Horn Skuld (Anime)

Horn Skuld (ホーン・スクルド) is a seventeenth progenitor vampire in the Seraph of the End anime. She often monitors Chess Belle who Horn is usually with where they both serve Thirteenth Progenitor Crowley Eusford.

Taking part in the invasion of Shinjuku, Horn helps capture Moon Demon Company members. She would also be one of the targets of the extermination mission the humans launch on vampire nobles in Nagoya.

Appearance
She is a vampire of fairly average height with an voluptuous figure. Horn has long blonde hair styled in two twin spirals that come over her shoulders. Her bangs are parted to the right. Like all vampires, she has red eyes, fangs, and pointed ears.

For attire, Horn wears the same type of headband as Chess. She also wears a white collar and cape that reaches to her mid-thigh.

Like Chess, she wears an attire with a low cut that reveals her cleavage. She wears a white dress with sleeves that are heavily adorned with blue ruffles past her elbows and reach midway down her forearm. Blue lines go down her bodice to emphasize her breasts and hips. Her skirt opens up to reveal her right leg, and is hemmed at the level of her ankles. It has numerous ruffles at her hips and down the front of the opening. She wears black thigh-high pantyhose, which have blue ruffles decorating them at the top. She wears a same blue colored pair of high-heels as well.

Personality
Considering how she feels nobles should act, Horn applies that in how she carries herself. She is calm and composed and encourages Chess to behave similarly.

Although acting unconcerned, Horn can display a serious streak, ready to intervene in a fight if Crowley required it. Horn voices that the human's attack was an act of war and advocated striking back. When she is providing guidance to Chess and behaving authoritatively Horn often looks at Crowley as she is speaking.

Shinjuku Arc
Horn Skuld along with Chess Belle descend down through the air behind Crowley Eusford. They are outside the walls of Shinjuku where smoke rises from the human city due to a vampire invasion that they are a part of. She has recovered his sword that was knocked out his hand by Yūichirō Hyakuya. Facing Shinoa squad, made up of squad leader Shinoa Hīragi and Mitsuba Sangū with Black Demon cursed gear holders Yu, Shihō Kimizuki and Yoichi Saotome, Horn pays no mind to them and addresses Crowley. She adds to what Chess was saying about wasting time on these humans to inform Crowley that the seventh progenitor, Ferid Bathory, is waiting for him at the front lines. Presenting Crowley’s sword to him, Horn leaps across buildings with him and Chess as they leave Shinoa squad behind. 8 Having taken a detour, Horn arrives with Chess and Crowley at the defence line where Ferid is planning to have all the humans die except for Yu for Mikaela Hyakuya to gain. With Horn's arrival the vampire's forces have been bolstered. Accordingly the plan has now changed from exterminating to capturing the Moon Demon Company to use as livestock. As the humans attempt to retreat after Lieutenant Colonel Guren Ichinose's order, they are obstructed by the pursuing vampires. Horn is one of them and uses her weapon, a lengthy whip with the skill to seize and ten lift Kimizuki off his feet when he tries to help Shinoa against Crowley. The vampires victory in Shinjuku is halted with the arrival of the main unit of the Japanese Imperial Demon Army led by Lieutenant General Kureto Hīragi as well as Shinya Hīragi. Even though nobles were supposed to be captured by the humans, Horn is able to escape11 Later she is relaxing and playing the board game chess, with Chess Belle with her whip nearby to her.12

Nagoya Arc
At Nagoya city hall, Horn moves a castle chess piece, at ease with Chess and Crowley after being targeted by a forty five member army. After nineteen died, the rest were taken as hostages and tied to crucifixes outside. After Chess drinks too much, Horn chides her that she is not supposed to kill the hostages and sighs in response the Chess trying to rouse the human. With Crowley not having a problem, she is offered some blood while it is still warm to which Horn responds by asking Chess when she is going to learn to exhibit a bit of self control. She is a noble not a savage. Addressing Crowley she says they need to discuss todays attacks, it seems the humans finally found their backbones. Horn deems the Nagoya invasion an act of war and they must strike back. With Crowley interested in the power of the human weapons, Horn asks whether he could elaborate. Hearing that the humans have gained too much power too quickly, it is how they have managed to take down so many nobles. The cursed gear the humans have can kill any one of them since it is cursed, but it is not something the humans could figure out. In response Horn questions whether Crowley is suggesting a traitor among the vampires might be feeding the humans information. With Crowley showing his non-healing wound, Horn offers to get a bandage right away but she is told she can drink from it is she wants. Replying that she is not worthy, Horn then answers Chess she has already drained that human and is now being greedy. With that Horn accepts Crowley’s gracious offer and blushes as she tastes the blood. Remaining kneeling, Horn wonders if there is something wrong with Crowley appearing pensive. She hears queen Krul Tepes and Ferid are possible puppet-masters for this ambitious human operation. Horn asks maybe whom to have Crowley mention a human as the possible one behind it all.18 She is stood nearby unharmed from Yoichi’s cursed gear manifestation of Gekkouin that has crashed to destroy the outer wall of the room they are in. She watches Crowley tosses the avian shaped power for it to explode harmlessly against the wall. Asking Crowley if he is okay, she awaits a second wave before remarking how odd that it has not come. With Crowley deciding they will be patient and let their foes come to them, Horn feels they must have realized that they do not stand a chance against them after their first attack failed, and maybe just got scared and ran away. With Chess asking what Crowley means where there could be another reason for the delay, Horn voices the humans have been commanded to destroy them so there is little chance they are going to back out now. She adds that humans are loyal even in the face of certain death, yet hears there may be something else and that the humans might have a secret agenda. With them to gather as much intel as possible, Horn jokes that for once she actually agrees with Chess when she shares a dislike for lord Ferid always acting mysterious which she deems annoying. She hears the new plan of attack to capture the commanders and seize the one with the most info. Chess remains with Crowley and Horn as the vampires below battle Guren's squad, Shinoa squad and Makoto Narumi 's squad. She observes as the hostages are freed and when Norito Goshi has used his illusion generating cursed gear to give the appearance that many soldiers are attacking. She stands by as Crowley swings Guren and Shinya into the city hall. Taking part in the plan to capture the commanders, Horn strolls into the room with Chess where Guren and Shinya are recuperating. Welcoming, she insists they stay, Horn cannot allow them to disappoint lord Crowley. As Guren attacks Crowley who is blocking effortlessly, Horn lashes Shinya’s gun and then himself with her whip to prevent him from interfering. She calls lord Crowley on whether they should join this dance. She enters the room Guren and Shinya have escaped to behind Crowley.19 Whilst Crowley has captured Guren, Shinoa squad are attempting to rescue him. Horn arrives with Chess to use her whip to block the flying red katana swords, a manifestation power of Yu’s cursed gear, Asuramaru, and lashes them away to have the blades disappear. With Chess bringing her sword down on Yu, Horn assists by having her whip tangle his leg and lift him into the air ready for Chess to deliver a follow up strike. After Shinoa, who has defended him, and Yu himself are knocked over, Horn has regained her whip. Holding it taut she advances towards them. She and Chess tear apart the covering fire from Yoichi’s bow, Gekkouin and Mitsuba’s axe, Tenjiryu. When Crowley recognises Yu as the one who freaked out at Shinjuku and almost killed a bunch of their troops, Horn pleads to her lord, may she have permission to kill Yu. With that denied since Ferid would want him alive, Horn asks what Crowley would have them do now. All but Guren are retreating and Horn pursues them with Chess. Finding their path blocked by molten fire, Horn assumes the hot fiery cave they are in must be magic. Stone blocks the path in front and magma erupts and flows in the volcanic environment she is stood in. She does not take part as Shigure Yukimi attacks Crowley, neither when Sayuri Hanayori attempts to rescue Guren with Goshi defending her, or when Mito Jūjō engages Crowley. After Crowley breaks the outer wall of the city hall along with the illusion and is praised by Chess, Horn tells her now is not the time to be fawning over him.20 As with Chess and Crowley, she is largely unconcerned at Shinoa squad and Shinya escaping. Guren has been tied and has been taken to another room where Horn oversees him. As Chess is interrogating him on where the humans got their power, after she punches him Horn reminds her they want to keep Guren alive. When Yu appears and savagely attacks Crowley to little avail, Horn leaps on Guren to prevent him from interfering with the battle. Horn appears startled at the curse marks across Yu’s face culminating in a black horn stabbing out from his head. When Kiseki-o’s Devil’s Coffin has appeared and begun to count to nine, with Kimizuki arriving as well, Horn watches as Kimizuki throws Yu into a large black eel like blob with a huge fanged mouth that bursts from the coffin. With Yu swallowed and Kimizuki escaping by dropping down to the floor below after a circle is sliced around him, Horn heads to be met with apparitions of Gekkouin and Tenjiryu.21 Four months later, Horn is standing with Chess, Ferid and Crowley amongst other vampires including Lacus Welt and René Simm. She awaits a group of aircraft to land which contains vampire nobles including third progenitor, Lest Karr.24

Quotes

 * "The seventh progenitor is waiting for you at the front line." - Joining him outside the walls of Shinjuku, Horn updates Crowley that Ferid is waiting for him.8
 * “Idiot. You’re not supposed to kill any of the hostages, Chess.” - After Chess has drunk too much blood.
 * “When are you going to learn to exhibit a bit of self-control? You’re a noble not a savage.” - Horn's question for Chess and perspectives on what their positions mean.
 * “We need to discuss todays attacks. It seems the humans finally found their backbones. This Nagoya invasion of theres was an act of war and we must strike back.” - Her views on humans, and appraisal on their situation then a recommendation on how they should respond.
 * “My lord, are you suggesting there might be a traitor among us working with the humans?” - Discussing that matter with Crowley and Chess, they are among a few of the vampires to discern the reality they are facing.18
 * “They must have realized that they didn’t stand a chance against us after their first attack failed. Maybe they just got scared and ran away.” - Replying to Crowley’s decision to patiently wait for their foes to come to them.19
 * “They’ve been commanded to destroy us so there’s little chance they’re going to back out now. They’re loyal even in the face of certain death.” - Explaining to Chess what Crowley means.19
 * “I insist you stay! I can’t allow you to disappoint Lord Crowley.” - Evidently hearing Guren and Shinya meaning to escape, Horn cordially joins them in the room.19
 * “Lord Crowley shall we join this dance?” - After whipping Shinya away to prevent him from interfering in Crowley’s fight with Guren, Horn asks whether they should join the battle proper.19
 * “Please my lord, may I have permission to kill him?” - At hearing Crowley say that Yu is the one who freaked out at the battle of Shinjuku.20
 * “It must be magic.” - Aware right away that the molten cave that has suddenly appeared around them is magic (specifically it is a cursed gear illusion that can affect a noble's brain).20
 * “Remember we want to keep him alive, Chess.” - Guiding Chess in her interrogation of Guren.21

Trivia

 * "Skuld" means "dept" or "future" in Old Norse. She was one of the three Norns, or goddesses of destiny, in Norse-Germanic mythology. Skuld was also the Name of a Valkyrie.
 * She shares the same Japanese voice actress of Tomoe Saotome.