The two elves sat down on the bed. Sweat dripped from their foreheads as neither of them knew how to start. Glavas' eyes momentarily stopped on the door leading into the common room. How simple would it be to just leave? To take the children and walk away? No, it wouldn't be simple. Quite the opposite. It would be the hardest and worst decision he could make.

The hunter sighed and rubbed his four fingers with his thumb in one smooth motion. A couple of small coins made of dark brown metal appeared out of thin air and gently drifted into his palm. "Here, I want you to have them," said Glavas and pushed his hand closer to Glint.

"What? Your Faith? Why?"

"I have no use for it. It doesn't really have any value outside of Elkif and... well, you and mom can probably use it a lot more."

Glint eyed the coins for a moment before finally taking them. With a quick rub, they disappeared once again. "Thank you. But... why so suddenly?"

"Let's just say I've grown to hate our currency a bit more."

"Something happened with the priest?"

"Yeah, you could say that." Glavas leaned backward and braced himself with his arms as he looked into the smooth gray ceiling. "You know, the Unodes could actually become independent. You could just go and found a new city. Create a currency that isn't... well, this. One that doesn't exist in limited quantity and doesn't try to govern itself."

"Glavie... I already told you before. We can't do that. Faith was a gift from our goddess. In the old times, there was more than enough of it for everyone. Only after generations of more and more elves appearing did the people start having less and less."

"So? Screw the goddess! She's not worth it!"

"Glavas!"

The young elf straightened his back. "Oh... Right, yeah, I know. I should respect the religions and beliefs of others."

"Exactly. Besides, I didn't bring you here to discuss theology. Or to talk about our troubling financial situation."

"I know. Guess I just wanted to avoid this." Glavas sighed and ran his palms across his face from top to bottom.

"You got something you want to tell me? I can see it. Something's been gnawing at you ever since you arrived."

"Yeah. I... umm... I wanted to say sorry for everything I did in the past." The young elf gripped the bedsheet under him with enough strength that one quick motion would tear it apart. "After Sizzy... After what I did to her, I didn't know what to do or how to process it. I was lost. And instead of facing it, I ran. I just ran and kept running on and on and on. I wanted to cut ties will everyone. Including you. I thought that it would be for the better. That I should just disappear from the lives of the people I hurt. And I did just that. I kept on moving. Going from place to place, living the life I wanted. I never made a single friend, never traveled with anyone else, and never stayed in place for long. But... it was wrong. I was hurting you, mom, Sizzy, and everyone who knew me. You were all worried and I... I came back but... I didn't know what to do. So I left again. And I kept coming back over and over, hoping that during one of those visits, I would finally find the courage to apologize. But I never did. I spent decades just hurting you."

Glint raised his arm and gently placed it around his son's shoulder. "I can't blame you. Truth is... yes, when you left, your mom and I were not doing well. If you died somewhere out there, we wouldn't even know. And so when you came back, we just wanted to make everything perfect for you. We never talked about what happened or actually asked why you left. And..." he paused for a while. "Remember what I told you when you came back?"

"That I should give up on being a hunter. That it is too dangerous. That you don't want me to throw my life away."

"I said that because I couldn't quite say what I actually wanted. I just... I wanted you to stay. Back then, I should've just said it like that. But instead, I tried to persuade you to give up on your dream entirely. We didn't talk about the actual problems, or what we actually wanted. We just kinda... put on masks."

"Yeah..."

"But now you're here! And we are finally talking about these issues! You mended things between you and Sizzy, you finally found companions, and you opened up. That's fantastic! It seems to me like my son came back a different man."

"Hehe, yeah, things sure changed."

"For the better?"

"Hmm... Yeah, I'd say so. Everything is unknown and kinda scary right now with the demon on my back and kids to take care of, but... well, that's also kinda exciting. Not gonna lie, I'm feeling pretty happy." Glavas smiled.

"I can see that. You are a lot more of your cheerful self. That's the side of you we've usually only seen during a really good dinner." Glint smiled back and lay down on the bed. "I can die peacefully now. You found your way of life and maybe with it, your happiness as well. My goal is done, the city knows how to make houses for newcomers, and, honestly, everything worked out well in the end. Happy ending and all that."

"I'm glad. Hopefully, your journey up to the moon will be a peaceful one."

"Ah, I'm sure about that. Wonder what the place looks like. Or what the goddess is like. If I even get to meet her."

"Guess you'll just have to wait and see."

"Heh, yup, that's true. Oh! Actually, speaking of the Extinguishing, mind fetching me my robe from the wardrobe? I wanna make sure there aren't too many stains on it for tomorrow. After all, I wouldn't want to approach the goddess in dirty clothes. And white really shows every stain."

Glavas got up and headed over to the beautifully carved wooden wardrobe. Its doors opened with a loud squeak and he quickly glanced over the few present sets of clothing.

"Umm... doesn't mom have it? It's not here."

"Keep looking, I'm sure it's there."

"Nah, I don't see anything white here."

"Come on, Glavie, the robe is there."

"No, I'm serious, there is no robe."

"No robe at all?"

"No. Well... only this one." He turned around, showing his father a long red robe with orange edges and embroidered shapes of flames.

"See! There it is!"

"What? No. This isn't it. It's..." Glavas' eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. He scanned the dress again from top to bottom before looking back at his father, who was now sitting once again, grinning like a little child. "There's no Extinguishing. You... You serious? You're actually taking a new Path of the Flame?"

"Hehe, bingo!" Glint winked at him.

"But... why? I mean... aren't you too old for another one?"

"Nah. Well, yes, technically, I am, but this one will be fine."

"Really? So... what is it then? What path do you want to walk?"

Glint smiled. "I want to see my son grow."

Glavas blinked. He blinked and blinked so many times and yet the feeling of water gathering in his eyes did not go away. "Dad..."

"What? It's a good one, no?"

"So... what, this was just one massive prank?"

"No, not at all. Originally, I did want to go through with it. You know, with the people already knowing how to build new houses on their own, and my magic being mostly depleted... well, they didn't need me. So I thought that there was no point in continuing my life. I did what I wanted to do and everything after that would just be boredom. But then you came, and with two kids behind you. That sparked my interest. And seeing how much you've changed and grown... I just thought I'd want to see more of that. I wanted to stay alive and watch as you embrace this new life. And I don't just want to be watching you from afar. No, I want to be present. To help out if you'd need me, or to help steer you onto the right path. Besides, I just think the goddess can wait. She has enough people coming to her every year anyway."

"Wait, speaking of the goddess, that is not a correct path. It doesn't have a clear goal. Aren't you worried that the priests won't accept it?"

"So what? Screw them!"

"Huh?! Who are you and what have you done to my dad? Since when do you defy the church?"

"I'm not defying it. But I don't want to throw my life away just because they say so. Plus, they can consider this my payback for making my son the Moonscourge."

Glavas smiled. "Wow, you stepping up against the norm is something I never thought I'd see." He closed the wardrobe and sat down next to Glint. "But... I'm glad you'll stay. Gives us more time to do things. We've got a few decades of catching up to do."

"Heh, we sure do. But let me warn you, Glavie, my decision comes at a price. And it's a steep one."

"Price? What price? What did you have to sacrifice?"

"Me? Nothing. You will have to."

"What?! What sort of deal did you make? And with who?"

"None yet, but I will. Because I want you to promise me that you will come and visit. And I don't mean those quick stops every eight years or so. No no, I want you to come for the festivals, or at least the Sky Azure one. You will get your ass here every year for a week and we'll spend time together. OH! And I want letters. From every city you visit, I am expecting one letter, your food notes included! If you have money to eat at a fancy restaurant, you have enough to send me a short writing. You know, to let me know where you are, how you're doing, and how are my grandchildren."

Glavas' eyes nearly exploded. All the hair on his body stood up, and even that covering his head seemed to be curling. "Grandchildren?!" He stared at Glint in awe.

"Yeah! Alma and Surdi."

"Umm... look, I'm not really their parent. You do remember the story I told you, right? They aren't mine. I'm just a temporary caretaker."

"Are you now?" His words were followed by a moment of silence. "Is that what you want? What they want? Is that how they see you?"

"Ugh... Look, they... they just aren't my kids."

"Technically not, true. But perhaps they could be."

Glavas looked his father in the eyes. There was a slight spark glimmering in them.