"You will act as my proxy meanwhile. Do you understand?"
A clear, calm voice cut through the silence of the office and feeling the strong authority in those words, everyone present nodded obediently.
Athanasia, Lucas and Felix were gathered in the office where Claude was explaining his future plan.
Claude lightly tapped his finger on the desk as Athanasia nodded her head in understanding.
The child still looked gloomy and tired and there was hint of awkwardness and restlessness in her posture but she was doing much better than before. Although the whole ordeal before had left her mentally drained, having the truth spilled out in the open must have eased her heavy heart.
It was same for Claude. He was worried how he was going to repent and ask for forgiveness to the child he had wronged. Now his heart felt a little less burdened. Though he still had lot to do to repair their bended bonds, they would work on it once he comes back.
A memory flashed through through his head abruptly and he remembered something you often said to him.
'Not sharing your heart with the people you love before it's too late is the biggest mistake someone can make.' Ironically it was something you failed to practice.
Claude lightly shook his head to focus on the situation at hand.
"Don't overwork yourself. I have selected reliable delegates for you. Make good use of them."
Athanasia thought it was bit harsh to think of the delegates as tool to use but she wasn't naive. She knew her position would bring trouble and she needed to keep everyone in line. She once again nodded.
"Alright. I'll make good use of them."
"You remember everything you learnt from me?"
"Yep." Athanasia said with a hint of exasperation. "Dad, I understand everything, don't worry. You can stop nagging me and go on with your plans."
Claude snorted, feeling strange relief at his daughter blunt disrespect. He turned to Felix.
"Felix, if someone step out of line, take care of them."
"Yes, your majesty." Felix bowed his head with a determined look. "I won't let anyone get away behaving insolently with Princess."
"Good."
Athanasia shook her head at the scary exchange and decided not to comment.
Claude turned to Lucas and quietly looked at him. Looking into the terribly cold, parched eyes directed at him, Lucas instinctively felt the man did not have a favourable impression of him.
Lucas twisted his lips into a reliable smile. "I'll make sure to help your majesty in your endeavours. Please rely on me."
Claude's cold eyes narrowed in disdain.
Athanasia chimed in with a strained smile. "Dad, Lucas is the famous Black magician. He's powerful. Take him with you."
She already had this conversation with Claude, she wasn't going to let him back away now. Although she had to guilt trip him into letting Lucas accompany him.
Claude sighed and waved his hand dismissively. "Just don't be a nuisance and stay out of my way."
Lucas's lips twitched.
"Dad!"
"What?"
Athanasia huffed and she crossed her arms. "Be nice. You promised me, remember?"
Claude stared at the child after hearing the words laced with deeper meaning. As usual his expression was stoic, so it was impossible for others to tell what he was thinking.
However, it was clear from his fingers tapping sharply on the desk that he did not like the situation at hand.
Claude heaved a long drawn sigh. "Yes."
Lucas barely kept his lips from twitching.
Lucas scoffed mentally. He wasn't dying to accompany this bastard. However, after giving much thought and a little bit of pleading from Athanasia, he concluded it would be the best chance to impress the Emperor.
But now he was regretting it.
"So do you know where (Y/n) is?" Felix cautiously asked the question that addressed the heart of the problem.
Hearing it, everyone fell silent and turned their expectant gaze on Claude.
"I do have an idea where she might be," Claude said without elaborating. He reached out and caressed the head of the cat lying on his desk.
Ether who had been listening to them with sharp gaze, flicked his tail and turned away from him with a hiss.
Athanasia and Felix exchanged uneasy looks and sighed.
Claude had not touched the subject of your whereabouts. Whenever someone tried to ask, he deflected. No amount of insistence did make Claude spill out the secret. Defeated, all they could do was trust him and pray for his return with you.
With the discussion done, everyone steeled themselves for their roles.
"Be safe, Dad, and return quickly with Mom." Athanasia said quietly with a trembling voice. "Ether, please take care of dad."
Claude rolled his eyes as Ether perched on his shoulder twitched his whiskers and meowed.
"I can take care of myself."
Athanasia glanced at Lucas who was in his adult form. Since Claude was present, she refrained herself from walking up to him. Lucas however reading her expression, gave a meaningful smirk and Athanasia looked away with a scowl.
Unbeknownst to them, someone's cold eyes had caught their discreet exchange.
"Your majesty," Felix called, an uneasy look donned on his face. Felix had this ominous feeling in his heart that he couldn't explain. "When will you return?"
Claude looked at Felix with calm eyes devoid of any emotion. The strange ominous feeling flared up and Felix frowned.
"I'll be back with her."
Hearing this, Lucas felt a shiver go down his spine. Crazy bastard.
He was already deeply regretting his decision.
****
"Your majesty, please pardon my impudence, but how are you going to find milady?" Lucas was careful with his words. Standing at the peak of hill, overlooking a small village, he watched them with mild curiosity. Finding nothing but the mundanity of village life with people working in the fields, children playing around.
Claude had just finished showing his respect to the tombs of two most important people in your life when he heard the question.
Claude spared him a glance, steps not slowing down as he walked towards the edge of a deep forest, and said nonchalantly. "We are soul bonded."
Lucas snapped his head around, almost falling off the cliff. "The fuck-- ahem, I mean, pardon me?"
Claude didn't elaborated. Instead, he closed his eyes and placed one hand flat against his heart.
Lucas felt like he made a big mistake coming with a bastard that seems more crazy than he initially thought.
Soul bonded. It was simple as it sounded. Soul bonded was a ancient spell that bounded souls together in life and death. Rather than a spell it was more of a curse. The spellcaster had the power to play God, leaving the one on whom the spell was casted at the mercy of the spellcaster.
It was a ancient spell to keep slaves under compliance of the owner and any disobedience was punished with swift death. After the slavery was abolished, the spell was deemed evil and was thus forbidden. With the changing time, it was eventually forgotten by the world. Even someone old as him had never encountered such forbidden spell in his lifetime, having only heard it from his master.
"I can feel the pulse connecting our hearts. It's faint but there."
Lucas quickly composed himself and looked at the back of the person in middle of discussion with the Divine Beast. Crazy, no he was insane. Completely unhinged.
He was starting to worry if he was going to return home safely.
Claude looked at the entrance of the forest and flicked the cat resting on his shoulder, "What are you waiting for? Lead the way."
"Be warned. There's no safe return once you enter the forest."
Claude simply smiled coldly. "I'm not turning back without her."
Ether for a moment hesitated. "You..."
"Stop with the meaningless babbling. Lead the way."
Ether jumped off his shoulder and entered the forest, leaving a warning message. "Follow me closely. Don't take your eyes off me."
Claude repeated the instructions to Lucas. Both of them silently followed Ether.
At first it was just like any other forest. However, as they travelled further and deeper into the forest, it grew ominous. All natural noises vanished, a thick silence engulfed the forest despite the blowing wind.
The scenery started to change. Sunrays didn't reach the ground and it made the shadows more distinguished and eerie. The trees appeared lifeless, blackened and crooked in disturbing ways, and the path grew harder to follow with the contorted branches and trees blocking the way.
Much to his annoyance, Lucas ended up with the role of cutting down the trees and clearing the way. With a grim expression, he casted another spell to cut down the branches.
Hours of walking and they finally found themselves in a clearing. Their eyes immediately drew to the ancient tree standing at the heart of the clearing. Unlike it's bleak surrounding, it was glowing with life. No, not glowing with life. It was glowing with hunger to devour life.
Lucas heaved a sigh, plucking away the leaves and dirt stuck on him, mumbling something under his breath to never do this again.
Claude crossed his arms and observed the intimidating ancient tree dominating the place.
"It's like a replica of the World Tree." Lucas voiced his thought. "But grimer."
"As you said, it's just a replica. It has resemblance to the World Tree but unlike the World tree, it's purpose is to guard the entrance..." Ether said. "And eliminate intruders."
Just as Ether finished giving warning, branches shot out and violently lashed at them.
Lucas jumped back and swiftly casting destructive spells to ward off the incoming barge of attacks.
Claude picked up Ether and dodged the sharp branches aimed at him with killing intent. He brandished his greatsword and cleaved through the attacks.
"Fuck," Lucas cursed, holding his left cheek where he got scratched. Wiping the blood, his eyes flashed coldly. "How dare you try ruin my face?"
His attacks became more violent and withing few more spells, the area was decimated.
Claude watched from sideline, putting away his sword while Ether was impressed at the destructive nature of the attacks. "I never seen someone defeat Mother's creation so easily."
With a scowl, Lucas held out his hand and a fireball the size of a giant boulder materialized in his palm. With a simple flick of his wrist, he sent it flying towards the tree and casted a shield as a loud explosion shook the area.
As the explosion died down, Lucas smirked at the sorry state of the tree. "Serves you right. Next time see who your opponent is before crossing him."
"Hmm," Claude stepped forward, looking at the abolished tree. "Looks like there's some merit in bringing you along."
"It's my honour to serve you, your Majesty." Lucas said without a hint of sincerity.
"The entrance should in the hollow of the tree."
Lucas and Claude stepped forward, searching for the entrance among the destruction when roots shot out of the ground, catching them off guard and coiled around them in tight grip. No matter how much they struggled they couldn't move, they were completely immobilized and their magic bound.
"What the hell is this thing?!" Lucas cursed as a sharp needle like branch neared his face, aiming for his forehead.
Claude was stuck in similar situation.
"This... Mother modified the entrance. It was originally a barrier..." Ether said grimly, having slipped through the attack. Closing observing the swaying, Ether widened his eyes in shock.
"Don't let it stab you! It's--"
The words didn't reach them. The moment the needle pierced their forehead, they blacked out.
****
"Your majesty.."
How long he was stuck watching the same scene play over and again?
"Your majesty, how could you do this..."
A crying voice continued to pierce his ears, accusing him of his sins.
"She was our daughter...My baby.."
Blood stained his hands as he looked at them, dripping down on the floor, joining the red.
"How could you..."
Strong stench of death assaulted him, his whole being slowly drenched in red.
He was standing on pool of blood.
Blood slipped from a familiar face lying across him with glazed eyes wide open with no signs of life in them.
"Athanasia.."
Claude shuddered, not even repeating the same scenario dozens of times made it any less terrifying. Unable to bear the horrifying sight, he turned his gaze away.
And immediately he assaulted with a sight far more terrifying. You stood there, eyes glazed over with grief as you looked at him, body trembling in despair and a dagger clenched tightly in your hand.
"I hate you and hate myself for falling for a monster like you..."
The next thing was blur, with sound of flesh meeting metal and a sharp gasp and then complete silence.
"Your majesty, my baby, my sweet child is dead..."
Claude wanted to cover his ears to block the crying voice. Shut his eyes from the nightmarish sight. But his body was frozen, his eyes fixated on the woman with a dagger stuck in the neck and her blood pooling around her as she dropped lifelessly on the floor.
"You broke your promise. You broke your promise...my baby.."
Somewhere in his mind he knew it wasn't real. The woman crying in front of him was long dead and the lifeless body of his child and his lover wasn't real. He knew yet..
"Diana.."
Just as it had happened time and time again, Diana pounced on him and grabbed his throat and strangled him. Despite himself, Claude shivered at the sticky wet feeling around his neck.
"You killed my baby. You should die too! Die with her. Die with me! Repent! Repent for your sins!"
Claude didn't struggled. Diana's beautiful face was twisted into unrecognisable expression laced with rage and loathing.
He wondered if that's how Diana would have looked at him after all he had done.
"Repent! Die!" Diana digged her nails into his neck. "Die! You killed my child, you have to die too!"
Despite feeling his lungs burn for air, Claude couldn't bring himself to stop Diana. The accusation thrown at him weren't wrong. He had killed his child. He was the reason you had died and everything was completely destroyed. He was the catalyst.
And now he had to make sure the past doesn't repeat itself.
Athanasia's face and the promise he made to her came to his mind. Your smiling face soon followed.
That's right. He couldn't let past repeat itself. For everyone's sake.
Taking a deep breath, Claude glanced over Diana's shoulder and looked at the lifeless body. The emotions in his heart flared. His cloudy eyes gained clarity and the grim feeling in his heart eased away.
Claude grabbed Diana's wrist and pulled her away from his neck, gasping as air filled his lungs. Diana yelled and thrashed around like a mad woman, tears endlessly rolling down her cheeks in deep sorrow.
"You need to die! You killed my baby! Repent for your sins!!"
Claude took a deep breath and steeled himself. He looked at the enraged woman struggling and crying in his hold.
"I'm sorry Diana." Swiftly his hand pierced her chest and grabbed her heart. Diana gasped, her struggle coming to a stop. "And thank you. Thank for the gift you've given me. I will cherish her properly this time."
And with no remorse he crushed it.
~~~~
Claude's eyes snapped open. His gaze blank and he looked a little lost. He only moved when a white fluffy ball entered his sight, licking his left cheek, making him grimace.
"Ah, you broke free!"
"...Stop licking me." Claude said rigidly.
Ether meowed sweetly, giving a few more licks playfully, stopping when he felt danger from the cold gaze glaring at him.
"What about the brat?" Claude asked, shaking off the remnants of the strange feeling clawing in his throat.
Mildly surprised at his nonchalance and quick recovery, Ether replied, "Oh, that child is still under the influence of the spell."
Claude simply casted a glance to the side, and indeed, Lucas was unconscious, squirming with a pained look as if he was caught in a nightmare.
"Move away," Claude ordered and brandished his sword and cut through the tight cage. He had enough of this stupidity. The roots forcefully swamped around him in protest to immobilize him.
Ether jumped to a safe distant, his tails twitching anxiously. With that Claude let go of his restraint and let his magic violently follow into the roots. The roots overwhelmed with magic exploded and rest were slashed by his blade. Within the explosion, Claude dashed to Lucas and yanked him free and jumped to a safe distant, dropping him immediately on the ground with no care.
With the sharp pain jolting his body, Lucas woke up with a anguished shout, "No!"
Claude raised an eyebrow.
Lucas clenched his trembling fists. His wide petrified eyes red at the rims, shoulders heaving up and down as he gasped for air, clawing at his chest in desperation. He trembled like a frightened child.
"Dammit!" Suddenly, Lucas lashed out and punched the ground, creating a massive dent.
"Calm yourself," Claude said coldly.
Lucas shut his eyes and squeezed through his clenched teeth, "...My apologies."
Lucas could still see the the Black Tower room behind his closed lids. His master slowly dissipating, looking at him with a unnatural stillness and pity.
"Someday you will understand the fear of being left alone."
"On the other hand, I pray you don't understand until your last breath."
The wetness of his tears on back of his hand as he cursed and cursed the man who claimed him as his son and yet committed suicide with no remorse.
What terrified him wasn't just the repeating scene of seeing his master die but seeing another person die. Someone that should've not been there.
'I'm afraid of losing her...'
"Athanasia.."
Claude's eyes narrowed. "What about her?"
Lucas sank into a long silence, his expression strange as if he was hit with some realization and only after moment of hesitation, he replied, "It's nothing."
Claude coldly gazed at him not believing a single word out of his mouth and scoffed, "If it's nothing, get up. We've already wasted enough time."
Hearing this, Lucas pulled himself on his feets but his knees were weak with the trauma still fresh in his mind and he stumbled.
Claude caught him and after a long silence of scrutiny, he declared. "Go back."