Chapter Text
Beneath the walls of the clergy, the serene wave of silence was disturbed by the sound of the doors swinging open.
Whoosh!
“Hang in there, Cardi!” Imperator fought back her tears as the ghouls carried the Cardinal to the infirmary.
Copia was losing too much blood, too much breath, all because of her.
Saltarian pulled Imperator to the side forcefully. She tried to thrash away from the brother’s grasp.
“Saltarian let me go! I have to see him!” Imperator cried out, her tears now spilling down her cheeks.
“Keep your shit together, Elizabeth! You knew this was bound to happen!” Saltarian pinned her hands and contained her from thrashing.
It had been finally time to execute the current Papa. It had been tradition during each one – from Primo, to Secondo, to Terzo, her lover Nihil; now it all came to this… her son, their son. A shot to the heart by a sphere, but the executioner missed because Copia was dancing around while it happened. Now he was losing too much blood and breath at the same time, all because of her.
Suddenly she felt another set of arms around her, this time welcoming, more familiar.
It was Nihil… or at least his ghost. He managed to shove her away from Saltarian’s grasp. She clung onto him for dear support. On a regular day, she would’ve ignored his attempts to hug her; but now, she realized she needed it. Especially since this was their son, even if Nihil didn’t particularly know.
“Shh, it’s okay. I got you, cara .” Nihil led Imperator to sit down by the steps. Her stubbornness refused to look at him.
Nihil sensed the self-loathing she was feeling. He decided to take her hands from covering her face.
“Nihil…” Elizabeth relented.
“Cara, do not waste your beauty by hiding that beautiful face of yours.” He said, taking both hands.
He chuckled as he saw some of her eyeliner makeup coming down. He wiped it off using his sleeves. Since he wasn’t the Papa anymore, he was wearing a different kind of robe.
Imperator scoffed at his corniness.
“Now’s not the time for flirting, I’m afraid.” she said in her usual tone, only this time the emotions were laced with a thick heaviness due to her crying.
He gazed at her, still holding her hand.
“Nihil…” he cut her off before she even finished the phrase.
“No way in hell, Elizabeth. I am staying here with you. I cannot bear seeing you cry, you know this.” He brushed her cheek softly, she pulled away feeling timid and trying to keep her heart at bay.
He smiled softly at the realization and held her close. The nun didn’t pull away this time.
There was silence aching to be broken by the next hour. He sighed and decided he wouldn’t allow her to ignore him.
“Elizabeth… cara? ” He turned her cheek so she could face him “Why so blue?”
She rolled her eyes “You know why.”
His suspicions were correct. “The Cardinal.”
Elizabeth bit her inside cheek and nodded. She sensed the tinge of hurt and jealousy his way. Of course he would take it differently.
“What’s so special about this Cardinal being the Papa? This is the first time I’ve seen you break during a killing before.” He pointed out.
She knew that he was bound to know the truth one way or another. It crept up into her chest willingly, like a serpent slithering as it was lured by the melody of the charmer. Before she could even respond, the doors to the infirmary swung open.
Elizabeth gasped, standing upright. The ghouls looked at her.
“Sister, I think now would not be a good time to see Cardi-” Phantom began to say, but before anybody could notice she ran towards his room, even ignoring the nurse attending on the front.
‘I have to see my son… I need to see him… !’ Was the only thing that kept repeating in her mind as she ran the cold pristine halls.
She found him, laying on the bed. There were several wires connected to his chest, and a stray IV that was perched up on a lone iron pole.
Elizabeth tried to hold the emotions all together as she sat by Copia’s side. She held his hand, it wasn’t warm but it wasn’t cold either. How could she have done this to her own son in the first place?
‘Fuck you, Saltarian.’ she thought silently, bitterly.
She couldn’t help but admire his helpless form. All the self-loathing she felt grew heavier, a burden resting on her chest. She ran a hand on the Cardinal’s salt and pepper locks. He really looked like his father.
“I’m sorry, Copia. I’m sorry.” she kissed his forehead.
Unexpectedly, the ghouls came inside the room once more. Imperator flinched at the sudden appearance as Phantom took the lead.
“Sister,” Phantom started but was once more cut off.
“Please, let me stay with him.” the desperation behind her voice couldn’t be more evident.
The ghoul was surprised, this was the first time he has ever heard the nun’s voice break. As much as Phantom wanted to let her stay, he knew Copia wouldn’t want that.
“Sister, please.” Swiss spoke this time “I do not think, Papa would like you here. Especially since…”
“Don’t you dare finish that sentence.” Everyone looked to the doorframe, it was Nihil “If the Sister wants to be here, then let her be.”
He floated towards his lover’s side, putting a hand on her shoulder.
Elizabeth looked at Nihil with a thankful, yet vulnerable expression. Nihil leaned down to kiss her forehead.
“But-” Swiss started, but sighed “Okay, whatever.”
Phantom and Swiss stayed to watch over Copia and to keep a close eye on Imperator and Nihil. For the first time in a span of hours, Copia’s hand twitched.
“Copia?” Elizabeth looked at Copia, squeezing his hand.
He stirred slightly, mumbling helplessly.
“ Madre… Mi Madre… ” he whimpered softly as his eyebrows were knit together.
“I’m here.” Elizabeth said.
Everybody in the room turned to the Sister in confusion.
Copia’s eyes fluttered open, his vision slightly blurry over the drugs injected to him. He blinked once, twice, before turning his head over from the ceiling to the foot of the bed. He saw the two ghouls come to approach him.
“There, there. Careful Cardi.” Phantom chuckled slightly, relieved to see his Papa awake. He helped him sit up slightly, wrapping his arms around Copia for support as he sat upright.
“Thank you, Phantom.” Copia chuckled, groaning slightly as he felt the pain of his stitches.
Suddenly his eyes landed on the other two figures by his left. His smile disappeared, his gaze turning hard and cold.
“Sister.” Copia said in an unsure, but cold tone.
“Copia…” she leaned in to hug her son, but he stopped her.
“Why are you here? Oh wait, are you here to kill me again?” He spat out sharply “You here to trick me into doing another fun show, then a bounty will come shoot me again? Is there poison in this IV?”
“Copia, let me explain-”
“No! There’s nothing to explain, Imperator. You betrayed me.” his tone shifted from cold, to one of hurt.
All the self-loathing intensified for Imperator.
“Enough, boy. That is no way to respect a woman.” Nihil tried to defend Sister, but Copia ignored him.
“You told me I would become one of the greatest, like… like him” he pointed to Nihil. “I followed each and every one of your orders, and improved all the mistakes of the others. I even saw you as someone more than my master. You’re just like the others.”
“Don’t be naive, boy. You knew that all Papa’s before you had to die. It’s part of the job.” Nihil cut in
“Oh don’t get me started with you, old man! You never believed in me in the first place because you were too selfish to build your reputation. Did you ever think that maybe you’re one of my greatest inspirations? To add fuel to the fire, you’re a bad father!”
“Listen you little shit-” Nihil tried to grab Copia by the arm, but the ghouls stopped him.
The argument just got heated each second and the ghouls, and Sister couldn’t help but just stand there and watch everything unfold.
“You know that I’m right. From Primo, to Secondo, to Terzo – you let them die in her hands! In your hands. And for what? Just so you could rule again?” The monitor beeped faster as he got more agitated with each word.
Nihil was in disbelief. He couldn’t think of a single retort because he knew that what Copia was saying was true. He was a monster, a bad father.
“I looked up to you, tried not to be discouraged as you brought me down thinking I wasn’t too good enough to fill in your shoes as Papa. I may not be in the bloodline, but at least I kept your legacy alive.” Copia confessed.
“But you are…” Imperator’s voice cut through the tension.
Every set of eyes landed on her.
“ Cara? What do you mean by that?” Nihil shoved the ghoul’s hands and walked towards her.
The truth has to be set free. She needed to tell them.
She inhaled a sharp breath as tears formed her eyes. Elizabeth moved to be in between the two men.
“Copia, you are from Nihil’s blood.” She took his hand into her shaky one.
Copia’s expression shifted, shaking his head in disbelief.
“I am?”
“He is?” Nihil said
“You are,” Elizabeth exhaled before looking at Nihil.
The ghost searched his lover’s eyes “Elizabeth , how…”
“He was born out of our bond, Nihil.” She could feel her cheeks getting wet again. Nihil was in disbelief.
“He is my son…?” Nihil’s eyes went from Copia to Elizabeth.
She couldn’t help but let out a small smile
“ Our son.” She then turned to Copia.
“For years, I only did what I had to do to protect you. Killing you was the last thing I wanted to do to you, my son. I have loved you, as a mother always had; yet, I have failed you.” Elizabeth sobbed now.
Copia was speechless, shedding tears of his own.
“ Mi mamma? ” Copia’s heart monitor was increasing in height.
“Yes, I am your mother, Copia.” She hugged him “Mom’s here”
She felt him go into shock.
“Cardi? No.. no please not this time.” Her maternal instincts kicked in.
There were sets of clergy nurses coming from the door again. Phantom groaned and softly pulled Sister away.
“I told you, he was not ready to see either of you.” Phantom said as he led Imperator outside “Just stay there, and do not do anything.”
“But, my son-” The doors slammed shut as she was kicked out.
From the corner of her eye, she felt Nihil’s burning gaze.
“Nihil…” when she turned, he disappeared.
Once more, she was alone, like she always has been.