Curse or Blessing

As Max entered the house his dad took the lead and brought him to the kitchen, where his mother was seated. He looked at her red eyes. 'She had been crying..'

"Sit for now Max, eat something and we'll talk after, I am happy you are fine." His father stated from the beginning. He was mad but not at him of course, he was mad at that idiotic man Eric.

Max felt his father's gaze on him as he was given a bowl of food by him. It was filled to the brim, and as he stared at it he began to feel very hungry, his stomach growling for food.

His father looked at his soon. He knew that Max was supposed to be strong, every time he spoke with Eric he would point how strong he was becoming, and even said that he resembled him a lot. Although it was maybe his appetite that Max inherited the most. He began gorging the bowl of food and after finishing it he called for seconds, which his father didn't complain about, filling his bowl again to the full.

After eating his fill Max felt satisfied, he hadn't eaten in about a week and only now did he realize it.

"Father, what is this about?" Max looked up at the man he called his father as he stood up. He was a tall individual, rounding at about 190 centimeters, he had a body filled with muscles and along with his face of stone, the individual looked intimidating even though he wasn't trying to look like it.

The man was called Igor, also going by the nickname of village monster. He was one of the people, who along with Eric, decided to settle down in this village after adventuring for a while.

The man didn't look old but in fact was 60 years old this year. He still looked prime 30, defying the laws of aging. He was wearing some casual clothes, a short-sleeved t-shirt along with a pair of shorts.

"Can you tell me what happened inside as well? That idiot wanted to tell me but I got mad again and almost punched him out of the village." Igor with a sigh told his son. He softly brushed his hand over his forehead as he looked at Max.

Without a second thought, Max began recalling the events, even details like how they weren't able to see from the inside out and about Andrew confronting the 'shadow creature', which he was told earlier by Eric that was a mutated Ghoul, fighting against it in the shadows. He didn't miss anything and his father didn't distract him if he stopped talking and began recalling the events in his head for the times he couldn't recall them clearly. He also told him about the journey back and how they were able to get back home without any injuries.

Max finished his story, and looking outside he can see that the sun was nowhere to be seen now, the moon took over the sky and dimly illuminated the world.

"So this is it.." Igor was deep in thought as he was examining what has happened.

Soon after he looked towards his son with a proud look in his eyes and a smile on his lips. His dark-colored eyes and hair made him look handsome. His looks couldn't be rivaled in this village, and seeing him smile was a rare occurrence for outsiders. But for Max, this is how his father was. A kind-hearted man told to be a strong warrior who fought to protect this village at some point.

His father was always so proud of him which made Max not want him to be a disappointing son. He was pressured into doing his best by everyone telling him about his father but most importantly he was pressured by his mindset.

"You did great! But also about that shield, can I see it?" Igor asked him. Max hadn't told him about what happened the first time he saw the shield and when he tried to reach it as he didn't know it happened as well.

"Interesting.." His father muttered while inspecting it, which piqued Max's interest.

"It looks like a Runic Shield though I can't say for sure, I'm only saying this because of the incomprehensible pattern on it. I can get it checked out by a Weapon Appraiser if you want." Igor recommended to Max.

"Please do, I feel strange while looking at it like it's pulling me to it..." Max with a nervous look in his eyes accepted immediately.

"Pulling you to it huh?..." Igor furrowed his eyebrows while taking the shield away. It seems that he began to write a note.

After seemingly finishing it, he got up hurriedly and whistled as he opened the door. A bird that resembled a vulture swiftly landed on Igor's shoulder. He began tucking away the note into a small tube which he tied around the vulture's leg.

"To Caesar, after delivering the note wait for him to give you one back as well" Igor commanded the creature, and as purple diamond-shaped particles began gathering around its small body, it nodded its head and disappeared in a flash of purple light.

"You should stay home, for now, relax and recover and only get out of the house when I let you." Igor commanded with a stern voice, he was serious, something was strange.

"Can you tell me at least what is happening?" Max demanded answers, he had the quality of a leader so he didn't want to be left in the dark about important information which made even his father get serious.

"For now you should only know this, the shield may be a curse or a blessing depending on what that man will say. You are not to touch it in the meanwhile now that you know this, go to your room and sleep." Igor commanded his son, which again was strange but Max understood that he was taking care of him so he didn't want to retaliate.

Max began walking towards his room as his father looked at him. His mother didn't even get a word in this conversation.

"Amaya..." Igor sighed as he looked at his wife with a face full of anxiousness. ".. don't worry nothing will happen. You have to watch him the whole time and not let him get to the shield. That is all, you understand?" He requested of his lover. He embraced her and hold her tight, and after a while, the embrace lessened as they went to sleep.