The door closes after he crosses worlds. The spellbook remains with us, levitating where it was last held. In addition, Hessuel isn't feeling normal after the shock. He's chilling intensely, trembling, or it looks like his tail curved in between his legs. I lent my coat to him and enchanted it to make it thinner. But his condition remains. I rubbed my palms and touched his cheeks but he jerked in surprise.
"W-What are you doing!?"
"Huh? I'm trying to warm you."
"It's not going to work... Nothing's going to work out... Let's just stop this..."
"Why are you saying that? Don't tell me you were compelled—"
"No one can stop father... He's scary!"
"... Isn't that supposed to be exciting?"
"No!! Forget it... Let's just stay here..."
I raised an eyebrow. His shivering could've been the sign something was wrong. He's a werewolf and accustomed to winter! After I observed him in silence, I sneaked my hand behind him, wryly, then shouted, "Boo!"
"AAAH!" He hysterically falls in my arms like a bride but I only caught one thigh.
"I knew it!" I dropped him and used a magnifying enchast and found a curse in him! A curse that amplified his fear. This is a perfect advantage for Haiban to delay our attacks. I tried shutting the levitating spellbook down but it was surrounded by protection. There's no other way to recover Hessuel. Now he's pasting his butt on the floor like a scaredy pup. "This is a disaster," I complained. But I think twice. "Or maybe I can use that to my advantage as well?"
"... Why are you smiling? No. I don't like that."
"Oh, you've got a bad feeling already~" I rewind the time when the portal in the door to Asfara was open.
"Dan! Where are you going!? We shouldn't make father mad anymore!" He's covering his head. I sat down in front of him, smiling. Being fearful makes the person coward too. In spite of that—though my patience is at risk now,
"We're not going to fight your father. You'll only have to talk to him. Say everything that is in your heart. Confess to him what you'll love for him. This is your chance to talk with him sincerely. No more props or further ado!" I said. And then I struggled to pull him up yet he's still stiff and resisting.
"No! He's going to kill me! Just let him be!" he asserts.
I tamed, "I'm on your side. I won't leave you behind. Trust me and trust your relationship with him." I kissed him on his forehead and he turned back to the age I first met him, 9 years old. He's looking at his shrunk hands. I embrace him because of how innocent he looks—utterly adorable! He has to look younger to remind his father about their good old days. "Now, let's get in our way slowly to your father and finish this."
I hold his hand and force him to come while cheering him on every small step. Acro is in his arms, held like a stuffed toy in one arm. We've officially crossed worlds after 5 minutes. Silly of me that I've come to realize we're similar to two talking sloths. I'm using my enchast as an umbrella from the snowfall when Hessuel suddenly cries for a retreat again.
"Dan, the hell! I don't want to go there!" He's talking about the chasm. And he's been clinging tight as he presses his teary eyes all the way here.
"Don't worry. I won't let it harm you." And I'm getting weary of this!
"But there's a ghost, too! That ghost will attack us—!" He attempts to walk away to the palace but I lock his hand in my clench.
"Not in my watch."
Haiban has gone too far already ever since he crossed. And we still have to cross this grassland beside the chasm which is not supposed to be a huge distance from the Asfara palace. He's probably there at the moment! It's too carefree for me to think he'll never hurt the twin, but the surviving werewolves inside matter too.
I look around for any ideas while my brain is being stormed. This time, I didn't show my smile to Hessuel. A few steps farther from the portal, I enchanted an illusion of the reaper and whispered to Hessuel,
"You have to shift and run. Behind you."
He turns his head around and gapes wider for a loud scream! He shifts and I ride, I'm startled by his incredible speed just to get away from that creep, making me grab strictly on his fur and jam my lips from the cold wind smacking my face. A scared person can be stronger when lucky enough to feel not extreme trembling. However, as we approach the palace, Hessuel breaks by his claws and I'm hurled into the door!
"We can't get in! Father is in there!" he cried after he shifted back to a boy—groveling on the ground.
While I'm wobbling just to stand up! "He's what we're up to anyway." I opened the door and found Haiban inside the refuge hall, frightening the victims. A glimpse of hope flashed in their weeping faces upon my arrival.
He said, "... I'm running out of ideas to get rid of you." And he formally faces me.
I hold my spellbook literally, pages are flipping. "It's tiresome to stop an ambitious person," I said. I want this to be over already. I clapped the spellbook when I closed it and everything around Haiban vanished into the darkness. He's roaming his eyes around, standing in the middle of emptiness. He easily figured out it was an illusion and when he tries to destroy it, he heard Acro's voice,
["Haiban."]
"... Lerouka?"
His location switched to the front of Asfara's fountain, where Hessuel is. Solemnity became the ambiance as they exchanged eye contact. Hessuel's fingers are still trembling, it's evident with his voice too, but he's more steady now while looking at his father. They can only see each other. The snow falls quietly. Yet the carcasses of unfortunate werewolves are all around.
"It happened again, father," Hessuel said, "... the massacre. But this time... it's your fault."
Haiban cancels his magic.
"The pain when I lost mother, it's still here. All those survivors inside feel likewise. This choice you made, does it make anyone happy? When I recovered my memories in the pond, when I remembered I had you and mother and this home, the pain exploded in my chest was beyond control... because I miss everything I had." He's smoothly shedding tears to the tip of his chin—still adorable! "I was happy when you came back to life. I thought I could make those beautiful memories into reality again.
"But you've changed." He looks at his fingers. "I now understand what Uncle Cor felt when I changed, too. It's disheartening. He taught me a value I misinterpreted, that an endless cycle of vengeance spreads coldness to everyone. That was me. And that is you. You're so cold, father." The glance he gave to his father's eyes wavered his father's stance. "You're not the father who used to leave everything behind to have time with me anymore. You're not as warm as the day you gave me Acro on my birthday.
"Mother's death was painful. But what's more painful... is that you came back to life, you're here in front of me, but I lost you. I lost my home twice. I lost my family twice." His cry quivers his voice more evidently. "If... If you're doing this for mother, if you're doing this for me... well, I am not happy. I don't want this! I don't want revenge... not anymore. I just want you to be with me as my father. Please don't make the same mistake I did. Let's be free from the past."
"..."
["Haiban. One last time... Be a good father to your son. Before you let go."]
"What?" Hessuel questioned Acro. Hessuel's previous body rotted immediately. It means that the vessel has its limits if the soul is not the owner. Haiban's body is destined to shatter into dust or will rot. Then Hessuel sheds even more tears, biting his lower lip and sniffing. "Don't leave me again!"
A quick drop of Haiban's tear crosses his cheek. He's been silently listening to his weakness, unable to interrupt. Hessuel's fear was triggered again when Haiban manifested his 5 spellbooks surrounding him but they all dropped to the ground. Haiban took steps closer to him and he stepped backward, terrified while staring at his father until he stumbled backward because of the stairs.
Haiban knelt in front of him a few steps away. The aura of his face changed. It's more gentle and docile that can penetrate relief to anyone's perspective. He said, "I am not proud of what you've done or proud about your victory. But I couldn't be more proud of what you have become." His enchast crosses Hessuel like a gentle smoke, then Hessuel's fear vanishes. "Thank you," he added. Hessuel quickly runs to him for a hug.
In his father's arms, he came back to the age of 22. Weeping on his father's shoulder, while his father is embracing and crying too. The illusion became real as I cut the enchantment, watching them behind the fountain of sacred water. This is the first time I see them as father and son. What's more marvelous in witnessing this scene is they're both pureblood silver werewolves. I wipe my tear with a finger.
My mate is such a child; he can be protective, a playful pup, romantic in the wrong place, fearful, and emotional in a day. The rest of my life will never be boring. I saw Acro walking around the two and when she stretched her neck to squint at me, I lifted my thumb. What's more powerful than magic is words—a power that can soften the corrupted heart. Later on, one of the spellbooks levitates and the pages flip on their own.
The dead werewolves around started flinching and arising, all of them. They're clueless as to what is going on. Moreover, the wreck of the land is gone. I paid a visit to the refuge hall and found that all of them were rejoicing with tears. Maia is joyfully embracing Sherizzah, then she embraces Zaeramil too. They're now embracing their loved ones who seemed to be asleep all this time instead of dead.
It's a remarkable scenery of werewolf history.
"Dandeline!" Lanasia ran to me for a hug as well which I truly appreciate. "You made it! I knew you can do it! Thank you very much!"
"I won't accept all the credits."
"This means Matheo is safe! The werewolves will stay alive!"
I hugged her tight and jumped with her while cheering.
We all did our best. So we all deserve to rest. I sat on the mattress beside my innocent twins, watching others' tears of hopelessness turn into joy. My love for dogs has made it this far. Serving them is not just an oath but my life. Standing out from mediocrity is difficult not just for a mage. Yet if no one does, there can be no hero. Oftentimes, despair is the villain itself. It leads all its hearers away from their great potential.
This time, I can imagine my successful future waving at me. I had and will protect my dreams that are in my reach now. That's how I define myself as a strong woman. Now I badly crave peace of mind at home and time with my family. Have late-night talk and sex with my mate. That's my kind of hot chocolate after exhausting work!
Or was it too early to celebrate?
["Come... my child. Come to me..."]
Silence suddenly occupied the hall when the moon called.