The Florist: This Tree Requires Scary Offerings!

Chapter 11: Graveyard

“I’m sorry...”

Ivy watched pained blue eyes looking down to the ground. “But if I don’t do this...” He took a step back. “I will go tell them to stop this. I–”

Ivy grabbed his arm and squeezed his wrist. “They won’t listen to you. You don’t have the power to stop them. Just like me, they also own you. If... you catch their attention, you will end up like me.”

“Then should I just...”

“We have no choice...” Ivy let go of him. “But this will probably ruin your reputation forever. You don’t have to do it. I will be fine.”

“I don’t care... as long as I do the right thing...”

“You’re a fool.”

“Maybe...”

“I will not forgive you if you apologize.”

“That’s only fair.”

Ivy opened his eyes. He tilted his head to the side and frowned, seeing Fia asleep in his arm. On the other side, Ignis and Orpheus slept.

Lucifer was sitting against the wall, his head tilting forward as he zoned out. Ivy sat up, glancing around. He blinked as Fia clung to him. “Master...”

He smiled weakly, patting her head. He then crawled to Lucifer and carried him to the bed. He watched the sun rising from the balcony. He felt his heart throbbing and closed his eyes as Raven hugged him from behind, grabbing his chin. “Are you okay?” she whispered in his ear, “Talk to me.”

She rested her free hand on his belly. “I don’t want you to give me a half-hearted smile. You know I would do anything for you.”

She wiped the tears on his cheek, kissing the top of his head. “You don’t need to be here anymore. Come with me to my kingdom. I will give you the treatment that you deserve.”

He lowered his head, resting his hand against the railing. “I can’t.”

Her gaze saddened as she gazed at his shaking hands. “No matter what happens, I will protect you, so don’t think that you’re alone.” With that, she disappeared in black feathers.

He sighed, leaning forward slightly.

“Death isn’t guaranteed from the third floor.” Lucifer stood beside him then jumped on the railing with a smile. “I can test it for you if you want.”

“Get down. It’s dangerous.”

Lucifer sat down, folding his arms. “I must tell you something.”

Ivy glanced at him and shut his eyelids as a strong wind blew. Lucifer glanced at the source and tilted his head skywards, his smile fading into an unreadable expression. Ivy took a step closer towards him. “What is it?”

“The woman is confused. She can’t open a door to the sacred realm. I verified it with her after you left. She wants to apologize in person, whenever you have time.”

“You’re lying.”

Lucifer’s eyes widened slightly as he stared at the passing clouds. Ivy frowned, his eyes watering. “Please tell me you’re lying.”

Lucifer lowered his head. “I’m not.”

Ivy clenched his jaw. “Then... There’s nothing left for me to do here. I should go back to the old world.”

“No.”

“THEN WHAT DO YOU EXPECT ME TO DO?”

Lucifer frowned as Ivy grabbed him by the shoulders. “I... don’t remember a damn thing!” Ivy smiled, shuddering. “About why my body is like this? What is my name? Why am I here? I DON’T KNOW ANYTHING! NOTHING!”

He gritted his teeth. “For how long will I pretend as if I know it all?! I don’t... know all of these people on my bed. I don’t know you. I don’t know who I am... I DON’T KNOW!”

Lucifer took Ivy’s face in his hand, resting his waist against the railing. “It doesn’t matter if you forgot.” He wiped his tears. “You will remember eventually. You won’t remain ignorant forever.”

Ivy shook his head. “If I give you... a better reward, will you answer me? Will you tell me what I need?”

Lucifer stared at him in silence. He looked away. “No. Nothing can pay for this information. Give up.”

He raised his eyebrows as Ivy took his clawed hand and slit his arm with it. “D-Drink it! All of it!” Ivy fell to his knees, trembling. “Please? It doesn’t matter if I die...! Just... I just... want to know who I am!”

Lucifer stared at the blood, his fangs growing longer. He closed his eyes and knelt in front of Ivy. “That’s not good. What if I actually gave in?” He smirked faintly, rolling up the sleeves of his white shirt. “Drink. I can’t heal you otherwise.”

Ivy pursed his lips. He gasped as Lucifer pulled him into a tight hug and forced him to bite into his neck instead. Lucifer sighed. “What a troublesome man you’ve become, Ivy.” He stroked his hair. “I can no longer handle you, really...”

He lowered his gaze to the floor, his vision growing blurry. His blue irises shined as they focused on the blood on the ground. Ivy leaned back, wiping the blood on his chin. “I’m sorry. I lost my cool for a while.”

Lucifer stood up with him. 

“I must go now. Even I have a few things to take care of,” Lucifer waved before fading in blue light. 

Ivy sat down on the floor, tilting his head backwards. 

“Ivy...”

He looked up and saw Orpheus standing away from him. Orpheus pursed his lips. “Can I sit there?”

He sat beside Ivy after receiving an affirmative answer. He rested a knife in Ivy’s hands. “I’m ready... You can kill me any time.”

Ivy frowned and glanced at him. “Why would I do that?”

“Because of me, you have to carry a child.”

Ivy lowered his head. “You didn’t know about my condition.”

He returned the knife. “I would never kill someone over this.”

“I raped you... Can you be angrier?”

“That’s not how things went, and you know it... It doesn’t matter for me anymore.” Ivy held his knees. “As long as nobody else gets hurt...” His gaze went blank. “It’s fine.”

“No...” Orpheus sat on his knees, frowning. “That’s not how you should be thinking.”

Ivy stood up. “You also don’t need to talk to me out of guilt. You can supervise my torture as usual. Don’t go easy on me.” He smiled. “Maybe part of me enjoys the pain.”

Orpheus frowned. “But you’re... carrying a child... my child...”

“I don’t feel the child in my body.” Ivy touched his belly. “And I don’t know where it is. There’s no risk.”

“Then, the chairman’s child...”

“It died.”

“Why?”

Ivy shrugged. “I don’t know. It’s just a feeling I had.”

“Master!” Fia jumped on Ivy’s head, giggling. “Master is awake! Master is no longer sick!”

He hugged her, his gaze softening. “I’m glad you’re as energetic as ever, Fia.”

She smiled brightly and nodded several times. Ignis watched them in silence from the window. He sighed, folding his arms. Orpheus stared at Ivy laughing with Fia and playing with her. He walked towards the exit of the room. 

“Don’t forget to come back on Monday.”

Lucifer walked into the castle staggering, scratching his neck and panting. He shut his eyelids, resting his head against the wall. His body slid down to the ground. He scratched the ground. His pupils turned into slits as he heard approaching footsteps. He gritted his teeth, disappearing from his spot to pounce on the man with long red hair. The man grabbed his face and threw him into the wall. 

“You’re pathetic, Iblis,” Jibreel spoke, standing in front of the blue-haired.

Iblis collapsed in front of him, panting as blood ran from his neck and mouth. Jibreel stared at him in silence. A few minutes passed before Iblis’s eyelids started dropping, his breathing growing slower. Jibreel watched the blood pooling at his feet. “You won’t ask for my help?”

He turned his back to the blue-haired. “See you on the other side, then.”

He stopped, feeling the jinn clinging to his pants. Iblis forced himself to sit up. “Just... a... bit,” he whispered, “It... hurts.”

Jibreel turned to him and threw a sealed pack at him. Iblis frowned, catching the white bag. He dug his fangs into it, breathing heavily from exhaustion. 

Jibreel smiled, watching the tears on his cheek. “Getting that blood was worth watching your pride break slowly as you dig in. You’re welcome, senile old jinn.”

Iblis’s wounds sealed gradually as he drank. He rested a hand against his face, panting. “What do you want in exchange?”

Jibreel’s smile weakened as he shrugged. “You already know what I want. I told you, ages ago.”

Iblis frowned and stood up. “Did you come here just to give me this?”

“It wasn’t your time to die. I checked,” Jibreel informed, “And someone had to deliver that to you. The safest option was me. Would you have preferred the angel of death or the others?”

Iblis removed the hair from his face and wiped the blood. He looked away. “I would have appreciated not to see any of you, to be honest.”

“Same here. If I stay with you for too long, I might catch your idiocy.”

“Fair enough.”

They walked along the silent dark hallways. Jibreel glanced around. “Where are your servants?”

“Good question.”

“Hah.” Jibreel turned his head to him. “Is your hand still injured?”

Iblis glanced at his hands. “Which one?”

“You caught a sword for me, yesterday,” Jibreel observed his hands. “But it seems like your hand healed.”

“Yeah, I forgot about that.” Iblis sat on a windowsill, watching the purplish moon shining. “So, did you come to answer my question?”

Jibreel nodded. “I don’t break my promises,” he started, “You asked me about why all of this happened.” He pondered for a moment. “It’s because of human arrogance that far surpassed yours.”

Iblis eyed him with a frown. “How?”

“Were you living under a rock, if I may ask?” Jibreel raised his eyebrows. “Come here.”

“You come.”

“Only to take back the blood I gave you.”

“Uh, fine.”

Iblis stood in front of him and smiled proudly. “You’re not that much taller, so don’t brag.”

“Are you five?” Jibreel poked his forehead, and a golden light shined underneath them. A film turned in spirals around them. Jibreel stared at it in silence. He raised his eyebrows slightly as scenes in red passed. “Lustful pervert.”

Iblis smiled, looking away.

The film suddenly turned pitch black. Both Iblis and Jibreel frowned as they gazed at the black spots in the film. A few minutes later, the film turned white, and a snow setting appeared before the scenes returned to normal. The golden light then disappeared. Jibreel moved his gaze to Iblis. “Three...”

“I really have no idea!”

“Two...”

Iblis smiled nervously, seeing a red light appearing at Jibreel’s fingertips. “I...”

“One...”

Iblis crumbled to the ground. “I don’t remember...?!”

Jibreel waved his hand as the red light disappeared. “You don’t, huh.”

He grabbed his collar. “You good-for-nothing excuse of a villain.”

Iblis’s eyes widened, seeing the contempt in Jibreel’s eyes. “Now, there’s only one option left for you. Humans are better than you in good and evil. You have only one place left to go.”

Iblis lowered his head. “I don’t feel like talking...”

“That’s not your decision.”

Iblis stood up. He ran out of the castle and stopped in front of the first jinn he found. He slapped the tree beside the jinn’s head. “Tell me...” He frowned, falling silent. The jinn was shaking. “Y-Yes, my lord?!”

The blue-haired touched the jinn’s face. “Can I drink your blood?”

The jinn blushed and looked away. “My lord? Are you sure about that?”

“Yes. Let me do it. It’s an order.”

“I can’t do that, my lord.”

“Why not?”

“I was ordered... to never let you do that...”

“Ordered by who? Someone with higher authority than me?” Iblis glanced at Jibreel, who was walking towards them. “An angel?”

Jibreel raised his eyebrows. “I didn’t do anything.”

“No! Not an angel. Angels only showed up recently. Um... I can’t tell you, my lord. I was threatened.”

The blue-haired let the jinn go and watched him run away. Jibreel tilted his head. “What was that about? Have you finally lost your sanity?”

Iblis turned to him with a frown. “I feel like I’m remembering something, but I... don’t want to push through. If I do that, I might regret it.”

Jibreel folded his arms, watching the fear and confusion in the jinn’s eyes. “Fine. I will go with you. Maybe your little endeavour will give me some answers about this world anyway, so it shouldn’t be a loss.”

“Always thinking about work.”

“That’s what I was made to do, Iblis.”

Iblis turned away from him and walked deeper into the garden. He disappeared in blue light and stepped into a pitch-black cave. He touched the wall which was closest to him.

“Is this the last place you remember?” Jibreel asked, touching the wall. “Before you were attacked.”

Iblis scratched the wall, raising his eyebrows. “Attacked...”

He took a step back. “I don’t know why I came here.”

“I don’t know much either. The situation is far too complicated, so whatever fears you have right now, ignore them. This place might be a key or a part of a puzzle, so don’t be a chicken.”

“I-I’m not being a chicken!” Iblis pouted and sat down to hear something crack. Jibreel clicked his fingers as red fire lit up the cave. Iblis watched the skulls on the ground. He followed along the tunnel and found a cave filled with skeletons to form a pile. Jibreel frowned standing in front of the blue-haired. “Can you return to your real form?”

“Why are you asking me this now?”

“Do it.”

Iblis shut his eyelids as the tips of his hair turned into blue fire. A few minutes passed, but nothing happened. Iblis touched his torso, falling to his knees. “I can’t.”

“I thought so.” Jibreel folded his arms. “This is a graveyard of your kind.”

Iblis picked up a skull and gazed into the empty eye sockets in silence. He sighed, his lips parting with a wide smile. “I understand now.”

Jibreel noticed a gap within the bones. “Come here.”

Iblis stood beside him. Jibreel grabbed him by the back of his neck and threw him into the gap. Iblis relaxed into the heap of bones, his head tilting backwards. Jibreel nodded. “You fit perfectly. You were here before.”

Iblis swallowed hard, feeling his heart throbbing. He opened his mouth to speak but fell silent. Jibreel shut his eyelids, resting his back against the wall. Iblis looked up in silence, his hair covering his face.

He stared at the green light that stretched far in the distance. The lights reflected on his body, warm and welcoming. He smiled weakly. “Did you miss me when I was gone?”

Jibreel looked at him. “I feel no empathy towards stubborn people like you.”

Iblis laughed. “Don’t lie,” he whispered, “You felt sad, at least a little.”

“Nonsense.”

“Do you speak from the heart?”

“I most definitely do.”

“Hahah. That’s good, then...” Iblis closed his eyes. “I have no reason to stay then.”

Jibreel frowned, seeing a hail of blue blades falling on top of the blue-haired. He took a step forward, whispering his name. “What are you... doing?”

He jumped towards the jinn and broke all of the blades with a wave of his arm. He landed on top of the jinn and observed two blades that stabbed his heart and leg. Iblis had already lost consciousness, his blood running along the sea of bones engulfing him. “What have you done?!”

He grabbed his shoulders. “Are you crazy? Just because I said that?” He gritted his teeth. “So selfish, from beginning to end.”

He slapped the wall of skulls in front of him, lowering his head. “You fool.”

He let go of the blue-haired. “And what am I supposed to do now?”

He sat down, watching the blood in silence. Looking up, he saw a blinding green light. He followed it with his eyes and saw it reflecting on Iblis’s chest. His eyes widened, seeing the blades disappearing under the light. Iblis gasped softly and coughed blood a few times. Jibreel glanced back at the light.

He lifted the jinn and jumped towards the ceiling. He blinked as he went through it and found himself inside of a dome of greenness. He stood on the grass and laid Iblis in a bed of white flowers. The jinn’s blood painted the petals. Jibreel looked around, observing flowers that were long extinct as they belong to the old Earth. He heard birds and squirrels. He looked up and saw a blue sky beyond the thick leafage. He felt the sun on his skin.

He glanced behind him, hearing gasps. He frowned as he saw thorny dark green vines growing from the ground and lifting Iblis’s body up. Iblis’s head tilted forward, and he started panting. He gasped as one vine stabbed his heart. He threw up blood, shuddering. Jibreel poked the vines with his fingertips; they burned to ashes. His eyes widened, hearing Iblis’s agonizing screams. He caught him as he felt and sat down. “What’s wrong?! Why are you screaming now?”

Iblis gasped, trembling and crying. He opened his tired eyes. “Wh-Where are we?”

Jibreel jumped backwards as more veins appeared. “I’m not sure.”

“It feels... good.” Iblis’s eyelids started closing. “I feel good... here.”

“Huh?” Jibreel laid him in his arms and saw grass growing out of Iblis’s perforated chest. Iblis clung to his chest. “Leave me... here...”

“I can’t do that.”

“You... hate me... so...”

“My feelings towards you are irrelevant. I have things to do here. Leaving you behind isn’t one of them.”

Iblis coughed blood as another vine stabbed his back. His bloodstained hand fell to the side, and another vine stabbed it. He whined faintly, his head tilting back. Jibreel took a step back and frowned, feeling himself touching a vine. Within seconds, the vines surrounded them from all directions. He hugged the dying jinn closely, glaring at the plants. “Are they alive?! Is there a way I can... communicate?”

Iblis coughed blood as another vine stabbed his belly. “Run... aw... way,” he breathed.

Jibreel glanced back at him, feeling powerless. His shoulders sank. “When I heard about what happened to you...” He watched the vines dragging Iblis underground as he could barely remain awake. “I... wished that you granted my wish before it happened.”

His hand reached out for Iblis’s hand before it was swallowed underground. “But... That didn’t happen, did it?”

He lowered his head as the vines around him retreated. He stood up and heard the sound of heartbeats echoing in the forest. He followed the sound and covered his face in his arms as a green light blinded him.

He peeked from behind his arms and gasped, gazing ahead with round eyes.

Ivy woke up to the sound of Ludovic’s snoring. He sat up on his bed and touched his face, only to touch the black cloth that covered the lower part of his face. He heard Ludovic’s alarm go off. The orange-haired yawned. “Good morning!”

He blinked, seeing Ivy. He smiled. “You’re back! When?”

“Today... Before dawn.”

Ludovic held his hand. “Come with me.”

He sat him on the kitchen counter and started preparing his breakfast. “Can you... remove your mask? I really missed you.”

“I can’t.”

“Oh...” Ludovic placed food in front of him. “Eat this then. You didn’t eat in days.”

Ivy nodded. “Thanks.”

Ludovic left him to eat and went to wake Yuma up. Ivy then ate quickly and jumped off the window. Yuma saw him jump and ran to the balcony. “WAIT!” He clenched his fists, seeing him run away towards the train station.

“Is he skipping school?” Ludovic raised an eyebrow. “The train does operate in-campus. It only takes downtown.”

“Let’s follow him.”

“Eh? We’re skipping school?”

“Yes.”

They chased after him and got in the same metro. Ivy was sitting in the last car with Raven. She was stroking his cheek and thigh. He rested his head against her shoulder, his hair covering his eyes. Yuma glared at them. “He ditched us just to go on a date.”

He stomped towards them. “I’ll go give him a piece of my mmm–!”

“Calm down!” Ludovic pressed a hand against his mouth and pulled him back. “We shouldn’t act rashly. Let’s wait and see.”

Yuma huffed, folding his arms. “Whatever you say.”

Raven shouldered Ivy as he slept on her shoulder. She gazed at him anxiously. She kissed the top of his head, threading their gloved fingers.

“What is this emo kid doing here, all dressed in black as if it’s a funeral?”

Ivy gasped as a passenger kicked his side to the ground. He coughed blood, trying to get up. He held his side and collapsed back on the ground, panting. Yuma gritted his teeth. “I will kill that bitch... Who kicked him?!”

Raven knelt beside Ivy and hugged him protectively. She gazed at the man darkly, but Ivy whispered her name. She gritted her teeth. She helped him stand, and they got off the train. He rested for a few minutes before standing on his own. He held her hands. “I will just go to work now. I won’t overdo it. I promise.”

She shook her head. “I’ll stay with you.” 

He sighed, removing his mask. “Raven. Come here–”

She pushed him against the nearby wall and took his chin. “Master...”

His gaze softened. “You’ve been so kind to me...” He rested his head against the wall. “Even though I don’t even remember you.”

He shut his eyelids as she rested a hand against his cheek and kissed his forehead. “It’s the least I could do, master.”

“My name is fine. Just use my name.”

She kissed his eyelids. “I can’t do that, master.”

She slid her hand along his side and rested it against his lower back before pulling him in a tight hug. “If I do that, I won’t be able to stop.”

He buried his face in her shoulder, wrapping his arms around her. She smiled softly. “I adore you, master. It doesn’t matter what others say. I will protect you.”

His eyes widened slightly as she grabbed his chin and kissed his lips. He clung to her back and sat down with her in him in her lap. He ran his fingers into her hair, closing his eyes. 

Yuma frowned, watching them kiss. “I want to stop them...”

Ludovic blinked. “Why?”

“B-Because they’re in public! Perverts!”

They gasped as the alarms started ringing.

This is not training. I repeat. This is not training. The Roosters are attacking again. Please seek shelters. Fourth and fifth-grade students are invited to counter the raid.