Chapter 72: The Fog Island [12].

That same afternoon, after getting Claire a present for her birthday, Aldrus and his father were heading back home with not a worry in the world. Much different from how he had felt that morning, Aldrus strolled cheerfully, holding a tiny black box in his hands. The air tasted sweeter as the sun hid and its blinding light began fading away.

"Do you think she’ll like it?" his father asked suddenly.

"Claire’s fine with anything," the boy said casually as he tucked the box inside his pocket.

"You know what I meant."

Aldrus chuckled. "I think she’ll be happy."

"That’s good, then."

"Yup."

Aldrus closed his eyes as he walked, breathing in the last remnants of coffee on him.

Father was right; coffee is great.

"Ah, by the way, Father," Aldrus then said.

"Hm?"

"Do you know what you’ll do from now on? Or..."

His father smiled at him. "I was told I’d be able to quit after finishing out June, and after that I was planning on taking the rest of the year off at home."

"Wait, really?! You’ll stay home until next year?!"

"Yes, that’s what we discussed. Your mother won’t be able to take care of the house soon, so I let her know I’ll be there until the child’s birth."

"But, the money...?"

The man’s eyes widened, then laughed loudly and stroked Aldrus’ head.

"You’re funny, son. Worrying about money at your age, hahaha! Forget about it, your father has been saving up a fair amount. If it’s just this year, then it’s fine. Besides, I’ve gotten in contact with some old buddies, and they’re helping me find a new job as well."

"I see," Aldrus said, fixing his hair. "But are you sure they’ll accept you?"

"Well, that’s one of the perks of working at the gates; despite the risk, you make good money and earn a strong reputation—not everybody’s willing to keep up with it for a decade, like me, eh?"

The boy rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, you’re awesome, we know."

They both smiled and walked in silence for a while. However, and before he realized it, something strange began to happen. There was something bothering Aldrus. A quiet, piercing feeling of dread crept over him the more he thought about it, but he could not put his finger on what it really was. Something had been forgotten.

Since that morning’s dream, everything had felt slightly off for him. Maybe it had been the sun, stronger than usual. A sun he had not seen in years, so blinding and white it was as though it tried to claim him for itself and drown him in its light. Or perhaps it had been the latte; maybe it was true that it was not made for kids. Or maybe, and just maybe, he was fine and kept overthinking things, taken aback by all the good news he had gotten.

Aldrus thought of many possibilities, but the truth was, such feverish feelings did nothing but intensify. In a matter of minutes, the pleasant dusk walk with his father began to feel less like a moment to cherish and more like a nightmare he wished to wake up from.

A nightmare...?

Soon, the boy unconsciously started to slow down his pace until he stood completely still below the immensity of the purple sky. There was something in what his father had said that he needed to reaffirm. As his heart hammered violently against his chest, he licked his lips and muttered, "Dad."

The man stopped and turned to look his son in the eye, for he knew Aldrus called him ’Dad’ only when angry, frightened, or sad.

"What’s up, Aldrus?" His father’s voice sounded muffled, and there was worry in his tone.

"Y-You said you’d be finished after June, right?"

"Yes, why?"

"Um... Couldn’t you... make it sooner?"

"Sooner?"

"Yes, l-like next week or something..."

His father scratched his head.

"I don’t think so, son. It’s on the contract; they will not pay me if I don’t fulfill my part. Why? Is something wrong?"

The boy felt the urge to beg, to ask once more, to tell him that whatever the contract was, it was not worth it. But how? What could he say? What did he know? Why was he being so selfish? It was already great news that his father was quitting the job; how could he ask him for anything else based on a sudden impulse?

It was ridiculous enough to convince himself it was fine not to press the matter further. However, if it is worth mentioning, Aldrus would later on never ignore his gut again.

"Let’s hurry; Claire’s going to be mad at you, hm?"

"Yes... Yes, Father."

***

Cael Dagon, Aldrus’ father, was a man who worked as a gate guard. His role, for more than ten years, was to patrol, maintain, open and close the nation’s gates to ensure the safety of its citizens. You would be the one asking him for permission to venture outside, and he was the one who denied it.

He would sight roaming beasts and, on rare occasions, even Guardians. He reported them and then set out to hold together the iron threshold that divided monsters and men.

He was a man who, while not being a Holder, stood his ground against the wicked, lost his voice from a scratch across the throat, raised two kids and loved a woman the way only a husband can. He was a man who overcame the muteness forced upon him just so he could read books to his son. He was a man with a scar on his throat, a long healed scar. He loved coffee, dressed in topcoats and fancy shoes, and smelled like leather, amber, and spice.

The next week Aldrus woke up. He did not know it at the time, but that morning he heard the clink of silver keys for the very last time.

"Have a good day, father."

"Thanks, buddy. I’ll be back soon."

The day was sunny, as sunny as it could be, and it became the reason Aldrus loved summer no longer.