As the doors creaked open, the baby villain tried to turn his eyes to look at the Patriarch, but he was unable to. 'What the hell? I can't even move my eyes? Why a baby?' his mind screamed. But on the outside, he looked like the quietest and cutest baby in existence.
'Come closer, let me see you.'
The Patriarch's foot crossed the threshold of the room, his dark blue coat swept over the floor, his blue eyes shone with wisdom and warmth.
"Agnes!" came his enthusiastic voice.
'So the name of my mother is Agnes… Agnes, good name,' the baby cooed.
"Patriarch," Agnes tried to stand up, but she intentionally fell down on her bed.
"You don't have to greet me, you should get some rest," he said with concern in his voice, his eyes slightly scrutinising her. He had felt something off in the air, but he couldn't quite put his hand around it.
Agnes was one of the most powerful sorceresses in the world, she was the last high mage of the Eastern Sanctum… 'How could she be this weak after childbirth?' the Patriarch thought inwardly, but he quickly dismissed his thoughts as he stared at the bouncy baby in the crib.
"Do you want to hold him?" Agnes weakly asked, her skin looked pale now, her lips chapped.
The Patriarch smiled brightly, "Of course."
Plum, who was standing at the corner of the room, hurried to where the baby was lying, before gently lifting him up and gently placing him in the Patriarch's arms.
'Why do I feel so uneasy?' the villain wondered as he felt himself in the arms of an old man, whose hair was mostly white. The aura that was emitting from him was so overwhelming, almost suffocating. If he was an ordinary baby, he would have begun crying.
Agnes smiled seeing that her baby was not crying in the Patriarch's arms. 'Mother said we need to win this old man's favour, maybe I can help,' the baby stared at him.
"Your baby is very special. This is the first baby that has never cried in my presence," the Patriarch said with enthusiasm, his eyes sparkled with pride.
'But why does he look so familiar? Have I seen him before? Where?'
"Oh, now he is looking at me with curiosity. I like him," the Patriarch's eyes glinted.
'Shut up and stay still, let me have a good look at your old face.' The baby's eyes squinted, although most of his face was covered with beards and the fact that he looked like a giant didn't help the issue.
'The leader's long black hair, streaked with white, opened his arms, moving his hand, forming a rune. Then a blue azure rune formed underneath the villain. The leader's eyes turned light blue. "Your end is now, Villain. You shall do no more evil."'
The memory flashed through his head, and just like that the memory of the leader who had orchestrated the attack on him appeared in his head, and the person who was standing right in front of him had the same face as him.
'This can't be possible, maybe he is someone who shares the same face with him,' he thought, his eyes squinting more.
"Plum, take him, I need to go see my other grandson," the Patriarch's words were like sand in her throat.
She exchanged a knowing look with Plum. Just then, A rattling cough tore through Agnes' chest, her body jerked forward as dark red blood sprayed across her pale fingers.
Plum's eyes widened in alarm, she rushed back to Agnes, turning midway from the Patriarch.
'Did I drain her power that much? She's coughing out blood. I thought we would be a good duo, so sad,' the villain thought as his little body stilled in the Patriarch's arms.
"Agnes, are you okay?" the Patriarch stepped closer, he waved his other hand over her frame, a blue energy formed around her, but she spat more blood out.
"You are poisoned," his eyes narrowed, his veins popping from anger. "Who poisoned you?" his voice grew eerily low.
As much as the villain wanted to focus on his mother, something else caught his attention—the Patriarch's fake arm, an arcane-infused metal arm. He saw the black arm glowing with blue runes when the Patriarch had cast a spell.
'This is the rare arcane-infused metal arm that is forged from a rare obsidianite and ethersteel alloy, which is capable of conducting and amplifying magical energy. The materials are so rare and are found in the northern part of the realm. How did he get it? No, why did he lose his arms?'
Then, the image of the leader who had led the attack, losing his arms, flashed through his mind, as he connected the dots. 'The same face, but older. The same missing arms, this same aura. HE WAS THE ONE WHO LED THE PEOPLE TO KILL ME!' Anger boiled in his blood.
His vision darkened, rage burned beneath his baby skin. Then his eyes turned sharp gold, burning with fury. The blood-chilling aura stretched across the room, its power so overwhelming that the Patriarch, Agnes, and Plum felt cold shivers running down their spine. Agnes froze mid-cough, Plum's breath caught and the Patriarch couldn't help but flinch.
'Remember me now, old man?'
Immediately, Agnes' eyes snapped towards her son, who was in the Patriarch's arms, her heart skittered in her chest. Her eyes widened as she saw her son's eyes had turned gold, and he was staring daggers at him.
"Who is that? Where is this death-reeking aura coming from?" The Patriarch's eyes shone light blue, as he looked beyond what normal eyes could see. Then he sensed the aura coming from underneath him, as he turned his gaze to look at what it was.
Agnes' heart stopped, almost hanging in her throat.
"Patriarch!" she called desperately as she tried to distract him from looking down. She spat more blood.
He stopped midway, turning his gaze to her. "Agnes," he called out worriedly.
With a knowing look to Plum, Plum immediately stood up to carry the baby from the Patriarch. She almost gasped in surprise when she saw the baby's eyes.
She quickly carried the baby, turning the baby to face her, so his eyes would not be seen by the Patriarch.
'Let me go! What kind of irony is this? Born as a grandchild to my killer?' His golden eyes turned back to their normal shades of grey.
The Patriarch tried to track the aura, but as quickly as it had come, it had also disappeared. Without chasing any further, he turned to Agnes.
"Let me detox you," the Patriarch moved his hand up in the air and a blue pentagram formed under the bed Agnes was sitting on. Then black smoke began to flow out from her body. After a couple of minutes, she was fully detoxed.
He gently brought his hand down. "Who did this?" Anger flashed through his eyes.
Agnes smiled, before weakly turning to him. "Do you really not know who caused this?" She rested her head on the pillow.
"That stupid son of mine," he cussed under his breath. "Come with me, let's see what he has to say."
Agnes opened her mouth to protest, but he raised his hand first, a soft hum filled the room. A swirling blue light lit the floor beneath her, spinning faster and faster. Plum barely had time to tighten her hold on the baby before the spell activated. Then, light flashed through the room, and the humming sound lingered in the air before it was swallowed by silence. The faint scent of magic was the only thing lingering in the air.