It felt almost underwhelming to take that step through the portal and immediately be back home.
The Islands felt like an entirely different world. Not a step forward or back.
Yet that's all it was.
He was back in the Skylight Guildhall's portal room. Now with new scars, new clothes and a new frame of mind. It was only then that he realized he didn't even get a new change of clothes.
He was still wearing his sharkskin and vine armor. Fortunately— in a roundabout way, he didn't have any room for shame.
"I need a plan. I need…. I need something. I can't just go home and go hey dad, you a werewolf? A vampire? Either one would explain why you as a regular human can repeatedly survive in Tangents even I couldn't. Also, why am I a human? How did that happen because my System is telling me I'm not supposed to be!"
Claude slapped himself and forced a forward walk. There was no use spiraling. He thought he learned that after ingesting demon blood. Back when his negative thoughts could've killed him.
It seemed personal growth was rarely a straight line.
He headed down the hall and felt the grounds shake from all the commotion on the main floor.
When he entered, numerous daytime heroes and workers stopped to look him over.
Him and his squad of four legged creatures.
It grew silent.
Then, they cheered.
"HOORAY! Congrats kid!"
"Looking rugged! I like your style."
"What type of dog is that?"
"Pitbull." Claude lied about Ren's heritage as he tried to rush through the swathes of people.
"Which house do you belong to? Id guess OceanLord."
"Me too!"
"Which house are Ronin's boys in?!"
"Samuel's in the House of Domination."
Thankfully, the heroes in the main hall tapered off after the new tidbit of gossip was dropped like a bomb in a warzone.
"Domination? He wasn't taken by House Ronin?"
"He must've underperformed."
"Not a good sign for the future."
Claude exited the building and took off for the witches shop at a sprint.
He reached it in good time. Better time than ever— speaking to his growth in rebirth. And the fact that he was probably lighter than before. His diet of fish and berries was less than filling. If not much different from his home life.
He stepped inside and found Ms. Oracle standing in the middle of the room. As if she was waiting.
"Welcome back, Claude Grey." Ms. Oracle said, "You are…."
"Different?" Claude finished.
"No. That would be terrible." Ms. Oracle replied. She wore her usual dark-flower skirt and piercings proudly. In her very specific way. Both haunting and wholesome.
"Thanks, I think."
"You are the same. Even now, you still have questions and things you're unsure of. Worse off than before. That is not the same. The stakes are higher now. I assume the University was as jarring of an experience as it always is."
Claude cringed, "Yea. Something like that."
Ms. Oracle waved him over.
He followed the near seven foot tall witch into the back rooms. She even led him back to the same dark forest themed enclosure as before, now with his own animals instead of her loving cats.
The familiarity calmed him— probably too much.
"Can Werewolves have human children?"
Ms. Oracle aimed her one visible eye at him.
"….."
Then she looked at Ren and and his Island-Dogs. As if they had something to say.
Ren scooted closer to Claude and puffed out his chest.
Ms. Oracle looked back at Claude.
"You know, I too once thought your father was a werewolf."
Claude felt his face warm with panic, "No— i was saying—"
"Child. I'm a witch. The powers that he are one law away from classifying us as the same brand of beast. You're safe." Ms. Oracle said.
Claude could see that considering witch-hunters existed and she looked….. the way she did.
"So…. You don't think he is?" Claude asked to clarify.
"I don't think he's dumb." Ms. Oracle said casually. "He disappears on Full-Moons. Canine breeds despise his existence. He's more physically able than human I've ever seen— no matter how much he likes to play the role of jester. He is a knight. His sword remains hidden, but I smell the blood beneath the sheath."
Claude's shoulder sank.
"This changes nothing."
"You just said—"
"I just said your father has secrets. Ones he's smart enough to keep from you. He's still your father. He still puts his life at risk daily for you. He still feels inadequate. He thinks he's not good enough for you. I think he knows I like men who need fixing."
"Can you fix him?" Claude asked, oblivious to the hidden meaning of her words.
Ms. Oracle threw her head back and laughed, "HAHA— honey, I've tried. I do…. Some nights. But his wounds heal back to bleeding freshness as if he was designed that way. There is something within him, sure. Whether it's a beast of the wild or mind, you have nothing to worry over. Not with me at least."
Claude was silent.
Ms. Oracle was as well. She looked around as her mind rambled. He could practically hear the gears spinning beneath her skull.
"Unless….." She mumbled, "You….. you haven't been home. You haven't spoken to your father in weeks. And you come here asking this. What did you see? What did your system screen say, Claude?"
"…..Human defect."
Ms. Oracle nodded, "Human…. because of failed magical genetics."
Claude nodded.
"Perhaps we should both go visit your father." Ms. Oracle said and stood up.
As Claude looked up at her, she held a hand out to him with a stern expression.
"What does this change?" Claude asked, "You already said it's ok no matter what he is."
"Yes." Ms. Oracle nodded, "Except there was the off chance that you were just paranoid before I realized how you came to this question. Now it's undeniable. Your father is not the human joker he wants us to believe."
"I knew it—"
"He's no Werewolf." Ms. Oracle said quickly.
"What?!"
"On our first night together, I gave him a salve with flecks of silver in it. His skin should've melted off. He didn't even gain a rash. So, I have questions now. Just as you do. And witches with questions are a rare thing. Plus, it's all making sense."
"What is?" Claude asked.
"Your Mana Resistance? You aren't randomly lucky, child. You were exposed to a great magic— a devastating and transformative essence that wasn't supposed to turn you to some great other. Instead, you defected and were born human. It all makes sense."
Claude and Ms. Oracle left at a brisk pace.