Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ Shattered Illusions ❯ The Possession of Copernicus ( Chapter 44 )

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Shattered Illusions

Chapter 44: The Possession of Copernicus

By: Melissa Norvell

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"He's possessed...just like Tsubomi," Millie stared in horror at the hollow shell of the king before them. He was like a living doll, scarily devoid any feelings. The school girl could barely stand looking at him for more than five minutes and as a result her eyes darted back and forth from her group, to the new enemy before them.

"Then talking to him is definitely out of the question," Zino knew that tactic didn't cut it with Tsubomi, it wouldn't with him, either.

"This is bad," Shiva glanced ahead with a dire expression. "Tsubomi just happened to fight it off, but if they managed to get Copernicus, then they have a strong hold on him."

"Where is Tsubomi?" If they had Copernicus under their control, what did they do with his donor? Millie was really worried now.

"You want her? She's right here." A familiar voice caught everyone off guard. They turned to see the brunette fall to her knees before them. Standing behind her was Hizaki with a cruel smile painted on his lips.

"M...Millie..." Tsubomi tried to distinguish the blurs in her eyesight, but she could only make out the school girl.

"Princess Hizaki!" Horatio exclaimed upon noticing who was standing before them.

"Why don't you give up? You've already been defeated," Hizaki wasn't even sure why they were all trying beyond this point. Copernicus was the strongest member of their team. Without him, they were surely going to fall. His eyes cast their gaze on the helpless brunette beside of him who was on all fours, trying to comprehend the situation she was placed in. "Tsubomi can't do a thing to help you. She can barely talk and your precious king is possessed. He's of no help to any of you at all."

"What have you don't to them, you monster?" Millie's fists clenched by her sides.

"They lost the game, so they lost their freedom." It was a simple explanation, really. It was how his master Hide worked. Then, a wicked grin formed on the Princess of Illusion's face as he thought about the possibilities of a future confrontation. "Tell me, will you take a sword to your precious king? Can you kill the one you once served?"

"You're cruel," Horatio spat as he felt the tension mounting. "How can you do this?" It was the vilest of acts, having Copernicus be the one they faced in the end.

"I want that ruling position for Hide, and I'll do whatever it takes to get it. Now that the king is under my possession, you all have no choice but to bow at Hide's feet," Hizaki wasn't about to give up that easily. He had come this far, and he wasn't about to just let them win. They could either kill the king and get rid of the vampire for good, or they could be beaten by him and suffer the consequences.

"I'd rather die than bow to that scumbag who murdered Prince Yale," Millie's voice took on a tone of malice that was nearly uncharacteristic of her. The last thing she'd ever do was submit to those killers.

"Hide didn't murder Prince Yale, I did," Hizaki's lips curved into a devious smile. He felt himself swell with a sense of pride, knowing that he could go through with such a malicious plan. It was his greatest conquest up to date. "I possessed Earl Charles and made him kill the prince at Earl Prizemarter's party. Every since Estella Nu hid the fact that he was still alive from me. I wanted him out of the picture by any means necessary." He was simply doing what should have been done long ago. Did they really think that they would save him from his fate? Laughable.

"So, that's why Estella Nu was so desperate to get Prince Yale back. If you or Hide would have found out, then she'd be killed, correct?" Everything made sense to her now. Millie finally had answers to some of the questions of long ago.

"Hmm, correct," the cross-dressing vampire nodded.

"So then, what are you going to do to Copernicus?" That was the real question at hand. They couldn't do anything to save her lover, but there was a chance they could help the newly possessed vampire.

"That's really none of your business." Surely, that girl must have been crazy to think that he was just going to tell her his plans.

"He's our king so he is our business," Teru tool a few steps forward and stood tall by Millie's side.

"Must you always put emphasis on the wrong words?" Shiva sighed. A part of her wondered if he truly just didn't know how emphasis worked or if he was being legit about that little problem of his.

"It confuses people," Teru proudly announced with his hands on his hips.

Hizaki held out his hand and the possessed king took it, kissing it lightly. "You like being subjugated to me, don't you?" He inquired, grinding on the other's emotions like a cheese grater.

"Yes, my princess," Copernicus replied in a hollow tone.

"Bow to me," the Princess of Illusion commanded and in true slave fashion, Copernicus fell to one knee. His arm draped across his chest and his head bowed low.

"I shall obey your every desire, Princess of Illusions. Nothing makes me happier than serving you."

Tsubomi couldn't stand it. She was sick of hearing him say such things. The real Copernicus would never stoop so low. The real Copernicus would never act like that. This wasn't him, nor did she want to live with the fact that it might become his permanent state. 'Is this what it was like when I was possessed? Did I act this submissive? What the hell do I do? Copernicus is their puppet and there wasn't a damned thing I could do about it. After they use him, they are going to execute him. I'm sure of it, but what can I do to save him? How the hell do I knock that possession out of him? According to him, when he was explaining it to me, he had to jar my memory and when it was jarred enough, I fought him off on my own.' Her eyes slowly panned to the possessed king.

'But, if I kissed him like he did me, I'm certain he'd kill me on the spot.'

"Now Copernicus, go and stain your hands with blood! Kill them all!" Hizaki pointed to the crowd of beings that the vampire once considered allies. Their faces lit up in shock, pain and anger as the king drew his sword and with a 'yes, my princess' he submitted to Hizaki's will.

"What? No!" Zino shouted in defiance.

"You can't, Copernicus! You're our ally!" Teru tried to snap him out of his trance, but to no avail. The possessed man swung his sword as the familiar chain of blades shot forward jutting towards him in a chain before they broke free of their connection and flew off in different directions, scattering through the air. Teru jumped and evaded the few that flew towards him. Much to his surprise, the blades bounced off of the ground and followed him.

"Die," Copernicus' voice was cold and distance as Teru's feet hit the ground.

"What the hell are you doing? We're on your side!" Teru still tried to desperately free him from his chains of servitude.

"He's beyond comprehension," Millie knew it was no use for him to try.

"Huh?"

"He's not aware of what he's doing," Millie explained as the red head looked to her. "Copernicus can't hear anything we say. I mean, he can but it doesn't connect. Even if he could hear us, his body still moves on its own." It would take more than just words to make him see their side, to make him see who he really was.

"How do you know this?" Teru was a little curious of how a human had knowledge on vampuric possession.

"I'm only guessing. Well, if it's the same thing that happened to Tsubomi, anyway." That was really all she could go on, but the school girl imagined that they might be very similar.

"Will Copernicus end up like her if e snap him out of it?" It was obvious that the brunette was still being used by Hizaki. Teru wasn't sure he wanted his king to be like that.

"I'm not sure."

"Ugh!" Horatio called out as his blade clashed with Copernicus' Rigatama. The two swung, over and over as they continued to have a sword fight, knight against king. The constant clinks and clanks of the blades rung through the air as the two moved about, trying to outsmart, outmaneuver and overpower each other.

Millie took out her gun and carefully aimed; trying not to get the green-haired vampire in the crosshairs, but it was hard because of how much they were moving around. She constantly had to reposition the gun. 'Sorry, your majesty. I'm just going to try and slow you down.' Just when she had him in range, they two changed position, throwing Horatio into the line of fire. 'Damn it, Horatio, move! I can't get a clear shot!'

The two then darted off in different directions. 'I can't get a good aim.'

Just then, blades burst through the earth in front of her. Maroon eyes widened at the realization that he knew what she was trying to do. With a clean cut, they sliced the top of her shoulder, ripping and shredding the blue fabric into pieces and staining her uniform with red blood. Sharp pain resonated through her body as she let out a cry of anguish.

Zino called her name out in horror as he ran to her side and asked if she was alright.

"Look out!" Millie's eyes widened and she grabbed the man, jumping out of the way as more blades surfaced from the ground, busting up the earth. Shards of ground bounced off of their forms as they evaded the deadly path of the blades.

"Look out for the blades. They are controlled by Copernicus' mind," Horatio warned everyone to be on their guard. The Rigatama's attacks weren't those of any normal sword.

"That's how he can attack with those blades without saying anything." In fact, to Millie his attacks were twice as deadly in the fact that no one could hear him command them to do anything.

"Forgive me, your majesty," Horatio closed his eyes before he held back his sword and cut through the air, summoning his attack forth. "Raging Dragon!" He shouted as a stream of electric, green energy formed into he shape of a long, skinny dragon and flew towards him, ready to plow itself into the king.

"Barrier," Copernicus countered by holding his blade sideways in front of him. A dome of red energy encased him. With a thunderous boom, the green energy from Horatio's attack clashed with the force field and dispersed into green electrical currents.

"Sound Wave," Shiva popped out her umbrella as waves of sound shot through the air. Copernicus may have been able to block magic, but there was nothing he could do to reflect sound. The waves pierced his mind and sent him reeling back in pain.

Yelling in anguish, the vampire dropped his sword and covered his ears, thrashing around. While he was distracted Millie got behind him and drew back her leg, telling him that she was sorry before she delivered a harsh kick to his side.

The attack had so much force that the vampire was knocked off of his feet and went sailing through the air. He slammed into the trunk of a nearby tree. The rough bark scraped his clothes and the force of the contact beat the breath from him.

"Whoo! You did it!" Teru cheered audibly, jumping up and down in glee before he switched in mood suddenly, placing a hand under his chin. "So far, anyway."

"Copernicus..." Tsubomi's weakened voice was forced out. She watched the battle unfold before her, unable to do anything to help.

"He's amazing, isn't he?" Hizaki whipped her head around to see the cross dresser with a pleased look on his face. He was impressed with the vampire. "Who knew that a Wittenburg brat could be so resilient, and I just thought that he was only powerful mentally."

Ripping her sights away from the cross dresser for fear that any further exposure to that man's painted face would make her sick, Tsubomi looked back to her possessed lover, her face hardened with determination. 'Please, snap out of it. You're stronger than this...Copernicus, you've been through so much. You can't just throw this all away because you're possessed.'

With a new found strength, the long-haired girl slowly pulled herself up from the ground, which shocked Hizaki. He drew back, eyes widened at the fact that Tsubomi was even moving in her state. 'You've got to be kidding me! How can she pull herself up after I've drained her of all of her mental energy? Without mental energy, her brain shouldn't be functioning enough to tell her body what to do. What the hell kind of person is she?'

She stood up, hunched over and panting heavily, but she was finally up. Her body glistened with a thin layer of sweat as the air around her cooled her. 'That took everything I had. I've got to help him somehow, even if it kills me. As his donor...no, as his lover, I will not let it end this way.'

'She's still drained of her energy, but I can't underestimate her. She has a strong mental energy. She can override my possession. I'd better keep an eye on her to make sure that she doesn't interfere.' There was something about this girl; something defied the will of most humans. How in the world she was even standing, let alone not a pile of lifeless flesh on the floor was beyond him.

Horatio and Copernicus continued to fight among each other. Their blades clashed over and over again as each one attempted to overpower the other, or to get in that one decisive strike that would end their dance of blades.

"Die," Copernicus' voice was cold to the tone as he thrust the Rigatama at the green-haired vampire, who dodged to the side.

"You don't want to do this, my lord," Horatio tried to continue to reason, but he blocked the blade. "Think of your brother, Prince Yale! Think of the king and queen! Think of everyone who has died for Ramada's sake!" Above everything, those were the lives that were laid down, the path of blood that they walked on and the trail of tears their mission had taken them down. Surely all of those things weren't for nothing.

"Rigatama!" Copernicus shouted as the whip composed of blades made contact with his opponent. The blades tore through Horatio's blue and white clothing, making a deep laceration across his chest. Bloodied sheds of fabric fluttered through the air as Horatio was sent back by the force of the strike. His feet dug into the ground, trying to stop him from being propelled backwards. However, he lost his footing and bounced off of the ground and into a bush. The shrub shook at the contact and several leaves fell, fluttering around him.

"Sir Horatio!" Millie bolted towards him. Suddenly, she felt something dig into her back. She blades smacked into her, flinging her forward as she was thrown to the ground. Millie laid there, knocked out cold.

Shiva held out her umbrella once more, summoning forth a burning gale of wind. A blast of what appeared to be a gust of fire and smoke pelted the vampire, sending his body back. However, Copernicus flipped and landed a few feet away, catching himself.

"Foolish man, if you had the sense to make your own decisions, then you wouldn't be failing this miserably," Shiva could see the fault in his execution, the flaws in his style. Copernicus wasn't fighting to his best ability.

"You think I'm failing?" The vampire glanced up from his kneeling position and raised his hand. A black ring of dark energy expanded around him as he held the sword in his outstretched arm. Then, in one, swift motion he pointed the sword ahead of him and called out the words 'Dance of Death' as streams of black energy launched themselves at the group of opponents.

They all dodged and evaded the strikes. Millie rolled out of the way as they tore up the earth beside of her. She curled up in a ball to keep the magic from harming her. Horatio jumped out of the way as one of the dark beams crashed into the ground behind him. Shiva popped out her umbrella and created a magical barrier of dark purple energy that reflected the beams. Teru had to lean back, nearly falling over as a dark beam traveled over his head. Flailing his arms, he lost his footing and fell backwards into the grass. Zino ran towards a nearby tree as a beam was close behind him. He jumped at the last moment, clinging to the tree branch with his legs and arms as the beam shot beneath him.

"What the hell was that?" He shouted.

"He's using the Rigatama's alchemy," Horatio noted as Copernicus charged at them again, ready for another strike.

"Crap! Here he comes!" Teru pulled himself up from the ground. Before he could move, Horatio appeared in front of him and launched another Raging Dragon attack. The dragon-shaped energy beam blasted the vampire back and sent him into a tree. He hit the tree with so much force that he made an indentation on the surface. Copernicus winced in pain.

"Hey! I could have taken care of him!" Teru was a little displeased. It wasn't like he was some weakling that needed protection.

"But you didn't," Horatio glared over his shoulder, "be happy that I saved you."

"So rude, gosh!" Teru childishly crossed his arms. Before he could make another move, the blades of the Rigatama shot out of the ground and in order to evade them, Teru had to do the splits, the sharp edges only inches from splitting him down the middle. "What the hell!?" He exclaimed as his head shot around, then anger marred his face. "That was a cheap shot!"

"Somehow, I just don't think that he cares," Zino replied, still clinging to the branch. However, it was short-lived as a stray blade hit the branch, chopping it off before he went crashing to the ground in a muffled scream.

"Are you alright, Millie?" Horatio looked towards the girl with concern on his face.

"Yeah, I was wondering about you," Millie uncurled from her ball and stood up. "You were hit pretty hard."

"Don't worry about me. I'll be fine."

Zino's hand reached through the mass of leaves and branches as he pulled himself out of his predicament. Coughing a little leaves and twigs were stuck in his long, black, wavy hair. "Ugh," he groaned, before making a 'huh' in confusion. Blades shot towards him at lightning speed. He barely was able to move out of the way as they assaulted the tree branch, sending leaves, twigs and wood splinters in all directions.

Tsubomi watched intently as her friends did their best to stay away from the blades. Her eyes were locked on the action, and her breath hitched in her throat. Emotionally, her feelings waged war on each other. The girl didn't want her friends to die, but he didn't want Copernicus to die, either.

"Enjoying the show?" That sickeningly interested voice intoned from behind her. The mere sound of Hizaki caused her to glare down the cross dresser.

Copernicus dug his sword into the ground as Zino jumped up, barely evading the blade as it contacted the earth.

"Man, I don't have a weapon or anything," Zino's eyes glanced around for anything he could possibly use to defend himself. "Okay, weapon or not here I come!" Determination etched itself on his face as the vampire charged at him. It was now or never. He couldn't keep running away from Copernicus. It would do no good to do so.

"Fool," Copernicus uttered as he drew his arm back, sending the blades spiraling towards his opponent.

Zino jumped through the blades, and his attacker's eyes widened, pupils shrunk. Copernicus had not expected Zino to attack him head on like that. Why? Why didn't he run away? A brash contact was made to his jaw with such force that spit flew from his mouth. Copernicus' head whipped back and he was sent flying backwards, knocked off of his feet. The vampire crashed to the ground in a crumpled heap.

"Time to make my move," Teru smirked as he ran out to grab the Rigatama. What better tactic than to steal his weapon?

"Teru! Don't!" Shiva shouted, reaching out an arm in dismay as the red head took hold of the Rigatama's handle. As soon as his hands were sat on the handle of the sword, an electrical current shot through his body, sending waves of lightening over his skin. Undulating and screaming Teru released the sword as a powerful boost threw him back.

"Prince Teru!" Millie shouted, worry laced in her voice.

Laid out flat on the ground, the red-head at up and rubbed his head. “Damn, that makes me all tingly!" His voice was filled with an excitement uncharacteristic of the situation. Teru almost felt elated by the fact that he was electrocuted within an inch of his life.

A bead of sweat ran down the back of Zino's head. "Why are you all excited about that?" Honestly, he didn't understand that guy at all.

There was a definitive sound of the strike of a sword blade into the ground. Horatio stood above the king with his blade dug into the earth beside of his neck. Steely eyes glared down into those of dark blue. "You're beaten. Just give up, my lord."

Copernicus said nothing.

Horatio's eyes narrowed, "I don't want to kill you."

"Then I'll kill you," the fallen king remarked before he shot forward and grabbed Horatio's wrist with an iron grip. With all of his strength, he rose and threw him off of him. The mint-haired vampire tumbled through the air and attempted to kick the royal in the head. However, the move was blocked.

Horatio landed and turned to the opposing vampire. "Your majesty, I don't know if it's the possession or not but, I've never seen you fight like this before. I know you used to enjoy fencing but I never knew that you could fight like this. Hide must have put you through some training." Either Hizaki's control was making him take on a different fighting style like Tsubomi had in the past, or Hide was preparing him for this moment. Either way, the situation was dire.

Picking the Rigatama up, Copernicus stared at his reflection in the blade and frowned. "Hide taught me about kenjutsu, the art of the killing sword. As a king, one must be ruthless and so, you shall see my merciless side...Now," he charged towards the knight with super human speed, slicing him across the chest.

"Sir Horatio!" Millie called out as the knight's body jolted back from the force of the strike.

"Rigatama!" Copernicus belted out the name of his sword as he summoned forth his chain of blades that swirled around him in a giant spiral. With a simple thrust of the arm, he sent the clattering snake towards Millie who dodged out of the way and rolled across the ground.

"Whoa!" The girl yelled.

"Look out!" Zino turned to her with shock on his face.

"Huh?" Confusion and shock crossed the girl's face as blades shot up from the ground again, barely missing her body. Millie's adrenaline rushed and she felt her heart stop. "That was close," she sighed, placing a hand on her chest.

Before she could truly catch her breath, she was tackled to the ground by Zino as blades flew up from a different area in the ground. They came inches from taking her life. "Huh? Zino?" Millie blinked as she laid on her back, gazing up into his eyes.

"Are you alright?" Zino leveled her with stern look.

"Yeah, I'm fine, thanks to you," she smiled a little.

"Randomize!" They both heard the king's voice shout out as the chain of blades disconnected and flew in different directions. Multiple yells were heard as the blades tore through the crowd. The sliced everyone, causing their blood to well up to the surface and ripping through their clothes with ease. Shiva attempted to deflect them by popping out her umbrella.

"Oh shit!" Teru hid behind a tree as a blade dug into the trunk where his head was not a second sooner. Peering around the tree, he spied the blade and clenched his teeth. "Holy shit, that was almost my face!"

Hizaki simply looked on, amused at the events unfolding before him. 'He doesn't fool around. I couldn't expect less from such a cruel man. Copernicus J. Wittenburg, you really surprise me.' Copernicus blocked a flying kick from Teru with ease. 'You truly are a killer by nature.' The royal tried to slash Millie with his sword, and she barely evaded his strike. Hizaki's red lips stretched more into a smirk. 'Your bloodlust is strong.' Copernicus swung his chain of blades at Zino, who had to fall to the ground to avoid being cut up. 'Surely you'll be my best puppet yet.' Fangs bore themselves with his smile as an untamed excitement overcame him. "Kill them! Kill them all!"

Sorrow etched itself on Teru's face at the fact that those words only helped to fuel the murderous king's desires. The mighty vampire stood before him, head down and facial expression unknown. Horatio was on guard, glaring him down like a hawk that found a defenseless field mouse.

"This is hard. He hasn't even broken the possession. They have a good hold on him." It was just as the red head feared. Copernicus wasn't going to be an easy one to face.

"We may not have another choice. We may have to kill him. They made sure to completely subdue his mind, knowing that it was his most powerful attribute," Shiva didn't think they would make the same mistake with him as they did with Tsubomi.

"No!" Millie shouted, causing the other's to turn their heads in her direction. "I refuse to think that's out only option. There's got to be some way around it. If he dies, everything we came so far for is in vein..." her voice lowered into one of sorrow, "and as knights, we're over." She wasn't about to just crack the foundation of the Blue Rose Order, the very thing Prince Yale lost his life for. No, she couldn't allow that at all.

"Just remember, when the game is over the king and the pawn go back int he same box," Horatio's words stuck in her mind and at that moment, Millie realized that it didn't matter what side they were on. They were on the same coin, and all equal. Freedom fighters in their own right that would all end up in the same place ultimately.

...To Be Continued