Chapter 29: And thus the Dragonborn Withers
Jaune found himself weeping on his father's death. He couldn't imagine that this could happen to him as he assessed that he could even take on a daedroth. But how? How could this happen? This was all so sudden that he still couldn't accept it.
He loved his father, even though that he barred him from achieving his dream. Before, he hated him, to the point that he stole Crocea Mors, his family heirloom, just to become what they don't want. But as time passes on, he soon realized that dreams must be bounded to reality. Otherwise, you need to sleep to believe that dream.
He reflected and in time, he loved his father again. That he was a family man, someone he wished to be. Since then, he let go of his grudge and accepted that he wasn't prepared for him on being a huntsman. Even his first days in Skyrim were absolute hell. It was just the help of Hadvar and his family that he remembered deep in him that he almost forgot in the glamor and classes of Beacon, Family.
Throughout his time in Tamriel, he honestly thought that he could never meet them again. But he constantly prayed to the Nine to at least talk to them even for a moment in time. He wished to hug them and at least have one last supper with them before he lets out his dying breath. That was until Team RWBY and NPR came unannounced in Tamriel.
There was a drive in him that made him pursue the School of Conjuration like never before. Reading books through the night, even wanting to get Valerica's help.
Wail all he wants, but he knows that his corpse would bear no response. No soul lives within the husk he now holds. Life was already drained from the body, and he can already feel see that the skin is already becoming pale at every second. His body grows colder as algor mortis kicks in. It's only time that rigor and livor mortis would take place. His soul no longer belongs to this world.
If there was a drive for him to explore Conjuration, then maybe... just maybe... a drive for him in Necromancy. A call for him. Just to talk to his father one last time before he could say goodbye. He was no god. He is only a mortal who also holds selfish ambitions and wishes within his heart. So, could he bear playing god for once, just to fulfill his selfish request?
He was quite tolerant of vampires and other undead in Tamriel, the only rule is don't hurt others and never break the law. If he revived his father, he is doing nothing wrong. He does break the boundaries of life and death, but it is only for the reason of a last goodbye. There's nothing wrong with that. Is there? Does death has to be so absolute that it is far from his reach?
Before he could even reach for a conclusion, Serana hugged him in the back. Oh, he almost forgot that she was with him. All his attention was on his feelings and his father that it's like his he was reflecting in his own plane of oblivion. "Jaune, I'm so so sorry..." Her tone was that of grief, her voice was also broken and she held him tight.
There was an overall silence around them. It seems that the daedric attacks have ceased. Even his dragon was keeping quiet of his breathing as much as he could. Tears continued to fall from Jaune's eyes. There was no rain that cried with him, nor storm clouds that gathered to mourn his father's passing. It was just a beautiful night sky. It was peaceful and it didn't even bother even with his plight.
"I love my dad... Serana... still... even all that happened..." Jaune spoke with a broken voice and faced Serana. His hair was already disheveled and his eyes marked red with the clear sign of tears in his cheeks. His mouth not quivering, and his voice hoarse, "Is life truly this cruel? That a Dragonborn like me can't even save my dad? Am I that pathetic?"
"Jaune you're not-"
"Am I?" Jaune quickly asked. His voice desperately pleading for an answer. He held her shoulders tightly as if when he let go he is going to die. His eyes bore deep into her, as he was just shaken. For Serana, he never looked this fragile, close to the knife edge. "Please..." He pleaded to her.
Serana, of course, doesn't believe any of it. She was very proud of him and what he became. To her, he wasn't pathetic. He saved her from her abusive father and manipulative mother and put an end to their pursuit of each other's annihilation. "Jaune... you're not... You are the Emperor, and I'm your-"
"THEN WHY?!" He pleaded and his mouth quivered further, "If I am the Dragonborn, then why couldn't I save my father?! If-if I conquered Tamriel... why... why didn't I think that a daedra... a daedra slipped and killed my father... I have the power to save him... then why... why... why..." He muttered like a mantra, holding on to dear life. He was shaking and began to stare at the ground.
It was very hard to watch Jaune suffer this badly. Serana touched his cheek very gently, as if she was handling broken porcelain, and wiped the tears with her thumb. The once mighty, unwavering, and courageous Dragonborn of legend and the Emperor of Tamriel was turned into a shaking morsel. He never broke this bad even once during the two wars.
Serana slowly lifted his head to meet her eyes. She too was crying, in the grievance to her boyfriends' loss, and seeing him in this state. Her mouth quivered but she nonetheless smiled. She was his rock and in times like these, he needs a one to lay in, "Jaune... look at me..." She whispered to him personally, carefully choosing her words.
He followed her words, but she can see that his eyes were void of joy and excitement, "I'm here... Jaune." She hugged him immediately. Her arms tenderly wrapped around him, tapping his back, "Let it all out... don't worry. I'm here for you." Jaune then hugged back tightly, releasing all of is anguish to the tears that continue to flow.
There were no words spoken between them, contact was enough for the two to convey what they felt. They needed each other at this time. Just Serana being there was enough reassurance to Jaune, her arms so tenderly caressing his back. It almost seems that this day was just a nightmare, a thing Vaermina came up with, messing with the Emperor.
Jaune just reminisced the time when he was just a boy, looking outside his house, observing how utterly strong his father was. He saw him training outside with Artoria who's arms are already growing tired. Both used wooden sword replicas, particularly longswords. He wanted to be strong like his father is, standing in a proud stature and experience invaluable.
When he asked his father's career from his mother, she has a lot to tell. Stories where he boldly went to a charge and defeated two goliaths for his team to call backup. When he was stranded in one area and waited for help, he thwarted the grimm with his courage and strength. Only the young grimm even dared to cross swords with his blades, while the adults were cautious of him.
The way he inspired his teammates with his bold charges and executing those perfectly. But he can see her mother being pissed about it. But these were nothing but memories. Images of a bygone time. But these are the things that Jaune kept near to his heart, as much as his friends, lover, and family. Yet, they are just that, memories. They can't be visited and experience those times again. They can only be remembered and think of what happened.
Jaune removed himself from Serana's tender arms and she didn't stop him. His mind is going everywhere and if he needed time alone, she will sure to respect that. He saw something from a few meters away in his right. A sword that was clearly used recently. He walked over it and kindly brought up the sword from the ground.
He can see that the handle was covered in blood, the blade still shone brightly. And to his surprise, he saw the Arc crescent on the pommel. He carefully slides his fingers on the blade he can see that even if it was used, it was still in a great condition. This may be the sword that his father used to defend himself with.
He carried it, but it seemed heavy for him. He didn't even want to give it a proper swordsman's grip. The fact is that he failed to save his father. And he deemed himself unworthy of even carrying the sword. He laid the sword beside him and noticed the scroll that was on his father's dead hands. He noticed that it was on a voice recorder mode. Quickly, Jaune looked up the latest file on the recorder and played it.
When he played the file, he noticed stomps and growls from the recording, but he can also hear his father's last breaths. It was very labored, almost trying his strength and focus just to breathe. "Angela... I'm sorry... Artoria... Joan... Elizabeth... Karin... Clarice... Sapphire... Sena... I'm sorry... Jaune... my son... I'm sorry... I'm..." He then heard a thud, presumingly he lost strength, and the scroll landed beside him.
It was enough for Jaune to tear up again, gripping the sword's blade and not caring that the blade cut through his aura. His father endured much greater pain than he did. Even in his dying moments, he still remembered them as one family. The family that he once wished was whole and have dinner together.
He then grabbed a folded white cloth in his pocket and covered his father's body with it. Jaune then laid the sword on top of it and put the scroll on his pocket. Jaune lifted his father's body and Odahviing didn't need instructions as he can also see that Jaune needed silence. Serana just followed him on his back and the two mounted towards the dragon and headed for Beacon.
Angela paced back and forth from the courtyard. It was already thirty minutes since Jaune left and there was no news of her husband's whereabouts. Not even a call from her scroll. It was in her worst fear that his husband was already dead. Surely, he can't be, right?
The Arc sisters were sitting on one corner, with Artoria having the face of defeat. Elizabeth was busy managing Karin and Sapphire while Joan went to Ozpin for help to locate their father. But then they saw Serana fly by and landed towards the docks and she folded her wings back. She quickly walked to Angela and she recognized her.
"Mrs. Arc," Serana slowly nodded. Angela wanted to read the face of Serana, but she showed no emotion. Her body language was forward but not hostile. Her eyes glow from the darkness that surrounds them. The intimidating weapon that she has on her waist. But she swore that there is a hint of sadness that came with it. The Arc sisters once recognizing her, flocked to their mother's back, with Joan not yet returning.
"Yes...?" Angela asked with anticipation, every beat in her heart like a drum.
"Can you please come with me together with your children?" She asked straight to the point.
"W-w-w-what is happening?" Angela stepped forward and grabbed her shoulders, shaking her a bit, "Did you find Henry? Where is he?" She quickly asked.
Serana closed her eyes and slowly sighed, morphing a frown from her mouth and her eyebrows downcasted. She wanted to tell her the bad news, but it isn't her place to do so and quickly dodged those questions, "Please, Mrs. Arc. Jaune told me to do this."
"Just tell me where my husband is!"
"I'm sorry Mrs. Arc but it is not my place to tell you," Serana told her, trying to hide her emotions, "Just please come with me." And she slowly walked towards a large green wall.
The matriarch acted with caution, but she soon followed her along with her daughters. There was a looming dread that comes with the unknown condition of her husband. To the sisters, he is invincible. Nothing can stop someone who withstood the laser of the daedra, but Angela knew better. Her husband's semblance was his vitality. He has a large pool of aura, making him a human battering ram. Still, it has its limitations, as if he activates it, his aura would deplete fast.
Part of her wished that she remained, to know if her husband is alright. If only time had been that forgiving to her.
As they went out of the large green wall, they then took a left and a right until they arrived at the Beacon Botanical Gardens. It was a large open area where the sun can shine through the plants and have students meditate or relax. There were exotic plants and orchids from Mistral, rows, and rows of flowers boom within the night sky. In the middle is a large tree but there is something that they didn't expect.
It was Jaune with his head downcasted, shoulders slumped in defeat. While beside him was his dragon, who they know stood proudly but seemed to lower its head. In front of him was a body that was covered in a white cloth with an all too familiar sword on top, and beside his body was none other than Crocea Mors.
Serana didn't need to be told and made way for the family. This was their private time together.
Angela stood mortified but walked slowly towards her son. Her sisters did so too, Artoria's foot began to step back and in her shock, inadvertently dropping her sword. Elizabeth kept muttered 'no' under her breath, holding her book so tight it was starting to tear up the cover. Karin's hands tightened into fists as tears formed from her eyes, while hugging her sister, Sena, tightly who in turn just hid her face unto Karin's shoulder. Clarice held Sapphire, almost trying to obscure her view but Sapphire is seeing what's happening. And even if she is young, she knows.
There were no words uttered as Angela's eyes grew wider and wider as she drew closer to the body. She didn't want to see it, nor uncover the body that lay on the ground. But, it's almost as if she has to do the honors. Not even her own son can bring his courage to do it. She can't even see his face as it was covered by his hair.
At a snail's pace, the Arc matriarch knelt to the ground. Carefully, she removed the sword from the body and uncovered the head of the body. And there it was, the face of the once prideful huntsman, a great husband, and her best friend, Henry Arc. His life devoid from the body with the pale skin. And his eyes closed, laying there in an eternal slumber.
Jaune's legs collapsed to the ground, planting his knees on it, "I failed..." Jaune muttered with a sound of defeat. His soul emanated nothing but deep sorrow and his abject failure. "I found dad like this... If only I... I've been there... earlier..."
Angela ignored her son's muttering and immediately hugged Henry. A dam of emotions burst through her, burying herself through his body. She wants to feel if there is any warmth left, but sadly none remained. She raised her head and touched her husband's head softly, "Henry..." she muttered, calling his soul. "Please... please come back? Your son is here, we... we are together again! As one family! Just like you... you wanted..." She weakly said but her only response was complete silence.
It was deafening. The deafness of sorrow looming in within their ears, silencing their thoughts with nothing but memories and nostalgia. It was the kind of silence a person doesn't want as they were the prisoner of their own thoughts.
The sisters flocked around the body and grieved. But Jaune didn't shed any more tears. He already shed what he had and there were no more tears left to be shed. He just kneeled there, looking defeated. This is not the Dragonborn that withstood Alduin's godly might nor defeated the Aldmeri Dominion's catastrophic magic. This was the Jaune Arc that left their home because of his dream.
Joan then arrived but when she saw them grieving on their father's body, her legs collapse in shock. They were all just devastated as this was all just too sudden. Jaune even was tempted to cast a Reanimate Corpse spell on his father, as he was also willing to break the boundaries between life and death. But he didn't have the strength to do it.
Serana could only watch as she can't also do something but she stayed because she cares for her partner. There were no others within the garden, only them basking the sorrows while the moonlight shines through. It was their own private affair. Odahviing was there to thwart anyone willing to disturb them. But inside Jaune, there is something boiling within him. A temper waiting to be unshackled.
Back at the docks, bullhead arrived carrying huntsmen and together with them, are civilians. When the door opened, it was team RWBYNPR carrying stretchers towards the refugee camp. They were carrying PWD civilians and some are even injured with either third-degree burns or detached limbs. Human or faunus, no target was spared.
They were a bit bummed that they haven't participated in the battle as Ozpin terminated his order once he noticed that the Oblivion Gate was gone. And they are waiting for the order of the Emperor, but they did engage with the Daedra.
They carried the bodies as medical staff went ahead and put them into stretchers. To them seeing it their fellow citizens like this it was harrowing. Pyrrha just looked at the distance trying to ignore the cries of the person who is in the stretcher. Nora was trying her hardest to even comfort those children were lost and found by her.
The child hugged Nora's leg tightly, shaking as it was covered in dust. Blood was noticeably visible on its forehead but thanks to her magic, those wounds were closed. Although some people who had more severe injuries didn't make it. Nora caressed the child's head and said with enthusiasm, "Don't worry, Aunty Nora's here to protect you and break those daedra legs!"
She has to be her bubbly and crazy at this time, but inside she felt almost a repeat on what happened to them in Kuroyuri. She swore she can see Ren sometimes blank out for a while before returning again to reality. Nora then put her hand softly on his shoulder, and to her surprise he immediately held it. And then, she felt that Ren was trembling but he held a stoic face. Nora knew better.
Meanwhile, Ruby was stretching her back, "Aww why didn't we have more fun? It would be fun battling those daedras! Imagine our new team attacks! Like heavy weapons or white gold, or-" She then felt a hand on her shoulder.
"It isn't fun battling the daedra, Ms. Rose, I tell you," Tolfdir told her, "Didn't you fought them back in Mistral?"
She shyly scratched her head, "Yeah... I mean.. It's just that ever since we got here Professor Ozpin didn't send us to any missions and this was the first for a long time. The Breach was fun and our adventures in Tamriel are. But – we don't have any more fun. It's either study or just sleep. I guess this is the price we have to pay for us to be better."
Tolfdir nodded slowly, "But the Daedra aren't fun to fight with, Ms. Rose. I'm sure you've heard of the Oblivion Crisis that happened in Tamriel before, have you?"
"Yes, Professor." Weiss immediately answered.
"That's why we take it seriously, and you should too, okay?"
"I mean the Old professor is right, Rubes." Yang leaned on to Ruby, "My Ember Celica needs more honing since they clearly are dented."
Weiss came into Tolfdir's defense, "Don't call him old Xiaolong! If you happen to know, old people carry wisdom with them. That's why you should respect him."
"Old." Yang smirked while he didn't mind, "And is that why you now have a crush to Jaune?"
Pyrrha's head immediately turned to Weiss, who was blushing, her white face turning to red. She pointed at Yang, stammering, trying to comprehend words. It was her closely guarded secret and even though he already has a girlfriend, she still has a crush on him, "A-A-And w-what if I do, Yang?!" She shouted in her face, her mouth quivering.
Yang just laughed but Blake sighed, "Guys, there's a war going on and you have the time to just talk about relationships?" She asked bemusedly.
"Geez Blakey, we know." Yang's expression softened, "It's just to lighten the mood a bit. Ever since this sort of thing happened, everyone just got... well... serious. It's like happiness was gone in a flash." She curled her lips.
"I get it." Blake responded, "But there are times for that, and now is not the time. There's death surrounding the place." She flew her hand towards the evacuation area. When she did that, it just so happen that in the distance, they saw a bunch of blond people going out of the green wall. And it just so happen that they recognized them to be the Arc Family and Jaune followed behind together with Serana.
And with them was a pair of nurses with a medical stretcher ahead of them. On top of it was a body covered with a white cloth. Their heads were down, almost like a troop of hunchbacks. And they can hear the cries of Angela who was wailing. They recognized the siblings with their unique hairstyle, but it's just that there's someone missing.
Without question, they all went near to Jaune, who so happen to not notice them. His eyes were distant, just following the parade of sorrow.
It was obvious that something just bothered him to the point that he didn't notice them.
"Jaune?" Pyrrha called him, almost reaching out to him. But still, his head was ahead, his mind not even bothering them. "Jaune?" Again Pyrrha called out but he didn't listen and walked ahead.
Serana then approached them, with a tired and sad expression written in her face, "Jaune just isn't in the right mood right now." She told them sadly and shook her head.
"Why? What happened?" Pyrrha's voice dripped with concern.
Serana breathes in and sighed audibly, "His father recently passed away."
That struck a core to them all, gasping in just the sheer amount of information that sentence conveyed to them. Never did they saw Jaune this devastated, even during his time in Beacon. It was different for them to see him like this.
Pyrrha ran to Jaune but Yang held her hand before she can even escape, "Let me go!" She screamed.
Yang's face turned serious and looked Pyrrha directly in the eye. "No." She answered. This time Weiss tried to run but this time it was Ruby that held her with a firm grip to her wrist.
"What are you doing, you dunce?! Jaune needs help! He needs our help!" Weiss shouted at her.
"Don't you two understand?" Yang said unto them, "Jaune needs time! He is our friend but a family that is close to him just died. His father just died! He needs time for himself and his family. We're just going to bother him if we don't let him collect his own thoughts."
"Don't you also see that he needs us?" Pyrrha relented back.
"He does but not this time," Ruby then answered for her, almost begging, "Please just understand him."
Jaune and his family were currently in the makeshift morgue that Atlas provided. A team of two medical personnel, particularly a pathologist and a medical laboratory scientist were checking the body. Angela couldn't even bear to do that task.
The medtech gave Angela the autopsy report, "I'm sorry ma'am." The pathologist uttered.
Sapphire and Sena just hugged Jaune and silently cried as the medtech covered the body in a white cloth. Artoria held her father's sword and closed her eyes, trying to act tough but her emotions are betraying her. Elizabeth meanwhile was rubbing her mother's shoulders.
"Where were you?" Joan muttered lowly until she faced Jaune with a growl, "Where were you?!"
Jaune faced his twin with a dead face, his eyes were already bloodshot and his hair was disheveled. He didn't answer and just stared at her. Joan immediately was angered by his silence and grabbed his robe, making him face her directly into her eye. Serana even though that this was his family went into alarm and held her mace, summoning her vampiric magic. His Shadow then immediately appeared and pointed their daggers towards her. But he just raised his hand to stop them.
Joan shook him back and forth with sheer force."WHERE WERE YOU?!" She demanded as tears fell from her cheeks. She then punched him repeatedly in the chest and he allowed it. "You could've sent your bodyguards! You could've sent her!" Again he didn't answer as Joan punched him repeatedly. He didn't relent, nor even activate his aura. He needed to feel pain.
Her punches then died out and she cried onto his chest, closing her hands to a fist. Jaune then pulled Joan away from him and he grabbed Crocea Mors from his belt. He finally spoke after hours of complete and utter silence and presented the sword together with its scabbard. "Take it." He said weakly, his voice coarse and far from his active one.
They were all surprised to see Crocea Mors on his possession but it was expected. Joan slowly took it from his grasps and he slowly closed his eyes. "You're right Joan. Where was I? I thought that... that you can all handle the Daedra. I've had full confidence... But..."
"But what?" Joan snarled, "You were busy again, managing your empire while you didn't think of us? Is your entire life now revolves around your empire now and we're just some sideline to you?"
Angela then thought that this was already getting out of hand and held her daughter, "Joan that's not-"
Joan broke off from her mother's grasps. Her fists were shaking, "How could you? How could you do this to us?"
"I... I never meant to." Jaune tilted his head, "But I failed you all. As a brother and as a son. I failed." He then bowed to them and they were shocked by this gesture. He then let tears flow from his eyes again, "I-I failed... "
He lifted himself up as he wiped away his tears with his sleeve, "When I faced war, I always considered casualties to be my fault. As a Dragonborn, it pains me to see that even my power can't save everyone. And now... It's my fault."
"No, it isn't." They then looked to see who said that and they saw Serana with a livid face, "The reason this is happening is that of Mehrunes Dagon. Tell me, what daedra did you face?"
Joan was taken aback by this stranger but Elizabeth answered for her, "And who are you?"
"His girlfriend, Serana Volkihar." She promptly answered, "Now what daedra did you face? Is it a normal dremora?"
"N-no." Elizabeth answered. She can still remember the details of the daedra quite correctly as she has a strong memory. But her face steeled and glared back at Serana, "And who do you think you are? This is Arc Family affairs!"
"And let him stand here while you blame him?" Serana narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms. "Maybe you all forgot that he was also his son and he is as devastated as you when he saw your father's body. He poured all of his magicka to heal him, tried to revive him but we were too late. Don't you see that he is also a victim as you all are?"
Serana doesn't want this intervention to be their first impression of her. But she also couldn't stand some of them blaming her boyfriend while going through emotional trauma.
"Then he should have saved us first!" Joan cried out and as she cried again, "I wish..." Deep from her heart, she adored her brother. But him running away from their home and his inaction in their time of need clouded her judgment, "I WISH YOU WERE NE-"
"STOP IT!" Angela then intervened, crying out, "What's done is done... You are all just wasting your time thinking of "What ifs"! There's nothing to bring Henry back... Nothing!" She said as she faced the face of her dead husband. She slowly descended and touched her forehead with his. "We have to be strong for him. We have to."
Jaune's hands gripped tightly. He wished he could just revive his father, and use his knowledge of the forbidden arts of magic to revive him. In his despair, he is very tempted to even break the boundaries of life and death. Something that the Nine would definitely not appreciate, especially Arkay, Stendarr and their followers.
He put his hand forward, blocking his mind with any thoughts of morality. His eyes went blank and focused on his desire and wish to see his father alive again. Gathering his replenished magicka, he prepared to cast Dread Zombie. However, just as he was about to cast it, Serana forcefully lowered his arm. This broke him from his reverie and his went back to normal. "Don't. I know what you are doing Jaune."
"Just let him rest, don't make the same mistake that my family did." Serana looked in his eyes seriously. And he noticed that his hands were trembling.
He then observed everyone in his family. Joan just sat nearby with her head down while Elizabeth consoled their mother. Artoria was also wailing on their father, Sena and Sapphire were both hugging him but he just now noticed. Karin was just staring at him while Clarice was closeby Elizabeth, with tears clear on her eyes.
He wanted to believe that this was all the doing of Mehrunes Dagon, but to be honest, he still felt conflicted, that partially it was his fault. He carried Sapphire and hugged her tightly. At least, this is what he could do for the time being. He needed a respite from all that has happened. With the Oblivion Gate closed, it is only a matter of time for their forces to be destroyed.
Suddenly, a person he recognized from the Atlesian Camp entered the tent and as he looked at the body he muttered, "By Oum," And he brought out his flask and took a swig, "I needed that."
Angela then turned her head to him, "What do you need Qrow?"
The drunkard sighed, "I'm sorry for... what happened." Angela didn't answer and turned her head again on the body. Again, Qrow sighed, "Look, Ozpin wants to see Jaune Arc."
"And what does he need of my son? Didn't any medical staff informed him of what happened?" Angela asked him.
"If he were informed then I would have known... this. Look, Ice Queen went here and kept yapping about an attack that he planned that still never came. And apparently, a crazy god wants to see him also."
"Can't you see what's happening?" Jaune raised his voice but he sighed, "Tell them that I'll be there at thirty minutes. I just need time."
He shrugged, "Suit yourself. Also, my niece's team wants to see you. They've been waiting for you outside for quite a while."
"Tell them, thirty minutes." He muttered. Still, he wants time for himself and just leaving immediately would further break his family apart. He needs them as they need him and he cares for them too much that he wouldn't risk it. Still, his life as an emperor intervened his personal life. But at this moment, he doesn't want to be the emperor or the dragonborn, he just wants to be Jaune Arc together with his family.
...aaannd done! Whew! This was a pretty hard chapter to write since it deals with death. A sensitive subject for some and I hope I delivered to that. And with it came a short chapter since I want the emotion to be self-contained in this chapter and Jaune would have to keep struggling between his family, friends and duty. Again, a huge thank you to Airchampion for feedback!
And Uncle Sheo didn't make an appearance in this chapter. Although I had a concept where he just mocks his father's death but that just seems too insensitive. But Sheo is like that in Lore and Game. Still, I decided to cancel him out in this chapter. There are many scrapped ideas in this chapter let me tell you all.
Also, the reason for the short chapter is university, lack of ideas, and the topic at hand. I want it to be genuine with not being too cliche as possible. And it's really hard to nail those emotions and I have to play sad music for me to get immersed.
I hope this chapter suffices to your liking dear readers! Comments, suggestions, and constructive criticisms are always welcome! Leave a review or give me a pm if you like, since it really helps to have direct reader feedback. And, again, thank you for taking the time to read this fanfic, dear readers!
