A delicious smell wafted from the kitchen, stirring Shawn from his sleep. His stomach growled, reminding him that breakfast was long overdue. After a quick stretch and some hasty preparation, he rushed to the kitchen, where he was met with an unexpected sight: Captain... cooking.
"Excuse me, Captain, but not to sound rude, why are you cooking breakfast in our home?" Shawn asked, his confusion evident.
The Captain looked up with a warm smile. "Oh, Shawn, I missed you, buddy. Your mum told me what happened. I guess she hasn't told you the big news yet. I married your mum six months ago, so I'm your step dad now."
The news hit Shawn like a ton of bricks. "What the... How? Why... Am I still dreaming?" His heart raced. He knew the Captain had lost his wife after giving birth to Rian, but he never expected him to marry his mother. A lot had happened in the past year, and this was definitely one of the biggest shocks.
Rian was his brother. The thought didn't seem too bad, especially since the Captain was a good guy, but hearing it straight from him was a shock.
Shaking off the surprise, Shawn composed himself and, still processing, congratulated the Captain. "Well, I guess you made a big move. Congratulations."
Though he was shocked, Shawn wasn't angry. The Captain and his mother had known each other for a long time, and Shawn had only recently come into the picture. Who was he to judge or reject their marriage?
Excusing himself from the kitchen, he headed to the dining area where his mother was setting the table.
"I guess the beans have been spilled," Lynne said, her expression apologetic as she saw Shawn's frown. "Sorry, Shawn, I should've told you earlier."
"Not to worry, Mum. I just want you to be happy. You deserve some happiness," Shawn replied, giving her a reassuring smile. "Though... I have something to tell you after breakfast. All of you," he added, a serious tone creeping into his voice.
Before his mother could respond, Rian walked into the room, breaking the tense silence. "Rian!" Shawn exclaimed, and the two brothers ran towards each other, embracing in a heartfelt hug.
"I'm sorry, Shawn... for what happened," Rian began, his voice thick with emotion, fighting back tears.
Shawn smiled, pulling Rian into the hug tighter. "Don't worry about it, buddy. I missed you too. It wasn't your fault, what happened. And look, I've gotten stronger, and I've improved. I hope you didn't slack off while I was gone." He said, trying to lighten the mood and comfort the young man.
Rian had changed a lot over the past year. His once childlike face had matured, now showing the features of a young man. His eyes were sharper, and his hair had darkened to a deeper shade of red. They were now almost the same height, though Rian was still a bit taller, being a year older at seventeen.
Breakfast was served, and the family ate together, enjoying eggs, bacon, and berry juice. Conversation flowed easily, and before long, the table was cleared.
After cleaning up the dishes together, Shawn and Rian met the rest of the family in the sitting room for a serious talk.
"Elaris," Shawn said mentally, his voice filled with determination, "As we discussed, I'll explain everything that happened, but I won't mention anything about you, as we agreed. I don't want them thinking you're here to possess me or something."
Elaris, ever present in Shawn's mind, acknowledged his words. "Understood."
Shawn turned to face his mother and the Captain, his voice steady as he began to speak. "I need to tell you everything—the truth. I didn't want to say anything when we were at Elder Ran's place because I don't trust him, and I don't even know him well. But now, I need you to know what happened after I was swallowed by the mountain…"
He continued his story, recounting every detail of his harrowing journey. The shock on his family's faces was palpable as he explained the horrors he had faced and survived. The silence that followed his story was thick, filled with disbelief. How could a boy—no, a young man—survive such unimaginable horrors?
Lynne was the most shocked, but she quickly composed herself.
"Did you all think I was dead?" Shawn asked, breaking the silence. "I've died once... metaphorically, of course, but I'm not planning on dying anytime soon."
"I knew you weren't dead," Lynne replied, surprising both Shawn and Rian. The Captain didn't react much, as if he had already expected her words.
"When I adopted you, I marked you as my own," Lynne continued, her voice soft but firm. "I can sense when you're alive, when you're gravely injured, or in the worst case, dead. So I always knew you were alive. I couldn't understand how you'd survived, but I knew. I even hired some strong Earth Vitral users to help excavate the mountain, but it was like trying to dig through an adamant. They couldn't even scratch it."
"I didn't want to give up, but they all told me to accept your death," she added, her eyes distant for a moment. "They couldn't believe anyone could survive what you went through."
" By the way she is able to see if I am still alive is not bad, though I worry for my mum. I know that I might face some more dangers and she will see my life sometimes dwindling. But hope not to face them." he mentally spoke.
" Your mother is a strong lady and has a strong heart. Who loses a husband and a child and later in life adopt one and gets married again. I know she will pull through." Ela said, trying to ease the worries clouding Shawn's mind.
Shawn noticed the Captain's silent support. Lynne had been holding on to hope, and the Captain had stood by her side through it all.
"But I didn't give up," Lynne said, her voice steady again. "I prayed to the gods for your safety, and it seems they answered. Seeing how you nearly died twice—once to that soul ghoul, Jarvine, and then to the rogues—I was terrified. But I never stopped hoping you'd make it."
Shawn looked at his mother, her words making him feel both comforted and a bit uneasy. "It's... good to know you never gave up on me, Mum. I know you've been through a lot."
Rian, who had been listening intently, finally spoke. "You've really grown, Shawn. You have a second Vitral now... and a legacy too. Even after all the dangers you've faced, you've gained great power. But don't think that means you can beat me."
Shawn chuckled lightly. "Well, now that I've got healing and wind Vitral, it feels like I'm a combination of both of you. Mum, you've got healing, and Captain, you've got wind." He teased, trying to lighten the mood.
The Captain smirked. "Guess you're right. People might think you're my long-lost son at this rate."
"And speaking of school," Lynne interrupted, "You'll need to catch up. You're late by two years. Rian's in his third year now, and you've not even started yet. But don't worry—I'll use my connections to get you into a top-tier school. You'll be placed in one of the top 15-ranked schools, so you'll have access to the best resources."
Shawn nodded, grateful for his mother's efforts. "Thanks, Mum. I'll catch up, I promise."
"And about your healing Vitral," Lynne continued, "I'll teach you how to use it properly. Now that you know how to treat yourself, maybe in the next month, you'll be ready to help others with it."
The Captain added, "I'll test your progress in your skills later. And by the way, no pressure on calling me 'dad' right now. I know it's new, but I hope you'll come to accept me. Stop calling me 'Captain.'"
The family shared stories about their lives during the year Shawn was missing. Though their experiences weren't as extreme as Shawn's, they were still interesting. Rian had reached the peak Artisan rank, and his father was still at the same rank, though the little pressure he was exuding was something else. He had refined his power.Lynne was also in the same situation as she was still at the same rank, but her presence brought a soothing effect on ones soul. Though she had almost lost another child, and one was expecting her to look mangled up, her skin was fairer, glowing and she looked as if she was at her mid twenties though that was not her age.
It seemed that Shawn's disappearance had pushed them all to work harder, surpassing their limits