Chapter 128: Reunion

Susan immediately bowed as she stepped out of Kaelen’s way for the woman standing at the doorway.

"K-Kaelen dear, is that you?" A beautiful, mature woman’s voice called out.

As the light dimmed, a woman dressed in a black garment with flowing long hair and flawless facial features marked with strange dark symbols that didn’t diminish her beauty stood there staring at Kaelen with watery eyes.

Kaelen was momentarily stunned as he stared at the woman. His mother, who looked no different from the last time he could remember seeing her over ten years ago.

It was like she never aged all those years, making Kaelen hesitate as his mind went into static.

Jessica saw this and broke into a sprint for Kaelen, and immediately pulled him into a tight hug, burying her face in the nook of his neck.

It was the warm tears against his skin that broke Kaelen out of his daze, and he firmly wrapped his hand around her shoulder.

Kaelen didn’t know what to expect and had never actually thought about what to do in a scenario like this; watching his mother cry heavily into his shoulder.

This immediately confirmed a few things for him.

This woman was actually his mother, and she was happier than he was to reunite like this.

She couldn’t have abandoned him.

Susan broke into tears watching from the sidelines, and immediately turned and ran away to avoid disturbing the mother and son duo.

After what felt like forever in his mother’s warmth, she finally pulled back to cup his face in her shaky hands, taking in every feature of his face, before she pulled him into another hug.

"M-My Kaelen, how have you been?" She asked amidst sobs.

"I’ve been good, Mom," Kaelen replied softly, but he couldn’t let himself get too emotional here as he was on a mission and couldn’t truly relax without ensuring her safety.

He pulled back this time, placing his hands on her shoulders. "Mom, I’m glad that you’re safe, but I have to get you out of here right now," Kaelen said and, without waiting for a reply, grabbed her hand, about to imitate the technique Susan had used to transfer him across worlds.

"W-What? No. Kaelen, wait," Jessica immediately called out, making him pause. "You don’t have to worry about me, okay? Mommy is safe."

"What? These people are against us, Mom. They think we should pay for what happened eons ago, but I say we don’t have to get involved in any of it. I can protect the both of us. I’m only concerned with finding the bastards that tried to kill you and Dad, so just give me a name and I swear I’ll find and kill them all. But we have to get outta here first."

"No, Kaelen. I understand your point, but Mommy is totally safe here. They’re against humanity, not us. I made sure of that..." She reduced her voice and looked over her shoulder, before pulling Kaelen into the room as the golden doors closed shut behind them.

"Just sit down and relax, okay?" She said and softly pushed him into the cushion. "I’ll prepare you something nice to eat, okay? I’m sure you missed my cooking," she said with a bright smile and turned to leave.

Kaelen immediately stood up, but didn’t try to grab her again. "What’s going on, Mom?" He asked with a serious tone, making Jessica pause in her step.

"First it was Susan giving me this history lecture about the beef between humanity and Akkadians. Then she mentioned something about making the right choice, and now you’re acting all strange. Why don’t you want to come home?" Kaelen’s brows furrowed.

"They destroyed our home, Kaelen. There’s no place for us out there. We can’t keep living in hiding and fighting for the rest of our lives. We can make this our home, Kaelen. We can use them to fight back and do what’s right," Jessica said in concern.

Kaelen pinched the bridge of his nose in exasperation, before he looked up at his mother. "Are you saying we use them to slaughter all of humanity? ’Cause I don’t know how else we could possibly fight back."

"That’s what they did to these people in the past," Jessica said in her defense. "We don’t have to kill them all. But we can oppress them till they leave our planets."

"Oh my god," Kaelen blurted and began pacing around the room.

"They’ve brainwashed you, haven’t they?" Kaelen suddenly said and moved towards her. "Who do I need to kill to set you free?"

"W-What? No, son. They’re not our enemies. These people need your help to survive."

"And what makes you think they’d let us live after it all ends?" Kaelen asked almost immediately.

"They wouldn’t dare harm the Messiah and the high priestess. Trust me when I say that."

"The what now?" Kaelen asked with a raised brow.

"You’re the Messiah. The man destined to deliver them from the bondage of slavery. That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you, Kaelen."

Kaelen stared at his mother for a moment, before he burst into a fit of pained laughter as he shook his head in disappointment. "I think I’ve made a mistake here. But before I go, can I at least ask why you abandoned me?" Kaelen asked as his expression turned icy.

His mother was taken aback by this. "W-What? Abandoned you? I’d never do such a thing, Kaelen. I’ve always been with you ever since the day we separated."

"Okay, that’s it." Kaelen gritted his teeth and began moving towards the door.

He finally understood why she had the strange charcoal drawings on her face.

She had come here to become a shaman and deceive these people, giving fake prophecies about a Messiah who turned out to be the son she abandoned ten years ago to satisfy her crazy delusions.

"I’m dying, Kaelen." Jessica suddenly screamed behind him, making Kaelen pause just as he got to the door.

"I’m... dying. Should’ve been dead long before now, but I don’t have much time left to live," she said much more softly now.

"I’m sorry if you had to go through all those because of my decision, but I didn’t have a choice. You... died." Jessica said in a sobbing tone, making Kaelen’s blood run cold.

"I only came here to find a cure for my curse, but then... you didn’t make it beyond those canyons. I-I carried your body and snuck into the ruins, and the only one thing that could’ve saved me... I sacrificed it for you, just so you could live, Kaelen."

Kaelen slowly turned around. "W-What are you talking about?" He asked, his voice cracking.

"The second I step out of the place, I’m going to die. It’s the only thing anchoring my soul to my body. I come from a lineage of powerful women who awaken their abilities very early on in life, but we only get to live twelve years more before we die. I-I’m sorry, but I... don’t want to die. The only thing that could’ve saved me is the very thing that made you what you are today."

Kaelen’s eyes widened in shock and disbelief.

"A-Are you saying..."

"Yes..."

"...I gave you the Reward System."