A/N: The chapter ahead is raw, which means not been proofread yet nor edited.
***
"Where have you been?" Is the first thing Skadi Eira threw at Azarese.
Azarese ignored her and went to the bed. She threw herself to it and closed her eyes.
So, Skadi Eira asked again, "Where have you been?"
They're in the Diamond Palace. The Diamond Palace may be forbidding the Princesses access, but it can't to her and Azarese. Firstly because the Palace remembers her and secondly because Azarese is a legitimate Warlock Princess.
"Checked on someone."
Skadi Eira put the strawberry glazed with chocolate in her mouth. Celia is tending to her. The servant have been silent since the death of Moon. After all that, she remained calm. Nobody saw her she' a tear. She's been calm, and they're afraid that she's being sane. Moon is not just a master to her but a daughter, too.
Just what is running inside Celia's head?
"Who?" Skadi Eira poked her more.
Azarese turn to her side and opened her eyes.
"Someone."
Skadi Eira watched her. She don't understand, but she thinks Azarese looks sad.
"Everything's in chaos. Moon was executed, that Young Lord snapped and beat them up. Anyways, they all believe you're dead. What's your next plan?"
Azarese then remembered the last memories of Moon. She know what happened. But the events after that? No. To Skadi Eira, she's thinking that she already know that so she's not saying anything to her.
"How did you do it?" Azarese asked off the topic.
"The what?" Skadi Eira licked the sides of her lips and tasted the sweetness of chocolate.
Azarese get up straight and looked into Skadi Eira's eyes. "How did you made the White Phoenix?"
Skadi Eira pauses, studying the look in her face.
She swallowed the food in her mouth and answered with, unsure.
"Orithyia taught me. When I received my memory fragment, I remembered. The White Phoenix was like a model first. Made of porcelain or clay? She told me to share my breath with it. Well, that's how she do hers, she said. Creation may happen in many forms. Why do you ask?"
"Breathe, huh,"
Skadi Eira ate and ate while keeping her eyes on Azarese. When the Princess stand up and went to the windows and opened them, a question mark popped over her head.
"I'll bring you lots of food when I return, so stay here like a good dog."
"Oki."
The promise excite her so much that she didn't care if she was called a dog.
King LIFE dropped his sword and stood in the middle of the empty training grounds. His breathing is rugged from all that swinging; and as he do it, the memory of him executing Moon haunts him every time. He doesn't know what he's feeling anymore. Guilt? Conscience? The feelings he's known before are mixing up, forming another so unknown to his sense.
His tears are falling for no reason. He opened his hands to catch them, wondering why they are falling and what for.
"Moon..."
He closed his eyes and so his hands.
From the distance, Sun's knight is watching him. The pathetic sight of the King is ecstatic for him. He's been desperately waiting for this day: to see the King falling and breaking apart. Though it cost him something priceless, he knew that something will come back. His flow of his revenge was slow, but it's worth every second of it. The only one who can destroy the Warlocks were themselves, because no other being is greater than they are.
On the other hand, there was one who was watching him.
Sitting by the bench beside the pond, Prince Izylidas closes the book he stopped reading on his lap and put it to the empty space beside him. He made an arrow using his magic and sent it to Sun's knight. Sun's knight slightly lean back to avoid the arrow.
The tree it hit exploded upon contact.
Sun's knight looked to the path where it came from and found the Prince sitting prettily and have been staring at him for a minute now.
"Go, jump on him and slice his neck. He's at his lowest already. I can lend you a hand," he urged with a persuading grin.
Sun's knight straightened his back. The Prince is giving off a chilling aura. He meant what he said: he wouldn't even call for help if Sun's knight were to really kill the King. He will instead watch him suffer as time slowly take his life.
"I am waiting for the King to finish his training so I can train too, Your Highness," Sun's knight said, an alibi not so flawless.
"Only a naive would believe that. Like Moon."
Sun's knight pauses upon hearing her name. The Prince suddenly let out a good laugh fit for the good morning.
"Poor girl. Got so done with the world picking on her. So cruel that the only escape she found is death," he sighed, teasing his lone listener.
His eyes smiled evilly at Sun's knight and taunt him with the words, "Faster, boy. Don't underestimate them. You will never know when they will destroy the last thing you're holding on to. The reason why you're doing this."
He stand up and laughed at Sun's knight's face for the last time before levitating to take his leave.
Sun's knight clenched his fists.
Prince Izylidas landed in front of the Heart Palace's doors. He looked back to the way leading to where he was earlier. He smirked.
When Watts Xirquit regained consciousness, the first thing he do was to look around him. He recognized the room around him---especially the cosmos past the glass walls over him. Then, he remembered how he passed out and his mind made up a scenario how he got in his room upon seeing his father by the bed, reading a book.
"Dad," he called his father in a shaking voice.
Voltage Xirquit closed the book he was reading to shift his attention to his son.
"How's your rest?"
Watts Xirquit's eyes fluttered. It's strange. He's not feeling well. His room feels so hot
"You're sick. You have a fever."
"Why? I don't wanna. I don't like fever," he mumbled.
His father scoffed.
Voltage Xirquit went closer from his feet to his side. He checked his son's temperature using the back of his hand then fixed the slipping wet towel on his forehead.
"Get some rest. You got your fever a few minutes ago. You've been asleep for hours now. It kicked late,"
Watts Xirquit breathes in deeply.
"I don't like fever, Daddy," he mumbled and closed his heavy eyes for a second, then opened them again when they got enough strength.
"You'll get better soon. Your Mom is cooking. Claxiord left with your Uncle Paris but they will return later. Your Kuya went out to check on Elektra and Spike. Liorei is here, but he's in Moon's room. Sorry if we intruded. We were curious. But we got permission from Wattroid. He was here earlier but left, too. He's very busy," he told his son slowly, sure that the boy heard him clearly and right.
He wiped the tears that escaped from his son's eyes. He thought it's for Moon but he was wrong.
"Dad, I don't like fever. I feel so hot. And my head is aching very much. Where is Moomy? I miss mom,"
He smiled on him and bent over to kiss his baby's cheek.
"Mommy is cooking. Do you not like me anymore? I'm here."
His eyes welled with hot tears. Everything about him is a mess inside.
"I want my Mom. Dad, call Mom."
"Okay, okay. Don't cry. I will call Mommy. Wait a second,"
He kissed his son again and gently left his bed to not shake it. When he left, Watts Xirquit removed his blanket to cool himself. He patiently waited for his mother.
When Voltage went out of the room, he saw his wife with King Liorei. They looked at each other first, before his stares went down to the arm King Liorei was holding onto tightly.
"Hands off my wife," he warned and closed the distance between them.
King Liorei let her go and clicked his tongue.
"Don't misunderstood. We're only arguing about our daughter."
He walked past King Liorei and stopped in front of his wife. He hold her arm to see it himself. It left a mark.
"Volt---"
Though she's quick enough to hold him back, she didn't expect that he will strongly pull King Liorei by the collar. If only she's not holding him, he would've slammed the King to the floor.
"Talk with her, yes. Argue, go. The next time I see you hurt my wife in any way, I will kill you. My wife is strong but she's still a woman, Gerson Liorei. Respect her or I'll disrespect your daughter. Dare me."
Franchetti Xerene put the tray of food back to the counter to completely part her husband from the King who's grinning.
"I can protect one. You have four. I can handle all at once. Your challenge, Volt, not mine."
The King grabbed Voltage Xirquit by his wrist tightly before forcefully removing his hand off him. He dropped his hand and before he turn around to leave, he gave Franchetti Xerene a glare first.
"Mommy?" Watts Xirquit called when he heard the noises yet he couldn't process the words he heard properly.
King Liorei stopped by his door and smiled at him who's getting up.
"Y-Your... Majesty... I'm sorry for getting a fever in times like this. I wish I am not wasting your time."
King Liorei smiled much kinder and nodded, "I dint mind. Actually, I'm glad you're sick. Thisis the only time you'll get to rest, so rest. I love Moon's room. Thank you for loving her in your own ways."
His smile weakened and saddened; he looked down before walking back to Moon's room, leaving Watts Xirquit in a devastated state as he stare into the nothingness. His tears stream like steaming waterfalls down to his cheek.
"My Lord," he heard her voice. He looked around, only to find the vast void surrounding him.
He found himself sinking and falling to the void. Her sweet voice was calling his name. The more he falls, the scarier her voice becomes. Eerie. Distorted.
He hugged his legs and buried his face on his knees.
"I'm sorry, I couldn't save you, Elyzena. I'm sorry."
The fine lampshade on his bedside table fell. It startled him. He slowly lift his head, only to find a hideous monster in front of him with a very long neck and limbs---so long that he couldn't find its face.
"Watts! Watts, my boy, please wake up! Oh, my love!"
Watts Xirquit forced his eyes to open. He felt his throat vibrating the heard his voice screaming next. He looked around him and found his worried parents on his sided. His crying mother is with him on the bed, kneeling, with her hands on his body.
She instantly hugged him.
"A-A monster. T-There was a monster. Mom, a monster!"
Voltage Xirquit pulled the knife under his sleeves and went down on one knee. He checked the space under his bed and found nothing. He scan the whole area. The only monster he found in his son's room is him and his mother.
She kissed her son's head and gently caressed his back to calm him down between her arms.
"Shh. There's no monster. It's a nightmare. A nightmare," she soothe him, relieved that he's finally awake.
Still, Voltage Xirquit did not stop surveying every corner in his room. He even opened the doors of his walk-in-closet. Watts noticed that the surface of his bedside table is empty.
"Where's my---"
His words were not finished yet when his father preceded him, "Why do you have a broken lampshade here?"
His heart skipped a beat. He slowly lift his head from resting on his mother's chest to look at where his father is, down to the lampshade beside his feet.
"The monster...was here."
Maybe it's because of his fever that's why he can't get a grasp of the reality right now. Maybe it's because he's sick that his mind is playing tricks on him. Or maybe it's because he's at the messiest point of his life that reality feels so unreal already.
"Son," Franchetti Xerene lands her hands on his cheeks. She turn his head to her way and gave him an assuring smile, "Don't be scared. I'm here. Look, Daddy is looking for it. Once he found it, we'll take it out, hmm? We will keep you safe."
She gave him a kiss on the tip of his nose. He nodded.
"I don't like fever. My head hurts so much, Mom. I'm so weak. I can't do anything."
His lips tremble, trying to hold back his tears from falling.
"Aww, that's not true! My baby is very strong. It's okay to get sick sometimes. I got your medicine. You'll be fine. Hush."
After feeding him and giving him his medicine, she stayed by his side while her husband went out to wash the dishes. They are hugging each other, cuddling. Her heart is filled with joy and anytime by now, it will burst. Her heart is full again now that her boy is back in her arms. Oh, how she wished he never grew up.
"I love you, Mom. Please don't leave me, too. I don't know what myself would do to himself if I lose you too. I never thought I would feel hurt like this. Comfort is all I've ever known, because everyone always give it to me. I have always thought I know her pain. I've been so naive."
She pulled her son closer, burying his hot face on her chest. She listened to his muffled tears, feeling his hot tears wet her chest and shirt.
"I'm sorry for spoiling you so much, my love. I just want to protect you from pain. You're our last baby. We wanted everything to be perfect for you. The world is beautiful but it's full of danger. We made it easy for you to get things---we paved every way for you that all you need to do is walk down and take what you need at the end of it. You're our baby. You're our family's heart. I'm sorry, Watts. Forgive this mother of yours who only wanted things to be easy and comfortable for you. I don't want to see you struggling so I did all that. "
She kissed his head tenderly. He used to smell like a baby, now he smells like a man. He grew up too fast.
"No, thank you, Mom. I am grateful for the love and care. I understand. I get it. No words can describe how much this family loves me, and I love it, too. I love being spoiled by you. I love that everyone's attention is on me. I love that everyone is looking only at me. I love it. I never felt sick of it. But too much...is bad, too."
He closed his eyes and made himself comfortable on his mother's chest. She played with her boy's hair, something he really likes. It helps him get to sleep instantly.
"Sleep well, my baby, for the skies will soon be dark and my wrath will ravish the ungrateful peasants who crossed our line. May your Kuya Ohms bring us good news soon."
His breathing slowly became stable but still awake.
"Dad,"
Voltage Xirquit put the broken lampshade covered in newspapers aside and heed to his son's call. He gently climbed the bed and positioned himself beside his wife. And from behind, he hugged the both of them.
"I'm here. Daddy is here. Need something, love?"
Their son opened his eyes to see if they are truly with him. He smiled when they are.
"I love you."
It was unexpected. He didn't see that coming. The great words melted his heart. His son delivered it simply yet it houses overwhelming feelings and sincerity.
"I love you, too. Thank you."