Seraph wasted no time training the trio. Day in and day out, training was the only thing in their minds. By the time they reached adulthood, all three brothers were well-renowned figures amongst the Xyrans. No matter where they go, people would hail them as heroes.
At the same time, the story of their overwhelming victories would reach the ears of other species. Especially those who were opposing the Xyran's needless attacks on the Precursors. However, soon the trio became the ones feared by other species as the precursors lost the one-sided war.
Even though a lot of other species wanted to protect the precursors, in front of the three Xyran generals, their resistance seemed to be nothing more than an ant squirming in water.
But there was something else. As time passed after the battle with the precursors, Astaroth began getting closer and closer to Seraph's daughter, Ibis and soon they were in love. However, Astaroth wasn't the only one who had feelings for Ibis, Beelzebub did as well... for longer than Astaroth had.
In his twisted mind, that reason was enough to brand Astaroth as his enemy. After all, he was the one who loved Ibis since the day his eyes first met hers. How dare Astaroth take her away from him? He would not allow that to happen.
Not to mention, the Xyrans only saw him as a sidekick of Astaroth as he continually outperformed him. It was the same for Lucifer, but he did not have a bone in his body that would think ill of someone who had saved his life countless times before.
In the meantime, Astaroth had won battles no one else could. Thus making him the most promient figure in the trio. Soon Beelzebub began to get more and more jealous of Astaroth's success. Everything that Beelzebub ever wanted was right in front of him, but Astaroth was the one taking it all.
Fame, respect, love... everything. This made a crack in the relationship between the trio and anyone they were closed to. The once inseparable brothers were now bickering amongst each other. Lucifer always took Astaroth's side as usual, which left Beelzebub feeling as if no one was on his side.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇt[The bastard then thought of doing something none of us could foresee...]
Astaroth's voice cracked up for a bit, but he continued the story. After all, Ashton had the right to know the power of the enemies he would inevitably have to face.
Once Beelzebub realised that no one was going to take his side, he became hysterical. The trauma from years of battles was finally messing his head up. Soon, he began viewing everyone as his enemy. However, even between the enemies, he had one last ray of hope.
He knew even though Ibis and Astaroth loved each other, they would not be allowed to marry each other, until and unless Seraph gave them his blessing along with the permission. Also, if Seraph decided someone else should marry Ibis, then there was nothing any of them could do.
With his mind made up, he expressed his desire to marry Ibis, to Seraph. Assuming that Seraph did not know about their relationship, so he might allow his daughter to marry him instead. However, much to his shock and surprise, Seraph was already aware of what was going on.
He went ahead and mentioned how he couldn't have found a better Heir to his legacy than Astaroth even if he wanted to. He also reminded Beelzebub that as his brother, Beelzebub should not try to do something so underhanded and respect his siblings and his decision.
This was enough to throw Beelzebub over the edge and he did something no one could have expected. Under the guise of repentance, he drugged Seraph sending him to a downward spiral and losing control over his Mournblade.
Seraph began destroying anything and everything in his sights. Chaos broke out and thousands were killed in an instant. Even Beelzebub had to rush out of there and barely made it alive. For a second, a remorseful expression flashed on his face, but it was soon replaced with a twisted expression of 'justice'.
But this was only the first phase of his plan. Once Seraph got uncontrollable, Beelzebub rushed to Astaroth and told him there was something wrong with their master.
[I dropped everything and rushed over to help him. But it was too late. Seraph had become deranged. Fire and ashes were the only things visible around him... the air reeked of death as more than a hundred thousand lives were lost within an hour.]
Ashton sat on the floor, carefully listening as Astaroth portrayed his feeling with words. As he did that, Ashton could only imagine what he would have done if he had to do something in Astaroth's situation. He certainly would not have been able to do shit.
[However, due to some miracle, I was able to subdue Seraph and he barely managed to confess that it was all Beelzebub's doing when the bastard appeared and killed our master and father. Soon the entire council was there, they had seen what Beelzebub did and I thought they would punish him for it, instead they... turned their backs on me.]
Apparently, while Astaroth was fighting Seraph, he convinced everyone that Astaroth was the one who poisoned the master and when the master realised it, he decided to kill him as Seraph wasn't going to let him marry his daughter.
It was all a lie obviously, but everyone believe Beelzebub. Not because they wanted to, but becuase the council had decided to make them believe so. Over the years they had grown weary of Astaroth and his strength thinking he was a bit too powerful for their tastes.
Therefore, they found this to be a suitable time to get rid of him once and for all. Since the council basically did everything and the people always obeyed them, Astaroth was branded as a traitor and 'killed' in an accident.
[But I survived and managed to run away with Lucifer's help. The only one who believed me when even Ibis turned her back on me. But Beelzebub got wind of the situation and damaged my ship right before I escaped using space jump.]
"And that's how you ended up on earth along with the 'virus', as you call it." Ashton nodded his head understandably, "I don't know about you, but I sure as hell wanna kill those bastards."
[We will, but in time. For now, we need to stay low. If the Xyrans got to know that you possess not one, but two Mournblade, they'll either accept you with open arms or kill you before you could even yell help.]
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmAshton got up and walked around the room. Astaroth's backstory had sent his respect up a notch in his head. Those fucking Council bastards were treating Astaroth as a weapon to get rid of the precursors and once that was done, they realised they had created a monster and got rid of him.
Maybe it was what would have happened to Ashton as well, had he submitted to Mera or to Johnathan. He would become a weapon, born to be used and cast aside.
"I was wondering..."
[What?]
"Since you're a Xyran-"
[Took you long enough to know that.]
"Just let me finish, you 3000-year old virgin bastard." Ashton irritably retorted, "You're a Xyran, and I now possess Xyran genes as well- well kind of, so why don't you teach me?"
Astaroth got silent for a couple of minutes before replying to him, "Alright, I'll teach you what I can. But remember, the training would be harsh."
"Alrighty!" Ashton threw a punch in the air, "By the way, the comment I made earlier, is it true?"
[...]
Astaroth's silence was loud enough to speak the truth.
"No wonder you're always wanting me to get laid... you sick pedophile!"