CHAPTER 23- UNBELIEF

Kian slumped to the ground as Lucris made him lean by the wall. His hands roamed through his hair in a frustrated manner." I'm sorry Lucris, I'm just- Aaaahhhh!" He screamed and hit the ground with his fist. Lucris took notice of the blisters and already wounded areas on his knuckles.

He realised that Kian didn't even use his powers but retaliated with his raw strength. Lucris stood and moved towards the tauricus which lay on the ground in moving. He stared closely at the machine when his eyes widened at the sight of skin at a place that had a hole.

He quickly knelt and examined closer and saw that there might be something or someone under all the machinery. He searched for any button that would give a clue as to how to open it when he saw a small button at the neck area. He pressed It, totally oblivious of what might happen next.

Then the head made a noise like detachment of parts and it finally opened. Lucris's eyes widened even further.

..... " Culis...it couldn't be" the creature lying there contained a human being. And not one that was unfamiliar. Lucris was still in thought , processing everything when he felt a heavy presence behind him. He quickly turned although he knew who it was from.

Kian stood there, frozen. " Master Kian I-" before Lucris could make any meaningful sentence, Kian had disappeared.

.....Zuke mansion, a few hours later.

Lucris stood still and just stared at the form lying on the bed . This was the man who had caused so much trouble and frustration within a few days. He stared intently at the man trying to think of an explanation to such an occurrence. Maybe he was possessed. Yes, that could be the only explanation...or....had someone killed him and taken over his body? Lucris shook those thoughts from his head and focused again.

" Why would you do this. No, how could you do this? And the fact that it was to your..." Lucris gritted his teeth at the thought. He didn't want to believe it. Surprisingly, the man on the bed began to stir. His bruised and bandaged face twisted in pain before his eyes opened.

Lucris stared at the pale blue eyes that seemed devoid of life." Lu-cris" the man spoke but his voice came out dry and hoarse. He tried to move but regretted his action as a wave of pain washed through his body. He trained in pain and Lucris couldn't help but pity him.

" Stay down, you'll only cause yourself more pain by moving" Lucris said and stretched his hand, grabbing a glass of water and helping him drink it. His breathing became ragged after struggling to drink the water. He then looked at Lucris, his swollen eyelids barely opening.

As if resigned, he turned his head away from Lucris and let out a pathetic sigh. " Aren't you going to say anything to me Lucris?" " I have nothing to say to you, Culis" Lucris replied in an angry tone, his voice purposefully emphasizing his name in a spiteful manner." I guess I've lost the title of master huh? You hate me that much that not a single but of respect was left" Culis said.

Lucris wanted him to implode. " I do not hate you. You've lost my respect along with any hope I thought I had in you " Lucris said in a controlled voice." Oh really? Since when ?" " Since you started all this nonsense." Lucris's tone went higher." You may look the same but you're nowhere near the man I knew some twenty three years ago. You heard that? Twenty three years ago . The promise and hope you sowed in the people you claimed you loved are all dead." Lucris said with a hint of disgust.

"Hahhahahahah" Culis laughed to his capacity." What were you expecting Lucris, what!? Did you want me to fall from the sky with a halo on my head?" " Why did you do all this?" Lucris asked in a neutral tone.

"Why? Ha. I did it because it was the only way to draw Kian's attention. I found a way after all these years. I can finally be with my family again. I know I've made Evanthe wait a long while and she'll be angry with me at first but ....all I've been doing is trying to find a way, and I have." Culis said.

Lucris clenched his jaw at the mention of Evanthe's name." You don't have a clue of what has been happening do you?" Lucris asked, his gaze becoming bizarre. " What are you talking about Lucris. Just let Even the know I'm back and alive. And I've finally come to stay. I know I've missed a lot and made her wait bu-""Evanthe is dead "

Culis forcefully opened his swollen eyes at the sudden statement from Lucris. " What- what are you saying?" " She's gone Lucris, she died of a broken heart. Barely two years after you left. You broke your promise to her. Four weeks, you told her four weeks, if you couldn't find It, you'd return and we'd confine you until your darkness was buried.

But you never came back. I thought at first you'd just lost track of a few days, but it increased and I didn't know what to think anymore. I was out of things to motivate Evanthe to keep hoping. She even wanted to come after you for crying out loud.

She planned it. She planned her death because she couldn't take it anymore. Because of you. How do you think she'd feel after you appeared twenty one years later. It got to her head. The thought of raising Kian alone. So she decided he'd have none. So Kian grew up neither with a mother nor father" Lucris said.

" I- I was scared . I knew when the child was born. I wanted to come back but It felt too risky. My darkness was at its peak point, never dulling for a moment. If I got anywhere close, it would drag me here and do its bidding with Kian. I couldn't let that happen. It killed me that I had to do that to her . As time went on the fear kept rising.

I didn't know how I'd live around the child. Soon, years passed and I thought he would not accept me for being gone so long and I just gave up. Then I finally found the key that could overwrite my darkness and keep it locked within me without ever taking control again. But it had been so long , I gave out on the fear and came back but I had to meet my son.

I am very proud of him but I'm so ashamed and regret everything I did to hurt him and his mother. I would take it all back if I could bit I can't do that. Kian got that power through me. But it wouldn't be worth it anymore. It's all in the past. Anyone dead in the past can't be brought back to the present.

Time and space could collapse.