Seven hours passed and Belle stood behind the tree, watching the girl who was sitting on the ground with her legs outstretched as she looked up at the sky which was covered by the clouds and the branches of the trees. She could see that Vivian was in too much pain as she continued to spew blood from her mouth that often fell through the gaps of her fingers to sprinkle on the ground and some to fall on the snow. Both sides of her, the snow was inked with red which was spreading.

Belle wished she could do something for Vivian, but there was nothing she could do right now. Intervening something for a momentary relief would only change the course of time. Therefore, she saw the ghoul stand by her side. They didn't appear to be talking, but Belle could see and tell that having the ghoul next to her was giving her the needed relief and company.

"Lucas," Belle whispered his name who was standing next to her, "If she is going to die, why not have her kill now?" she suggested because she didn't know how long she could watch Vivian turning to a corrupted vampiress before turning back to her self. Vivian's heart was trying to complete the process, but she was trying to fight it and keep herself alive, waiting for the man who was possibly on his way to reach her.

"The time will be tampered. A few seconds of change will cause hours of damage far away from us," answered Lucas.

Belle pursed her lips. It wasn't that Belle wanted to take away Vivian's happiness of meeting the Duke, but if her memory served her right, the Duke was nowhere to be seen when the reapers had come to fetch her soul.

"Some more time," she heard Lucas and felt his hand on her shoulder.

"I am going to go through something similar to this, isn't it?" it was the worry that lurked in the back of her mind. It was like being a vampire was a curse because no one knew when your emotions would drive to the edge and start corrupting with the rusting of the heart, "Do you think I will die because of corruption?" she asked him.

"It is a possibility, but so far you appear to be in good condition. The corruption hasn't gone overdrive to complete the process, so maybe you might die in another way."

Belle nodded her head, her eyes looking at Vivian, and she then turned to look at Lucas, "Promise me something."

"Anything," replied Lucas.

Belle looked into his eyes that had turned back to black colour, "If something ever happens to me...where I am dying, you will be by my side, and you won't be late," she asked him for the promise. There was no way to tell that she would live because Edith had already predicted everyone's death. Lucas couldn't tell he could save her even though he would try to keep her alive.

"I promise to be there by your side and never to leave you," he gave his word. He then pulled her towards him, hugging her, "There might be the darkest hour of the day or night, but I will do my best always to look out for you to make sure nothing happens to you. I will protect you, Belle," Belle snuggled into his chest, her eyes bleak in worry of what the future held for them.

If it were possible, she would have selfishly asked him to go with her, hide with her while leaving the world burn down but sadly they were part of the same world, and they would burn down along with it.

"I wish I could hide you somewhere away from everyone and everything," he reflected her thoughts that brought a small smile on her lips.

"I was thinking of doing it too," she said pulling back for him to look smiling down at her.

"I know you were. There is nothing I don't know of you," he leaned forward, pressing his cold lips on hers and Belle closed her eyes to capture the love as much as she could because deep down she was worried after seeing the state Vivian was in.

"I love you," she said to him.

"And I love you," he responded. Their concentration on the conversation was broken when they heard Vivian growling, her growls echoing in the forest, which was painful to hear.

Belle turned to look at Vivian who had her body pushed forward where she was sitting with her all fours on the ground, the growls of pain reaching her ears. She wished the Duke would come for her earlier right now, she hoped he would make it.

Another hour passed, and she then heard whisperings coming from behind and around the forest which had been quiet. Her head snapped to look behind, but she could see nothing. Her eyes started searching and she heard Lucas say,

"The reapers are here."

The reapers sure knew how to make an entrance, thought Belle to herself, "We are not going to let the reapers get close to her, right?" asked Belle to make sure they were on the same page in this delicate matter.

"Kill and send them back to the realm of the dead," affirmed Lucas, and he reached for the back of his shoulders for the scythe to appear in his hands, "We can't let the reapers take her soul."

"Great," breathed Belle and she rubbed both her hands, readying herself while she tried to produce some heat in her hands that felt slightly numb.

Both Belle and Lucas started to walk forward and away from Vivian so that she would not be witnessing something she was not supposed to.

"Did you place the spell?" asked Lucas.

"Not yet," answered Belle, "We don't know if another reaper will come and try to attack her. We would be falling deaf to it," Lucas gave her a nod.

Then appeared the four reapers, one after another appearing in thin air without previous track.

.

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