Astaroth Mansion - Diodora's Room
Diodora was sitting in a red velvet chair, his eyes fixed on the floor.
He felt a chill run down his spine, followed by an intense wave of anger. He clenched his fists tightly, his nails digging into his palms as he struggled to control the pulsating energy coursing through his body. Red blotches began to appear on his skin, slowly spreading as if they were burns.
"Why is this happening?" Diodora murmured through gritted teeth, his voice laden with frustration and pain. "I should be at the peak of my strength, not struggling to control it."
Outside the room, Lara, the queen of his Peerage, stood with trembling hands, listening to the sounds of agony coming from within. She knew that Diodora did not allow anyone to see him in such a state, but her concern and loyalty kept her close, waiting for any sign that he needed help.
"Ughhh..."
The sound of Diodora's heavy, labored breathing echoed through the room. He stood up from the chair and began pacing back and forth, trying to dissipate the chaotic energy threatening to explode from within him. Each step was accompanied by a new wave of pain and anger.
Lara, with her ear pressed against the door, heard everything, feeling helpless. "Diodora-sama, I'm here if you need me," she said softly, knowing he probably wouldn't respond.
Diodora stopped abruptly, his vision blurring for a moment. He could feel the energy trying to escape, as if it had a life of its own. "No... I won't let this control me," he shouted, his voice echoing through the room.
"BOOM!"
A burst of red energy radiated from his body, sending furniture and objects flying through the air. Lara instinctively recoiled, her eyes wide as she felt the wave of power emanating from the room. "Diodora-sama..." she murmured, the concern evident in her voice.
Diodora fell to his knees, breathing heavily. The red blotches on his skin glowed intensely, pulsing with each heartbeat. He closed his eyes, trying to concentrate, trying to master the energy threatening to destroy him.
'Euclid... what have you done to me?' he thought, his mind battling the growing darkness.
At that moment, Svetlana rushed to the room, alarmed by the sounds of destruction. She found Lara at the door, her face pale with worry.
"Lara, what's happening? What's wrong with Diodora?" Svetlana asked, her voice trembling.
Lara looked at Svetlana with eyes full of fear and sadness. "I don't know exactly, Svetlana-sama. He is suffering... something is wrong with his energy."
Svetlana, with a heavy heart, pushed the door open and entered the room. The sight she encountered was terrifying. Diodora was on his knees, surrounded by a pulsating red aura. His eyes were blood-red, and he seemed on the verge of insanity.
"Diodora! My son, what's happening?" Svetlana screamed, running to him.
Diodora slowly lifted his head, his eyes fixing on Svetlana with a look of pure madness. "Mother... you don't understand... I need more power... always more power!"
Before Svetlana could react, Diodora raised his hand, and a blast of red energy shot towards her. The force of the attack was devastating, tearing through Svetlana's body and destroying the room's ceiling in a flash of red light.
Svetlana fell to the ground, her eyes wide with shock and pain. "Diodora..." were her last words before succumbing.
Lara, horrified, tried to run to help, but Diodora turned to her with an expression of pure fury. He grabbed Lara by the neck with brutal force, lifting her off the ground.
"Lara, where is Asia?" Diodora growled, his face twisted with rage and uncontrolled energy.
Lara struggled to breathe, her hands futilely grasping Diodora's arm. "I... saw... on social media... she is... in Tokyo..." she managed to say between gasps for air.
Dimitri ran into the room at that moment, his eyes widening at the horrific scene before him. "Svetlana!" he shouted, running to his fallen wife's body.
Without even looking at his father, Diodora hurled Lara against the wall with tremendous force, making her faint upon impact. He then turned to Dimitri, his blood-red eyes glowing with insane fury.
"Father, this is none of your concern," Diodora said coldly, raising his hand.
Before Dimitri could react, Diodora unleashed a blast of energy that threw him against the opposite wall, toppling furniture and causing more destruction. Dimitri fell to the ground, stunned and injured but still conscious.
Diodora, breathing heavily and with a triumphant expression, invoked a magic circle under his feet. In an instant, he teleported, leaving behind the ruined mansion, his dead mother, his injured father, and his unconscious queen.
The mansion's staff and other members of the Peerage, alarmed by the sounds of destruction and screams, rushed towards Diodora's room. The corridor was filled with tension and concern, with anxious looks and hurried steps. The sound of broken furniture and energy explosions echoed through the walls, creating an atmosphere of fear and urgency.
When they reached the room's door, they saw the chaotic scene. Svetlana lay motionless on the ground while Dimitri struggled to stand, bleeding and with an expression of pain. Lara was unconscious against the wall, her breathing weak.
One of the staff members, trembling with fear, tried to approach Dimitri. "Sir, what happened? Can we help?"
Dimitri, holding his injured side, raised his hand in a commanding gesture. "Stay back. This is a very serious family matter. Keep your distance and ensure no one else enters here."
The Peerage members, though concerned, obeyed the command, retreating with looks of consternation. Dimitri knew he needed immediate help and tried to use his communication magic to contact Ajuka.
Dimitri focused, his voice filled with urgency. "Ajuka, it's your father. Answer, I need your help!"
But there was no response. Dimitri's frustration and anger grew. "Ajuka, always absent when we need you most," he muttered through gritted teeth, trying to control his anger and pain.
Desperate, Dimitri decided to try another line of communication. He knew Zeoticus might offer some help. Focusing again, he invoked the communication magic.
"Zeoticus, this is Dimitri Astaroth. We need urgent help. It's a critical situation."
After a few moments of silence that seemed like an eternity, Zeoticus's voice sounded firm and concerned. "Dimitri, what happened?"
"Diodora lost control. He attacked Svetlana, and I can't reach Ajuka. I need you to contact Sirzechs. It's an emergency."
Zeoticus listened carefully, his expression becoming grim. "Understood, Dimitri. I will contact Sirzechs immediately. He will know what to do. Stay strong. Help is on the way."
Dimitri, still feeling the pain of the impact and bleeding, reached into his suit pocket and pulled out a small vial. He removed the cap and quickly drank the contents. A sensation of warmth spread through his body, and his wounds began to heal instantly, the pain diminishing as the elixir's magic took effect.
With his wounds healed, Dimitri stood up more firmly and approached Svetlana's body, lying motionless on the floor. His cold, calculating eyes analyzed the scene, noting the severity of the injuries caused by Diodora's attack. He knelt beside her, checking her pulse and confirming there were no signs of life.
'How could this happen? What drove Diodora to kill his own mother?' Thoughts of anger and confusion passed through Dimitri's mind as he stood and observed the destruction around him.
Lara, still unconscious against the wall, was a reminder of the brutality of the attack. Dimitri looked at her briefly, but his focus was on Svetlana and the reason Diodora had lost control so drastically.
Dimitri, even in the presence of his lifeless wife, showed no sadness or any other emotion. His expression remained cold and unperturbed, as if he were dealing with a technical problem rather than a family tragedy. He knew that mourning would not bring Svetlana back, and there were more urgent matters to resolve.
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