As he surveyed the area around him with his eyes- this was an area of magic- he could see that everything was up in flames. The last of the demons were gone and he had just finished disassembling the window- bright green- that he came through.
Then, something caught his eye. In the thirty years that he'd been traveling with Beranabus, he'd never bothered to memorize street names. There were far too many of them and he probably would never see them again. But this time, something felt familiar. Trying to find out why, Kernel walked around, dodging the flames that still persisted, even after the demons were long dead.
As long as the flames are still roaring, this is still a place of magic, Kernel thought. So as long as I keep track of the fire and make sure I can form a window in time, I'll be fine. With that thought in mind, Kernel set off down a random street, looking for something.
As he turned around another corner, he froze. A voice? No, make that two voices. One was sobbing, one was comforting the other. It sounded like they were coming from a building on his left. Kernel spun around and he could see two figures in front of a window. They look, Kernel thought, so familiar…
Straining his ears to listen even harder, he stood still for a while. Nearly immediately, a large patch of blue light- it had eighteen sides, he noted- stopped in front of his arm. He tried waving at it to make it leave. It didn't budge. Sighing, he nearly missed a part of the conversation.
"-elena. It's alright, everything's going to be fine Melena," a cracked male voice said. A piercing wail came from the woman as louder sobs filled the air. Kernel paused as soon as he heard the name. Melena… His eyes widened. It couldn't be her! It couldn't!
Kernel didn't really stop to think. He didn't understand how but he just vaulted up the side of the building- skipping about three floors- and opened the window. He quickly ducked inside, not really caring that he looked like a ghost at that moment. Blue eyes- obviously fake and a very different shade from his real ones- singed clothes, looking 16 at the most.
He turned back to look at the startled couple. Oh yes, there was no more doubt in his mind. They had aged a lot but they were still the same. One with dark brown skin, one nearly albino pale. They both looked frailer than he had remembered. Of course, in thirty years of absence, that was to be expected.
"… C-Cornelius?" the woman stuttered. So that was what it was short for, Kernel mused silently. Then, he turned back to observing the woman. Her eyes were red-rimmed, obviously from crying. The man couldn't respond; he was in shock. Kernel carefully avoided eye contact. "Kernel!" The woman lunged at him- which Kernel had not expected, her being about eighty or so- and grabbed him tightly, sobbing loudly and incoherent words falling out of her mouth.
Kernel determinedly kept his eyes off her, instead focusing on the patches of light. Silver decagon, he told himself. Red square. Of course, he could still feel his fath- the man's disbelieving gaze trained on him.
At long last, the woman seemed to have finished crying. Then, she glanced up at him with a mother's sharp gaze- never mind that she was eighty-six!- and said, "Cornelius Michael Fleck, where have you been for thirty years?" Kernel still glanced at the patches, pointedly ignoring her.
"Where did you go?" the woman tried again. "Why do you still look the same? Why!?" Kernel's stoic demeanor was obviously getting to her. She began to look flustered and her voice took on a more hysterical tone. Kernel half expected her to start crying again. Not that he would care.
"Cornelius!" the man bellowed. "Answer your mother!" His voice sounded dry and cracked. Kernel raised an indifferent eyebrow as he turned ever so gently to face the man. Those pale blue eyes that were not his bored into the man, as if staring into his soul, reading his mind. The man bit his lip lightly but did not waver.
"…It's Kernel," the seemingly teenaged boy said curtly. "Not Cornelius."
"Kernel then," the man quickly amended. "Answer your mother Kernel." Kernel's fists clenched at his sides. He forced himself to stay calm.
"I answer because I choose to, not because of you," he said icily. "I was where I belonged. I look the same because that's how time works there. I have nothing more to say about that matter." Kernel wondered for a second why he was bothering to even talk to them. He could've gotten them out of the building and left before they noticed. Or he could have just left them there.
"Why did you leave us?" the woman rasped softly. Kernel was surprised, though he didn't show it. He had nearly forgotten about her. "I thought you said you loved us. We're your parents. Why did you go?"
"You are not my parents anymore." That comment stunned the two into silence. Hurry, a voice told Kernel. Leave! Get out! But something compelled him to stay. He stood still as the couple tried to regain their composure. "From the moment Art," they flinched, "came, you could never be my parents again."
"Why you impudent-" The old man deflated as soon as Kernel glared coolly at him. He shrank back against the wall. Those eyes, they were unnatural. Dark patches would occasionally run across them; they looked fake.
"I would advise against speaking to me that way," Kernel said dangerously. "I could easily open up a window into Lord Loss' realm and shove you inside it before you could say 'help'. So if you want to die, keep speaking."
"K-Kernel," the woman croaked. "Just leave that- that demon world behind! You're our little boy, come live with us again. Everything will be fine again and we'll all be happy. One happy little family." Kernel watched apathetically as the woman detached herself from his person.
"We are not a family anymore. And never will be one again. Besides, you'll die soon anyway." He knew it was a horrible and insensitive thing to say but strangely, he didn't regret it. He turned to leave but felt someone grasp his shoulder tightly. He bit back a snarl as he turned to face the person who would hold him like that. From his experience in the realm of the Demonata, if something like this happened, you should remove the offending appendage immediately. However, seeing as he was in the human universe, he refrained from doing so.
"Kernel," the man said softly. His voice was low but seemed sharper than usual. Still, it did sound ridiculous coming from a brittle old man. "I am your elder. You have been taught to respect your elders. Now, what do you have to say?" His tone was tight, strict. Kernel imagined him as an older-looking version of Beranabus.
"You may be my elder but in the universe of the Demonata, there is no respect for shriveled up weaklings like you," Kernel practically sneered. "You wouldn't last for ten minutes, scratch that, ten seconds, before something came and," Kernel started inching towards him. "Tore. You. Apart."
"Don't lecture me about respect. I gave that to you once, you lost it. You drove me out of your home." As the man opened his mouth to retort, Kernel swiftly interrupted him. "I know what you're thinking. I've seen the looks you've been giving me. I know how you never wanted me to come back, how you wanted to continue your," at the next word, Kernel gave a scathing glare, "perfect little life in Paskinston. Fate never gives you perfect little lives."
"What are you-"
"I'm saying you never taught me anything. I was taught by the Demonata. They made me who I am today. You raised me to be a perfect little boy. Well guess what?" Kernel's composure had now dropped. He was now officially ranting. "Your little plan didn't work out. I was raised in blood and magic, I have nothing more to do with you! I am who the Demonata made me to be and I am proud of it too!" Panting, Kernel turned about again.
He discreetly glanced outside the window. The flames were a little lower, more subdued. The magic was wearing off. He'd have to return soon. He imagined a waterfall of blood, trees, and a field of deep green grass. Some of the lights began pulsing. Moving his fingers by reflex, Kernel started drawing in the patches.
The pair of elderly people watched in amazement as Kernel, in somewhat of a trance, began moving. The woman made a move to walk up to Kernel but something held her down. She felt like, like she shouldn't interfere. Instead, she just watched as Kernel worked.
Suddenly, without warning, the window opened. It was dark crimson. Giving the two one last cold glance, Kernel put one hand through the window. Something snapped inside of Caspian and Melena. They felt like they had to say something, anything before he left. They both knew that they would never see Kernel again.
"Sorry," they both mumbled. Kernel paused for the slightest of moments. Their hearts leapt, maybe he was staying! But then, he continued moving through the panel of red, not even looking back. Deflated, the two prepared themselves for the sense despair and sorrow that they knew would engulf them.
As the window closed, they could only hear one last sentence. It sent both their hearts plummeting down, down into a dark, never-ending abyss of black. Misery gripped at both of their minds. They had lost him, and would never get him back. Never again.
"Apology not accepted."