morphed into something powerful and pure. Something that could be passed on and do the same with the seemingly soulless demons of the Vampire race.
But it was also why, as soon as the deed was done, I gave up my throne and went in seek of another King that I could pledge my loyalty to.
Dominic Draven.
But this was my side of the story and one I already knew well enough, despite the years that had passed since. However, the part I was here to discover was when Matthias broke free from Tartarus.
Lucifer then explained how he had believed Matthias may have been the key, being that Matthias had turned his back on the Gods, just like I had done with my own dying breath. However, the difference between the two of us was that my heart was not black and bitter and filled with the roots of rage. Matthias had a growing hatred for mortals, that in the ended prevented him from accepting Lucifer’s blood in the way that it was meant to be accepted. Oh, it gave him power but not one over the vampire race like Lucifer intended.
Matthias knew this, and grew bitter at the thought of his father seeking out another to take the place of his latest disappointment. A bitterness that only grew and grew, doing so as a poison in the very grounds of Tartarus. A place that would only ever nurture his hatred and help form it into something deeper… something with purpose. A poison I had unknowingly released while sacrificing my hand and using the Venom of God to keep the Titans imprisoned.
This was what had infected the Tree of Souls.
Matthias’ power had been drained in Tartarus by Lucifer, as a way to keep him imprisoned. Literally the roots of Tartarus had been dug from the ground by Lucifer himself and wrapped around Matthias’ body. Once secured there, those roots had kept him bound for five hundred years and continued to suck the dark essence from him, rendering him without power. A power he wanted back more than anything, and after what I had done that day to save the world from the Titans, it meant I had inadvertently given him a way. For I had unknowingly released this darkness into the very roots of the Tree of Souls, and given him a means of claiming what was once his…
That, and more.
Because five hundred years was a long time to plan for revenge. And with time on his hands, he merely had to wait for when the moment was finally right, before breaking from his infected prison with only one thing on his mind… a way to darken my soul. Because after what Pythia had shown him, he knew the reasons why his turning had been a failure in the eyes of his maker.
His soul was rotten.
Which was why he believed all he needed to do was pull the strings of my fate enough that my soul would be beyond saving. Because Matthias knew the very moment he had reached that point and what it took for him to turn his back on everything that had once made him human.
The death of his family.
“You knew of all of this and you didn't once tell me?!” I roared, now getting out of my seat in the mist of my anger, and knowing I now had more than that of my wife’s memory to place the blame to my greatest loss.
“I discovered this, yes, but seeing as his actions backfired and this served my purpose, I felt no need to tell you… not until this day.” Lucifer had the audacity to say, and I swear, had my brother not then got to his feet to hold me back, I would have most likely died trying to strangle Lucifer to death!
“Not until it serves your own purpose once more, you mean!” I snapped.
“It is true, but this Matthias has become a far bigger problem than I ever envisioned him to be.”
“You can fucking say that again!” Dariush growled this time, for words now failed me. Then he pulled me back and I allowed him, knowing that putting space between us was a wise decision seeing how close to the edge my demon was from trying to tear Lucifer’s fucking head off!
“Luc, I know you want to tear into him right now but doing so would defeat half the reason we are here,” Dariush warned.
“Yeah, and what the fuck is that!?” I barked back.