Your father disappointed me

The room fell into an awkward silence. Everyone hid their eyes, afraid to look at each other. Ronu was still holding the fire in the palm of his hand.

Liam was silent, pretending that there was a very interesting pattern on the quilt.

The General crossed his arms and looked at Cal with a challenge; he, like Azinoth, was indifferent to all kinds of drama. Finally, enjoying the effect, Cal said:

"I can't even joke anymore."

Everyone exhaled, and Liam looked at him reproachfully and shook his head. Then, silently, he sat down on his bed and took his hand. Without saying anything, he just stroked the dark veins and the veins showing through. It made the atmosphere dull again. Cal covered Liam's hand with his palm and looked into his eyes.

"Nothing happened, why do you care so much?"

"Pfft," I heard a noise somewhere near the door.

It was the general, with his back turned to the sick man's bedside, whispering quietly to Azinoth. He nodded and left the room.

"A lot happened while you were asleep," the general turned to him, and Cal had to admit that he was not a figment of his imagination.

"General…" was all Cal could say, clutching the blanket with his weak hand.

"Yes, I am, General. And I've been running all over the world to find a cure for you!"

…

For some reason, the personal conversation did not come easily and freely to Tishow, and he always turned to shouting.

Cal turned pale: he would not want to owe anything to this man. The fear of the general still lived in his soul. Cal glanced at Liam, hoping to find support, but got a sigh in response.

Cal asked with bated breath: "In that case, I must thank you, General, for your selflessness. Have you come to take me back?"

The general waved his hand dismissively. Cal didn't understand what the gesture meant and continued to wait. At that moment, the fire in Ronu's hand flickered and completely burned the last leaves. A thin trickle of smoke rose one last time from the man's palm, and the fire went out.

"Done," Ronu said with satisfaction, "if you don't mind, I'll rest. I'll see you later!"

He patted Cal on the shoulder and walked out.

Cal ran his eyes over the man he didn't know and decided that he had to ask Liam countless questions about his rescue, but later. For now, he was concerned about Tishow's intrusive presence and the acquiescence of the Head, who also suddenly stood up and said:

"I have to go away, I'll be back later."

Liam looked expressively and sternly at the General, and left the room.

Alone with Tishow, Cal felt very uncomfortable. The memory flickered of their meeting in the general's office and of the harassment Cal had endured because of him. None of this was conducive to easy conversation.

Cal adjusted his blanket, and sat up with his back straight. The sun outside the window was getting higher, and the room was getting very bright. The general chewed his lower lip, rubbed his chin, and frowned. Cal sensed his embarrassment and looked at Tishow with surprise.

"Was there something you wanted to say?" he asked.

"Ahem," the general coughed, "yes."

Cal: ?

The general wanted to speak, but the words stuck in his chest and wouldn't go any further. He rolled his eyes and sighed.

"If you mean training camp, forget it, it's in the past," Cal tried to help Tishow.

General: !

Cal asked cautiously: "Anything else?"

"Your father."

Cal went pale.

"My son..."

Cal opened his mouth in surprise and his ears rumbled.

"I am guilty before my family," the general said with an impenetrable face.

"I don't understand," Cal answered uneasily.

The general took a deep breath, and a grimace of disgust touched his face. He blamed himself for the past. But it was not in his character to confess or ask forgiveness. But looking at his grandson, he knew he wanted to set things right and rewrite his history.

"Your father disappointed me, and... I left him alone in an orphanage. Family life was not for me. When my wife died, I lost interest at home and went off to war to forget my failure as a husband and father."

Cal asked in bewilderment:

"How did my father disappoint you, General?"

"He was born ordinary."

Cal raised his eyebrows and wondered for a long time what that meant.

"He had no powers," the General clarified, and then the blood rushed to Cal's face.

For a moment, a storm of anger and indignation swept over him, and he clenched his fists. All his family's sorrows, his horrible childhood, his years of wandering, were all because of this man. Because he didn't like his own son.

Cal didn't know what to say to his confession. Resentment overflowed his heart and burst forth.

Cal thought: "So the captain knew about this, and that's why he decided to pass on his knowledge and abilities to me because he hated Tishow?"

"When you were born, I came to you, and when I took you in my arms I felt native energy. I was happy and wanted to help your family raise you well, but my son and daughter-in-law ran away, and I couldn't find you, no matter how hard I tried. I was too late because my son and his wife died. I couldn't believe it, so I went to that village. When I found out all the details, I got furious and burned it to the ground, you can be sure there was no stone left unturned."

Cal listened to him as if struck by thunder.

The shaman, the neighborhood kids, and that man - all dead for years?

So, Cal carried them in his heart in vain; had he already been avenged? These thoughts cooled his anger a little, and he was able to listen further.

"And then what?"

"Then there were bloody wars for years, and I didn't keep track of what was happening on earth," the general said, looking out the window somewhere, "I finally lost track of you."

"The general is curious to know how I survived?" he asked, wanting to make the general feel like the last of the lowlifes.

Tishow nodded.

"When I left the village after my mother died, I ended up with a strange man who raised me like a pig for slaughter. Knowing about my strength, he tried to kill me when I was sixteen."

Cal saw the general clench his jaw with force, and the veins in his forehead swelled. Cal went on, enjoying the effect.

"I killed that man," he stated simply, "and then I went wandering. I moved to Belgium and joined the trader, helping him with his business. When riots broke out in the country, our town was burned, and we fled. We were welcomed in a small town. The town governor and his wife took me into their home and took care of me while I recovered. Then they put me in school with their son."

Gradually, the anger on the general's face changed to thoughtfulness and surprise. It was as if he had heard a similar story before, but he didn't interrupt, wanting to be sure.

"That guy was shy and nobody liked him. But I kept an eye on him, so he wouldn't get into trouble. One day, he met a runaway girl; by continuing to date her, he brought terrible trouble on his family and the town."

"An ancient spirit," the general said, barely audible.

"Yes, it happened before my eyes. The monster killed the Head and his wife, and wounded his son."

"It was Liam," the General said again, and Cal confirmed his assumption with a nod of his head.

"I didn't see him for years after that. I made a fortune in trade and became influential. I heard from Uncle Liam that he had returned to the city and was trying to rebuild it. When I arrived, he had already done a lot of work. I offered to help him, and we joined forces. When the city was restored to its former glory, the Fourth Elder took Liam to Aether, and I was left to live out my life alone."

Cal was silent, tormented by heavy memories, and the general asked nothing. Overcome by his feelings, Cal continued:

"I was in deep old age when I was found by the Elders and transported to the Aether, allowed to be young and full of life again. I had to protect Liam. There were attempts on his life and me, hiding my face behind a false face, watched over him. Of course, he exposed me and I haven't been hiding since," Cal thought about how to finish his story after a bit of silence, "I met the old captain in a hospital bed at training camp. He grew up with my father in the orphanage and was a friend of his."

The general gasped in surprise.

"The captain offered to give me his abilities, and I agreed. That's the whole story."

The general was silent for a while, digesting Cal's words. Then, at last, he came to his bed and sat down in a chair.

"If you agree to forget our past misunderstandings, I promise to do my best to make your life as you want it from now on," said Tishow rather ardently and looked him in the eyes.

Cal smiled involuntarily at his words.

The kind I want? It's not in your power, General. Just don't ruin my life, and I'll be grateful, he thought.

The general asked, holding out his hand: "What do you say?"

Cal shook his hand and nodded. It lifted his spirits. The general stood up and left the room after saying goodbye, and Cal leaned back tiredly on the pillows and looked out into the street. There, in the distance, under a large spreading tree, stood Liam, looking out his window.

Worried, thought Cal, and he blissfully squeezed his eyes shut.

A few minutes later, the Head burst into the room, and providentially locked the door behind him. Cal looked at him in surprise and held out his arms for a hug.

Pressing Liam against him, he finally calmed down. His heart, stirred by the memories, longed to be sure that the boy from the godforsaken town was with him now, and that he wasn't going anywhere.

Liam asked him, kissing his neck tenderly: "What did the General say?"

Cal blanched: "Mmm, I won't tell you anything."

Then Liam pulled away and looked at him with an examining look.

"You had a good talk, he came out in a normal mood," Liam remarked.

"Yeah, my grandfather fell on my head today, and I don't even know what to think about it," Cal laughed, and pulled Liam back to him.

"And don't worry about it because only he has to change," Liam covered his face with warm kisses, "I missed you so much."

"You have no idea how happy I am to hear that," Cal answered him, "how did you find the cure?"

Liam froze for a moment, and his face took on a hard-to-read expression. But then he pulled himself together and said:

"Don't worry about it. I had help from friends: the general, the marshal, Nod and Rashid, and... Ronu."

"Ronu, the man with the fire?"

Liam nodded in response.

"And who is he?"

"He will tell you. You see, the General isn't the only one who's been waiting for you to wake up."