Chapter 234: A Pitiful Reunion

"Moulin!"

The warning was delayed. Moulin turned only to face a dagger rapidly aiming towards his throat. He could not dodge in time. His body had become sluggish and was impossible for him to evade it fast.

However, he felt an invisible force yank him to the side.

Splash!

He fell into the pool of blood and corpses. Red splattering on his exquisite face.

It was brief. Too faint to be heard, but Moulin could hear it loud and clear.

The sound of a blade stabbing flesh. The sound of blood spewing.

A sharp groan.

A thud.

Moulin feared it all. He lifted his body, turned his head, and stopped. There, his eyes met his dear mother's bleeding stomach. Blood streaming down her abdomen. She had already fallen, a dagger imbedded deeply in her gut. With a paling face, her breath stuttered. The hilt of the blade protruded from her stomach. The blade ruthlessly imbedded in her abdomen. However, although wounded, she mustered the last of her strength and instantly sent down sharp billows of wind to crush the half-dead red robed man. He perished in an instant.

"M-Mother!" Moulin cried out. He scrambled his way towards her, nearly stumbling on a corpse, but he didn't care. Blood soaked his knees down his his toes.

Without hesitation, he held onto her sagging body. Fear seemed to thunder inside his chest. His hand trembled in fright. For the first time, his mind was blank. He didn't know to do. Panic surged in his blood.

"D-Don't… touch me…" She breathes out, feeling more blood spilling down from her stomach. "You will be infe-"

"I don't care!" Moulin shouted as he held her hand. This time his mind cleared, and he knew that if he wanted to make his mother stay in this world, he needed to move quickly. He ripped off a strip of the blankets and pressed down on her wound. His hands were still shaking. Eyes watering, and he didn't bother to hide it anymore. "Y-You'll be alright. It's okay. You will be fine." His voice was shaking. Desperation layered his silver eyes, and Lady Maxiel's heart ached even more. She already knew she was too weak to recover.

"I-I will find father. You will be okay… Y-You will be-"

"Moulin…"

A delicate hand palmed his cheek.

Moulin stopped. A tear fell down from his eyes, a desperate cry threatened to escape his mouth.

Her eyes softened. It was the gaze she always used to comfort Moulin. But Moulin didn't want to look at it. He found it heart-wrenching. Painful.

She smiled. It looked sweet, but he knows it is the last that she will give him. She cooed him gently. A comforting hum to ease her son's sorrow. She could not promise him anything, for it will only hurt him even more. With moist eyes, she could only pray… pray to keep her family safe…

Tomorrow, she will watch over him… and the day after that… and the day after…

Until…

"Don't say anything… "Moulin shook his head as he spoke brokenly. "Please don't… You can't…"

"Moulin…" Her voice slowly softens. Her eyes slowly drooping. "B-Be safe… let your mother… rest… for a while…"

"Please…" Moulin begged with a broken heart. It felt as though a knife had carved out his heart and ruthlessly stabbed it a thousand times. "Please…"

His arms held her tight. Nothing mattered anymore. He would give everything to bring her peace. She had already suffered enough. No more… She didn't deserve this…

She didn't deserve this…

It should've been him…

"It's all my fault…" He cried out. Tears flowing down his face. "I will take it all… so please… stay…" His shaking hand stroking her cooling arms.

Please don't leave me. I beg you, don't leave me. I will do anything, I will do anything… Please…

But the hand that held his cheek slowly fell.

…

A deadly silence responded to his cries. A cold pale body laid on his arms.

"Mom?…" Moulin cradles her.

…

"Mom?…",

…

"Please…"

But it is only silence that responded.

An agonizing cry fled from his lips.

Within the room of corpses, the pitiful young man holds his mother. Heart torn to shreds. To lose someone so good… so loved… was a cruel torture. He had just received it… that exquisite love. Now he had lost it.

Cry after cry…

He held her tight, not noticing the footsteps that were so clear to his ears. But he doesn't move. He doesn't hear anything.

With a tearful face, he presses his lips to her forehead. His trembling breath brushing her skin delicately. Moulin embraces her tightly. "Please… come back… please come back…" He begged her.

'She is not coming back…'

An ominous voice spoke behind him. A shadow enshrouded Moulin's pitiful form, looming dangerously. Moulin shook his head, refusing to believe it. His tears dampened her blood stained gown as his shoulders trembled.

'She is dead…'

There was comfort in the stranger's voice.

"No…" Moulin leans his head to his mother's cheek with a cry. "She will come back… She will wake up… "

She will wake up and he would tell her his stories again. He will hear her sweet words again. He will hear her laugh, bear her anger, and her tears again. See her smile at him…

Moulin sobs miserably. His breath stuttered. His head kept shaking, forcing himself to believe this was all just a nightmare. And when he wakes up, she will be there waiting for him… comforting him with her gentle touch.

But the truth was painful…

…

The sharp blade of the dagger glinted dangerously under the light.

'I can bring her back…'

'You will see her again…'

'She will be well once more…'

Moulin stopped. Dazedly allured by the offer. 'She will… come back?'

'All will be well once again…'

'Anything you wish… her life will return…'

Moulin stared down at his mother's pale, lifeless face. She looked to be at peace. Bitter pain lingered in her face, but she looked tranquil. As though she was just asleep… but can never be awoken.

"You… can bring her back?…" He muttered softly with unblinking eyes. A crazed desperation shaped his face.

'Yes…'

The man answered. A sinister delight filled his tone. The voice now sounded near, as though whispering just an inch beside the youth's ear. Hypnotic and tantalizing. It did well to comfort Moulin's torn heart.

"Please…"

Moulin cradles his mother as he whispered brokenly. Eyes filled with tears, he turned his head.

His moist eyes met glowing blood-red eyes. Curved sinisterly. A grim smile plastered on the man's lips. His features were alluring. A svelte body with long black hair. Light outlined the two twisted horns on his forehead.

Arms… scarred in strips.

… and a blade raised over his head, ready to plunge down.

'Soon…' the man spoke happily. A menacing grin revealed before Moulin's silver eyes. 'You will meet her…'

Moulin was trapped in a dazed tranced. No longer able to feel threatened. Life a lifeless doll…

The sight looked lovely to the demon's eyes. Oh, how long had he waited for this day… Finally…

'In the afterlife.'

With those words, the blade swiftly lowered for the slaughter.

BOOOMMMM!!!

A terrifying flash of golden lightning shattered all the windows. The wave of mighty energy was so powerful and bright it blinded every single person inside the room.

"AHHH!" the black robed demon screamed. It was not out of pain, but of frustration.

When the light receded, a tall dominant form shielded Moulin's grievous kneeling figure. A red cape, too red for blood to be visible, was what fluttered before Moulin's tragic eyes. A black sword, stained with blood. Golden hair gleamed gloriously under the light.

Fierce eyes of burning gold scrutinized the demon before him. Any man would cower under its frightful gaze.

Lord Hadrian Hercullio's soul burned with extreme rage. Any enemy would die under his blade and he would devour them. Not even their bones would be spared.

Starting with the demon in front of him…

"You!!!!" the demon screamed. It sounded as though there were voices speaking along with his words. A ghastly, demonic tone.

"I will kill you!!!"

Hadrian's eyes flashed. "You will be dead before you can even lift a finger."

Flash!

An enormous beam of lighting violently struck towards the demon. However, he only cackled before black miasma was released from his body to collide with Hadrian's attack.

Boom!

What he didn't expect was his power to be devoured effortlessly by the radiant beam. In a blink of an eye, it struck his barrier, shattering it completely. A fierce electric charge engulfed his body, and he screamed. He was flung backwards, crashing to the wall with a loud painful bang!

Thud, the demon, fell to the ground. black liquid poured from his mouth.

Hadrian didn't let his guard down.

True to his expectation, the wounds on the creature's body healed in a blink of an eye. In the next second, he was standing with wide, grotesque eyes.

"Impossible!" He screeched. "You're a mere mortal! How?!"

Hadrian only narrowed his eyes as he brandished his sword. Violent crackles of electricity surrounded his figure. Golden eyes turned cold.

Gritting his teeth, the demon glanced at Moulin. He clenched his fist around the dagger in his hand. 'It is not over…'

'Fate will bring you to me…' he hissed.

Hadrian's eyes darkened dangerously. But he was a step too late as he witnessed the demon being engulfed by the cloud of miasma and disappearing before his eyes.

Silence filled the room…

The scent of blood filled Hadrian's senses. When he turned his head, he stared at Moulin's trembling form.

The youth was hugging his mother's body. Sobbing brokenly and sorrowfully caressing his mother's serene face, as if waiting for her eyes to open. The dagger was already pulled out. Shattered into fragments beside Moulin's knees.

The man lowered his body, crouching beside the youth he had longed to see. He had imagined what their reunion would be like, but he had never expected for it to be this way. Seeing the bloodstained Moulin, calling his mother in mournful mumbles, his cheeks stained by tears, despair plaguing his heart, Hadrian could not help but feel his heart aching as well.

"Moulin…" He called softly. Gently, he grasped Moulin's shoulder. "Come…"

Moulin shakes his head. "No…" His breath was pausing as he held his mother tighter. "She will feel lonely again… I can't… I can't leave her again…"

Hadrian pulled the youth to lean on his shoulder, glancing at the woman held within his lover's embrace.

"Please…" Moulin began to beg once more. "Save her… I will do anything…"

Hadrian lowered his gaze. The misery in those silver eyes seemed to carve a hole inside his chest. With a tight grip on Moulin's shoulder, he looked at the woman.

"For you… "Hadrian turned to Moulin. "… Anything"

He lifted his hand towards Lady Maxiel's body. His palm hovering over her chest. Gradually, a faint icy glow illuminated her figure.

A frigid sheet of frost slowly layered her lifeless body. Encasing her corpse into a capsule. Moulin stared in a spiritless daze. Watching as his mother's body glowed brightly, too bright to be seen anymore. When the light faded, she was gone. And before panic flooded Moulin's heart, he watched as a blue crystal levitated in the air.

Hadrian took it in his grasped a flash of light glowed before he handed it to Moulin.

A blue crystal necklace was passed on Moulin's palm. Moulin looked at Hadrian with a tear-streaked face.

"Her soul hasn't left this world yet. Her inner soul and her body shall be preserved for now. We will find a way… So…" Hadrian said softly as he wiped away the tears threatening to fall at the corner of the youth's eyes.

"Don't cry…"

"…" Moulin lips quivered. He could not stop his tears from falling once again.

Lowering his head, he kissed the crystal in his grasp. "Thank you… Thank you…"

He leaned on the man's chest with trembling shoulders. Hadrian did not feel even a bit of delight at the contact. Like his lover, there was only relief, surging like a wave to flood his aching heart.