"Are you done?"
That question made Maximus scoff, but Abel kept his monotonous countenance.
"Don't get me wrong, my friend," said Abel cooly, not meeting Maximus's anger. If anything, Abel's anger slightly subsided while listening to Maximus spout nonsense. "I'm just wondering if you're done, or if you still have a lot to say about my nephew and his children. You went from my sisters, after all. So I'd naturally think you would also attack the rest of the seeds you so loath."
"Go on," Abel urged calmly. "Shoot. Keep wagging that tongue before I cut it."
"Times changed," Maximus smirked. "I no longer plan to hide or run away from you all."
His lips stretched, appearing more wicked than he already appeared. "I will kill every single one of you and I'll start with you."
Boom!
Suddenly, a clap of thunder rang in the sky, flashing light at them through the windows. Abel glanced at the wide window on the roof, catching a dark layer slowly covering the sky, before setting his eyes back to Maximus.
"I should've done this back then." Maximus raised a hand over his head with his palms open. "If only I did, I would've probably slept peacefully tonight with Maleficent."
Out of nowhere, a sudden portal opened up over Maximus' palm, revealing a mix of a black and red colored sword. Just the sight of it was enough to intimidate anyone, giving off this bloodcurdling sensation to those who would cast their eyes upon it.
It slowly descended in Maximus' grip, which he clasped tightly. He swung it to the side, revealing its sharpness as it slashed through the air.
"Maleficent," he spoke, smirking. "I named it after Maleficent."
"So that is where you've been putting her life energy, huh?" Abel's eyes fell on the hauntingly beautiful sword.
One look, and a swordsman like him, would definitely see the beauty of the craftsmanship on it. However, knowing how it was made was enough to blind Abel from seeing its beauty.
"And here I was, thinking how to make you return her life." Abel snapped his eyes ever so tenderly. "Maybe even just a portion."
His eyes fell on Maximus's sword again. "But it seemed that is impossible."
"Haha!" Maximus laughed. "Even if I die, there is no way I won't take her with me."
His lips stretched into an evil smirk, caressing the blades of his sword. "You might not die, Abel Grimsbanne. But I will hurt you in the worst way possible."
Abel stared at Maximus's wicked countenance as the latter caressed his blade. His lips were drawn into a thin line and his expression was plain. However, there was a slight sadness that peeked from the thousands of layers in his eyes.
"You are so foolish, Maximus," whispered Abel, raising his hand to his side ever so slowly. "I don't deny that we had done nothing to deserve this fate. After all, we never asked to be born. At least, not this way and not with this blood sustaining our life."
He fluttered his long eyelashes as droplets of blood suddenly dripped from his fingertips.
"I had always known you," he continued in the same somber tone. "Mathilda… Ameria and I had always known your existence. Yet, we kept quiet. For as long as you found a means to survive, why would we interfere? That is your life, and you had quite a good one as well."
"Why waste it?" Abel breathed out, asking out of pure curiosity. "I do not understand. Why would you waste and ruin the memories you had built with us?"
Back then, this old soul had been watching over the Grimsbanne clan. He was friendly. Matter of fact, from the first king to the last king, Maximus III, the Grimsbanne owed him a peaceful life. No one touched their clan or even made a bold move because the king protected them. Of course, the biggest factor was because the Grimsbanne were naturally superior species.
As a token of gratitude, the Grimsbanne behaved themselves. Abel didn't have other friends on the mainland, but he would constantly visit Maximus and the king. Abel was certain his little sister, Tilly, was the same. They also never interfered with anything about politics, living as normal subjects abiding by the law.
They had a good time if Abel was to ask. His relationship with Maximus wasn't that terrible, honestly. It was more than great.
"What a waste," added Abel after recalling all those times in the past when he would share a few good laughs with this man. "I will not ask you if any of those times were even real or if there was a time you actually found yourself having such familial connections. Let's leave the memories as it is."
Times changed people's hearts. That was what Abel wanted to believe, not dwelling on the possibility that Maximus treated them the way he did in the past to deceive them. After all, Abel… and the Grimsbanne clan seriously took Maximus's kindness to the heart.
They treasured it, and they see it as one of the reasons the Originals didn't turn evil. At least Abel didn't turn evil on the mainland.
"With that being said, I will not hold back." All the emotions Abel had for Maximus slowly disappeared from his eyes, replaced with nothing but his will to end him. "Because regardless of the old times' sake and how things went down to this, you touched my wife."
"Since you cannot and is unwilling to return her life, then nothing can save you." The blood dripping from Abel's fingertips didn't land on the floor. Instead, it hovered in the middle, creating a weapon made of blood.
"Blood… art," rolled out of Abel's tongue, whispering.
As soon as he made that call, the blood instantly honed into a sharp red sword with visible spikes on it. For a moment, both of them stood on their spot wordlessly, observing each other.
One…
Two…
Three…
When they drew another breath, both of them disappeared from their vantage point, only to reappear in the middle.
CLASH!
A loud explosion of aura erupted in the air, making the walls shake and shattering the windows. And just like that, a battle that would change the currents in the mainland ensued.
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