WHEN Dusk raised his head, his gaze immediately collided with Beelzebub. The moment it did, electricity seemed to ignite in the air. The tension was very palpable. To the point that it could literally choke someone.
Luo Yan was worried that Dusk would suddenly attack the archdemon. Knowing the insensitive bastard, he would definitely fight back without any qualms. He didn't want the black dragon to see just how unfeeling his 'father' was towards him. To experience first-hand that the other didn't really care about him, not in the slightest.
Dusk had been through enough. Beelzebub didn't need to rub it on his face that he was not someone important to him. What if that would leave an even bigger scar on the black dragon?
But to his surprise, the explosion of emotion he was expecting did not happen. Instead, Dusk only stared calmly at the archdemon. As if observing the other. When he's done, he removed his gaze as if he found that the other was just some inconsequential bug.
Luo Yan gave the dragon a big thumbs-up in his heart. That's right. The best way to deal with such a scum father was to not give him any attention. Screaming in anger and complaining about all the things they did or did not do would only mean that he cared. He cared enough to feel hurt.
Losing oneself in anger while the other just stood there and looked at you as if you're interesting for showing such an emotion was just a big slap in the face. If even your anger could not move them, then the one who would look idiotic at the end would only be you.
Dusk must have probably realized that the moment he laid his eyes on the archdemon. Added that to the things they had told him about the other, the black dragon must have made his own conclusion when he saw Beelzebub. And that was to not care.
Because just like many said, the opposite of love was not hate, it's apathy.
"Give me my memories back," Dusk simply said.
The archdemon raised a brow in interest. But that didn't even last for a second before it disappeared. As if he was only momentarily surprised because Dusk didn't react in the way he expected.
Beelzebub walked towards Dusk and without warning, hovered his and over the other's head. "This might sting a bit."
Seals appeared around Dusk's head the moment Beelzebub said that. Dusk frowned, showing his obvious discomfort. But that was all the reaction he gave. Sweat dripped on his forehead as the seal slowly started to break. Once it completely did, his whole face crumpled and he suddenly knelt down.
Luo Yan wanted to go near him but Shen Ji Yun, who he hadn't notice already standing beside him, held his arm. He glanced at the other and Shen Ji Yun just shook his head. He could see in his eyes that he was telling him that it was better to leave Dusk alone for now. At least, let him digest all the memories that he had lost.
Then, they were surprised when Dusk suddenly screamed. It was a scream full of pain, misery, and sadness. A truly heartbreaking sound. When Luo Yan turned his gaze back to the black dragon, Dusk had already stopped screaming. He was kneeling there, looking up at the sky, while silent tears fell down his cheeks.
He wasn't sobbing, there wasn't even any sound of weeping. He was simply crying in silence. Even with only those tears, even without any context, it already spoke volumes of all the suffering he had experienced in his life. Anyone who could see him right now could feel his grief just by looking at him.
Luo Yan could not imagine just how Dusk must be feeling right now. Being shunned by your own people when you're nothing more than a child. Throwing you out of a safe environment and letting you fend for yourself during an age where you should be protected. And all of that just because you were a little bit different.
Growing up alone and then finally finding a friend you could count on, only for that friend to die and her clan be massacred. Getting revenge for her, being betrayed, and then, failing. Having your memories be taken from you without your consent and then being frozen in time for a thousand years.
The accumulated frustration from all of that could make any normal person go insane. Luo Yan wouldn't even blame him if he wanted to go on a rampage just to release all that anger.
But Dusk didn't do that. He just surrounded himself with silence. As if he wanted to drown in his own misery.
Although Luo Yan just wanted to go to him and cheer him up even just a bit, he knew that Shen Ji Yun was right. Giving him time to slowly accept all those memories – good and bad.
They didn't know how long it took. But when Dusk finally stood up, the first thing he did was to attack Beelzebub. This attack was so fast that they didn't even see it coming. They only saw it when it had already happened and Dusk's claws were already buried deep inside the archdemon's chest.
"This is for the memories and years you stole from me," Dusk said with no emotion in his voice.
He removed his hand, the archdemon's blood flowing from it.
"Fair enough," Beelzebub said, the wound on his chest already slowly healing. "If you ever want to beat me again, you can find me anytime. I promise, I won't fight back."
The way Beelzebub said that was like he's doing the other a favor, which would annoy the hell out of anyone. Especially Dusk who had every right to be annoyed. But there was nothing in the black dragon's eyes. Not even a small wave of emotion.
"No, this is the last time I will see you," he said with finality. "You're simply not worth it."
Beelzebub just shrugged, clearly not affected by such a statement. "Then, come and see your mother at least."
Dusk fell silent at that. Then, after a while he said, "If she's fine to see the person who killed her father, then sure. I'll pay her a visit."
After saying that, dragon wings appeared behind his back and he suddenly flew up in the sky leaving them behind.