Wings: More Than Just Two Worlds

Chapter 5: Mirror Image

Leo Azuré

Age: 25

Species: Iridescent

If the world wants to take away the only person who touched my soul more than body, then I will gladly take away the glue that holds society together. The world will suffer in my hands feeling the same intolerable pain I felt when illness claimed her and brought her to an early grave.

I gazed out the window in my office with minute patiency. What was that brat thinking taking Esoteric outside the castle? Esoteric could have gotten injured, or worse, died. Then what, let Cyrus be next in line for the throne? I think not. Someone that weak would make the kingdom out to be a laughing stock. If Cyrus died, it wouldn't matter. In fact, I would prefer if he did. I only kept him under my wing because I loved him, he's my son, but loosing Eve taught me the world doesn't care about love. If you are weak you will die, there is no way around it, may it be physical or mental weakness, you will die. Cyrus is not only physically weak, mentally he is as well. His IQ may be astonishing, thanks to my superior genes and the environment I graciously gave him, but his morality gets in the way of what's number one, himself. My thinking is critical when considering he is only five, but the world doesn't care about age so why should I?

Cyrus entered my office sniffling. I sensed he was crying earlier, such a weak boy. He hesitantly made his way to a brown leather chair. The mahogany desk divided us. I turned around, pounding my fist on the desk as I hissed, "How dare you! You can't simply stab me in the back, you have to rub salt in my wound too. You disobeyed the most IMPORTANT rule! You know not to be alone!"

He gripped the arms of the chair tightly. I could hear the slight squeaking of the leather. He replied, mono toned, "Why did you change? Why is it when mommy died you died too? I mean, I saw what you did to the clone of mommy. And I know what you really do in the lab... but... what I really want to know is... why did you decide to keep Project N and Project K?"

"Do you really want to know," I queried, raising one eyebrow, "Your sweet little innocence is already gone, so I don't mind telling you. You just might not like the answer."

"I want to know," Cyrus projected, then became quiet when adding, "Please."

I smiled, somewhat pleased with my cunning idea, "Project N is a Princess, she's the daughter of a careless king, who is trying to invade my kingdom. You see, this king is an Incandescent, wearing the wings of a hideous bat, however his daughter is Iridescent. She wears the same wings as you and I. Do you see where I'm going with this?"

"I think I do. This king is an Incandescent, so he has to be a king of an Incandescent kingdom. And if the king were to have a child of a different species it would upset the people."

I grinned, for once satisfied with my child's response, "For this reason, he kept her a secret from his kingdom. After losing his wife, all he has is her. I'm keeping her as collateral. I know he will think twice before invading my kingdom, he loves that girl with all his heart. As for project k, he's a pawn I'm planning to use later in my game of chess."

"But why turn them into experiments?"

"I collected a vast range of people to test; however, they are all too old for what I want to achieve. Your mom-"

"She's not my mom."

"Eve, is going to carry a child. A child I want to be strong in every way possible, but I can't accomplish this unless I can test some serums. Project N, Project K, the other project you saw in the checkup room and his sister. All four of them are perfect specimens."

Cyrus screamed at me for the first time in his life, "It's not right Dad!"

"Did you hear me?! I'm testing a serum that will make people stronger! It will also work on you! Just look at your bones, I can see them protruding from your skin and you eat glutinously every day! You need this!"

Cyrus claimed, standing up from the chair, "NO LEO! IF THEY HAVE TO SUFFER, I DON"T NEED ANYTHING!" That was when I lost the title dad. From then on, he called me by my first name. His face twitched as he held back his tears. His mother's spirit lived inside him. He ended our conversation with, "I'm not like you Leo. You see the world as ugly, but I see it as beautiful," and then he stormed out.

I touched the picture on my desk of me and the one true Eve from our early days, mumbling the words, "You're just like your mother."