly. "Why...?"

"why? because i'm his valet," He wears that same sunny smile as ever. But those eyes hold something different. "or, did you hear the rumors that i'm the Headhunter?"

Leo laughs, as flowery as ever.

Oz feels that disturbance inside him again.

"sorry, that was pretty distasteful. no, i care about him very much, i would never, ever hurt Elliot." Leo's tone goes serious, but that smile never wavers.

"in fact, i would kill anyone who tried to. no matter who they are.... Oz."

Oz feels a chill down his spine.

He's quiet for a long moment, trapped in the heavy atmosphere that looms between them.

He can't help but feel like a haircut isn't the only thing that's different about Leo.

"...Leo, did you know the children of Fianna's are here??" Oz asks, more urgently.

Leo's smile finally, finally disappears. His eyes narrow into a sharp, serious stare that cuts straight through Oz.

"what." It's not a question, but a demand.

"I don't know what's going on, but I know I saw Phillipe and--"

Oz's explanation is cut short by the sound of a haunting, twisted scream echoing from somewhere down the dark hallway he'd come from.

His heart pounds in his chest as he turns toward it.

What now?

What now????

There's a sudden rush of cold wind, a burst of black feathers in the corner of his eye.

When he turns back toward the ballroom, Leo and Vincent are simply gone.

"What?!" Vanessa snaps as she turns. Behind her, that awful Chain launches its tongue, severing the head of another panicked partygoer.

Elliot feels sick.

"You and Hans get to safety!!!! I'm going to help Gilbert stop this thing!!"

Vanessa grabs her little brother by the shirtfront, yanking him inches from her enraged face. "You've got to be kidding me!!! Now is NOT the time to play the hero!!! Aren't you always ranting and raving about how much you HATE self-serving sacrifice?!"

Elliot is caught off guard by his sisters assault. But he swallows down his surprise with a gulp.

"If we run away, we're just confirming the rumors about our family. That we're cowards and traitors!! I don't want to live in the shadows anymore, Vanessa. And I can't just run away and wonder if I could have saved even one more life!!!"

"What good is a family name if you're dead, Elliot?!" she screams, tears in her blue eyes. "Don't you realize you're the only one I have left?!"

Suddenly, Elliot goes quiet.

Oh.

"Fred, Claude, Ernest. Our father... Our mother's lost her mind and fallen prey to the lies of that creep... And you want to risk your life over that Vessalius brat?!"

Elliot hasn't seen his sister cry like this since Claude and Ernest died.

He takes her into his arms, hugging her despite the chaos behind them. "I know. I'm sorry, Vanessa."

His stomach sinks.

"But I still don't want to run away. I came here to investigate the Headhunter. And this obviously has something to do with it. I owe it to everyone we've lost to at least find out why," he explains, calmer now. "And I'm not the only one left. Gilbert is still here, too. And he has Raven. He knows how to fight."

Sure enough, he spots his adoptive brother running in their direction.

Vanessa frowns. "We can't trust that guy, Elliot--"

"For now, we have to. Look. I'm not going to die that easily," he promises his sister. "Got it?"

She takes a deep, deep breath. "Then I'm not running away either."

"Hold on--!!" Elliot raises his tone again in surprise. "Yes you are!!!"

"No!!! Hans and I both have guns, and martial training too. And that HAS to be more useful than your old sword!!!"

Elliot starts to argue, but he's cut off by Gilbert calling his name.

Suddenly, everything happens very quickly.

Gilbert jumps over a table, tackling both Elliot and Vanessa to the ground.

Humpty Dumpty's razor sharp tongue whizzes over their heads as Gilbert pulls the table onto its side as a shield.

Erismena

Libretto: (Another obscure one I can't find!) Summary: Starts on page 7 of this PDF Productions: Aix 2017 (English subs) Opera on Video search link: Erismena Cavalli - Opera on Video Bonus: We have a lot of Cavalli this year! Some info on "the most important Italian composer of opera in the mid-17th century." And here! Francesco Cavalli | Opera World (opera-world.net)

The Hours

Libretto: (too new. Not having luck with libretti this year lol) Summary: Metropolitan Opera | The Hours (metopera.org) Productions: Can find on Met on Demand or on VK Bonus: 2024 performance program!

Lucio Silla

Elliot blinks as the world comes back into focus. Leo, sitting on the floor, his face in his hands.

Hands.

He looks down at his own, gripping the hilt of his heirloom sword.

When did I draw my sword?

His distant eyes follow the length of the black blade.

And why is it plunged deep into the back of--

"Mother--?!" Elliot gasps in horror as he realizes whose crumpled form he kneels over.

No, no, no, hey now.

Everything seems to stand still.

It's not your fault.

Somewhere far away, Leo gasps, feeling a warmth against chest.

She tried to kill him you!

Elliot looks over to see him clawing off his tie, ripping open his shirt to pull the glowing, magic crystal from beneath. A gift from Ember, a miracle failsafe for times like these.

If it hurts too much, you can forget about it. Just like last time.

That's right.

He's been here before.

Just like this.

His sword in his hand.

Blood all around.

That voice in his head.

Everything will be okay.

Back then, it had been his brothers.

That bubbling monstrosity of Humpty Dumpty opens its gaping, toothy mouth.

Claude was still alive, reaching out for him when--

It whips its tongue with imperceptible speed, and the Duchess' head is severed violently from her body with another burst of blood.

But for Leo the sight of that pales in comparison to the empty, haunted look in Elliot's blue eyes.

Just blame the Headhunter.

Leo screams again. Even with his contingency plan, his final resort, he couldn't save Elliot's beloved mother. But then he remembers.

One last idea.

He scrambles for the Carcere in his jacket pocket, maybe there's still something he can do for Elliot--

You'll forget again soon.

"No--" Elliot's voice sounds so scared. Leo feels his heart break. "Shut up--"

Leo glances in his direction, holding the Carcere tight. "Elliot!! please, you can fight it--"

I have to forget remember.

The things I blamed on someone else.

The things I pretended not to see...

When did it start?

"Elliot--"

"THAT'S NOT TRUE!!!!!!"

Elliot's sudden screaming makes Leo jump. He watches as Elliot stumbles back against the wall, sinking down with one hand grabbing his chest, the other fisted in his short bangs.

"SHUT UP!!!!! SHUT UP!!!!" he screams, over and over. The sound chills Leo to his very core.

The memories of that night, of Claude and Ernest come flooding back to him.

He had caught them in the halls while trying to help the staff members evacuate the fire in the mansion's guest wing.

"Let's go, we can't die in a fire we started ourselves," Ernest had said, bringing Elliot to a halt. He had hidden behind a corner, in shock from his beloved brother's cruel words.

"And once we've gotten rid of those two freeloading vermin, we'll dispose of that classless Leo as well."

The plot against Gilbert and Vincent had shaken him to the core.

But those words had taken his breath away.

How couldn't I see it?!

Elliot remembers the looks on their faces as he ran towards them with that sword--

Another sudden, sharp pain suddenly pulls him from his memories. He stares blankly ahead, wide-eyed, as the words fall from his mouth.

"I'm an Illegal Contractor....?"

Leo crawls on his knees toward his precious friend, gripping the Carcere in hand as tears fall freely from his cheeks. He's never wanted to hide his eyes so badly.

"i'm so sorry, Elliot."

"I'm... The Headhunter...?"

Elliot's realization is cut short by another thob of that pain in his chest. As he pulls his hand away, it's stained with blood.

"How could I not see it...?"

Leo chokes on a painful sob as he reaches out to press the Cercere into that hand, only to be shoved away.

"Elliot!! this isn't your fault," he cries. "it's mine. please, you have to remember. that day when those kids wandered into the crater, you said it was a nightmare. that they made it out safe. but that isn't true!!" He sucks down a shaking breath. "i made a decision for you. i took away your agency, and i forced you to make a Contract with Humpty Dumpty. i didn't know it would end up like this!!"

Elliot stares at him in disbelief as those memories, too, come back to him now. And the look he gives him shatters what's left of Leo's heart. It's not relief at the sight of his friend. It's fear. It's anguish. It's confused rage.

"You...."

"i won't take away your choice again, Elliot."

Before he can continue, though, their moment is cut short. The ground beneath them shakes violently, the candelabras crashing to the floor around the table. Above its Contractor, Humpty Dumpty screeches in agony, its form bulging and contorting wildly. A powerful force explodes outward from around Elliot, knocking Leo back. Just like their last fight, when Leo's worst fears had been confirmed.

"THE WILL... OF THE ABYSS... THE WILL OF THE ABYSS...." Humpty Dumpty bellows in an eerie, unnatural voice. "EAT... DESTROY... THE BLACK RABBIT...."

Elliot gasps, fighting as his body tries to move on its own. His head swims, darkness creeping into his vision.

DON'T WATCH--

No!

DON'T REMEMBER--

NO!!!!!

DID IT DO YOU ANY GOOD?

DID REMEMBERING MAKE YOU FEEL BETTER?

WILL IT BRING THEM BACK?

Elliot's body reaches for his sword.

THAT'S IT--

KILL THE BLACK RABBIT--

Leo watches as that black blade plunges through Elliot's left hand. That empty look is gone, though tears fill his narrowed, determined eyes.

Above him, Humpty Dumpty wails, its tongue flailing.

"Forget what I did...?!" Elliot growls through the pain. "Turn my eyes away??!!!"

Leo gasps, watching as the Chain writhes, its form distorting again.

"My memories, my mistakes, my past, my future. I refuse to give them up to the likes of you!!!" Elliot shouts with renewed conviction, summoning forth all the strength in his body as he declares.

"I am Elliot Nightray!! And I will not let you take that away from me!!!!!!"

Blood drips on his head, oozing from Humpty Dumpty as it screeches.

Leo glances at the Carcere, lying on the ground. But another voice makes him turn quickly toward the doorway.

"Elliot!!!!" his sister screams, running into the room.

"Va..nessa...?"

"Vanessa, stay back!!!!" Leo cries.

Luckily, Vincent is right behind her. As much as he'd love to just let this happen, he grabs the young Duke by the collar, pulling her back and away from the frenzied Humpty Dumpty.

"All of you, stop," he demands, with a voice calm and cold. "Elliot. Careful. Contractors can't reject their own Chain."

Leo lunges for the Carcere in that moment. Thankfully, even through the distortion of the Sealing Stone breaking and the agony of Elliot's rejection, Humpty Dumpty still refuses to fire that tongue at him.

But Vincent sighs.

"Leo, I'm sorry.