Chapter 40: Family Reconciliation

Chapter 40: Chapter 40: Family Reconciliation

A cold chill ran down Victor’s spine. He stared at them, wondering what to do.

He already had the evidence he was looking for about going back in time.

The Yellow gate appeared, and became Gray, an abnormal gate.

Meaning that every other thing he had knowledge of was going to happen accordingly.

But who was he to stop it? Besides...

He observed them closely. Mira looked really happy. And then her smile faulted.

His mouth opened to call, but was interrupted.

"Victor!!!"

He turned.

And that’s when he saw him.

A man with scruffy beards and cloths, shoving through the crowd like nothing else mattered.

Even before the man got close, the smell hit Victor first. It was of stale alcohol, clinging to him like a personal atmosphere.

Victor’s sensitive nose picked it up before his eyes even confirmed it.

"Dad?"

There were already worrying tears in the man’s eyes before he even reached Victor, and then his arms were around Victor, pulling him in tight.

"Victor... Victor, I... I saw the news. You fell into a gate. Are you okay? Are you hurt?" His hands moved over him frantically, checking his arms, his shoulders, like he needed to physically confirm his son was still in one piece.

Then he paused.

He’d pulled back the edge of the blanket wrapping Victor, still searching for a wound, and instead found abs. Actual abs, where there definitely hadn’t been any a week ago.

His father blinked. "Victor... have you been... Urh... working out?"

Victor let out a short laugh despite everything, rubbing the back of his neck. "It’s kind of a long story. But before that." Victor’s gaze became serious, "Dad. We need to talk."

"...Okay." The man blinked.

Victor looked at him properly then. Really looked.

This man had run here the second he heard his son was in danger. Drunk, probably half out of his mind with worry, but he’d still come, still pushed through a crowd of strangers just to put his hands on Victor and make sure he was breathing.

They hadn’t talked, not really, not in years. But Victor knew certain things. Like how his blankets got pulled up over him some nights when he fell asleep at his gaming desk.

He knew his room never stayed as trashed as he left it. Someone always came through and cleared the bottles and wrappers out before they piled too high.

They never spoke about any of it. But his father had never once stopped doing it.

He’d been carrying all of that for years. Alone, mostly. Blaming himself for something that was never his fault to carry in the first place.

What an incredible man. No, an incredible father.

Victor knew he had been a really un-filial son. He had been taking him for granted all this time.

And to think in a year’s time, he was going to lose such a man to the fallen sun.

It made his heart ache, a silent pledge taking root in his mind.

"Dad." Victor held his gaze. "I forgive you... For what happened to Mom. It wasn’t your fault, and I should’ve said this a long time ago." His voice caught slightly, but he kept going. "I know it wasn’t your fault. And... I love you."

His father’s eyes blurred instantly, and the tears came again, harder this time, his hand gripping the back of Victor’s neck like he was afraid letting go would make this moment stop being real.

Father and son embraced.

And for a moment, it seemed like it was just the two of them.

Victor could also no longer hold it back and tears fell.

This feeling. I had forgotten when last I felt it. I have someone that cared for me all along. I just did not look back.

Both men pulled away briefly.

"Thank you son... thank you. You don’t know how long I have waited for you to say that."

An awkward cough broke through the moment.

Victor turned. Paul stood there, trying and failing to look like he hadn’t just interrupted something.

Hana jabbed him hard in the elbow, hissing under her breath. "Can’t you see they’re having a moment?"

But Victor’s father had already noticed them, already pulling back, wiping his face with the back of his hand. "No, no, it’s fine. It’s fine." He gave Victor’s shoulder one last squeeze. "Let me leave you with your friends."

Victor scratched the back of his head, not entirely sure "friends" was the right word for people he’d met a few hours ago while covered in goblin blood.

Then again, maybe almost dying together counted for something.

"I’ll be at the house," his father said. "Take your time."

Victor nodded. His father nodded back, lingering a second longer like he didn’t fully want to let go yet, then finally turned and disappeared into the crowd.

Paul wasted no time. "Right. Before I forget. Want to remind you about what we talked about in there."

Victor’s mind flashed back to within the gate. While they were cutting the hearts from the goblins, Paul adviced that he should sign up for the Rankers’ test, and find out if he was actually awakened.

Most Rankers awakened at birth, except for the original batch from the Blackest Night, so there was no telling what he actually was until he got tested.

Victor had asked them not tell the guild what he did in the gate because getting media attention was the last thing on his mind.

They only agreed to it if he got tested.

"Here." Hana held out a card between two fingers. "If you go to the guild, this’ll make things easier. I know people there."

Victor took it, turning it over once before slipping it into his pocket. "Thanks."

"Don’t mention it. Priests get respected pretty much everywhere, so that card’s worth more than it looks." She winked at him, eyes shamelessly falling on his slightly exposed chest.

Victor covered up instinctively.

Lightening struck in the sky, and a light drizzle began.

Ever since the day of the blackest night ten years ago, the weather had never been the same.

With the gate closed and the sudden rain, people hurried to find shade.

That was when Victor noticed Mira walking off on her own, already a good distance away.

He lifted his head, about to call out to her, but Paul’s hand landed on his shoulder.

"Leave it kid." His voice piercing through the drops, "give her some space."

Victor turned, confused.

Hana walked to his other side. She sighed, glancing after Mira. "Poor girl. Her boyfriend just broke up with her. I guess no bridemaid’s gown for me."

He broke up with her? Victor was genuinely shocked. Then... did I perhaps get it wrong?

Even though Victor thought this, an uneasy feeling rose in his heart.