Tales of Astora: Legacy

Chapter 71: Welcome back

Chapter 71: Welcome back

"WHERE IS SHE?"

It was a disaster. In a short moment of laxness, to think something so preposterous could have happened...it was truly a fiasco of madness. The Orbis-Exeo, the only existing machine that could allow travelling across worlds, was gone, together with the radio Vincent has given to the boy. Even more freakish, the corpse of Alastor's only daughter, Odium, was also missing from the scene. What could this mean? Was she actually alive all these times, only pretended to be dead? Could she have taken the Orbis-Exeo as well? As a means to take revenge on Alastor? But that was impossible. Alastor has checked that. He made sure of it. But if it wasn't her, then who could have done such a thing?

"YOU! Did you take it?" the boy shouted at the only other person who was there with him.

"What are you talking about? I was with you the whole time." Cynthia retorted. She was just as surprised as him to see that both the machine and Odium's corpse were gone. From Sullivan's encounter with Vincent, she knew that the demon lords, or at least Sullivan and Nyx, wished that the Orbis-Exeo would be brought to Astora. Yet, none of them really knew why they should do that.

But Alastor didn't know any of that. To him, Cynthia was the most suspicious person out here.

"But you could have lured me away so one of your accomplices perhaps could use that time to sneak it and take them." Dashing to her position, the boy threw her off to the ground. Putting his hands around her neck as he pinched her down and sat on her, Alastor shouted at the defenseless woman. "You have five seconds before I snap this feeble neck of yours. It can't be Odium. SHE IS DEAD. So it can only be you. I won't let you or anyone defiling her body. Now, tell me!!! One!"

"I....I don't know!" Cynthia gasped for breath. Despite their size, the small hands of Alastor were firmly gripping her throat, making her unable to breathe properly. "Ah...A...!"

"LIES! TWO!" Alastor raged. He tightened his grasp even more.

"......." Cynthia struggled as hard as she could to no avail. The boy was simply too strong for her.

"THREE!"

"I....swe..ar!" Moaning in pain as she tried to shake him off her. How could he be this strong?

"FOUR!"

"...Ju...st...kill...me!" a shed of tears dropped from her cheeks as the pain that was inflicted to her started to feel numb. Cynthia was already on the verge of death.

It was at that moment that Alastor regained his self. What was he doing? Why could he do such a thing? Was he always this violent? His breathing got heavy as he laid his eyes upon this helpless woman. He almost killed her, just like that without any proof. What has he become?

Slowly releasing his hands, Alastor abruptly stood up and stepped away from her. Finally, being able to respire, the flow of air made Cynthia cough hardly as she tried to regulate her breathing. For a moment, she has seen the light, signalling her incoming end.

"Cynthia..I..." Alastor uttered in awe.

" *cough cough* *heavy breathing* It's...it's fine. You don't have to dwell on it. *heavy breathing*" the woman muttered softly.

"I am so sorry, Cynthia. I..." Carefully reaching his hand to the woman out of concern, he walked up to her and tried to help her stand up.

*SLAP*

"Don't touch me!" Cynthia yelled at him, slapping his arm to a side. The expression on her face, it was fear. A natural reaction you would say, considering how he almost killed her just now. But it wasn't why she slapped him. No, it was something much more, shrouded, concealed, hidden behind the darkness of her somber past.