Chapter 11

My Transformation

(that time I was lost in the ruins of an underground city PART 5)

I’d never felt so ashamed in all my lives. My father stood waiting for the others to leave, feeding Gob who rested on his shoulder now, his two-hander sheathed over his back as he tended to a wound on his arm. It looked like the Chernobog Golem had managed to scrape his arm just before he sliced it in half. I was still amazed at my father’s strength. This had been the first time I saw him go all out, it was no wonder that he had a hard time training me. Holding back so much power could not have been easy for him. It was very possible he might have been stronger than I was in my other life. My father was a warrior through and through and yet he was forced to survive like everyone else. Had he lived a few centuries ago he would have been hailed as a great hero, a warrior of the ages. Here he was a leader, a hunter, salvaging what he could so that the community could survive. Could I really live up to his expectations of me?

As the last of the convoy that came to rescue us began their walk back to Haven my father nodded and smiled. Shaking hands, hugging several after his wound was completely wrapped. I stayed silent, sitting on the ground behind him eating some rations and drinking water from my canteen. I had no idea what punishment awaited me. The only thing I knew for certain was my hands were shaking.

My father breathed a long sigh as the last left into the woods. We had wandered far from Haven, a lot farther than I imagined. Turning towards me, my father began to smile.

“Ajax told me that you stole his knife, killed an Arachnid,” he said. His voice was stern.

“I didn’t mean to steal, I just…”

“No excuses, you did what you had to do. You saved both of them. Ajax said that you wanted to stay put, wait for help. I am sorry for sounding so angry with you,” my father apologized. It was unexpected. Reaching his hand out I grabbed hold of it. Standing up beside my father I realized just how small I really was. I had shown a lot of courage fighting the Arachnids in the ruins, even standing my ground against the golem. My father knew I wasn’t some ordinary child and I sometimes wondered if I could tell him the truth. Tell him that I remembered my past life. The stories I could share with him if he knew… maybe someday. If I did would he see me as his child still? Growing up before I was an orphan. Now, I had more four moms and a dad. I couldn’t risk giving that up. I didn’t want my father to think of me as a stranger, besides I still had a lot to learn about this world. This was my second chance at growing up, second chance at a childhood. I could be better than I was before. Live a life where I helped others.

Saving Ajax and Pan from the Arachnid, it felt good. I felt better about myself. Even as scared as I was seeing the golem I knew I had to stand my ground, I had to find my friends. They would have done the same for me. The community inside Haven, Ajax, Pan, my mothers, my father, and all the others; they were my guild now. Finding out what happened to Rak, if he was alive in this world would have to wait. Not that I didn’t try to think about how to find him but for all I knew he was reincarnated without memories of his past life. My new mission in life would be to be the best person I can be in this horrible awful world.

“Our island is unlike anywhere else in the world. For years we have been doing what we can to make these Isles a safe place for survivors. Despite the work we’ve done outside the walls are many enemies. We didn’t even know about this temple until a few weeks ago. Never imagined there would be tunnels under our compound leading straight to it. Somehow, everything always seems connected. We were lucky,” my father said.

Island? Isles? I never thought about it but what if Haven was inside the Isles of the Abyss.

“Dad, do we live inside the Isles of the Abyss?” I asked.

My father raised his eyebrow, “Sudra been telling you ghost stories again?” he asked.

“No, I just…”

“This place use to be called that. Thousands of years ago. In fact, that is why we named you for Kai, Kaeya Bearborn, for one of the greatest heroes this island has ever known. A selfless warrior who gave his life.”

I thought about cutting him off, telling him the truth. What good that would have done? The past didn’t matter. I was a fool facing down the elder dragon and the only reason I had killed it instead of the other way around was because of blind luck, because it forgot to chew its food.

My father continued, “Now, the island has no name. During the first calamities. Before the fall. These islands use to be filled with monsters until they were hunted to near extinction. It was easier to face down a giant lizard than it was a horde of demons raising the dead.”

“But what about the Kudlak?” I asked.

“The Kudlak controls this island but also territory to the north and the great deserts to the east,” my father said. I could tell something was bothering him as he clenched his fist and it wasn’t hard to put things together on my own. Haven wasn’t just a safe haven, it was a preserve. We were surviving but not thriving. The Kudlak had us cornered. It was no wonder my father had to continuously venture out.

It was time to change the subject.

“Did they tell you I managed to shape shift,” I started to smile.

“They did. And I can see,” he rubbed my ears. I’d almost completely forgotten I couldn’t control it yet. “Your mothers will be proud. However, you must learn control. You can’t go wandering off on your own,” he lectured. I knew he was right but what was I supposed to do. I guess I could have refused to walk alongside Ajax and Pan but truth was I trusted him. I believed he was right when he said we could find another way out. I didn’t expect us to be in such danger though I should have known better.

“I’m sorry,” I said tilting my head downward.

“You’re alive, that is what matters. Now, we have a journey ahead of us, how are you feeling?”

I wasn’t quite sure how to answer that. Journey? Surely he meant the journey home.

“I’m ready to get back,” I began.

“First we have a quest, a simple one. Let it be your first,” my father smiled. Quests were what my father called his missions outside Haven.

“Quest?” I turned my head upwards. I was curious now. What did my father have planned?

“You lost Ajax’s knife. We should get it back for him.”

I looked back at the cave. I was hesitant to agree to anything but nodded my head anyway. I had to get stronger. What better way than to train with the best warrior in Haven, my father. He was smirking as we entered back inside the cave. Looking at his eyes reminded me of my guild mates. A look similar to the one we had facing the dragon.

Father like son, neither of us could refuse the call of adventure.