Millagua Meets His Son

When his son put the amber jewelry over Millagua’s neck, the god who was frozen in time suddenly opened his eyes with a start.

He had taken Millagua across the celestial city to a remote castle which, though renovated and clean, was mostly unused, and had fallen into general disrepair. The castle was pinkish white, and its tiles were marbled gray and blue. This was the opulent scene in which Millagua finally awoke to see Siyn looking right into his eyes.

Siynh had his father’s dark lips and high cheekbones; but he had his mother’s fair features, too–large, latitudinous eyes like a pair of golden sunlit lakes that seemed to glow alight against his dark skin.

The face in front of him haunted him. Millagua knew very quickly who was looking back at him. His eyes welled with salt water, and goosebumps rose up on his neck.

“I have a son,” he said.

And Siyn himself quavered. “Father,” he said, “it is good to finally meet you.”

So Siyn told Millagua about everything that had been happening in the centuries since he was born. All the intrigue of the celestial city came to his ears. Slowly, as Millagua listened, he became angry, until finally, he flew into a rage, flipping tables and chairs in the room that Siyn had carefully selected for them because it was secluded from the more populated areas.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

There the boy waited for his father’s wrath to die down. When Millagua’s anger was finally spent, he collapsed on the sofa, panting from the exertion. It was silent momentarily, and then Millagua said, “Thank you for waking me, boy. But what can we do?”

“You must challenge Ziph, who has taken my mother, and pretends to be my father,” said Siyn.

At that, Millagua shot up from the sofa as if slapped. He raised a finger at Siyn, glaring at his son, bulging his eyes, revealing red veiny flecks: “Ziph has not taken your mother,” said the avatar of stasis, his jowls shaking as if the vibration of his words themselves has caused his flesh to tremble. “Your mother has taken Ziph.”

“But he acts like my father,” said Siyn.

That was enough to set Millagua into a fresh rage. He picked up the upset furniture, and one by one, upset it all over again. When he was done, he stood panting again in the middle of the room.

“I get no respect,” said Siyn, “you have to respect our honor.”

“What would you have me do,” said Millagua.

Siyn lowered his voice. “Bettle Ziph at the Opal Colosseum,” he said. “Challenge him to a duel.”

Millagua considered. “For what?” he said, “I don’t want your mother back.”

“For me,” said Siyn. “What’s between my parents is not my business. But your responsibility is with me, the child you created, and I am owed honor.”

Millagua agreed, and within the hour, a courier appeared at Ziph’s doorstep with an invitation to fight to the death.