The way to become the Great Sorcerer

Chapter 72: Back against the wall

“Where could the ten-year-old me go?” Neveah said to herself as he tried to wander around the city that she recalled. “How come I can’t remember after I separated with Dad?” She questioned herself again. Suddenly she saw a familiar figure. She squints her eyes to look at the figure of a small child. “Me! It’s me!” She shouted which made people who pass by staring at her with a judgemental look. She look at them bowed mumbling an apology and quickly chased her small figure owned by the ten-year-old self. “Hey! Kid!” She shouted but she was having a hard time following her. “Damn, how can I be so fast for a child?” She complained as she saw her younger self vanish. She quickly runs and looks everywhere. 

“ Hello! Would you like some of my meat buns?” 

She stopped when she heard her younger self’s voice. She walked into an area where there is an alleyway and there she saw herself crouching down and offering some food to a frail kid. She was about to approach but halted when she realized who was the frail kid. Even without the purple eyes and dirty blonde locks like Damian, Neveah can tell that this kid was, Loki. She stared at the two of them. She decided to hide in an area where she can hear what they’ll say. She even leaned in her ears just to listen. The frail kid that was supposed to be Loki glared at Neveah.

“I don’t want your pity,” He mumbled. Younger Neveah tilts her head. “What do you mean?’ She asked and the younger Loki glared at her. “What do you want?!” He exclaimed instead of replying. The younger Neveah flinch at this. “Calm down, kid. Here have some meat bun,” Younger Neveah said not even affected by his outburst and was so insistent on letting him have her meat bun. Neveah facepalmed her younger self’s stubbornness. ‘Am I this dumb?’ She thought embarrassing to watch herself 10 years ago. Older Neveah saw Loki grabbing the meat bun. Hey, younger self cheered because of his action and sit beside him. “You know you look like my cousin,” Younger Neveah said and Loki looked at her with confusion. “Why?” He said mouth filled with meat bun. “I don't know because you’re too pitiful,” She said without even batting an eye and Loki choked on this. “I was joking, bro!” She laughed and gave him her water bottle that was on her backpack. 

‘I would never imagine me and Loki doing this,’ Neveah said as she watches the scene unfold. Loki drank on her water bottle and clutched the last meat buns on his chest. Young Neveah til her head on this, “Aren’t you gonna finish that?” She asked. Loki looked at her with widened eyes did not expect that she’d notice. “You’re gonna take it back?’ He said his eyes filled with nervousness. Neveah chuckled and shook her head. “Of course not! I gave it to you remember and besides I’m not hungry,” Young Neveah answered. “Oh thank you for this,” Neveah smiled at him. “What’re you gonna do with that anyway? She asked curiously. Loki hugged it tighter and a blush crept upon his face. “I’m giving it to my parents,” He mumbled. Young Neveah was stunned but the smirk. “You’ve done something wrong, no?” She said with a mischievous grin as if teasing the young kid. Neveah saw herself, ‘I was a jerk,’ She thought but continue peeping at them.

Young Loki nodded, feeling embarrassed as he recall the outburst he had with his parents. “I was angry at them and shouted to my father and mother. I feel bad.” He said clutching the plastic full of meat buns. “Well you should be,” Young Neveah replied nonchalantly, ‘Okay that’s it Imma choke myself’’ Neveah thought. Loki then tells her what happened.

“Because they are your parents and you are their child. You’re still young yet you act as if it’s your world. Your Mom is sick and your Dad can’t find a job yet they’re still trying. They didn’t give up. No matter how their back is against the wall. They didn’t abandon you because they love you and I’m pretty sure they are worried for you now,” Neveah freeze as he heard what his younger self said. She was too stunned to speak. She did not recall this event maybe because for her young self this scene was irrelevant. Somehow, deep inside Neveah was proud of her younger self. “My family aren’t poor. My dad is a famous chef.” Loki’s jaw drop at what she blurted out.

“Yet he was always away. I feel lonely and I thought that maybe his job was more important than me,” Young Neveah said. Hearing her younger self Neveah recalls the times when his father always was away and she was the only one in their house. “ I don’t have any mother. She died.” Loki widened his eyes at this.  “ That’s why you should be grateful that your mother is staying strong for you. Some people are Luck and some people aren’t but it’s your decision to whether you chose to be like that. Every action is caused by our decision and that decision would help us what we are in the future. Treat your family better when they’re still there.” Young Neveah said while looking at Young Loki intently.  “But I did something wrong, I told them I hate them,” Loki said as a tear welled upon his eyes. “But you aren’t right?” Loki looks at Neveah. He then shook his head as tears streamed down his face. “No! I didn’t mean it! I love my family! I love my Dad! My mom! I just hate being poor!” Loki sobbed and young Neveah panicked thinking that they might attract attention. “ okay! Okay! Shhh,” young Neveah tried to console him. After a minute of comforting young Loki, both of them sat there.  Suddenly, Henry came into the scene.

“Neveah!” Young Neveah and Neveah herself flinch at her father’s angry voice. Neveah then hid quickly afraid that she might be found out that she was peeping at them even though she said she’ll find his daughter. “Dad!” Young Neveah jolted up. “I was worried sick! Don’t do that again young Lady!” His father spouted and young Neveah only look down. Loki also stood up. “Who’s this?” Henry asked while pointing at Loki. “This is my friend!” Neveah exclaimed while putting his arms on Loki’s shoulder. Henry notices Loki barefooted. “Oh, aren’t you cold?”n Henry asked with worry. He then took out his padded jacket and give it to Loki. The young child was baffled at what he was doing. “But I’m a filthy kid I don’t think I deserve this kindness,” Loki looked down and was about to give Henry his padded jacket but The adult shook his head. “You are a child you deserve everything,” With just this statement, Loki’s eyes sparkled as he looked at Henry.  Even Neveah felt warm at what his father said. ‘That’s right my father is the best,’ She thought. 

With just a brief meeting, Henry invited Loki to go shop for some clothes and eat since it was Christmas eve. Before they could walk out, Neveah hurriedly went to the store they were supposed to meet with her father. She catches her breath first before acting calm when she heard her father call out to her. “Oh, there you are miss. I already found my daughter,” Neveah smiled and look to her younger self whos holding Loki’s hands. ‘I still can’t believe that I’m holding Loki’s hands,’ Neveh then panned her focus to her father. “Oh that’s good,” She said. Then suddenly her younger self tugs her jacket.  Neveah looks down at her younger self. “You have pretty hair,” Her younger self complimented. “ It’s like the color of the sky, It’s so pretty,” She saw her younger self’s eyes sparkle as it stares at her hair. Neveah crouched down and face her younger self, “And you too are so pretty,” She said while she caress her younger self’s cheeks. Young Neveah chuckled as she felt ticklish by Neveah’s touch. “Dad! Can I have that color when I grew older?” Young Neveah asked Henry and the said guy chuckled. “If you do then when I grew up I will recognize you!” Loki blurted out. 

Neveah looks at the young Loki, ‘Yet you didn’t and instead choke me to death,’ She thought bitterly. “Then, can I invite you to some dinner Miss? I don’t have your name yet,” Henry said as he rubbed his hair feeling embarrassed. “That’s okay, I think you can easily remember it,” Neveah said with a smile. Henry anticipated her answer. “My name is Neveah!” ‘Father…’ Both Henry and her younger self widen their eyes. Suddenly, before both father and daughter could react a hand grabbed Neveah’s shoulder. Neveah turn her head and saw a tall man with brown wavy hair and dark brown eyes. And, something struck in Neveah that he accidentally blurted out something that she did not excerpt, “Raguel?” The said man was slightly stunned and give him a wide grin. “ You took too long, I had to help you. You don’t have much time--” He cut himself when he saw Loki. “The main subject was here all along but we had to time skip for now,”  He said that he did not give Neveah any time to react.

“Neveah?” Neveah heard her younger self call out to her. It seems that she understands that the older Neveah won’t be taking too long. “Can I still meet you?” She said with eyes full of admiration. Neveah smiled at this, “It’s up to you,” She replied which made her younger self smile. “Let’s go,” He heard Raguel say beside her. Neveah nodded but before that he bid goodbye to the first. “Neveah,” She crouched down, “You are a great person. Don’t let your doubts stop you from what you had to do and lastly,” Neveah exhaled before continuing. “Larcade never blamed you for what happened five years ago,” Her statement made Henry and young Neveah widen their eyes. Neveah stood up and walk out, “Bye and Bye father,” Neveah said before Ragel and her vanish into the crowd. Henry who look at the crowd of people where they disappear felt a sensation that he lost a chance at something important. “Pa,” Neveah called out to him and Young Loki was stunned to see her tears falling. Henry looked at her daughter and hug her including Loki who was surprised but eventually give in to the warmth.