3 Pained memories

Allen, as he looked into the mirror, smiled at the burst of fun memories he had with his new parents in his new life. Having been an orphan in his previous life, he was naturally happy to have a family that he cherished.

However, as this memory crept in, the once joyous smile on his face faded, replaced by a gaze full of grief and pain. Memories flooded his consciousness once again, and in the next moment, he couldn't control the torrent of memories from the past that he had once sworn to lock down.

On a fateful evening, just like every other day, Clark, who had taken leave from work to recuperate from the stress he faced, watched as Lisa busied herself with chores, cleaning even the minutest of things.

Allen, at this time, had just arrived from school not too long ago. In his room, he had undressed ready to take a shower to cool off and relax.

The moment went on with a show of love and a perfect family, with Allen planning to invite a friend of his, Jackie, for a sleepover he had critically planned to maximize the amount of fun they could have.

However, at that particular moment, a critical phone call came in. Clark, who had been reading an E-Newspaper, a holographic screen containing the latest information, suddenly heard his phone ring. It was something he had not anticipated for the day. At that moment, he had the thought of ignoring the phone, unwilling to ruin his day off, but his gaze unexpectedly went towards who it might be. Just then, he noticed who had been calling his phone.

"Systemholders association? It's been a while," he muttered silently, but the thought suddenly clicked. The association doesn't call unless it's an emergency, he thought in turmoil.

Hurriedly, he stood to his feet, as quickly as he could, taking the phone from the table and quickly answering what he expected to be an emergency.

"Hello, is this Sentinel Clark?" the voice sounded across the phone, confirming his identity in a hurry. The voice belonged to a female, sounding panicked as if in a hurry to declare something.

"Yes, it's me," he affirmed, his gaze turning serious almost instinctively, a foreboding feeling washing over him as he felt uneasy, almost as if danger lurked closer by the minute.

"Sentinel, all capable fighters have been summoned," she relayed hurriedly, her fear and panic evident in every word she said, which got Clark to wonder.

"What's the reason for the summons?" he asked, his voice calm as he had already deduced what had caused such levels of panic and fear, even when she wasn't in immediate danger.

"Monster...tide," she replied in broken words. Clark, having guessed this, did not show too much panic, but his body still reacted a bit in shock, which died down the next moment. A monster tide being something every systemholder feared.

"Oh," he expressed as he recognized the reason for her fear. This sparked memories of the friends he had lost a few years in the past due to a monster tide, and now it seemed he might not be able to avoid the same fate.

"What class?" he inquired hopefully, as depending on the level of the monster tide, death rate and casualties could be reduced by a large margin, which was what he hoped for.

"Sentinel, it's a Crimson class monster tide," the woman announced. Clark, who heard this, sighed heavily, his thoughts in turmoil as he wondered and pondered about the possible outcomes of the monster tide. Silently, he accepted the possibility of dying in the process.

A Crimson class monster tide being a monster tide which is led by multiple S-rank monsters along with numerous pseudo-warriors of all sorts, with the majority of the monsters ranging from A to C.

In such a beast tide, many systemholders won't be able to help but become cannon fodder, instruments to slow down the charges of the fearless monsters.

Lisa had gone to Allen's room to relay the news to him but, she knew they couldn't spend much time to linger on hearfelt matters.

"Lisa!" Clark called, knowing they both had to reply to the summons as fast as possible, though he wished he could ignore it, but the consequences of doing such were too great.

Lisa walked out of Allen's room, with teary eyes, while Allen stood there trying to comprehend the results of them going to the frontlines. A foreboding feeling clung to him as he felt the need to persuade them.

Lisa had quickly equipped her mage robe and proper equipment, with Clark wearing a knight-like armor with dark flame inscriptions etched into its frame.

"Do you really have to go?" Allen's voice trembled with frustration as he clung desperately to his newfound family, his heart heavy with the looming threat of the monster tide. It was a danger that spared no one, regardless of their strength or the system they wielded.

Clark's stoic facade cracked slightly, his features betraying the turmoil within, but he remained resolute, refusing to offer a response.

Lisa, unable to contain her emotions any longer, succumbed to the overwhelming weight of maternal love.

"Sweetheart, we'll be fine," Lisa's voice quivered with unshed tears as she tried to reassure Allen, though the fear in her eyes belied her words.

Unable to hold back any longer, she sank to her knees, pulling Allen into her embrace as tears streamed down her cheeks, her efforts to remain composed crumbling in the face of impending danger.

"Please don't go, I beg of you," Allen's plea escaped his lips involuntarily, his surprise at his own vulnerability quickly drowned by tears.

Despite his status as a reincarnator, the mental limits of his ten-year-old self proved insurmountable, his heart torn between fear and longing.

"I wish we could stay," Lisa's voice cracked with anguish, her maternal instincts warring against the necessity to protect the city for Allen's safety.

The weight of leaving her child behind, with the ominous possibility of never returning, was a burden she could barely bear.

"It's not like we have a choice," she said with a slight chuckle, however, her facade broke, her heart hurting in a pang of unrecognized pain. A feeling she had never felt before. She broke the hug and looked at him in the eyes.

"Then stay," Allen pleaded, his desperation evident in his voice as he clung to the fleeting hope of keeping his family by his side.

But his words only elicited a tighter embrace from Lisa, her tears a silent testament to the agony of their situation.

"It's not that simple," Lisa forced a smile through her tears, her laughter tinged with sorrow as she struggled to maintain composure.

Yet, beneath her façade, a torrent of unfamiliar emotions raged within her, a piercing ache she couldn't comprehend. Breaking free from the embrace, she met Allen's gaze with an intensity that mirrored her inner turmoil.

"There are some things you should know," Lisa struggled to say through her tears, her voice trembling with difficulty. "Make sure to eat properly," she managed to choke out amidst sobs, her maternal instincts pouring out in a torrent of emotion. "Find a girl who likes you in return," she continued, her words laced with a mother's love and worry. "Don't make bad friends."

But before she could say more, Clark's interruption cut through the emotional haze. "Lisa!" he called out urgently, his voice commanding attention.

"We have to go now," he declared, his tone leaving no room for argument as the impending danger loomed ever closer.

"My darling, I love you and will always love you," Lisa whispered to Allen, her words heavy with a mother's undying affection.

Reluctantly, against every fiber of her being, she released her hold on his arm, the warmth of their connection dissipating with each passing moment.

Allen felt a profound sense of loss wash over him, as if a piece of his heart had been torn away with her departure.

As Clark caught up with Lisa and entered the vehicle without a backward glance, aware that any lingering look might weaken their resolve to leave, he felt a pang of guilt at the thought of leaving Allen without any last words.

With a heavy heart, Clark finally allowed himself to shed the armor of emotional restraint, memories of the little baby Allen once was flooding his mind. Despite his initial reluctance, he approached Allen, who was taken aback by his unexpected gesture.

Kneeling before him, the resonance of his metal armor echoing in the air, Clark's voice cracked with emotion as he addressed Allen. "Son," he began, the words weighted with paternal affection and regret.

"Hold strong, my son, for this world spares no weaklings," Clark advised, his voice heavy with the weight of their circumstances, knowing that these words were all he could offer in this moment of departure.

His throat tightened with a pain he had only felt once before, when he had lost his own mother.

Inwardly, he scoffed at his own vulnerability, grappling with the unfamiliar sensation of emotional turmoil. "Is this how it feels?" he muttered to himself helplessly, his thoughts consumed by the gravity of their parting.

Unable to resist any longer, he pulled Allen into a tight embrace, tears cascading down his cheeks.

But before the tears could touch the ground, dark flames erupted from Clark's eyes, incinerating them before they fell.

With a heavy heart, he released his son from his embrace, knowing that they had to part ways for now, for the sake of their survival.

"Goodbye, my son, make me proud in heaven," Clark's final words hung heavily in the air as he reluctantly released Allen, his own resolve faltering in the face of their separation. Allen's legs grew weak, his heart heavy with the weight of their parting.

As Clark made his way to the vehicle, the doors sealing shut behind him, Lisa couldn't bring herself to meet her son's gaze, her own heart breaking at the sight of his helpless state.

"No, please, Mom, Dad, don't go!" Allen's desperate plea echoed through the air, his voice filled with anguish and desperation as the vehicle dashed off into the distance, the blaring alarm of the city serving as a grim reminder of the impending danger.

"Don't go," Allen whispered, reaching out futilely in a desperate attempt to stop their departure, his heart wrenching with the agonizing realization that he was powerless to change their fate.

As the vehicle disappeared into the distance, Allen's pleading gaze met his mother's, silently begging for a reprieve.

But Lisa, unable to bear the weight of her son's desperate plea, could only turn away, her heart heavy with the burden of their separation.

In that poignant moment, the last rays of sunlight faded beneath the horizon, casting a shadow over the world. The once calm clouds began to release their pent-up liquid, a gentle rain falling upon Allen, drenching him to the bone.

Yet, amidst the chilling downpour, Allen felt no cold; only a searing pain in his heart as he watched his parents vanish into the distance, leaving him alone in the gathering darkness.