| Reunion (3)

William looked at his son with mild worry and genuine curiosity, scratching his cheek with his index finger.

"Are you sure-"

But as soon as he tried to speak, all the worry began to fade after seeing the bright smile on his son's face, causing himself to smile.

"Well, if you're sure there's nothing wrong, I won't ask any further," William said, his tone soft and gentle.

Evan slowly began to let go of his father, taking a step back.

William stood up from the ground, stretching his legs, a noticeable shake could be seen as his father tried to keep his balance.

"Whoa, these legs of mine are slowly giving out on me. I guess time is finally catching up to me, huh," William jokingly said with a smile.

Evan's face visibly lowered to the grassy ground beneath, his smile remaining, though it masked the emotional turmoil in his head.

'You'll be fine, Dad. I promise.'

Evan's eyes narrowed, his small hands clenching into fists. Slowly, he began to raise his head to meet his father's gentle gaze.

'You won't end up like that again.'

The vivid image of William's lifeless face popped into Evan's mind before it faded away like a cloud in the sky.

'I swear on my - No, on this life.'

Evan's eyes began to brim with determination. William only looked at his son's determined face, causing some curiosity to brew in his head.

.

.

.

Shortly after Evan and William's conversation, William would bring Evan along to the 'Ale House,' the tavern William owns and runs.

As Evan and William walked through the wooden doors of the tavern, he was met with the sight of several individuals.

One was an elf woman dressed in mage's attire, green and black in color. A magic staff rested beside her on one of the tables where she sat. Her hair was long and silky, the color a blend of white and blonde.

Her vibrant clear green eyes glistened as her gaze looked over at Evan and William. She smiled and waved, her body swaying due to her drunken daze.

'Celia.'

Evan thought inwardly. The sight of the woman brought a faint smile to his face.

"Oi, William! Where the hell have you been? I thought you said you'd be back before the rush hour!"

A rough, deep voice called out. Evan turned his head around to see where the voice came from; to his surprise, he saw a tall man.

He was an ordinary human man, his skin a darker tone. His hair was a mix of black and grey strands. His eyes were a color of gold and grey, while his face showed signs of age and scruff, holding an air of maturity.

He had a fluffy beard, though unkempt. He wore slim silver-plated armor, along with gauntlets and boots. Despite how the man looked, the armor he wore was captivating by its style and how lively and durable.

'Rudolph.'

Evan thought inwardly. His smile became more visible. Rudolph looked down to meet the gaze of the brimming young Evan, giving the lad a raised eyebrow.

Shrugging his shoulders, Rudolph continued to gulp down his cup of ale.

William scratched his head, his face a mix of concern and relief, gesturing with his hands in a peaceful manner, William walked over behind the bar table counter.

But before he could get started with working again, he looked over his shoulder at Evan.

"Sorry, Evan, do you think you can sit outside? I promise I'll be done soon, and then we can go home. I'll be making your favorite tonight, Rib-Side-Steak!" William exclaimed happily to Evan, a wide smile visible on his face.

"Sure, Dad, but I'll just go home now. I can meet you there, right?" Evan replied, his voice happy and neutral.

With a nod, William waved at his son, cleaning out a glass cup with a rag to serve to the coming customers.

Evan gave his father a nod back, waving at him as he walked out through the wooden tavern doors.

Evan looked down at his small hands, clenching them once, then twice.

'This isn't a dream. This is actually my 5-year-old body. The feeling of contact I had with my father, the smell of the air, my vision being crystal clear… not to mention…'

Evan's thoughts stopped as he raised his fist overhead. Turning his head to a nearby wall, he threw a quick jab at the exposed stone slab.

SMACK!,

CRACK!,

"Keruk!"

Evan gritted his teeth as a slight groan of pain escaped his closed mouth. Unclenching his hand, Evan saw the peeled skin and dripping blood seep down from his knuckles.

'This pain I'm feeling too, it's all real. There's no fabricating such a thing, or at least not that I know of.'

Evan thought. His gaze lingered over at the wall he had punched, a visible crack could be seen, with the slight imprint of his knuckle being embedded into it.

A small shocked smile appeared across Evan's face, mixed with the slight pain from his knuckle.

'For some reason, my body feels a lot stronger than it previously was too. A 5-year-old shouldn't be able to cause such damage, or at least with Qi it should be possible. But with regular human strength? No, the probability is not high. So what exactly is going on with me?'

Evan's thoughts ran rampant. With a frustrated scratch of his head, he sighed inwardly.

'I shouldn't think too hard on this subject. If I have been thrown back to when I was 5 years old, then the events should play out the same.'

Suddenly, flashes of his half-siblings tormenting him, along with meeting his mother for the first time, popped into his head.

Clenching his fist roughly, Evan's eyes narrowed.

'No, as a matter of fact, things won't play out the same way as before. I'll make sure of that.'

Evan's gaze fell on the lingering sun setting off in the distance. Shortly after, he'd continue his walk home to await his father.

'In about a month's time, I'll meet them through a summons on the day of the Cromswell gathering. And until that day arrives, I'll need to prepare. Things will be different.'

Evan thought with a strong resolve. His walk home was short, but it gave him time to think. Though unseen by the passing townsfolk, Evan would have a sinister smile creep upon his face.