Reincarnated As The Villainess's Son

I closed my eyes. "Give me one reason why I shouldn't kill you right now."

The hallway grew colder.

The soft breeze from the open window stopped, as if the wind itself was holding its breath.

"I came because you needed to talk," the guardian spirit said, stepping into my view.

Her form was soft and glowing almost like mist wrapped in light.

But her eyes were clear, and they were watching me with a mix of pain and something else I couldn't name.

I stood up slowly.

Aimar didn't move.

He looked at her too and again at me before he took another step and vanished.

"You knew this would happen," I said, glancing back at her. "You were aware of what was happening last night, right?"

There was a silence that stretched between us for a while.

"Yes," Elife replied quietly. "But I didn't want it to."

"Then why didn't you stop it?" My voice came out sharp, like broken glass. "You could've warned me. You could've saved them."

Her glow dimmed slightly. "Do you think I didn't help them on purpose?"

My fists tightened.

"You think Pasithea's parents deserved this?"

"No," she said. "But I had more important matters to attend to—."

"Oh?" I snarled. "And what might that be?"

"To protect the World Tree." She replied, staring dead into my eyes. "I wasn't sure if they would have attacked—."

"You let an entire family die just because you weren't sure!?" I snapped. "Just say you were fucking afraid."

She stepped closer. "There can be hundreds of royal elves that can be born but once the World Tree dies the elves will lose everything."

I stared at her in disbelief. "You talk like they were replaceable."

"I'm talking about survival," she said, voice calm but firm. "If the World Tree dies, so do the elves. All of them. Not just a family, every last one."

I didn't answer.

Because deep down, I knew she wasn't wrong.

But that didn't mean it hurt any less.

"You should've done better," I said, voice low. "You could've protected them instead of that dying fucking tree."

Elife's expression softened. "I did what I thought was for the greater good, if you were in my place you would have—."

"Don't tell me what I would do."

She didn't flinch.

Instead, she took another step closer, her glow lighting the hall.

"It's not the time for all this." She said, looking into my eyes. "There is something more important, I wish to talk about."

I muttered softly. "What?"

"I know who killed the elf king and queen," she said finally. "There was someone along with the Demiurge that helped in the massacre."

I froze.

My breath caught.

"…Who?"

She looked at me with sadness in her eyes.

Even though she didn't speak the name, my heart felt like breaking.

Elife drew in a deep breath before whispering. "It's Yennefer."

"..."

I blinked.

Then took a moment to register her words.

And before I knew it my body moved on its own.

"URGHH!"

Elife yelled in pain as I grabbed her neck and slammed her into the wall.

Her glow flickered as her back hit the wall with a sickening thud.

"What are you saying!" I roared, my grip tightening. "You think this is some kind of sick joke?"

Elife struggled beneath my hand, but didn't fight back. Her glowing fingers simply touched my wrist.

"I'm not lying," she choked out. "I wish I was."

"Liar!"

I yelled, squeezing the life out of her even though I know it won't work.

"You don't even know who she is!?"

"She lived here, Himmel." Elife whispered softly, looking into my eyes. "I knew her and I saw her taking care of you."

I stared into her eyes, searching for anything…anything that told me she was wrong.

That this was some kind of mistake.

But there was only sadness.

And guilt.

"Yennefer would never do that," I said, my voice trembling. "She wouldn't…"

"She didn't lead the attack," Elife said, gasping. "But she… she killed the elders."

My hand loosened, just a little.

"No," I whispered. "No, she wouldn't…why would she do that!?"

"I don't know." She whispered, her voice even lower now. "…I don't understand as well."

A hollow silence followed that felt like eternity.

I let her go.

Elife dropped to the floor, catching herself on shaky arms.

Her glow had dimmed so much, she barely looked real anymore.

I took a step back, unable to look at her.

"Why…" I swallowed the lump in my throat. "I don't see any reason for her to do…that."

I tried to think but the sudden blurriness made it hard to do so.

"H-Himmel."

"Out."

"Listen—."

"I said get out!"

Elife looked at me for a second before she nodded.

Her body blurred, vanishing from my line of sight.

I drew in a deep breath, ruffling my hair in frustration.

My ability to think seems like it has been lost as I remained blank for a while.

It wasn't long before I sensed someone moving my way.

I looked at the way I came from only to find a girl with black hair tinged with a pink undertone.

Taking a hang of myself, I turned towards her. "How is she?"

"Not really well." Zenith replied, walking closer. "She is in shock."

"..."

I just nodded in response, having no words to speak.

Zenith stopped beside me, her arms crossed tightly like she was trying to hold herself together.

"She hasn't spoken a word since we arrived here," she said quietly. "Not even with me."

I let out a sigh and moved towards the window. "She needs time."

Zenith nodded and walked beside me.

She didn't say anything as I felt her shoulder trembling.

I turned towards her. "….Are you alright?"

Zenith shook her head as she sniffled.

"I just…" She whispered, a tear trickled down her eyes. "…I just thought what would happen if I lost my mother."

"Hey."

I walked closer and gently hugged her trembling figure.

"Nothing will happen to her."

I rubbed her back as my gaze shifted outside.

"...."

At the far end of my view I noticed him.

Aimar, staring at me.

I blinked.

And he was gone.

***

"Hah."

A soft exhale escaped 'Aimar's' lips as he walked out of a grey portal that used to be purple once.

He rubbed his hair and slowly the length of his hair changed back to the long silky black.

"Oliver?"

A sudden voice made him look at the chamber he was in.

There were hundreds of items used in torture and among all was a chair.

In that chair sat a boy.

…The real Aimar.

Oliver smiled, walking towards him. "Yo!"

A look of confusion flickered on Aimar's face. "Are you really him?"

Oliver smiled, dragging a chair and sitting in front of him.

"In the flesh." He replied with a smile. "Why is it that hard to believe?"

"We held your funeral, son of a bitch!" Aimar snapped, trying to break free the chain binding him. "Where have you been?"

"Wow. Aren't you going too far?" Oliver replied. "I am your twin, bitch, we got the same mother."

Oliver leaned back in the chair, resting his arms on the backrest like he didn't have a care in the world.

His smile didn't quite reach his eyes.

"And I didn't ask for a funeral, you know," he said lightly. "Bit overdramatic."

Aimar didn't laugh.

He yanked at the chains again, wrists bleeding from how tightly he'd been bound.

"You just disappeared. Everyone thought you were dead."

Oliver tilted his head. "Well, I was…mostly dead."

Aimar narrowed his eyes. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

Oliver stood, walking around the room slowly, fingers trailing over the sharp edge of a blade lying on a bloodstained table.

"Let's just say… I had to take a little trip. Clean up a few messes. Learn the truth about who we really are."

Aimar's expression twisted with frustration. "Why are you trying to act cool? Just tell me."

Oliver paused, turning toward him.

The easy smile dropped, his eyes looked colder now.

"Why bother?" He asked, taking his seat once again. "It won't change anything now."

"..."

Aimar's breathing was ragged, his arms trembling from the strain.

"Let me out," he growled. "I swear, Oliver, if this is some sick plan of yours, I'll kill you."

Oliver chuckled, tapping his foot against the ground lazily. "That's the thing about you, Aimar. You always think with your fists first."

"Maybe because I didn't fake my death and come back acting like some half-baked villain."

Oliver leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "I'm not the villain here."

"No?" Aimar spat. "Then why the hell am I in chains? Why did you sneak around pretending to be me?"

Oliver just smiled like he found this funny.

"I would love to—."

His words halted as Aimar's body moved forward.

The chains holding him broke and he lunged at him.

Oliver stood up, ready for a fight as something began materialising in his hand.

But…

He froze when Aimar hugged him instead.

"I missed you, fucker." Aimar whispered softly, a lump in his throat as he held back his tears. "I—I thought…I lost you forever."

Oliver's grey eyes softened a lot.

His hand moved to hug him back but he halted midway.

"Aren't you guys hugging a little too long?"

A voice echoed within the chamber that made Aimar flinch and Oliver sigh.

"Huh?"

Before Aimar could understand, he was bound back on the chair.

A figure slowly began to materialise beside Oliver.

The boy took his seat once again.

Aimar stared, jaw tightening as the woman stepped into full view.

She was barefoot, and every step she took echoed in the chamber like a drumbeat.

Her scarlet hair shimmered like liquid fire, falling straight down to her knees, untouched by the filth around her.

Her eyes were a shade too bright, like blood under sunlight.

There was something off about her, not just strange. Not just powerful.

Wrong.

Like her mere presence oozed lust.

"Oye!" Oliver's voice snapped him back. "Eyes off, she is mine."

Aimar blinked twice. "Are you… Aaliyah?"

"Her name's Lilith." Oliver replied. "She's the reason I'm alive."

Aimar's eyes darted back to his brother. "She is Aaliyah, isn't she?"

The woman sighed and stood behind Oliver, leaning on his head.

Oliver kept on staring at his brother. "Are you sure he is a separate being?"

"Yeah," Lilith replied, wrapping her hands over his shoulder. "Unlike you, he is made out of Horus' pure essence."

Aimar frowned. "What?"

Oliver ignored him as he closed his eyes.

"H-hey, Oliver," Aimar whispered with a trembling voice. "What's going on? Why are you doing this?"

Oliver looked back at him. "You don't know?"

"….What?"

Oliver smiled softly. "So, he didn't tell you?"

"…What?" Aimar whispered. "What are you talking about?"

Oliver looked at him. "It was our grandfather who killed me."

"W-what?"

Oliver leaned forward, staring dead into his eyes.

"And I will not rest until everyone with Von Castia bloodline is dead."

Oliver raised his hand….

"I will kill whoever comes in my way."

….And pointed at Aimar.

"Even if it's a God."