Chapter 72

A/N: a 2k words chapter....

Enjoy my sweet little munchkins 🥰

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[Third Person's PoV]

Sherry stood behind the bookshelf just like how she promised Cid, waiting for what he wanted to show her.

Cid then unexpectedly appeared from the shadows, which surprised Sherry greatly. But as she saw him her face grew red remembering the kiss they shared together.

Cid turned towards Sherry and put a finger on his lips, motioning her to not make any noise.

Cid went and sat by the window on foot on the frame while his other one swung freely to the side.

After lowering his presence, a towering figure entered the room wearing a mask that had 2 holes for eyes with blood flowing out of him and a line for a mouth.

The figure then start gathering books and throwing them in a pile after a while he threw the candled lamp he brought and started to set the books on fire.

Meanwhile Sherry was watching everything with her hands on her mouth, she wanted to protest, she wanted to intervene and save the books from getting damaged but she stood in place remembering what she promised Cid.

'I remember seeing him earlier, He must be the leader of the black hooded figures' Sherry thought, shaking slightly due to how frightened she was. She looked over to where Cid was sitting and just saw him looking at everything with a neutral expression.

She wanted to shout and tell Cid to run away, but before her thoughts delved any further she heard Cid casually address the hooded masked figure.

"You know, I thought that as a vice-principal you would have more respect for books vice-principal Lutheran"

Sherry's eyes opened wide in shock, 'What? No? He's wrong. That couldn't be ? My foster father, why is he addressing him like that.' Sherry thought, denying it.

She remembers seeing the figure when she went and threw the key to the artifact in the auditorium, she saw him murdering the teachers. That couldn't possibly be her foster father so why is Cid calling such, Sherry thought to herself.

"I'm…" the figure was about to correct Cid, which gave Sherry hope.

But Cid interrupted "Oh please spare me the denial, it's obvious at a first glance"

"From a first glance huh" The figure said, taking off the mask.

Sherry's eyes widened in shock, she pressed her hands on her mouth tighter so as to not make noise due to shock 'That voice… but… but…'

"Is it the way I walk or is it my posture?" He asked, revealing his face, much to Sherry's dismay.

"What gave me away, your keen eyes deserve praise, Cid Kagenou. I remember hearing that you could become a problem due to your strength, I can't help but wonder if maybe Zenon was right"

Sherry watched everything with tears in her eyes. 'He's responsible for this but why? Why would he do this? He's not like this… he must be under some come of manipulation. Right? That has to be it' Sherry thought, deluding herself, trying to find a reasonable reason for his actions.

Meanwhile Cid just shrugged his shoulders at what Lutheran said "Maybe, maybe not... I take it you're behind this whole incident then. Now then why would the vice principal of such a prestigious academy do something like this. You don't strike me as the type that would do something like this for fun"

"Do you really want to know?, it might take a while for me to explain" he asked

Cid smirked as he said "By all means please, explain the floor is yours".

As Cid said this he quietly made a silencing barrier around Sherry to stop sound from being heard from her direction.

She could still hear everything that was going on but no sound she made could be heard.

Lutheran nodded at what Cid said and sat down on the couch, he then started to explain "to make it simple, it's because I long to reach the top. The top I once reached through my victory at the God of War festival. The thrill is not something that could easily be forgotten."

Cid nodded his head "Yes I heard about that. You fell ill and had to take a step back"

Sherry hearing all this paid close attention. She wanted to why, why the one she would consider a father would do something as horrible as attack the school and students.

Lutheran nodded when he heard Cid "Yes. I was devastated. I worked so hard to attain glory but because of an illness, not only did I lose it all, I'd even became unable to fight.

Finding a magical cure would have required extensive research and vast amounts of knowledge…

Then I met Lucrecia, Sherry's mother"

Sherry flinched at the mention of her mother 'Mother…' she thought to herself remembering their time together.

"I'd started collecting artifacts under the pretext of supporting her research, and I finally found it, The Eye of Avarice" He said as he took out the artifact, which started giving of discharge of power.

"Using this, not only can my illness be cured, I'd have the fame and riches i so ever desire. Just when I thought I reached the top once again… ohh that foolish girl.

She wanted to entrust the Eye of Avarice to the country, saying that it was too dangerous… So I killed her"

Sherry froze when she heard that, she sat down on the floor as her legs gave out, pools of tears started streaming down her face, she looked down as she lowered her hands from her mouth, which began to shake from the shock. "What…" Sherry said to herself, "He killed her… He said he killed her…hahaha, no that can't be possible.

Hahaha, I'm hearing this wrong he couldn't have killed her, hehehe what's wrong with me, something must be messing with my hearing." She said, not realizing she's saying it out loud.

Even as she's trying to delude herself, the tears haven't stopped rolling off her face and her hands haven't stopped shaking.

"One stab after the next, starting from the limbs, making my way all the way down to her internal organs" He continued with a smile on his face.

Sherry's entire body soon locked up from the shock, which was followed by her throwing up, when she looked at the smile on his face.

"*Pukes* *cough* *cough* *cough* *pukes again*" Sherry stood there with her vomit in front of her, audibly heaving for air. Having a panic attack.

Meanwhile Cid's fingers twitch, which causes all the puke, alongside her, to be cleaned up.

"Before finally delivering the final blow to her heart" he continues.

Sherry then began to sob uncontrollably, her anguished cries filled her little noiseless bubble, as tears cascaded down her cheeks, blurring the world before her eyes, leaving his eyes raw and swollen from the relentless torrent of sobs.

"Mother…" Sherry would sob between each.

"The research on the Eye of Avarice was not yet complete, but I had a spare. Her lovely and foolish daughter, Sherry…"

Sherry just continued sobbing when she heard that, she could have cried any louder and harder she would have.

"She served my goals… without knowing or even doubting anything. Having no idea that I was the one that killed her mother."

Hearing this, all of the sadness she was previously feeling were soon replaced by rage and any love she used to have for him was then replaced by hate.

Sherry clawed at the floor to the point her nails broke and blood started dripping from them, while she continued to listen with gritted teeth.

"I'll kill him, I'll kill him, I'll kill him, I'll kill him" she kept muttering to herself.

While Lutheran just continued talking with a sinister look "Thanks to them the Eye of Avarice was finally complete. I only need to prepare a stage for collecting large amounts of mana. And a fitting cover to help me pull it off."

Cid hearing this just sigh "So, all this time you've been using them for your leisure… answer me this did you at least come to care a bit about the Sherry from all the time you've taken care of her"

"Nope, not one bit. Does that make you angry?" He answered.

'He's lying… but at the same time he's not… ah I see, either he's in denial or he's not aware of it… how pathetic' Cid thought with an emotionless expression.

"hmm, I wouldn't say angry… more like I just see you as less than a human being. So for what I'm feeling it's more like indifference, I would not and will not waste my energy or feelings on something as ugly as you."

Cid then started to wrap himself in his Shadow attire, while still continuing the conversation.

"It is beneath me, but even then, there's just something about you that's annoying to the point I would find joy in killing you"

"I see now, HAHAHAHAHAHA, so you're him, the real shadow!!!" Lutheran started laughing as he watched Cid transform into Shadow.

He then held the Eyes of Avarice "Let me guess then! You've come to take the Eye of Avarice from me then! But you won't get it oh no because with this… I WILL BE REBORN!"

"JUST WATC-" before he could finish his transformation both of Lutheran arms and legs were disconnected from his body.

"Eh?" He let out as blood started spraying from his limbs, which was followed by an anguished screaming.

"AAAAAAARRRRRGGGGGHHHHHHH"

"You really thought I would just sit there and let you use that? How much of a fucking dumbass are you?"

"NO NO NO NO, THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE MY MOMENT, THIS WAS THE MOMENT WHERE I WAS SUPPOSED TO BE REBORN.

YOU HAVEN'T WON YET SHADOW! I'VE HAD MY PEOPLE CLAIM TO BE FROM SHADOW GARDEN! IT'LL BE YOU WHO THEY WILL BLAME FOR ALL OF THIS" he screamed as the fire which he started earlier grew.

"I'VE ALREADY PREPARED ALL THE EVIDENCE, THE PIECE ARE IN PLACE, IT DOESN'T MATTER HOW STRONG YOU ARE! WHEN THE WHOLE WORLD WOULD BE AFTER YOU TO BRING YOU TO JUSTICE THERE BE NO PLACE TO RUN!!!"

'I see why the other Cid found this funny, this is hilarious' Cid thought as he started laughing with his hands covering his face.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHYAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA"

Lutheran laid there bleeding in shock "What? What's so funny!"

"Did you really think I would be frightened by the whole world coming after me? HA! I laugh at such a notion. Don't be such a fool, This entire world is beneath me! I could destroy this entire world right this second if I so much please, and you think they would be worthy upon passing me judgment, how can I not find that hilarious.

Good or Evil it matters not, for I would continue walking the same path I always have. So you could do whatever the hell you want, you want to throw every evil onto us then do it! The opinions of ants have never been my concern and they never will. You want to think that We, Shadow Garden, are the most horrible organization in the world, then think it, you want to think that we follow the path of righteousness, you can do that as well.

But know this, such thoughts won't change a Goddamn thing. I don't need the approval of anyone else other than my own….

I've talked enough and you've outlived your use." Shadow said as he made a dagger with his slime.

He pointed the handle towards the bookcase as he asked "Want to do the honors?"

Lutheran turned his head quickly in shock as the fiery bookshelf was flung open with Sherry standing there with red eyes and blood dripping from her hands as they were balled up in a fist.

She was breathing heavily from all the hate and anguish in her hearts.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH" She yelled as she grabbed the dagger from Shadow's hand and in on quick motion dropped on top of Lutheran and started started him over and over and over and over and over again.

"DIE"

*STAB*

"DIE"

*STAB*

"DIE"

*STAB*

"DIE"

*STAB*

"Sherry…" Lutheran softly called out with blood escaping his mouth but Sherry wasn't listening, with each stab blood kept splashing on her face but she didn't let up.

"DIE"

*STAB*

"DIE"

*STAB*

"DIE"

*STAB*

"DIE"

*STAB*

"THIS IS FOR MY MOTHER, JUST DIEEEEEEEEE ALREADY!!!!!!" Sherry screamed out as she plunged the knife right on his forehead killing him for good.

After which Sherry broke down sobbing once again. Cid waved his hands causing the blood to be cleaned off of her as he brought her off her "Father" and into a deep much needed hug….