"Go back."
Lucas furrowed his brows in agitation. "Pardon me?"
Claude didn't reply, he merely turned away from him, ending the conversation right there.
Seeing that he was being ignored, Lucas called out again.
"Your majesty, I'm here to assist you. I might have let my guard down and slipped off a second but it won't happen again."
Claude didn't stop, only bending to pick up Ether.
Lucas's head throbbed at being ignored again. He calm himself and focused on the reason he came here.
'For Athanasia's sake, swallow your pride for her sake,' Lucas muttered to himself mentally.
He tried persuading again. "Your majesty, as you know I'm older and have many years of experience in magic than you and I have knowledge that could help you in your endeavours. So please reconsider your decision."
Claude stopped and laughed coldly as if he found those words entertaining. He turned back, his eyes sharp and condescending.
"You think you know everything when you lived for decades sleeping away, hiding away up in the Tower and never daring to step out in the world?"
Lucas flinched. Despite wanting to refute, somehow his tongue was tied.
Claude smirked at his silence before his face fell flat. "You have taken a liking to my daughter, haven't you?
Lucas pursued his lips, caught off guard. The next instant he ducked as sharp blades of wind slashed overhead him. If he was a second late, he would've been been split in half.
"I'm asking a question. Answer me."
This crazy bastard..!
Lucas cursed and hurriedly opened his mouth, "Yes, your majesty."
Disdain grew on Claude's face. "What impudence. On what basis you think you have the right to dream about my child? You think someone like you deserves her?"
Lucas's eyes flashed, turning a deep red that of a beast whose patience was dangerously close to snapping.
Unbothered by his glare, Claude took a step forward. "You think I'll ever let a prideful coward like you who averted his eyes from the world have my child?"
Lucas couldn't help but take a step back, his cold words stinging painfully.
"Bonds are painful and so are separations. But to avoid hurting, giving up on it entirely, you really are nothing but a foolish child. A conceited prideful fool who can't see his own error."
Lucas burst out laughing at the audacity of this man. Lucas had spent centuries alive but never once he felt a anger so great. So consuming.
His gaze narrowed menacingly. Anger and indignation seared his heart He had to keep reminding himself of Athanasia and how sad she would be if he did give into his impulse and killed her arrogant father.
"You talk about separation and acceptance, then why are you struggling so hard to stop it?" Lucas snapped, his gaze cold and condemning.
Claude lowered his voice and answered slowly, coldly like he was speaking to a tantrum throwing child. "You don't accept everything easily. Shouldn't accept it easily. The choice lies with you and only you. If you want to protect something, you have to do it with you own hands. Instead of running away to hide and throwing a tantrum."
Ether had been forced to endure the childish back and forth finally and finally had enough of the bickering. Jumping between them, he coldly hissed, "You two, stop it. Is it really the time to fight among yourselves when every passing second is precious?"
Claude closed his eyes and turned his back and continued on the path before he was interrupted. "Go back. I don't need you."
"I have come here to help." Lucas said half-heartedly. He had lost all will to go through what he promised to Athanasia. He wanted to get away from him and his sharp words.
That gave Lucas a pause. Maybe he was a coward.
"You're more of a hindrance. Go back, don't make me repeat myself."
With a conflicted heart, Lucas turned and left. His hands were shivering and his pupils shook as he repeated Claude's words which oddly overlapped with his master's words.
****
Two things blind a man to reason:
Love and grief.
Claude had both in abundance. And he could easily spot the same in another.
So when Ether questioned his judgement to send Lucas away, Claude simply shrugged his shoulders.
"His mind was in complete disarray. Even if he pretended to be unaffected, his actions said otherwise. There was no point in taking him along."
"...So you picked a fight with him to drive him away?" Ether said in exasperation. "I don't know how that child deals with you."
Claude did it because he recognised the same pride he had in that boy. The same pride that lead to his downfall and those around him. He wanted to prevent him from going down the same path.
He had all the more reason to straighten him and knock some humility in him if that boy was going after his daughter.
Claude put that off his mind and focused on matter at hand.
He slashed through the charred part of the once ancient tree now turned ash. He took a bit of effort to make a path with all the burnt gnarled roots blocking the way. At last he could see a hallow entrance in the tree, barely the size to fit a human.
Ether peered in and turned to Claude. "That's it. From here you've to move on your own. I can't go further. If I were to enter, Mother will be immediately alerted. It's best if I wait here."
Claude nodded. Admittedly Ether was a bit stunned how nonchalant the man was.
As Claude entered the hallow entrance of the burnt tree, he could feel the space distorting and bending around him.
His vision turned dark and his senses sharpened as he walked, back a little bent to fit in. Reaching on the other side, Claude stopped dead in tracks.
It was like another world. No, another dimension. As far his eyes could see-- which wasn't much because of the mist shrouding the area-- forest spread out with kinds of flora he never seen.
[Spatial Severance]
Claude tilted his head from the strange line of thought that suddenly struck his mind. But it was only thing that came to mind. It was like a dimension pocket hidden away from the world.
It took a moment for him to tear his gaze away from the otherworldly scenery and look around.
He had only taken few step when the thick mist slowly becoming more dense, blurring everything in sight. Everything was already dim, now with the mist, his sight was rendered useless. He had other senses he could rely on but having his most important sense taken away made him wry.
But suddenly, his feet halted to a stop.
Something strange had entered his sight. His fingers traced the invisible thing blocking his way. He jerked away and when he looked down his fingers had large cuts.
Waving his hand, he healed the cuts and made mental note how the wounds were taking far more time and magic than usually required.
Calmly, he observed the space beyond the shimmering wall and narrowed his eyes at the moving silhouettes. Something nightmarish and inhuman and in large numbers were making a lot of ruckus and though Claude couldn't hear or see them, he had a inkling whatever those things were, they were not friendly.
Claude let out a annoyed sigh. He was sure he had deal with those things before he could proceed forward.
Claude touched the wall, scrutinizing its structure and estimating the magic spell behind it. Weapons would be useless against. Only pure magic could counter it.
Coming to a conclusion, he gazed at the distorted space with a cold pair of eyes and struck his fist. His fist covered with magic sizzled violently as it came in contact with the wall.
Despite the resistance and sharp pain from the cuts, his bloodied fist struck the wall again. And again. Over and over until his fist became slippery with blood and the wall red. He switched to other hand and continued striking.
The wall that looked immovable and indestructible slowly began to cave in and crack like fragile glass.
With loud sound of shattering, the wall broke, shards of magic falling to the ground with a heavy thud.
Claude took a deep breath, lightly waving his wrist to flick off the blood and heal his wounds. Taking a step forward, Claude summoned his sword.
Looking at the rushing silhouettes hidden in the mist, his gaze changed.
Claude gave a faint smile-- chilling and taunting.
As the silhouette broke out of the fog, it was truly a chilling sight. Even calling them monster wouldn't be sufficient to describe their nightmarish appearance that looked like something conjured up from the recess of the some twisted mind that wasn't suppose to see the light of the day.
They were probably the keepers and guardians of the forest. It was the Witch's doing no doubt about it.
Claude exhaled slowly. His heart raced, beating so loud his ears rang. Not out of fear or terror but anticipation.
These past few weeks, Claude had to bottle up every emotion and lock it away so he could focus on handling your absence and take care of Athanasia. Though no matter how much self control and stoicism he practiced, times he felt like bursting, his chest hurting and a feeling of suffocation overwhelming him. Still he would push it down and carry on.
But now faced with a opportunity to let out all the violent emotions away from all eyes, he couldn't help but welcome it.
With the monsters made from mana slowly drawing near, his heart started to beat even louder like a challenger waiting his turn. His lips twisting in a sharp grin.
He gathered all the accumulating suppressed killing intent in the sword and the sword started to tremble from the power.
Without further delay, closing his eyes and sharpening his other senses, Claude simply attacked.
Claude jumped through the air in the blink of an eye and aimed at the rushing monsters. In a fraction of second, the ground was drenched in blood as the heads of the monsters rolled down the ground.
The monsters stopped for a moment, glancing around as if confused before letting out enraged roars and rushing towards Claude, fangs and claws out.
Like lightning bolts, sword struck one of the largest monster's shoulder, erupting it's muscles, the bone and the flesh.
A deafening thud shook both the ground and the air as it fell, his head decapitated from his shoulder. Claude pulled out the sword and dashed forward not giving them any openings.
Blood splashed on his eyes to his cheeks, dripping down on his neck, collarbones and his chest.
Each and every strike created massive carter on the ground with limbs and heads flying around and corpses piling up.
After noticing a the power gap the monsters tried to to quickly escape the place and away from the one. But Claude wasn't merciful, slashing the back of the running monsters, he created a barrier to trap the monsters in and continued the assualt.
Drenched in blood, Claude remained silent as he slashed through horde of mana monsters. Until the monsters thinned out, all cowering and whimpering away from him.
Even then Claude didn't stop. He slaughtered every single of them without exception.
It was one sided massacre.
Claude stood at the middle of them all, eyes closed as his chest heaved up and down from his deep breaths, relishing the lightness in his heart. Wiping his blood drenched face with the sleeve of his outfit, he looked around.
Though he had cleared the area of all monsters, he could still feel presence of more deeper in the fog forest. He knew he would encounter more as he walked further into the mist. Now that the adrenaline had faded and his thirst for violence had eased a little, the thought of taking the time and effort to slaughter monsters annoyed him. He couldn't wasted time hunting useless things when he had more important things to take care.
And the fact he couldn't see path head only amplified his annoyance.
Then he saw luminous pink butterfly. It fluttered around him like it was trying to grab his attention.
Claude put out his fingers and the butterfly gently landed on his index finger, fluttering its wings when Claude brought it closer to inspect. It was familiar.
He remembered it seeing when he visited his mother-in-law's grave with you. It always without a fail showed itself. He found it strange but since the grave was built near a large flower bed and river side, he simply shrugged it off.
Though Claude felt absurd, he asked the butterfly, "Do you know your way around here?"
The butterfly gently flapped its wing twice.
Claude narrowed his eyes. "... Are you trying to help me find (Y/n)?"
It flapped its wing twice once again.
Normally like any sane person, Claude wouldn't place his faith in a insect but given the situation, he had to take the chance.
"Then take me to her."
The butterfly flapped its wing, spinning around Claude's head before flying ahead. With a bit of reluctance, Claude followed it.
The butterfly would spin in circles when Claude had to take pause to cut down monsters dashing his way and the more followed the insect, the more doubtful Claude felt.
As if the butterfly could feel his hesitation, it flew to Claude's face, flapping its wings against his nose aggressively before flying.
Grumbling under his breath, Claude continued to follow the guidance of the butterfly.
It took only ten minutes of walking and his doubts crumbled. Further ahead he could feel a powerful presence, not that of hordes of monsters but something similar to a monster with how ancient power felt, it chilled him for a brief moment. It was vaguely familiar but what assured him was the tug in his heart. Claude placed a hand on his chest and closed his eyes.
You were near.
Picking up his pace, Claude focused the beating of his heart and the gentle echo he felt from distance away.
A relief flooded him and he was glad. You were alive and that's all the motivation he needed to keep moving, cutting down the monsters he encountered.
He knew you would not approve of his action but Claude...
He just wants to live and grow old together with you. Take his last breaths with you in his arms.
As such thoughts appeared in his mind, his blood boiled, rushing through his veins.
"I'll destroy everything that comes between us."
"My, my, you're quite a persistent child."
'"...!"
Claude slashed his sword in the direction of the voice.
Celestria simply snapped her finger and the attack was rendered useless.
Claude clenched his jaw when he noticed the butterfly trapped within her hold.
Celestria took slow and light steps, her feets bare and gentle. Almost like a taunt, she smiled faintly. Her black form looked even more ethereal and mysterious in the mist forest, her indigo eyes glowing a sharp contrast to the fog coiled around her like a protective guard.
"Still the same little stubborn child."
Before Claude could attack her, a chimera monster far larger and stronger than the ones he slaughtered jumped from behind her.
Claude stumbled back and bend his back to dodge the sharp claws aiming to tear him to shreds. The chimera monster snarled, not discouraged as it flew at him, brandishing his dozens claws all at once.
Celestria watched the duo dance in fetal match of death. Her eyes flickering down at the butterfly struggling in her hold.
"Even in death, you're not ready to let go. A debt is a debt. Just because now you have regrets about choices you made long time ago, does not mean you get to turn away the consequences," Celestria coldly sneered, her hold tightening and crushing the butterfly to a slow death. Celestria opened her fist and the butterfly with its wings twisted and broken fluttered to the ground, twitching before going still.
Watching this, Claude snarled, kicking at the monster's chest. His left hand was limp on his side as he kicked at the ground and stabbed the monster in the neck, cringing from the loud howl it let out.
Celestria inspected the fallen butterfly before stepping on it and crushing it further as she spoke nonchalantly.
"You are not welcomed here, child. This place is domain of mine. And the monsters are the guardians I created. Go away before they tear you into pieces. I'm sure you do not want the endeavours of your lover go to waste."
"Shut up!"
Claude coughed up blood, wiping his lips as he snarled. "Who told you I came here to listen to your nonsense. Just shut up and wait. Your turn will come soon after I'm done with this trash."
"Ho," Celestria let out a chuckle. Her cold eyes narrowing in amusement. "Child, child. Why don't you understand? Things are progressing simply the way it's meant to be. Interfere more and you will bring more tragedy to yourself."
Claude didn't reply, slashing clean the right arm of the monster.
Celestria didn't mind the silence. She simply toyed with the fog playfully, her red nails flashing in the dull hue. "If you walk away now, you would spare yourself from more grief. I know fate is cruel and unfair but you should not cling to impossibility of a helpless situation."
Celestria softly peered at the struggling man who continued on fighting despite numerous wounds on his body, a bittersweet glow swirled in her eyes. "Hope saves lives and destroys just as many. Refusal to accept the reality of a situation is simply trapping yourself in a cage and giving up the future. Don't you understand life will be more kind to you if you let the things that hurt you go?"
Claude rolled his eyes, dodging another attack. "I don't desire a future without her."
Celestria clicked her tongue. Her eyes taking deeper shade of lilac as she coldly stared down at him. "Not even when that's what she wishes for you?"
"Yes, if she wishes a future for me, she has to be a part of it." Claude said quietly, his eyes piercing through Celestria. "A life without her is simply not worth living."
Celestria fell silent, coming to a sudden realization. "...You never intended to return, did you?"
"Not without her."
Celestria burst out laughing. Not in humour but at the audacity of the child.
"You truly remind me of myself. A love so great you hold on your heart, you would give up everything for it. Such a wonderful tale it will make."
Claude sneered in disdain. "I'm nothing like you."
Celestria smiled like a mother watching a misbehaving child. "Even if you are ready to scorch this world for her, you cannot changed her fate. It was decided long time ago. Decided by her own hands."
Celestria softly caught a dead lead fluttering by separated by the impact of the battle ongoing. "Inevitably, you will lose her. She's not meant for you in this life. But I can give you a little peace, a small reprieve. Your second lover," Celestria took a twisted delight as Claude tensed up. "..she's born anew with a different face, a different name and a different life. Living a ignorant life away from everything."
Celestria softly chuckled as though the sharp change in the air was amusing, "Though she have no recollection of her first life, it might be for the best. This time you can love her dearly like she deserves to and live rest of days with a family you lost unfairly. She's the mother of your child. A mother, your child always needed and still want and your wife if you let her be. See, you're already have a wonderful family. A beautiful future awaits you, child. Don't throw it away so frivolously."
Claude faltered and seeing the opening the monster slammed his fist in his stomach and Claude flew back with enough force and snapped a couple trees in half before the momentum brought him to a stop. Claude groaned, clutching his stomach and retching blood.
Celestria flashed before him and gently kneeled, her shimmering black flowing around her. "So, my stubborn child, have you changed your mind?"
Claude gritted his teeth, clutching his chest as his broken ribs creaked, sending flashing pain through his body.
"Tsk, tsk, you poor thing--"
Claude looked at her with cold eyes glowing menacingly and the next moment a sword was thrust into her chest. Celestria coughed up blood, her eyes frozen in faint shock.
When Claude spoke-- practically growled like enraged beast, his voice dripped with venom and hatred.
"..Do you really think my love is so cheap that I would simply agree to throw it away in exchange for another?"
Celestria choked and coughed up more blood as the sword was twisted ruthlessly. Claude sat up slowly as much as his broken body would allow and sneered coldly,
"She is my family, the mother of my child and she will be my wife. No one else."
Celestria's face twisted, her hand snapping forward to grab Claude's throat.
"You impudent child," She hissed. "A barren wall has more senses than you do."
Struggling with his weakened body, Claude yanked the sword out and thrust in again, this time with enough force that it pierced right into her heart and tore through her back.
Celestria remained unfazed as if a sword wasn't sticking out from her back, only narrowing her eyes in cold annoyance as she regarded Claude with mild disdain. Clutching the sword, she merely pulled it out and shattered it in her palm.
"..You live up to your reputation. Just what are you?" Claude choked, struggling to free his neck.
"You need not worry about my identity when your life is hanging by a thread." Celestria tightened her hold, her nails piercing Claude's neck. Claude hissed, struggling even harder.
"Celestria, that's enough."
Suddenly roots shot out and coiled around Celestria and forcefully yanked her away from Claude, binding her to the nearest tree.
Claude collapsed on his knees, gasping for air, gulping large greedy breaths. However, his mind wasn't bothered with the near death experience, instead his focus was zeroed on the voice.
Raising his head, he gazed at the shimmering sky. Chills covering every inch of his skin.
"Don't you dare touch him."
"...Ah, what a daring child. Trying to order me in my own domain. Quite a pair you make, both of you. Well, for now you are in command of this place and I have no desire to anger you."
Hearing the familiar voice echo amidst the loud ringing in his ears, Claude shuddered in relief.