Murderous

The Confrontation

After her call, Stella stormed up the stairs to the master bedroom. She instinctively went to grip the doorknob to throw the door open in anger, but she felt nothing. The door was open already. And standing there by the bedside was Stolas. Arms crossed, facing a portrait of the family from years past. She stomped inside.

Stella: What are you doing here?

Stolas did not turn to look at her.

Stolas: Should I not be here? This is my bedroom too after all.

Stella: The question still stands, smartass!

Stolas: You're right. Enough dancing around the issue. Enough games.

Stella: Spit it out.

Stolas sighed and turned to face his wife. He looked at her with disdain. This surprised Stella. Usually he backed off when confronted, acting defensively.

Stolas: I know what you're up to. I know you've been trying to have me killed.

Stella tried to speak, but nothing came from her. She cleared her throat and tried again. She tried to ignore that new feeling in her gut.

Stella: What makes you so sure?

Stolas: The rifle that my would-be assassin dropped at the Harvest Moon Festival, it was an angelic weapon.

Stella: So?

Stolas: If he had that weapon here in the pride ring, I wouldn't have batted an eye. What unnerved me is how he managed to get such a weapon all the way down to the wrath ring. Angel weapons are numerous and easy to come by in the pride ring. There's so many unaccounted for. But any lower down and they become an extreme rarity. Nearly impossible to find. That is, unless one is a Goetia. The Goetia alone have permission to study and store angelic weaponry.

Stella tried to act casual. She walked over to the bookcase and pretended to skim over the tomes.

Stella: And? Any number of those could've gone missing. Or maybe someone managed to smuggle one in. Are we gonna ignore the fact that the black market exists?

Stolas: Perhaps. But, of course, all angelic weapons in the Goetias' possession are catalogued. Every weapon is precisely identified. Every detail noted. Out of all the angelic weapons in the possession of Goetias, only one was missing. A rifle of the exact specifications as the one wielded by the assassin.

Stella turned around to look at Stolas and rested her hands on the desk in front of the bookcase.

Stella: Any one of our kind could've slipped up or might even be out for you. What makes you think I had anything to do with that?

Stolas: Because the rifle was from my study. You can imagine my surprise when I found it was missing. You had a solid plan. Hire a hitman, give him an angelic weapon. Have me killed. The problem lies in your shortsightedness.

Stella stood up straight.

Stella: This still doesn't prove it was me! It... it could've been Octavia for all you kn-

Stolas' eyes turned black. 

Stolas: Don't you dare!

Stella flinched and nearly fell over. 

Stolas: Don't you dare use her!

Stolas stepped towards Stella at a slow and intimidating pace. 

Stolas: Are you such a coward that you would throw our daughter under the bus to save your own skin!? You would dare have her be subjected to the torture deserving of a traitor!? You heartless wretch!

As Stolas stepped ever so slowly closer to Stella, his eyes became darker and his body morphed in twisted and disturbing ways. His neck elongating and writhing. His tongue growing teeth on its sides like a goose's and lashing out like a snake's. He became ever taller. An overwhelming darkness emanated from around him. As large and fearsome as he was, he cast no shadow. It was as if he was his own shadow. Or perhaps his demonic rage prevented any and all light from affecting him. His voice became more ferocious and malevolent and reverberated greatly.

Stolas: You have no right to kill me! You have no right to take me away from my child! You are a traitor and you deserve to be punished as such! I should tear you limb from limb! Pluck your feathers from your bleeding skin! Gouge out your eyes! Set you ablaze!

Stella was now visibly frightened of her husband, but was too afraid to do anything more than back away from him until she could back away no further. When she felt the wall against her back, she dropped down into a ball and pressed herself into a corner.

Stolas: You are a good for nothing, greedy, impudent, child! I'm done taking shit from you! You are nothing without me! I handle all our family's responsibilities, while you only see the good fortune from my work! I'm the scholar! I rive magic from stones! I brew potions that cure any ailment! I divine the future from the stars! I sit on the council! So, I'm standing my ground! I should let all of hell know your treachery. You would be burned alive, cast into a pit of spikes, boiled in burning oil, and perhaps, Lucifer willing, be erased! But as much as I despise what you've done...

Stolas swiftly shifted back to his normal form and demeanor. His black eyes returned to his normal red.

Stolas: I won't do that.

Despite Stolas' return to his normal form, and the saddened look on his face, Stella still feared him greatly.

Stolas: I can't hurt you or turn you in. Because even after what you've done, I can't bring myself to. Your actions are a result of ignorance. You are oblivious to the consequences of your actions. And isn't that why we're all here? Cast down by our heavenly father for our sins? We couldn't see what we were doing was harmful. We had no consequences. No one to hurt. We refused to listen.

Stolas looked to his fearful wife with teary eyes. 

Stolas: I could give into my wrath and see you burn, but you would still be right about one thing. I'm an embarrassment. I admit it. After these past 17 years I now know the consequences of my actions. I know how my sins affect those I love. And for what I've done, my affair, I am sorry. I can at least say that. 

Stolas kneeled down.

Stolas: Octavia. She needs us. Both of us. Without you, Octavia only has me. And even though you've drifted away from her, she still loves you. She still wants you to be happy. She even defended you earlier despite her poor opinion of you. You two may seem disconnected, but you, Stella, are still there if one day she decides to reach out. But she can't do that if you're gone. You might not believe me, but she still needs her mother. I don't hate you. I've never hated you. We loved each other once. That was a long time ago. Even though I no longer love you, I haven't lost my respect for you. Sometimes I look at you and still see that elegant, innocent, creature I fell in love with. I know now that you aren't what you first appeared to be. Behind your beautiful smile was a woman I could never connect to. But that doesn't mean you should suffer. It doesn't mean our daughter should suffer.

Stolas stood up. 

Stolas: I've tossed aside my weapon. Now I hope you toss aside yours. Call him off. Not for me. For Octavia. I beg you. You don't know the extent of what you're doing. Please.

Stolas turned abruptly and left at a swift pace. Leaving Stella absolutely stunned. He hoped he had made it clear where his true loyalties lied and that Stella would discover where hers were in turn.