125 Chapter 8: Turning

Girston's voice roared in the darkness. Pain swallowed his mind, his body and soul. It flooded his senses, a mist of darkness erupting from his pores, swirling around him and entering his nose and mouth.

The Kult watched, as they have each day for the past few weeks. He had committed treason by, not only saving Kairas' life, but by aiding in Hailey's escape with vital information. His torture now was a result of the conflict inside himself, common for Angels who choose a path of evil, whether they are aware or not.

He truly believed he was in the right with everything he had done, but once he gazed upon Hailey's child, he realized how wrong his ideals were. An innocent life under his care, growing as he took care of it.

If things had progressed as they were supposed to, that child would've been brought into a world sharing the DNA of a man who willingly took his own parents' lives. Being bound to Carlos was a sin in and of itself.

It was why he chose to steal Takabi's DNA when he could. He had plenty of blood samples from their battles, which he stored away and worked on to give life to something new.

Something powerful.

His change of mind couldn't have come at a worse time. He was stuck, fighting off his mutation, praying to God that he would remain strong enough to atone for his sins. He caused so much grief, so much death and destruction. He ruined his family and burdened his kids with a quest they were not ready for.

His hope was waning.

Hope is what remained however. He had seen their growth, how powerful they can become if they learned to control the Omnipotence of the God Gems. One alone could do wonders, but four together was something so grand not even his advanced wisdom could comprehend it.

The boys were the key to stopping the Kult.

He let out another cry of pain, veins in his body bulging out from intense strain. His eyes flickered from violet and green, struggling to settle on a single color. His hair, flickering between white and black, stood on its ends and grew wild. His mind was flooded with memories, memories of his kids, how he was so proud of them and he wondered where he went wrong.

Girston's eyes fell on Carlos on the second floor of the Cathedral. Next to him was an aged woman. Her back was hunched, and face hidden under a hood. All that could be seen was a twisted, wrinkled smile.

Carlos had his arms crossed, tapping his fingers impatiently against his bicep, before facing away and sighing.

The man he accepted as his new father turned his back in a last ditch effort to be valiant. It was a dumb choice, one he would soon regret. Carlos held no qualms at him. He still had plans for himself and how he could grow, before he finally finished cutting all his ties to his humanity. He would be patient until he held Takabi's severed head in his hands and fed on the fresh blood.

Carlos would be patient, and use all the tools at his disposal to achieve his goal.