Apocalypse ✦ Nomin

20

⊱ ───── { Jeno } ───── ⊰

"May I ask why I'm here, or are we going to sit in silence while you read?" Jeno grumbles irritably.

"It's quite infuriating, isn't it?" his father retorts.

"Excuse me?"

"Waiting," his father clarifies, "It's quite infuriating, no? Well, it's what I've been doing for the past twelve hours while I've waited for you to report back to me with the sword."

Jeno shuts his eyes and exhales deeply through his nose in frustration. When he opens them, his father is mere inches in front of him, as opposed to several feet away, sitting on his throne. It nearly startles Jeno, but as his father has taught him, he does not display this fear. He stands tall and stares into his eyes, refusing to break contact.

"Would you like to explain why you made me wait?" he asks calmly.

"I was drained by the time I got back. I had to rest to recuperate," Jeno responds objectively, though he omits part of the story.

His father narrows his eyes at Jeno and tilts his head as if examining for any trace of a lie. But Jeno does not falter.

"This wouldn't be an issue if you had already become a fully-fledged demon," his father says in a low rumble.

"I'm not ready," Jeno insists, flatly.

"So you keep saying," his father grumbles as he crosses his arms in a disapproving, judgmental manner, "I'm growing very tired of the same response. You choose to not tell me why, but you do not seem to have a true argument against doing so, either. You simply stay borderline and refuse to pick a side. Well, I will not accept this useless answer any longer. If you do not turn within the coming days, I will ensure that you have no choice."

Jeno grits his teeth, grinding them as he stares at his father. His eyes glow a ruby red.

"Is that a threat?" he questions.

"It's a promise," his father retorts, "Join me, or I promise I'll take matters into my own hands."

Jeno withholds his anger. He knows that he cannot start something he cannot finish. To lash out at his father would bring terrible repercussions. His hands were tied.

"Now go," he speaks calmly, "You have work to get done. I expect progress to be made in no more than forty-eight hours. If you have not, at the very least, gathered the soul of an angel, I will have to begin taking charge of this plan. I'm giving you one last chance to prove your competence as a leader. Do not fail me."

Jeno huffs angrily, but does not speak. He instead turns on his heel and stomps out of the hall.