Chapter 111: Brothers

Having failed in my task… and would never be able to try again, I decided to visit my mother's home in the capital. Before I could open the door, she already opened it for me, welcoming me home.

"Welcome home, son. You came just in time. I was just preparing some food. Come in!" She said happily.

"Mother… I'm home…" I replied in a subdued voice, unable to hide my raging emotions. She pulled me into a hug, like she always does whenever I'm sad.

"It's alright, son. It's alright." She whispered those comforting words while stroking the back of my head.

"But I… Mother…" Unable to form words, I let tears fall down my cheeks.

"I understand that you did everything to save me from Possession… and you paid a great price. I'm grateful for the extended time you gave me but… Not at your expense."

"Mother…"

"I'm just an old woman, dear."

"You're not that old, mother."

"Hush. I feel old enough. I'm tired… tired of burying my children."

"Mother….!"

"Lana, Guldra, Ebrio, Quana, Daren…" She began listing the names of my many siblings… including my half siblings that were close to her like they were her own… the children she lost over the years.

"I've buried so many children. Please don't make me bury another. You're the only one I have left." How could I've been so blind? She's still in mourning for my siblings who died from various ways, either from Possession or clan wars or dangerous hunts.

"Whatever it is you do, make sure you survive and get a happy life, okay? Don't worry about me. If I die, I'll accept it… even if the one taking my life… is that man with skull mask." She said… even if she's also afraid of Lord Necromancer.

"Very well, mother. But I… can't promise you that. I…" I looked at her in the eye and… once again unable to put words into my mouth.

"It's about Sara, isn't it? I can smell her scent on you."

"Yeah…"

"I see… Then do what you must, Adra. Know that I'll always be proud of you." She said with a sad smile. I hugged her tightly once again. Our moment is broken by the sound of my stomach. We both laughed at the sound.

"Can I… get some of that food?"

"Sure! I'm making your favourite stew!" She said as she once again invited me in. We had the most delicious dinner in the world that night. Such tender moments renewed my resolve and made me determined to betray Lord Necromancer.

Even if it costs me my life, I must protect Sara.

I returned to Lord Necromancer's base. I know he's still in Oriana. You'd think I'll just attack him alone like a common Beastkin but no, confronting him head on is not my plan. I'm a lot smarter than that. I came here to search of an ally… And I found her immediately by following her scent.

"Welcome back Adra. You're making a much more serious face than usual. Did something happen?" The ally I'm looking for greeted me in the hallways of Lord Necromancer's fortress, smiling more brightly than usual. Her mood has improved lately but knowing Lord Necromancer, she's most likely manipulated or brainwashed.

"What did he do to you?" I asked her with a serious face.

"What Lord Necromancer did to me, you mean?" She answered, not losing her smile.

"Yes."

"He… did something VERY unexpected… saved my life… and made me fall in love with him." She said while hiding her blush behind her fan.

"That's a lie. You know how manipulative he is. Just remember what happened to Carmilla!"

"Adra. Lord Necromancer is not as bad as he seems. Even in the case of Carmilla, he cared for her in his own way."

"That's a funny joke, but I'm not laughing, Yukime."

"I'm not joking. Why do you think he hasn't punished you for failing to kill your sister?" That's a question that I do not know the answer of. I always assumed he's just toying with me but… Yukime seems to know somehing.

"Pray tell, then… why haven't he?"

"I cannot tell you because I'm not supposed to spill the beans. But know that you two are… more alike than you think. That's all I can say. Good day to you." She said as she began walking away. Her words puzzled me greatly. Me? And Lord Necromancer? Alike? Is she fucking kidding me? It seems that I cannot rely on her.

Who else can I rely on? That pointy ears? He and I do not get along well. Lady Acolyte? She's Lord Necromancer's evil lover. Gilfried? He's a fanatic fully devoted to Lord Necromancer. That dragon? He'll kill me as soon as I freed him from his chains, assuming I could break Lord Necromancer's Artifact that is, and Lord Necromancer can always put the collar back if the dragon went on a mindless rampage. And I don't even know the new member of the Seven Wraiths enough safe for the fact that he's an undead, hence fully in Lord Necromancer's control.

Perhaps I should rely on Shadow Garden? No… That would involve Sara considering she's one of their strongest members. There's only one person I know that… perhaps Lord Necromancer either feared or is interested in… and I suppose I need to give him a little visit soon. He is after all… in a similar situation as me.

It's been a while since I came back to Midgar. I am now in my private quarters in Midgar Royal Castle.

I've killed most of my relevant targets as the Phantom of the Opera for now. I may have to decide on more targets later in order to turn Princess Rose to the dark side. The curtain hasn't been closed yet for the Phantom of the Opera.

But for now I returned to Midgar to act as Claude once again. I received a VERY interesting piece of news when I returned though.

A serial killer/vigilante is on the loose in Midgar too. Witnesses said he is dressed like a bloodstained clown and called himself Jack the Ripper. Must be another reincarnator. His main targets are the Thirteen Night Blades and he used playing cards as weapon. How creative, just like John Smith. I said that sarcastically by the way. At least he didn't name himself the Joker. Though I'm one to talk, Mr. Phantom of the Opera. Heh heh heh.

He also emptied the treasuries of his victims and then scattered the money around the slums. He's doing the Robin Hood thing too? He's getting way too mixed up!

Still, I'd love to meet him one day.

So far he has killed 6 members of the Thirteen Night Blades, including that frog face Goethe Moono who once leered at my sister in the past. Glad he's dead.

Alexia is very involved in the investigation. And she brought Christina Hope and… Cid to play detective with her. Now that's a name I haven't heard in a while. Poor guy is still being dragged around by Alexia it seems.

I wonder why Christina Hope joined her though. Her father, Duke Hope, is a coward who's on the Thirteen Night Blades camp. Is she a spy? No. Alexia is a good judge of character and at times she eyed me as if she suspected my villainy. My sudden rise to power is indeed quite suspicious. I doubt she would trust that girl if she's still somewhat wary of me even now.

I suppose Claude needs to see some actions soon or she'll suspect me even more and would hinder my plans behind the scenes. I've got just the tool for it. I requested my father to lend me our family heirloom and he happily delivered it to me, saying I'm the best wielder for it among our family.

The lightning sword Durandal, inscribed with ancient runes, is the first Artifact I came in contact with in this world and is what I based my earliest Artifacts from. "It's good to see you again old friend." I muttered as I unsheathed the blade to get a feel of its weight and inspect the runes. Soon this blade and I, as Claude, will see some action.

"Playing around with an old friend, Claude?" Sherry, with her robe and mask, said as she arrived with a teleportation.

"Yes. This blade and Claude needs to see some action soon. Claude has been too… idle for the past few months. I need to make a name for myself."

"What do you plan to do to accomplish that?"

"For now I should just help with the Jack the Ripper investigations. Maybe I could run into him and fight him soon."

"I wish you luck on that, though you won't need it."

"Indeed. What are you doing here, Sherry?"

"I'm here for a report…" She replied… in an unusually subdued voice… more subdued than usual. I walked towards her and removed her mask… and saw her blackened eye bags.

"Sherry. When did you last rest?"

"I can't rest… I must…"

"I'm allowed to worry for your health too, you know? Go get some rest. I'll take care of things." I used my mind reading magic and figured out what she was about to report.

"So, Mordred has gone impatient and wants the civil war to begin post-haste before he lost more Cult affiliated nobles to the Phantom and thus he sent a message to me to order the puppet king to start attacking immediately. Very well. I'll pay a visit to Oriana to start the war. Then I'll go back. You should get some rest, Sherry."

"But I…"

"Rest. That's an order." I said as I carried her in a princess carry, causing her to blush. I brought her to my bed and let her rest there.

"Claude… I…"

"Good night, my lovely apprentice." I said as I kissed her lips and used a sleep spell to send her to dreamland.

"Now… to Oriana again." I said as I teleported to Oriana.

I infiltrated Midgar Royal Castle to meet with the man I wanted to meet, a man who is Lord Necromancer's enemy since he was a child, a man that Lord Necromancer seemingly reluctant to touch… Claude Normann, the son of Duke Normann and currently the heir to the throne. He is the man I wanted to ally with against Lord Necromancer.

He is a prodigy who discovered the Cult's existence very early in his life and has made the Cult nervous with each passing day. Despite being based in Everick, Lord Necromancer never touched him or his family even though he could've done so easily with his power. Something is holding Lord Necromancer at bay and I believe it's Claude Normann.

I entered his room through the window and… smelled a very familiar and dreadful scent.

Oh no! Has Lord Necromancer taken him out already!? Am I too late!?

Wait. This is Claude Normann's private quarters and yet I only smell two scents… which is Lord Necromancer's and… Lady Acolyte's…. I even saw a pink haired girl sleeping on the bed. She has the Acolyte's scent.

Does that mean…. Lord Necromancer has replaced Claude Normann!?

"I cannot tell you because I'm not supposed to spill the beans. But know that you two are… more alike than you think. That's all I can say. Good day to you." I recalled Yukime's words.

That makes sense! Claude Normann has a sister he wanted to protect! Last I heard Lady Acolyte attacked his sister, Charlotte Normann, but let her go without a scratch!

And even though he sent me on a mission to kill Sara… he never expected me to complete it… Because he too is a brother who loved his sister so much…

We are both… brothers who wanted to protect our sisters at all costs…

So that's why Yukime has become friendlier towards him. Because she discovered his secret somehow.

And I suppose I can understand why he needed to project an image of a terrifying lord… it is all to protect his sister. By becoming the dreaded evil lord Necromancer, he can shield his sister from the Cult's influence.

Lord Necromancer… Claude Normann… It seems that I can now understand you. As long as you don't touch my sister, I shall protect yours as well. This I promise you.

Author's Note:

Now one more person found out the secret and misunderstood the situation into becoming loyal to the Necromancer.

Generalliam0529: In the anime, it didnt incenerate the planet because shadow sheilded the planet from his attack, and then but a barrier around mordred and himself. aAd for how we know its planetary? well, to produce enougb light to outshine the f-n sun, it would take more energy than the sun produces at that given momment, which is a pretty big deal.

Answer: Ah yes. The light novel didn't mention a shield in his I Am Atomic as far as I know but my fic followed anime aesthetics and design and I too think it makes sense that he created a shield on his I Am Atomic, which is how Alexia survived his first on screen I Am Atomic despite being so close to the center of the explosion and that's also how he walked in outer space when he nuked Mordred. But I don't think the light he produced with his I'm Atomic is brighter than the sun or anything. It could be that it looked brighter than the sun because of its close proximity to the planet, not because it's actually brighter than the sun which is several light-years away from the planet. Whether his Atomic is planetary or not, I don't think I'll make it planetary in my fic. Kind of unnecessary to me right now.

A-Yellow-Liz: Very fluffy, literally and metaphorically. Thank you for the chapter!

Answer: Glad you enjoyed it. I've held back on writing the Adra and Delta meeting for some time now because I want to find the perfect time to do it and I'm glad to be able to finally get it out. Delta is such a delight to write.

Guest: Love your story keep up the good work and please can we see more Claude and Iris moments together , I really love this pairing, please

Answer: There will be more Claude x Iris moment soon, even if their relationship won't actually work.