Chapter 37 - A Wonderful Life

  Daniel put his arm around Felicia’s back, pulling her closer for a moment before letting go. She smiled, reflecting his own as he looked down at her.

  “Thanks, Fillie. I’m okay.”

  The words were as much for himself as for her. He was okay. Shaken, overwhelmed, bleeding from the neck, but fundamentally okay. The future looked brighter now.

  “I knew you would be. She will return here as fast as possible, I’m quite sure.”

  “I know,” Daniel replied, nodding slowly. “I’m sure she has as many questions as I have.”

  Felicia released her embrace, looking up at him through closed eyelids. “Do you have any idea how she knew me, though?”

  Right, that was a question he’d stored in the back of his mind earlier. Even with a blade digging into his neck, her reaction had been notable enough to remember. Elania had known Felicia's name without introduction.

  “My best guess would be that she kept an eye on your mother, even after she married your father. I’ll ask her when I get the chance.”

  He turned away from the entrance and to the other people in the room, seeing all four people kneeling in his direction.

  The two archmages were still pressed forehead-to-floor. Lucian knelt with better posture, with his head bowed and hands resting on his thighs in a formal pose. Erodin didn't have a choice, of course, but even his expression seemed genuine in his reverence.

  “Sorry about that, everyone. You know how it is with romantic reunions after a thousand years apart.”

  Only Felicia appreciated his joke, hiding her giggle behind a hand. The others seemed shocked beyond understanding.

  But perhaps that was the most logical reaction. If magic Jesus suddenly appeared one day, and proved who he was beyond any doubt, would anyone have the mind to appreciate a good joke?

  Because it was good.

  "Let's all take a few deep breaths," Daniel said, before leading the charge. He demonstrated, drawing air in slowly through his nose, holding it for a moment, then releasing it through his mouth in a controlled exhale. Then repeating the process a few times, letting his own racing heart settle.

  Lucian was the first to follow along, perhaps used to obeying commands without much thought. Then the two archmages did as well, lifting their heads slightly to breathe properly.

  Erodin instead hung his head forward, looking lost in thought. The breathing exercise went ignored, his mind clearly elsewhere.

  Perhaps he finally understood what was in store for him. Or was it regret?

  "Good, I hope that managed to calm you a bit. As you have all understood by now, I am Artorias Grifantes.”

  The words made it official, transformed speculation into confirmed fact. He watched their faces as the reality settled in—the legendary hero was standing in this room right now.

  “Felicia here is my dearest apprentice, whom I met shortly after waking up from the seal.”

  Looks of realization and careful nods followed his explanation. At least they were listening.

  “During this visit, I acted as her assistant to see how the great Grifantes family would treat someone like her. It started well, with you, Lucian, being a good uncle and a welcoming host. But then…”

  Everyone turned to look at Erodin, who was now slowly shaking his head, rattling the golden chains holding his neck down.

  "I was extremely disappointed with the head of the family, who not only treated Felicia as an enemy, but also called her mother—his own daughter—pathetic for dying while saving her life."

  Daniel's voice had gone cold. Beside him, he heard Felicia take a shaky breath at the reminder.

  "I understand that your position would sometimes force difficult decisions, but these actions have shown me what kind of man you are, Erodin."

  The patriarch's head bowed lower, as if he wished to stick his head under the carpet. But Daniel continued relentlessly.

  "My sister would be ashamed to see what you've become. What this family has become under your leadership."

  His sister had valued compassion, had believed in protecting family above all else. She would have been horrified to see her descendant treating his own granddaughter this way.

  “It might not be in my place, but regardless, I’ve decided to change the head of the family.”

  Despite the major declaration, barely anyone reacted. It had been clear from the start what would happen.

  "I don't know who else would be considered as candidates, so I ask you again, Lucian. Who should be the next head of the family?"

  Lucian looked over at his father, clenching his fists against the carpet hard enough that his knuckles went white. “I… I think it should be you, My Lord.”

  Daniel had half expected that response, so he simply shook his head. Leading a great family sounded like way too much work. Politics, resource management, mediating disputes, maintaining alliances…

  "No, I'll be far too busy with more important stuff. And call me Uncle, as I suppose I am to all members of the family."

  He still found that fact a bit funny. Uncle to an entire noble family, a thousand years removed from his own time.

  "...Great Uncle, then." Lucian corrected himself carefully, testing the words. "Of my brother and me, I believe neither is suited for the position. In my mind, the best candidate is my son, Farley. He's barely of age, but I believe he could handle it."

  “Your son? What makes him a better candidate than you?”

  It was a genuine question. Lucian had shown himself to be competent, respectful, capable of standing up to his father even while being terrified of him. Those seemed like useful qualities in a leader.

  “I am a warrior, not a thinker or a leader. But my son inherited his mother's brains, so he could do a much better job than I could—especially if given time to learn and grow. He’s currently studying at the academy, competing at the top of his class.”

  Lucian’s self-confidence was clearly not in great shape, something Daniel had already observed. The years under his father's thumb had done their damage, convinced him he was lesser.

  It was true that he lacked the air of a great leader—but that might be a matter of conditioning rather than inherent nature.

  A young man still in the academy, though? He could at least graduate first.

  The idea of putting someone barely of age in charge of a great family seemed premature at best. Power without experience was a recipe for disaster.

  "Excuse me, M-My Lord," the bald archmage spoke carefully, putting his hand up like a nervous student.

  He wasn't going to speak without Daniel's permission, clearly too afraid of overstepping. So Daniel nodded, giving him space to contribute. "Yes?"

  “I have trained young Farley on occasion, and I think Lucian has a point. The boy is sharp, and wears his heart on his sleeve. With time and experience, I think he would become a great patriarch.”

  “Alright, I’ll consider him the primary candidate, then. What do you have to say, Erodin?”

  Daniel removed the magic restraints entirely, letting the man speak freely. There was no risk of him trying anything clever at this point, unless he was completely mad.

  "...I am ashamed, Great Uncle.” Erodin's voice was quiet, stripped of all the arrogance and fury from before. “Ashamed of what I have let myself become, and of letting you see such a display."

  A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  He lifted his head slowly, looking first at Daniel, then turning to Felicia. His eyes were wet with tears, filled with regrets.

  "And I sincerely apologize to you, Felicia."

  That’s what I wanted to hear. At least he’s not an idiot.

  "The truth is,” Erodin continued, “I have regretted sending your mother away every day since she died. That regret eventually turned to resentment, which I let turn me against you…"

  Hmm…

  It was a common enough pattern, psychologically speaking. Couldn't face his own guilt, so he blamed Felicia for being the reason his daughter was gone. For surviving.

  But the reason behind it does nothing to lessen your failure.

  Felicia’s jaw clenched as she listened to the apology. But she remained passive, listening quietly to her grandfather’s words.

  If she doesn’t want to accept it, that’s perfectly fine. He crossed so many lines, I was close to killing him.

  Seeing that Felicia had no intention of responding, Daniel took the word. “A good choice of words, Erodin. But regardless of your reasoning, you have severely failed as a leader. Do you support the decision to let young Farley take your position?”

  Erodin stared at Felicia a moment longer, perhaps hoping for a reply. Some acknowledgment, some sign that the apology had been received. But seeing that she chose not to respond, his eyes turned back to the ground, accepting her silence as judgment.

  "...Farley is not ready. He will be one day, but it is too early."

  Although he hated to agree with anything the man said, Daniel felt his words were sound. It was too much responsibility to put on such a young man. Leadership required experience and wisdom that only came with years of navigating complex situations.

  “Who would you suggest?”

  Erodin was silent for a long moment, eyes still fixed on the floor. “...I believe creating a family council would be the best decision, consisting of my four siblings. Although I have little love for them, I respect their commitment to the family.”

  A council. Interesting.

  It was a pragmatic solution, actually. Distributed power, shared responsibility, built-in checks and balances. No single point of failure, no tyrant making decisions unchallenged.

  "Hmm… What do you have to say to that, Lucian? Speak freely."

  Lucian nodded nervously. “I believe that is a good solution for now. It wouldn’t be the first time a council is created in this family, though they’ve all had rather violent ends when the power became too divided.”

  Ah, there's historical precedent.

  Power struggles and factions forming within factions. The eternal problem of shared leadership—ambition.

  One great leader is always better than many.

  “Good, then. Create the council, and let their first task be to give a suitable punishment to the former patriarch. Tell them that I have returned, and that they will have to answer to me if their decisions end up hurting the family.”

  If anyone should consider going against the legendary hero, Erodin’s fate would serve as a warning.

  “...But you would prefer to stay hidden, Great Uncle?”

  "Yes, for now. Getting this reaction everywhere I go would be a nightmare." Daniel gestured at the still-kneeling archmages, the way everyone was treating him like he might start performing miracles. "But I'll probably have to reveal myself soon enough."

  If Valkor's prophecies are coming true, hiding won't be an option much longer.

  "I will do my best to convince them, Great Uncle. And I… I hope your reunion with Teacher goes well."

  Teacher.

  That explained a question Daniel had wondered about earlier. Elania taught some family members, but clearly not all of them. Only a few she liked, if he were to make a guess. And Lucian was the latest?

  “I hope so, too. I can leave a bit of proof of my identity here, to help you convince the future councilors.”

  Daniel raised his hands before him, palms facing each other, and started focusing. With every shred of control and ability in his body, he started layering magic between his hands that only he would be capable of.

  First the layers. Reality split apart between his palms, separating like pages in a book. Flakes of existence peeling away from each other, occupying the same space while remaining distinct. One layer, then two, then three realities existing in perfect superposition.

  And in those layers, a flame as black as night formed. Not once, but three times, each void flame existing in its own dimensional plane. Stacking in both beauty and sheer destructive power, each one feeding into the others, amplifying without touching.

  Then a crystalline structure formed around the flames, growing from nothing like ice spreading across water. It encased the layered void flames in solid light of gold, weaving together into a brilliant diamond shape.

  Then finally, the momentum. Negative momentum, and a metric ton of it, letting the crystal float for years without falling to the ground. It would simply stay floating in the middle of the room, showing off its technical genius to the world.

  While there were people who could master multiple Sarun magics like Artorias, no one in a thousand years had come close to his level in any of his four branches. As proof, his spirits were still with him even now.

  Any mage, and any historian worth his salt, should understand what this golden crystal represents.

  "It's beautiful," Felicia muttered from his side as Daniel lowered his arms. Her mana-sight was observing the crystal eagerly, tracing the outer layer of gold light with wonder.

  Instead of responding, Daniel flicked his hand and created a ring of gold light around her little finger, with a crystal just like the large one—without the black flame inside, of course.

  “That one should last a few years if you’re careful.”

  She seemed confused at first, but then she sensed the change on her finger and pulled her hand up to her face. “Oh! Thank you!”

  Daniel smiled, then turned his attention back to the others. The archmages stared at the floating crystal in awe, slowly nodding their heads as they recognized the mastery on display.

  “As for Farley, I think it would be fine to make him the official future heir. But I’ll leave it to the council. If you need to contact me, you can speak to Quill at the academy.”

  "But…" Lucian stepped forward, sensing the meeting was coming to an end. "What will you be doing? Will you need any help? We have a lot of power, and would be glad to be of assistance."

  The offer was genuine, desperate even. A chance to be useful, to serve the legend.

  "I'll be making sure Valkor's prophecy doesn't come true. And if it does, I'll most likely be busy saving the world again." Daniel kept his voice calm, like he was discussing weekend plans rather than apocalyptic scenarios. "If you can help me with any of that, I'll come ask."

  "...Should we be worried?"

  Good question.

  "I don't know yet. I just have this nagging sense that I returned now for a reason. It could be nothing, or it could be something."

  Lucian took a deep breath, seemingly trying to collect himself. “Well, whatever the case may be, it is an incredible honor to meet you, Great Uncle. And, as a very temporary head of the Grifantes family, there is one thing I need to say to you before you go.”

  Something in his tone made Daniel pay closer attention. This was important.

  Lucien’s back straightened, and his eyes filled with tears. By his side, Erodin seemed to be shaking, keeping his eyes shut.

  “If her daughter were alive when you returned, she was to tell you this. But it had to pass from one descendant to the next for forty generations. Or forty-one, with me.”

  Oh no.

  A message from his little sister? Words carried through a thousand years, waiting for this exact moment?

  Only a family that honors its history and tradition immensely could carry a message through so many generations, so much time.

  A lump formed in his throat, hard and hot and impossible to swallow around. Up until this very moment, he had felt no attachment to these people, only obligation. They were descendants, strangers who happened to share blood with someone he'd loved. Felicia was the only exception, for obvious reasons.

  But it ended now, with Lucian's words.

  "Lyra Grifantes, our dear and beloved ancestor, wanted us to tell you..."

  He bowed deeply, and so did the others. Even the archmages, who had no obligation, bent forward in respect. Erodin nearly fell to his knees, doing everything in his power to suppress a sob, his entire body trembling with the effort.

  The room held its breath.

  "Welcome home, Art. I lived a wonderful life."

  The words struck Daniel straight in the heart, a surgical strike that found every weakness, every buried grief, every carefully suppressed regret.

  A message straight from his sister, conveyed through her descendants. The words she always used to welcome him with, and a message to relieve his guilt.

  So very much like her.

  She wasn’t angry or sad, not even a little bit. She was worried about him, and how he would feel when he returned. About the guilt she knew he would carry. The same guilt and regret he had felt when sitting in front of her house.

  But it was lifted now, in those simple words. Not once had she ever blamed him. She had lived her life to the fullest, using the gift he had given her and everyone else.

  Because she knew that’s what he wanted to see when he returned. She knew that was the best thing she could do for him. To let him know that it had been worth it.

  Aahhh, god damn it…

  Daniel turned away from the men, not wanting them to see his face. He was crying, properly crying. Breath shaking, tears running down his face, nose stuffy and in need of a tissue.

  Felicia's hand found his, squeezing gently. She understood, even if she didn't know the full story.

  Losing his sister still hurt, but now he could at least take solace in the fact that she had been happy, all the way till the end.

  She lived a wonderful life.

  Daniel took a shaky breath, pulling himself back together piece by piece. Wiping his eyes with his free hand, trying to steady his breathing, forcing himself back under control. When he spoke, his voice was rough.

  "Thank you, Lucian. For carrying that message. For..." He gestured vaguely, encompassing the room, the family, and the thousand years of dedication. "For all of it."

  "It was an honor, Great Uncle." Emotion roughened Lucian's words. "We will not fail you. Or her memory."

  Daniel nodded, not trusting himself to say more. Felicia's grip tightened, anchoring him to the present.

  "We should go," she said quietly.

  Yes. They should. Before he fell apart entirely in front of these people.

  "You will hear from me soon," Daniel managed. "Take care of this family, Lucian. It's more precious than you know."

  Then he turned and walked toward the exit with Felicia at his side, leaving behind a room full of people who'd just witnessed history—and a floating crystal that would remind them, every day, that legends could return.