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Blood.It was everywhere. Pooled around her body. Splashed across the walls. Spattered over the ceiling. Even dripping from the chandelier. The human body contained so much blood. But then again, she wasn't really human, was she?I fell to my knees, ignoring the warm, sticky blood that soaked into the expensive white silk of my dress. She lay face up on the floor, the stake still buried deep in her chest. Her blond hair, streaked with blood, tumbled over her slim arms. Her body had been cold for centuries. But now, it was truly lifeless.My sister was dead. I crawled over to her and cradled her head in my lap like I'd done when we were still human centuries ago. Her face was unrecognizable, smashed beyond belief. Even her fangs had broken. The room spun. Tears, sobs, grief, guilt... it all slammed into me with the force of a hurricane. I pulled her body into my lap and held her close.I had held her, imprisoned, within the bowels of my mansion for centuries, hoping beyond hope that, perhaps, one day, she would be able to stand beside me. I had loved her despite everything she had done.And now she was dead.I had never gotten to apologize. I had never told her that I loved her. I had never been able to heal our relationship. She had died believing that I hated her. Believing that I wanted her to suffer."Flan," I sobbed, "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."If only I had never been so greedy, attempting to claim the day for us. If only I had never covered the sky in scarlet fog. If only I had been here to fight by her side. She was a dangerous creature; I could not deny it. But she was still my baby sister. She did not deserve to die alone, trapped in a prison that her own sister had built for her."Flan," I sobbed, rocking her back and forth, "I love you. I love you. Please, I need to tell you that. Please, I need to say that to you. Please, come back to me."I looked down at Flan, her dull red eyes gazing into nothingness. She was gone. I could not do anything. I could not bring her back. All my ability to weave fate could do nothing for a string already cut.My sweet little sister, who loved sweets above all else.Who only ever wanted to play.Who I'd never spent enough time with."I should have been there," I whispered to her. "I should have been there to keep you safe. I should have protected you. We should have fought and died together, back to back. It's all my fault. It's all my fault..."I closed her eyes, trying to make it seem like she was merely sleeping. I took her hair ribbon, loose and discarded, and tied it around her hair once more. I leaned down and kissed her forehead."Good night, my darling sister," I murmured, "may you sleep soundly, and may your dreams be sweet."I felt the rage build within me. I was the big sister.I should have protected her.I should have fought by her side.I should have done so, so many things.I would not win against the shrine maiden. The encounter with her had been brief but fierce, and I knew I stood no chance in a prolonged duel.But that didn't matter to me anymore. I didn't care about winning. I didn't care about living.My life was forfeit. I would drag that shrine maiden down into hell alongside me. I would see to it that her murderer would pay for what she had done.I stood, my sister's body cradled in my arms. I carried her outside and gently set her down on the grass. I arranged her carefully, her hands folded on her chest, her legs straight and together. In the morning, her body would see the sun for one last time. My sister had been a monster, but she did not deserve this."Forgive me, Flan," I said, "On my title as the Scarlet Devil, I will avenge you. Please, watch over me, wherever you are now."Then, I spun on my heel and strode towards the gate.This would be my last battle.I would not walk away from it alive.
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My name was Patchouli Knowledge.I was dying, and I knew it. My body was cold and lifeless. My breaths came short and shallow, and my heart was weak and slow. I had no strength left in me to move or speak. It was only a matter of time before death claimed me.Like the rest of the denizens of this mansion, with one exception, I was a former human, a magician who had long ago extended her life through magic. I knew then that I was throwing away my humanity, but the sacrifice had been well worth it. For centuries, I lived and learned and studied in this grand library under the patronage of the mistress of this mansion. I knew from a very young age that I wanted to know everything there was to know about this world, and I was well on my way to doing so.I coughed, blood spilling onto my chin. It hurt. My body was weak and broken. I had fought for my home until I could fight no more, and now, all I could do was lay on the floor of the library, waiting for the inevitable to claim me. My body would soon become cold and still, and my soul would dissipate, fading into nothingness.There was a soft thump next to me, and I heard the familiar rustle of fabric. A familiar hand grasped my shoulder, and I looked up at the figure kneeling over me."Koakuma ..." I mumbled, my voice weak and breathless. I coughed again. More blood.The little devil's eyes were wide and full of tears. She stroked my face, her gentle fingers brushing against my cheek. She looked down at me, her eyes full of sadness and fear. She shook her head, a tear sliding down her face."Miss Patchouli," she said softly, "what happened? Who did this to you? Why are you hurt?""Koa..." I rasped out, "I... failed. Flandre... is dead."I had little love for the hellish devil's sister we kept locked up, but I knew she was Remilia's dearest little sister. I didn't regret my final stand."But Miss Patcheouli, what about... " Koakuma tried to say. Her voice broke and trailed off into a choked sob .I smiled weakly. I knew what was coming next."You can't die!" she finally managed to cry, "Please, Miss Patchouli, please don't die. I... I need you.""I am sorry, Koakuma," I said weakly, "but I... am dying. I have lost too much blood. I leave to you... my library ... and my... knowledge..."Koakuma shook her head furiously, tears falling from her face."Miss Patchouli, no, please, I beg you, please stay with me. I'll save you. I promise I'll save you..."Her little hands swelled with magic. A healing spell, I noted, one I'd taught her on a snowy winter eve. The warm light enveloped me, soothing my aching body, but it could not heal the deep, fatal wounds I had suffered. The shrine maiden's divine magic was deadly toxic, especially to a youkai magician such as myself.I could not be saved. I was well past the point of no return, and no matter how much magic Koakuma threw into her spells, it would not change my fate." Save your mana ..." I whispered, "I am beyond help..."Koakuma shook her head once more, even harder this time. Her hands glowed brighter, but the spells were weaker now, and no matter how much of her own life force she pushed into the magic, she could not stop the inevitable.I was dying. And there was nothing she could do to change that."Promise me ..." I wheezed, "that you'll take care of yourself... without me, Koa. Promise me... you'll be strong. Promise me... that you'll survive. Promise me... that you'll live..."My eyelids, heavier than lead, slid closed. Koakuma screamed something, her voice piercing the quiet air of the library like a dagger. Her hands glowed bright, so bright that even through my closed eyes, I could see the light. But it was too late now. I was too far gone for any healing magic to have an effect. The best she could do for me now was to ease the pain of my final moments.
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My name was Sakuya Izayoi.I had a secret, one which I had hidden even from my mistress.I loved Hong Meiling, the gatekeeper of the mansion. Perhaps it was strange for someone as refined and elegant as myself to find herself infatuated with a lazy brute like Meiling. And indeed, I had despised her lackadaisical attitude for the longest time. She was always asleep at the gate, and I'd often had to wake her up with the sharp end of a knife.But in some way or another, I had fallen for her. Her strength was undeniable, and she had an air of grace to her that most did not see. She had a passion and a spirit that I found quite endearing. Her smile lit up my world. Her laugh made my heart sing. And when we sparred together, dancing to the rhythm of a fight, our blades and fists flashing, my heart sang with delight. She was the only one who was my equal, the only one I could duel for hours without a clear victor.But I had never gathered the courage to tell her how I felt. I had never been able to confess. I was afraid, scared that she would not accept me. Scared that she would not feel the same. Scared that she would see beneath my perfect veneer and become filled with disgust.So, I had kept my silence for far too long.We were fighting the human witch, Marisa Kirisame, side by side. I danced between the hail of magical projectiles, silver knives flashing as I deflected them. Meiling was beside me, her fists blazing as she struck the stars out of the air, her face set in concentration.I felt it in the air. Like the stars themselves were holding their breath, bracing themselves for the witch's next attack. The black-hatted witch raised her hands, the mini-hakkero in her hand flaring. Her face, which had held a breezy smile throughout our fight, had stilled, her lips set in a grim line.I saw the stars reflected in her eyes. As if the universe itself would bend to her will. The world stilled, everything frozen in place as the witch raised her hands, the air around her shimmering with power. I could feel the air grow hot, burning away the moisture in the air, and even Meiling's eyes widened as a brilliant star blazed to life in front of the witch's hand."Master Spark!"A massive beam of white-hot light and magic shot out from the witch's hand, the heat scorching the ground. It was the most powerful spell I had seen. I could feel its sheer heat, even from this far away, the air around me crackling and hissing.Time stopped.The world froze, every particle hanging in midair. Time slowed to a crawl, and I could feel each and every beat of my heart. The beam of light was barely a meter away from us now.I could not save Meiling. Even if I threw myself in front of her, I would simply die alongside her.I could see Meiling's face, her expression frozen in shock. The beam of light was closer to her than it was to me. I could see the light reflected in her green eyes. The beam of light bore down on her. It was two times as large as her entire body, an unrelenting beam of pure light that would vaporize her in an instant.She would die. I would watch the woman I loved burn to death in front of my very eyes, and I would be unable to save her. But in this moment of reprieve, so long as I kept time stopped, she was alive. I could see the color of her eyes. I could see her hair frozen in the wind. I could see her lips slightly parted in shock.I could not save her, no matter how hard I wished for it. The beam was too large, too wide, too fast, for me to save her.My heart ached, and a single tear slid down my face. I had never told her. I had never told her how much I loved her. I had never told her that I cared for her. And now, I would never be able to.She would die, never knowing."Meiling," I whispered, "I love you. "The words were meaningless, unable to even travel in the frozen air. But they were all that I could give to her.She would die, and I would live. But I would live with a broken heart and a shattered spirit, forever regretting that I was not able to save her.I released time, and the world began to move again. The beam bore down on her. Her eyes widened, and I could see the acceptance of her death in her eyes. She closed her eyes and turned her head, her gaze meeting mine.Her lips moved, forming the words that would shatter my heart into pieces.' I love you. 'I heard them, even over the roaring of the beam of light. I saw the words form on her lips, and I knew.She loved me back.And then, the beam hit her."Are you satisfied, Marisa Kirisame?" My voice was low and cold, as icy and deadly as a blade.The human witch slowly got up. She was panting hard, her shoulders heaving with each breath. Sweat dripped down her chin, and her hair was plastered to her forehead. She brushed a hand across her forehead, pushing her hair away from her face."Yeah," she said, "it was a good fight.""You killed her," I growled, my voice trembling. "She's dead. You've murdered her in cold blood. Why? What was it for? Was it a game to you?"The witch shrugged, picking her hat up from the grass. She brushed it off and placed it on her head, tilting it to a jaunty angle. "She was a youkai. And if you were, I'd have killed you too .""You killed her," I repeated, "and you feel nothing for it.""She was a youkai," the witch answered once more. Her voice was nonchalant, almost careless. As if it truly meant nothing to her. As if Meiling was nothing but a rabid animal that had to be put down. As if the witch hadn't ended a thinking, feeling person's life."Rot in hell," I growled and threw myself at her."Later. My job is done, and it seems Reimu's about finished up . We're done here." The witch touched the brim of her hat in farewell, then spread her arms, a spell flaring to life. I threw a knife — ten knives — at her, but the spell had already taken effect. The knives passed through her body harmlessly, and she disappeared into thin air. The knives sailed through the air, then fell to the ground with a clatter.The mistress's scream came soon after. Tonight was a night of blood.The red mist had lifted. The Scarlet Devil Mansion had lost.
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There were three survivors.There were three dead.Hong Meiling was the first. Struck by the most powerful spell in the human witch's arsenal, she had been vaporized, leaving nothing behind. The gatekeeper had fought for the sake of her duty and, in the end, had been killed. She died, never realizing that her foolish crush had been mutual.Flandre Scarlet had been the second. She had not understood why the shrine maiden had come. She had thought that she was playing a game, and she had played and danced and fought to her heart's content. But in the end, when the shrine maiden revealed the stake, she understood what would happen. Her right hand, which could destroy anything, reached out to protect herself. But in the end, the shrine maiden was faster. The stake was in her heart before she could squeeze, and she perished, the stake sealing her vampiric existence.Patchouli Knowledge was the last. Even though she had been defeated earliest, the miko had not bothered to finish her off. She died, her body succumbing to the divine magic, with her devoted assistant by her side.Remilia Scarlet would only live to die the next night under the shining silver moon. She died in a desperate bid for revenge and was soundly defeated. The shrine maiden, Reimu Hakurei, had not been merciful. She had not granted her a quick death. Remilia had suffered, bleeding and broken, before the shrine maiden had ended her life. But in a final, vicious display of spite, the Scarlet Devil ripped off Reimu's left arm. Remilia died alone and in pain, but she ensured that the shrine maiden would always remember her.Koakuma lived, but barely. After Patchouli had died, the little devil had poured nearly her entire life into keeping the librarian's soul from fading away. She had tried to revive her but, ultimately, was unable to. Now, she lay in Patchouli's bedroom, in a bed far too big for her, her frail body covered by the blankets that still smelled like the magician she had served. Her recovery was uncertain.Sakuya Izayoi lived. Her wounds had been grievous but not fatal. She had been unable to go after Remilia, to die with her mistress, as was her duty. But her heart had broken the moment Meiling had died, and there was nothing left to fight for. She had knelt in the garden that night and cried until she had no more tears left to shed. When morning came, she left the mansion and Gensokyo behind to never return.There were three more fatalities that day, unrelated youkai whose deaths went unnoticed in the wake of the fall of the Scarlet Devil Mansion. One was a man-eater who dwelled in the dark. Rumia, she called herself. A little-loved and little-known youkai, she had been a mere fledgling when she'd crossed the wrong path. There was no one to mourn her when she fell.Two were fairies, one of flowers and one of ice.The shortest path from the Hakurei Shrine to the Scarlet Devil Mansion led right through a wide, placid lake inhabited by one Cirno, an ice fairy who styled herself the 'Strongest of Fairies.' Reimu and Marisa had no desire to waste time or energy fighting her, so they took a path that led around the lake. Unfortunately, that was where Daiyousei, who was gathering berries for her friend, happened to be. She had not been spared.It just so happened that friend was the aforementioned Cirno, and she was outraged. The fairy was simple-minded and had little understanding of death, but she understood enough. Daiyousei was gone. And so, she stood, two against one, against the shrine maiden and the witch. Her power was cold and absolute, and her resolve steeled. Her death was quick and painless, a mercy compared to the agonies that Remilia would suffer later that night, but it was a death nonetheless. The little fairy had never stood a chance against the two humans, but her heart was strong, her will was iron, and she had fought until the end.This was the cost that the humans paid to live in Gensokyo, after all. The youkai had to die to keep them safe. The youkai were monsters, creatures that would rip them to pieces and devour them. So, who would care when they were exterminated?