A deleted scene

In a fluid motion that belied its speed, Cillian raised his left arm and swung it behind them. The movement was swift and purposeful, as if throwing something unseen. Suddenly, his demonic black lightning ignited, crackling along his arm with an otherworldly energy. It leapt forth, striking something behind them with a thunderous crack.

A huge plume of smoke erupted in their wake, filling the corridor with a thick, acrid haze. Luxana's eyes widened slightly, surprise and a hint of fear flashing across her features.

And from inside the smoke, a figure began to emerge.

Helios emerged from the smoke, his presence filling the corridor with an almost palpable intensity. His tousled pale blond hair seemed to glow with an inner light, while his ruby red eyes burned with fury. His pristine white uniform, a stark contrast to the lingering darkness, seemed to radiate its own brilliance.

"WITH WHO'S PERMISSION DID YOU GET MARRIED?" He interjected, his voice booming through the space, each word laced with divine anger. The force of his question caused the very air to tremble, and I felt my heart begin to pound loudly in my chest, the rhythm echoing in my ears.

Before I could respond, Cillian's voice cut through the tension. "With no one's," he declared loudly, his tone defiant. In a swift, protective motion, he raised his left arm in front of me, a physical barrier between myself and my father's wrath. His right hand remained casually in his pocket, a gesture of nonchalance that belied the gravity of the situation. Cillian stood facing the window, his posture rigid and unyielding, while I remained frozen, facing my father.

I kept quiet, words failing me in the face of Helios' anger. The silence stretched, heavy and oppressive, until my father spoke again, his voice low and ominous.

"NEVER trust a survivor, until you know what he did to stay alive," he injected, each word dripping with menace and hidden meaning. The statement hung in the air, a chilling reminder of the complexities and dangers that lurked beneath the surface of our world.

"EXACTLYYY~" Cillian exclaimed, his voice dripping with exaggerated mockery. His sudden outburst shattered the tense silence that had fallen after Helios' ominous words. "That's what! I'm telling her not to trust you and yet she still does! Isn't she so stupid?"

Cillian's words hung in the air, a daring challenge to Helios' authority. His clever twist on Helios' warning turned the tables, implying that Helios himself was the survivor not to be trusted. The corridor seemed to crackle with tension as the two men faced off, with me caught in the middle.

Helios' eyes flashed with rage at Cillian's audacious retort. "You cocky little shit," he snarled, "You think you can mock me? You don't know fuck all about survival or the shit I've been through."

Cillian's lips curled into a smirk. "Oh, I'm sure you've been through plenty of shit. Just not your own, am I right?" He took a step forward, his posture relaxed but eyes sharp. "Tell me, Survivor, how many poor bastards did you screw over to get to the top?"

"Watch your goddamn mouth," Helios growled, his fists clenching. "I've protected this realm for centuries while you've done nothing but stir up shit."

"Protected? That's what you're calling this clusterfuck?" Cillian scoffed. "Funny, seems to me you've been more interested in playing dictator than guardian." He glanced at me, then back to Helios. "But hey, maybe I'm wrong. Maybe pimping out your own daughter off like cattle was all part of your grand fucking plan for the greater good for her goddamn safety, right?"

Helios' face twisted with rage. "You insufferable little cunt-"

"Aw, did I hit a nerve?" Cillian taunted, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Shove it up your ass," Cillian cut, his voice icy. "Your bullshit might work on your ass-kissing sheep, but I'm not buying it. I've seen real monsters, Traitor. And let me tell you, they look like saints compared to assholes who hide behind fancy titles and fake morals."

The tension was palpable as they faced off. But Cillian's words had clearly hit home. Helios' anger seemed to deflate, replaced by a look of uncertainty.

"You don't know shit," Helios muttered, but the fight had left his voice.

Cillian's expression hardened. "Maybe not. But I know enough to see that your way is royally fucked. Times change, old man. Either pull your head out of your ass and adapt, or get ready to be left in the dust."

Helios' jaw clenched, his eyes blazing with murderous rage. "You son of a bitch," he snarled, closing the distance between them. "You think you've got big balls, don't you? Strutting around like you own the fucking place."

Cillian didn't back down, his smirk growing wider. "Bigger than yours, old man. At least I'm not compensating with a fancy title and daddy issues."

"You insolent jerk!" Helios roared, spit flying. "I'll tear you apart limb by fucking limb!"

"Ooh, scary," Cillian mocked, rolling his eyes. "What's next, gonna ground me? Take away my dessert? Face it, you're a washed-up has-been clinging to power like a drunk to his last bottle."

Helios lunged forward, grabbing Cillian by the throat. "I'll show you power, you miserable little cunt!"

Cillian didn't resist, his eyes gleaming with dangerous amusement. "Careful now, daddy dearest. Your true colors are showing. What would your adoring public think if they saw their 'protector' losing his shit like a toddler?"

"You know nothing of the burdens I bear!" Helios hissed, his grip tightening.

Cillian wheezed out a laugh. "Burdens? Please. The only thing you're bearing is a massive ego and a stick up your ass."

With a roar of fury, Helios threw Cillian against the wall. "I'll end you, boy. I'll make you beg for death!"

Cillian, despite being pinned, managed to choke out, "Kinky. Didn't know you were into that, old man. No wonder your wife left."

The mention of my mother seemed to snap something in Helios. He released Cillian, stumbling back as if struck. "You... you..."

"Hit a nerve, did I?" Cillian taunted, rubbing his throat. "Truth hurts, doesn't it? Almost as much as being a failure of a husband and father."

Helios' face contorted in a mix of rage and pain. "This isn't over," he spat, his voice trembling with barely contained fury.

"Oh, it is," Cillian replied, his tone ice-cold. "Run along now. I'm sure there's a mirror somewhere waiting for you to jerk off to your own reflection."

With a final, hate-filled glare, Helios vanished in a burst of blinding light, leaving behind the acrid smell of ozone and shattered pride.

"You do realize that wasn't my father, right?" I asked, my voice devoid of emotion, face a perfect mask of neutrality. My hands were clasped in front of me, still as statues.

Cillian's lips quirked into a knowing smirk. "Of course. I know when to play my cards and when to fold," he replied, hands casually tucked in his pockets as he sauntered back to me, his gaze fixed on the ground.

He shrugged, casting a glance back to where the confrontation had taken place. "Sometimes you just gotta fight fire with fire," he mused. "Or in this case, bullshit with bullshit."

A giggle escaped my lips, breaking the tension.