《Master of Cards. *Reborn*》Chapter 8 : Make sure you sleep with an eye open.
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Now that he has the information that the Chang family has sent some of their people to attack Kael. There seems to be need to make an example out of them. This time, Kael was going to go give Donnie Chang a good scare. Not a jumpscare but genuinely put fear into him. First step? Head to Donnie Chang's room.
Using the Joker card, he teleported to the Chang family residence. This time, heading straight to Donnie Chang's room. The body guards? They did not notice. The family members? They did not notice. Donnie on the other hand was cowering in the sheets of his room. He then received a video that showed the execution of the manager, one of the guys he called big brother. Donnie wanted to take it to the police but it was Grand Blue, owned by Patriarch Flare and there was no evidence to the identity of the killer.
He did hear the screams of his 'big bro' and heard those final words. Sleep with one eye open? Just what did it mean? Kael was stepping into the room. To which Donnie flinched as he pointed his flashlight at the door. Not seeing anything, but the door was left ajar. A loud creak from the hinge as Donnie mustered the courage to get up and close the door.
Donnie shut the door, locking it 10 times. Perhaps his paranoia had kicked in. Then he checked the blinds, there was nothing standing outside. Kael was standing on the ceiling itself, Donnie was unaware of it as he crawled into his bed. Covering his head with the blankets. Though Kael was thinking about how to mess with Donnie. He could make Donnie see corpses of his 'big bro' the entire time. That was going to be one thing. Then Donnie heard somone tapping their footsteps. A loud clap was heard, Donnie's blankets flew away from him.
Then Donnie opened his eyes to see Kael standing there with the bloodied outfit. A grin as he rolled his sleeves.
"Remember what I said, Donnie? Better be sleeping with one eye open?" Donnie tried to scream but the voices are all muffled. He could not hear his voice, he tried doing something else but nothing was making noise. He tried to kick Kael who stood by the edge of his bed. Nothing was working, the kick just passed through Kael as if he was not here.
Kael walked towards Donnie, placing his hands by Donnie's head.
"It's just the beginning, Donnie." Kael said as he vanished. Donnie woke up from his bed, he was breathing heavily. It was as if his heart was in a fight or flight response. Donnie got up, walking to his bathroom. Everything looked normal, then he heard something fall down from his bed. He went to check it, only to be pounced on by a skeletal torso that was covered in blood. The head kept twitching at Donnie, then it chattered. Biting off Donnie's face then ripping Donnie's limbs apart.
Donnie woke up on the bed again, he touched his body. Thinking he had died, but he was alive? What the hell did Kael mean when he said it was just the beginning? Donnie went back to the toilet, taking a quick bath. Then stepping out, nothing. There was no skeletal torso that tore his body apart. Everything seemed normal, even talking to his family everything was normal.
Donnie then walked to campus, only to see Kael who was standing outside with a cigarette.
"What the hell did you do to me?!" Donnie shouted, seeing Kael glance at him then staring back at his phone.
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"Answer me!" Donnie punched Kael, then seeing Kael's face melt off. Revealing the black void that was inside. Only two pupils were visible, this was not Kael.
"Oh ho... It seems master is letting us mess with this one." The darkness swallowed Kael whole then revealing a jet black figure wielding a pair of machetes.
"Start running." Donnie was pierced by the machete, then he looked to the ground where a gigantic mouth closed in on him. He was in the beast's mouth, razor sharp teeth that turned his body into mince meat. He felt the pain continue.
"Someone help me!" Donnie blinked, finding himself standing in the middle of the street. Hearing a truck horn before running him over.
Donnie blinked again, now finding himself in the library.
"I must be too tired. There's no way this is real." Donnie walked ahead to bother Kael, only to see another Kael with the bloody uniform pulling out a book.
Showing the book to Donnie it had his name. 'Donnie Chang : A thousand years of death.'
"Wait!" The book was thrown at Donnie's face, the impact itself was enough to cause Donnie to have a concussion. Then seeing the grin on Kael's face.
"Everyday. You will live in this hell, Donnie. You're going to see a lot of things happen. You will be powerless to stop it. If only your Chang family didn't bother with mine. Then everything would have been okay." The bloodied Kael said as he kicked Donnie's stomach. Causing his whole body to explode.
Donnie woke up in class.
"Mister Chang! Pay attention to class!" The lecturer shouted, throwing a pencil that pierced into Donnie's skull. Another moment Donnie woke up, this time tied to the hospital bed. Seeing Blake with a knife.
"We need to operate. He is losing his mind." Donnie was shouting only to be cut wide open. Every minute of Donnie's life was going to lead to his death. One way or another.
In reality? Donnie was screaming in his bed. His family tried to move him but it was like Donnie was glued to his bed. He was screaming loudly. Even scratching his body until he was bleeding. Kael was watching from the distance as the Master of Cards. He was not going to kill Donnie. Letting Donnie suffer like this was a first step. The next step? Was to deal with the Chang family.Kael was thinking about how many corpses did he need to put into the Chang family's office.
"My dear weapons... I'm sure some of you are antsy. So why don't you all go out and hunt down people that work for the Chang family. Then later hang their corpses into their houses. Fill the houses with them." Kael said as he felt his weapons vanish from his body. Now all Kael needed to do was wait. His phone was vibrating, it was a call from Patriarch Flare.
"Master Kael. There's an auction for a variety of items at a nearby auction house. Would you like to attend with me?"
"Sounds fun, Patriarch. I will join you. Where should I meet you?" Kael said as he got rid off his Master of Cards outfit.
"At the Wyatt auction house. I'm sure you remember my granddaughter, Flora? She will be there waiting for you. I am on my way there now."
He felt his weapons return back to his shadow.
"Oh, you're back." Kael spoke gently to them.
"It wasn't too fun master. I could literally just speak to them and they'd die. I was expecting more." Kael heard this voice, a voice that silenced the other weapons.
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"Oh, I thought you were asleep... My dear Black Symphony." The voice was alluring, the kind of devilish temptation that would drive people to give their soul for. It was not destruction but rather the beauty that lurks in the chaos. She appeared by his side, a beautiful black dress with a fur coat jacket. In her hand was a thin pipe that she would smoke out of it. Silk black hair, this woman was the definition of temptation.
"Hello, my dear Maestro. I am always ready to play the songs that you wish." Black Symphony spoke, placing her hands by Kael's cheeks.
"So this is the world where you came from? It seems to be much calmer than the ones we knew. Peaceful, the kind of peace that has so much evil within its layers. I love it." Black Symphony said as she puffed out the smoke from her pipe. She turned to Kael puffing the smoke to Kael's cheeks.
"I truly think you look much more handsome in this life. Even when you were Lee, you were devilishly handsome too but... You look far too innocent." She spoke as before.
"Hey! Don't just tease master like that, Symphony!" Black Symphony chuckled to Baihua's voice.
"Baihua... Oh, my dear younger sister. So lovely, so adorable and so diligent to our master. Thank you."
"I.. I didn't do it because of you dummy!" The others kept quiet for a reason, it was because Black Symphony was just that. Her voice was the one who could silence the ohter blades, every weapon in Kael's hand would listen to her diligently.
"May I accompany you, Master Kael?" Black Symphony asked as she put on her black lace masquerade mask to cover her face. She had her right leg forward, the slit of her dress was just below her thigh, right above the knee. In between them.
"Let us go." Kael and Black Symphony arrived at an alley just in front of Wyatt Auction House. Where Kael stepped forward while holding Black Symphony by hand. The guests who were waiting for the auction house to open turned their heads to her. Be it man or woman, or whatever one's gender or sexual orientation. One cannot run away from the carnal desire to see someone as beautiful as her. The lace mask only covered her eyes, yet the charmed people could not stop looking at her.
"Who is that beauty?" Kael accompanied her up the staircase. Then Cindy, Marc along with their other friends noticed Kael being present.
"What is Kael doing here? ANd who is that!? I bet Kael's been cheating on me with that broad!" Cindy was raising her voice.
"The Auction House is open!" People headed inside. Kael walked with Black Symphony to the sofa. Immediately there were people that walked on over to Black Symphony.
"I'm Michael Sven. I'm sure you must have heard of us." They introduced one by one, yet Black Symphony did not seem to take notice of them.
"My name is Marc.." Marc went over to introduce himself to Black Symphony who glanced at him for a second then looked back at Kael.
"May I ask why do you wish to stay with him? When there are better options such as myself." Marck spoke carelessly which Kael sighed, looking at Black Symphony who broke the metal pipe in her hand. Then she pulled out another metal pipe from her coat.
"May I ask for your invitiation?" Kael looked at the manager who walked on over to him.
"I'm waiting for someone." Kael said.
"If you don't have your invitation. Then I must ask you to leave." The manager said as the guards walked on over to their side.
"Black Symphony. Stay still." Kael reminded her as she sat closer to Kael, even leaning to his lap.
"For your cockiness... I will ensure that you will be kicked out of here. Your friend will be allowed to stay but not you." The manager said where people snickered at Kael. They heard footsteps, rushing to their position.
"Black. I know I said that you can stay still but must you lay your head on my lap?" Kael asked, ignoring the manager.
"Stop!" The people turned to the voice, it was Flora Flare who was sighing heavily.
"Mister Kael! I'm so sorry that I was late... Did you get into trouble!?" Flora asked, her sweat was dripping to the floor.
"Oh. I was telling the manager that I was waiting for someone but it seems that I have to leave. So what should I do?" Kael's question was innocent and the manager knew that he had wronged someone important.
"Ah, sheesh? Another ruckus? Hey, anyone here dead yet?" Kael heard Tony's voice, seeing Tony walk with Patriarch Flare.
"Mister Kael. It is always a ruckus with your situation. I'm sorry once again." Patriarch Flare gave a brief bow to Kael.
"Oh, who's the woman by your lap? Your lover?" Tony asked where Black Symphony turned to look at them, she smiled and waved.
"Black. I need to greet them."
"Yes, maestro." Black Symphony got up, then taking off her coat. Placing it over Flora's shoulder. She had burgundy arm sleeves, a simple pendant and a rose tattoo by her neck. Kael shook hands with Tony and Patriarch Flare.
"Manager Xi?" The manager stood still while shaking in his boots.
"This man is my guest. Perhaps that was not clear." Patriarch Flare said only to see Kael stop the Patriarch from saying anything further.
"Mister Kael?" Kael then looked at the manager.
"Just be glad. That your men didn't touch her. Because if you bothered her. A lot of people might die today. And It's not going to be by my hands." Kael said to them. Where they see Black Symphony grin to them. The manager and the guards blinked, seeing their body parts thrown all around and Black Symphony drinking wine out of the manager's head.
They blinked again, they touched their bodies to ensure everything was in its place. Black Symphony then turned to Marc, leaning close to his ears.
"Try that again, and I will be sure to feed you to my pet dogs at home. They seem to be a bit hungry for human flesh." Marc was unsettled by that remark.
"Oh, Patriarch Flare... May I ask for a favour? I would like to ask you to remove these people from the auction house. They seem to be looking down on your esteemed guest. I think that needs to be corrected. Don't you think?" Kael looked at Black Symphony who said it so easily to them.
"Mister Kael who is she?" Kael shook his head to Black Symphony, who let out a dissappointed sigh.
"I will explain when we head inside the auction. You have your own room?" Patriarch Flare nodded to Kael as they headed up the stairs to the viewing platform meant for Patriarch Flare's family and associates.It was just them in this room.
"Black Symphony. Return to your form." Black Symphony changed back into her true form, a single edged long sword without a cross guard. Her blade shape was similar to that of a shashka but her length was that of a long sword.
"Oh... She's a Weapon Spirit?" Tony asked, seeing Patriarch Flare and Flora raising their eyebrows.
"Not quite. See... Black Symphony is considered as a Living Weapon. Same with my others. Baihua, Kuro-Hana, Banshee and Ga-eul." Kael said as the other four made their appearance with Black Symphony reverting to their humanoid form. Baihua was wearing a cheongsam, Kuro-Hana in her black kimono, Banshee who wore a white wedding dress with the sweetheart neckline and Ga-eul wearing a yellow hanbok.
They bowed to Patriarch Flare, Flore and Tony. Then turning to Kael to just hug him. The tallest among them was Black Symphony, while Baihua was the shortest. If one were to look at this scene it was more of a man with his friends rather than lovers.
"Master... May we stay to observe the auction?" Kael nodded.
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