31 Reunion

Outskirts of Backlund, Loen Kingdom.

Klein accepted the Creeping Hunger from Mr. Azik after questioning him about the circumstances. 'So, Queen Mystic is Bernadette Gustav! That is an awful coincidence...Ince Zangwill escaped; what a pity...thinking on this, what is the truth behind this entire event...I have a feeling Bernadette found out, maybe even Mr. Azik too…"

Azik passed the flesh glove to him and looked like he was about to say something but something seemed to have captured his attention, making him turn and look in the direction of the Berserk Sea.

"What happened, Mr. Azik?" Klein immediately questioned.

Azik, on the other hand, had slipped into a rueful trance. "Lucien Eggers..." he murmured to himself, his black eyes slowly filling with realisation.

'Lucien Eggers? Who is that?' Klein pondered. 'Could he be related to—' his musings were cut short by a soothing voice.

"You called, father?"

Klein drew back instinctively, looking ahead in disbelief as someone emerged in front of them.

He was a young man with a bronze complexion and a well-chiselled physique. His black hair was short and curly, emitting a darkness only nothingness could match. His eyes were platinum silver and glittered like the argent moon at night. He was dressed in dark robes embroidered with gold threads. But these were not his most noticeable features; rather, six pairs of metallic-coloured wings emerged grimly from behind his back.

'An Angel...' Klein was alarmed and shocked, but he concentrated on the number of wings behind the angel's back. 'No, an Archangel! And did "He" just refer to Mr. Azik as "His" father?!'

The Archangel in question, most likely Lucien Eggers, focused his silver eyes on Klein, and beneath his gaze, Klein felt stripped, as if all of his secrets were laid bare for the Archangel to see and witness, and sweat began to flow down his cheeks.

"Leave us, Klein Moretti." Lucien stated bluntly. "And I will overlook the fact that you are still alive."

To be honest, Klein wasn't surprised that the Archangel had discovered his identity or even the fact that he had been revived, but what truly worried him was whether the grey fog had been discovered by him as well. Thinking about that possibility alone nearly collapsed his clown mask, but he somehow managed to pull himself together and looked at Azik in question and worry.

Azik had been fixated on Lucien ever since he emerged, his eyes brimming with a myriad of emotions, but as Klein gazed at him, he said, "It's fine, Klein." He softly nodded. "Leave us."

Klein gave Azik one last look but found nothing but acceptance and determination, so he nodded and walked away from them as quickly as he could.

Azik and Lucien stood together, watching Klein vanish into the dense woodland towards the Backlund.

"Do you have to spook him like that, son?" Azik asked, finally breaking the silence between them.

"I wasn't spooking him." Lucien shrugged, side-glancing his father. "You know, father, I am the Reaper, and it is my responsibility. He had once escaped from my hands, and I am confident he will do it again."

"Ah." Azik gave a faint smile. "You won't go after him if he really did that, will you?"

"Klein Moretti is a very special soul." Lucien said, his gaze somewhere far away. "But he doesn't belong to me."

"Who does he belong to, then?" Azik asked quietly.

"Mysteries." Lucien revealed, his voice low and faint, almost a whisper in the dark.

"Mysteries…" Azik repeated, his eyes sweeping with realisation once again. "Oh, that answers a lot of questions, but if what you said is true, he's in for a terrible path..."

Lucien said nothing to that, merely gazing ahead at the foggy Backlund in repose.

"I am sorry…" Azik suddenly said, turning and facing his son.

Lucien stated quietly. "Don't be."

"How can you say that?" Azik said ruefully, closing his eyes. "I abandoned you, Lucien."

"Father, you did what you had to do." Lucien looked him in the eyes. "I don't blame you for it."

Azik felt a sharp pain in his chest. Even though his son said that, it did not alleviate his guilt but rather worsened it. "You already know it." He stated factually.

"Yes." Lucien nodded faintly. "I am aware of your problem and the underlying cause. Even I know your true identity, father..." he trailed into silence.

At that, Azik took a breath, his tense eyes flickering at the metallic wings of his son. "You are an archangel. Son, what have you been through in these years?"

"Honestly, father, not as much as you think," Lucien said wryly.

"Don't dismiss it all like that." Azik scolded gently.

Lucien merely chuckled, gazing forward at the world as the winds rustled his dark hair.

"Lucien, look at me." Azik commanded, and Lucien did so, titling his head at his father. "I know that even though I am your father, I might as well be a stranger to you after what I did…."

"Father…" Lucien wanted to argue.

"No, son." Azik cut him off abruptly. "I abandoned you, and yes, I had my reasons, but that doesn't change the fact that what I did was wrong. I robbed you of a home and a normal childhood."

Lucien pressed his lips into a thin line. "My life wasn't all that bad." He spoke slowly in reminiscence. "There were struggles and hurdles here and there, but what is life without them?" He looked into the eyes of his father, "So, father, please don't you blame yourself. What had happened had happened. Nothing can change that. All we can do is make sure we do right by our mistakes from now on."

Azik sighed—a heavy and sorrowful sigh. "You've matured into a fine young man. I may have missed out on everything in your life, but at least let me say this: I couldn't be prouder of you, Lucien."

Lucien immediately stood still in his place, turning away from his father. "Enough about me now; let's focus on you, father."

Azik merely smiled in amusement and ruefulness.

Lucien fixed his glare at Azik, making him finally drop his smile. "Fine, fine.." he still chuckled lightly. "But it is great to know that your emotions aren't just a mask…"

"They never were, father." Lucien admitted silently. "Anyway, I am actually here to take you back home."

"Home?" Azik looked at Lucien deeply. "Where would that be?"

"The southern continent." Lucien answered. "You don't belong here, father; you never did."

"The only reason you still walk freely is because you had value to Evernight Goddess, but with me here, not anymore…"

"Evernight Goddess?" Azik raised his brows in question and surprise.

"Have you ever considered why, despite the Church of the Evernight Goddess knowing about your specialness, they never make an effort to capture you and let you always stay one step ahead of them?" Lucien inquired, tilting his head at his father.

"But why?" Azik inquired, confused, after a moment of contemplative silence. "What am I to a God?"

"Now don't underestimate yourself, father." Lucien revealed. "Your true identity is unique—I mean, truly unique—someone who can change an entire world with their choices."

Azik once again fell into a contemplative silence, mulling over the revelation. "But, son, you are still not telling me the truth." He ultimately said to Lucien.

"That's because we are running on short notice." Lucien said, looking up at the golden sun, which was gradually beginning to shine brighter and brighter. "I know this is too abrupt, too hasty, but you need to make a choice immediately, father."

"Is someone on your tail?" Azik asked.

"Yes." Lucien said, extending his hand to his father. "Eternal Blazing Sun."

Azik peered at Lucien but only found sombreness and severeness; then, without hesitation, he grasped his hand, and immediately, they plunged into pallets of colours that were the spirit world. "Can you at least tell me what you did to draw the ire of a god?"

"Not a god, but gods. I will tell you everything once we are at home, father," Lucien said as they zoomed through the spirit realm at unfathomable speeds.

Azik hummed compliantly, even though he was still very curious, worried, and vexed about all that had happened to his son. His emotions were a complete jumble, to be honest.

"But before leaving, we have to pick up someone." Lucien suddenly said, exiting the spirit world along with his father to descend into a carriage on the borders of Intis and Loen.

Within the carriage was Bernadette Gustav, who was still trying to recover from all that had happened. The requirements for the ritual of the sage were completed, but she hadn't tried to advance immediately considering her unstable state. There was also the possibility of interference from the Hidden Sage.

"Bernadette Gustav?" A half-surprised voice sounded before her, prompting her to look up in tension and guard, which reduced as she saw who the intruders were. It was still somewhat surprising to see them together, but considering they were essentially from the same family, it seemed reasonable enough.

Lucien extended his other hand to the Queen Mystic. "We need to leave." He stated. "There is no place for you in the Northern Continent anymore."

"What do you mean?" Bernadette snapped her weary eyes at the Reaper.

Lucien merely pointed at the carriage window, and Bernadette followed him with caution, looking outside the carriage. What caught her attention was the sun, blazing and searing in high heavens, and immediately, her clairvoyant senses revealed to her what could happen next: the blazing sun expanded in her vision until it filled everything.

And she closed her eyes, blood seeping out from them, but she ignored that and grabbed Lucien's hand tightly.

Then they disappeared from the northern continent, diving into the depths of the spirit world.

"What about now, son?" Azik asked, giving into his worry and curiosity.

Bernadette stilled at his words, but she gathered her thoughts to focus on Lucien rather than the fact that the Death Counsel was the Reaper's father, as she had an intuitive sensation that Lucien's answer would be very important, but if she had to put a precise word on it, it would be epochal. She just hoped it would explain why she would attract the attention of the Evernight Goddess and the Eternal Blazing Sun in a single day.

"I liberated the southern continent." Lucien spoke calmly, as if he were discussing everyday issues.

And their reactions were truly a sight to behold.