Fighting against a bunch of candlesticks is strange. But what's even stranger is that they appeared there and out of nowhere.
'Where did these guys come from?' CK watched the giant candlestick warily. They circled one another, waiting for the other to attack first.
'So they're under orders. Well, someone knows I'm here already. I might as well take these old-fashioned relics out,' CK said, shooting forward.
She took the offensive. With the knife in her hand, she ran towards the anthropomorphic candlestick. The creature took massive stomps and swung down one of its branches, the candleflame leaving a trail of red in its path.
CK slid down to avoid the attack and sliced against the candlewax, leaving a gash. She turned back and saw the gash undo itself.
She followed up by taking one of her vials and smashed it against the candlestick's metallic body, hearing a splash and violent hiss.
However, there were no marks of damage on the candlestick's body. CK stepped back warily. Was it immune to physical damage?
A branch swung once more. CK bent her body to dodge and retaliated with a quick stab. She leaped backwards and observed how the damage healed, brandishing the knife in hand.
The wax morphed and shifted, turning into a long whip and lashed against CK. She dodged and cut a portion off, transmuting the wax's energy into a ball of flame.
It struck the candlestick's side and left a gap, taking slower time to recover. CK's eyes glimmered.
"So it's energy damage, then," she said. More wax emerged from the candlestick's body and formed several whips.
They lashed towards CK's direction one after another. Evading with leap after leap, CK lowered her body readily, eyes focused on an incoming whip.
Her eyes narrowed. The whip of wax lashed.
Splat!
CK parried with her knife, causing the whip to stagger and lose focus. She grabbed the whip with one hand, squeezing tightly as she felt the energy flow into her skin.
The candleflames on each of the branches flickered as CK forcefully absorbed the energy through the whip. Sensing danger, the candlestick snapped its whip off and kept its distance.
But the energy was already converting in CK's hand, using her body as medium. Flames erupted and concentrated into a sphere in her hands.
A smirk appeared on CK's face as she prepared to launch. She was about to release the compacted energy when she sensed energy incoming from above.
The flames morphed into a shield of stone a split second before release. CK grunted as she felt a barrage of spikes stab into the shield.
The shield cracked and shattered, creating a flurry of dirt smoke around CK. She looked up, staring at the chandelier that glowed menacingly.
Then, it began to release volumes of foreboding smoke. It scattered quickly across the vast area, allowing CK to catch a whiff of the smoke.
"...Anesthetics," she said and covered her nose with her sleeves. The candlestick took the opportunity and slammed its branches downward.
CK avoided impact and leaped into the air. Her hand searched through her pouch, grasping a vial and taking it out. She immediately swallowed its contents and tossed the glass vial behind her carelessly.
The numbing sensation in her face disappeared seconds after CK swallowed the remedy. CK looked up at the chandelier warily.
The anesthetics could've wiped her out easily if she didn't recognize what it was or if she didn't keep a remedy on herself. Judging from the chandelier's and the candlestick's behaviors, it seems they are to take out intruders but not kill them.
It was somehow a good thing, but the anesthetics were still a problem. Who created these creatures?
'I need to take that chandelier out first,' CK thought. The effects of the remedy won't last long. She placed a hand and looked at the clouds of smoke around her.
"Hmph. Unfortunately for you, this smoke is still convertible energy," CK smirked. The fog, as if swept away by a current, began converging beneath CK's feet.
CK pressed her hand to the ground, reaching out to every particle of anesthetic smoke floating around her. Then, like a drop of ink in water, she tapped its essence and gave it another structure.
The gray smoke turned a darker shade, the smell of gunpowder becoming more evident. The candlestick's wax turned into sharpened blades, slashing towards CK with renewed hostility.
CK dodged each swing of the blades, eyes widening when one nearly sliced her stomach horizontally. She parried the other strikes, levelling her strength against the sentient candle monster.
The anesthetic fog has completely turned dark. Once CK saw this, she pushed off another of the candlestick's attacks and jumped backwards.
"Malphas!" CK called. A crow manifested and swept downwards CK's direction, snatching CK up by letting CK grab its talons.
"Ba-boom," CK smirked, throwing the knife towards the candlestick's body. The knife scraped metal. Sparks flew and the fog around the area combusted violently in a series of explosions.
Boom!
Black smoke erupted from the explosions, creating clouds. CK was a safe distance mid-air, though the dark smoke still reached her.
"Drop me off," CK said. Malphas flew downward. CK let go of his talons and dropped against the ground with a huff.
In front of her was the candlestick, deformed and damaged. The metal branches on its arms were twisted and wax was spilled everywhere. It could no longer move.
She approached the deformed creature and bent down to get a closer look. "Huh. It's still full of potent energy," CK commented.
She got up and snapped her fingers, beckoning, "Malphas, come here."
The chandelier sustained a few damages but was still hovering. "As for you..." CK smirked ominously, taking a few steps forward.
"Well, I'll be... So you're the one responsible for the commotion."
CK turned in alert, hearing an unpleasant but familiar voice. The Candelabra Lightmaster emerged from the energy dome, still accompanied by his little group of light wisps.
"The Candelabra Lightmaster..." CK said his title meaningfully. Of course, it has to be his creations.
'We're in trouble,' CK thought pensively. She just destroyed one of his familiars and fed it to hers. As if sensing her thoughts, Lumiere looked at the chandelier above them.
"I hope you will be kind enough to spare my floating familiar. You've had your fun with one of my pawns, no? Greed is not a virtue of a noble," Lumiere spoke blithely, though a warning was secretly veiled in his tone.
"Heh. Is that right?" CK couldn't help but smile amusingly. "Of course," Lumiere said, his tone dropping icily when he looked at her, "What brings you here?"
"I was on my way back from a small trip and took a detour. What's inside that dome?" CK asked. "Nothing that you should worry about, my lady. It doesn't concern you," Lumiere said.
"So it's Marchen business?" CK wondered. Lumiere stared at her for a while, then hummed as if he came to a decision in mind.
"You managed to defeat one of my familiars. It seems I had a misconception about your abilities," Lumiere said, "You can transform anything so long as you can touch them. Isn't that right?"
CK did not answer. Still, Lumiere smiled triumphantly.
"No matter. I've seen what I've seen," he said. His smile disappeared, replaced with a serious stare.
"You've trespassed on prohibited grounds despite the many warnings put beyond this point. Not to mention you also destroyed one of my cherished creations with hostility. Deliberately snooping around is not something that can be pardoned easily," Lumiere stated.
"Follow me," he said. He walked past CK, prompting her to turn and look at him.
"Where are you going?" she asked. "We are going to pay a quick visit to the Red Manor to discuss your behavior, my lady. Although I am still part of the Red Faction, it is not my direct authority to render punishment on you," Lumiere said.
"The Red Manor... Duchess dela Rouge," CK said in realization. "Correct. You would be wise to listen before I resort to...inelegant means," Lumiere said warningly over his shoulder.
CK pursed her lips. Picking a fight with Lumiere has more consequences than rewards.
"We'll be taking your transportation. We'll reach the Red Manor faster that way," Lumiere said. CK said nothing and followed after the Candelabra Lightmaster.
'Shoot,' CK grimaced as the carriage took off. She was facing against Lumiere, who was back to smiling and chose to be oblivious to CK's mood.
The rest of the ride was uneventful and awkward. The carriage touched down in front of the Red Manor's entrance, prompting a few attendants to emerge from the double doors to meet the visitors.
Only then did the apprehension wash over CK's body. Lumiere exited the carriage and walked towards the manor, leaving CK no choice but to follow shortly after.
"L-Lightmaster Lumiere! We were not informed you will be visiting today," one of the satyrs said, bowing to Lumiere. She glanced at CK, eyes widening in surprise.
"It wasn't in my plans, actually. However, there were some...matters that needed to be tended to on short notice," Lumiere said, "Is the Duchess here?"
"Yes, Lightmaster," the satyr replied. "Then please let her know we're here," Lumiere smiled.
"Right away," the satyr said and almost entered the manor in a rush, but there's only so much one can do with a pair of hooves.
CK involuntarily imagined satyrs hopping around instead of walking. She suppressed the urge to smile at the silliness of the idea.
The same satyr returned quickly and bowed. "The Duchess is in her office. I shall escort you there," she said.
"Very well. Lady CK, let's go," Lumiere said. CK walked after him in unwilling footsteps but still arrived at the second floor of the manor.
The door to the office was larger and more decorative than the rest. The satyr knocked on the door.
"Your Grace, the Candelabra Lightmaster and the young Lady Vincenzo have arrived," the satyr announced.
"Let them in."
The satyr opened the door at the muffled order of the Duchess. A room full of ornamental plants and bonsai plants awaited their entrance.
"H-Hey!" CK frowned when the Lightmaster grabbed her by the elbow and marched into the office, dragging her along.
The Duchess' brows rose in intrigue upon seeing her visitors. CK tried to discreetly yank her arm back, but to no avail.
"Greetings, Duchess. I hope we're not intruding on important business," Lumiere said. "Lumiere. What brings you and the young Lady Vincenzo to the Manor on such short notice?" Duchess dela Rouge glanced at CK.
CK successfully yanked her arm back, but only because Lumiere let go with a small smile. She huffed and curtsied to the Duchess.
"Greetings, Your Grace," CK said politely. "I found the free-spirited young noblewoman wandering into one of the prohibited areas in the Eastern Glade. The Marchen has issued plenty of orders to the public not to enter, but it appears that the young Lady mistook it for a suggestion, even forcing her way through and destroying one of the candelabra guards I've sent to patrol," Lumiere stated.
"I see. Do you have anything to say, Lady CK?" Duchess dela Rouge looked at CK, who flinched under her gaze.
"I don't. I admit, I entered that place out of curiosity," CK sighed. "Though she has no ill intentions, it still could've ended terribly for both sides. I implore you to take the necessary actions and correct the young Lady's misbehavior," Lumiere said seriously.
'Punish her. Two words could've been enough,' CK wanted to roll her eyes. The Duchess squinted her eyes at CK.
"Hm... I'll see to it that she's disciplined accordingly. You have nothing to worry about, Lightmaster," Duchess dela Rouge stated.
"Wonderful. If there's nothing else, I really need to go back. Plenty of things must be accomplished," Lumiere said. He bowed shortly to the Duchess, then another to CK before leaving the office.
'The nerve to bow like a gentleman after tattling me off like a ruffian,' CK scoffed. She heard the papers stack together on the Duchess' desk, causing CK to turn back to her.
"I'm guessing that the Count and Countess have no idea about the current situation," the Duchess said. "They don't, Your Grace," CK replied.
"Hm. Then I shall send a letter. I must discuss with them first before I decide what to do with you," the Duchess said, "You will stay here in the meantime. And don't do anything reckless."
The Duchess rose from resting her hinds and left the office. CK sighed in relief and sat on the floor unceremoniously.
She felt like a child being scolded by her tutors and was waiting for her parents' verdict. CK sighed again and rested her chin on her palm. Guess she'll have to wait.