Hello mom

"Long time, no see." I said to my maid who opened the door.

She screamed at my face and ran inside. I heard Thomas snicker behind me. I couldn't help but chuckle. These people here are jokers.

"That was an extraordinary welcome." Theo said and walked into my mansion. We all entered and they began to look around, mouths hanging open.

"Why did you run away again?" Thomas asked examining the chandler that was hanging from the ceiling.

"Austin?" I turned around to see my mom, standing there with an amused expression. She looks the same. Beautiful and young as ever. She began to walk to me in a very majestic way, shooting a disgusted face to Theo, Thomas and Mabel. She doesn't want such people in her castle.

"Who are they?" She looked at them and turned to me. "Ask them to leave and go back to your room." She said and began to walk back. Seriously woman? You didn't change a bit?

Suddenly the chandler shook, making her turn her head towards it. The chandler turned to my beast and landed in front of her, faces inches away. Everything became silent as she stood there frozen staring at its eyes. Never expected it, did she?

"Oh! You met my beast at last." I said walking towards her. "I was wondering when I will be able to do so. Thank God it follows my orders..." I stopped near her. "...Or else you would be dead by now."

"What do you want?" she asked, never taking her eyes off the beast.

"Talk." I said "...about everything, you clever devil."

I never forgot what my grandfather told me. I want to know the truth, from her mouth. She should be the one to talk and apologise. Not my grandfather.

"What_?"

"You clearly know 'what'?" Theo snapped. He is the richest person in Reasel town. He won't stand the look my mom gave to him.

"I am Ace." I said, turning back to my beloved mom. "You asked me to kill your father, remember?" I watched her eyes widen. She is looking at me in shock. "Answer me… why?" I asked with a grin.

"Will you leave me alive if I say everything?" Her voice was shaking. My beast is hungry. It lost its prey three times in a row. It is controlling itself. She knows she will be dead if she moves.

"Stop making up stories, dear." Mabel stepped forward to my mom. "I will know when you lie. Speak the truth… for once in your life."

My mom looked at Mabel with wide eyes and Mabel nodded at her. I know what she thought. My mom is smart. But Mabel is smarter.

"I am scared." She sighed, dropping her gaze to the floor. "You are not the curse, Austin… It's me. I was scared of what they were going to do to me. So I asked my father not to tell anyone about the prophecy. I altered it. If it's a child who is the curse, they will let it live. But if it is me, I will be killed. So I changed the curse, for my own good. I am sorry. I was scared."

"You asked your father to keep it a secret?!" I gasped dramatically. "What a joke! Care to elaborate?"

My mom grew silent. She did something very cruel. But I am thankful for what she did.

"I made him swear with his life."

"Yep. He fell dead a few moments later he told me about you and that prophecy. I thank God that I am not the true killer of my grandfather. I would have died out of conscience. It was you." I said with a smirk. She is pretty messed up. "Why are you like this? What did you gain by locking your son up and killing your father?"

The atmosphere was suffocating. My mom is having a debet in her mind about talking to me. She is not going to speak any further, is she?

"Talk, women!" Theo screamed at her. He got zero patience and a high temper."I am going to make her talk." He began to walk to her.

"I WAS ABUSED!" She screamed out. "THERE WAS NO ONE FOR ME. NO ONE TO SAVE ME FROM THEM NOR AFTER I STRUGGLED TO GET OVER IT." She screamed out. Her eyes are filled with tears, struggling to break free. I never saw my mom like this. Desperate…

"Dad always cared about his ministry work. He didn't want to talk to me. I had no one. No one came for rescue. I WAS LEFT THERE TO ROT!

"No one noticed my change. No one saw my pain. They all are busy with their lives. I was alone in this. I thought of killing myself. I was just 12.

"I wanted to take revenge. Bring each of them under my feet, see them beg for my mercy. To take over this city and mix its place in the world in dirt. That's its place. The people here are not humans. They all are beasts. Cruel and heartless beasts. They won't see anything happening before their eyes unless it concerns them. I want them all to suffer. I want them all to die inch by inch. I am going to make them feel guilty for being blind to my cries of help.

"You know what, Austin. You are born without magical abilities because I made you so. You are my weapon. I was experimenting. I recreated this potion and made you. I never knew that you would try to run away. I am glad to know that you did find your power by yourself. I am the one who brings the curse here. I brought you to this world for my revenge. You still are the curse. I locked your pretty friend up, because I knew you would come running for her rescue. And here you are. The people and your dad are idiots to believe what I said about the other prophecy."

"What?" She experimented on me. I am her weapon huh? "You are so_"

She laughed maniacally. "You are an assassin, right? You grew up right. I raised you right. What went wrong was the part where you met her. I tried to correct it. But you both were so clever. We will have her with us too, if you love her so much. We three will be a team. Let's do this together, Austin. We both are cursed, Ace. Let's fight together. If I have you by my side, no one will be left alive. No one can defeat us. That's what you want too. We are meant to fight together. We both are fed up with this world, aren't we? Come with me Ace, let's demolish this Riverlook. We will get whatever we want. I will give you Emma. She is safe in the ministry. No one will dare to do anything to her in my watch. She is safe and sound. Let's go get her and bring the doom to Riverlook to make them pay for what they did. Take my hand, let me take you to her…"

I stood there staring at her hands. She is also hurt by the people here. All she asked was someone by her side. But she didn't get anyone like I got Emma. She was left alone to deal with her problems on her own. She didn't deserve this much. She is just broken inside her; like me…

She wants the people to beg for her mercy. That's what I want too. That's what I love too. We will be strong together. Maybe the people here deserve this fate. I can have Emma by my side too. We will be together forever_

"Austin!" I was snapped out of my thoughts. "Do you have any idea what you have been thinking?" Mabel asked, crossing her hands.

"Yeah" I said without looking at them. I know what I have to do. I am not going to be stopped by anyone. I will save Emma at any cost. She is meant to be saved. That's my aim. "I am so sorry guys."

I turned to look at my hungry beast. "My beast hasn't eaten anything in three days, you know? He is so hungry. I can't keep taking his prey away from him. Hope you understand… mom…"