A Mother's Story
By Risa
Disclaimer: See Chapter 1
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Chapter 5
Elizabeth looked at her son with increasing frustration. Cole was sitting in a corner of the room, with his knees pulled up to his chin and was staring forward. For two days now he had refused to move and refused to eat. Elizabeth was beginning to get worried. She was not just worried about what that would do to his health. If Cole continued like this, he might get killed by some demon. It was bad enough that he was dismissed contemptuously by most as a half breed. Elizabeth was well aware that they tolerated his presence because of her. If he proved himself to be weak and of no use, they might just decide to kill him.
This could not carry on any further. She decided to use a different approach.
"Cole," she said as she walked closer to him and knelt down so that they were at eye level. "Cole, look at me," she said sternly.
The boy stared at her with hate-filled eyes.
"I killed your father Cole," she said with a pang of pain in heart as she saw the hate in his gaze grow fiercer. "You know why? He was human. Weak. Defenceless. He was no longer of any use to me…"
She continued in that vein as the anger in the boy's face grew. Then, as the boy stood up, he became the small red figure that Elizabeth had hardly seen.
Belthazor.
He flung an energy ball at Elizabeth, who easily dodged it. The young boy was consumed with anger at her mother and was blind to the pain in her eyes. She did not gain any satisfaction from the exercise. If she could, she would have left Cole as the human boy that he had once been. But if she did that, he wouldn't be able to survive in the Underworld. And yet, she could not let him go. She could not bring herself to leave him alone in the human world. Besides, with all that he had seen and his half-demonic nature, he would never be a normal human.
Raynor had also made it increasingly clear over the past few days that leaving was not an option for either of them. A part of her wondered about that. There was some part of the puzzle that she was missing. Why hadn't Raynor just killed them? Why couldn't he let them go back? Why hadn't she been punished at all for what she had done – which was tantamount to treason?
It was with these questions and a deep pain and sorrow in her heart that Elizabeth left her quarters. After flinging the energy ball, Cole had reverted to his human form and stared at his hand in amazement. Then he had glared at his mother, demanding an explanation, which Elizabeth had delivered in a cold, perfunctory manner. It was too much for the boy to take at once and he had retreated back to his corner. Soon, exhaustion overcame him and he fell asleep. He had not had any proper training and releasing an energy ball at this stage was too physically demanding for him.
Elizabeth walked into cavern after cavern, hardly knowing where she was going. She simply needed to move around as she sorted through her thoughts. Then she heard a familiar voice quite clearly – Raynor's.
Somehow she had found her way to Raynor's quarters. She should have turned back, but a part of her was too curious. Besides, turning back would have definitely drawn attention to her presence. She hid herself in the shadows and carefully masked her presence both mentally and physically.
Raynor was talking to another demon. "Do you have it?"
"Yes," the other demon said. He was thin and tall and his midnight black hair was carefully in place. His greyish-blue eyes showed confusion. "Though why should you want to have that human's soul I do not know."
"Insurance, Tatra, insurance," Raynor replied. "We have brought Elizabeth and her son back to the fold but we need to make sure that they stay here."
"But there's no need for insurance, Raynor," Tatra protested. "Your plan is secure enough. She will never know that it was you who orchestrated that scene at the witch's house by getting another demon to assume the form of a witch while you assumed that of her husband. That you had deceived her into thinking that that human had betrayed her so that she will kill him."
Elizabeth stood in the shadows in stunned horror. That horror quickly turned into rage. How could she have been so blind? How could she not have made certain before she took action? She wanted to kill Raynor, and she would have if she hadn't been aware that she would lose. She might have a chance at winning if Raynor was alone, but not when there were two of them. Besides, there was still Cole to think of.
The thought of her son brought tears to her eyes. How could she have been so wrong? How could she murder her husband – the one man that she had ever loved? In spite of her grief and anger, she continued listening to the conversation.
"There is no such thing as over-insurance Tatra," Raynor reprimanded. "You should know better then that. But come, we have other things we must do," with that, the two of them began to walk away.
When she was certain that both of them were out of distance, she shimmered back to her quarters. She packed her few possessions and carried Cole in her arms. Just as she did so, the boy began to stir. When he realised who was carrying him, he began to struggle. It was then that Raynor shimmered into her room.
"And where do you think you're going?" he said casually.
"Away from here," she said flatly. "I know what you did. You made me think Benjamin was having an affair, so that I'd kill him. I'm not going to stay here and let you continue making use of me."
"You have no choice," he said then, as he opened his palm. A small, white orb appeared in his palm. "I have your husband's soul. If you leave now, I'll destroy it."
"No!" she shouted as she put Cole on the floor and rushed Raynor for the orb. Raynor shimmered out of reach. He tightened his hand over the orb and said threateningly, "You will do as I say. You'll stay here with your son and you'll bring you son up as a demon. If not, I'll destroy this soul faster than you can even blink."
"Why should I even follow what you say? You're just going to keep Benjamin's soul in captivity. That might be a worse fate than destruction."
"Ah! But I might return you his soul once the Source is satisfied that Belthazor is sufficiently evil and loyal to the Source. Do you dare give up the slightest chance that you might be able to get back your husband's soul?"
"Why?" Elizabeth shouted helplessly. "What do you want with us?" What Raynor had said was true. She could not risk the destruction of her husband's soul. She had already done him too much wrong. She owed him too much and she loved him too much. If there was a glimmer of hope that his soul might be released, Elizabeth would do whatever was needed.
"Your son has the potential to be one of the most powerful demons. The Source doesn't want to lose such potential," Raynor replied. He did not reveal that in fact, the prophecy had been fulfilled. Cole had the potential to ultimately destroy or aid in the destruction of the Source – unless they could defy the prophecy by turning Cole to the side of evil.
Elizabeth looked at Raynor in defeat. She had no other choice at this point. "All right. I'd do it. But why do you want me to train him?"
He laughed. "Your son's hatred for you is the fastest and best way of turning him evil. Besides, you have nothing else to do and you are one of the strongest demons around. So I suppose you have decided to follow my instructions?"
"As if I had a choice," Elizabeth muttered. Raynor merely smiled humourlessly at her. Then he walked over to Cole. The boy had heard and understood everything. All the anger and hatred he felt towards his mother was now directed to Raynor. Raynor passed his hand over Cole's face and Cole felt his eyes shut.
"What are you doing to him?" Elizabeth cried in panic.
"I'm just removing all his memories of this little conversation we had. He might remember this someday and it might turn him against evil – which would defeat the entire purpose of this little exercise."
She looked at her now sleeping son in hopeless despair. I'm so sorry Cole, she said to him silently. She leaned down and caressed her son's hair. Forgive me for what I have to do, for turning you evil.