7 Chapter 7: The Protagonist

"The guard's words may be harsh, but I believe he has a point, my love. The boy, we can't control him the way we are — frail, knocking on death's door. Perhaps… it truly is time to let go of Luci and have him—"

"Don't you dare utter the words that are about to come out of your mouth, Emmett."

Back in Luci's hut, Meera and Emmett were currently having a light argument about what to do with him. And although their voices were filled with exasperated and weary breaths, their words were as clear as they could be as they looked at each others' eyes.

"I love the boy, even more than my own old life, I truly do…" It took most of Emmett's strength to just sit down on his chair; creaking along with his joints, "...But look at us, we could barely take care of ourselves. And you have said it yourself several times, the boy is not normal."

"That is exactly the reason why he should stay here, my dear," Meera let out a short but very deep si as she approached her husband and gently placed a hand on his shoulder, "I… am the only one who can take care of him. I'm—"

"Do you truly take me for a fool, my love?" Emmett also sighed as he touched his wife's hand, "I know… I know how strong you are. I have known for years."

"Dear…"

"How could I not…?" Emmett turned to look Meera in the eyes, "We have spent more than half a century together, my love. Do you truly think that I would not notice?"

"I… apologize," Meera closed her eyes, "I could not tell you because—"

"It does not matter," Emmett shook his head, "I love you, and that is all I really need to know. But Meera, it is still true that both of us are knocking on death's door. And you… you are ill."

"...This will pass."

"You uttered those very same words years ago, my love," Emmett sniffled, "Luci… we need to let him go and—"

"Luci!?"

"W…what's wrong!?" Emmett could not help but clutch his chest as Meera suddenly raised her voice out of nowhere, almost deafening his already weak ears. Meera did not answer him, however, as she quickly left the hut and disappeared from everyone's eyes.

"M…Meera, Meera!"

Back in the forest near the hamlet, Luci did not know what to do, as for the very first time in his short life, he was experiencing something he had never felt before — pain. And in this very moment, the only thing he could really think of was to call the person who has always made him feel safe.

He closed his eyes as he did not want to damage any of the trees even further, but the pain from that was too much. And so, he just kneeled on the ground and looked down; instantly burning away all the dried leaves beneath him as the beam of light coming out of his eyes very slowly dug through the dirt.

"Meera!" Luci cried out as he could really see nothing but the melting ground, "H… help, please… plea—"

"Luci!?"

"Meera…?" Luci's breaths instantly started to calm down as he heard Meera's voice. The only thing he wanted to do right now was to run toward her, but when he remembered what happened to the bandits that he just happened to glance in, he kept staring at the burrowing dirt instead.

"Luci!" Meera arrived in the forest in no time at all even with a limp, how that was possible, was a secret she preferred to take to her grave. And as she noticed all the flesh and blood scattered everywhere; the dismembered and mangled corpses, Meera slightly hesitated. Her breaths stuttered and her eyes were trembling as they reflected a memory she no longer wanted to remember.

But as soon as she saw her son groveling on the ground and crying, all of her hesitation disappeared in an instant.

She did not immediately rush toward him, however, as she saw the violent red light beaming from his eyes and obliterating the ground.

7 years. 7 years since Lucifer entered their lives, and besides when he was still a baby, this is the first time that Meera has ever seen Luci cry.

He has never gotten sick, never gotten injured, and never gotten tired. She had been trying her best to hide Luci's abnormal strength from everyone, to the point that she never once allowed Emmett to carry him, even though it truly pains her whenever she saw the disappointment on her husband's face.

Luci is strong… perhaps even more than her. And now, he was once again exhibiting powers beyond her understanding. How… would she even be able to hide this from other people?

"Meera, please…gkh…" Luci almost bit his tongue as a growl escaped his gritted teeth, "It… it hurts."

"!!!" And as she heard those words, Meera quickly shook her head off of the thoughts she was having as she finally rushed to her son's aid.

"L…Luci!" Meera quickly embraced her son as she crouched beside him, "Look at me, Luci… look at me."

"N…no," Luci sniffled; the tears coming out of his eyes, not being allowed to fall as they were instantly vaporized by the heat gushing out from him, "You're… you're going to explode like the bad men. I… I don't want that!"

"It's okay, Luci. It's okay," Meera, however, tried her best to seem calm as she very slowly placed her palm in front of Luci's eyes.

"N…no! Ah!" Luci immediately closed his eyes as he saw Luci's palm, but could not keep them closed for long as the pain scorched his eyelids.

"Luci…kh," Meera grabbed her wrist so that she could lift her palm closer to Luci's raging eyes. And the beam that was able to completely mangle and destroy everything and everyone around him, was really only able to burn and eat away at her flesh bit by bit.

"R…Remove your hand, woman! Remove it!"

"Luci…" And soon, Meera was able to fully cover her son's eyes.

"...Meera?" It was weird. The heat coming from his eyes was enough to burn everything around him, and yet the warmth that he felt cradling his face was all he could really feel.

"It's okay, Luci… it's okay," Meera started brushing the back of Luci's head with her other hand, "Hm? You're strong, right…?"

"Y…yes?" Luci sniffled as the heat coming out from his eyes very slowly started to dissipate, "I'm… I'm the strongest. I'm not… I'm not crying."

"That's right," Meera chuckled softly, "You are the strongest…

…and it's alright to cry."

"I'm not crying!" Luci said as his tears were finally able to fall, and fall onto his mother's hand they did, "I'm not crying!"

"It's fine if you are, everyone cries."

"E…even you?"

"Of course."

"Even… Emmett?"

"Oh, you have no idea, my child," Meera let out a small chuckle, and as she did so, a high-pitched giggle also escaped Luci's lips.

"Meera…" Luci's cute giggles, however, were quickly replaced by a long deep yawn, "I'm… sleepy."

"Okay," Meera laughed and nodded as she could not help but shake her head; the pain in her hand, completely ignored.

"Hm…" And soon, Luci just let his head completely fall onto Meera's palm, "M… Meera."

"Yes, Luci?"

"I love you."

"T—" Meera could feel a sort of wave crash through her entire body as soon as she heard those words. And as soon as she felt Luci's entire weight fall onto her, she quickly embraced him and carried him up; resting her head on his soft cheek,

"I… love you too, Luci. Thank you… thank you for falling into our lives."

Meera remained like this for a few seconds, before finally breathing out and looking at the scene around her.

"How… do I even explain this?" Meera sighed from the carnage. The last thing she wanted was for everyone to discover Luci's abnormal strength. She will never allow Luci to go through the same thing she did.

"K…kh."

"Hm?" Meera quickly turned her eyes toward a struggling whisper, only to see Luke all bloodied up, "You…"

Meera quickly limped toward Luke, letting out a sigh of relief as she noticed him still breathing fine despite his injuries.

"This boy…" Meera squinted her eyes as she stared at Luke for a few seconds, seeing a sort of Aura very slightly burning inside him. And right there and then…

…Meera found her protagonist.