The way to become the Great Sorcerer

Chapter 17: A Father’s Worry

“It’s just camping, I’m not leaving the country.”  Lucas heard his father sigh. Drystan was scared since the last time that he went camping with his ex-wife it didn’t go as planned. 

It was the time when Drystan and his former wife, runaway, escaped the dangers that they faced when they were in their former home. Because they don’t have any money nor they were ready to run away they don’t have a choice but to camp in nearby woods but it all went to a tragic accident leaving his eldest son to almost die but luckily, they escaped alive. But, as much as Drystan tries to ignore it, his eldest son is growing up, he can eventually protect himself. 

“Then, Larcade did you agree to this?” Noah Dewin said after Lucas.

 “Going camping?” Larcade who was speechless looks away not wanting to meet his father’s intense gaze. 

“Yes.” He uttered. His father huff which made Larcade slightly flinch. 

“How ‘bout you, Neveah?”

 The owner of the name widened her eyes, ‘The first obstacle that we face is not those enemies that Damian defeated but these Fathers who worry for their son’s welfare.’ Neveah thought before nodding to the question Noah Dewin asked.

 “Larcade, you, yourself knew that I don’t want you to get in this dangerous activity.” Noah said which made Larcade snap his head to look at him, ‘It’s just camping...how is that dangerous? .’ Larcade stared at his father. He actually knew why his father was acting this way. He knew but he had hope that his father would agree about this ‘camping’ thing. 

“I agree about your Uncle Drystan here,” Larcade’s father said with an intimidating tone. “I won’t agree.”

 And with that, both fathers walk into separate paths, satisfied with their dramatic ending. The four of them just stand there, dumbfounded. “What just happened....?” Neveah said after a moment of silence.

Fire envelopes the whole woods, people shouting in the distance can be heard. The heat waved around the whole area. A woman was holding her baby, carrying her offspring in her arms. The baby’s muffled cries made the woman break out in tears, she tried to say soothing things to make her baby calm but her efforts are useless. The heat caused the baby to become uncomfortable and it made a loud noise. The woman’s husband appeared dashing to his wife, he said something to his wife but it was inaudible, after that they both stand up trying to escape but a horrifying creature emerges in front of them. The couple stared at the creature for a mere seconds before it engulfs them.

Lucas jolted waking up when a loud bang was heard. He was casually lying on some random bench near his house, after Larcade’s father and his disagree about going camping all four of them, tried to have some plan to let them reconsider. Lucas who was tired from the shopping just lay down on some bench while the others went somewhere for the time being. The white cat lay on top of him. It also flinched when Neveah made the loud noise.

Both, Lucas and the cat, stared at Neveah who was holding an aluminum bucket that she found laying around. She grinned when she successfully scared Lucas. But quickly felt sorry when she noticed the cat.  

“Neveah, you dipshit.” He gave her a deadpan expression. Neveah chuckled. She hit Lucas's arms indicating for him to scoot so that she can sit on the same bench. Lucas moved aside holding the white lion so that it won’t fall. Both of them stare at nothing, while the afternoon sunlight greeted them. Their sweat trickles but they gave it no mind.

Lucas recalled the situation a while ago and sighed, he doesn’t have any ideas to let his father agree. Believe it or not, Lucas finds the whole situation kinda hilarious. He thinks that how can both fathers strongly oppose the idea of camping. Well, Lucas knew why his father is acting like that but he wonders how about Larcade and His father. For being neighbors with them for years, Lucas perceive that Noah Dewin, Larcade’s father, was strict and a very serious man, seeing his seriousness in person, yesterday and today, Lucas can’t help but gulp. Just remembering his cold stares made him shiver. 

“I notice a while ago that Mr. Noah said that he doesn’t want Larcade to experience ‘dangerous activity,” Lucas asked Neveah. ‘Though camping is not a dangerous activity. Neveah panned his head, listening to Lucas. “Is this connected to how you are so protective over him?” Neveah hummed not sure if it was a yes or a no. Lucas always notices Neveah who stuck around Larcade for a long time and how she can’t leave him by himself. 

“Maybe.” She answered, which Lucas squint his eyes for the half-assed answer. 

“You may think that ‘Larcade is a grown man why does he need protecting from his cousin?” Lucas shook his head, expressing that he does not think about anything like that. “Most of the people I met always ask that question.” Neveah scoffed bitterly. “Well, it’s entirely my fault.” Lucas slightly widened his eyes.

 “Ever since that accident happen, I always had this urge to protect him.”  She sighed recalling something. Lucas just sat there awkwardly. 

“I bet you want to know?” Neveah breaks the bitter atmosphere. She glances at Lucas raising her eyebrows while she smirked. This made Lucas pissed, wanting to choke her. 

“It started when we were kids.” Neveah loses her smug expression and decides to tell Lucas about what happened.

Fifteen years ago, the time when both Larcade and Neveah were just five years old. Larcade has this history of seeing something that normal people won’t see. Sometimes he called these beings creatures. It started when Larcade always hangs in their attic. The attic was the perfect spot for a child to play and hide. Knowing that Larcade likes the attic, his father, Noah Dewin cleaned and designed it, making a blanket fort for his five-year-old son.

 In which 5-year-old Larcade was so happy, he always spent his time playing in the attic, sometimes he invites Neveah to play. For a 5-year-old kid, Larcade was not sociable at all and he was always so shy when meeting new people because of this Larcade always want to play by himself. Due to this, Noah and Athena Dewin, Larcade’s mother, felt worried about their son’s social life. But, for a child-like Larcade, he didn’t feel lonely at all, since he was accompanied by beings that his family can’t see.

When they were 8 years old, Neveah and her friends invite Larcade to play. Larcade was shy at first but Neveah insisted. They were having a great time; they play the whole day. All of them will just bid goodbye when it’s already nighttime. This happens for a week. One day Neveah’s friend invited them both to play hide and seek and so they did. Eventually, the kids wandered far and came to the location where a mansion was abandoned. Some kid dared Neveah to stay in the mansion for a minute but Neveah strongly disagrees, imagining herself inside the mansion makes her feel chills. But the other kids insisted and even insulting Neveah for being a coward.

Larcade who can’t stand the insults that were thrown at his cousin volunteered that he will be the one to go inside the mansion. “Just for a minute, yeah?”  Larcade asked the other kids to which they nodded.

 Neveah felt embarrassed and was frustrated because Larcade stepped in for her. The other kids praised Larcade to which he disagrees. “But, Larcade you are much braver than Neveah.”

 This made Neveah huffed, but Larcade refute saying that Neveah is braver than him. Neveah ignored Larcade’s praise. Larcade gulped when he's in the front door, he pushed it and it made a creaking sound. The other kids outside the gate were hugging each other. Neveah crossed her arms glaring at Larcade. “Okay, here I go,” Larcade informed the others he went inside and shut the door. ‘It will be just a minute.’ He crouched down, closing his eyes feeling scared that someone might pop up. Before a minute can end a loud rumbling was heard. Larcade covers his ears, trying to comfort himself.

The other kids felt raindrops onto their faces, they stand there for a split second. The rain become heavy in which they screamed and run to their homes not wanting to get wet, forgetting that there was still someone they left in the mansion. Neveah who stopped for a moment and stared at the mansion, hesitates for a second, still feeling upset about Larcade, she eventually runs away heading to her house. Larcade was left in the mansion terrified still counting from 1 to 60 seconds.

 “Fifty-eight. Fifty-nine, Sixty.” The little boy whispered under his breath. He was crouching down, counting. After the 60 seconds countdown, he opened his eyes, standing up. “Guys! I’m done.” Little Larcade said informing his friends but the only reply was a thunder rumbling that made him jump. 

He heard the sound of the rain outside. He opened the door. The cold air hits his body that made him shiver. He hugged his self, walking to the door. He opened it slowly. He panicked when he can’t find his friends outside, the rain also didn’t help him to calm down. 

He looked around, wanting to go home, but the rain was so heavy that made him scared. He grinned his teeth not knowing what to do. ‘I can’t believe they left without me’ Little Larcade felt crying, closing the door because of the wind, he scanned the mansion. 

“I don’t want to be here.” He muttered under his breath.

 He felt something drop in his forehead, he jolted looking up. He sighed when it was only just a small leak in the ceiling. He gulps deciding to just wait till the rain stops so that he can go home. He remembered what his mother told him a while ago. ‘Larcade dear, don’t come home late okay?’ He whimpers when he realizes that he might come home late, he just hoped that his father won’t scold him.

He crouched down near the door, closing his eyes, he tried to think happy thoughts which made him relax a little bit. He sat down there, the only thing that he heard was the rain. He wished several times for his friends to come back. His body shivered feeling cold. After an hour of waiting, he felt restless, Little Larcade stood up again opening the door, the heavy rain outside made him worry, he also doesn’t have any courage to go out since the way from his home is scary to go alone. 

“The rain won’t stop.” He said closing the door.

 After a mere second his tears trickled down from his eyes to his cheeks, he wiped it off trying to be brave, but he can’t stop his tears, eventually, he let out a sob, he crouched down again can’t control his cries. “Mommy! Daddy!” Larcade shouted at the top of his lungs, hoping that somebody would hear him, and will come to rescue him. 

“Mommy! I’m scared!” He covered his eyes with his arms.

 “Daddy! Please help me.”

 His tears and snot mixed up but he ignores it, feeling hopeless and scared. His whole body trembled as he sobs violently and his face was wet with tears and snot. Suddenly a shuffle from upstairs the mansion, made him flinch. He slowly opened his eyes. He was scared but he still wants to know what or who made that noise. He looked up, seeing the railings on the upper floor. He sniffs and rubbed his eyes trying to adjust his vision. 

 A flowing purple light appeared on the upper floor that made little Larcade flinch. The flowing light made its way to Larcade. He jumped backing away but the light surrounds him. He was shocked at first but eventually relaxed. He stared at it thinking that it was pretty, he tried to touch it but his hand did not feel anything. 

The light floating around the mansion made Larcade smile. Forgetting his worry, he tried to play with it. Larcade wasn’t surprised by the weird light since he had fair shares of meeting creatures that are far weirder than the glowing light.

Little Larcade chased it around, jumping when the light jokingly flew above him, he plays it for a minute. Suddenly the light headed to the direction where the stair is, the stair that was connected to the upper floor. Larcade paused for a second, confused. The light suddenly flew headed upstairs. Little Larcade gulps hesitant to follow it. Since he doesn’t want to be left alone, he walked to the stairs

. He took a step off the wooden stairs that made a creaking sound, he slightly flinched when he heard it. Composing his self, he went upstairs slowly. The upper floor was slowly becoming visible when he was almost at the end of the stairs, he saw an apparition that was standing there holding the purple light in its hands. Larcade froze for a second. Thinking that it was just some creature, he took his courage to greet it. 

“Hello? My name is Larcade.”