Chapter 213 - Black Theory

"Hunter?" Fen said.

Ethan's ear switched at the sound, as his head snapped towards her, her body ran cold when his void golden eyes lands on her.

He slowly rise to his feet, the dust aura formed something behind him, a wave of large wings but it wasn't fully formed.

Then his void eyes lands on Eden's unconscious body still hanging in the air. He roared a chaotic sound like a sonic wave.

Before Fen could blink, he slammed her off Eden.

Eden's body dropped to the ground.

Fen gasp as her back hit the ground hard. Her ghoul eyes widen when she saw Ethan on top of her but it was too late.

She was devoured in less than a second, consuming her essence until there was nothing left.

"Truly amazing" Hunter said in astonishment.

Ethan's furious eyes lands on Hunter.

"Tell me boy" he began.

"How does it feel to be powerful" he adds with a smirk.

Ethan snarled, coming at Hunter. He brought out his stick using the tip to slam Ethan on the chest, the force pushed him backwards, Ethan slides back in all fours.

"Hmph... outstanding, that force alone is enough to kill a ghoul" Hunter said, slamming the tip of the stick against the ground, it made a loud vibrating sound.

"Let me make something clear boy" he states moving his shade to the bridge of his nose, his eyes were pitch black only.

"You're thousand of years way behind to even challenge me" he states shifting it back to cover his eyes.

A red aura like fire surrounds around him widely.

Ethan rose to his feet cracking his neck as he growled setting his claws on the go.

Hunter scoffs.

"Give it to an O'Brien for their fearlessness" he mocked.

"I suppose I will teach you a lessen then he said as the aura turned to sharp spikes that came at Eden's unconscious body.

Ethan's eyes went wide in shock as he dash after her in speed, with one wave of his hand, his claws formed a wave of dust aura zapping it back to Hunter, he couldn't destroy but only send it back to him.

But it stopped on getting to Hunter.

Ethan held Eden in his arms tightly, a hand placed on her cold body, the other rested on her head to placed against his chest, the dust black aura around both of them.

Hunter ticks his tongue, as the spikes rotates back, ready to charge at them once again.

"All attachments must be removed into to reach supreme goals" Hunter states.

"I want you Ethan O'Brien, for you're my diamond in the rough" he adds with a smirk.

"Let's see how long you will hold on"

The spikes came at them fast.

*Loud Sound Of Heart Beat* 

Hunter froze feeling the divine aura.

The spikes came for them but suddenly on getting to them it crumbles to a million pieces by a white aura around them.

Ethan slowly raised his head as his void golden eyes lands on his mom now in front of them, with a very pissed look.

"Don't you dare touch my children, you fucking piece of shit!" Riley hissed as before Hunter could blink, a rod came at him fast, piercing his chest and slamming him to the tree.

Riley's body went up in white aura, above her head was a white spike crown, levitating.

Riley wields the rod to move deeper into his heart but surprisingly enough, Hunter didn't budge, Riley was confused at this.

"Extremely fascinating, the ghoul Queen before me" he states stepping forward as he moved out of the rod like he was invisible.

Riley froze at his action.

Huner gave a slight bow.

"What are you?" Riley demands.

"I would have loved to stay and chitchat but I must go" he states as his gaze drifts to Ethan.

"Come to me Ethan if you want to save your sister" he states as he flipped a red card to Riley.

She caught it in a swift move.

He then fades out like a mirage.

"You're invited my queen, I'm looking forward to seeing you again" he vanished.

He was nowhere to be seen, Riley quickly turned to her children going on her knees.

"Ethan" she said with teary eyes caressing his cheek gently not minding his appearances.

Ethan growled deeply, his teeth clenched in a tight hold as he tried to speak in this new form and he finally did.

"Aren't you scared of me?". He couldn't even recognise his own voice, it was deep and doubled sounded almost demonic.

Riley scoffs.

"Why should I be scared of you" Riley said, she almost laughed at his words but now wasn't the time for that, it was silly of him to say those words, he wasn't even compared to how monstrous Liam was and she still loved him no matter what, their son was no different.

"I ate..." he said gulping hard at the memory.

Riley caught on as she turns to the direction of the blood remains, There was something about her flesh, it was all fired up almost like he sucked the life out of her, okay that can't be good.

"Your Claw did that?" Riley asked just to be sure, she didn't like the idea of her son himself devouring.

Ethan shaked his head negatively, he knew what a Claw was, uncle Sean have always told them about it, they were part of the ghouls when power is being manifested, a being within them, their predatory organ that did their bidding without question, it was what the bracelet was meant to surpass but yet his didn't came out of him as expected.

Riley eyes land on her son back.

"Nothing came out?" She asked in a serious tone once again.

"No mom" he said getting almost scared that it was a bad thing.

"Hush now" she adds rubbing his cheek with her hand still caressing his cheek. He felt cold as something retreats back inside him, it was his powers as the black skin went within, his ears back to normal, along with his eyes, nails and teeth all back to normal.

Riley eyes land on her daughter, she check her pulse through her neck.

"She was stung by that bitch" Ethan said getting pissed.

"Good thing you devoured her then" Riley said as the corner of her lips pursed up a bit, but it fades composing herself.

"Language young man, language" she warned carrying Eden in her arms, rising to her feet.

"Survey the area" she said.

About three figure Ethan didn't know was there moved out.

"Is she gonna be okay?" He asked worried.

"Let's take her back to Sean first" Riley said.

He nods as they walked out of the area.

"And Earl?"

"He will live".

***

Beeping monitor machine could be heard, in a room Eden was present on the bed, still unconscious, a drip connected to her hand, a mouth breath against her nose and mouth as she took feeble breath, her skin paled, black veins still present on her body.

Ethan was seated next to her holding her hand, watching with sad eyes.

Outside the room Sean and Riley watched through the transparent window that only them could see through from the outside.

Iris walks towards Riley from behind, she gave Sean a loving glance which he did too. She looks away.

"Any news on the fucking bastard who did this to my babies?" Riley asked faintly, she was still as the wind but they knew she could give out any moment, the killing intent made it harder to breath, luckily they were ghouls.

"Nothing, he's like a ghost" Iris said sad she couldn't find anything , she hated herself for that, she wanted to find the bastard more than anything.

"He wants to play this game then" Riley said rotating the red card around her fingers.

"Ethan said his name was Hunter, the other ghoul, Fen. I looked through everywhere but not a single info could be found, it's like they don't exist" Iris said, anyone who could pull that off was sure as hell powerful and very dangerous.

"Ethan didn't call out his Claw" Riley began facing them with folded arms.

"What?" Sean said puzzled.

"But the bracelet was broken, its only natural that something comes out of him, I mean shouldn't Ghost be reincarnated in him, I know it happens every 55 years but after the upgrade Steve did, its suppose to change the cause of action" he reasons.

"That's the point Sean, nothing came out, it was like he was the Claw himself, merged with it" Riley said still remembering what her son looked like.

"You mean he devoured that ghoul as himself?" Iris asked, paled at the thought.

Riley just gave a slight nod.

"Oh my God"

"Does this really mean the sacrifice Liam made to destroy Apophis affected his Claw transfer too, i mean Ghost must have died during the merging with Omari essence but in the right sense he's suppose to be reborn in Ethan, as the black ghoul" Sean said.

"You're right Sean" Riley said with a heavy sigh a she faced the view again.

"If Ethan isn't the black ghoul then what is he?"