TBATE: Let The Truth Be Known {Completed}

Chapter 24: A Complicated Dynamic

"His eyes immediately began to well up as the woman he first saw as a mother essentially disowned him. In both lives, both mothers disowned him. His glance turned to Nico, yes, that Nico, who gave him a wide grin as if this was all his plan. And it was. Nico rambled on about how in every life he'll ever live he's no better than scum because all he does is kill and hurt people who don't deserve it. He brought Willbeck here for two reasons. To have her disown Arthur and then die.

"Nico anticipated that Arthur would essentially lose his mind. Arthur grabbed Nico by the neck and began to squeeze with only his base physical strength while releasing his aetheric intent. All it took was that slip-up. Arthur did the one thing he shouldn't have done. His rage resulted in pressure that Willbeck's new body couldn't handle. She died under the crushing weight of the pain and sorrow she had just sown in Arthur.

"We made it here at that point. He's currently losing his mind again. He killed his first mother. His oversight killed his mother and put Caera, who's actually that green-haired guy, in what seems to be a coma. His mind is so full of despair and self-hatred that I had to block our connection, but even then, I'm still receiving a small fraction of his pain. Even that much is making me want to cry.

I listened to his explanation silently while tears dripped into the sand. I don't have any words. Willbeck is dead. Again. It's Nico's fault. He brought her here knowing Arthur would lose control and kill her. How could Arthur have known she wasn't a mage? He was too caught up in the moment.

I have to do something to help.

I shakily stand and stumble over to Nico and Arthur. The former is wordlessly staring at the sky with a huge satisfied smile. Disgusting. The latter is sobbing violently with his sister at his side while he clutches the corpse of the woman he saw as a mother. The sight before me is likely the most disturbing one I've ever encountered. A man so consumed by vengeance grinning on the ground at the misfortune of the man he once called his best friend.

I shuffle over to Arthur and place a hand on his shoulder. I plant a firm kiss on his cheek before whispering a short phrase, "Try what you did to me."

His form shudders at my touch and kiss and refuses to stop even after my suggestion. Leaving him to his own devices, I approach the perpetrator, my once love, Nico Sever.

"What have you done?" I mutter.

"What was that?" he asks.

"I SAID WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!" I shout at the top of my lungs.

"What do you mean 'what have I done'? I did the right thing. I gave that bastard a taste of his own medicine. If he can take everything from me, then I'll just take everything from him. Now won't you please help me up?" he answers. His hand lifts for me to take it.

I don't dare touch the hand of that filthy man. He's not Nico. He's a monster.

"Hey, Cecil, please help me up," he asks one more time.

"Don't you dare call me that and don't you dare touch me. You're not Nico Sever. You're a demon so hellbent on revenge that seeped into your second lifetime," I spit.

"What? But I did this all for you? Aren't you happy? I finally found you again. We can be together now. We just have to help Agrona and then we can live happily together like we always deserved before that bastard took it from us," Nico says while sitting up.

"You still don't get it, you fucking monster. I KILLED MYSELF! I DID IT FOR YOU! I DIED SO THAT YOU COULD LIVE!" I shout. "I died for a monster. I wasted my life on Earth for a psychopath. You're worse than Arthur."

Nico's face seems to be incapable of reacting to my words. He quickly scrambles to his feet and gazes at me curiously. "Are you okay, Cecil? He's the monster here. He killed you, and his inability to control his temper just killed Willbeck again."