Chapter 5: Indomitable Heart

"…Huh?"

Allen Stryka had his eyes closed. He was being wobbled left and right. The feeling was similar to walking. But he was quite sure he was not the one moving around. He then heard a voice calling him out.

"Hey."

"…Dad?"

He recognized the voice of his father. He then opened his eyes to confirm the situation. The voice replied to him.

"Yes. Finally awake are we?"

"What happened?"

"Haha, you lost consciousness after exchanging your finishing blows with the mayor."

"I see. So that's why you're carrying me?"

Indeed. His father, Alan Stryka, was currently giving him a piggy-back ride. He was walking along the street under the dim sky since the mutated Sun had already set. They were most likely heading home.

"Yes. You've gotten heavier throughout the years huh."

"That's because I'm already 25 geez."

Allen prompted his Dad that he wanted to get down. He was practically an adult now. It felt quite embarrassing to still be carried on the back of his father at such an age.

However he stumbled upon trying to stand on his own. Fortunately his father was there to support his posture. He even offered to resume on carrying him throughout their way back. But the young man refused strongly.

They finally reached a compromise where the father would lend his shoulder to his son as they walked together.

After walking for a few meters in silence, Allen steeled himself to ask something that was bothering him when he regained his consciousness. He swallowed a lump of his saliva and spoke,

"So Dad, what happened afterwards?"

He winced after the question. He was beginning to have an inkling on what was the result of the battle. But he was still too afraid to hear it. He could not even bear to see the expression of his father.

And then,

"Relax. You won."

"Huh?"

He could not believe what he just heard. He looked at his father in surprise. The later responded,

"What 'huh'? I said you won! Although barely. Extremely barely."

"B-but I got knocked down…"

There was no point in mincing down the words. Losing consciousness after the final exchange was definitely his father's way of sugarcoating that he got hit so bad that he fell down the ground and was out for the count.

"Haha, I admit it was quite a spectacular fall."

"Dad…"

"But so what? You have already convinced the mayor to bet on the future. He had entrusted his dreams to you."

His father looked back at his eyes. They both have black pupils which were currently reflecting one another. His father continued,

"It does not matter how much you fall. As long as your resolve remains unbroken, you can never be defeated."

He then smiled and looked at his son playfully. He added,

"Or are you saying that the resolve you showed back there is already lost?"

"No! Never!"

"Then without a doubt you truly won!"

Allen replied immediately. His father nodded in approval when he heard his answer. But after a few seconds, his expression grew serious. He then said,

"That aside, are you planning on barely winning like this all the time? Because if this is how you're going to fight all your battles then I had to agree with your Mom on her worries."

"I-I'll get stronger. Really."

Allen could not deny the truth of that concern. He really struggled during the battle. But he did learn a lot from facing the challenge. He was confident that he would improve even further in the future.

However his father seemed unconvinced. He said,

"Then why not agree to be a town guard first? That will enable you to earn more experience which will help you get stronger. You can then explore the world once you have gained more strength."

"Is that the mayor's condition for allowing me to leave?"

"No. But it is still a valid option."

Allen grew suspicious upon hearing that offer once again. It was already evening when he regained his consciousness. His father and the mayor could have had plenty of time to talk things out. He understood what his father implied.

He grew silent as they continued to walk together. After a few minutes, he gave his answer.

"… I can't."

His father remained silent. But the son was sure that he was waiting for the former to explain himself. Thus the son began to share his thoughts.

"I have to see the world right now. While I'm still weak. I want the experiences on my travels to be the fuel that will intensify my flames. I could probably do the same once I have gotten stronger here. But I had a feeling that my flames, in that case, will not be as bright as it will be if I leave now."

It was similar to comparing a flower that was cultivated under a greenhouse to that of a flower grown in the wild. For Allen, the flower that bloomed against all the adversities were many times more beautiful. That was his belief anyway.

There was actually a theory that the ability a human could develop from the combination of the mutated Sun's radiation and vaccination would depend on their personality. On what that person believes on and what he was fighting for.

If Allen went against his beliefs, there could be a chance that his ability would grow into something that was not completely compatible to who he was. If that happened then his [Fire Fist] might someday end up burning him instead.

"Plus I'm afraid that if I stay here any longer then I might end up not leaving at all."

This was similar to the scene of a person who was promising himself to take a diet and have exercise. If he remained staying on his comfort zone, he would probably say that he would fulfill his promise tomorrow. But on the next day he would delay that promise for another day. Then another day. And another one after that. Until he eventually forgets about the promise.

Once you have decided on doing something you have to commit on it and do so accordingly. Delaying the task would often times lead to not doing it at all.

His father smiled wryly upon hearing his reasons. He did not give a comment on the words he heard. He instead gave a single remark.

"Well I guess your Mom's cooking could indeed falter any desire to leave home."

"Yes that too."

Allen nodded upon hearing that remark. He did love the cooking of his Mom. However, the next sentence he heard gave him quite the horror.

"So in order to preserve your resolve, you have to prepare your own dinner until your departure."

"Hey no fair!"

The father and son negotiated with one another as they continued on their way. After a few minutes, the son decided to change the topic. He asked,

"Dad, now that I think about it, how come you did not help me during the fight? If you did then we could have beaten the mayor together."

"Ha, you think so? For all I know we would be both beaten up! Then who is going to carry us home? Your Mom? She's busy taking care of our house. Don't cause her any more troubles or else we'll be both beaten up further."

"Brrr…"

The father seemed to have shivered upon remembering such thing. The son agreed and felt the chills as well.

In truth, Allen was aware that his father would not intervene on his battle against the mayor. That was his own fight after all. If he needed help to prove his resolve, then there was no point for his father to support his decisions. In addition, he did carry his son when he lost consciousness. That was plenty of help already.

Nonetheless Allen had to call out that issue. If not to confirm his thoughts, then at least to have something to talk about as they walk. Their house was still far anyway.

"Thank you, Dad."

The son had gathered his courage after a few moments of silence. Sometimes the simplest words were the hardest ones to say. But nevertheless they had to be spoken out.

This on the other hand puzzled his father. He asked,

"For what?"

"For believing in me. For betting the future on me. And entrusting your dreams."

His father smiled widely upon hearing this. He proudly straightened his back. He then said,

"Ha! Of course I will, you're my son! No matter what happens I will believe in you. The same goes for your Mom. She might nag often but she does have faith in you. We both do."

"Did Mom threaten you to speak about her? Dad has always been mentioning her in every sentence."

"That's not the point!"

Allen had grown suspicious onto why his father kept on adding his Mom on whatever he said. The father did not deny the accusation. Thus it had to be true.

"Anyway, what I wanted to say is that if you want to leave immediately, then so be it. But I want you to remember something important"

His father seemed to have decided that he had to change the topic of conversation. He stopped walking and gave a solemn expression. This puzzled the son this time around.

"?"

"Getting stronger and having intense flames is good and all. But you have to promise me that you will always take care of this."

His Dad then pressed his index finger on Allen's chest. The son contemplated on what was being pointed out.

"In order to wield greater powers, you must always be true to yourself. Become someone who could carry the full weight of your ability. Become someone that has an indomitable heart."

"Indomitable heart?"

"Yes it's a pretty deep word. I even looked it up in the dictionary."

His father declared proudly. But Allen did not fall for the bluff.

"You mean you asked Mom, right?"

"That's not the point!"

The father and son chuckled together. Perhaps they were both missing the point here.

"So, do you promise?"

"Yes. I promise!"

Allen nodded earnestly. It was a life lesson that he decided to cherish for the rest of his life.

"Good. And remember that there is no shame in failing. If somehow someday you end up realizing that the Sun is not worth destroying after all, you can always head back home. Your Mom and I will always accept you regardless."

His father patted his shoulder. He did not forget to mention his Mom once again.

"I will go back home. But not as a failure. Instead as someone who had destroyed the Sun."

"Fine, fine. Let's head back now shall we?"

"Okay!"

The father and son resumed their walk. The image of their home was finally on their line of sight.