The inevitable confrontation

Someone had suggested all of them go for a walk around the estate together after breakfast, an idea everyone seemed to love. Vel certainly liked the thought of a pleasant stroll in the sunlight surrounded by all his beautiful and pregnant wives. The whole group, talking and laughing happily, was making its way through the entryway that had played host to the orgy yesterday when a furious voice suddenly rang out. “And just what in the hells is this?” The group came to a screeching halt, all signs of mirth vanishing instantly. Stood between them and the entrance, looking thunderous, was the lord of these lands.

Lord Luthor Andros’ brow was furrowed in consternation, something akin to rage or fury in his eyes. On instinct, Vel threw out his mind, but of course found only that fucking wall. Lord Luthor took a step closer, the metal on his dusty riding clothes jingling. “Is no one going to answer? No words for your lord? Or have you all decided that this cripple-” He gestured derisively at Vel. “-is the lord now?” Vel took a step forward, and his father’s gaze fell to his two legs. “Ah, so it is true then. The elves gave you a working leg, only 20 years too late.” His eyes, which looked exactly like his son’s, looked back up at Vel’s face. “But we both know that, in truth, it would have always been too late. Even had you been born whole, you’re a cripple at heart. You would never have been anything but a failure.”

The more outspoken of his wives opened their mouths, Dina, Adi, and Lady Rienne, but Vel held up a hand to silence them. His father was being unusually aggressive. Normally he’d have said something denigrating to Vel, maybe smiled at Dina doing the same, and would then have stalked off or let Vel stalk off. But not so this time, his feet were firmly planted, and his fury showed no signs of abating. Clearly his loss of control over the family lately had deeply aggrieved him, and now the sight of the whole family happy with Vel in their midst had set him off. Vel didn’t want his wives drawing any of that ire onto themselves. He could handle this, he was beyond used to his father’s verbal ****.

Vel took another step forward, intending to keep Lord Luthor’s attention focused on himself, but unfortunately, his father had noticed and understood. “What, you’re going to defend him now? What has happened to you all? I’d expect this from Adeline, but you, Rienne?” He snorted and turned to Dina. “Even you, Amordina? You would speak in defense of this-“ His face crinkled in disgust as he searched for the right word. “-this maggot?” Crap, Vel didn’t even try to forestall Dina’s response. He’d felt the heat of her fury, despite his mind still being entirely focused on those walls.

“That maggot is a hundred times the lord you will ever be, Father!” Lord Luthor’s eyebrows shot up at the vehemence in his favorite child’s tone. “And you know what? Since yesterday, I am his sworn shield. So, if you wish to lay so much as a finger on him, you’ll have to go through me, old man.” His rage outgrew his shock, and his expression again turned furious. His head snapped over to Vel. “You fucking poisoned worm, you’ve turned my only halfway worthy child against me? The other failures I don’t mind, they can keep you company all they want. But the one child of mine who was actually good for something. I sh-“

Vel had had enough. Before that rant he had swung his mind back to his wives, and thus had picked up on how they felt. Adi was just simply angry. Viella was sad, but Lord Luthor’s words had no real power to hurt her anymore. Dina though, her it had stung a little. Until very recently she had dedicated her life to living up to what this man wanted, only to have it thrown in her face that she was only halfway good enough. Lady Rienne was furious, furious at how this asshole was talking about her children, but she held her tongue. The one that was by far hurting the most was Lynn. Not because her father’s words had hurt her, they couldn’t, not anymore. But Vel’s beautiful older sister was possessed of near boundless empathy, and seeing her beloved family treated so hurt her deeply. Vel himself wouldn’t stand for it. The old asshole could insult him all he wanted, but he drew the line when it came to his sisters and mother. He took another step forward and interrupted his father.

“SHUT THE FUCK UP! INSULT ME ALL YOU WANT, BUT DON’T YOU DARE DENIGRATE MY FAMILY!” His shout echoed in the wide entryway, and again his father’s expression was shocked, but only for a few moments before it turned back to thunderous. “How da-“ Vel wasn’t having it, he shouted again. “HAVE YOU NO SHAME? FOR YEARS YOU HAVE MADE THIS FAMILY MISERABLE, AND WHEN YOU SEE THEM BEING HAPPY WITHOUT YOU, YOU THROW A TANTRUM LIKE A SPOILT CHILD!” Vel felt a terrible rage welling up inside him, fury like he had never known before. He took another step, his father wasn’t even trying to speak anymore. “YOU ARE NO LORD, NOR ARE YOU A FATHER. YOU ARE THE ONLY FAILURE HERE, AN ASSHOLE WHO PUSHED HIS OWN INSECURITIES ONTO HIS SON AND MADE IT HIS MISSION TO MAKE EVERYONE AS MISERABLE AS HE WAS. NO MORE!”

The power thrummed inside him, pulsed through his veins. It was so much, so strong. So strong it scared even Vel himself. He threw his mind at the at the wall surrounding his father’s mind again, enveloping it. That power, the power of The Heir, more of it than he had ever felt before rushed through him. He needed the Heir. He was The Heir. He was Velas of House Andros, but he was also The Heir. In that moment, for the first time, Vel fully accepted the piece of The Unbound. Vel and The Heir were one.

The power surged within him, and Vel pushed, a single devastatingly powerful push. The wall, assailed on all sides by that primordial might, shattered into a million pieces. There was a loud cracking sound followed by a hiss of flame. Lord Luthor let out a startled exclamation as a small burst of fire burned a hole through the front of his shirt, visible in the gap of his open jacket. “Shit, fuck, what the?” He reached into his collar and pulled out a simple necklace of delicate silver links. On it dangled a medallion. It looked like a coin, and in the middle, there would have once been a recessed stone flower. Not so anymore. The stone was cracked, and smoke was billowing out of its center. His father’s blue eyes were wide in dawning horror as he looked from the protective charm to his son. He clearly understood the danger he was in, as he made to charge at Vel.

It was far too late though. While his father’s membrane turned out to be formidable, to the power that had broken that wall, it may as well have been paper. Vel tore through it, charging into his father’s mind before his own charge could begin and paralyzing him on the spot.

The others were as frozen as Lord Luthor, though not because of Vel’s power. Well, kind of, but not directly. It was in shock and awe at that power that they were frozen. His father was very much directly held in place by it. He saw panic in Lord Luthor’s mind, but also the analytical part of his brain that had no doubt contributed to making him such an extraordinary tactician kicking in. His father was rapidly considering options to get him out of this predicament. He wasn’t coming up with anything.

Vel briefly considered gloating. Perhaps showing him everything he had been doing with Lord Luthor’s wife and daughters in his own estate. Perhaps to **** him to admit he had been wrong, to make him grovel. He dismissed it all. He had nothing to prove to this man. He didn’t need anything from him, nor did he want to waste any more time or energy on him. There was only one thing he wanted his father to do. In those few minutes Vel and The Heir were as one, and they spoke with one voice. He spoke the words both out loud and pulsed them directly into Luthor’s mind, infusing both with tremendous power. “DIE!”

END OF ACT 1