13 Out of Control

"What are you doing here?" Asuren asked when Albert helped him clean around the farm.

"Isn't it obvious?" the not-so-old fairy handed him a bamboo water container. "Ayhan and Juliann are worried about you, but they had to assist Princess Riz and Gia. I'm here to make sure that no one will pick a fight with you."

"I'm not afraid of that," Asuren took a sip from the container.

"We know," Albert smiled and gave Asuren another bamboo container. "You never cared about your life. But we do. You skipped breakfast and lunch. Henry and Princess Thea prepared that food and water for you. You should eat. And don't forget to return them to the kitchen."

"Thank you," Asuren took the bamboo containers and walked away from Albert.

"Are you avoiding me?" the not-so-old fairy followed him back to the storage room.

"I don't want to talk to anyone," Asuren opened the lunchbox. It was packed with soup, rice, fruits, vegetables, and fish.

"Is that all?"

"Yes," Asuren was getting impatient. "Can you, please, leave? I want to eat alone."

"I heard you talking in your sleep. You are calling out for your father."

"Stop," Asuren shot a deadly glare at Albert. "I want to eat in silence."

"Don't you want to know where he is?"

"I don't want to talk about him," Asuren dropped the container on his mattress. "Leave."

"Ayhan and Juliann told me that it was the first time in a long while that you had muttered that word in your sleep. I remembered that when you were young you used to ask everyone about your father."

"Then mother had forbidden everyone to talk about him," Asuren winced as the pain in his chest returned. "So, let's not talk about him."

"You stopped asking about him and decided to call me your father," Albert was annoyingly persistent about it. "You said it was our secret. Then out of the blue, you stopped calling me father and distanced yourself from me. I know it was because of your mother. She hates your father as much as she hates the royalties of Northern Peaks."

Asuren grabbed Albert by his arm and dragged him out of the storage room, "Don't talk to me ever again!"

"I think I know who he is!"

"I don't care!!!" Asuren slammed the door shut then collapsed behind it. His chest felt like it was being ripped open.

Ask again about your father and I will pull your heart out and rip it into pieces!

Asuren winced as pain shot through his head.

"I'm… not asking… about him…"

"Asuren, you need to hear me out. You should know who he is," Albert was trying to push the door open but Asuren refused to move away from the door.

"Leave…" he tried to yell but the pain in his body was draining him.

"Asuren? What's happening to you?" Albert was banging his hands against the door.

"I'm… fine…" Asuren whispered while being pushed away from the door.

"Asuren!!!" with Albert's strong and relentless pounding, he successfully pushed the door open. "What's wrong with you?"

The not-so-old fairy knelt beside him and tried to help him up but Asuren shoved his hands away.

"Just… please… leave…"

Let me out!

"Your chest…"

Asuren covered his bleeding chest.

"Leave…" he weakly pleaded to both Albert and his mother. But none of them wanted to leave him alone.

Darkness was trying to claim Asuren, but he could not let that happen. He could not let Albert die.

LET ME OUT!!!

Asuren was instantly covered by darkness but he could still get a glimpse of Albert. It was blurry but he was still conscious. That was the first time it happened.

Can I be… in control?

Of course, not! You can only watch, my useless son.

His mother was right. He cannot feel the rest of his body. He can only watch.

"Your eyes…" Albert failed to finish his sentence for Asuren grabbed his neck.

No… please… Mother…

Asuren was trying to take control of his body but he had no idea how to do it.

Albert was choking to death. He should do something. Anything.

"I should have killed you a long time ago," Cloudia said through Asuren's mouth and he finally let go of Albert's neck.

The not-so-old fairy dropped on the ground and stared at Asuren with disbelief.

"Lady… Lady Cloudia?"

"Don't act like you know everything," Cloudia called forth Ugong without any difficulty, and a lethal weapon formed in the right hand of Asuren. "Don't act as a father to this useless fairy. He doesn't have a father!!!"

"Everyone has a father," Albert also released a dagger made out of sharp stone. "Stop lying to your son. Stop torturing him. Stop treating him as your weapon. If you hate his father, hate only him. Asuren never hurt you. Treat him right. Treat him as your son!"

Albert attacked and as expected, he was skilled enough to keep up with Cloudia. But it only lasted for a few minutes. Cloudia finally shattered his dagger and shoved him on the ground with a strong gust of wind. She pinned him hard on the ground with a sturdy wind. She knelt beside him and stabbed his left shoulder with Asuren's dagger.

NO!!!

Asuren was still trying to feel his body. He should stop his mother. He should save Albert. He should be the only owner of his body.

Cloudia harshly pulled the blade from the stab wound and pierced it on his right shoulder.

Mother, please stop!!!

I will only stop once he is dead!!!

Cloudia ruthlessly yanked the blade out of Albert's shoulder and aimed for his forehead.

Say goodbye to your wannabe father.

NO!!!

"I warned you," Cloudia coldly reminded Albert, "But because you are too involved with my useless child, you will have to die!"

NO!!!

Asuren instantly regained control of his body and stopped his hand from stabbing Albert's forehead.

"I… did it…" Asuren collapsed on the ground as pain burst in his head and chest. Blood flowed from the cuts in his chest while his head pounded with pain. His vision was fading.

"Albert… please… leave…"

"I'll call for help," Albert quickly got on his feet and sprinted out of the room.

The moment Asuren had heard the door closed, he finally closed his eyes and let the darkness take his consciousness away.

^#######################^

A pool of blood.

A pile of slaughtered bodies.

On top of it was no longer Thea Gailbreeze but Albert Gran. His forehead had been pierced by a dagger.

His mother was messing with his head again.

Of course, I am.

That chilling voice was followed by unnerving laughter.

Did you truly save Albert?

I…

Will I ever allow you to take control of your body while I am in command of it?

No…

Albert died because of your uselessness.

No…

Cloudia laughed.

Yes, Asuren. He died in your hands. You killed him.

NO!!!

Asuren jerked awake and winced as pain shot through his bandaged chest. He looked around and found himself lying on a hospital bed.

He was back on the fifth floor of Mountain Fairy Hospital. Thea, Ayhan, and Juliann were sitting around his bed and staring at him with worry.

"Asuren…"

"Where is Albert?" he looked around the room but there was no other patient in there aside from him.

"He is dead," Ayhan sadly informed him, causing more pain in his chest. "His forehead had been stabbed by your dagger."

Asuren crossed his arms over his bended knees then buried his face in it.

"Cloudia killed him," Ayhan put a hand on his shoulder. "It's not your fault. You tried to stop her. The wound in your chest is enough proof. You didn't kill him."

"I want to see Albert."

"Your wounds…"

"Please… Princess Thea… I want to see him," Asuren begged and Thea could no longer refuse.

^#####################^

According to Juliann, Asuren had slept for an entire day. When they returned to Rainforest Farm, it was nearly midnight. The farm was empty. Everyone had been resting in their own quarters.

"Can you please wait for me in the kitchen? I want to eat something sweet," Asuren was still in pain and his body felt like it would collapse at any moment. But he had to see Albert.

"Something is wrong with you," Ayhan glared suspiciously at him.

"Let's wait for him at the kitchen," Thea yanked Ayhan and Juliann away from the grave of Albert.

"We cannot leave him alone," Ayhan tried to pull away from Thea's grip but she was not letting go.

"I understand Asuren. Even if Cloudia controlled his body, it was still his dagger that killed Albert," Thea explained when they reached the entrance to the kitchen.

"But Nathan and his gang will surely kill him. They were hiding behind the trees!"

"I know, Ayhan…"

"Asuren will not fight back," Juliann added. "He will surely die, Thea. We need to protect him."

"They need to see what Cloudia had done to Asuren. It can only happen once he loses consciousness."

"Do you want them to die?" Ayhan impatiently snapped at Thea. "Is Albert's death not enough?!"

"That is the only way Asuren can prove his innocence," Juliann understood despite his restlessness.

"Albert is a respected fairy," Thea explained. "Everyone in this farm is mourning his death. Even if I tell them that it is not Asuren, they will not believe it. They will only assume that I am lying to protect him. They will even suspect him of threatening me or that he already found a way to manipulate me. For Cloudia, I think that is not impossible. The way she treats Asuren…" she clenched her fist in frustration. "They need to see the truth, Ayhan. They need to see that Asuren is also a victim of Cloudia. But that doesn't mean we will let them die. Not this time."

^##########################^

Asuren was too ashamed to shed a single tear or say anything in front of the grave. He can only kneel in silence and stare blankly at the heap of stones.

"Stop pretending that you are innocent."

The ex-assassins finally came out from behind the trees.

"You killed Albert."

Asuren looked at the ex-assassins. All of them had their weapons ready.

"Yes," he got up on his feet and released his dagger. "I killed Albert. And I will kill all of you."

As he raised his weapon, poisoned needles hit his back. It weakened his knees and Nathan had taken that opportunity to stab his right shoulder.

Asuren collapsed on his knees as Nathan pulled the blade from his wound.

"I will avenge Albert!" Nathan stabbed his left shoulder.

"Avenge Albert…" Asuren laughed and coughed out blood. "The other day… you wanted to kill him just to get to me."

"Shut up!!!"

Nathan aimed for his forehead, but a strong gust of wind shattered the dagger.

"That's enough," Thea stood between Asuren and Nathan. "You need to show them the truth, Asuren."

"Should I kill all of them?" Asuren gripped his dagger but his hand was shaking from the poison.

Thea turned to face him. She knelt in front of him and grabbed his arms.

"Cloudia Nightgloom, show yourself."

"Are you crazy?" Asuren tried to shove her hands away but his body had no more strength left to successfully do it.

"If you want to kill me, come out now," Thea was dead serious in calling his mother out. "Stop using other fairies. Show yourself to me. Try and kill me."

Excruciating pain pounded in every inch of his body. His chest started to bleed again.

"Stop…" Asuren weakly pleaded but no one was listening.

"Kill me if you can, Cloudia Nightgloom," there was a coldness in Thea's voice that was nearly as chilling as the voice of his mother.

Asuren was trying his best not to let his mother out. But the poison was making him weaker. Once again, his vision was becoming foggy. And with Thea's constant prodding, Asuren had been dragged back into the darkness. But like the last time, even though it was hazy, he can still see Thea.

I will show you how to kill this fairy.

Asuren wanted to stop them but he was too exhausted. He also remembered how Cloudia played with his mind the last time it happened. No matter how hard he tries to save Thea, he can never succeed on it.

Asuren looked away and tried to rest his weary soul.

^##################^

Thea triumphed. Cloudia Nightgloom had finally taken control of Asuren's body. Everyone had witnessed it and they backed away in fear. But they still had one more thing to see.

Cloudia attacked as if she was using her own body. She must have been doing that for a long time. Even Ugong was obedient to her. Battling her was like fighting Asuren when he was in his full potential.

Her movements were faster. Her attacks were stronger. Thea was barely dodging and deflecting her blows. Cloudia was leaving her a few openings and she could hardly counter. Within a few minutes of exchanging blows, Thea was catching her breath and enduring a few bleeding cuts.

"Why do you want to kill me and my family?" Thea tried to get some answers but Cloudia refused to answer and kept on attacking.

She was relentlessly attacking since she had taken over Asuren's body. Thea was expecting to see her a bit exhausted. She should slow down and weaken even by a little bit, but Cloudia Nightgloom was only getting faster and stronger.

She finally managed to shatter the wind that was protecting Thea and did not waste another second to land a paralyzing blow.

A strong and sharp gust of wind had hit Thea and sent her rolling on the ground. As her back hit a tree, Cloudia instantly appeared beside her. The leader of Southern Peaks had grabbed Thea by her hair and pulled her up in a sitting position.

"It's time for you to die," Cloudia raised her dagger and aimed for Thea's forehead.

The Gailbreeze Second Princess quickly caught the blade with her newly conjured dagger. Both blades were covered by a strong gust of wind and grinding against each other.

Cloudia was no doubt stronger than Thea. The latter could feel that the blade of her dagger was slowly breaking.

"You cannot kill me," Thea strengthened the wind around her blade.

"Everyone here will see your tragic ending," Cloudia was also increasing the power of the wind around her blade.

"Everyone here will see the truth of Albert's death," Thea gazed fearlessly at Cloudia.

"Asuren killed him, and he will kill you too!!!"

"Asuren managed to stop you and he can do it again."

"That useless fairy cannot do anything!!!" Cloudia finally shattered the blade of her enemy but her dagger froze when it was only an inch away from Thea's forehead.

Her purple eyes changed back to blue. Asuren managed to stop her on time.

"Welcome back, Asuren," Thea sighed with relief.

"You are… crazy…" the weapon in the hand of Asuren had vanished and he collapsed in the arms of Thea.

Ayhan and Juliann rushed towards them.

"Bring him back to Mountain Fairy Hospital," Thea instructed as Juliann carried Asuren in his arms. "I'll follow you as soon as I'm done here."

"You are also wounded," Ayhan reminded her.

"I'll be fine," Thea urged them to hurry. "Asuren is losing a lot of blood. Go."

Ayhan and Juliann rushed out of the Rainforest Farm. Thea faced the ex-assassins that had fallen silent after witnessing what happened to Asuren.

"It was Cloudia," she told them for the second time. "Nathan, you also heard what Albert had said in his last breath. It was not Asuren. I'm hoping that this time, you can give Asuren a chance and help him out. He is also suffering."

"Forgive me for being narrow-minded, Princess Thea," Nathan sincerely apologized. "I will be more understanding."

"Thank you," Thea smiled. "Go back to your quarters and rest."

While the ex-assassins were leaving, Sel and Henry approached her.

"Will they change towards Asuren?" Henry was still worrying. "Maybe we should transfer him back to the inn."

"He should stay here. I think that Nathan is sincere. We should give them more time to adjust with one another."

"I'll take you to Mountain Fairy Hospital," Sel was worrying for her.

"Let me do that, Sel," Lazano was striding towards them.

"What are you doing here?" Thea was a bit surprised.

"Miyara told me that you might need help. I think I arrived late," Lazano flashed an embarrassed smile.

"I'll be fine," Thea frowned. "You should be observing Miyara. Aldrin cannot do that from afar."

"I might be wrong about Miyara," Lazano looked more apologetic. "It never happened again. I might be seeing things."

"I agree with Lazano," Sel concurred. "Lately, Miyara is spending a lot of time on this farm. She looks okay. I didn't notice anything different from her."

"She likes to walk around the farm," Henry added. "Sometimes she would ask if she can pick a few plants and take them home."

"Fine," Thea sighed. She was starting to feel exhausted. "But I can go to Mountain Fairy Hospital on my own. Go home and continue observing Miyara. I don't want her to suffer like Asuren."

"I'll drop you at Mountain Fairy Hospital before I go home. Let's go," Lazano easily carried her in his arms. "You look tired. It will be faster this way."

Thea let out another sigh and let Lazano do what he wanted to do. She just ignored the teasing smile on the face of Sel and Henry.

"I'll see you tomorrow," she waved a hand at her friends while Lazano bowed a little before dashing out of the farm.

When they entered Northern Peaks, Lazano spread his dragonfly wings and soared towards Mountain Fairy Hospital.

The cold wind was blowing against Thea and it was a bit refreshing. It lessened the heaviness in her chest.

"Thea, why are you crying? Are you in pain?" Lazano stopped in mid-air and Thea quickly wiped the tears in her face.

"This is nothing," she hid her face in the chest of Lazano. "Let's hurry to the Mountain Fairy Hospital. I want to rest."

Lazano nodded and zoomed towards the hospital.

^###########################^