"We have a confession to make," Elijah said. "I think it's about time."
'Elijah wants to add you as an Acquaintance.'
'Accept or Decline?'
Elliot looked at him and he only nodded.
"Accept."
<< Elijah Carp >>
Level 95
Class: Supreme Sorcerer
Occupation: Farmer
Subclass: Crop Tamer
"Both of you had undergone Breakthrough," Connor let out. "And dad, Supreme Sorcerer?!"
He chuckled, "It was a reward from an event. But that's not the point. The point is–"
"You're both Adventurers and you didn't even tell me?" Connor cried.
"No," Fatima interrupted. "We have a good reason why we couldn't tell you before."
Connor crinkled his forehead in confusion. Elliot could tell that his friend was having mixed emotions of anger, worry, and surprise. He too would feel that way but after what has happened to his life for the past few weeks, nothing big could actually surprise him.
"Are you familiar with the Azure Palace Conquest?" Elijah asked. The three nodded and he continued. "We were part of that infamous Conquest. We were the only guild with no casualties along with Pentos."
"But wasn't Pentos the only one without casualties?" Elliot asked.
Fatima shook her head, "We were a smaller guild compared to the others. Our names weren't even listed in the Conquest. But actually, there were 110 participants of the Azure Palace Conquest."
"And you were that extra 10?" Lance asked and the couple nodded.
"And the history books lied. Pentos had a secure goal with the Azure King," Elijah said, seemingly remembering the events with the way he clenched his teeth in anger. "But we were betrayed by the Royal Knights. They sabotaged against our guild and Pentos because we were threatening the power of the Royal Family."
"They were against Pentos because the guild had the same level of influence as the Royal Family. In short, they were scared. And they targeted us because we were the only guild that wasn't against Pentos. But their recklessness fired back."
Fatima held her husband's trembling hands. She caressed his calloused hand and continued, "Their plan was to lock us up in the Throne Room and get massacred by the King. But what happened was out of our control. No one expected it."
"What happened then?" Elliot asked. He was being too curious. It was as if he wanted to know what happened not just to satisfy his curiosity.
It was as if he craved the truth.
"The King wasn't in the Throne Room."
Fatima's words shocked the three boys. It had been always said that the King would never leave the Throne Room. It was the only way that their continent was still standing even when they're surrounded by five cataclysmal threats. The beasts inside the Palaces never leave their designated area."
"He was in the hallway and he started killing all the Adventurers there," Fatima said. "The door could only be opened from the outside. We tried to break it, but it was as if we were sealed inside. In the end, no Adventurer made it out alive. The seal disappeared and we, who were trapped inside the Throne Room, could only watch the mauled bodies of several Adventurers."
"I don't get it," Connor shook his head. "Why are your lives in danger then?"
"They're being hunted," Elliot whispered. "The survivors were hunted. And since they couldn't possibly kill Pentos, they used their influence to trample on their reputation."
"That is correct," Elijah blurted after he had calmed down. "And the 'survivors' that testified against Pentos were just hired Adventurers. They were nowhere near the Place when the incident happened."
"And why have you only told me this now?" Connor wailed. Tears started to well in his eyes. "I could understand you. All this time you have been keeping this a secret from me and you were in pain all this time and I couldn't even offer you a shoulder to lean on."
"But you are a shoulder we leaned on." Fatima stood and engulfed her crying son with a hug. "Even after moving countless times, you still understood us."
"How did you got that disease, Mrs. Carp?" Lance wondered.
"Before we moved to Yusta, a member of the Royal Knights caught us. He bewitched me and gave me a disease. It wasn't only four months later, about five days ago, that his spell had activated," Fatima answered. "His spell lit up like fireworks that no healer could cure it."
Connor slept after he was crying. He was a fragile kid after all.
Fatima, Elijah, Elliot, and Lance were sitting at the dining table. There was only silence in the air. Both sides wanted to say something but were too unsure to proceed.
"We have only one request," Elijah finally broke the silence. "Connor… he can still live a life Adventuring. He deserves that life. And we're holding him back."
"What do you mean?" Elliot asked.
The couple looked at each other like they were talking inside their heads.
"We are always running away," Fatima sighed. "We don't want to burden Connor that."
"But he could still–"
"We understand," Lance cut Elliot off. The latter looked at Lance in disbelief.
"Connor is your son," Elliot said.
"And he's not safe if he goes with us," Elijah blurted. "Our life of always running away is also in the midst of uncertainty. Once we get caught, they'll know Connor is our son and they will kill him too. The Royal Family would do a cruel thing like that just to get what they wanted."
"So, you're just going to leave him?" Elliot couldn't believe the two. "I lived a life without any parent. My mother died when I was young, and I didn't even get to see my father. I know what it feels like to not be with your parents and it sucks."
"It's okay."
Their head snapped to the direction of the kitchen doorway where Connor stood.
"I understand you, mother, father," he said. "You want to let me live a life that I want to."
His parents nodded, tears streaming from their eyes.
"But what's life if I don't get to live it without the two that gave me mine?" Connor asked. "Don't be unfair. I am willing to go with you. Even if we get caught, even if we get killed. I will not have any regrets."
"But Connor–"
Connor shook his head for his mother to stop begging. "If what it means to live a life of constant running away, I'll take it. As long as I'm with you."
His parents engulfed him in a hug. Elliot and Lance stood and watched the family sympathizing in each other's arms.
'Feature Unlocked.'
< Skill Shop >