Ascendant Path of a Lustful Vampire

Chapter 467: It’s complicated

"Thank you, Kaya," Kaide said with intense gratitude. The last blast of emotional force had nearly turned his emotional spectrum into a mess and what Kaya just protected him and Kyrus from was ten times that strength.

Kaya looked like she could barely speak to acknowledge the gratitude. Maybe it was because it had combined with its source in Revon or maybe the Mask of Malevolent Aura had been holding back since the beginning, either way, that emotional attack had nearly sapped what bit of Nature Energy Kaya still had.

"Don’t hurt them!" Revon yelled at the Mask.

"They’re weaklings," The Mask answered and despite the lack of change in its mouth, it sounded like it was sneering,

"Just as much as the half-breed, they are a source of regret. If you never had to be with their mother... if they didn’t exist, ’she’ might have let you stay."

"It doesn’t work like that," Revon shook his head but he sounded unsure.

"Maybe. But you’ll never know, will you? You were so proud of them, you spoke of them to ’her’ before anything even happened between you two. Imagine if it were from that moment, that ’she’ decided your time together had to be temporary.

Now, imagine a life without them. A life with no responsibilities. How much more different would things have turned out?" The Mask said with a slavering tone.

"I—" Revon started but didn’t seem to know what to say.

"Yes, you see it don’t you?" The Mask pressed, "You think your regrets start with the half-breed, but really, it starts with those two boys. Children born of duty rather than love. No matter what they become, disappointments are what they will always be."

"Father, tell him that’s not true," Kyrus said, his wand-gripping hand tight.

"He won’t," Kaya said calmly, "Because it’s exactly what he thinks."

"No!" Revon said and looked past the Mask glared at Kaya, "No, it’s not what I think."

"The Mask is you, father. Whatever it says are thoughts in your head. It’s only talking about things you would never say yourself. Doesn’t make them any less your thoughts."

"No!" Revon yelled.

"You’re in denial and that helps no one. For once in your life, face your issues and work through them," Kaya said.

"Kaya," Kaide said as he eyed his father, "I don’t think it’s wise to agitate him."

"We don’t have a choice. If he doesn’t stand up to the Mask— if he doesn’t stand up to himself and his own deep dark thoughts, he’ll be lost," Kaya said.

Her leaf green eyes were shining with understanding. At first, she had thought the Malevolent Aura was content with just having a host but now she realised it was going to do to Revon what it had tried to do to her; It was going to devour all other emotions he had until only it remained. Until only pain, sadness, and regret remained.

Yes, those emotions had originated from Revon. However, they had grown too strong and too independent to simply ’become a part of him’ again. They needed control and if they got that control, they were going to ruin him.

"Listen to how she talks to you," The Mask said to Revon, "This ’proof’ of what you could have had but was denied is nothing but a mirage. This thing that couldn’t even let you enjoy your droning, boring life and had to come ruin the little peace you had accepted away from its mother."

"Not exactly my fault that I was dropped off at your Gate," Kaya couldn’t help but roll her eyes.

"Silence!" The Mask and Revon said at once unleashing an emotional attack on Kaya who managed to shield against it.

"No, no," Revon recoiled when he realized he had yelled at Kaya, "I didn’t— I didn’t mean that."

"Don’t be ridiculous, Revon," The Mask said, "You meant to yell. You’ve meant to yell at her for over a decade. You’ve meant to do more than that actually."

"What are you—?" Revon started and then his eyes widened in realization as he shook his head resolutely,

"No. Not that."

"Exactly that," The Mask said with a cackle, "It’s time to rid yourself of this distasteful reminder of a life lost."

"No!" Revon said again, more resolute but the Mask wasn’t perturbed.

"You’ve fostered the thoughts from that day she arrived but you’ve been far too empty to go through with it.

Never fear, for I am here. Together, we’ll end this sordid Chapter of your life," the Mask said.

Revon’s eyes widened as he realized what was coming and tried to fight it but it was pointless. The Malevolent Aura of pain, sadness, and regret hadn’t actually left his body to talk to him. Even as the mask faced him, the hooks of the Aura remained in his body and to ’re-enter’ was so instantaneous, he had no hope of a struggle.

Revon smiled now. A creepy smile that matched the voice of the mask.

"Alright, you brat," he said in the lower register tone of his own voice that the Mask had used,

"Let’s shut that mouth of yours finally."

He spread his arms and four spell circles appeared, all charged with a spell of each of the four basic Elements that all converged on Kaya.

"Fuck!" Kaya managed to say in the midst of spell casting. This was what she had feared: a case where the Malevolent Aura would make use of her father’s superior magical strength.

She was about to unleash the entirety of her current magical strength in the barest hope of surviving this barrage when two backs blocked her.

"Stand back, Kaya," Kaide said.

"We’ll take care of this," Kyrus said.

The two had their wands out and made sweeping motions to conjure shielding spells that were struck by Revon’s spells, creating an explosive impact that shook the Hall.

*BANG!!!*

The shockwave that resulted from the clash of spells blew Kaya’s hair and clothes back but her eyes remained open and clear. Never had she felt this much care from these two and it got her eyes a bit misty.

But now was not the time for that. A dangerous situation also wasn’t always the best test for whether someone actually cares about you. After all, for all their faults in how they treated her, Kyrus and Kaide had never been exactly evil. They were actually well-liked in the County for being kind.

"You two should wait your turn," Revon said in that cackling voice of his,

"You were going to be next after the little half-breed. And then, your mother after that."

"You’ll kill Mom?" Kyrus said like he couldn’t believe the words leaving his father’s mouth.

"Yes, son. Everything that has contributed to my life of pain, sadness, and discontent shall meet its end. I either succeed at it or I don’t. Either way, it all ends."

"Father—" Kyrus started.

"Kyrus, focus," Kaya said behind him.

"But—"

"She’s right," Kaide said with a frown, "That’s not father. Something has possessed him."

"Well, technically, that is father. The thing that possessed him is him," Kaya corrected.

"Huh?" Kaide and Kyrus said as one.

"It’s a bit complicated. Let’s just say father has issues," Kaya said while making patterns on the ground with the end of her staff.

"I’ll say," Kyrus said with a scoff.

"So what’s the plan?" Kaide asked.

"I thought I could help him work through his issues more naturally but... I was wrong. That thing has gotten stronger and will overwhelm any sensibilities he has.

In other words, father is going to need help to be free of it,"

Kaya explained in a hurried voice.

"What will you have us do?" Kaide asked.

"Simple," Kaya said, "Hold him off while I prepare."

Kyrus scoffed.

"Simple, she says," he mumbled.

Kaide was of the same sentiment. They had long been in awe of their father’s magical prowess and even together could hardly match it.

Still, if that was what Kaya needed and how they could help...

"We’ll do it," he announced trying to show more confidence than he felt.