Chapter 711 Meeting The Council (3)
"I sincerely apologise," Lord Rood promptly responded. "Given the magnitude of our impending discussions and revelations, I regrettably overlooked your presence here."
"... it's alright," Ashton replied, wondering how he should deal with Lord Rood 'ignoring' him.
"Lord Rood, you mustn't!" Astaroth urged, but his desperation only made the rest of them even more eager to hear the 'revelation'. "We all swore absolute secrecy-"
Hearing Astaroth made Rood chuckle. "Look at me, boy, I have one foot in my grave. You think I'm afraid of the consequences?"
As Rodd brought it to Ashton's attention, he couldn't help but notice the frailty of the Xyran. He refrained from passing judgment on Rood's appearance; the overall state of Rood's physique gave the impression that something unseen was slowly sapping his vitality from the inside.
"My years are beginning to weigh on me, and I fear this may be my final opportunity to unveil the truth," Rood remarked before settling into his seat. "About Astaroth and also about you, young man."
"Me?" Ashton asked, wondering what possibly could the old man know about a stranger like him?
Rood nodded before returning his gaze to Astaroth. "You have done well taking everyone's hate on your head for all these years and ridding the council of the burden..."
Speaking those words, Rood motioned for Ibis and Astaroth to approach. Once they had drawn near, he gently guided their hands and brought them together, their palms touching each other.
Ibis was confused about what was happening, but Astaroth couldn't even try to look anyone in the eyes and kept his head low.
"Ibis, my dear," Rood commenced. "Everything the council conveyed to you regarding the night your father's passing... has been a distortion of the truth.
Although it is a fact that Astaroth was responsible for Seraph's demise... the genuine motives have been concealed from you and the entirety of the Xyran civilisation."
As Lord Rood's revelation unfurled, Ibis stood there, her golden wings slightly quivering in shock. Her eyes widened as she stared at Astaroth and then back at lord Rood, but it seemed the only one surprised by the revelation was Ibis.
Ashton wasn't surprised. Astaroth had already informed Ashton about the incident, and it seemed Lucifer also knew about it. But no one other than Astaroth and Rood knew what the latter would reveal next.
"Your father... Seraph turned into a corruptor-"
"YOU'RE LYING!" Ibis shrieked and let go of Astaroth's hand. "My father is the only one who could handle Precursor artefacts!"
Recognising the inner conflict raging within Ibis, Lord Rood allowed her the space to vent her frustrations, to unleash her anger and lay blame upon them.
While he understood the necessity of this situation, he was also aware that he had to persist in his efforts. Only by doing so could he hope to ultimately exonerate Astaroth and set things right.
"We shared your belief, but the artefact's power surpassed even his strength," Rood elaborated, seeking to ease the tension. "Seraph excelled in concealing the corruption, but gradually, the artefact's influence became insurmountable, eventually leading to his demise before we could react."
He went on, "In our eyes, Seraph endured, when in reality he had perished long ago. It was the Crystal that held sway over his body, deceiving us all... until the day it could no longer maintain the facade and was caught killing those belonging to other races."
Ashton stood there in shock, realising the reason Seraph's Crystal was called as such. It was because the Crystal had assimilated the Xyran with itself! But if the Crystal was a deadly weapon, then it didn't make sense how he was still alive?
'Is it because I am a Precursor?' Ashton wondered, but a sudden crashing sound brought him out of his thoughts.
Ibis's anger flared, and she seized the table, shattering it into pieces as the unsettling revelations about Seraph continued to surface. Lucifer moved swiftly to subdue her, but a gesture from Rood halted him in his tracks.
"You... You're not telling the truth... My father wouldn't attack innocents!" Ibis screamed, her voice filled with denial.
"He didn't... but the Crystal made him do such acts," Rood sighed. "It was then Astaroth caught wind of the situation and tried to reason with him. But eventually, he had to end Seraph to stop him."
Then, suddenly overwhelmed by emotion, she crumpled to the floor, her tears flowing freely, while Astaroth embraced her in an attempt to offer solace.
A heavy silence hung in the room as Ibis wept, her heart heavy with the weight of the truth she had just learned. Rood, though visibly saddened by the painful revelation, maintained a stoic composure.
"Beelzebub exploited the circumstances, weaving a distorted narrative that briefly led us astray. We were on the verge of believing it, but Astaroth swiftly unveiled the truth, supported by concrete evidence," Rood admitted in a subdued tone.
"Nevertheless, we could not disclose the truth to the public for fear of sparking rebellion and causing division among the Xyrans," Lucifer interjected.
He continued, "That's when Astaroth made a selfless decision to safeguard our master's reputation. He willingly bore the label of a traitor to our civilisation and faced exile."
"Astaroth ended Seraph's life, but he did it in the name of safeguarding all of us, and above all, his deepest desire was to ensure your safety, Ibis," Rood commented, gently touching Ibis's head.
"He went as far as to compel everyone present to pledge an unbreakable oath, a vow of secrecy that we would take to our graves. But tonight, I have chosen to shatter that oath, for I believed it was crucial for you, above all others, to know the truth."
Ibis, upon hearing this revelation, felt as though the world around her was crumbling. Tears welled in her eyes as she processed the implications of what she had just learned.
Strangely enough, Astaroth's presence provided solace, his strong arms offering a sense of security amid the emotional storm. Ibis clung to him, her emotions a tumultuous mix of gratitude and sorrow.
"I'm sorry..." Astaroth mumbled. "I never wanted you to know any part of this..."
"No, it's my fault for letting you bear this burden all this while," Ibis responded with a warm smile, her fingers brushing against Astaroth's cheek. "I'm sorry..."
Lord Rood beamed, satisfied that all was well, and shifted his focus to Ashton. "Shall we turn our attention to you now?"
"Eh?"
The source of this c𝐨ntent is freewe(b)nov𝒆l