The Divided Guardian [Cursed Anti-Hero, Progression, Dark Fantasy]

A day had passed since their preparations finished. Everything was in place—they just needed Ramirez's call to confirm his team was ready. But Sol had thrown them a curveball by inviting everyone to meet his mother.

Angelo's orange aura flickered around them as he carried Neiva through the sprawling city underneath.

"So why do you think he actually invited us?" Neiva called over the wind rushing past them.

Angelo banked left around a tall building, considering the question. "Honestly? No clue. But at least it sounds like he and his mom worked things out."

The rest of the flight passed quietly—well, for Neiva anyway. Angelo had to tune out Red and Blue bickering about whether Sol's invitation was strategic or emotional.

They touched down on the front porch with a gentle thud. Angelo's aura faded as he straightened his jacket and knocked three times on the wooden door.

"Coming!" Sol's voice carried through the house, followed by hurried footsteps.

The door swung open, revealing Sol's trademark grin. "Well, well! Look who decided to show up."

"Had some time to kill before the chief calls," Angelo said, stepping past him into the warmth of the house.

Neiva bounced on her toes in front of Sol. "I've been dying to meet your mom! This is so exciting!"

"Trust me, she's just as curious about you." Sol gestured them toward the living room with a sweeping motion. "Fair warning though—she's going to ask a million questions."

They followed him down a hallway lined with family photos. In the living room, a middle-aged woman with blonde hair and kind dark eyes was arranging snacks on a coffee table. Something about her peaceful presence reminded Angelo of Miriam—that same maternal warmth that made him both comfortable and nervous.

She looked up with a welcoming smile. "Please, sit wherever you're comfortable." She gestured to the sofas surrounding the low table loaded with drinks and treats.

Angelo and Neiva settled onto the same couch while Sol remained standing, hands in his pockets.

"I'm Beth Thron," the woman said, settling into her chair across from them. "It's wonderful to finally put faces to the names I've been hearing."

"Neiva Wines!" Neiva practically glowed with enthusiasm. "Sol's told us amazing things about you!"

All eyes turned to Angelo, who shifted uncomfortably. "Angelo Ashworth," he mumbled, like introducing himself was a necessary evil. "Nice to meet you."

Beth's smile grew warmer. "Sol's mentioned quite a bit about both of you." Her gaze focused on Angelo with curious interest. "Though I was expecting to meet four people, not two."

Angelo's eyebrows shot up as he turned to stare at Sol. "Exactly how much did you tell her?"

Before Sol could answer, Beth jumped in. "Oh, quite a lot actually. He explained how you have two other versions of yourself that can appear and disappear like supernatural bodyguards."

Angelo blinked at her in disbelief. "And you actually bought that story?"

"She's either the most trusting person alive or completely out of her mind," Red muttered in their shared consciousness.

"I find myself agreeing with Red's assessment," Blue added in a rare agreement.

Beth chuckled at Angelo's expression. "My son might be many things, but a liar isn't one of them. Even when he ran away, he left an honest note." Her voice briefly shadowed with old pain before brightening again. "So where are they? I'd love to see these famous duplicates for myself!"

Angelo and Neiva exchanged glances. Angelo shrugged and looked up at the ceiling. "Alright, you two. She wants proof."

Blue smoke poured from Angelo's body like water, making Beth gasp and lean forward in her chair. The smoke twisted upward before condensing into solid form—another Angelo, but with a gray tint and perfect posture.

Blue executed a perfect bow. "Mrs. Thron, I am deeply honored to make your acquaintance. I am Blue Ashworth, as it were."

Beth's hand flew to her chest. "Well, I'll be damned. You really do exist!" She looked around expectantly. "But where's the third one?"

"Yeah, I'm staying right where I am, thanks," Red's voice echoed in their minds.

"He's being shy," Angelo said flatly.

Blue straightened, smoothing his shirt. "I believe our companion Red finds himself somewhat... overwhelmed by maternal company."

"The hell I am!" Red protested internally.

"Now that you mention it," Neiva said thoughtfully, "I can kinda see it, yeah."

"Would all of you kindly go fuck yourselves!" Red's mental voice practically vibrated with embarrassment.

Sol pulled his hands from his pockets, looking amused. "Don't worry about Red. He'll show up eventually—he's never one to miss a party."

Beth nodded, then turned her attention to Blue with genuine curiosity. "So Blue, are you friends with Sol too? Or are you more like Angelo's shadow?"

Blue clasped his hands behind his back with scholarly precision. "While Angelo and I share an unbreakable connection, I maintain my own identity and relationships. As for Solomon, I consider him a valued colleague—his intellect and strategic thinking have earned my considerable respect."

Beth looked genuinely surprised by his answer. Blue noticed immediately and cleared his throat. "Have I said something inappropriate?"

Sol looked away when his mother glanced at him, then Beth turned back to Blue. "No, not inappropriate. Just... unexpected. You called him by his full name."

"Mom," Sol cut in, his easy confidence cracking. "It's not a big deal."

"Pfft, liar." Red snorted in their minds.

"I'm sorry," Neiva said hesitantly, "is that a sensitive subject? I noticed Sol doesn't like his full name, but I thought it was just personal preference..."

Angelo waved dismissively. "Blue talks like a textbook. Don't read too much into it."

Blue studied Beth's expression with growing concern. "There's something more significant here, isn't there?"

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Beth's smile faded as she looked down at her hands. "There was only one person in this world who ever called him Solomon."

"Dad," Sol whispered, the word escaping like a held breath. "It was his thing—everyone else called me Sol, even Mom. Solomon was... special. Reserved for him." His voice carried old pain wrapped in forced casualness. "It meant something."

Blue's eyes widened in horror. "I meant absolutely no disrespect, I can assure—"

"I know," Sol said quickly, managing a weak smile. "That's why I never said anything. It's just a silly hang-up, really." He looked away again. "But it always hit different when I heard it."

Blue gritted his teeth, visibly struggling. "Perhaps I could make an effort to address you as... as Sol..." The words seemed to physically pain him to say incorrectly. "Oh, this is absolutely unbearable!" Blue cried out, his formal composure cracking completely.

"Boo-hoo, poor little perfectionist," Red taunted from inside their minds.

"How about we switch topics before Blue has a complete breakdown?" Sol clapped his hands together, breaking the awkward tension.

A hint of a smile tugged at Angelo's mouth. "Fair enough. So did you actually convince your mom to go along with our little revenge mission?"

Sol ran a hand through his silver hair and let out a long breath. "You're really going for the throat today, aren't you? The answer might shock you though."

Everyone stared at him like he'd sprouted wings.

Beth calmly took another sip of her tea, then set the cup down with deliberate precision. "I knew exactly where he was going and why he was doing it."

"You WHAT?" Neiva's voice cracked with disbelief. She gestured wildly with both hands. "But then why—how could you just—why didn't you stop him?"

Blue stepped closer, his analytical mind kicking into gear. "More intriguingly, how did you discover his intentions in the first place?"

"Don't underestimate my mother." Sol's chest puffed with pride. "She was one hell of an investigator back in her day."

Beth's eyes sparkled with old confidence. "Sol spent years training in secret, collecting every single one of his father's unsolved cases." She shook her head with maternal knowing. "He might as well have hung a neon sign saying 'I'm planning something dangerous.'"

"But what about figuring out which case he'd tackle first?" Neiva bounced forward in her seat. "Sol mentioned at least three different cases scattered across Luminia!"

Beth actually giggled. "Please, sweetheart. I read through those files myself. Any reasonable person would start with the least dangerous option and work their way up."

"So the apple didn't fall off the tree," Angelo said, crossing his arms as he studied Beth with new respect. "But that doesn't cover the obvious question—why the hell would you let him go? The final case involves the Luminati crime family. Aren't you terrified?"

The room's atmosphere shifted instantly. Everyone's expressions grew heavy as Beth stared down into her tea.

"Well..." She lifted her gaze to meet Sol's eyes. "He's his father's son through and through. Once Sol sets his mind on something, trying to stop him is like trying to redirect a hurricane with an umbrella."

Sol looked away, jaw tightening. Beth turned back to Angelo with quiet determination.

"All I can do is pray he finds what he's searching for and comes home alive." Her voice softened with hope. "That's exactly why I needed to meet you both—to make sure my son has people watching his back."

"Mom, come on." Sol stepped forward, his casual mask slipping. "I can take care of myself, you know." The others shot him pointed looks that made him straighten up immediately. "But, uh, backup never hurt anyone!"

Neiva's voice cut through the moment like a blade—quiet but razor-sharp. "Aren't you worried about him traveling with the Angel of Death?"

Beth studied Angelo for a long moment, her investigator instincts sizing him up. "I'll admit, I knew very little about you before Sol filled me in." Their eyes locked across the coffee table. "But regardless of your methods, my son speaks of you with genuine respect. He says your heart's in the right place."

Sleeser's words echoed in Angelo's memory, making him shrug. "Yeah, I've heard that line before."

"If you don't mind me asking," Beth continued, her tone sharpening with analytical edge, "Sol mentioned you two joined forces because you believe GHOST murdered your parents as well."

Blue nodded gravely. "We currently lack alternative available leads, and the circumstances are remarkably similar—no evidence, no witnesses, no trace."

Beth rubbed her chin thoughtfully. "But here's what puzzles me—why?"

"Why what?" Angelo asked.

"Why would GHOST target your parents specifically?" She leaned forward with investigative intensity. "What made them worth killing?"

Angelo, Neiva, and Blue exchanged uncertain glances while Sol watched them carefully.

"Hmm." Blue stroked his chin. "That is indeed an excellent question we haven't properly considered."

Sol stepped into the center of the group. "GHOST operates as criminals for hire—they eliminate targets for money. In my father's case, it was probably because he got too close to exposing them."

"I seriously doubt my parents were tangling with hired killers," Angelo said with a dismissive wave. "But honestly, who knows? Besides their names, we know basically nothing about them."

"But doesn't that strike you as strange?" Beth pressed. "How is it possible that no one ever told you about them? Where are their families, their friends, their coworkers?"

Blue straightened into lecture mode. "Based on available evidence, they likely relocated from Infernia. Given that they operated a private laboratory from their residence in Ashford, it's reasonable to assume they were scientists of some variety."

"Interesting." Beth hummed, processing the information. "Do you think their research had anything to do with your... unique condition?"

"The possibility cannot be dismissed," Blue admitted carefully. "However, we lack concrete evidence regarding the origins of our division."

"You realize what this means, don't you, son?" Beth said without even glancing at Sol.

Sol moved to stand beside her chair. "Afraid so, Mom." He scratched his head apologetically before turning to Angelo. "Hate to be the bearer of bad news, buddy, but this is starting to point toward your parents being mixed up in some seriously dark shit."

"Oh no," Angelo said in the flattest voice possible. "Anyway—"

Sol burst out laughing. "Well, at least he's not having an emotional breakdown about it."

"Why would I be devastated? I never knew them—they're basically strangers who happened to share my DNA."

"Then why go to such extreme lengths to get revenge at their killers?" Beth asked with genuine curiosity.

"Who said anything about revenge?" Angelo's response clearly caught everyone off guard. "This was never about avenging them."

Beth sat in stunned silence for several heartbeats. "I... wasn't expecting that answer. Would you mind explaining what this is really about?"

Angelo shifted uncomfortably in his seat, then sighed. "How do I put this?" He paused, gathering his thoughts. "Look, my childhood was basically hell. These two morons arguing constantly in my head—" Blue looked away with dignified offense while Red muttered internally, "Takes one to know one, asshole!"

Angelo pressed on. "—plus getting tormented by every kid in town. If my parents had been around, if there were adults who actually gave a damn, maybe life wouldn't have been such a nightmare."

"What about Sleeser?" Red prompted.

"What about Sleeser?" Angelo returned the question.

"..."

"..."

"Aight, fair enough." Red finally gave in.

"So you want justice for the childhood you never had," Beth said with growing understanding.

"Yeah... Someone out there made the decision to pull that trigger, putting me on a path filled with nothing but pain and isolation." Angelo's eyes flashed orange like controlled fire. "So I'm going to find that someone and make them pay in full."

Before anyone could respond to Angelo's dark promise, his phone buzzed against the coffee table. The caller ID made him sigh.

"Chief Ramirez," he muttered, then looked up apologetically. "Sorry, but I should take this."

He swiped to answer. "Yeah, Chief?"

"We're ready on our end." Ramirez's gruff voice carried through the speaker without any pleasantries. "Got a location set up where we can watch you. When can you get there?"

Angelo's shoulders sagged slightly, like someone accepting an unwanted chore. "Might as well get it over with. Send me the address and I'll head out now."

"Good. I'll be there to make sure everything's working right."

The call ended abruptly. Angelo's phone buzzed immediately with a text message.

"Well, looks like I'm about to become the most watched man in the city." Angelo pocketed his phone and gave Beth a grateful nod. "Thanks for having us over."

Beth's smile carried both warmth and worry. "The pleasure was entirely mine, Angelo. Please be careful out there."

Angelo shifted his attention to Neiva. "You need a lift home, or are you sticking around?"

"I think I'll hang out a bit longer," Neiva said, tapping her temple with a grin. "Besides, I'm an Auron now, remember? I can handle getting myself home."

"Fair enough." Angelo pulled his jacket straight and headed toward the hallway. "Catch you all later."

Blue stepped forward and executed another perfect bow. "Mrs. Thron, it has been genuinely enlightening to make your acquaintance. Until we meet again."

His form dissolved like smoke in reverse, the azure mist streaming across the room and disappearing into Angelo's body just as he reached the front door.

Within moments, Angelo was airborne above the suburban neighborhood. Orange light wrapped around him as he cut through the morning sky, his expression showing more resignation than determination.

Below, Sol's house grew smaller and smaller, until it was just another rooftop in the sprawling city. A brief moment of normalcy before returning to the complicated dance of staying one step ahead of the law.