Chương 43: 42. Family Time

Question. How do you face the people you loved and buried? Not in dreams, where everything feels half-real and fades with the morning light. Not in memories, growing fainter with each passing decade. But here, now, solid and warm and alive? Adom had imagined this moment countless times over sixty years. In quiet nights alone, in busy days when something would remind him of them. He'd imagined what he'd say, what they'd say. Sometimes he'd talk to them, feeling half-mad but needing it all the same.

"You should have seen this sunset, Mother." Or "Remember that silly joke you used to tell, Father?" The reality was nothing like his imaginings. His mother reached him first. She didn't slow down, didn't hesitate - just crashed into him with enough force to make him stumble back. Her arms wrapped around him, and suddenly he was enveloped in that familiar scent - sweet apple and ink and home. She was crying, he realized dimly. Or maybe he was. Maybe both.

"My boy," she whispered, her voice cracking.

"My foolish boy." He wanted to say something. Anything. But his throat had closed up entirely, and all he could do was hold on, press his face into her shoulder like he used to do when he was small. When he was actually small, not just wearing the shape of youth. His father's arms encircled them both. Adom felt the scratch of his beard, smelled the familiar mix of steel polish and pipe tobacco. How had he forgotten these details? How had sixty years dulled the memory of exactly how his father's embrace felt?

They stood like that, the three of them, while the snow fell and the drums played and the world kept turning. And was that Bob crying over there? Huh. What an odd thing to see. That would make for excellent teasing material later. Anyway.

"Don't you ever," his father's voice was rough, "ever do that to us again." Adom tried to laugh, but it came out more like a sob.

"I won't."

"Promise me."

"I promise." His mother pulled back just enough to cup his face in her hands, studying him with tear-bright eyes. She traced the white streak in his hair, her expression flickering between relief and worry.

"You look thin," she said, and it was such a mom thing to say that Adom did laugh then, properly.

"I'm fine now," he said.

"I'm home." And he was. Not in the physical sense - they were standing on a beach in the snow, surrounded by nomads and their drums, with a talking mouse peering cautiously from behind. But home had never really been about places. His father's hand was steady on his shoulder, grounding him in the moment. His mother's fingers were warm against his face. They were here, alive, real. In his past life, he'd dug their graves himself. The soil had been hard, frozen. He'd refused help, needed to do it alone.

Afterward, he'd sat between the mounds until his tears froze on his face. But that was then. That was there. This was now, and they were warm and solid and alive.

"You have so much explaining to do," his father said, but his voice was gentle.

"I know." Adom managed a wobbly smile.

"But can we just... stay like this? Just for a minute?" His mother pulled him close again, and his father's arm tightened around them both.

"As long as you need," his mother whispered. The drums played on, softer now. The snow kept falling. And if Bob was still crying somewhere behind them, well, nobody mentioned it. Some moments don't need words. Some moments just need to be lived.

There was a lot to explain. Like, a lot. Evil plans involving mass murder weapons that would destroy the world? Check. Dungeons full of death and monsters? You bet. Political mess threatening to tear apart the Empire? Oh yeah. But honestly? None of that mattered right then. When his parents approached, Morgana quietly pulled her shawl over her head in the Veyshari style, blending into the background with practiced ease. The tribe welcomed them with calls of "Aven! Aven!"

while Mirko directed everyone to make space around the fire.

"Welcome, welcome!" he boomed.

"Parents of little mage always welcome here! Sit, eat, be warm!" Instead, they sat around the fire, and his mother fussed over how thin he was (he wasn't), and his father pretended not to be emotional (he was), and Bob definitely wasn't wiping his eyes every few minutes (he absolutely was).

"And who's this?" his mother asked when Valiant finally gathered enough courage to emerge from hiding.

"Valiant," the mouse said with a tiny bow.

"Your son's savior and companion through dark dungeons and-""Have some more bread," his mother interrupted smoothly. His father just nodded sagely, clearly deciding that some questions could wait for another day. Mirko kept bringing food - more of that amazing bread with melted cheese, rich stews, something sweet with honey that made Adom's teeth ache.

His mother tried everything, asking about spices and recipes, while his father nodded along, clearly having no idea what they were talking about but content just to be there.

"Dikhen!" A child called out, pointing at the fire. The young sorceress had emerged from her tent, bells in her copper hair chiming softly as she settled near the flames with the grace of a dancer.

"Purani story," Mirko announced proudly to Adom's parents.

"My niece, sorceress. She knows old magic best." The sorceress began to speak, her voice carrying across the camp. As she spoke, she gestured at the fire, and shapes began to form in the flames - giants walking across mountains, a small figure stealing their secrets. The flutes started playing, low and haunting, while someone tapped a steady rhythm on a drum.

"The story of how we learned magic," Morgana translated quietly from her spot nearby.

"How the first Veyshari tricked the giants and stole their runes." The children gathered closer, their eyes wide as figures danced in the flames. Even Valiant stopped mid-story to watch, cheese forgotten in his paws. As night deepened, more stories followed. The Veyshari started singing, their voices rising with the sparks from the fire. Adom's mother knew some of the words - of course she did - and joined in. His father hummed along, off-key but trying.

Even Bob gave it a shot, though his accent made several children giggle.

"Šukar gilă!" someone called out, and more voices joined in. Adom didn't sing. He just sat there, between his parents, letting the warmth of the fire and their presence wash over him. Sixty years of missing them, and here they were, his mother's hand in his, his father's arm around his shoulders. When he finally fell asleep that night, it wasn't in some fancy bed or comfortable room.

Just a simple tent, warm with borrowed blankets, the sound of the sea mixing with distant singing and his parents' steady breathing nearby. Best sleep of his life? Yeah, pretty much. The world-ending weapons could wait until morning.

Almost morning. Adom wasn't sleeping. Well, not anymore at least. Hadn't been for about fifteen minutes now, but he kept his eyes firmly shut, breathing carefully measured. Just five more minutes. That's all he needed. Just five more-"You do realize I can notice your breath pattern when you're not sleeping anymore, right, son?" Ah, for God's sake. Right. He could do that. Adom cracked one eye open. The sun hadn't rised yet.

The air smelled of sea salt and last night's fire, with a hint of his mother's ink-and-apple scent from the bedroll next to his. She was still sleeping, one hand curled under her chin like always.

"Good morning, Father," he managed, trying for casual and probably failing spectacularly as he pushed himself up and wiped sleep from his eyes. The borrowed blankets pooled around him, warm and heavy. Arthur Sylla sat cross-legged on his bedroll, already dressed and looking irritatingly alert. He reached over and ruffled Adom's hair - now a mess of black and a little white - with that familiar half-smile that always meant he knew more than he let on.

"You little trouble maker. Good morning." That was his father alright. Arthur had always been like this - quiet, observant, with that uncanny ability to read people that made him such a good commander. He'd given Adom the grace of no questions yesterday. But knowing him...

"Look at you," Arthur said, confirming Adom's suspicions.

"Leave you for a few months, and you get white hair, and lose your glasses. Again." He paused, head tilting slightly.

"Are those muscles I see on you, son?" Right. Months. For them, he'd just left for his second year at the Academy a few months ago. Wow. That was... that was something to process. His father was still watching him, patient but expectant. The questions were coming. They both knew it. But first-"I didn't lose my glasses," Adom protested weakly.

"I just... don't need them anymore?" Arthur's eyebrow went up.

"Uh-huh. And the white hair?"

"Would you believe me if I said it was a fashion statement?"

"No."

"Worth a try." Adom sighed, running a hand through said hair.

"It's... a long story."

"I imagine it is." His father's voice was gentle.

"But we've got time." And that was the thing about Arthur Sylla - he always did have time. For questions, for mistakes, for long stories that made no sense. Even now, sixty years and one resurrection later, that hadn't changed.

"Yeah," Adom said softly.

"I guess we do."

"Good morning, boys," came Maria's voice, Adom's mother. Adom turned to see her sitting up, not a hair out of place, looking far too alert for someone who'd just woken up. Of course she was already awake. Of course this wasn't a coincidence.

"Morning, Mother," Adom managed.

"Sleep well, Lionheart?" his father asked her. They shared a look that spoke volumes. Yeah, they'd definitely planned this. Well, fair enough. He had sort of caused the whole Empire-wide crisis they were dealing with. Adom looked between his parents - his father's patient smile, his mother's steady gaze - and suddenly felt very young again.

"So," his mother said.

"About that white hair..."

The secret to a good lie is to sprinkle it with some truths. That's what Adom had been thinking all night long. How to deceive his parents. Tell them half truths, hide what he truly went through for the past decades. But now.... As his parents looked at him expectantly, waiting for explanations, Adom felt his heart hammering against his ribs. The tent suddenly seemed too small, the air too thick. Every breath felt like a decision. He was about to break one of the fundamental taboos.

From childhood, everyone knew the laws of magic - the boundaries that kept the world safe. Don't try to manipulate time. Don't attempt to revive the dead. Don't even think about creating something from nothing. It was annoying and borderline harassment the way these principles were drilled into anyone who could manipulate mana. But again, these weren't just rules; they were survival instincts embedded in society.

Breaking them wasn't just illegal - it was heretical, dangerous, the kind of thing that could get everyone around you killed. And here he was, living proof that those laws had been broken. He hadn't done it himself, technically. He'd just... agreed to a deal with a rather suspicious entity. Been revived. Sent back to when he was young with sixty years of memories intact. Simple, really. Nothing worth getting executed over.... Right? But these were his parents. His actual parents.

Alive and breathing and looking at him with concern. His father, who had built House Sylla from nothing. A commoner who had fought his way to knighthood through blood, sweat, and tears. His shoulders bore the weight of four hundred Star Knights who had followed him into what might become rebellion. His mother, descended from the ancient Lionheart mages who predated even the Time of Law. A high-ranking noble who had abandoned her house to marry a commoner. Her family had disowned her for it.

Come to think of it, his parents had always been rule-breakers in their own way. They were doing it again now, mobilizing forces against the Empire for their son's sake. They'd risk everything they'd built on the mere suspicion that something was wrong. And with the scope of what Adom was facing - corrupt officials, catastrophes, ancient conspiracies, weapons that could destroy the world - one thing became clear: he needed help. Real help. Not just Bob and Valiant and whatever allies he could scrape together.

No offence to the mentioned ones, of course. What better help than his parents? Adom opened his mouth, then closed it again. His tongue felt like lead. The words wouldn't come. What if they rejected him? What if they feared what he'd become? What if, after hearing his story, they didn't see him as their son anymore but as some abomination, some stranger wearing their boy's face? This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. This could ruin everything.

Or it could make things so much easier.

"Adom," his father's voice cut through his spiraling thoughts.

"Are you alright? You've gone pale." His mother leaned forward, brow furrowed.

"Is it that bad, whatever you're afraid to tell us?" Adom's heart pounded so hard he thought they might hear it. He could feel sweat beading at his temples despite the morning chill.

"I—" His voice cracked. He cleared his throat.

"I don't know how to—""You're scaring me, son," his father said, the worry lines around his eyes deepening. His mother reached out, placing her warm hand against his cheek. The familiar gesture nearly broke him. How many times had she done this when he was a child? When he had a fever, or when he was upset about something at school?

"Listen to me," she said softly.

"Whatever it is, you can tell us. We're your parents. There is nothing - nothing - you could say that would make us love you any less."

"Even if I've done something impossible?" Adom whispered. His father's expression hardened slightly.

"Is that what you're worried about? Breaking some Academy rule? Some law?"

"Arthur," his mother chided gently, then turned back to Adom.

"What your father means is that we've broken plenty of rules ourselves. Important ones, sometimes."

"When it matters," his father added. Adom took a deep breath, then another. His parents waited, patient but concerned. Outside, the camp sounds continued - the clinking of pots, children's laughter, the steady rhythm of drums. His father nodded encouragingly.

"Go on." Adom closed his eyes briefly, gathering his courage. When he opened them again, he looked directly at his parents.

"Mother, Father, the truth is..." He swallowed hard.

"I have died once and came back to life." The words hung in the air. For three heartbeats, nobody moved. His mother's hand froze against his cheek. His father went completely still.

"What exactly do you mean by that?" Arthur asked. His voice was controlled, careful, but Adom could hear the tension beneath it. He couldn't back down now.

"I mean exactly what I said. I died. And then I came back."

"How?" His mother's voice was barely above a whisper.

"I agreed to a deal."

"A deal?" she repeated, her hand dropping slowly from his face.

"Yes." His father leaned forward.

"With whom?" Adom hesitated. This was it - the point of no return. He took a breath and met his father's eyes.

"Death." His parents looked at each other. Not with horror, which he'd expected, but with something more complex. The look of two people having an entire conversation without words.

"Tell us everything," his father said finally. So Adom did.

"I lived to be seventy-nine," he said.

"I watched you both die. Everyone, really. The world... it fell apart." His mother's hands tightened into fists in her lap.

"How?"

"Wars at first. Then plagues. Things engineered by people who should've known better." Adom ran a hand through his hair.

"I was sick for most of my life. Weak. I tried to fight it - all of it - but in the end..." He couldn't meet their eyes for this part.

"In the end, I killed myself." His mother made a small sound, like something breaking. His father reached across and gripped Adom's shoulder hard enough to hurt.

"You what?" There was real anger in his voice now.

"I was dying anyway," Adom said.

"Slowly. Painfully. And I couldn't do anything to help anyone else. So I chose to end it on my terms." His mother's eyes were bright with unshed tears.

"And then?"

"And then I met her. Death. She proposed a deal - come back, right the wrongs, save the world before it's too late." Adom looked between them.

"That's what I've been trying to do." His father's grip on his shoulder loosened, but he didn't let go.

"And you expect us to believe this." It wasn't a question. Adom could see his father's mind working, assessing.

"I can prove it." Before they could respond, Adom opened his inventory. The air seemed to ripple, and he pulled out two objects: the grimoire he'd received from Law and the golem, which unfolded to its full height, nearly brushing the top of the tent. His parents even didn't flinch. They'd seen strange things before. But they did stare, his father's eyes narrowing, his mother's widening.

"Mother," Adom said.

"Do you feel any mana from that dimensional space I just used?" She concentrated for a moment.

"No. Nothing."

"Because it's a gift from Death. Beyond the normal rules of magic." His father circled the golem cautiously.

"And this?"

"Found it in a cave. It's more sophisticated than any other golem in this world. I'd bet my life on that."

"You have, apparently," his father muttered, examining the golem's joints.

"The cave was just the beginning," Adom continued.

"There were trials, tests. This grimoire was left by Law Borealis there." His mother's head snapped up." The Law Borealis?"

"Yes. I'm still figuring that part out."

"And the white streak in your hair?" his father asked, returning to Adom's side.

"Trasmutation. I took a vampire's healing factor." There was no point hiding anything now. His mother reached out, hesitated, then touched the white streak gently.

"You've lived a whole life we know nothing about."

"Yes."

"Our son died," his father said slowly.

"And you... came back." Adom felt something cold settle in his stomach. This was what he'd feared - that they wouldn't see him as their son anymore.

"I'm still me," he said quietly.

"Just... more."

"Seventy-nine," his mother murmured.

"Older than either of us." His father was still watching him.

"If what you're saying is true, why would Death send you back? What's the goal?"

"To stop what's coming." Adom looked between them.

"The thing with the prince is just the beginning. There's something bigger happening. Something that ends with everyone dead."

"And you expect us to help you," his father said.

"I need you to help me," Adom corrected.

"I can't do this alone. I... I just can't." There was a long silence. His parents were looking at each other again, having another one of those silent conversations. Adom waited, his heart in his throat. This was the moment - they'd either believe him or they wouldn't. They'd either help him or... Or what? Send him to a mind healer? Lock him up for his own protection? Turn him over to the Empire as a heretic? Would they... would they do that to him? His mother broke the silence.

"How did we die? In your... other life." The question caught him off guard.

"What?"

"You said you watched us die. How did it happen?" Adom swallowed hard.

"There was a battle. Father was defending Kati against enemy forces. He... he took a killing spell while trying to help me get out of the rubble." His father nodded slightly, as if that made perfect sense.

"And you, Mother. You just... we were attacked by orcs in one of our camps." Adom looked at her, trying to not picture the memory.

"I... I did not make it in time. When I arrived, you were already gone." His mother's eyes closed briefly. Adom's eyes dropped to the ground. The tent filled with another silence so complete he could hear the blood rushing in his ears. No one spoke. No one moved. Doubt. More doubt. Had he made a mistake? He should have just lied. Found another way. Anything would be better than whatever this was - this horrible, stretching silence. He wished he could sprout wings and fly away, right through the tent ceiling.

Just vanish. He wished he never existed in the first place. How did they see him now? As some old stranger wearing their son's face? Did they regret coming to help him? Regret causing a near-rebellion for someone who wasn't even the boy they thought they knew? What have I done? Adom thought. This was it. The end of everything. A warm hand settled on his back. Adom looked up, startled, and found both his parents smiling at him. His father's hand moved from his back to ruffle his hair, messing it up completely.

"Never look down," his father said firmly.

"Always keep your chin up. You haven't done anything to be ashamed of, and we're certainly not going to treat you any differently." His mother grabbed his hand, squeezing it tightly. Adom's heart pounded against his ribs. These were exactly the words he'd needed. Exactly what he'd hoped for but been too afraid to expect.

"Listen to me," she said, looking directly into his eyes.

"Whether you're twelve, seventy-nine, or a million years old, we will always be your parents."

"But I-""No buts," she cut him off.

"Boy. You have spent nine months in my belly. We named you. We raised you. We know you better than you think, Adom Sylla. Don't you dare think we would ever stop being your parents." His father snorted.

"Not that we could even if we wanted to, anyway."

"Exactly." Maria weaved a quick spell with her fingers and poked his Arthur's shoulder with it, making him yelp.

"Ouch!" Arthur rubbed the spot where the tiny magical zap had stung him. A chuckle escaped Adom despite everything. His nose was running, and his eyes felt hot. God, this was so cheesy. He'd cried just yesterday, and now they were putting him through this again. His mother reached out and wiped a tear from his cheek with her thumb.

"Look at you, still crying just like when you were five and fell out of that apple tree." That broke something in him, and suddenly Adom was laughing through his tears.

"Thank you," he managed to say between breaths.

"I didn't... I wasn't sure..."

"That we'd believe you?" his father asked, eyebrow raised.

"Or that we'd still want you?"

"Both, I guess." Adom wiped his nose with his sleeve. His mother made a disapproving noise and handed him a handkerchief from somewhere in her robes.

"Use this, not your sleeve. Some things never change, apparently."

"Sorry," Adom muttered automatically, taking the handkerchief.

"So," his father said, leaning back and crossing his arms.

"You're technically older than both of us now."

"I suppose so."

"Hmm." His father pretended to think about this.

"Does this mean I can finally retire and make you handle all the paperwork?"

"Arthur!" his mother scolded, but she was fighting a smile.

"What? He's lived a whole lifetime. Surely he can manage the quarterly expense reports for the Iron Wolves." Adom found himself grinning.

"I'd rather face Death again, thanks." His father sighed dramatically.

"Worth a try." His mother rolled her eyes at both of them, but her hand was still holding Adom's, warm and solid and real.

"Thank you," Adom said again, quieter this time.

"For believing me. For... everything."

"We're your parents," his mother said simply.

"That's what we do." An awkward silence settled. His father suddenly sat up straighter, his expression shifting from warm to focused in an instant.

"We need a plan," Arthur said, rubbing his chin.

"The current situation is unstable at best."

"Dangerous at worst," his mother added. Adom nodded.

"Right. About that, I've been thinking." And so, he told them about Professor Kim, the weapon called Dragon's Breath, the Children of the Moon, and his plan to solve the situation. His mother's eyebrow inched higher with each detail, while his father's face remained carefully neutral, though his eyes narrowed slightly at the mention of certain strategies. When he finished, they were staring at him. Just... staring. Looking confused and lost.

"Did you listen to what I said?" Adom asked, uncertain. His father reached out, pressing a hand to Adom's forehead.

"Just checking."

"For what?" Adom laughed.

"Did you learn military strategy?" his father asked instead of answering.

"I had time to study—""This was so detailed!" his mother added.

"You managed to manifest Fluid through spite? Hah! That's my son!" his father pressed.

"He's just like your older brother."

"That he is! It seems you took more than just my brother's name, boy!" Arthur exclaimed. Adom opened his mouth, closed it, opened it again. They were barely letting him get a word in.

"Arthur," his mother suddenly beamed, squeezing his father's arm.

"I told you it was just a phase! See? He's normal!"

"Normal?" His father laughed, deep and genuine - a sound so rare that Adom almost jumped.

"Maria, the boy just outlined a better strategic plan than half my commanders could manage."

"Wait a minute," Adom held up his hands.

"What do you mean 'just a phase'?" His parents froze, exchanging another one of those looks.

"Oh, nothing bad," his mother said quickly.

"We just thought..." his father cleared his throat.

"Well, you didn't seem interested in..."

"People?" his mother offered.

"Or anything that wasn't written down," his father added.

"You were worried about my personality?"

"Well, you did spend an awful lot of time with those books—""Remember when he wouldn't leave his room for three days because he found that treatise on ancient runes?"

"Or that time he missed dinner because he was translating old scrolls?"

"I was researching ways to counter magical weapons, actually," Adom said, the memory suddenly clear.

"Looking for... well, looking for answers, I suppose. Even then."

"Of course, dear." His mother patted his hand. His father's expression turned serious.

"Speaking of concerning behavior. A dungeon, Adom? Do you have any idea how dangerous—" His mother burst out laughing.

"What?" His father frowned.

"Oh, that's rich coming from you," she wiped her eyes.

"Sir I'll-Start-A-Civil-War-Because-Someone-Won't-Answer-My-Questions."

"That was completely different—""Was it though?" Adom grinned.

"Technically, Father, this is all your fault. If you hadn't mobilized the Iron Wolves—""I was justified."

"Of course you were, dear," his mother patted his father's hand the same way she'd done to Adom.

"I was! They were stonewalling me, refusing to investigate—""So you thought the reasonable response was four hundred Star Knights?"

"It worked, didn't it?"

"Yes, brilliantly." Adom rolled his eyes.

"That's why we're hiding in a Veyshari tent avoiding a war." His father opened his mouth, closed it, then slumped.

"Your mother might have a point about the hot-headedness."

"Might?" Both Adom and his mother said in unison.

"Like father, like son?" his mother suggested innocently.

"I'm nothing like—" both Adom and his father started simultaneously, then stopped, looking at each other. His mother smiled triumphantly.

"Well, it took you seventy-nine years, but it seems the phase finally passed."

The snow crunched under their boots as they walked away from the camp. Dawn was breaking and the clouds were purple and gold over the beach. His father would need to leave soon - head back to his men, keep the Crown Prince busy with talks and negotiations. Buy time. They stopped at the edge of the beach, where sand met snow. Behind them, the camp was waking up, voices carrying on the wind along with the smell of breakfast fires. His mother stood beside them, adjusting her shawl against the morning chill.

"Did you grow up a bit?" his father asked suddenly, looking at him sideways. Adom chuckled.

"I might have." Arthur Sylla had never been one for long emotional moments - a quick hug, a hand on the shoulder, maybe a proud nod when Adom did well in his studies. But this... this and last night had lasted longer than any heart-to-heart they'd had in a while. Maybe part of it was because Adom had always buried himself in books instead of trying to bridge that gap. And now they wouldn't see each other again until everything was settled. If it got settled. The thought sat heavy in his chest, like a stone.

His father shifted his weight, cleared his throat.

"Maybe we should consider another approach. Something that doesn't put you in such-""Brainless swordsman," his mother cut in fondly, reaching for his father's hand.

"We need to trust him."

"I do trust him," his father protested.

"I just-""Worry?" Adom offered. His father's mouth twitched.

"You're not making it easy."

"When have I ever?"

"Fair point." His father looked out at the sea, then back at Adom.

"Just... be careful. More careful than me, at least."

"That's a low bar, dear," his mother said.

"I thought you were on my side?"

"I'm on the side of common sense, which you both seem to lack entirely." His father stepped closer, resting his forehead against Adom's. It was warm, strong.... Maybe a bit too strong. Almost a headbutt, actually.

"When this is all over," his father said quietly, "we'll catch up properly. But until then..." He pulled back, his hands heavy on Adom's shoulders.

"Don't take unnecessary risks. Keep your head down. Let Bob guide you - he's smarter than he looks." Adom chuckled.

"Bob will love hearing that."

"I'm serious. No heroics. No fighting if you can avoid it. And for heaven's sake, stay away from-""Arthur," his mother interrupted gently, touching his arm.

"The sun's getting high. You need to go." His father nodded, pulling her into a tight embrace before stepping back. He looked at them both for a long moment, then pulled his cloak tight and turned away. Adom watched until his father's figure disappeared into the snowy distance, just another shadow in the dawn light.

"I'm a bit surprised," Adom said finally.

"You're usually the more protective one." His mother smiled, linking her arm through his as they walked back to camp.

"Your father's hiding it well, but he's in a difficult position right now. He's always been like this - ever since we were young, if you can believe it. A brainless swordsman with no name or money to his name, rushing headfirst into trouble."

"Father? Really?"

"Oh yes. He pretends to be all calculated now, but he's always been the impulsive one. You know, he always managed to get out of trouble somehow, no matter how deep he was in it." She squeezed his arm.

"So don't worry too much, and don't feel burdened. None of this is your fault."

"I can do this," Adom said.

"I know I'm young, but-" She laughed.

"Young? Your father was twelve when we got stuck in our first dungeon." Adom stopped walking.

"Wait, what?"

"Oh yes. We couldn't stand each other back then. Made a bet that led us straight into trouble - your typical rank F dungeon, nothing too dangerous, but still." She grinned at his shocked expression.

"What, did you think we were always the responsible adults you know?"

"You and Father... hated each other?"

"Hate is a strong word. Let's say we had a fierce rivalry that involved a lot of shouting matches and one very unfortunate incident with a magical sheep."

"How have I never heard this story?"

"Well, you never asked." She tugged him along.

"Come on, I'll tell you all about how your father tried to impress me by challenging a mimic to a duel. And it didn't go well." Morning came with fresh snow and goodbyes. The Veyshari packed their breakfast away while children ran around, picking up forgotten items. Morgana was nowhere to be seen. For some reason, she had been very discreet since Adom's parents came. The cave looked different in daylight. Less menacing, more... well, cave-like.

Bob and Valiant waited outside while Adom retrieved the gold, The former not particularly eager to revisit the place. The latter just tired of anything that sounded like cave or tunnel. By midday, the streets were tense with activity. Soldiers patrolled in pairs, their armor gleaming in the winter sun and their red capes in the wind. Citizens hurried about their business, heads down, while merchants called their wares with forced cheer.

The Iron Wolves' presence was particularly heavy near the gates - a reminder that peace hung by a thread.

"Where exactly are we going again?" Valiant poked his head out of Adom's pocket.

"Blacksmith," Adom replied, keeping his voice low.

"I ordered some armor and gauntlets a while ago. Plus, the golem needs repairs before we can do anything else."

"Huh." Valiant's whiskers twitched.

"Speaking of doing things - where'd the leprechaun go?"

"To tell Sam about me."

"Sam?"

"A friend. You haven't met him, but I think you'd get along." Adom paused at a corner, letting a patrol pass.

"Say, you wouldn't happen to know where Eren lives, would you?"

"Uncle Cisco used to..." Valiant trailed off.

"My uncle, he took care of the children of the Undertow. Made sure they wouldn't fall in with groups like the Children. Helped them find ways out when he could." He paused.

"He always kept their information secret, wouldn't even write it down. Said it was safer that way, in case someone came looking."

"I'm sorry," Adom said quietly, understanding the past tense.

"Yeah." Valiant's whiskers drooped slightly.

"But we could ask around, carefully. Some of the old families might know something."

"That would help, yes." The smithy appeared ahead, steam rising from its doors in defiance of the cold. The rhythmic sound of hammer striking metal rang out - someone was hard at work. The warmth hitting their faces as they approached was a welcome change from the biting winter air. The door creaked open, letting in a blast of cold air. Inside, the forge's heat hit like a wall, making Adom's frozen face tingle. Through the steam and smoke, he spotted a familiar figure - short, with that unmistakable wavy red hair.

Fili was hammering away at something on his anvil, completely absorbed in his work.

"Excuse me?" Adom called out. Nothing. Just the steady bam, bam, bam of metal on metal.

"Excuse me!" Still nothing. Fili didn't even twitch, focused entirely on whatever he was crafting.

"How does he still have ears?" Valiant emerged from Adom's pocket, paws pressed against his own.

"Hey! Hey you!" Fili turned around, hammer still raised - and froze. His eyes went wide as dinner plates at the sight of the talking mouse.

"ARGH!"

"ARGH!" Valiant dove back into Adom's pocket so fast he nearly tore the fabric.

"What- how- there's a- it talked- but-" Fili stammered, backing into his anvil and nearly dropping his hammer.

"Fili, wait-" Adom pulled down his hood and unwrapped the cloth from his face.

"It's me." The hammer clattered to the floor. Fili stared at him, mouth slightly open, face going through several expressions in rapid succession.

"It is you..." he whispered. And then his face twisted into something Adom had never seen before - not on friendly, cheerful Fili. His eyes narrowed, his jaw clenched, and suddenly the small blacksmith looked about ready to throw someone through a wall.

"YOU!"