A Few Days After The Death Of Soverick Ghastorix.
The death of Soverick Ghastorix hit some people more than others. His immediate family members didn't care that much about his death. Death is a common thing. While his death is not common, they aren't especially emotionally attached to him for them to care much about the circumstances of his death. The one that reacted to the news of his death in any way is Ghaster.
Ghaster was distraught for many days after the death of Soverick. He walked about in a daze for days. He was always muttering incomprehensibly to himself. It was like he lost his soul and motivation for life. People that didn't know him enough thought he was mourning the loss of his brother. His family members know that isn't the case.
"He can't be dead. That's preposterous. That Salvini couldn't have defeated him much less kill him. Something is off here. She must have schemed against him somehow." Ghaster muttered to himself.
He can't believe that Soverick is dead. The news of Soverick's death came as a shock to him. Soverick is someone who he thought could never die. He thought Soverick was undefeatable so he was very surprised when he heard he was defeated by Salvini. He knows a little about Salvini and her brothers so he knows that Salvini shouldn't be able to defeat Soverick. He finds the entire thing suspicious.
Soverick didn't use his boost and he was suppressed by the arena but he still beat Salvos. Salvos is supposed to be the strongest among the current generation of sages so how did Salvini, the weakest of them defeat and kill Soverick? It doesn't help that the said fight took place in the arena when everyone had gone. The sage said he removed the resurrection option so that the honor of the challenge will be upheld and that's why Soverick didn't resurrect after death.
He can't believe that kind of story when he witnessed the prowess of the paragons and Soverick's strength. So how is it that Salvini defeated Soverick? That question always brings him back to what Salvos and Salvin told him about their sister. They always said that she is a snake and that she shouldn't be trusted. They told him that Soverick is in trouble but he never believed them. Then this happened. He finds it incomprehensible.
He tried to explain his confusion away. "Maybe I am overthinking this. Maybe she was just hiding her strength. She is the bloodline of the sage after all. Scheming is in her blood."
Every explanation for the death of Soverick always comes back to the bloodline of who killed him. Salvini has the bloodline of the sage so he believes that she must be strong and what she did must be good for the plane. He respects the bloodline too much to suspect foul play. She must have beaten him in some way that he can't think of.
"Maybe he had a weakness and she exploited it. That will explain how she beat him. She must be very strong." He assured himself.
That's how he spends most of his days. He goes through a cycle of disbelief, confusion, and eventual conviction only to repeat it all over again. Mihila and Ghoto tried to help him move on. They took turns trying to convince him about how Soverick's death can happen to anyone so he should cherish his life more. Litori didn't bother putting in any effort in helping him. Her life has not been changed in any way by Soverick's death and Ghaster's descent into madness wouldn't affect her either so she doesn't care.
Ghaster wasn't muttering this particular day. He has been very quiet. He stood by the window of his room and looked out into the city. This window is the one that Soverick used to sit on as a baby when they lived together. Soverick would sit on it and watch the city or the squabbling babies. He would watch them without interfering no matter how much they bruised or injured each other.
This is also where he met Hadrick for the first time. A vine entered the house and fed him with vitality to heal the injuries he sustained in his fight against litori. Staying here brought back some pleasant memories. He can't help but feel nostalgic.
He looked into the city now without focusing on anything in particular as he thought about their past. Mihila walked in and stood beside him. She waited a while but he didn't respond to her presence. He didn't seem to have sensed her so she placed a hand on his shoulder to draw his attention. He glanced at her for a brief moment before he turned his attention back to the city.
Mihila said to him, "You miss him don't you?"
Ghaster turned his attention to her. He looked at her as if she is mad. He had a look of incredulity and genuine concern for her mental state. He even asked her.
"Are you alright mother?"
He believes that her question begs his own question. How will she say that to him if she isn't mad or going crazy? How can she even think that he misses Soverick?
She smiled at him. "I am fine. Thank you for asking. I meant that you miss what he represents to you."
He shook his head and denied her. "I don't miss anything about him. I am glad he is gone. I am just surprised about how he died."
She nodded in understanding. Then she explained herself, "I didn't say you liked him. You just miss him as a rival. He has been a big part of your life. He represents an obstacle that you wanted to overcome. His death means you won't be ever able to beat him. You're aimless now that he is gone."
Ghaster wanted to refuse her at first but he began to see some truth in what she was saying. She is still wrong about why he is sad like this but she is right about how he won't be ever able to defeat Soverick.