Chapter 224 True Potential (1)
Chapter 224 True Potential (1)
"We must have underestimated him..."
An old man in his late 90s was sitting all alone in the large chamber. Judging by the housing capacity of the room, it would appear the man was used to having a large audience present at all times, but this time, he was all alone.
"Enough's enough. I have to put a stop to my son's madness before he destroys us all."
All of his hairs had turned grey first fighting humans and now suppressing rebels. However, this time the rebels were leftover humans, but werewolves themselves. The days of the iron rule were disappearing faster than ever before.
As days turned into weeks and weeks into months, the youngsters were becoming stronger and stronger. With it, their ambitions. Right now, the man was worried about the progress of one such youngster.
Someone so ferocious, even the Vampire Overlord Alucard and King Jonathan found it wise to form a close relationship with him. But he deemed the kid too erratic and mysterious to be trusted. However, making a move against him could potentially lead him to death's doorstep.
But he was foolishly convinced to help the ones wanting the kid dead. One of whom was his own son, the leader of the Morgan household. In his blind love for his son, he, the great Bishop Morgan, supported his son's decision to attack the new baron.
In hindsight, the kid might not be against them at all, and whatever his son had been telling him could be false information fed to him by someone who wanted them to fight to the end.
"I should have done a better job raising my son..." Bishop shook his head, and in his hands was a letter addressed to him by king Jonathan himself.
The letter... all it contained was bad news. Mera had 'assured' his son, that the king wouldn't make a move on them. This reassurance along with their close relationship with Jonathan was enough to not scare them regarding the backlash they might have to suffer for screwing over the King's chosen.
But they couldn't have been more wrong. Even though the king himself didn't do anything to them, their family name was about to be forever ruined. All because of his son's illegal activities and insatiable greed.
The only reason Jonathan wasn't sending the army to their doorstep was because of their old friendship. During the Human-Mutant war, they had fought alongside each other for years and had formed a somewhat brotherly bond.
That was also one of the prominent reasons why the Morgan name was as prestigious as it was along with being one of the oldest baron families. Thousands of people wanted to get close to them, with hundreds among them going as far as readily sacrificing their lives to protect their honour.
But that sacred honour was about to get tarnished, all because of some slaves and a handful of Effium.
In the letter, Jonathan had 'ordered' them to apologise to Baron Ashton along with handing him all of the riches that the Morgans had taken from the treasury to 'repair' the city now known as Livan.
But their punishment didn't stop there. They were further ordered to serve under Ashton for the rest of their lives as atonement for their sins of betraying the king.
In the eyes of the King, this could have been the most generous punishment he could have given them. But in the eyes of the commoners, the Morgans, who had never done anything to harm their name and the respect of the people, the downfall in their status would be unrecoverable.
Not only would have to acknowledge all the wrong things they have committed, but they would also lose face in front of the people. Years of blood and sweat that Bishop had sacrificed would mean nothing.
As much as he wanted to blame his son for the mishappenings, Bishop knew he too was just as much responsible as him. He knew what his son was doing was wrong on every possible level. However, out of his love for his only child, he didn't say nor do anything to stop him.
Bishop even went as far as covering up for his son so that Jonathan wouldn't find out that he was being conned by someone whom he loved like his nephew. Their betrayal was the reason why Jonathan was ordering them to make it right and hand over everything to its rightful owner.
Little did he know, Marcee, Bishop's son had done something entirely unforgivable by sending a tenth of his troops to get the boy killed. If Jonathan got to know about it, even the grim reaper wouldn't have been able to stall their deaths for long.
"I can not decide whether not hearing back from Peter is a blessing or a curse." Bishop got off his extravagant chair and walked up to the window, all while scratching his bushy beard, "It is clear that he failed his task, which means the boy is still alive. Thus Jonathan might be willing to forgive Marcee, just this once if we give up everything to the kid. But I fear retaliation from the boy."
At that moment, Bishop was interrupted by the appearance of Marcee who was once again... drunk. Drinking in broad daylight had became a daily routine for him. After all, there was no one who could stop him from doing so.
"You... called for me, f-father?" Marcee barely managed to speak as his legs gave out a moment later.
"For the sake of your deceased mother, can you not drink for a day?" Bishop couldn't have been more disgusted at that moment and wasted no time in showing it to his son by slapping him hard across the face.
Marcee got back to his feet but didn't say a word. An action that only added fuel to fire.
"It is a result of your drunken escapades we're about to suffer the wrath of king Johathan! I told you not to associate with that witch of a woman Mera, but you did and now we're living on top of a pile of crap while she is happily preparing to fuck someone else over!"
"What are you so mad about, old man?" Marcee asked as if the slap had not even hit him, "Please refrain from involving yourself in the family affairs anymore and live the rest of your days locked in your room. You are going senile and staying silent is the best option for you."
"You brat! I shouldn't have spoiled you with my love... but I couldn't bring myself to do it, not after your mother died while giving birth to you." Bishop sighed, clearly disappointed with his son, "But all of that stops now. From this moment onwards, you are no longer the head of this household!"
"Eh, and who is going to stop me? You?" Marcee asked with a sly expression, "You think you can do so, f-a-t-h-e-r?"
Bishop had had enough, he once again raised his hand to slap his brat of a son, but something wrapped itself around his arm, pulling him backwards.
"A whip?" Bishop turned around in surprise, only to be greeted by Mera's evil face.
"Oh my, were you trying to harm my pet?" She smiled before pulling her whip.
"Your pet?"
"Of course. Did you think Mr Goodie Two-shoes would have gone against his daddy's wishes otherwise? Show it to him, love."
As soon as Mera's words fell upon his ears, Marcee ripped his shirt off. A slave crest was engraved on his chest, and seemingly Mera was the one it was connected to.
"A slave crest, but how?"
Bishop was dumbfounded, and he wouldn't have been alone to be shocked after witnessing something like that. Anyone who would have seen a slave crest on a werewolf would have been shocked just as much. After all, a slave crest that worked on their species shouldn't exist in the first place.
It was something strictly associated with Humans, and there had been no records of anyone making a slave crest for werewolves.
But Bishop was sure of it, his son was under the influence of the crest. That was the only possible reason why his obedient son began refusing his father's instructions all of a sudden.
It also meant, that whatever that Marcee had been doing till now, was because Mera wished it to happen. Not because his son wanted to bring harm to his family's name.
"You... bitch! I will kill you!"
Bishop transformed into a werewolf and lunged at Mera, however, before he could do anything to her, Marcee rushed in between them, throwing his father off. Bishop growled at his son, but no matter what he did, Marcee didn't move.
"Oh... a fight between a father and his son. Now that's something I would kill someone to watch." Mera smiled before keeping her whip away, "Thanks to your generosity, I wouldn't need to kill someone because you will do it for me. Break him Marcee, but don't kill him. I'm in need of another puppet."
"As you wish, Mistress," Marcee mumbled and transformed into a werewolf as well.