SYSTEM ASCENSION

”What’s the deal with your son?” Nel asked.

Myai nodded. ”I’ll explain later. For now...”

She returned her eyes to Elias and grinned. ”I can’t wait for him to wake up.”

She raised her head. ”Let’s move him to have a proper rest.”

Richard raised his hand, ready to activate his ability but Myai’s voice stopped him.

”Move our son with your lazy hands!”

The rest were shocked.

Richard sighed. ”This is why I wished you had stayed dead.”

”Yeah. I miss you too.”

Myai helped in lifting Elias on his father’s back, before Richard took him out. She ran after them, leaving the rest to stare at the weird family.

”I expected some form of reunion?” Nel raised her brow.

”Well, if they had been together since my slumber, then they had been together for six hundred years,” Muon said. ”I think a reunion would be outdated.”

The remaining two stared at him.

”Why are you in a slumber anyway?”

His expression grew dim. ”I was there. The final war.”

___

Richard lowered Elias into the bed in his private wing, watching as the boy didn’t even react to anything.

He stood still, watching him.

The boy’s chest rose and fell in a slow, even rhythm. This brought back memories to Richard. During the time Elias was still a baby, he rarely sleeps, but when he finally let himself rest, he’s always out cold for days.

Then, hands sneaked from behind, locking around his chest. Myai hugged him and put her head on his back.

”Did you miss me?”

He didn’t reply for a long while. When he finally spoke—”

”Like hell, I’ll. I’m better off without you.”

She laughed and tightened her arm around him. ”I knew it. You missed me.”

Elias shifted slightly.

She peeped at him.

”He was just a little boy when I last saw him. You raised him well.”

”I didn’t.” He snorted. ”I’m sure you already know that.”

She released him and went around. Her eyes held mild anger.

”You left our son in a foreign country to suffer. He could have avoided such cruelty if you had bothered to search and bring him back!”

Richard stared at her, watching as tears pooled in the base of her eyes.

”Did you forget? We cannot interfere with whatever he does.”

”I know but...”

”You’re being emotional.” He cut in. ”You’re right to care about him, but it’s not your job. Don’t forget how much we sacrificed to even get him out of you.”

He raised his hand and patted her head.

”Myai.”

She folded her lips.

He heaved a sigh, that might have been a laugh.

”Stop pouting. You know interfering in his life will ruin everything.”

”I know...” she chuckled softly. ”I know but...did you see how many times they cut him in a day?”

He spread his hands. ”Come here.”

She walked into his embrace and hugged him.

”Zeal even blinded him once.”

Richard raised a brow. ”Really?”

Elias shifted again. This time he opened his eyes. His gaze landed on them. He sat up.

”...mother?”

She gasped and turned around.

”Oh, my baby.” She turned around and lunged at him, pulling him into her arms.

”I missed you so much!”

He didn’t say anything. He just stayed limp in her arms.

She pulled back and looked at his face.

”You’re so pale.”

”We’re both pale.” He reminded her.

She laughed. ”Yeah. That’s right. You do look like me.”

He grabbed her hands and pushed her back. ”Mother?”

”Yes son?”

”I’m not gonna lie and say I’m sorry, because I’m not.”

She was startled. Even Richard was taken aback by the statement. They both exchanged glances and looked back at him.

Richard immediately turned around and walked out.

Myai shrugged. ”I’m not angry about that.”

”A normal person would be.”

”You said it yourself son. A normal person.” She grabbed his hand and pulled him out of bed. ”C’mon, give me a tour.”

”Why should I do that?”

”You whole me this much. Take it as payment for killing me.”

So Elias ended up giving a reluctant tour of the same place she’s more familiar with than he is.

They just went in circles for hours, until the sun went down.

Myai commented on everything: a cracked pillar, a faded banner, a courtyard where she claimed she had once lost a duel. Elias answered each remark with a single word, but he never told her to stop. Somewhere along the way, he noticed his steps had slowed to match hers.

He finally led her to the fortress.

The students had just had dinner, and were preparing for bed, when they came in.

”This is a random building...I’m not sure what it was built for.” Elias introduced.

Myai nodded. ”I see.”

Elias glanced at her sideways. She obviously knew the building.

”Elias?” Kael walked out of the hallway that led to the inner room.

”Oh. It’s the boy from that day.” Myai gasped, pointing to him.

”Boy from that day?”

”I’m back.” Claude stumbled in, walking past the mother and son. ”That queen is a nutjob. Training is just a reason for her to beat me up.”

He turned back and saw them.

”Elias and...she’s pale. Another Qud?”

”She’s my mother.”

”Oh, okay.” He nodded and turned around. Then he paused and gazed right back.

Myai waved with a smile. ”We met in the school ward—”

”Aaaaarrrrrgggggghhhhh!” Claude panicked. ”The thousand legs!”

He dashed off immediately. Kael also followed.

All the students who were casually watching were now moving back in caution.

Myai smiled. ”What’s up with them?”

”You’re a problem ma.” Elias replied.

She pulled his cheek. ”You’re being rude to your mother!”

He didn’t even react.

”Let’s go.” They turned around and Elias walked away first.

She glanced back at the trembling students and laughed. ”If you are already trembling because of two students’ reactions, then I wonder how you’ll do in the tournament.”

The door closed behind her grinning face.

”I look forward to it.”