Chapter 4: Discovering Roots II

Josh felt so many emotions at once; sadness, anger, pain, anxiety and what felt like happiness. Why did his father abandon him? No matter the other factors that might have contributed to the situation, an answer stood dancing naked in front of him. He was a worthless unawakened.

Why would a man who was the heir to the throne of an entire race want to have a trash son? that would be a stain on his name. It was not like he was his legitimate son. This would lead to even more complications.

Still, why would a father abandon his son? There was absolutely no reason to justify that decision.

Although Josh already knew the reason, he still wanted to hear it from Maggie, "why did he abandon me?"

Maggie looked at Josh with pity, she couldn't say she knew he felt, but she knew he would be feeling a great deal of pain.

"He left," Maggie couldn't muster the courage to use the word 'abandoned', "when your mother died."

"Did he ever come back?" Josh asked.

"He did come back," Maggie nodded, "he could barely look at you. You look so much like your mother." Maggie stared into Josh's dark brown eyes and looked at his short jet-black hair.

"He could barely look at me?" Josh scoffed.

"Well, he tested you for mana and discovered you didn't have it in you so..."

"He left and never came back." Josh completed the sentence for Maggie.

Now that he had heard from Maggie reality dawned on him, he had been abandoned. He felt angry. Angry his own father abandoned him, angry that he had believed both his parents were dead since he could remember.

"Why did you lie to me?" Josh asked Maggie.

"I thought you were too young to feel that much grief." Maggie replied.

"Understandable." Josh nodded.

He was mad at Maggie for feeding him lies for years, but his hatred for his father overcame it.

He would show him. He would grind to the top and show him that he had made a mistake. He was not thrash.

Josh took Maggie's hand, "I have something to tell you."

"What's that?" Maggie asked.

"What I am about to tell you now is top secret. I don't want you telling any of your those your friends with questionable characters like yours, or telling any of your boyfriends." Josh warned.

"Why are you being so serious?" Maggie asked, surprised by his sudden seriousness.

"You know my P.E. teacher?" Josh asked.

"That hot guy with a nice beard?" Maggie asked.

Josh facepalmed, "yes, that one."

"What about him?" Maggie asked.

"He gave me this book that turned out to be a treasure." Josh replied.

"Oh that's generous of him, but you can't use treasures." Maggie reminded.

Normal people couldn't use treasurers, as mana was required to activate their special skills.

Josh nodded in agreement, "I couldn't, but I can now."

"What do you mean?" Maggie asked, she was getting confused.

"I have this system that turned me into an awakened." Josh replied.

Maggie looked at him as though he had gone mad, "What do you mean?"

"Give me two seconds." Josh stood up from his seat and headed to his room.

"Where are you going!" Maggie yelled at Josh.

"To get the book!" Josh yelled back.

"Be quick, I'm already late for the party!"

"You've been to like a thousand parties! Missing just this one party won't kill you!"

"All parties are different!"

Josh gave up and focused on his task.

About two minutes later, Josh returned, carrying a large ancient book in his arms.

"That's the book?" Maggie asked, seeing the ancient-looking book in his hands.

"It is." Josh replied, taking his seat.

"Seems like a treasure." Maggie remarked, seeing the runes on the book.

"It is one." Josh corrected.

Josh opened the book and passed it to Maggie.

"Read what's written there." Josh instructed.

Maggie nodded and began reading the book. In the next few seconds, her face underwent different stages of shock.

"This has to be some prank." Maggie just couldn't believe what she had read.

Josh merely smiled, he closed the book and said to Maggie, "Try to open it then."

"Like opening a book is hard." Maggie scoffed.

Maggie tried to open the book all to no avail.

"Impossible." Disbelief was written all over Maggie's face.

"Now you understand what I mean?" Josh asked.

"Where is that teacher of yours?" Maggie requested, "I need to thank him for this."

This P.E. teacher had really done a lot for Josh. How could she not notice the huge changes Josh had undergone over the years? and it was all thanks to one man. She wanted to appreciate him in her own way.

"Hope by 'thank' you don't mean sex?" Josh asked, knowing his aunt was a 'free' woman, and wouldn't hesitate to have get down with Danny.

"Do you think your aunt is a slut?" Maggie clicked her tongue.

"Yes. I do." Josh replied with a straight face.

"I am not a slut, I am a free and liberal woman." Maggie corrected.

"Whatever you say." Josh shrugged.

"Give me his number." Maggie requested.

"I won't." Josh refused, "He's dying in a few days anyway."

"Dying? Why?" Maggie asked, surprised.

"He has a heart disease." Josh replied.

"So he gave you this as some sort of parting gift?" Maggie asked.

"You could say that." Josh shrugged.

"That's reasonable." Maggie nodded.

She has wondered why a person would let go of such a treasure, even though his relationship with Josh were strong, it made no sense to give away such a valuable treasure. Unless... He couldn't open the book.

This was the only feasible explanation. But still, if she was in his shoes, she'd just keep it going the family line by passing it to her children. Giving it out was still insane.

"Doesn't he have any kids?" Maggie asked.

"No." Josh shook his head.

"I see..."

Now that explained it, he didn't have any children so we would he pass it to? He couldn't sell it, as the buyer wouldn't be able to open it, it was useless. The only option was to pass it on as a parting gift.

"So you're going to become someone important huh?" Maggie smiled at Josh.

She had 'raised' him right from when he was a little boy. Although she was not really ready to become a mother and thus didn't give him a proper upbringing. She did her best for him and took him as her son.

Every mother's dream is for their children to achieve great things and so was Maggie's.

Since he was a little boy, Josh had suffered from depression, and other mental health issues, and she knew it. What could she do to help? She was on the same boat as him. Besides, she enjoyed living a 'free' life.

"If I work hard enough." Josh shrugged.

"The product of your hard work is staring right at us." Maggie looked at Josh's chiseld arms.

"How I wish we weren't family." Maggie bit her lower lip.

"Don't be a pervert Maggie." Josh chuckled.

"Am i wrong to admire an athletic young man with a beautiful face?" Maggie asked.

"It's wrong if he's your nephew." Josh replied.

"Fair point." Maggie nodded.

"Well, I believe you'll achieve great things and show that idiot father of yours who the real trash is." Maggie said with an angry expression on her face.

Josh thought she looked cute, "thanks." He chuckled.

"Now, I better get going. I'm awfully late for my party." Maggie stood up and gave Josh a peck on the cheek.

"Have fun!" Josh shouted, as Maggie reached the front door.

"I always do!" Maggie yelled back and shut the door behind her.

"Crazy woman." Josh chuckled.

Josh sat there thinking. He had to get strong. So strong that even the mythological gods would have to acknowledge his strength.

He would no longer be a weak un-awakened. He finally had the chance to use mana and he would not let it waste. He would grind till he reached the apex.

What was his goal? Why did he want to become strong so badly? He had few reasons for his desperation.

He had always wanted to live an adventurous life, a life filled with risk and frequent rushes of adrenaline. He wished to fight phoenixes, wrestle silver back apes, battle dragons, all he wanted, was to live a life filled with fun.

He was not an NPC that wanted to be strong so they could join top families. He had bigger dreams and joining a family would limit him.

The recent reason was to show his father how mistaken he was. To show him that he was not thrash that could be thrown away and forgotten. He would take everything from him, and show him what true power feels like.

Josh's thoughts drifted to having a loving wife and starting up a family. He immediately threw that idea in the bin. Of course he wanted children, how could he not? He just didn't like the feeling of being responsible for a person, or group of persons wellbeing.

Besides, his experience with his then crush had damaged him emotionally, and left a scar that still hurt him till this very day. Even he met a woman that fit into his criteria of 'the perfect woman' he wasn't sure he would be able to open up his heart. He didn't want to be hurt again.

"I guess this is it. The turning point of my life." Josh stood up and headed for his room.