"The war never ends, the battlefield just changes"~ Omega Squad Teemo (PTSD Teemo)
For the first time in my life.... I have failed an exam. By half a point. This has hit me harder than expected. I'll still upload chapters but my focus right now is on clearing the repair exam.
Annoyed at the fact that one subject was a perfect ten and the other a failing grade.
Forgive the shorter chapter today. I've been a little distracted.
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"They want to see you."
The words annoyed Gregori more than he thought they would. The group were in a proper home, courtesy of the Crownguards. The kids were diligently playing around while he just watched them from the side. He had wrapped Caalyx's head with a towel and just let it sit off to the side.
His magic permeated through the walls and the surroundings to sense for invaders.
Detecting invaders was a lot easier than expected really... magic halted at Petricite. It causes a dead zone in that area. If the dead zone moved positions.... then there was someone there. And if there was no one using Petricitethen the magic would recognize them normally.
GRRR
"WAAA!"
He spotted Faye get launched into the air by Oompa. As she came back down, her magic flowed out of her cushioning her fall making her land softly.
"Gregori. You cannot run from this forever." Eileen coaxed. "It is just one meeting then never again."
He stared thoughtlessly not bothering to form a reply.
"Get it over with Gregori." Caalyx muttered. "We have bigger things to worry about. Your parents and siblings don't even rank high on your list of priorities. Once you are done with this.... I assure you..... you will feel lighter."
Lighter huh.
Gregori did not know if he really wanted to be put in a room with them. They would make up excuses for sure. It did not matter what kind they were. Apologies. Coverups. They would try it all.
He watched Sydell dangle of a piece of metal Rell was floating above the ground. He didn't seem stressed from the height and with Faye and the beasts around there was no real worry for their safety.
Amoline's words echoed in his head. He didn't need revenge or anything of that sort. He just needed to prove that he was living better than they could have ever imagined. He had achieved more than they could ever hope to. And above all..... he had an actual loving family.
"WOAH!" Sydell gasped as he flailed downwards.
Even with the safeguards in place, Gregori moved faster than the rest. His magic spilled forth pull Sydell just enough for his movement to halt. Now he just floated above the ground.
"Didn't even move your arms." Caalyx commented.
"I'm getting better at controlling it." Gregori responded as he set his son down. "The magic just listens to me now. No movement required. No set up."
"You did close your wounds up using it so I would say that you are getting quite adept at controlling it." Caalyx replied, his singular big eye blinking.
"You checked my memory of the battle." Gregori stated.
"Of course." Caalyx replied. "Why else do you think I didn't ask you?"
"Hmm."
"In the upcoming battle...." Caalyx began. "Don't bother using me."
"Don't have your spear." Gregori commented.
Caalyx groaned. "Dumbass I'm right next to you. The literal fucking spear head. You use me to transform and a weaker version of the shaft will form."
"I will not be using you." Gregori muttered "Demacia thinks I'm weak without you and I intend to correct that behavior."
Caalyx chuckled, "Surely it has nothing to do with that Sylas boy. Definitely nothing like beating that one into the ground."
"Fuck off." Gregori cursed.
"Gregori?"
He turned to her.
"Will you reply?" Eileen asked.
"Go ahead Gregori." Caalyx encouraged. "One step forward."
Their previous conversation wasn't something Eileen could hear since they were communicating through their connection and Caalyx couldn't speak to everyone unless he was whole.
Instead of trying to get someone to touch him so that he could take over them, Caalyx planned to use that to just talk with the kids. There was no need to make some idiot pick up the spear when he had the perfect host and this was just so he could have more people to talk to.
"Fine." Gregori answered. "Only once and with me alone."
Eileen tilted her head waiting for clarification.
"My children stay." He explained.
"Ah..." Eileen nodded. "I do not think they would care for them either. Never did care for us. Don't care for Minas's children either."
Gregori fully turned his attention to her, curiosity taking over. "Minas. How is she?"
"Far away from our parents." Eileen answered. "Married to the heir of the leader of a group of traders. Well off family. Our parents wanted a little piece of their pie. But she is happy. Their marriage is a lot better than I could have imagined. She a better mother however. Two children. Both boys. Rowdy little creatures." She had a soft smile as she told Gregori of their sister's life.
"That is... a lot better of an outcome I had expected for her." Gregori sighed. "I had just expected to hate you all. Raised by our parents you surely couldn't have turned out into good people. But you are. Considering your words about Minas... she seems to be happy and away as well. It makes things complicated. I can't bring myself hate you. And the anger I had felt since I was a child just doesn't matter."
They fell into silence.
Eileen did not know how to reply to her brother. How could she? Not when he was fully in the right to hate them.
"Your anger is just from unresolved emotions." Caalyx vibrated underneath the towel, "That meeting will do wonders for you Gregori. It will be an end. One that you desperately need right now."
"After this I will be free." Gregori spoke out to no one in particular. "All the unresolved feelings.... they'll be gone. I'll finally be able to focus on what really matters."
"And what is that?" Caalyx prodded.
"Them." He gestured to the kids. "They matter the most. I'll raise them big and strong. And happy."
"Then you are thinking in the right direction."
Gregori nodded.
"Minas isn't the only one you know." Eileen broke their silence.
"Hm?" Gregori turned.
Eileen wasn't looking at him but at the kids, "I said Minas isn't the only one." She faced Gregori. "You are a good father as well. Your kids love you and you love them."
She turned back to the kids, "It is enough to make one jealous. What if we were raised with love?" Her voice was shaky.
"Eileen.." Gregori tried to console her.
"Its fine." Eileen composed herself. "This isn't something that matters anymore."
The sibling duo looked at the playing children in silence.
-x-
"Eileen is bringing him tonight." Maer announced to his wife and son.
Vale sat back haughtily, "He has seven children. Probably couldn't keep it in his pants. Filthy mongrel."
Alain just stood silently. Titan's words at the court had flipped everything on its head. His family's as well as his own reputation was taking hit after hit. People who would once fear to make eye contact now openly mocked them for betraying one of their own.
Those hypocrites. They did the very same.
His eyes landed on his parents.
Though those hypocrites ensured that they finished the job.
These two however..... too in over themselves. Too absorbed in their own delusions.
"We can try to have Alain become the host to his other weapon." Vale spoke. "He probably became a host of the weapon due to his blood."
"Our blood." Maer continued. "That is probably what made him special. No other way for him to have entered into a contract with a weapon that killed over a hundred soldiers as an afterthought."
"We can make sure he doesn't return from the upcoming battle." Vale floated an idea.
Maer smiled. "What a wonderful idea!"
Alain stood off to the side. He had been thinking of something similar. An assassination would be easy enough but that would be obvious as to who ordered it. A death in a battlefield? That was fine. No one was immortal after all. And he didn't have the weapon to protect him.
His parents were right in trying to eliminate Titan.
It wasn't about glory or typing up loose ends.
Titan was a problem simply because he also held claim to the throne. That claim put his own in danger. If Jarvan passed, the nobles would have to hold a vote between him and Titan. Currently, Titan would have more supporters. The existence of the weapon automatically put him ahead.
"What do you think son?"
The words brought him out of his thoughts as he put on a fake smile to appease his parents.