Chapter 88: Fun Aunt

As they walked out of the museum together, Scar looked at Xavier, a smirk tugging at his lips. "Way to go back there, taking all the credit for yourself."

Xavier chuckled. "Don’t mention it."

"Why did you do it? Why did you lie to protect me?" Scar asked, his voice low. He knew exactly what Xavier was doing when he told the agents that he was the one who took down the terrorists.

If TRIAD found out a newly awakened seventeen-year-old took down six ODD agents single-handedly with no mana cells in his body, they would have questions. A lot of questions. And those questions would lead to him being taken away, tested, and probably dissected for the rest of his life.

Scar hadn’t considered the consequences when he was fighting the terrorists. It wasn’t until after they were all dead he realized the implication of what he’d done. Xavier also knew the implication. And that was why he acted quickly, giving TRIAD a different version of the story before they could question the witnesses.

Xavier met his eyes and chuckled. "I did it for Felicity," he said. "She would be devastated if you were taken away by TRIAD. The questions they’d ask, the tests they’d run—you’d never see the light of day again." Then he paused and sighed. "I also did it because you saved my life. I owe you."

Scar rolled his eyes. "Get over yourself, old man. I didn’t kill those terrorists to save your life," he scoffed. "I did it because they disturbed my evening."

Xavier laughed, a genuine sound that echoed in the quiet street. "Sure thing, kid," he chuckled. "Come on. Let’s get you back home to your mum."

They climbed onto the hoverbike and flew back toward the Glacier Palace. The city blurred beneath them, neon lights streaking past like falling stars.

The flight back home was tense and completely silent. The wind whipped past them, but neither spoke until Xavier brought the bike to a halt just outside the massive iron gates of the estate.

Scar hopped off, wiping a speck of dried blood from his cheek. "Well, I sure had a good time today," he chuckled. "Let’s never do it again."

Xavier nodded, letting out a soft laugh. "Agreed." Then he killed the engine of the bike, but remained seated. "But let’s stop playing games, kid. I know today wasn’t your first time killing. It was too obvious."

Scar didn’t reply. He just held Xavier’s gaze, his expression indifferent as ever.

"I know you aren’t the same Henry I used to know before you ran away," Xavier continued. "I know your personality split into two and all that, but seeing you in that museum today... it’s like you’re a new person entirely. You kill without hesitation and you show no emotion while doing it."

"So?" Scar challenged, raising a brow.

"So... It’s good for a soldier on the battlefield," Xavier said grimly. "But for a kid like you living in the real world... It’s not healthy. Every time you take a life, you have to show some remorse. You have to grieve, even if they’re the enemy. Because if you don’t, the killing will become too easy. And eventually, you will lose your soul."

Scar scoffed and looked away, staring into the shadows of the estate. "What if I already have," he whispered silently to himself.

"What was that?" Xavier asked.

"Nothing," Scar lied smoothly, turning back to face him. "I’ve heard what you said. I’ll try and grieve."

Xavier sighed, clearly unconvinced, but he let it go. "One last thing," he said. "I have to tell Felicity about everything that happened today. Especially about the fact that there’s a mana suppression beam out there, and that it’s not affecting you."

Scar raised an eyebrow. But he didn’t say anything, as if waiting for Xavier to make his justification.

"I can’t keep this from her," Xavier explained. "She’s been a mother to me in ways I can’t explain. If I hide something like this, it would feel like betrayal. And I could never betray Felicity. I owe her everything." Then, he looked into Scar’s eyes. "But you are her son, and that makes you more obliged than me. Which is why I want you to be the one to tell her first."

Scar stared at Xavier for a long moment. Then he shrugged. "Okay," he surprisingly agreed. "It’s not like she won’t find out anyway. She always knows everything."

"Yeah," Xavier chuckled. "I’m sure it must be hard, living with a psychic mother."

"You have no idea." Scar sighed.

"Actually, I do," Xavier said, his voice carrying a hint of nostalgia. "After I lost my parents... and was taken in by the Carters, Felicity would bring me to the palace all the time. After training with Jane and Janine, we’d come here and play. I’d spend summer vacations here sometimes." He smiled. "The twins were like sisters to me, but Felicity was like the fun aunt I never had."

Scar chuckled at the absurdity of the image. "Mum was a fun aunt? Well, that’s hard to imagine."

"You better believe it," Xavier laughed. "Even after I grew up, Felicity still cared for me like a child. She has saved me more times than I can count. That’s why I owe her my life."

He gripped the handlebars of the bike, his expression turning serious again. "I know you’re different from the rest of us, kid. I saw that today when that beam didn’t affect you. But I don’t know what it means, and honestly, I don’t care to know. But as long as Felicity knows about it, I trust she’ll know how to handle it. So you have to tell her."

Scar nodded. "I will."

"Good," Xavier smiled. "Take care of yourself, Roy. I’ll see you at the next training." Then, he started the engines, firing the thrusters, and banking the bike sharply before zooming off into the Arcadia skyline.

As the taillights faded into the distance, Scar’s casual expression instantly dropped. His face grew terrifyingly cold. The recollection of the museum massacre had ripped open a vault of memories he usually kept buried. He thought about his past life. He thought about the blood on his hands, and Xavier’s naive warning about losing his non-existence soul to the darkness.

Scar took a deep breath and chuckled darkly to himself. "Good thing I don’t have a soul."

Then, he turned and walked into the palace.