The Tyrant's Pet

[ MALEFICENT WORLD: Spirit World ]

Abel and Fabian had been exchanging blows as if everything didn't matter. One would attack, and one would block it. It was safe to say they were equally strong and fast in terms of combat.

"You aren't terrible!" Abel exclaimed with his lips stretched from ear to ear until his teeth were showing, moving forward as both their weapons were in between them. "Exciting!"

Fabian smiled until his eyes looked like thin lines. "It has been indeed a while since I dueled with someone without holding back."

"Are you saying my nephew is… just as disappointing as I thought he was?"

"He doesn't enjoy fighting that much."

"Tardy, is he?"

"Arrogant."

Abel laughed, hopping back several meters from Fabian, and the latter also did. "I am not surprised. Our family is just full of strange people."

"I am very much aware." Fabian kept his smile.

At this point, for some reason, the two of them found this same equilibrium during their fierce exchange of blows. No one could really understand how things went down between them. Unlike the first impression, they were more tolerant of each other's presence.

"Anyway, should I kill you in here?" Abel cocked his head to the side, eyes with pure curiosity.

Fabian only smiled, and when he blinked, Abel was already charging in front of him. However, he didn't move and simply closed his eyes not to anticipate the pain. He did because he felt something on the other side of this world.

Abel's fingers were stretched and were coming at Fabian's head. But inches before he could grab his face, his palm stopped, hovering two inches from Fabian's face. Abel tilted his head to the side, blinking almost innocently.

"That is not fair, Fabian," said Abel lazily. "How can you just leave me here like that?"

"It was nice meeting you, Your Majesty, but I think you should wake up. That sister of yours is a sneaky demon. I can feel her in here as well," Fabian spoke with his eyes closed, making Abel frown. "I'll see you on the other side."

"I kinda want to play with him since fighting him makes Maleficent's aura less repugnant," mumbled Abel, watching Fabian fall on his back and then landed on the ground with a thud. He gazed down, watching Fabian's body dissipate in the air like dust until it decreased in opacity.

It didn't take long when the man lying on his back was gone, as if he wasn't there in the first place.

Abel let out a shallow breath, blinking, eyes on the ground. "What a nice person," he mused under his breath, lifting his eyes to look around. "Perhaps I was overthinking. Maleficent didn't feel that much repelling once I get used to her presence."

For a fact, Abel was certain if Aries awakened her witch there would be problems between them. He wasn't sure what exactly, but he could barely stand Fabian at first. And the fact that Fabian was simply the holder of a small part of Maleficent was alarming.

But after dueling with Fabian, Abel felt slightly at ease. He could take it; he had to if he didn't want to lose his wife, the love of his life, and his one and only.

"Well." Abel looked around to search for Conan, only to see him clashing with Maximus. He didn't dwell on them as his eyes searched the area.

Marsella was gone. 

"That little devil." Abel stretched his neck from one side to the other, closing his eyes as he drew a deep breath. "I guess it's time to go back."

Abel kept his eyes shut, stopping his own heart from beating to wake himself in the real world. But alas, he didn't wake up. When he reopened his eyes, he was still standing on the vast expanse. Conan and Maximus were still fighting.

"Conan!" he yelled and that second, Maximus's body landed on the ground. Fire filled Abel's eyes, setting his gaze on the thick dust that ascend over Maximus' body.

"Your Majesty," called Conan, landing several feet from Conan. "What is it?"

"A problem." Abel's eyes sharpened, watching Maximus's silhouette from behind the thick dust. Before he could tell Conan the problem, they heard Maximus' evil laughter. Both of them kept their eyes on the latter until Maximus stepped out of the thick smoke.

"Time." Maximus shook his head while maintaining eye contact with the two. "I had said it before, Abel. I had been waiting for this day for a very long time."

His lips stretched into a sinister grin until his teeth were showing and his eyes glinting. "Do you think your little game will work? I had considered every probable route you can all do together."

"I've been watching, Abel. From the start until now," he continued, laughing with his lips closed. "Do you think everything is purely out of coincidence? Your meeting, and how you were there before that night of the summit? Or should I say how those ropes that restrained her for years came off?"

Deep lines formed in between Abel and Conan's brows, absorbing Maximus's words like a sponge. Both men understood what Maximus was pertaining to.

In the past, back when Aries just stepped foot in the empire, she had dreams. In that dream, Aries was in a cage and Abel came into the room where her cage was. They talked a bit, and he encourage her to meet him. It was already in the past and barely held no purpose, but now that Maximus was speaking about it, a realization struck Abel and Conan.

That summit, Aries, and their meeting weren't purely a coincidence.

As these realizations dawned on Abel and Conan, they felt these invisible strings attached to their joints. For some reason, Maximus felt bigger than a giant, like a master puppeteer, making everyone dance to his tune.

"Motherfucker…" whispered Abel, but now he couldn't smile. "... now, you've done it."

Maximus' smirk stretched wider, sensing more force coming out of Abel's back. But instead of panic, his eyes were filled with excitement, spreading his arms wide open.

"Come, Wrath!" Maximus taunted loudly. "Dance!"