After ending Nadia's life, King Zarius teleported back to his palace โ the towering spires and dark gothic arches rising like a silent testament to his dominion. The cold grandeur of its design stood in stark contrast to the desolate abyss he had just left behind.
Inside the sanctum, Lloyd sat by Cyraโs crib, gently entertaining his baby sister, blissfully unaware of the horror that had just transpired. Cyra giggled and batted her tiny hands at him, her coos filling the room with soft, innocent sounds.
King Zarius entered with measured steps, his expression void of emotion, eyes sharp and calculating as they fell upon his children. He watched them for a moment, then spoke, his voice steady, distant, "Lloyd, leave us.โ
Lloyd hesitated, glancing between his sister and his father. His fingers curled into small fists, reluctant to abandon Cyra. But sensing his fatherโs command was absolute, he gave a small nod and prepared to teleport โ only to pause, turning back toward Zarius, eyes wide with quiet concern.
โFatherโฆ whereโs Mother?โ Lloyd asked softly, his voice carrying the pure, naive hope of a child.
King Zariusโ eyes narrowed slightly, his voice cool and deliberate. โShe was summoned to Heaven for... matters that concern her kind. Things far beyond you, or me.โ
Lloydโs shoulders drooped. His face fell, a shadow of sadness clouding his bright crimson eyes. โOhโฆ alright,โ he whispered, and with that, he vanished from the room.
After materializing in the corridor, Lloyd frowned. His motherโs absences werenโt unusual โ Heaven often summoned her for matters far above his understanding. She always returned, her bright smile and warm presence filling the palace once more. That was how it always went.
So why did this time feel... off?
The words his father spoke replayed in his mind โ vague, dismissive, evasive. And King Zarius rarely avoided being direct.
Lloyd frowned, trying to brush away the unsettling feeling curling at the back of his mind. She would return, he told himself. Just as she always had.
Seeking distraction, he teleported to the palace library โ a vast, dim chamber where ancient tomes lined endless rows of shelves, their spines bound in black leather and etched with gleaming silver runes. The quiet hum of faint enchantments filled the space, punctuated only by the flicker of soft crimson flames from hovering lanterns.ย
Lloyd drifted through the aisles, trailing his fingertips across the books, hunting for a story to ground him. His hand finally paused on a strange tome, its surface glowing faintly beneath his touch, etched with foreign symbols of light and hope. As he opened it, the words shimmered softly, and for a brief moment, the heavy gloom seemed to ease โ as if the book itself resisted the shadows encroaching around him.
โโโ โโ โโ โ โโโ
King Zariusโ gaze lingered on Cyra, her innocent face a stark contrast to the storm festering within him. He had eliminated Nadia for a reason โ to remove the only obstacle that might stand in his way as he shaped Cyra into the perfect weapon.
Nadiaโs presence would have meant constant interference โ her naive morals, her desperate attachment to compassion. He could already hear her tiresome objections had she lived: "Youโre pushing her too hard." Or worse, "Sheโs just a child!" Foolish, sentimental drivel. Weakness masquerading as love.
Now, with Nadia gone, there would be no more compromises. No meddling hands to shield Cyra from the reality she was born to embrace. He would fill her mind with carefully crafted truths โ twisting her view of Heaven into a nest of hypocrisy and deceit, feeding her a steady diet of hatred for the kingdom that would one day fear her.
A slow thrill curled through his chest at the thought. Cyra would not simply be powerful; she would be his creation โ the instrument through which he would topple both Heaven and Earth. A Nephalem forged in his image.
As his gaze bore into the tiny child, a cold, deliberate smile crept across his face. Her fate was already written. And he held the quill.
โโโ โโ โโ โ โโโ
As the hours dragged on, Lloyd found himself pacing outside the palace, scanning the bleak horizon. The sky was empty, save for the faint glow of demonic embers swirling in the distance. His mother had been gone longer than usual โ not by much, but enough to make him restless.
Normally, he would have trusted her return without question. She always came back. Always. Yet something about this absence gnawed at him in ways he couldnโt quite explain. The way his father had spoken. The way he hadnโt spoken.
Still, he waited. Minutes stretched into what felt like hours. His usual carefree energy began to wither, replaced by a dull weight that pressed behind his ribs. Finally, unable to sit in uncertainty any longer, Lloyd made a decision. If he couldnโt find his mother, he could at least check on Cyra. Maybe she'd be there. Maybe everything was still fine.
In a quick movement, Lloyd teleported to Cyraโs sanctum. The moment he arrived, the flicker of glowing orbs and faint shimmer of protective charms greeted him โ a peaceful stillness that clashed with the gnawing tension in his gut.
His eyes landed on Cyra in her crib, playing quietly with her small tail. The sight eased him โ if only for a moment. His features softened, and the tightness in his chest loosened slightly as he watched his baby sister coo and squirm with innocent delight.
He leaned over the crib, his voice barely above a whisper. "Cyraโฆ?"
The babyโs bright eyes immediately locked onto his. She giggled at the sound of her brotherโs voice, tiny hands wiggling with excitement. Lloyd smiled, his chest warming. For a brief moment, the uncertainty pressing on him faded. All that mattered was this tiny life before him โ so fragile, so dependent.
But as he gazed deeper into her eyes, that familiar heaviness crept back in. His smile faltered, replaced by the dull ache heโd tried to ignore.
"How are you doing, little one?" he asked softly. He didnโt expect a reply, but somehow her coos and babbles felt like enough of an answer.
He exhaled, lowering his gaze. "Motherโs gone againโฆ" His voice trailed. "She always has duties in Heaven. She always comes back." A pause. "And she will. She always does."
Even as he said it, something in his gut twisted.
"But still..." Lloyd hesitated, searching for words, "Itโs different this time, isnโt it?"
Before he could finish the thought, Cyraโs coos shifted into soft whimpers. Her face scrunched, and the tiny noises quickly grew into sharp cries.
Lloyd winced, distressed. "No, no, no โ please donโt cry, Cyra!" He bounced slightly on his feet, trying to soothe her with silly faces, crossing his eyes, sticking out his tongue โ but nothing worked. "I promise Iโll make it okay, I swear!" he whispered desperately, but her wails only grew louder.
Just as Lloyd was about to give up, he suddenly brightened. "Uhhโฆ I know!" he exclaimed, and with a quick flash, he teleported to his room, determined to find something that might comfort his distraught sister.
His room was cozy, dimly lit, and cluttered with trinkets and oddities he had collected over the years. Shelves lined the walls, crammed with books, strange artifacts, and curious little devices. A large, ornate mirror hung on one wall, reflecting the organized chaos of the space.
Lloyd scanned the room, his mind racing. "Come on, where did I put it?" he muttered to himself.
He rifled through his dresser drawers, pushing aside piles of clothes and forgotten keepsakes. He combed through bookshelves stacked with ancient tomes and dusty volumes. Even the closet wasnโt spared, as he shoved aside rows of dark, neatly pressed formal attire.
A few frustrated groans escaped him โ until finally, his eyes lit up in sudden remembrance. "Aha!" he gasped, darting toward a small hidden compartment tucked behind his closet wall. Inside, resting carefully in a carved box adorned with devilish creatures, was the prize heโd been searching for.
He flipped open the box, revealing a delicate doll โ porcelain-like skin, dainty horns, and a tiny tail curling from its back.
Without wasting another second, Lloyd teleported back to Cyraโs sanctum, the doll in hand. Cyraโs cries still echoed, but the moment her eyes landed on the doll, the wailing stopped. She reached out with tiny hands, making soft, delighted noises.
Lloyd smiled, his shoulders finally relaxing. "Like it? Her nameโs Amara," he said, placing the doll beside her. Cyra eagerly clutched the toy, comparing its tiny horns and tail to her own with fascinated coos and giggles.
A servantโs interruption broke the spell of Lloydโs joyful moment with Cyra. He nodded respectfully as the servant bowed and backed away, his gaze neutral. Lloyd turned to Cyra, who was still engrossed in playtime with Amara, and waved goodbye. To his delight, Cyra stretched her tiny hand forward, as if waving back. His grin widened, warmth flooding his chest.
But as he prepared to leave, his expression sobered, replaced by a flicker of unease. What did his father want? It had been some time since King Zarius summoned him to the Throne Room, and the sudden request stirred an unsettling curiosity.
With one last glance at Cyra, Lloyd teleported away.
The Throne Room materialized around him โ towering gothic arches, dark marble floors, and crimson candles casting long, wavering shadows across the grand hall. An eerie silence hung in the air, broken only by the faint crackle of flames. Lloydโs eyes adjusted to the gloom, landing on the figure before him: King Zarius, seated on his throne, his crimson gaze fixed directly on his son.
โHello, son,โ King Zarius greeted, his voice coated in mock concern. โI imagine youโre wondering where your mother is.โ
Lloyd nodded, a tight knot forming in his chest. โY-yes, Father.โ
King Zariusโ smirk widened, his tone almost casual. โAh, Nadia. She wonโt be coming back for quite some time.โ
Lloydโs eyes widened. โW-where is she?โ
โSheโs tending to... matters in Heaven,โ King Zarius replied, his voice dipping into a somber cadence. โImportant ones. And even if she wished to remain here, she couldnโt.โ He paused, letting his words hang heavily. โYou do remember what happens to Angels who linger in Hell, donโt you?โ
Lloyd swallowed hard, his mind racing through lessons drilled into him since childhood. โThey... they begin to turn. Into Devils.โ
โExactly.โ King Zariusโ eyes glinted with cold satisfaction. โWould your mother risk that?โ
Lloyd looked down, shrinking under his fatherโs gaze. โN-no.โ
King Zarius let out a sharp click of his tongue. โYouโve grown far too attached to her, Lloyd. Sheโs barely been gone a day, and already you crumble. I expect better.โ
โI-Iโm sorry, Father,โ Lloyd whispered, his voice small.
King Zarius gave a small nod, his tone flat. โYou may go.โ
Without another word, Lloyd teleported away, a storm of unease swirling in his mind as his fatherโs chilling words echoed in his head.
ยปยปโโโโโโโ-ใโใโโโโโโโ-ยซยซ
Lloyd: "What do you mean mother won't come back?"
King Zarius: "Well, she's busy reorganizing Heaven's filing system. You know how Angels love their paperwork."
Lloyd: "But why can't she visit?"
King Zarius: "Visitation rights? Ha! She's lucky I let her keep her wings. Now, stop whining and go practice your evil laughter."
67Please respect copyright.๏ผฐ๏ผฅ๏ผฎ๏ผก๏ผฎ๏ผกVHJLKfXSTL
[A/N]: Thanks for reading! ^^
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