Chapter 14 -- A father's past

<(- 10 mana)>

<Name : Zane>

<Exst realm : None>

<Mana 25 :>

Zane could finally see his parents for the first time. His mother had been sited next to Owen so she was also in range of the mana dust.

With how wide his chest was, Zane could tell that his father was a tall muscular man. He had long hair which went down to his shoulders. He also had a short stubble on his chin

His mother looked young, maybe around 30 years old. She had long hair which Zane guessed went to her lower back. Zane was annoyed that he could only see black and white as he noticed that i will still be hard to see the differences between people.

However what really caught his eyes was the scar on his father's face. The fact that he could clearly see it meant the mana dust had went inside and outlined it, that showed how deep it was.

The scar went from the forehead and ran diagonally down his face cutting though his left eye, barely missing the nose and then cutting the edge of his mouth. It seemed to have come from something sharp like a knife or sword.

Owen and Olivia had noticed the change of emotion on Zane's face.

"You wanna know how i got the scar ?" Owen questioned and Zane nodded.

"This might take a while let me make some tea" Olivia said as she stood up, while Owen started his story.

"It all started when i was about 15 years old. I was working in the farm with my father one day when we heard a loud sound in the nearby forest. After convincing my father he agreed to investigate with me."

"We followed the sounds untill we could easily tell that they where sounds of fighting. Father wanted to turn back at that point but i begged him and promised we would just take a peek."

"A few seconds later and we finally saw the source of the sounds. A group of 4 hunters where fighting a giant lion. It was 5 meters tall and it's mane was made of fire!, or maybe it was on fire I don't know."

"However the hunters where not intimidated by this beast in the slightest. One of them suddenly punched the ground and the lion sunk about half a meter into the ground, it couldn't move around anymore."

"The rest of the hunters took out their weapons and charged at the 'grounded' beast. The beast however seemed not ready to give up as a huge collum of fire erupted from its open maw."

"All of the hunters immediately stopped their charge. One of them jumped in front of that hunter who still had his hand in the ground. A meter long black shield suddenly appeared and the hunter used it to protect his comrade. It was obvious that if that hunter had moved, the lion would be free."

"The lion swept the area with its fire, however all the hunters had successfully blocked the deadly attack. One had a shield made of water, one had made a barrier made of wind that blew the flames away from the hunter and the last two where behind the black shield."

"There you go" Olivia suddenly said as she put three cups of tea on the table as well as very small loaves of bread which where circular in shape (scones).

Zane didn't even aknowledge the food in front of him. His eyes where solely focused on his father, even if the couldn't see him.

"After a few seconds, the flame pillar vanished and the hunters prepared to charge in once more, however another pillar of flames came out of the lion and the hunters had to put up their defenses again. It seemed that since the beast couldn't move, it was relying on the only long range attack it had."

"The hunter with the black shield gritted his teeth and shouted 'Mia ! Michael ! . Attack it from behind. I will stay here and protect Rocky !!' It seemed like this hunter was their leader."

"After his shout, the other two hunters nodded as they waited for the lion to stop it's attack. As soon as it did they circled around it and charged from its back. The lion tried to look around as it hadn't seen where it's other two opponents had gone."

"It soon figured it out though as it suddenly felt pain on it's hind legs. One hunter had her hands outstretched as blades made of wind shot at lion in surreal speed. The other hunter was currently mid leap as his hands clutched a rapier, which he didn't hesitate to stab into the lion's back "

"The lion roared in pain and suddenly a sea of fire erupted from its mane. The fire went from the mane a erupted in all directions, including ours. Father quickly pulled me behind the trunk of a large tree so we wouldn't get burnt."

"I peeked around the tree and saw that the lion had gotten free. I looked for the hunters but couldn't see them from my position. It was either they got blasted far away by the fire or it burnt them to nothingness."

"The lion stood there huffing and panting, the wound on it's back oozing black blood. The lion suddenly looked in our direction and started sniffing the air. I felt my heart stopping at that point. It knew we were there and the chance of outrunning it was zero"

"However we didn't have to outrun it as it suddenly fell to the ground with a large thud, i could clearly see how the lion's eyes had rolled back but it's chest was moving up and down."

"Owen let's go' i heard father say. 

"But father i can't see the hunters, what if they all died?" I asked him.

"So what if they died it's not our business" he reprimanded.

"I didn't answer him and just pointed in the the direction of the lion, which was now breathing slower and slower. A light of recognition shone inside father's eyes 'Okay let's wait until we are sure' he said as we waited."

"10 minutes later and the lion had stopped breathing. Father and i slowly walked towards it while looking around for any sort of danger, and for the hunters. We arrived at the corpse of the lion, which was one and a half meters tall, while lying down."

"Then we used vines and sticks to make something we could use to move the lion. After a lot of difficulty we managed to pull the lion back home even though it took about the rest of the day to do so."

"During the way home i cut off the beasts toung. I guess i just wanted something to remind me of the experience, and also because it was the only part my small knife could damage."

"Father and i quickly hid the lion inside the tool shed and went inside the house like nothing happened."

"Okay boys that's enough for today it's time for bed" Olivia suddenly said.

"But mother! father hasn't finished the story!" Zane cried.

"Your father will tell you the rest tomorrow Zane, you really need sleep" Olivia said.

"But--"

"Your mother is right Zane tomorrow is another day." Owen said.

Defeated, Zane stood up and felt his way to his room. The faster he would sleep the faster he would wake up to hear the rest of the story. 

Zane went to his room and passed out as soon as his body touched the bed.