CHAPTER 25: Shadows Veiled In Secrecy.

Liang barged into his mother's chamber, his eyes blazing with anger. The chamber was adorned with opulent decorations, a reflection of the Viper Queen's monarchal nature.

Her regal demeanor momentarily faltered as she noticed the blood stain on her son's split lips. Concern etched across her face, she moved closer to him, her delicate hand reaching out to wipe away the crimson stain.

"What happened to you, son?" Queen Zuki's voice quivered with worry, her eyes searching Liang's face for answers. She had always been a powerful and formidable ruler, but at this moment, her vulnerability shone through.

Liang shoved her hand off his face. With a bitter tone, he lashed out at her, his words sharp and cutting. "How dare you, mother? How could you see me as so incompetent that you sent someone else to complete the very quest I was assigned to do?"

His accusation hung in the air, heavy with resentment. He continued "Be real Mother, Do you think I am not capable enough to retrieve the Amethyst myself?"

The queen's chamber fell into a tense silence as the accusation hung in the air. Queen Zuki was in shock. "Wha... What are you saying, son? Sss... I don't understand your words, Liang." Her eyes furrowed in confusion, and she attempted to plead her innocence. "I have no knowledge of another envoy being sent to retrieve the Amethyst. I entrusted the task solely to just you, my son, believe me."

The Viper Prince voice reverberated through the chamber, "I have devoted my whole life trying to prove my worth to you, Mother. To earn your respect and admiration. Yet, you decided on your own to send another, to make it worst, a mere Wolf-monkey? Ssss... A servant?" His frustration was palpable that his words felt like a direct blow to his pride and capabilities.

The Viper Queen, taken aback by her son's accusation, tried to conceal her laughter "Don't be ridiculous, child. Did you say a Wolf-monkey? As clumsy as they are, I dare send a Wolf-monkey on a quest? Haha. Sss... You must be joking".

Liang scoffed, his eyes narrowing in disbelief. "Do you take me for a fool, Mother? You think I wouldn't find out? How am I supposed to prove myself when you doubt my abilities and send someone else in my place? My pride is wounded. I can't fathom why you had to do this, Mother."

Queen Zuki's voice trembled with concern as she was hurting. "Liang, I assure you, I had no intention of undermining you. You have always been a capable and skilled prince. There must be some misunderstanding."

But Liang's anger was relentless, his words biting with resentment. "Misunderstanding? I can't believe you. It's always been the same, Mother. You never see me as worthy, as powerful as you. I am tired of living in your shadow."

The room fell into a tense silence as the weight of Liang's accusations lingered. Queen Zuki fought back tears, her voice filled with desperation. "Liang, please listen to me. I never doubted you. I believed in your abilities and your strength. I would never undermine you."

Liang's face twisted in anger and hurt "Actions speak louder than words, Mother. I don't want to hear empty assurances anymore. I need to prove myself, but I'll do it on my own terms, without your interference."

With that, Liang turned to leave the chamber when the Viper Queen took a step forward, reaching out to touch his arm in a gesture of consolation. "Liang, my son..." she began softly, her voice laden with a blend of resignation and understanding "It was never my intention to belittle you or question your worth. Sending another was a strategic decision, one that I thought would ensure the success of the quest. I apologize if it has caused you pain." With a heavy heart, Queen Zuki let out a weary sigh.

The Viper Queen was burdened by the knowledge that her son would never believe her innocence, therefore, she had to make a heart-wrenching decision. She understood that explaining the truth to Liang would only deepen the rift between them, further eroding the fragile bond that remained. Her love for her son, and her desire to salvage their relationship, outweighed any need for self-defense or preservation.

Liang turned back towards his mother, his eyes upheld with skepticism "So, you admit it then? You are as crafty as ever. Was that why you betrayed Father... taking his life?"

Liang's accusation hung heavy in the air, causing a chilling silence to envelop the chamber once more. Queen Zuki's eyes widened in shock as the secret she had guarded so fiercely was revealed by her own son. Her lips trembled, struggling to find the right words to respond.

"Y-you... you kn-know about that?" Queen Zuki stammered, her voice barely a whisper. Her composure faltered as her mind raced, trying to understand how Liang had uncovered the truth. The weight of guilt bore down on her, and she struggled to meet her son's gaze.

Liang's anger burned brighter, fueled by the revelation. His voice dripped with betrayal as he continued, "But how could you, Mother? How could you betray not only Father, but our entire family? You shared his bed, and yet you took his life. What kind of being are you?"

The Viper Prince's words echoed through the chamber as tension mounts with each passing second. Queen Zuki fought back tears, her voice strained with remorse "Liang, please understand, I did it for you. The late king's reign was holding you back, stifling your potential. I had to free you from his shadow."

Liang's features contorted with a mix of disbelief and anger. "Free me? By killing my own father? Is that what you call freedom? I would have preferred a life in his shadow than living with the guilt of your actions."

Queen Zuki's voice quivered as she moved closer to Liang, the truth was twisted, the lines blurred, her eyes pleading for understanding. "Liang, you don't understand the burden I carried. Hear me out. The late king's obsession with power threatened our very existence. I made a painful choice, but it was for your future, for the survival of our kingdom."

Her words hung in the air, the silence pregnant with the weight of their fractured relationship. The once regal chamber seemed suffocating, the atmosphere heavy with unresolved emotions. Queen Zuki's voice grew quieter as she continued, her teeth clenched in an effort to hold back her own pain.

"Do you think you would have made it this far on your own if the late king was still here? He would have stifled your growth, suppressed your potential. I had to remove that obstacle, as agonizing as it was. I did it for you, Liang!"

Liang's anger flickered, momentarily replaced by confusion and a hint of vulnerability. He grappled with conflicting emotions, torn between his anger and a deep-rooted desire to understand his mother's actions. The room remained enveloped in a somber silence, the weight of their words lingering like a shadow.

Liang's anger wavered slightly as his mother's words washed over him. Conflicting emotions swirled within him; frustration, hurt, and a glimmer of comprehension. "I watched as your poisonous venom ran through his veins, his breath grew shallow, with his lungs constricting with each passing moment. His veins bulged beneath his scales with Father suffocating and the desperate urge for air grew stronger, yet you stood there, Mother. You did nothing. You could not save him. You did not want to save him. He begged to spare his life.... The late king was not only my father but he was your husband too! Who are you?"

Tears welled up in his mother's eyes as she stood still, replaying the scene in her mind.

Liang's voice trembled in anguish as he turned to back his mother. "You speak of sacrifice and the burden you carried, but what about the burden I carry now? The burden of knowing the truth, of living with the knowledge that my own mother took the life of my father?"

Tears streamed down her face as she reached out a hand towards her son. "Liang, please... let me explain. I never wanted this burden for you. I thought I was protecting you, ensuring a better future for the both of us".

Liang's eyes hardened, his voice filled with bitterness, ladened with the intensity of a dragon's roar that echoed through the chamber "No! It was just you, Mother. You never think of anybody else but yourself!" He fumed as flame flickered in his eyes, fueled by a fury that seemed to consume him from within with fire erupted from his mouth and nostrils, mirroring the rage that burned within his core.

As Liang's words spewed forth, fiery tendrils accompanied each syllable, scorching the air around him. The chamber walls trembled under the weight of his wrath, as if unable to contain the ferocity of his anger.

Meanwhile, Queen Zuki, still reeling from their heated exchange, stood frozen in shock and disbelief. Her eyes widened in astonishment. The realization dawned upon her - Liang, her own flesh and blood, had inherited the great dragon trait.

She watched, dumbfounded, as flames danced upon Liang's breath, his nostrils releasing billowing plumes of fire. The sight both terrified and fascinated her with the knowledge of her son's newfound power rendering her speechless.

He breathed heavily with black smoke escaping his mouth as he controlled his temperament, gasping to relax the tension he was feeling. Then he spoke with his face contorted with pain, his voice choked with sentiment "Protecting me? By tearing our family apart... staining my mind with the knowledge of this dark secret? How can I ever trust you again?"

Struggling to find her voice amidst the chaos, Queen Zuki finally managed to speak. Her voice wavered as she cautiously took a step closer to her son, her outstretched hand shaking with her eyes pleased with what she just witnessed "D-did you just breathe fire?" she startled with a flicker of confusion crossing her face.

Her eyes darting around the chamber "I didn't lose you after all. He has your gene" she thought to herself.

Liang looked up at his mother, his fiery gaze meeting her bewildered eyes. The smoke subsided slightly, but an aura of seething anger still enveloped him.

Queen Zuki's hand dropped to her side, her voice barely above a whisper. "Liang, I know I can't undo what I have done, but please believe me when I say that every decision made was for the sake of our family... for our future. I will spend the rest of my days regretting my choices, Liang. I can't promise to be a better person... But please remember, no matter what, I will always love and protect you."

Liang's eyes locked with his mother's, his voice etched with sorrow and defiance "Our future? Sss... I don't know if I can ever look at you the same way again, Mother."

With those words, Liang turned away, the pain etched deep into his eyes. He walked out of the chamber, leaving Queen Zuki standing there, broken and devastated, knowing that her actions had forever scarred their relationship.

Her heart ached as she watched as her son strode out of the chamber, his footsteps echoing down the corridor, leaving her behind in a cloud of remorse and shattered trust. She longed for him to turn back, to give her a second chance, but he had already made his decision.

Outside the chamber, lurking in the shadows, a mysterious and slender creature observed the tumultuous exchange between Liang and Queen Zuki. Its elongated body twisted and contorted, mirroring the tension within the room. The creature possessed an otherworldly appearance, its flat head and sinuous frame setting it apart from any known species.

It was the royal birthmark, Chai-yang. A tattoo-like symbol engraved on the back of a viper in the royal lineage when they are born. Each, having their own to guild their path and only leaves Its resting place; that is the scale of a royal viper when Its owner commands.

With a predatory stillness, the mysterious Chai-yang blended seamlessly into its surroundings, its camouflage shifting to match the colors and textures of the chamber's walls. Its skin morphed to mimic the stone's rough texture, effectively rendering it nearly invisible to the naked eye.

As Liang stormed out of the chamber in a fit of anger, his attention consumed by his own tumultuous emotions, he remained unaware of the royal birthmark concealed just beyond the wall. The creature's eyes, sharp and observant, absorbed every word and gesture exchanged between the Viper Prince and his mother.

Remaining silent and motionless, the mysterious Chai-yang senses heightened, capturing every nuance of the argument. Its presence seemed ethereal, an observer existing between realms, its true purpose shrouded in mystery. It understood the weight of the secrets that had been revealed, and its keen interest suggested a deeper connection to the kingdom's affairs.

As Liang's footsteps receded, the creature shifted its camouflage, its form seamlessly blending with the surroundings once more. It slinked away, silent as a whisper, leaving no trace of its presence. The chamber remained undisturbed, unaware of the enigmatic Chai-yang that had witnessed its darkest secrets.

The slender being retreated to the shadows, its purpose and intentions veiled in secrecy. Whatever plans or motives it harbored, one thing was clear; the mysterious royal birthmark presence and eavesdropping were no mere coincidence. It held a role yet to be unveiled, a silent puppeteer in the intricate web of the Viper kingdom's fate.