Morticia

CHAPTER FIFTY

Are you someone who'll be emotional with a family reunion situation? I, for one, knew that I wouldn't be. It's not like I have the best knowledge of what a good family is, my familial ties are shit. So I have zero empathy when it comes to these types of situations. Still... When I heard his name...

"Uncle... Kalix..?" Mother's Brother..? Hearing his name, I was reminded of a certain brother Mother had. I said 'had' because that brother went missing. Mom said that her brother went missing when she was but a teen. She missed her brother dearly. I looked at the face that now looked a little like Mother's. I faltered. Am I being emotional right now..?

"Yes, dear. Your uncle is here." He then smiled gently. His eyes reflected a warmth similar to that of the people who cared for me. His actions transitioned into that of kindness. My eyes widened. Is he truly..? "I'm sorry you had to wait for too long..." His eyes drooped and an expression akin to that of pain. My hands trembled.

"Uncle, I..." I started as I slowly stood up trying to go near him. Tears started forming in my eyes. Hearing those words, hearing that he's sorry he was not there when I needed someone, reminded me of Mother. The way he's acting, is it because he's my Mother's brother? Is that why I felt this unusually strong emotion I don't usually feel..?

"It's going to be alright, dear. Uncle's with you now, okay? I won't let you get hurt anymore so come to me..." Those kind eyes smiled and I slowly started walking towards him... It felt like he was the only person there and the only one I should focus on. Everything went quiet. I can't hear the battle outside anymore. No screams, no clashing weapons, no panicked footsteps... Even I can't hear mine...

'...cess.!!!'

'...incess..!!!'

'...Ple...ake...up!!'  Huh..?

'...Wake...!!!!'

'PRINCESS!!!'

 "WAKE UP!!!" I collapsed on the floor, still disoriented. It's as if all the strength in my body disappeared. I looked at my trembling hands with hazy eyes. What... what happened..? I looked around and discovered that I was still in the same room as before. The  Archduke is in front of me maintaining a barrier. A barrier..? I looked ahead and saw a creature. He looked human but at the same time... not?

The creature took the form of a human but his skin is red. His arms were disproportionately long. His hands were akin to animal claws that were glinting like a recently sharpened knife. He had a cloak, with the same insignia as my uncle... But where is my uncle..? I looked closely at the creature...

"Un...cle..?" I asked shocked at the realization that that creature is the one who called himself my 'Uncle Kalix'.

"He's not your uncle, Princess..!!!" The Archduke suddenly sounded which brought my disoriented state back to reality. "He cast a high-level illusory spell on you..!!! You mustn't believe hi--" 

"Draegan!!!" The Archduke went flying at a simple flick this monster made and I struggled to get up as the creature moved towards me. The barrier surrounding me faltered and I gathered every bit of strength I had left to stand on my own two feet. I raised my hands and chanted a spell. Golden light surrounded my fingertips. I then converted them with the use of my mana into tamer versions of it so I could use it like a healing potion. I immediately went beside the Archduke and let him absorb it. 

I then faced the creature. I prepared a set of attack and defense spells I had learned. The creature who referred to himself as my 'Uncle' looked at me silently. He's neither on guard nor being fearful... Just... He's too calm. He seemed confident everything would go as he planned. That made me feel nervous. What was he so confident about..? Earlier, he had spent every last energy he had in flicking the Archduke away. He's wounded and losing energy...

"Truly the mistress of darkness' beloved... I can't believe you have already mastered a few high-level spells within a few months after awakening." He laughed sinisterly at the thought. 

"Shut up!!" I glared at him, trying to prepare for when he might attack. The Archduke is still unconscious which is why I must do all that I can to maintain our protection so we can escape once the Archduke wakes up.

He laughed at my outburst as if he found it amusing. His voice was like the stinging sound when metals were scraped by something. It's hard to hear... "You know... You remind me of a certain girl. Also our beloved mistress of light's dear child. She's tenacious, Haha! Annoyingly so to the point he had captured the eye of the Crown Prince and the suspicions of your paranoid father, The Emperor." The creature looked out the damaged wall and smiled mischievously. 

"Too bad you wouldn't get to meet her." Flicking the debris off his shoulders, He said, " By the time you reach Mortem, she'll be nothing more than a corpse sprawled onto the floor."