I Am The Truth II

Chapter XXXIII: Part Finale: Birth and Death

Author's Note: Just clarifying that 'Part Finale' doesn't mean the story is ending. It just means that the extended chapter is ending. Hope that clears up the confusion

Ria's mind was racing too fast, but her body was frozen in place. With each second that passed, it would only cement in everyone's minds that she had done this. 

"What have you done?" Came Osivian's low voice.

She shook her head, tears in her eyes, but it was Paxis who answered first.

"She... she got into a fit of rage," Paxis said, his voice trembling. "She killed him in cold blood."

And that was all it took before Ria was suddenly slammed to the side and against the rock wall by one of the others with Osivian. The chieftain had knelt down before Indicumon himself now, lifting his son's body. His eyes was teary as well, and he soon looked up at Ria in rage.

"It was not her-!" Tiana began, but Osivian silenced her with a glare.

"Yeah?" He asked, his voice shaking terribly. "Who else in this room is capable of such extreme violence? Who else here is so quick to anger that they would inflict pain?"

"I promise you, it was not-"

"GET OUT OF HERE, YOU GOOD FOR NOTHING ORPHAN!" Osivian roared. 

Tiana jumped, and she said no more. The Sendaris silently looked back at her elder cousin before leaving. Osivian stood up, towering over Ria. He looked to Neptunus, who was completely still.

"Take her out to the clearing in the middle of the village," Osivian began, anger clouding his moral judgement. "Take all your friends."

"Father?" Neptunus began, unsure what Osivian was asking at first before it dawned upon him.

"I want her beaten to a bloody pulp before I arrive," Osivian growled, tears blurring his eyes. "The cost for taking my own son from me."

Ria was appalled. So her own father was willing to do this to her?

"Father," She began weakly. "Indicumon-"

"Do not speak his name in front of me," Osivian cut, pointing a dagger of a finger at her. "Do not say his name in front of me ever."

"You think I killed him?" Ria asked, her voice broken. "I knew him better than any of you..."

"It does not change the fact that he died because of you," Paxis said darkly. "And for such violence, you will have to pay a heavy price."

"You bastard," Ria said shakily. "This is all because of you-"

Paxis slapped her hard across the face, cutting her off.

She glared dangerously at him. He had been the source of Ria torment, the reason why Ria's life had become something of a curse, and the cause of the wide rift between Ria and her father.

But it was he that had played his cards smartly, and now he had won everything. Several of Neptunus' friends hauled her up suddenly, dragging her out of the cave and into the night, Paxis following close behind. Neptunus stayed where he was for a minute, guilt overwhelming him for all that he had done. But to turn back now was to risk everything, and so he reluctantly followed, leaving Osivian to hold the body of his noblest son.

The news had spread fast soon after, and it wasn't long before anger simmered in the air, the villagers gathering in a massive circle around the scene at the center of the village. Neptunus' gang was violently beating Ria up, punching and kicking her insensitively. One of them ripped her shirt off, and she suddenly weakened, remembering what Paxis would do to her around this time every night.