Chapter 6

Buried

"Dad you were supposed to go with the plan remember?" Dante looked up his father in irritation.

On that note Raiden sighed and bent down to meet his son's eyes. "Dante, I haven't been everything that I'm supposed to be. I am Earth's protector, but I was also supposed to be yours."

That statement made everything stand still and without another word Raiden held his son close. "Whether you were Shinnok's or not I should have been there for you, Savannah and your mother…"

Dante sniffed, "I'm still mad at you though; you were supposed to go after Aunt Rashid…"

Raiden shook his head and squeezed his son tighter, "Moving on to someone new doesn't change the result son; fixing the problem does."

After that Raiden stood tall and looked at Magdalene and Savannah. "I haven't been fair to any of you. I should've been there as a husband and father… I didn't realize how much I'd have to do to keep us together."

Magdalene for the first time since she met him smiled at Raiden. Here was the man she fell in love with…

Realizing this she immediately embraced her husband and kissed him, earning a gag noise from Dante. It was like that for a moment until someone cleared their throat.

"Look congratulations and all but what about us?" Tiberius shrugged and looked at his mother with annoyance. "What're we supposed to do now? Kronika wanted to have a result with me not existing; none of this is in stone."

Raiden sighed and looked at his nephew with sympathy. "On that note I had spoken with Shinnok to terminate his claim on you… He wants to see you and your mother."

Tiberius' and Rashid's eyes were wide with alarm, "What? You went there to save us, and you got us put in a death trap instead?" Rashid felt her heart do flips as she looked at her son who was a shade paler than before.

"This is the only way we can fix anything… I was told to stop running; you must do the same."

Shinnok's Spire

It started with a knock on the fire red doors; they opened on their own as the mother and son walked through the dark corridors to Shinnok's Throne room. He had disarmed his traps so they could walk through but of the old elder god there was no sign.

"Mom…" Tiberius spoke carefully, "I'm sorry."

Rashid stopped walking and looked at him, "I'm sorry I asked to see father… You were right I didn't know him and because of this we're right where we were in the beginning."

Hearing her son's apology was comforting but she couldn't allow him to take the burden on himself. "Sweetheart, I'm sorry for not standing up for you; there were times I should have, and I just sat there and let you get degraded…"

They hugged in the dark hallway as she continued to speak, "If we get through this, I'll never let you feel alone as you did before."

Tiberius looked down at his mother, as he was taller than her, and for once in his young life felt like he was understood. "But do you ever regret having me? Since that's why father kidnapped you in the first place?"

She thought of it for a moment; all the pain, degrading, fear and hurt all to this moment.

Rashid looked at her son; slim but built, sincere and strong… Cold blooded with a warm heart.

Tears pooled and fell from her eyes, "No I don't regret a thing; when I was young, I didn't want children… I didn't think I'd be a good mom either but seeing you here now… and knowing that you grow up to be this… You're the best thing that's ever happened to me."

"Ma…" Tiberius held his mother once more before separating and going up to the throne door. Looking back once more at Rashid he said one thing that had been plaguing his mind. "If there's one thing, I wish you'd regret it must be my name…

His mother frowned, "I mean no offense, but you weren't thinking too hard on that one either…"

Rashid glared at her son, "Tiberius is a nice name considering your status."

The boy rolled his eyes, "Mom it's like I was conceived in the Medieval Times restaurant."

"Will you get in there before he gets impatient!" Rashid hissed.

He chuckled before continuing, "Didn't you and father get it on there once?" Rashid threw her shoe at him, "GET IN THERE!"

Laughing Tiberius opened the throne room door and walked inside, Rashid picked up her shoe and sat on a stool re-fastening it. "He's an ass like his father."

Within the throne room Tiberius looked at his surroundings. Besides the bleeding corpse hanging by the balcony his father had a regal taste it seemed. He was so busy looking at the stained-glass windows in front of him he didn't notice Shinnok sitting in his throne.

Not that the fallen elder god minded; it gave him a good chance to look at how his genes played out. Overall, he wasn't disappointed…

"Tiberius…" Shinnok's voice boomed. (We're sticking with Armageddon's voice here.)
The young necromancer's eyes shot towards the direction the voice came from. Besides the throne stood his father, the fallen god he came to despise and fear… The memories came rushing back. All the times he was put down and insulted for his efforts, beaten, starved and humiliated in front of his father's generals.

"Father…" Tiberius spoke coldly.

Regardless of what he might've done to Tiberius in the older timeline Shinnok felt pride in his chest from seeing his son's malice towards him. Cold, calculated and filled with spite…

"I've seen many things and known many individuals but never in an eon did I think I'd see my son before his birth." Shinnok's featureless eyes boring into his son's green ones; it made Tiberius' spine crawl, but he didn't move an inch.

"I didn't think I'd have an opportunity to meet you like this either." Tiberius was unsure of what to do next and it appeared his father felt the same way.

It was silent for several seconds until Shinnok spoke once more, "Raiden tells me you made a deal with Kronika…"

Tiberius nodded and looked away feeling foolish and insignificant all at once, "Of all the people to make a deal with you chose your grandmother…"

With that comment Tiberius snapped his neck and looked at his father. "That's it I should've known…"

"What?" Shinnok frowned at Tiberius hearing his annoyance.

"You always have something to say! You're never satisfied…!" Tiberius crossed his arms and gave his father a sideways stare.

"How am I supposed to be satisfied with a mediocre deal between a teenager and my overbearing mother?" Shinnok spat at the notion that Tiberius would even think that was anything to be proud about.

"You could at least give me some pointers or hell try to eliminate the possibility that I won't exist!" Tiberius snapped sounding a little more forceful than he intended.

Shinnok glowered at his son, "You have some nerve you little simpleton! If there's anything you never do is put your own ass on the line for everyone else!"

The boy glared up at his father, "Why so I can be miserable and spiteful like you?!"

Shinnok was about to raise a hand against his son when he stopped and shut his eyes. He was silent for several seconds until he took a deep breath and composed himself.

"Tiberius, "Shinnok spoke with an even but commanding tone, "We must look out for ourselves in this world. Giving up your life for Raiden… Of all people is not your role."

Tiberius was stubborn but listened thoughtfully.

"Your life is…" Shinnok stopped himself before looking down at his son, his flesh and blood.

"You are my son, and I will not allow you to sacrifice for that numbskull Raiden; you sacrifice yourself for me; understand?" Tiberius was silent and his spine stopped tingling.

As cold as his father was Tiberius knew what his father was trying to tell him. He did care for him, and he wanted him to survive long enough to be a menace to everyone.

Without a word Tiberius bowed and swallowed a cry. The very man he wanted to say "fuck you" to all his life had mended his torn spirit.

"Now rise boy; we have to stop Kronika's deal…" Shinnok looked around the throne room.

"Where is your mother?" Tiberius looked at him and smirked.

"That's right you haven't met her yet have you?" The boy speed walked to the tall double doors and opened one of them to see his mother fall on the floor; obviously leaning on the door to hear everything.

"Charming…" Shinnok sighed seeing his supposed bride unceremoniously fall on her face.

Tiberius sighed deeply, "Mom… seriously?" Rashid blushed a deep red and looked up at her son. "I just wanted to make sure everything was going well…"

Shinnok looked her up and down as Rashid got up and dusted herself off.

"Very Charming."

In return, Rashid stopped to look at him. Her heart squeezed on itself, and her face was whole different shade of red. She'd forgotten how attracted she was to Shinnok. His pasty skin, stubborn face, cold eyes, and tall form.

"Guys seriously?" Tiberius turned red as well looking at his parents eye one another. "Can we please go face Kronika now?"