Paden and his uncle returned to a village full of worried people who heard the cry of the goblin. They reported to the guards who arrived to question them and they spread the word for people to not go into the forest and if they had to certainly not to do so alone. Paden received some looks from the villagers who saw him when he was out of it earlier and fought the urge to bury his head in the ground.

“So what do you plan on doing?” asked his uncle. The man observed his nephew carefully. Despite what he said earlier, he was mildly surprised an untrained youth could manifest miasma so easily.

“For now, I want to speak to Axel and Leanna before anything else,” replied Paden. His voice was steady. Despite his earlier reaction, the youth did not seem to distance himself from the man. His uncle smiled at this.

“The original plan was to retrieve you on your birthday in a week’s time but the business with the demon scouts has complicated things,” sighed the man.

“Didn’t help that I overreacted and ran away, did it?” joked Paden faintly. His uncle looked back at him with a grin.

“Marie would probably be unwilling but we can continue our conversation tomorrow after you have had time to talk to Axel. For now, we should show ourselves at the lord’s manor. No doubt those two have heard the goblin and all sorts of ideas are floating about their heads.”

The two continued on to the lord’s manor and returned to the sitting room. Axel was still there and looked at Paden return with relief shown on his face. His uncle’s wife, Marie, rushed to Paden and gave him a big hug which surprised him as they had only met once and was unsure why she was so attached, another question for tomorrow.

Marie looked like she wanted to tell Paden something but her husband held her back and shook his head. Paden quietly left with Axel and returned home so they could talk. There was an awkward silence as the two returned home and Axel was feeling very apprehensive about Paden. The boy had not spoken to him at all since returning.

Paden entered their home to Leanna who rushed and hugged him upon his entering. She had heard from the neighbors Paden was in the forest when the cry of the goblin was heard and was relieved that he was safe. Paden stood still as the woman emotionally cried her heart out and told him how sick with worry she was. Axel stood at the side with a wry smile.

“So what’s on your mind?” asked Axel finally.

“How long have you both known?” Paden finally asked.

Axel sighed as he looked at his wife. “Since before your mother’s death.” Paden inhaled deeply. Axel looked off distantly as he recalled that time. “When she fell ill, she contacted me through Leanna. She knew she didn’t have much time. She asked me to contact your father.”

“So why did my aunt and uncle show up and not him?! Where has he been?! Where was he when mom DIED?!” asked Paden in anger as he smacked the table with his fist.

Leanna and Axel looked at one another startled. The boy had always been so calm. They were both shocked to see he held such deep down resentment for his father. They wondered how they missed this for so long. If they knew, perhaps they would have talked to him sooner.

“Son, it’s a long story I don’t fully understand. All I know is that your father is missing.” Axel looked straight into Paden’s eyes. “He’s been missing since before you were born.”

“I don’t understand.”

“I don’t either. Believe me. I was shocked when I learned of your father’s identity. You need to talk to your aunt and uncle if you want more.” Axel sat silent. “I couldn’t get hold of your old man but as luck would have it, I did know the man who married his sister, Marie. Weillin is an old buddy of Gerard, Eber and I from our days in the military.”

“Took some time to contact him,” continued Axel. “By that time your mother had died and we had taken you in. Met him in Avery and handed over your mother’s letter and your father’s signet ring to confirm your identity. Marie wanted to bring you in then but Weillin would have nothing of it.”

“Why?” asked a confused Paden. Why not take him in then? Why the long wait? Did this have to do with his father? Who was he?

“Dunno. Weillin didn’t tell me.” Paden frowned hearing that. This wasn’t missed by Axel. “I trust Weillin. You can too, Paden. He is a good man. If he saw fit to wait, then there was valid reason to do so.”

Paden still wasn’t convinced but let it rest. He would get answers from Weillin tomorrow. He looked at Axel to continue.

“Well, you know the rest. Took you in almost for four years now. Demon scouts appeared so Weillin upped the date and here we are,” finished Axel.

“So what happens now? What if I don’t want to leave you and Leanna?” asked Paden with slight tears in his eyes. His voice was slightly choked up and his gaze was lowered. He really did not wish to leave them. They were as much family to him as anyone now.

Leanna started crying again when she heard his words, overwhelmed with emotion. She had loved Paden like her own and didn’t want to part with him. She had argued with Axel on this point despite what grand things awaited Paden in the future. He was still her little boy as far as she was concerned. She hugged Paden fiercely as she sobbed. The two men were at a loss as to how to continue.

“I don’t think you have to worry about leaving us anytime soon,” grinned Axel as Leanna began to calm. “Talked to Weillin earlier before I got you. Had a nice long chat seeing as how things have changed compared to four years ago. You were not the only one who didn’t feel like parting, son. Seeing as how we were planning to leave the village anyway, Weillin has accepted our group to his territory,” Axel told the boy as if it were a mere afterthought with a grin.

Paden was happy with the turn of events and would thank his aunt and uncle. However, he felt Axel’s casual explanation at the end should have been told at the beginning. He began to suspect the man had done so intentionally. Some rebellious thoughts began to circle in his mind as he determined that some form of payback was warranted.

“So what happens from here on?” asked Paden.

“We go back with Weillin in a week’s time. Eber, Gerard and I got work in his manor training and working as guards. The rest of the group will have some help finding jobs in the town or the neighboring village they grow crops at and help with housing. Seeing as how you have magic, Weillin and Marie probably have ideas of their own,” Axel honestly expressed.

“Or you can marry one of the girls and settle down,” piped Leanna. This earned a disgruntled look from Axel which was not missed by the woman who looked at him back. “I know you have some notion that he’ll go off and be some hero but I think it’s better for him to settle down.”

“You mean safer,” Axel told her withholding the desire to scoff.

“What’s wrong with safe? Not all boys are destined for some great cause. Why should he risk his life?” asked Leanna angrily.

It was rare for the couple to argue but they had often come to blows about Paden. Axel was a soldier and felt young boys should go out and experience the world. Leanna felt differently. She thought it was too dangerous and he would never come back.

“I think I want to learn more about magic,” Paden voiced steadily. He had become somewhat fearful and curious about his gift. If he learned to control it, he could better protect his family. He also felt that lacking such control could endanger them as well.

Leanna looked at Paden worriedly. Axel seemed to sense this and put a hand over her shoulder as he spoke to her.

“Not like he would leave us so soon. He would learn with Weillin and Marie. Even if he went away, it’s not like we wouldn’t see him again,” Axel reasoned.

“Leanna, you and Axel are not like family but family to me. I promise I won’t go gallivanting into demon armies like some hero drunk child. I will always return and see you,” smiled the boy. Leanna once again hugged her boy in delight at his feelings. Paden rarely voiced his feelings so hearing him say they were family to him meant a lot to her.

“So how do you feel ‘bout all of this,” asked Axel curiously. He had been surprised when Weillin brought him back but the boy didn’t look like he had been forced. He was slightly curious about what happened in the forest.

“Exhausted. Feel like too much has been dropped all at once. A sudden appearance of a long lost aunt and uncle. Mystery surrounding my father. Turns out I am related to nobility. I have magic. If there was a chance I’d lose you, Leanna and the girls too, I don’t know how I’d go on,” admitted the youth. He felt a squeeze of assurance from Leanna and gently smiled.

“Wait ‘til you hear about your father,” grinned Axel receiving a look from Paden.

“Do tell then,” asked Paden. He didn’t quite like the smug look on Axel’s face and was still miffed about Axel letting him think he was being taken back by his blood relatives and he would never see them again.

“Nope. I could not possibly rob Weillin and Marie the chance to see the look on your face when you hear. Nope. Just wait ‘til tomorrow,” denied the man somewhat childishly. Leanna looked at the two and stifled a laugh. She of course knew who his father was.

The situation exploded when Mary and the rest of the girls ran into the house. They had just heard about Paden being in the forest when the goblin’s screech was heard. Unfortunately, no one had bothered to tell them he had returned safely, so the four ran all the way home looking for their father.

They were in tears as they came in alarming Axel and the rest. The girls hadn’t even noticed Paden at the table until they were halfway done. The twins seeing Paden instantly rushed him while they were in tears. Paden was touched and smiled wryly at the twins who were still in his arms.

The rest of the day, the two would not leave his side and he was resigned to sitting on the sofa for the rest of the evening as the two hugged him. The two even sat next to him for dinner. Even as bed time approached, they still would not leave him so he ended up taking the two girls to his room and told them stories like he promised. The three ended up sleeping in his room that night under the soft gazes of their parents.