Chapter 11: Farewell.
The walk back was lonesome and dark, night creatures moved as it was in their nature to hunt at night.
The sounds of predators stalking prey filled the air, the screams of dying animals, the howls of wolves as they claimed their victories. Shadow could hear all of this.
But he could not be seen.
Steadily he lurked in the shadows, he walked amongst the monster, moving with stealth, adept in his way of survival.
He couldn't dare let himself be found, a free ticket to the afterlife if he did.
It was a mana forest, although this forest that surrounded the Draven Household seemed less dangerous than the others, but it was still dangerous enough.
There were classes of beats that he was unable to handle, and after his ordeal at the cave, he didn't trust himself enough to take on another daring experience.
Time moved quickly, but Shadow was faster.
Before he could be noticed by any of the man's beasts, he escaped the forest and arrived at his makeshift hut. He saw a torch being swung around at his abode.
Feeling a bit bothered, he slowly walked up to the person and saw it was whom he had hoped he would avoid the most.
Aunt Lisa.
"Who's there?" Kids called out as she heard the snapping sound of a fallen branch.
"Kael? Is that you?" She swung the torch before her, trying to see, but the light couldn't let her see far distances. Still, she was too scared to check herself.
"Hey Aunt Lisa..." Shadow said with a sigh, he wasn't prepared for another shouting fit from her. The idea of being shouted at consistently for not doing the things she wanted, the way she wanted them done.
It was vexing to say the least.
"Ooh Kael..." Lisa whispered to herself and dropped the torch to the ground, she ran and embraced Kael in a tight hug, just as she would her child.
Shadow felt a pang of pain in his heart, although he had better things to do, a way of life that he had envisioned for himself.
But at the same time, he couldn't bring himself to ignore the needs of this woman who had loved him ceaselessly until now.
It felt wrong.
"Where did you go..." She asked with tear filled eyes, her hands shook lightly as she did her best to compose herself, but Shadow knew better.
He had bothered this woman so much. And sadly, he couldn't stop, he had decided to do something about this world that he was birthed in.
But what could he do about her? Tell her the truth? That he was an assassin from another world?
Stupid!
No one would believe that.
YEAH. NO ONE WOULD BELIEVE THAT!
The system replied, it had a weird habit of eavesdropping on his thoughts and dropping its replies in his head.
He absolutely hated it. He felt as though his thoughts weren't solely his, the one thing that he could hide from the rest of the world, still wasn't his.
But he ignored Sky for now. And looked at the weeping woman before him.
"I was out picking fruits then I got lost in the forest" he lied. He couldn't think of anything to say rather than to go on with the initial lie.
"Oh thank the gods you're safe" she placed her hands together in a prayer before taking me by the shoulder...
"Come Kael, let's go back in..." She tried to move him, but Shadow remained. He couldn't follow her yet.
Why do I have to do all this? It's... Uncomfortable.
Dealing with emotions.
He simply preferred to ignore his emotions, no matter how intense they were, that's how he had managed not to think about his dead mother for all these years.
"What's wrong Kael?" She asked, a worried expression written all over her face.
"I..." Where would he start, he couldn't keep bothering about how his aunt would keep looking for him every night when he had a world to save?
"I need to tell you something" he said, although his intentions were firm, hearing them done out from a ten-year-old boy seemed comedic.
But Lisa took him seriously.
She looked at him intently for a few moments, then turned away. "Don't say it..." She replied.
Shadow stared at her confused, "What? I haven't even said anything yet" he responded. He knew his aunt couldn't use mana, she definitely couldn't read his mind either.
"Those eyes... I know those eyes" she sighed deeply then looked back at Shadow.
"You want to do something, something big and dangerous and I won't be able to stop you right?" She asked, her voice full of care and concern.
Shadow nodded.
"You're still so young..." This time she squatted and looked Shadow right in the eyes.
"I know you can use mana too" she said with a smile.
"But don't leave yet, just a little while longer. Please" she held both his shoulders with her hands. Her grip was firm yet gentle.
Shadow couldn't avoid looking away from her eyes, her eyes. They were just like his mother's.
A teardrop unwillingly fell to his cheek.
He reached out and touched it, feeling a bit shocked...
I'm crying?
"I don't want you to leave yet, just stay around but do whatever you want. I'm sure that Lea would be proud of you" even Lisa couldn't stop her tears from flowing, but she didn't need to.
Shadow embraced her in a hug, he would stay for her, just a little while longer.
Surely, the world wouldn't end in that time.
"Thank you Kael, thank you for letting me take care of you" she said while sniffing and standing up. Shadow didn't know, but he felt this was what a mother should be.
For the first time, Shadow let himself be carried by Lisa to bed, something that would never repeat itself again.