The Soul Keeper

"What do you want?" I asked, folding my arms, and glaring at Mother.

We were in the woods, right outside the settlement. She had led me here, claiming she wanted some privacy, somewhere away from prying eyes.

"What kind of deal did you make with the Demon Lord to gain those powers?" She asked, completely ignoring my glare. I sighed – she was doing it again, requesting, no, demanding information.

"I made no deal, Mother." I raised my chin. "I paid nothing that wasn't already paid, and I wasn't given anything that wasn't already mine."

Mother's expression darkened. Her lips formed a thin line as she pondered, trying to see what I meant. I endured her glare, refusing to elaborate any further.

"What does that mean?" She finally asked. It took some effort to not grin. It was rare that she was the one who didn't understand something.

"It means what it means. The deal was already made when your own brother brought me back to life. The price was already paid when he decided to try and revive the Keeper of Souls. Ask him if you want answers." 

Mother drew a sharp breath. "Kai," She said with a warning tone. "Don't challenge me."

"Why the hell not?" I asked. "What makes you think you deserve any answers?" 

Mother's eyes widened. Seeing this as my opportunity, I continued. "I owe you no answers, Mother. In fact, I think it's you who owes them to me. What the hell am I?"

Taken aback, she looked at me wide eyed. "Don't forget who I am, Kai." She tried warning me, but I shouted back at her. "You are the one who shouldn't forget who I am!" Two massive feathery wings stretched behind my back. "Answer me, what am I? And why? Why did you have me?"

She flinched. Her gaze lingered on my wings before she averted her eyes. For a moment, her expression twisted with bitterness. "You've been defiled, tainted by the Demons." She clenched her fists. "I should have never let you out of my sight."

"You're not answering my questions." I reminded her. "Why did you have me? Am I an experiment? Or was it an accident?" I felt odd asking such questions. Whatever her answer was going to be, it was going to hurt. 

"You are not an accident," She finally said, then turned her back on me and started walking through the woods. I followed her, waiting to hear more. We walked in silence for a while until the trees ended and we stepped out into the open. She walked to the rock at the edge of the cliff and leaned on it, watching the sea. 

"I knew Aelith would eventually try to find me and your uncle." The wind carried her words to me as I waited to hear more. "She is a hateful one. No matter what, she never forgets a grudge. In no future would she not come after me for vengeance."

I stepped closer. The wind pulled Mother's long braid. She ignored it and continued speaking. "I knew on my own, I would stand no chance. I also knew the demons would eventually fall – eventually, they would slip up and one of their powerhouses would die." She paused and pushed a few loose strands of hair away from her eyes.

"The Keeper was the one to fall." I suggested.

She nodded. "He was, and with him, the entire world began to crumble. I heard all of that from Fetheion. I never returned to that world, never stepped foot into the gateway between worlds again."

"And where do I come in?"

Mother sighed. "Nowhere." A bitter smile formed on her lips. "I loved your father, and he loved me. He accepted the part of me I showed him, and never asked for more." Her expression darkened. "Fetheion was against it – he feared I would get attached." She chuckled. "I did. Then I adopted your sister."

The wind howled, shaking the trees behind us. Mother paused for a moment before continuing. "You weren't an experiment. You were our son." She turned to look at me, her bright blue eyes seemed wet, just a little bit.

"But then, you became an experiment." Her words hit me like a truck. "I needed to hide your Ereth features. Your pale, scaly skin. Your horns, your claws, your unnatural eyes. Your wings and tail, and most importantly, your inhuman strength."

I gulped. "I had all those?"

She nodded. "For a few short hours of your life, yes. Then, your uncle and I made sure you didn't have them anymore."

I flinched. "What does that mean?"

"You don't want to know. It was not pretty." She averted her gaze. "But to think that our actions all those years ago resulted in… this," She made a vague gesture towards my wings – towards me. "I can't even call you a half blood because you have features of three races." Her voice was filled with anger and regret.

"I see." I sighed, there was nothing I could say. 

"Kai, what was the price you paid?" She asked, reaching towards me. I stepped back and shook my head. "You don't need to worry about any of that." I spoke with a firm voice. "In just a couple of days, we will set off for battle. I don't want anyone to be distracted, and that includes you."

Mother gritted her teeth. "Aelith is stronger than you think – this group here, we can't defeat her."

"We alone can't." A wicked smile appeared on my lips. "But that's not out job, Mother. We're simply here to destroy the Divine Pillar. It's the Demon Lord who has to take on the Divine Matriarch."

"You can't trust that man." She warned me, stepping closer. "He's not the Demon Lord for nothing – he would leave you to die without a second thought!" She reached and grabbed my shoulder. "You can't trust any of the demons!" She stopped, seeing my expression. "Why are you smiling?"

I chuckled. "I don't trust them, not one bit. But I do know that they need me – the Keeper of Souls needs me. I don't know what for, perhaps because some of his powers and a great number of souls remained with me." My smile turned into a grin. "They won't let me die, and if she threatens me, they will kill her."

Mother's eyes widened. "You intend to use yourself as bait?"

I laughed. "No, just as a little incentive." My expression hardened. "I won't let anyone destroy our world."