24. Kill Mother

"What was that?!" Xavion muttered when he saw the fiery flame that climbed to sky, kicking Claude's damaged straw doll. Xavion swallowed his saliva when he realized the flame was indeed, belonged to his mentor, Amber.

"Has the teacher been found out by Claude? I hope Claude isn't angry with me for working with her to do all this," Xavion began searching around, leaving Kane behind to lure Claude back. He was sure Claude wouldn't abandon his true friend.

Meanwhile, Kane who was also in the area, hasted his pace and tracked that fiery mana.

"Before you kill my Claude, I'll kill you first, Xavion!" Kane growled. Xavion's cunning plan almost got Kane killed because he wasn't careful with the Shadow Prince.

After half an hour of waiting, the raging fire turned into smoke by itself, making Xavion and Kane gasp for breath.

Xavion forced himself to stay there even though he felt like he was dying. After the wait, Xavion finally saw someone return; he saw a figure approaching. Strangely, the fire created by Amber began to die down, as if its controller had died.

"Claude?" Xavion immediately approached, but his expression turned fearful when he saw the charred corpse.

Claude controlled his mother from afar, his hands skillfully making the corpse move like a living human, and unexpectedly, the corpse shot out nails, which flew out like rifle bullets.

"Did you kill your own mother?" Xavion asked, unable to believe what he was seeing.

"You're insane!" Xavion yelled angrily.

"She deserves it, hahahaha," Kane laughed uproariously, feeling satisfied with what Claude did to his own mother, especially since Kane remembered Amber once imprisoning Claude, the person he loved, in the tower.

Claude emerged from his hiding spot. His appearance was very disheveled, his neck red, and his clothes messy. Claude's face was pale.

"You're insane too! I thought we were friends, but why do you seem to betray me? I trusted you because I didn't have anyone else to make me happy, but why do you shatter my hopes!" Claude retorted.

Kane was shocked to hear that, so all this time Claude didn't consider him special? Claude didn't make Claude happy either. So all this time, Claude only considered Kane a stranger, so all this time, the only person he valued was Xavion?

***

Kane felt devastated, especially upon hearing Claude's next words.

"I started to like you! You've been the best part of my life, always sending food and even a home, but why are you destroying everything now? I was starting to feel comfortable here, but you're working with my mother to create this chaos..." Claude explained. He looked around, including his destroyed house and his dolls.

Xavion couldn't say anything. Even if he could, the words that came out would only be hurtful.

"I never intended to like you or reciprocate your feelings; you're just easily swayed," Xavion expressed.

"I said I liked you, not that I love you, idiot!" Claude yelled in disappointment.

Claude's doll corpse moved, its hand almost grabbing Xavion's hair, but Xavion easily dodged it. He could vanish and reappear at will.

"My hair isn't long, and I'm not balding; you can't control me," Xavion stated knowingly.

Feeling like he had no other choice, Claude approached Xavion himself. The blond youth tried to touch Xavion's shoulder, hoping to gain control over him and release Kane.

"You won't be able to touch my shoulder either," Xavion already knew everything. Before approaching Claude, he already knew and memorized Claude's powers. Powers that elevated Misca and Michael to high levels and made it difficult for Claude to move independently, powers that led to Claude being trapped in his house tower.

As Xavion was about to retaliate against Claude, his father appeared. The King asked Xavion to stop because their main goal was to capture Kane, not Claude. But for some reason, Xavion wanted to capture Claude as well.

Liam had already carried the unconscious Kane. He then approached Claude, and the King was surprised to see Amber, who was already stiff, near Claude. The man was suddenly angry because Duchess Amber had died, and the King ordered people to capture Claude.

Claude could only resign himself; he couldn't fight anymore.

His body was dropped, and both of his hands were pulled, dragging Claude like an object. His blond hair was forcibly pulled until it fell out.

Xavion felt reluctant, but he didn't help him; he was truly foolish.

Even though he saw Claude's legs being broken to minimize the chance of him escaping, Xavion remained silent. Claude would no longer trust that human named Xavion; they were all evil.

Everyone in this story was a villain to Claude; from now on, he didn't want to be a good person anymore, let alone admire and like someone.

"Claude, if I weren't in this condition, I would help you. The person I like shouldn't be hurt. Claude, forgive me because I'm weak," Kane could only speak in his heart. His consciousness hadn't fully recovered yet; it was painful to see Claude tortured by his father.

****

Claude had to receive punishment. He repeatedly received slaps from his father, Arthur, for killing his wife.

Claude couldn't defend himself much because what he did when he killed his mother was done with full consciousness. In front of the King, in a room full of witnesses, people started to judge Claude.

Even his twin sisters could only cry while hugging their mother's body; they harbored resentment toward Claude. Their beloved mother had passed away, and it was because of Claude; they wanted Claude to die too.

"Mom should've killed you when you were still a child! You're just an ungrateful brat! I refuse to acknowledge you as my sibling!" Misca shouted, crying loudly.

"Did you kill your mother?!" Now his father spoke. Claude just bowed his head, not feeling guilty because he believed he wasn't wrong.

"Where is your conscience?! You psychopath! She gave birth to you! You should respect her! You should appreciate her, you should repay her kindness!" Arthur said again. His father then hit Claude and wanted to continue hitting him, but his hand was restrained.

"You should be sentenced to death for your actions! This is murder! I know it's my fault; I should have killed you as a baby, you demon child!" his father snapped.