24 Regret

As the sun rose on the Coney Island beach, a young man sat on a bench, facing the ocean with a blank expression. It was Adam.

He spent the rest of last night searching for any more clues regarding the captives he saved from the Orc settlement, but to no avail.

Starting from Cassandra to Jacob, they were all dead in fires, either caused by accidents or suicides, with the only exception being the two kids, who left no traces behind and disappeared completely.

'I couldn't save them... ' Adam thought while looking at the vast ocean, which spread far beyond the horizon, 'what am I even here for? '

'Unveil. ' He summoned his record.

[Name: Adam King]

[Sex: Male]

[Age: 17]

[Height: 190 cm]

[Class: Void Master]

[Akashic connection: Low (medium)]

[Level: 15]

Stats:

[HP: 300/300] [MP: 350/350]

[STR: 44] [AGI: 39]

[INT: 35] [VIT: 30]

[END: 25] [DEX: 33]

[ASP: 0]

Skills:

[Basic Sword Mastery] Lv.4

[Mana Vision] Lv.1

Class Skills:

[Ayin] Lv.1

[Gravity Manipulation] Lv.1

"Did you know this would happen? " He asked while looking at the black plate in front of him. "Did you send me into that settlement, knowing that those people would die?! "

The black plate froze in the air, motionless, without granting Adam the reply he desperately waited for.

Adam kept thinking about what he discovered, how the people he saved happened to all die in a fire, mere days before he finished the class quest.

How he was once again late and living, which made him furious, not at himself, but at the people responsible.

He did not consider himself a hero of justice, nor did he think it was his duty to avenge those captives, but the immense anger in his heart and flashbacks he got when he saw all those burnt buildings, and remembered his dead family made him regret not being able to save anyone.

'I need to find whoever's responsible for this... ' Adam's determined eyes reflected the beautiful sunrise. 'But I need to go home and get some rest first. '

He got up from the bench and walked out of the beach while thinking about the entire ordeal and how or where he could collect more information.

______________

After a long nap on his old bed, Adam woke up to the sound of his phone vibrating on the nightstand.

'What is this? ' He got up with eyes, still thirsty for sleep, and checked his phone.

The caller ID showed James's name on the screen, which puzzled Adam because he hadn't remembered calling James before.

"Hello. " He said with a sleepy voice.

"Adam?! This is James! Where have you been?! " James, however, yelled at the top of his lungs, which gave Adam a slight headache.

"How did you get my number? " Adam asked.

"I got it from Darius because you didn't call me! Anyway, where are you right now? " James kept the same loud tone while replying.

"I'm at home right now. What is it? Why are you yelling? " Adam asked in an annoyed tone.

"Come to my house right now! My mom wants to see you! I'll send you the location! " James ignored Adam's question and maintained the same high volume before hanging up.

'What the hell was that? ' Adam questioned before getting up to brush his teeth and get ready.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the line,

"I asked him, mom. " James said to his mother, who was currently pinching his ears. "Please let me go! " He pleaded.

"How could I? Such a stupid son! " Barbara said in an enraged tone, "not only did you lie to me for three years about being in the same class as Adam, but you were bullying him?! "

"Mom! I told you there's a reason for that! " James tried to work his case.

"Shut up! Do you know how hard his life was? " But Barbara did not grant James the opportunity to talk. "I can't believe that my son would turn into a bully! "

"W-we're okay now, mom! I swear! " James said as cold sweat ran down his back.

"I'll be the judge of that, you ungrateful cretin! " Barbara said before walking towards the kitchen with heavy stomps. "I have to prepare an appropriate meal for Diana's son. "

'Adam, please, hurry! ' James begged as he sent Adam the location.

_____________

An hour later, Adam arrived at the place specified in the location that James sent; a tall building in the middle parts of queens, close to their old neighborhood, wearing a classic shirt with black jeans.

'Is this where James lives? ' He thought before walking through the entrance with a nervous expression, 'it's been a long time since I last saw aunt Barbara... '

After an elevator lift, Adam walked up to the apartment and rang the doorbell.

*Ring. *

*Ka-Chak! *

"Adam, you're here. " James opened the door and greeted Adam, "mom! Adam is here! "

"Adam! It's been such a long time! How have you been? " Barbara came running out of the kitchen hurriedly before giving Adam a tight hug. "You've grown into such a handsome young man! "

"Aunt Barbara, it's really been a long time... " Adam said in a nostalgic tone.

"Please, come in. " Barbara released Adam before inviting him into the apartment with a warm smile, "make yourself at home, the food is almost ready. "

"You didn't have to go through all this trouble for me, auntie. " Adam said as he stepped through the door.

"What are you talking about? You're my best friend's son. She would've done the same for James. " Barbara said before her expression turned grim, "besides, this idiot son of mine has caused you a lot of trouble... "

"W-what are you talking about? James and I get along fine. " Adam pretended to not understand what she was talking about with a nervous expression.

"You don't have to pretend. He told me everything. " Barbara spoke in a crestfallen tone. "I'm terribly sorry for my son's hideous actions! " She apologized.

"I'm sorry! " James also apologized.

"I-it's fine! You don't have to apologize. " Adam said with a shocked expression. "It's partially my fault, too. "

"Let's go in for now. " Barbara spoke before turning to the kitchen, "we can finish this conversation after we eat. "

"Yeah, let's go. " James said and led Adam into the living room.

"Okay. " Adam replied before following James.

The two had a small chat about Adam's whereabouts during those two weeks, to which he answered with the same thing he told Darius before Barbara called them to the dining room for the food. They sat at the table, which was filled with various delicacies.

"You have Raymond's eyes and Diana's hair. " Barbara was the first one to speak. "How have you been? "

"Well, it's been rough, without my parents, but I managed my way around. " Adam said with a bashful expression.

"Yeah, and this idiot here didn't make it any easier, did he? " Barbara said while shooting James a deathly glare.

*Gulp! *

"I'm sorry! " James gulped down the food and apologized with a terrified expression.

"It's really fine, auntie. " Adam said with a smile, "we already talked about it and sorted it out. "

"Still! What he did is unforg- " Suddenly, Barbara turned silent and entered a dazed state in the middle of her sentence.

"Auntie? " Adam asked in a worried tone.

"Oh, it happened again... " James, however, calmly stood up from his chair and walked up to his mother. "Mom, do you remember me? I'm James. "

"J-James? Y-yes, I remember you! My son! " Barbara spoke with a hint of nostalgia in her voice while her eyes stared into the distance.

"What is going on?! " Adam asked.

"I'll explain soon. " James replied before turning his attention back to his mother. "Mom, are you okay? "

"Y-yes, I'm fine! It seems like I need the restroom. I'll be right back, honey. " Barbara replied before walking to the restroom hurriedly.

"James. What's going on?! " Adam asked with a shocked expression.

"Come on, let's go out. " James said before putting on a jacket.

"What about your mother? " Adam asked.

"She won't be out for a while... " James replied with a sad expression. "I'll explain everything once we leave. "

"Okay... " Adam followed James with endless questions on his mind.