Demonic Skies *On Hold*

Chapter 28:

AN: Last chapter for a while completing what I call a 'Book' of this series. 

"You look exhausted," a petite middle aged woman spoke with concern.

The black haired woman's image, reflected in a long mirror. Opposite to her, stood Aidan who was uncharacteristically subdued and quiet, appearing very respectful of the woman.

"Mother...," Aidan replied softly. "I am fine, I assure you," he sounded certain though the woman appeared to not believe him.

The petite black haired woman was indeed Aidan's mother. Though he had not seen her in four years, her slim and ghostly appearance had not changed for the better. It was obvious she was still met with hardships within the harem. It made him furious.

"When are you coming home, child?" Aidan's mother asked again as she always did since his departing of their clan.

"I am almost finished. When I am done I will visit Grandfather before returning home," Aidan had to almost force the word out of his mouth with a feigned smile.

Were it not for his mother, he would not view that place with any connection to him in the least.

His mother, Glea Redstone, came from a minor aristocratic family. Taken a fancy to, his birth father proposed taking her in as a concubine, her father reluctantly accepting. Jealous of his mother, the main wife censored her within the harem, his father barely visiting her after their first night. Bearing a son, her status had gone up but had instead, incurred more harassment on part of the main wife.

It was why her appearance looked so fragile. Almost two decades of this was bound to take its toll, no matter how practiced a warrior she was. Changing their situation was difficult given the status of the main wife and his mother's humble origins in comparison. His father meanwhile remained coldly indifferent to their situation causing Aidan to further resent the man within his heart.

Were it not for the Eighth Elder who took pity on them and helped out when he could, Aidan would have long written off Ormirne Clan as a whole. However, with the Eighth Elder's help, their life had not been all that terrible. He held a prominent position within the clan making the main wife's actions more subdued. It was also because of the Eighth Elder that Aidan could leave his mother behind with his mind at ease.

"Father will love that," Glea smiled brilliantly her complexion almost glowing in that moment. "So where are you now?"

"I am in the Eastern Planes. The ruins this time were beyond my expectations," Aidan lied softly.

Aidan had taken the cover of pursuing his archaeological passions to explain his leaving the clan. No one doubted him, not even his mother. In his research of the Demonic Skies Sect, Aidan had indeed delved deeply into the clan's historical texts. As far as anyone knew, he was indeed exploring various ruins in the outside world.

"I don't like you not having anyone to guard you. The world is dangerous," Glea spoke with concern.

Aidan smiled helplessly. He hardly needed any guarding. Nothing could reflect danger better than anonymity. If anything, the presence of his clan's guards would do no more than to paint a big fat target on his back.

"I am fine mother. It has been almost four years," Aidan replied in a somewhat childish and defiant tone making his mother chuckle slightly.

Within the room, mother and son continued to talk to one another without a care in the world.

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Aidan sat on a couch, reading some of the texts retrieved from the vault. Alieving his mother of her worries, he was now set on walking forward. The vault had indeed been a treasure trove of much needed information.