A FATHER AND SON

I awoke the next day and awoke with Von sleeping like a log beside me. Under his eyes were bags as deep as the valleys of the weeping souls.

I stood up on the bed I lay in and then started feeling out my body. I feel great for some odd reason, and the pain I felt back then was no longer present.

My body felt lighter, and it felt like it could move around more comfortably than before. I jumped on the bed and enjoyed this magnificent feeling. I could twist my body like never before.

Though it is a shame, I still cannot twist my anything in 360 degrees that would have been amazing. However, I can now easily do a ninety-degree turn.

= "Xir, don't move too much." = I heard Von's voice that resembled a groan, = "Balancing the mana in your body was not so easy. Go to sleep. It's still midnight…I think." =

I paid his words no heed and answered, = "I shall leave you be, I will be going out. I have to check if I already unlocked a channel." =

= "Alright, but don't be too loud. Hey, I sounded like a father right there…hehe." = He fell asleep snoring like a bear.

I left and let Von sleep. I went to find the book and read through the entire thing.

I followed what it said and meditated to make an [Internal Observation]. I began repeating the breathing, and the light particles once again appeared. Now that I think about it, how come I can see these lights with my eyes closed?

It must have something to do with that sensing bit. But I'm not entirely sure. It was not explained in the book.

Moving on, I managed to make an internal observation and saw that there were indeed azure channels connected to a silvery ball in my chest area.

I observed how these azure Mage Channels weaved all over my body and how they were connected in my Mana Pores. There are fundamentally twelve Mage Channels connected to the silvery ball, but they branch out and create what seems like a nervous system.

I found this particular system truly interesting. Also, this system was known as a Mana System. It was like the nervous system but created by Mage Channels. It was fascinating.

I could see the silvery ball in my chest was filled with mana. Following the book, I mentally began the flow of mana all over the Mana System. The mana passed through the Mage Channels of the different parts of the body.

According to the book, the flow of the mana was slow, which was normal for Mages. Although not impossible, the distribution of mana throughout the body was too hard and slow.

But I need not worry, the book said I need a conductor to draw the mana out of my body to cast a spell, so this must be normal.

Putting the issue of my Mage Channels aside, what I found weird was the presence of a Mana Core in my body.

From the book, it is said that there were different grades on the path of Mages and Martials. The grades were measured by color and the size of the Mana Core.

= "The colors were Copper, Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Diamond class. As for the size, it correlates with the rank of each grade, there are 3 ranks, and its meaning is, mustard seed size (rank 1), marble size (rank 2), chestnut size (rank 3)." =

Silver in color, and the size of a mustard seed. I am already at Silver Class Rank 1. Did I jump a class? But the book said that I couldn't do that…well this book lied for the most parts anyway.

But now that I think about it, all those years ago, that girl did something to my chest before he sent me here, did she have something to do with this?

I was at a loss, so I ignored these crazy thoughts and focused more on training my mana.

Von decided to wake up at noon and gave me a Bloody Milk. I joined him to have lunch.

The two of us sat across each other.= "A two-year-old Mage, what are the odds of that. Lethias really did create the thing she had planned to create. Too bad I won't be able to see you grow up properly." =

= "What do you mean?" = I asked, for I do not know what he was saying.

I only saw Von shake his head as he said, = "It is nothing." =

Von stopped talking and finished the hard bread he was eating. He then looked at me and then brought out the Role Affinity Tester and crushed it, = "We don't need that anymore. You're a mage, that's it. We don't need to test what kind of role you will have." =

He sighed and took out a different crystal from his pants' pockets before handing the crystal to me. The crystal was as big as my hand, and as I held it, I saw it give out a lustrous shine.

Von took my hands and then pricked me with his nails. I bled, but the pain was not present. A drop of my blood fell on crystal, and it released a bright and lustrous light.

From inside the crystal, I saw four colors appear. Yellow, blue, green, and red colors appear.

Von sighed as he said, = "I saw this coming, but you're equally attuned to the four elements. Lethias did tune you to become perfect…" =

He then turned around as if he was looking at something. I followed his gaze but saw nothing but the dilapidated wall.

= "Xir, can you do me a promise me some things before the day starts?" =

= "What are you saying? You're acting weird, Von." = I found it weird why he was asking me such a thing.

= "Just promise me something, will you?" =

I do not know why, but...my heart beating wildly, but I nodded my head.

= "Promise me you will never use that other language around other people, okay?" =

= "Okay, I promise." =

= "Promise me that you will train hard and become strong, okay?" =

= "Okay, I promise." =

At this moment, I saw tears flow out of Von's eyes. I instinctively reached out as I wiped it away, = "Why are you crying? What is the thing that is making you feel sadness?" =

Von shook his head as he held my hands, his eyes reflected a deep emotion I could not understand.

= "Xir…. Whatever you do…please, whatever you are about to witness as you sleep. Once you wake up, please…follow those commands." =

I was confused, and I asked him, = "What do you mean? Why are you acting like this? You know I cannot understand these things. Explain to me what is happening." = my words were heavier as I asked. But still, I could not understand what was happening inside of me.

= "Please Xir… just promise me." =

I was reluctant to nod my head, but my head felt heavier and heavier, and I finally agreed as I spoke, = "Okay, I promise." =

Von looked at me with his mouth slightly curved into a smile. His smile reflected no happiness to it or anything like that. It was another set of emotions.

I saw Von open his mouth, and I heard his last words, = "Finally, can you please do me a favor? Though you don't understand why and you always hated it, can you please, just one time, call me father?" =

= "W—why?" = I fumbled my words, and that was weird. My eyes began to sting.

= "Please, only today." =

I tried to speak, but my voice could not come out as smoothly as I wanted it to, I tried my best to utter soft and pained words, = "...Father." =

Von smiled, and he waved his hand, a black light appeared as he uttered, = "Qumber… goodnight, Xir, Luciette." =

My eyes felt heavy, and everything blackened. I fell asleep, and the last thing I saw was Von touching my forehead with some black light on his fingers.

As I slept, I experienced what you call a dream. In that dream, I was standing in the middle of a room that was all white. There, Von was with me. He was nagging me and ordering me that he and I no longer know each other the moment I open my eyes.

I argued with him, of course, but he only showed a pained smile. I could not argue with him inside this dream.

He said some more things to me, and I listened to them half-heartedly, I don't know why the Von in my dreams was saying this, but he and I will be having a talk about this. Is he kidding me? This is utter nonsense!

As I began to hear loud noises from somewhere, the more I lose what the dream Von was saying.

But as his final words finally left his mouth, I heard it, = "Good luck out there, Xir, my child. I will see you again next time." =

I woke up, and with great difficulty, I got up. I could feel my face is filled with pain, and my body was oddly the same. But as I raised my head and saw figures frantically coming to my side, my eyes expression froze as I began to feel choked up.

Beside me was a woman speaking the Alvish language, I know I could understand her, but my attention was at the bleeding and lifeless body of a humungous being I had never seen before in my life.

Tears escaped my eyes as I saw the being's widened eyes; its eyes were about as big as my whole body. I know I should be afraid of this being, I should feel fear, but the tears wouldn't stop as I saw those eyes.

I never understood what emotions are, but I think I finally understood a part of its concept as I stared at those eyes.

Emotions are used to express oneself. It encapsulates what you feel inside. And right now, I can feel my emotions overflowing.

I screamed inside my head for my voice could not escape my mouth, in my head, I screamed the word...Father.