Chapter 326: The Truth Beneath The Mask
[Music recommendation: Rob Simonsen - Storm Approaching]
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The sun had almost set, and darkness began to surround the chamber, which was occupied by two women who remained still, staring at each other. One stared with complete shock and disbelief, while the other watched calmly, a sweet, gentle smile upon her face.
Eve was so stunned that she could not believe any of this was real. How could it be? Her mother had died when she was a child. She had seen her soulless body lying on the bed with her own two eyes. How could she be standing here now?
The woman standing before her possessed the same striking emerald eyes as her mother. Her hair, that was a darker shade of brown that nearly appeared black, framed a face whose every curve and line was hauntingly familiar.
That milky, pale complexion was identical to the one Eve had once adored, the very face she had longed for, wept for, and ached to see just a glimpse of it again for years.
The resemblance was so uncanny, so impossibly perfect, that Eve could scarcely comprehend the reality of it, that the figure stood before her now, gazing back as though none of those lost years had ever existed.
As though none of the suffering had ever happened.
As though the loneliness, the grief, the abuse and the cold rejection she had endured from her father had simply been erased by the presence of the woman who now appeared entirely alive and well.
Eve’s memories clashed violently with the image before her. She remembered her mother’s frail health, how the illness had reduced her to a shadow of herself, thinner, weaker, barely able to stand. She remembered the hollowed cheeks, the sunken eyes, the dark circles that spoke of a body slowly surrendering to death.
But the woman before her bore none of those marks.
She stood strong and untouched by sickness, as though she had never been ill at all, as though those painful memories belonged to nothing more than some cruel, distorted illusion shared by everyone who had witnessed that tragic end.
Her crashing thoughts came to a halt as the woman spoke again.
"How have you been, my dear Eve?" the woman asked. Her voice was much softer than it had been when Drake was present. Her eyes held the same calm, reassuring gentleness that Eve remembered from her childhood, and her lips were curved in a small, sweet smile.
Before she knew it, Eve’s eyes brimmed with unshed tears. With a single blink, they spilled tragically down her cheeks as she wordlessly continued to stare.
Her lips trembled as she whispered, "M-mother... is that you?"
Her voice was thick with disbelief and a desperate, fragile hope....hope that her mother was truly alive and standing before her.
She was terrified that if she spoke any louder than a whisper, the mirage would shatter, leaving her to face whatever ugly reality she was trapped in.
Selene’s smile widened. "Yes... my sweet child. I am your mother. The very same one who used to play with you, the same who dried your hair, the same who held you in her arms until you fell asleep, and the same who promised to stay with you forever."
She lifted a finger and pointed to her chest. "Right here, remember?"
A sudden memory of her mother making that promise flashed before Eve’s eyes, a scene from her childhood returning with painful clarity.
A sob escaped Eve’s trembling lips.
Tears streamed relentlessly down Evelyn’s face as her body shook with grief, her gaze never leaving the woman before her. The heartbreak written across her expression was impossible to hide.
In that moment, Eve forgot everything. She forgot where she was, forgot the state she was in, and simply cried like a child who had missed her mother through all the lonely years of her life.
Selene stepped forward and raised her hands. She gently caressed Evelyn’s face, wiping Eve’s tears with her thumb.
At that simple touch, Eve closed her eyes and felt it deep within her bones that this woman was truly her mother. She could never forget the warmth of that touch against her skin, nor the tenderness of her gentle caress.
She cried harder, her voice shattering between sobs. "M-mother... I... where... w-were you?" More sobs tore from her lips as she struggled to continue. "I-I missed you so much..."
"I was always there with you, my beautiful Eve," Selene replied softly. She continued wiping Eve’s tears while cupping her face.
But with her eyes shut, Eve could not see the expression the woman wore. Selene’s features were utterly devoid of emotion as she leaned closer, whispering gently to her.
"Oh... mother..." Eve wept, her grief spilling over. Selene wrapped her arms around Eve in a firm embrace, allowing Eve to feel her mother’s hold once more after what felt like an eternity.
Just as she had so many times in the past, Eve’s hands moved automatically to hug her back. But as soon as she tried to move, the chains binding her clanked loudly.
The sound was a violent jolt, crashing into her and tearing her out of the reunion.
Her entire body went rigid, as if a physical blow had snapped her back to the present.
Noticing her stiffness, her mother slowly freed her from the embrace and took a step back. She watched as Eve’s eyes went wide with shock once again, staring at the woman before her.
The horrible reality she had momentarily forgotten under the weight of her emotions came crashing down. The sight of her deceased mother, breathing and in living flesh, was no longer just a miracle.
The questions she should have asked from the very beginning began to rise, one after another, in her mind. Along with those questions, a chilling doubt began to take root in her heart.
Was this woman even her mother at all?
The knowledge that her mother’s body had vanished from the grave, coupled with the existence of morphs in the world, sent a fresh wave of dread curling through her chest.
A chilling thought seized her.
Someone could have taken her mother’s form to exploit her vulnerability.
Then another question surfaced, sharper and far more disturbing.
To maintain their borrowed appearance, morphs had to keep consuming the blood of the person they imitated.
What did that imply? Was that what this being standing before her had done?
But it had been so long since her mother’s death.
Thirteen years, to be exact.
How could anyone still be feeding on blood from a body that should have decayed long ago?
Evelyn felt as though her head might explode under the weight of so many conflicting emotions and doubts. She feared she might be going insane.
Yet, the mere possibility that they were using her mother’s blood in whatever dark way they had devised made her own blood boil with fury.
The woman noticed the shift in Eve’s eyes and took a few cautious steps back, restoring the distance between them.
Eve’s tear-streaked face lifted, her gaze locking onto the woman’s.
Drawing a shaky breath, she finally asked, "Who... are you?"
For the briefest moment, the woman’s eyes widened at the question, before settling once more into that familiar calm, that unnervingly serene composure.
"What do you mean, my Eve? Can’t you see? I am your mother, Selene. You said it yourself, did you not?" she asked softly, her steady gaze never leaving Evelyn.
Eve’s jaw tightened painfully, the muscles rigid with restraint before the storm broke through. Her eyes blazed with sudden fury.
"No! You cannot be." Her voice trembled, laced with anger and disbelief. "My mother died thirteen years ago. I know her remains are missing from her grave. So I will ask you again... who are you, imposter?"
She was shaking with anger, her blood boiling at the thought of them using her mother’s memory to deceive her.
The woman continued to watch her with unnerving calm.
Slowly, a smile spread across her face.
"I see... you finally visited my grave. Tell me, my Eve, did you bring me flowers? Or..." She trailed off and began moving around the chamber with unhurried grace.
Reaching for a matchstick, she struck it against the matchbox. The flame burst to life at once, its glow casting shifting shadows across her features. She picked up a longer taper, lighting its tip before turning towards the old, weathered wall lamps. One by one, she brought them to life, the dim chamber gradually filling with flickering light.
"...or did you finally get the chance to meet my favourite pet?"
She lit the last lamp and turned back to Evelyn.
Eve’s eyes widened in fresh shock. She understood instantly. The "pet" the woman was talking about was none other than that ancient, colossal snake: Azrathul.
"How dare you defile my mother’s grave with that abomination?" Eve hissed, fury burning through her as the image of the ruined grave resurfaced in her mind.
"Ah, it truly warms my heart to know I gave birth to such a devoted daughter, one who cares so deeply about her mother’s grave."
"Stop this nonsense and tell me who you are!" Eve demanded. Anger trembled in her voice as her eyes began to glow gold once more.
The woman merely leaned back against the window, utterly unfazed.
"I would not do that if I were you," she said smoothly, cutting Eve off. "Using your powers, I mean. Unless you wish for your body to collapse entirely."
