Continent: Terrafide

Location: Elpída

A few days after the death of Gloria Bogdan

Φ The only thing I did differently that day was sleep beside my father, everything else was the same. I woke up the same as always, I brushed my teeth the same as always, I ate my breakfast the same as always, and got dressed the same as always.

But everything I did felt off as if I wasn’t living merely controlling a corpse from afar, every single thing I did felt disconnected. So, with this feeling unfading I left with my father to the funeral.

-Break-

“She was a great officer.”

“She saved my life countless times.”

“She spent so much time helping all of us.”

“We were able to replant all the Giamore trees that got burnt down last year with her help.”

“She will surely go down in Elpída history as a hero.”

Throughout the funeral, countless friends, colleagues, and people she had saved came up to me and gave me their condolences, but their words were no different than the air surrounding me. Even hearing all the speeches, they share about her doesn’t make me feel a single thing, it is all just pointless faff to me.

But then as it wraps up my grandfather Tetra grabs my hand and asks, “Do you want to see your mother?”

Immediately, I say, “Yes.”

As we move over to the casket, we pass my dad who has a look of sadness, and under his breath, I hear him say, “Why couldn’t you just exercise caution, just this once.”

Reaching the casket, I am asked again, “Are you sure Iancu?”

“Yes.”

Moments later I am raised up and in the casket, I see a burnt body. If it wasn’t for the clothes that were put on it, I wouldn’t be able to recognize it as a human.

This thing is my mother? No that can’t be. My mother was vibrant, radiant, gorgeous, active, and always smiling. The woman I see before me can’t be her it can’t.

Suddenly all the feelings, I haven’t felt today rush into me and I just start to cry, “Mommy.”

Moments later my dad runs up to me and grabs me out of grandpas arms, then says, “What the hell are you doing!!?”

“He said he wanted to see her, I just wanted to give him the choice of whether or not he wanted to see his mother.”

“Who cares what he said!! Do you really think he knows any better, it’s that same thoughtless attitude that you passed onto your daughter. Working herself to death, running into a burning building, leaving her husband and son behind. WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH ALL OF YOU.”

Falling to the ground my father holds me and says, “Please come back, Gloria.”

Ivana, Gheorghe and Wadim come to our side and help my father outside the room, with Tetra coming as well.

-Break-

Unable to sit down beside all of the adults comforting me, I get up and look for my father. Running through the halls I eventually come across him, and hear him say to Tetra, “I know it wasn’t your fault Tetra, I know how you raised her to be more cautious. It is just I don’t know how to feel, the chances of her succeeding were so low yet she charged in headfirst. Did she not care for her son? Did she not care for me?”

Seeing tears in my father's eyes I walk away and go outside. Getting outside I just crawl up into a ball and cry to myself and say, “Mommy why did you leave, was that slim chance of saving people more important than being with me.”

Suddenly I hear a massive explosion, looking up I see that an explosion has gone off at the castle in the sky. Then moments later the barrier disappears and a few minutes later it reappears.

Seeing this I am stunned and standstill, While I do all the people in the funeral home rush out to look, including my father and grandfather.

Beside me, Tetra says, “For this to happen on the day of her funeral, are the heavens mocking us!?”

No, you don’t understand Grandpa, this is a sign. For the first time in recorded history, the barrier went down, Mom used to always be prepared in case something like this happened. She bet on a miracle, and it came that’s why she ran into the house because miracles happen. Mom wasn’t wrong!!!

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

Clearing my tears, I make a promise to myself as everyone looks up towards the castle. I will continue my mother’s will!

-Break-

From that day on I did whatever I could to help around, Elpída. I helped the Gpd being their earn boy for whatever they needed, but as the corruption grew in the Gpd I had to find other places to help.

I volunteered for whatever I could, whether that be planting Giamore trees, or giving food to the door. I worked my butt off every day and night until I was exhausted, but in the depths of my soul, I could feel my mom cheering me on. But my father wasn’t as happy about my new life decisions as I was.

“What the hell have you been doing Iancu, working yourself to death have you learned nothing from your foolish mother.”

“Father, you don’t understand what mother was trying to do she wasn’t a fool, she was just waiting for a miracle and I have inherited that.”

“That same nonsense again. Let me make this simple for you, your mother was a selfish idiot who didn’t give a single damn fuck about either of us. Inheriting her will? The only thing you have inherited from her is her lack of care for those around her!!!”

Hearing my father's harsh words against my mother I cry and say, “You’re the fool, you couldn’t even understand your wife. I doubt you even loved her!!”

Grabbing me by the collar, Father says, “Say that again, and see what happens.”

“What is the truth so hard to grasp?”

My father enraged by my words tries to strike me, but Ivana, Gheorghe and Wadim stop him.

“Boss, I know he is being a brat but if you hit him, it will probably kill him!”

“Please calm down.”

“There are other forms of discipline.”

Calming down he throws me to the ground and says, “Do whatever the hell you want, I just don’t care about idiots like you anymore.”

Wadim says, “Boss don’t say that to your son.”

Seeing the cold look my father gives me breaks my heart, so I run away and say, “I will then.”

“Iancu, wait up,” Ivana says.

Just like that my actions have caused a rift between me and my father that would continue on for years.

-Break-

Years later

Tying my shoe laces, I hear Ivana ask, “Iancu where are you going?”

“Piss off Ivana, I don’t have to answer to you.”

“Do you really think a 12-year-old like you can just leave with all of that food and just come back whenever you want!”

“My father doesn’t care, so it doesn’t seem there is any problem with it.”

“He does care you ju-.”

“A man like him who just sits in his small room tinkering with the same dead-end objects, never talking to anyone, never smiling, as the rest of the world continues to move forward with their lives. The only thing I can say about a man like him is that he doesn’t care about anything.”

“Iancu you’re being too harsh, you need to respect your parents.”

“You think I care about the words of a woman who has barely accomplished any of her life goals.”

Defensively she says, “I am still trying!!”

“Then what about your love life, you know what people have started to call you; forever alone Ivana.”

“WHO!!!!?”

“At this point, you’re just expired bread; lazy men will pick you up, smell for any stink, see if you look ok enough, take a bite, then toss you aside for a good meal.”

Running away, Ivana says, “You suck!!!”

Walking out the door, I whisper, “This is what you get for acting like my mother.”

After opening the door, I see a girl around my age with dark pink hair in front of me. She is dressed strangely for a citizen of Elpída; she is in a dress one would expect from a lady. Is she from the ground? Probably a tourist.

Gracefully bowing, she says, “Hello my name is Elia Moonwalker, and may I ask if this is the residence of the great Avram Bogdan?”

Hearing her graceful words makes me feel sick, so with a look of disgust, I say, “I wouldn’t say great, but Avram Bogdan lives here. I am guessing a little girl like you came here on a holiday, but you won’t be getting any autographs from my father he doesn’t speak to people anymore.”

Walking away, I say, “He’s a fucking failure, who doesn’t amount to anything anymore, so I would suggest you be on your way.”

With a kind smile, she says, “Thank you, kind sir, for your advice, I will add it as a factor to my decision-making. Also, you should watch your language.”

“Fuck off princess.”

-Break-

Surrounded by all the kids playing around me, Morrigan asks, “Hey Iancu?”

“Yes, Morrigan.”

“It has been a few days since you have been staying here, why haven’t you gone home?”

“It is because all those guys are idiots, they don’t understand a single thing. Then they go and complain to me, always worrying about me and never listening, then nagging me when I don’t listen just annoying pieces of shit.”

Laughing beside me, Fionna says, “That sounds like fun.”

Snapping at her, I say, “How does that sound fun!?”

My anger makes Fionna cower, so Morrigan smacks me on the back of my head with his cute little hands and says, “Don’t scream at Fionna idiot.”

“Sorry, sorry, but please explain.”

Shyly she says, “I just think it would be fun to have someone constantly worrying and checking on me, it would make me very happy to have someone like that in my life.”

Seeing Fionna's face, I slapped myself in my face and say, “Did I actually just complain about my family in front of people who don’t have one. The hell is wrong with me?”

Morrigan speaking up says, “No that isn’t true.” Hugging Fionna, he says, “We are all each other’s family.” All the other kids start to run up to them both and hug each other.

Seeing this I stand up and say, “I guess I should head home and return to my family. See you brats later.”

Morrigan with his puffy checks, says, “You’re a child as well.”

“I know, I know, I will see you guys later and bring in some food.”

-Break-

Walking towards the door, I stop in my tracks and sigh. “They’re probably going to bitch at me for being away for so long again. How annoying.”

Opening the door, I hear the sound of something being smashed, while hearing Gheorghe shout, “Please stop!”

I immediately start to run towards the source of the sound while panicked. Entering the workshop, I see that Gheorghe is being hit repeatedly by a chair and over him is Elia wearing work clothes with both her hair and face messy, shouting, “I did it, I did it, I did it, I freaking did it, I am amazing, I am a freaking angel!!!”

To the side of the room, I see Wadim and Ivana cowering behind my father, who is clapping his hands in approval saying, “Looks like my job is complete.”

What the hell happened in the few days I have been gone!?

Throwing the chair down, Elia points at my father and says, “I did it, so now you must keep your fucking promise.”

“Of course, I will, from this moment on you’re a member of our workshop and an employee.”

Elia jumps my father and gives him a big bear hug whilst wrapping her legs around him, and while she does that my father smiles a smile so bright that I haven’t seen it in years, not since my mother lived.

Noticing me in the doorway, my father says, “Iancu?”

Looking at them, I just run away, and as I run, I feel sick to my stomach.