I went for the bookshelf, and reached for the one book I had reached for once, before dying.
I took it, and shook it slightly, hearing the familiar sound of a tiny, solid thing rattling inside it.
Soon, I heard the noise of crashing and exploding outside. Rodrick was already having his fun.
I wanted to test the key, but I didn't know how long it would take, ever since my first raid took more than a day, and there was no way to know if father would be in his office when I left the Nest.
Yeah, I had to get away, or else we'd be in lots of trouble, so I headed towards the window.
And that was when I saw a drawer in father's desk.
It was slightly open.
I pulled it, completely opening it, and my eyes went wide at what I saw.
Lidded jars filled with... Human organs.
And atop of them, there was a guild badge, but it wasn't his badge, from Dawn Guild.
And it confirmed my theories concerning what chief Leblanc said, about the New Dawn's Guild.
It was real.
And my father, Octavius, belonged to it.
"Incredible, isn't it?" I heard my father's voice sounding from the door.
But he couldn't be able to see me, right? Not with [SHADOW WALK] on.
"You can unveil yourself now, son. This ability of yours is useless with senses like mine."
A chill ran down my spine as I raised my face, and noticed that he was looking straight at me.
And his eyes glowed in a strange reddish hue.
The same red that glowed in Quintus' eyes when he went crazy at Shadow Guild's headquarters.
"Come one, son. It's past the time you and I talked properly."
I sharpened my senses, trying to feel how powerful Octavius was, and if I could be able to, at least, put up a fight against him.
"what are you doing here?" I sighed, shivering, as my senses blared an alarm through my mind.
I didn't know how, but he was even more dangerous than before.
He had grown even stronger than in my previous life.
So I had to find a way to warn Rodrick so he could run away.
I turned visible again, and Octavius smiled.
"You became so powerful, my son. Why did you hide this amazing gift of yours from me? When I heard that you were forsaking the family's name and all that came with it... It hurt."
"Come on, now, father... Say that when you actually 'are' around to see us growing up and all."
Come on, Kurt... Think, think, think!
"That was only because I didn't know if you were one of the pure ones."
Pure ones?
"So you're really part of the New Dawn's Guild?"
He snorted, walking slowly towards me.
"My son... Do you really think that I, the founder of the Dawn Guild, would be a mere part of another guild?"
Octavius was almost oozing malice, and I couldn't move.
It was as if I was frozen where I stood.
I had to buy some time.
"So... You're the one behind the regular's deaths that the association call a hoax?"
"They have to die, for the good of the pure ones." Octavius shrugged. "Or do you think that they have some value, other than being rightful subjects in the future where we, wielders, reign above all?"
I expected everything and anything from this mission.
But I never imagined that I would stumble upon such an overwhelming truth.
I sharpened my senses, feeling everything around me, and amplified to an extent that I was even able to feel the ruckus caused by Rodrick outside.
"You still think that the regulars are worthless..."
I focused all my attention on the mana outside, moving around the security guards that were trying to put up a fight against Rodrick.
"Because they are. What else would they be, if the world itself gave birth to 'us'?"
I felt the mana around them, and grabbed it with [INVISIBLE HAND], feeling the security guards getting lifted above ground.
"You're crazy."
I imagined the mana as an extension of my hand, and pulled all the guards together, hitting them against each other, knocking them out cold.
"Please, son... Don't tell me that your mother did infect you with her ideals of equality..."
Please Rodrick, get it.
"My... Mom? What're you talking about?"
Octavius moved even closer, an my whole body twitched as he reached out with his hand, touching my cheek.
"I'm talking about how she would always keep you away from me, and never stop spewing that nonsense about how regulars were the base of our society."
"W-what... Did you do to mom...?"
"I only did what was best for the family." Octavius caressed my cheek, looking deeply in my eyes.
And for a second, I could see the scene in front of me.
Mom's body on the floor.
And Octavius' hands, drenched in blood.
"You... You killed... Her..."
I felt my blood boiling in my veins, and the book, still in my hands, was getting warmer.
"I only did what was best for Quintus, for you, and for the guild."
His eyes shone in that red hue, but they were cold as ice.
Completely emotionless.
I didn't feel the book turning to ashes in my hand.
I didn't feel the crystal inside it glued to my hand.
I only felt rage burning inside me.
And I only heard the deafening scream that left my throat, as I grabbed Octavius' hand, and the mana around me exploded outwards.
Octavius flew against the opposite wall, and I stepped forward.
All fear inside me had vanished, giving place to pure, blank fury.
Everything around me looked blurry, and there was something in my hand.
I looked at it, and it was Octavius' arm.
I looked at him, and he was smiling.
"So beautiful, so powerful, that's why I created the New Dawn, my son. Because I knew someone like you would be born one day, powerful enough to rule above the regulars like a god!"
But his arm was regenerating.
"KURT, NO!" I heard a voice sounding, muffled, from somewhere.
But I moved forward, with everything I had, before Octavius could have his arm back.
So I aimed at his heart.
And I felt my hand piercing through flesh.
My vision gradually came back to normal, feeling my hand crushing Octavius' heart.
But when I saw it more clearly...
Rodrick was looking at me, his eyes reddened, bloodshot.
And my hard was piercing through his chest.