Pay the Price

Chapter 17- Blood Oath.

On Christopher's thirteenth birthday, a tragedy occurred. He was still stuck in the soundproof room that he had known for eight years, having zero sense of time. He didn't know the day, didn't know if it were day or night, nothing. The only way he knew the time or day was if he was let out of the room, or when he was tormented to hell on his birthday.

Leading up to his birthday, he found out more about himself. One of those things being that he could shapeshift into a multitude of things. Including inanimate objects. Though, it used a lot of his energy, making it very difficult to do.

At some point during the day, whilst he was playing with a pile of rice, the door opened. Andreas and Mason Zandailias entered, staying in the doorway. In Mason's hand, something wrapped in a tea towel. Mason had taught Christopher how to speak Indonesian, a forgotten language, and sign language in the years that they had known each other.

"Mason, Christopher." Andreas spoke. "I'm going to go and talk to mother. Try not to make any noise. I'm going to leave the door opened so Mason can leave whenever. They might hear you, and I'm sure you'd like to avoid consequences." He continued, then exited the room.

Quietly, Mason handed the food to Christopher, who quickly ate it like his life depended on it. His life did depend on it. After just a few seconds, a shadow loomed over the two. Andreas had lied and decided to alert his parents as to what Mason was doing.

"Our own son is helping an Aetos. The very bloodline that ruined mine and Hernando's lives. Aetos' and Zandailias', despite blood relation, should never help each other. Pathetic. What a disgrace you are, Mason." Maria spoke, her voice a low growl. "Two curses. A curse of the Earth, Mason, and a curse of the universe, Christopher. Marcus," Marcus stepped up, under a spell. He looked like a zombie, his eyes glazed over, "kill your son. Beat him until he's nearly unconscious. then poison him. Force it down his throat and prevent him from breathing or spitting it out."

Before either of the young boys could react, Christopher was restrained and pressed onto the floor. Maria dug her knees into his back, forcing his legs to fold underneath him. She held his hands behind his back, using her free hand to force him to watch the events unfold before them by holding his hair.

Marcus took Mason by the collar, lifting him up in the air so he was dangling. Mason thrashed his legs, trying to kick at Marcus' arms from fear and desperation. He released iron nails from his hands, then tried to slash at his father's arms and face. The nails were so long and strong that they nearly dug to the bone. Sometimes getting through the bone.

Christopher tried to get away from Maria, but she was far larger than him. He couldn't move. He watched as Marcus beat Mason within an inch of knocking him unconscious, and Mason was completely delirious. He stopped fighting, his limbs hanging down loosely.

Still holding his son with one hand, Marcus used his free hand to pull a vial out of his pocket. It was a dark red liquid, nearly black, but had the consistency of water. Christopher watched as Marcus uncapped it and forced it down Mason's throat. Then he dropped the vile before covering Mason's nose and mouth with his hand.

With horror, Christopher watched as Mason began to choke, his neck turning from purple to black as the skin charred and flaked away. Mason tried to scream, but his larynx was at the point of no return. There was no hope of survival for him.

Just seconds later, Mason took his last breath. And Christopher was forced to watch the entire thing. The one who was there for him for years, who taught him multiple languages, encouraged him to teach Mason Greek and Russian to keep his languages in his head, and taught him many other things, was dead. Christopher had no one.