(A/n: Thank you for the fave :) Trigger warning: mentions of child abuse)
Chapter 32: A Mother And Her 'Son'
Faint lights peek through the clouds fouled by darkness. Morning has come. The air is crisp, despite the dreary environment. The grass is black and dry, the raindrops the clouds would sometimes produce did not saturate them properly, and the lack of sunlight further deteriorated their health. Unlike the buildings, the streets aren't badly damaged. The last remaining residents here have been doing their best to keep the whole place stable enough for them to continue to reside in, fending off any monsters that dared to cause any calamity. The few survivors and the moderately good conditions of the area and beyond are proof of their hard-earned success.
On top of a rundown convenience store that only has its doors and windows busted is a nest, a big nest. It was made from a multitude of dead tree branches. Sleeping within it is a crow monster and its six babies that look a bit bigger than the average chick.
The mother's eyes snap open, then it sits up, waking its children. They let out distorted high-pitched cries, but get immediately silenced by their mother's loud caw. The winged monster stands up, hops out of the nest, then takes off into the air, the gust triggered by its big wings rustling its roost.
It searches for some breakfast. No other crow monsters are up at the moment, so it has to be quick. It isn't in the mood to fight nor share its prey with the others.
There aren't any more animals to feast on, not in this area, at least. Most of them were eaten or were turned into monsters by the Dark Master's magic. Now the humans are the creatures' only source for food. Coincidentally, the mother crow monster spots two of them below: a woman with long, black hair holding a little boy's hand, whose blonde hair is short and a bit disheveled. It decides to be stealthy instead of raucously conspicuous this time. It starts flapping its wings as lightly as it can so as to not create any sounds as it approaches the oblivious pair.
"Mom, I'm hungry," says the boy, his royal blue eyes looking pleadingly up at the woman. He's dressed in a brown shirt with white long-sleeves coming out of the short-sleeves and faded blue jeans, on his feet are a pair of brown leather ankle boots. His mother remains quiet as she continues to stare nowhere else but forward, her light blue eyes deprived of their natural shine. She's wearing a black short-sleeved shirt, black baggy pants, and dirty white sneakers on her feet. The boy pouts at her lack of care, but then widens his eyes. "Oh! Can I eat that?!" He asks excitedly, pointing behind him.
Aware that it's been spotted, the large crow monster picks up speed as it lets out a deafening caw.
The child's mother responds by letting go of his hand. She doesn't stop to see what he will do, she's seen his way of eating often enough times to make her sick to her stomach. She ignores the sickeningly loud crunch, and the crow monster's anguished screeching, preventing her mind from imagining the disgusting scene that's happening behind her.
Five minutes later, there are no more sounds, until she hears footsteps approaching, hurrying to catch up. The boy giggles happily as he grabs her hand.
"That was reeeally juicy~"
The woman's face contorts into a slight grimace of disgust. "Wipe your mouth."
"Oh right." The boy does as told, cleaning his mouth with his shirt, though his whole face needs to be cleaned as well.
"Quite the appetite he has."
The woman and child stop, then slowly turn around. They see a man dressed as if he used to work in an office, his eyes barely perceivable behind the lens of his glasses.
The boy casts his nervous eyes to his mother. "M-mom...-"
"Who are you?" The woman asks, emotionless yet stern. She didn't hear any additional footsteps, nor felt a third presence nearby. For this man to suddenly be here, he cannot be normal.
"Someone you needn't feel anxious towards," says the dark-haired male, which doesn't make him sound any less suspicious, despite his sincerity. "I'm here to help the both of you."
The woman's skepticism doubles. "Why?"
"Because it's my duty." The man points at something, which is behind the mother and child. "I assume that mansion isn't where you're heading, but I suggest going there. Deformed birds aren't the only entities out here."
The woman is aware of the mansion in the distance, thanks to its towering height and lights, and indeed has no plans of going there. They've been wandering every single day, since the world became shadowed by evil. They only stopped to rest or when the day was close to ending, taking shelter in whatever building that was nearby.
"C-can we go there?"
The woman lowers her narrowed eyes at the boy. Purple blood is smeared around his mouth, and some splatters stained his cheeks, forehead, and hair, his eyes are pleading. Disgusting.
"He can eat actual food there, as well as get thoroughly cleaned up. Of course you can too."
The woman looks back at the man. "Will there also be a cure there?"
"...I cannot say."
Dissatisfied with his answer, the woman turns around, forcing the child to do the same.
"He is still your son, Niah. No matter what he has become now."
Startled, the woman spins around, releasing the child's hand. The man is gone. A chilly breeze blows. Now feeling uneasy, the noirette turns back around and goes into a slow walk. The boy grabs her cold, slack hand, and squeezes.
/
Her life was never the same after he came into her life. She thought that he loved her just as much as she loved him, but she was wrong and naive. Very naive. She was merely that man's source for sexual pleasure, nothing more, yet she was utterly clueless.
It was all done out of love, was what she believed, having not a single doubt it could've been anything else.
When she conceived her first child, she started seeing the man less...
/
"Mom?"
The young voice fades in Niah's eardrums. She blinks her dull eyes slowly, noticing that they've stopped before several steps leading up to double wooden doors. The porch light is on. She inspects where they are; the mansion appears to be in good condition, same with the fountain behind them, it's still functioning as intended, pouring out fresh water. There are a few costly looking cars neatly parked in the curved driveway, which all appear as if they have been properly taken care of.
Niah puts a foot on the first step, but the boy doesn't move. This confuses her. She looks back at the child, who is giving the large abode an uneasy stare. He hasn't completely gotten the purple blood off of his face.
"Come," she says.
The boy's lips tighten into a trembling line. "I...I'm scared."
Niah narrows her eyes. "Why?"
"T-they might hurt me..."
This must be another one of his premonitions, Niah thinks. She was once doubtful of his intuition, but after witnessing an incident occur precisely as he described it, she began to trust his forewarnings. "Then let's leave."
"Zhat's not a wise choice," says a masculine voice, his German accent thick but comprehensible.
The boy cowers behind his mother, clutching her pants leg. She can feel him shaking as she looks at the person, who is standing in front of the doors with his arms folded behind his back. This is the second time someone snuck up on them. Thanks to the porch light, she can see the man's features and attire: his blonde-silver hair is short and scruffy, and his sharp-shaped eyes are grey-blue. He's wearing a black suit tailored for a butler, the color of his tie is blue. He steps aside to push one of the doors open, his hand covered in a white glove.
"Please, come in."
"I'll have to decline," Niah says firmly.
"I understand your reason for being hesitant, however no one in zhis household will treat your son any differently, seeing as how he poses no threat to humans."
Niah remains uncertain. How does he know the boy won't ever harm a human being one day? There's a possibility he might crave human flesh, and she's sure she will his first victim.
"A-are you telling the truth?"
The man offers the timid child a small smile. "Yes."
His candor eases the boy's fears and doubts, but Niah still doesn't believe him. "I have one question," Niah says.
"Yes?"
"Is there a way to cure to him?"
The man's mien shifts into a frown. "Zhere is, however you won't find it here, I'm afraid."
Niah experiences a big wave of disappointment. She's beginning to think that a cure doesn't even exist, that she was lied to. No one she's asked has been able to provide her anything, not even a clue, and it's really frustrating.
A tug on her pants leg pulls her from her thoughts, seeing the boy beckoning for them to go inside, looking quite eager. The expression irks her.
"Che."
They walk up the steps. As soon as they're inside, warm, scented air and a lavish foyer greets them. The man pulls the door closed.
"Wooow," the boy says, amazed.
"First, we will get you two cleaned up and into new clothes." The man claps his hands twice. Six figures magically appear in the center of the lobby, making the child jump. Three of them are women and they're wearing maid outfits, and the other three that are men are wearing black suits with red ties. The male Niah now assumes is the head butler walks in front of her and the boy, a cordial smile on his pale face. "Zhen, you both will be sent to zhe dining hall for breakfast."
The women approach Niah and the men go to boy. One man gently pries his hands from his mother's pants leg, then they are escorted to separate rooms.
/
The next couple of months were abysmal. She did not want to bear the responsibility for caring for a child all by herself.
In a state of desperation, she searched for her lover every day, from morning to night, begging strangers if they'd seen the man in the photo she showed them. Most of the answers were...no.
The police were her last resort. She felt some hope when she was told that they would investigate his missing whereabouts.
Finally, some help.
But as the days went by, she received no updates on the investigation. Not how it was going, not if it was still in progress, not if they found any leads. Nothing.
She was growing impatient and anxious, and the baby's constant wailing was starting to anger her.
Before she even realized it, utter silence filled the house. She missed how blissful it used to be here...
/
"This looks so good!"
Niah stares blankly at her food while the child eats as if he hasn't eaten in days. They were given three strips of bacon, two biscuits, and scrambled eggs. Niah was offered a cup of coffee since she didn't voice out her preferred beverage, and the boy was given a glass of orange juice. Hearing him eat makes Niah's stomach churn, she's only ever heard such sounds while he was gorging on monsters.
"Is the food not to your liking?"
Niah looks up. Sitting further down the long and scantily decorated table is the owner of this mansion—a young man with colored skin and navy-blue eyes, his black hair is styled into a short ponytail. Standing beside his chair is the head butler. Three more people are sat on either side of the table close to the Young Master, quietly eating their food: two are females (one has the same skin tone as him, black hair that reached the middle of her back, and her eyes are dark blue, and the second girl has long, light brown hair that's arranged into pigtails and jade green eyes), and the other person is a male, who has short, slight curls in his brown hair and is wearing glasses that have dark lenses. Perhaps he's blind? They are all dressed in expensive, casual clothing. One of the maids informed her about these teens while they were checking which clothes fit her, that they're all friends who lost their parents to corruption when they were children. They have Inner Guardians, spirits she was already aware of, though only one of them is here in the building. Their host is the Young Master.
Niah silently begins eating, picking up a biscuit. It's soft and the taste is buttery and sweet. It's delicious, but she doesn't express it.
"Mom?"
She slides her eyes over at the child, unable to contain a grimace at the crumbs on his face and new clothes. He points a nervous finger at her plate, his own plate empty. "C-can I have-" Already knowing what he wants, she nudges her plate towards him. He beams. "Thank you!" Then he begins to chow down again.
Niah nibbles on the biscuit, forcing herself to eat even though her appetite is gone.
After everyone is done eating, the head butler claps once, and the maids and butlers appear posthaste to take the dishes away.
"So," says the Young Master, addressing Niah. "Are you and your son planning to stay or-"
"No, we only stopped by because we were advised to. Sorry for the inconvenience."
The teen shakes his head with a small smile. "It was no trouble at all."
"Yeah, you two can stay for as long as you want. Young Master Tolkien wouldn't mind," says the girl with ebony hair, her tone going from altruistic to cheeky. Her rich friend rolls his eyes but not in an objecting manner.
"Ooo, can we stay, mom?! Please?"
Niah's cold eyes narrow into a peeved glare at the boy. "No, and wipe your mouth." His optimism deflates into fear as he quickly does as ordered, using a napkin that's on the table.
"Miss?" Niah looks to the person who addressed her formally, it was the girl with light brown hair, her eyes displaying her confusion and discomfort. "It's way too dangerous out there-"
"I am well aware. Still...I want my child back to normal, and I will risk anything, even my life, to find a cure for him."
The three teens could tell that the woman meant every word she said from her eyes and tone. There's now some tension in the air, making almost everyone in the room visibly uncomfortable.
"Ahem, may I say somezhing?"
Young Master Tolkien nods his head. "Go ahead, Sullivan."
The head butler looks at the stone-faced woman. "Have you ever came across a Being of Darkness?"
"Once, but that was so long ago," Niah answers. She can't accurately recall where, but the encounter left a deep impression on her. "I know what you're thinking, that monster didn't infect my child."
"What makes you so certain?" Sullivan asks.
Niah's posture tenses while her face remains stoic, about to reply when someone else beats her to it.
"I-it's because her s-son is infected w-with s-something e-else."
Unable to hide her shock, Niah looks at the teenager in glasses, whose attention is to the boy. "Do you know what it is?" Niah asks him.
He shakes his head. "I d-don't, but..." He turns his head towards Niah's direction. "Whatever it is, i-it's t-turning him into a monster."
Niah almost laughs and blurts out that he already is one, but merely says, "I see..."
"Miss, would you mind staying for awhile?" Asks the Young Master. "We wanna look into what's infected your son."
Niah doesn't get her hopes up. "Okay."
Everyone stands up from their seats. Young Master Tolkien, along with his friends and Sullivan, approach the boy, stopping him from following his mother, who leaves without looking back.
/
Regret could come in many forms and could have different effects.
The feeling started off weak at first, after she fell in love with a selfish man. Then, it began to get stronger.
One day, she reached her limit. She yearned to be free from this torment.
Since the bastard who turned her life upside down was brutally and rightfully murdered, she took her frustrations out on the child she had with him. He was also at fault.
For nine years, she had to put up with his every need. It was always about him, and never about her. Why? Why didn't anyone care about her?! Didn't she deserve sympathy?
No.
Not anymore.
By the time she regained her senses, she's crying and her hands were covered in warm blood. The small body on the floor was not moving nor breathing.
That day, her life plunged even deeper into darkness, while the citizens of South Park and everyone else across the world, were beginning to fall into the murky waters.
Tolkien
Tolkien and the others are walking down a long corridor, their footsteps muffled by a red carpet.
Tolkien is trying to understand the mother and her son's relationship. He got the feeling that she loved but also hated her own child, although her hatred is stronger than her affection. As for the child himself, it's clear that he loves his mother very much and perhaps longs for her to feel the same way. No matter what he's becoming, he maintained his childlike innocence. It pains Tolkien to know that a parent and child have a love-hate relationship, the mother's detestation reminds him of his own parents. Ever since the Being of Darkness appeared in his and friends' old hometown twelve years ago, his mother and father have shown him nothing but genuine hate. Though, he guesses he should be lucky that they're still here with him.
"You don't need to be scared," he hears Nichole say, trying to ease the boy's nervousness. "We're not gonna hurt you."
"Right," says Heidi, giving him a gentle smile. "We want to help you."
Frowning at the floor, the blonde grips the hem of his shirt with both hands.
"W-what's your name?" Jimmy asks.
"I don't know..."
His meek answer puzzles the teens. "Your mom gave you a name, didn't she?" Nichole asks, becoming concerned. Tolkien wasn't the only one who was discomposed by the mother's attitude towards her child.
"I don't remember..."
"It appears he's lost some of his memories," Sullivan says.
"That's...just messed up," Nichole mutters. "He's just a kid, how could he lose his memories?"
"No one is safe in this world, Nichole," Heidi says, as if reminding her of the fact.
"I know that, but still...It's even worse that his mom doesn't seem to care about him-"
"She does care!"
The boy's sudden exclaim causes them all to stop, he doesn't raise his head, although he is aware of their eyes on him.
Nichole appears ashamed. "That's not...-What I meant to say was that she only cares about curing him." She looks at each of her friends asking, "You guys think so too, right?"
Heidi and Jimmy appear conflicted while Tolkien looks upset at the possibility. He heaves a sigh and resumes walking. "Let's focus on the matter at hand." The others proceed behind him, Heidi gently ushering the boy forward.
Eventually, they stop before a metallic door with a keypad next to it on the wall. Tolkien puts in the seven-digit passcode.
"Hm?" Heidi notices the boy starting to tremble. "What's wrong?"
Before he can respond, he flinches when the keypad beeps twice, then the door makes a mechanical noise. Tolkien pushes it and he walks into the room, which is brightened by a white glow. Jimmy, Nichole, and Sullivan enter as well. Heidi gets down on one knee next to the shaken child, trying to calm him with reassuring words once more.
"Ugh, will y'all ever get tired of ruinin' our morning?"
The snappy query from Mr. Black makes Tolkien shake his head while releasing another sigh. His parents are detained in a cage that Sullivan created the day they were corrupted, their appearances haven't changed at all, though they have been getting older. It's been speculated that the Dark Master's magic has kept the corrupted people from physically aging. Sullivan's Light magic prevented Tolkien's parents from attempting to break out, but the attribute is not strong enough to Purify them, due to him being a Mixed Inner Guardian. Heidi's, Jimmy's, and Nichole's Inner Guardians are unfortunately Dark.
"Nope," Tolkien says. "If you want us outta here quicker, then you're gonna have to cooperate."
His mother's pupil-less dark green eyes look past the four, towards the opened doorway. She scrunches up her face with disgust. "We don't know anything about that freak you brought."
Tolkien knits his eyebrows. "Really? Neither of you know what he's been infected with?"
"No," his father says. He sits down on the floor. "All we know is that he's the complete opposite of us and our Master's creations."
"Isn't Jimmy here supposed to be able to perceive what the human eyes can't?" His mother asks.
"T-that d-doesn't mean I'm a-also supposed to know what the o-oddities are."
"Then what about your Inner Guardian? They should be able to know something, at least." Mrs. Black grins. "Hmph, I guess they're just as useless as you are." Jimmy balls his hands into fists.
"You're one to talk, mom," Tolkien says as he crosses his arms. "You know that the kid is a 'freak', but you won't tell us why that's the case."
"I believe I can provide an answer to zhat, Young Master." Sullivan becomes the center of attention.
"Enlighten us," Tolkien says.
"Before I brought zhe child and his mother inside, I saw purple bloodstains on zhe boy's face, most of it were around his mouth. His mother had no such grime anywhere on her being."
Silence fills the room for what feels like a long time. "W-wait," Nichole utters out, gaping at Sullivan. "Are you implying...that the kid ate a monster?"
"Yes," is the spirit's straightforward answer.
Tolkien snaps out of his dumbfounded daze, having a question in mind. "Oh right, Jimmy?" He looks at the teen, aware that's he's perturbed by the downward curve of his lips. "Can you describe what you saw inside of the kid?"
"U-umm..." Jimmy falls silent, trying to collect his thoughts.
"Don't hurt yourself now," Tolkien's mother gibes. Her husband yawns loudly.
Jimmy ignores them, and speaks a few seconds later. "I-it looked like a...like a worm, but it had t-too many legs. Its f-front half was c-colored p-purple and the back was g-green."
Nichole shudders. "Ew, could be some kind of millipede."
Tolkien nods. "Yeah, and you saw it where exactly?" He asks Jimmy.
"In his stomach."
"Hmm, maybe we can try taking it out?" Tolkien suggests.
"But wouldn't that hurt him?" Nichole asks.
"Or worse, k-kill him?" Jimmy adds in.
Tolkien frowns at the probability of either outcome. They need more information.
"Since you guys figured out what's turned that kid into a new breed of monsters, can y'all get out now?" Asks Tolkien's father.
Tolkien rolls eyes but thinks it's best that they leave. His parents would deliberately interrupt their discussion otherwise. "Let's go," he says, nudging his head towards the door. The four begin to walk out. Tolkien pauses in the doorway, he turns and smiles at his parents. "See you again later."
"We'd rather not see you ever again," they mutter in unison.
Tolkien closes the door, his lips dropping into a line. The door makes a cacophony of mechanical noises as it locks itself. The boy whimpers at the sounds, sticking close to Heidi's side.
"So, what did you guys discover?" Heidi asks.
"I'll let you two fill her in," Tolkien says to Jimmy and Nichole. "I need to talk to Sullivan." The two nod their heads and do just that, Jimmy being the first one to speak.
Tolkien and Sullivan amble a short distance away from them. "Do you think Light magic will be able to get that thing out of the kid?"
"It could work, however I zhink we should wait until someone wizh pure Light magic comes. Zhat boy isn't a threat to humankind, so zhere's no need to make any hasty decisions."
"For now he isn't. We haven't had anyone with just Light magic come here for over a decade...Maybe, we shouldn't have moved." Tolkien was against moving in the first place, he didn't want to leave the State he grew up in nor be apart from his friends. His Inner Guardian was the one who relocated the entire mansion here, and at that time, Heidi, Jimmy, and Nichole were over here for a sleepover.
"Young Master Tolkien," the teen sees Sullivan raise a fist up to his chest, then bows. "We will get zhrough whatever hurdle we come across. As your butler and Inner Guardian, I will make sure of it."
Tolkien smiles a little at his vow. He's had Sullivan long enough to consider him a second father, though he shouldn't feel that way. Once the earth is saved, he will never see Sullivan again. He shakes the depressing thought from his head. "I know you will without a doubt. You've done so much for me, my parents, and my friends."
"I am merely upholding my duties as your butler and Inner Guardian."
"And you've been doin' a damn good job too," Tolkien says, his smile growing.
Sullivan's lips break into a small smile. "It pleases me to hear such praise from you, Young Master."
Tolkien chuckles. "You say that like I've never said good things about you before."
Sullivan frowns. "My apologies, I did not mean to offend you."
Tolkien face-palms, he should've expected for his jestful comment to go over the spirit's head. He turns around when he hears sniffling, his mood plummeting. Based on Heidi's disturbed expression and the boy wiping away the tears from his eyes, it seems Jimmy and Nichole just finished apprising them on what they talked about a few minutes ago. "Later, let's get some information out of the boy's mom."
Sullivan straightens his posture. "Yes, Young Master."
Niah is sitting on the bed in her room, gazing out the window. No lights are on, the cloudy sky casting a peaceful nighttime ambience around her.
The dim lights from within the black clouds is a relaxing sight for some reason. She never thought this way whenever she was outside, rather she felt like she was constantly wandering through a very dark cavern. No matter where or how far she went, she couldn't see not a speck of light anywhere. But that's because she doesn't deserve to see the light. She is a horrible person, and she knows this, thus she is paying the price for her wrongdoings.
Tears well up in her eyes, she's closes them as she wraps her arms around herself.
"Lucis..."