The Tragedy of a Hero
Chapter 3
The Break Away
"Phew... Phew..." Leona panted as he ran down the trail, it was night, showing the distance between the two places.
The young man ran up the stairs that led to the Sanctum,
"Father!" he called out,
"Father..." the echo returned,
"Huh..." Leona sighed, "I guess he's at dinner with mother and Lucia." he mumbled, then turned around and started to sprint off.
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"Why did you do that, Raguna?" Mist asked as Raguna walked with her in the Palace balcony, the moon shining down on the two, "Do you not trust your own son?"
"It's not that, Mist..." Raguna groaned, "You know... My intentions meant good..."
"If your intentions were good, you wouldn't have done what you did!" Mist yelled at him, "Raguna... He is our son! Our firstborn! Have more faith in him, please!" she pouted, "Why do you always have to be this way!?"
"I only want the best for him!" Raguna defended himself, "That is why I do this!"
"This is unacceptable and you know this!" Mist cried, "You will only destroy his trust in you!"
"There is no trust without security!" Raguna told her, "You of all people know t-" he paused when he heard the steps of a foreigner, and looking down from the balcony, saw Leona dashing down the trail.
"Dinner is ready, father." Lucia called out from the kitchen,
"I am so disappointed in you, Raguna." Mist shook her head and walked off,
"Huh..." Raguna sighed and followed her in.
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"This is splendid, Lucia." Mist smiled as she bit down on a beautifully crafted fruit salad,
"Thank you, mother." Lucia responded, "I've been working up my skills to do this."
"Huh..." Raguna sighed as he pulled out a kiwi, "I miss meat..."
"You're telling me..." Leona groaned, "This is too sweet and soft... Father, tell me more about meat."
"Well, son." Raguna turned to him, "Meat was once the legendary Food of the Gods, until everyone died off, providing no more meat. No we're stuck with this sweet stuff."
"Raguna." Mist growled at him, then looked at Lucia, who was quite saddened by these hurtful comments.
"Oh." Raguna looked up, "Sorry dear." he told Lucia,
"Huh..." Lucia sighed, "It's alright.. I know this will never meet up to your standards."
"Lucia." Raguna groaned, "No... Come on."
"Lucia, no need to be so sensitive about this." Leona scoffed, "Food needs criticism."
"Shut up, Leona." Lucia responded, "This is not the same."
"Children, please." Mist said, trying to lessen the tension, "We're having a family dinner."
"Yes, Lucia." Leona told his sister, "This is a nice family social, please don't raise the stakes. Actually, please raise the steaks."
"Hehehehehehe..." Raguna laughed, "Nice one, son!" he pointed,
"I know." Leona chuckled, "Man.." he took a breath and wiped his eye, "Oh..." he stopped laughing, "Father, I need to tell you something."
"What is it?" Raguna asked,
"The Divine Dragons have returned." Leona muttered, "And they wanted me to send you a message."
"I knew it." Raguna grumbled,
"They want to meet with me."
"They want to meet with you." the two said at the same time,
"Wait." Leona paused, "What... How did you know?"
"Uh..." Raguna dropped his fork, "Damn it." he said under his breath, "There's a connection between Heroes!" he lied,
"Father." Leona grumbled, then dropped his own fork, "Did you spy on me?"
The mood dropped to a tension oh so high.
"Huh..." Mist sighed,
"Uh... No." Raguna lied once more, "Really... There is a connection!"
"You couldn't even let me do my first mission alone!?" Leona exploded, "What kind of teacher are you!?" he stood up and slammed the table,
"I just wanted to make sure you were ok!" Raguna explained and also stood,
"Damn it, Father!" Leona yelled, "You can't even let me go on one mission without you glued on me! I trusted you!"
"I don't need your trust!" Raguna responded, "I'm the one who brought you out of the dirt! I am the one who made you a Hero!"
"It was my effort too!" Leona told him, "Enough!" he threw his plate at him, "I don't want to deal with the likes of you!"
"That's right!" Raguna said as Leona started to leave, "Walk yourself back to the hovel I brought you out of!"
"Raguna!" Mist yelled at him, "What are you doing!?"
"I deserve to be the Hero!" Leona yelled, "You spend your time using the Divine Blade for pruning flowers and cutting grass! I will use it to fight evil!"
"There is no evil!" Raguna responded, "I killed it all! All me!" he beat his chest,
"I rather have evil than use the Blade of the Gods to shave my legs!" Leona insulted him, "The Dragons were right, you are nothing but a fraud." he growled as he walked out, "A coward stuck in orthodox conditions." he spat at his father's feet and stormed out.
POOMP! The door slammed shut.
"Gr..." Raguna growled, "RAAHHH!" he ran to the table and flipped it over,
"Ah!" Mist screamed in fear,
"Father!" Lucia gasped,
"I hope you're happy!" Raguna yelled at Mist, "Look at the ungrateful son you have bore me! I give him the Blade of Light and he insults me in its name!"
"Maybe if you gave him more independence." Mist was interrupted,
"If I gave him more independence, he would have my head on a platter!" Raguna argued, "This is what I get for training him since childhood!" he kicked an ancient bust of a Polonian knight, "I am going to get that sword back." he started to storm away.
"Raguna!" Mist interrupted his steps, "No! You leave him alone!"
"Father!" Lucia also joined in this defensive wall, "You've done enough damage!"
"I did damage!?" Raguna exploded, "I am only trying to help him! He should be grateful!"
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"Hrah!" Leona yelled as he cut one of the trees by the trail with his half of the Blade of Light,
KROOONK! The tree groaned as it fell, POOMP!
"I hate him! I hate him!" he punched a boulder, making it crack all throughout, "Making me feel lesser! I am clearly more capable than him!" he sat down on a stump, then started to cry in frustration.
"Yes... You are better than an old geezer." a voice called out to him,
"Huh?" Leona looked up, and saw a dandy old man with a cane and top hat, dressed in a night black suit that was paradoxically covered in many colored ornamentations. He had a curly mustache and beard combo, a shiny monocle,
"Who are you?" Leona asked,
"Leona ol' chap." the man said, "I am the one who is going to make you the Hero of the Runes." he laughed and twirled his mustache.