NOVEL NEXT Chapter 17: Severing Kinship ties
Aquarius cleared his throat after a long silence then started."Three female demigods attacked us on our way here, your sister I presume?" Buck's eyes widened in disbelief. "They wouldn't do that unless someone ordered them! Who commanded them?"
"It …. It ...it was the vampire lord," Ivy replied, her voice trembling slightly.
Buck's anger flared. "Those little bitches!" He clenched his fists, his wings twitching with the urge to take flight.
"Buck, wait!" Lin exclaimed, grabbing his robe. "You can't just go after them like this!"
Without a word, Buck yanked his robe free and took to the skies, his silence heavy with unspoken fury.
Ivy watched him take off, uncertainty gnawing at her. "Should I go after him?" she asked, her voice laced with worry. "I can travel faster underground." Lin shook her head, her gaze fixed on the sky where Buck had vanished. "No need. He is not in an agreeable mood now," she replied, her tone serious. "Especially with you," she added, casting a worried glance at Ivy, who felt the weight of the situation pressing down on her. She understood Buck's pain but feared what his unchecked anger could lead to.
Buck, meanwhile, was focused solely on his target. Using his gloves' eye, he tracked the demigods to his father's castle on Mount Rushmore. Without a word, he flapped his wings, the movement a blur in the sky, propelled by a mix of determination and rage. As he flew, the tension in the air thickened, leaving Ivy and Lin to hope for the best while fearing the worst.
From a distance, the castle guards spotted Buck and urgently alerted Layla, the eldest sister. "Should I engage him?" asked the guard, his grip tightening around his spear. "He's more powerful now; don't you dare!" she commanded, both of them watching as the demigod rapidly closed the distance. Buck slammed through the formidable forcefield that enveloped the mountain, and the guard detected an unmistakable hostility emanating from him. Ignoring Layla's warning, he took off, flying towards Buck with his spear at the ready. He hurled the weapon, but Buck skillfully dodged it, catching it just before it flew past him. With a surge of strength, he launched the spear high into the sky, where it vanished from sight.
As the guard leaped forward to strike, Buck sidestepped effortlessly, channeling his immense power into his fists. He delivered a devastating blow, creating a gaping hole in the guard's torso, causing him to plummet to the ground. With a dismissive shake of his hand, Buck soared straight to the castle, landing with a thud on its balcony. Layla sensed the overwhelming power and hostility radiating from him, a feeling echoed by Mira and Nem, who materialized behind her, instinctively taking up a battle stance, prepared to confront the formidable Buck.
"Hating my lover is one thing, but collaborating with my enemy is simply diabolical!" Buck barked, his voice laced with fury. "What the hell do you mean?" Layla shot back, confusion etched across her face. "Don't play dumb with me, you twat!" Buck retaliated, his anger palpable. "I swear, if you're in league with the Vampire Lord, I will—"
"What will you do?" roared a thunderous voice from behind them. Buck turned to find himself face to face with his father, who had just landed, still clad in his sleeping attire. The man was tall, muscular, and heavily bearded, flanked by two loyal guards. "Step back, Dad! This doesn't concern you!" Buck seethed.
"It concerns me! You are trespassing in my skies! You ceased to be my son when you eloped with that demonic whore of yours. Now get out of my way; you are soiling my palace!" His father's voice was filled with rage as he used his telekinetic power to shove Buck aside, striding into the castle. Enraged, Buck lunged to kick his father, but he swiftly grabbed Buck's foot and hurled him back to the ground. Spitting on the grass beside him, his father turned to walk away.
In a fit of anger, Buck activated his glove, encasing his body in formidable armor, and sprang at his father once more. The guards shifted to intercept him, but he deftly dodged the first guard, snatching the katana from his waist and knocking him out with a well-placed punch. To the second guard, Buck struck the back of his neck with the handle of the katana, sending him crashing to the ground. Just as Buck was about to land a strike on his father, his father blocked the katana with his arms, the clash resonating like steel. Gripping the blade with his right hand, he countered with a powerful punch to Buck's chest, shattering his armor and sending him soaring through the air.
"Take me to Lin," Buck murmured as he felt consciousness slipping away. Just before he hit the ground, the ancient power of his armor surged, regenerating the shattered areas and enveloping him once more. With a powerful thrust, the armor propelled him through the air, racing back to Lin, where he hoped to find solace and strength amid the chaos.
Buck's body flew over Aquarius and Ivy, who were seated around the fire, their voices mingling with the crackling flames. Above them, the night sky was a tapestry of stars, twinkling like distant diamonds against the dark canvas. Lin had climbed up a silent tree, its branches cradling her as she sat, lost in thoughts of Buck. The wind whispered soft, haunting songs into her ears, a gentle reminder of the connection they shared.
Suddenly, the armor lost its mystical energy, and Buck fell to the ground with a heavy thud. He landed on an elastic branch that stretched, absorbing the impact before lowering him gently to the earth. As he hit the ground, the moonlight revealed the blood smeared across his face and hands, stark against his skin, a chilling reminder of the battle he had faced. Aquarius and Ivy rushed to his side, their expressions shifting from shock to urgency. Lin sprang from the tree, landing beside Buck, her heart racing. She tenderly caressed his cheek, her fingers brushing against the warm blood. "I feel a pulse!" she exclaimed, excitement and relief flooding her voice as hope ignited within her.