"Hey, Dad, what's up?" the man said to Hal.
"Matt? How...?" Hal's voice broke as he spoke.
"It's a lie! Sir Hal, don't believe him! He's not your son!" Sam warned. Then, glaring at the man, he demanded, "State your name! Who are you?"
"Uncle Sam, don't you remember me? It's me, Matt. The son of your dear friend standing right next to you. You've become so rude, Uncle Sam," the man said, smirking.
"Don't call me that. You are NOT him. You died right in front of us," Sam snapped.
"Dead? Me?" Matt chuckled mockingly. "Dad, did I die?"
"Show your real form!" Sam drew his sword.
"Sam, don't! It's him—it's Matt!" Hal's voice trembled as tears welled up in his eyes.
"What are you saying, sir? He died right in front of us!" Sam argued.
"No... he didn't," Hal whispered in pain.
"Then tell him, Dad. Tell him how you abandoned me to die," Matt sneered.
"No... Don't say that," Hal pleaded.
"You stood there, watching me, doing nothing. You abandoned me. Are you really a father? Or was I just a burden to you?" Matt's words struck deep, filling Hal with unbearable regret.
"I couldn't do anything... You were poisoned. If I had taken you with me, my entire crew would have died," Hal said, his voice shaking.
"So, to save your crew, you let me die? How noble of you. That reminds me—didn't you also let my mother die for your own sake?" Matt's tone was filled with venom. "You're a selfish bastard, Hal."
"Matt, I swear, if you say another word, I'll put my sword through you," Sam growled.
"Oh, Uncle Sam is mad now? Don't worry, I'll give you someone to play with." Matt smirked as a woman appeared beside him, gripping a sword.
"You started the show without me, Matt? You're the worst friend!" she teased before lunging at Sam.
"Who are you?" Sam asked, blocking her attack.
"Oh, me? I'm just a mere pawn of the Flower in the Dark Cult." She grinned before slashing at him again.
Meanwhile, Hal tried to reach out to Matt. "Son, I—"
"Son?" Matt's eyes burned with fury. "I am NOT your son anymore! I am Matt Pravis, the Knight of the Flower in the Dark Cult!"
"Pravis? You won't even use my surname?" Hal whispered, pained.
"I know all your weaknesses, Hal Chlovsco! You can't win!" Matt declared before vanishing and reappearing behind Hal, slashing at him.
"Son, let me talk—" Hal winced in pain.
"I AM NOT YOUR SON!" Matt roared, slashing at him over and over. Hal refused to fight back, but as Matt's attacks continued, his patience snapped. He raised his fist and swung at Matt—only to stop inches from his face. His punch hit the ground instead, cracking the earth beneath them.
"Yeah, that's right! Punch me! Kill me! I know your hands are trembling to do it!" Matt mocked.
"You know I can't," Hal said through gritted teeth. "More than anyone, you should know that!"
"Did you have this kindness when you abandoned me?" Matt spat before attacking again.
"Don't you understand what I'm saying?! I know I failed as a father. I know I failed as a husband! But I never failed as a captain! I saved millions! You always said you'd save people, even if it meant sacrificing those you loved! What happened to you? What are you doing?!" Hal's voice cracked with emotion.
"That was in the past," Matt said coldly. "I'm not the person you knew. My master gave me life. He healed my wounds. He is my father figure now. Nothing you say matters. I came here to kill you."
As he spoke, a circle of wind swirled around him, growing stronger by the second. Hal's eyes widened.
"Since when did you have Elementia?" Hal asked in shock.
"Didn't I already tell you? I'm not the Matt you knew." Matt raised his hand, a small but violent whirlwind forming in his palm.
"Die, Father." He hurled the wind forward. As it traveled, the small gust expanded into a massive hurricane. Hal stood frozen, staring at the storm his son had unleashed to kill him.
"Jennifer... Look what your son has become." Hal's mind drifted into memories of the past.
"Dad... Dad... Wake up!" Matt called out.
Hal stirred slowly, looking much younger—still in his thirties.
"What is it, son? Let me sleep a little longer," Hal murmured, turning over.
"No! Wake up, Mom is calling you!" Matt insisted.
Hal's eyes snapped open, and he bolted upright.
"Why is she calling me?" He rushed toward the room where his wife was resting.
Jennifer Pravis, his wife, frowned at him as he entered. "How many times do I have to call you, Hal?"
"I'm sorry, dear, I was sleeping," Hal said, kneeling beside her. He kissed her belly and sat next to her. She was in her second trimester.
"You're always so busy these days. You barely even come home," Jennifer complained.
"You know my job better than anyone. I'm the Captain of the First Division. I have duties to fulfill," Hal replied.
"It would take just five minutes to come and check on me," she argued.
Hal sighed. "I'll make sure to visit regularly from now on. I promise."
Jennifer suddenly gasped, placing a hand on her belly.
"What happened?" Hal asked, concerned.
"She just kicked me!" Jennifer laughed.
"Don't scare me like that," Hal sighed in relief.
"What should we call her?" she asked, looking at Hal expectantly.
"Wait—you already decided it's a girl?" Hal raised an eyebrow.
"We already have Matt. I want a daughter this time," Jennifer said playfully.
Hal smiled at her. "Do you think she'll have beautiful white hair like Matt?"
"Of course! Their mother is a Galactor, after all," Hal chuckled.
He kissed Jennifer's forehead, then waved as he headed out to the AUL headquarters with Matt on his shoulders.
"Good morning, sir," Sam Ravil, the Vice Captain of the Third Division, saluted as they entered.
"Hey, Sam! How's it going?" Hal greeted him.
"Hey, Uncle Sam! How's it going?" Matt mimicked his father, grinning.
Sam chuckled. "I'm good, Matt. How about you?"
"Good as always!" Matt said cheerfully.
Hal patted Matt's head. "You stay here, okay? If you want, you can head back home. Mom might feel lonely."
"Okay, sir!" Matt saluted dramatically before running off toward home.
Sam watched him go, then turned to Hal. "He's a smart boy. He has a bright future ahead."
Hal nodded. "Yeah… he does."
—
Hal was in the middle of an important meeting with several AUL captains.
"So, regarding our expansion... The Reegon Region will now be directly under AUL's rule," Hal stated.
Suddenly, his communication device started beeping. He ignored it.
It beeped again.
And again.
Still, he continued the meeting, his focus unwavering.
Then, a soldier burst into the room, panic written all over his face. He whispered something to Hal.
Hal's blood ran cold. Without a second thought, he bolted out of the room.
A monstrous fire engulfed his house, flames roaring like a beast devouring everything in its path. It was so bright it rivaled the sun.
In front of the inferno stood Matt, his small body trembling, his face streaked with tears.
"Oh God! You're alive!" Hal dropped to his knees and hugged Matt tightly.
Matt, however, shoved him away. "No! Why didn't you answer me?! I called you so many times!"
Hal's heart clenched. "It's okay, I'm here now. Where's Mom?"
Matt didn't answer.
Hal's stomach twisted. He turned toward the blazing house, dread seeping into his bones.
He ran into the fire, searching frantically. Smoke stung his eyes, but he pressed on.
"Jennifer!"
Nothing.
His panic escalated as he ran to their bedroom.
Then—he saw it.
His wife's lifeless body, burned beyond recognition.
Hal collapsed. A guttural scream of pain tore from his throat.
Outside, people gathered, trying to put out the fire. Sam and a few soldiers rushed inside. When they returned, they carried out Jennifer's remains.
"Dad, where's Mom?" Matt asked, his voice barely a whisper.
Hal didn't answer.
Then, Matt's gaze landed on the charred body. "No... No! Is that… Is that my mom?!"
Hal grabbed Matt, holding him tightly.
"Mom... No! Why?! Why didn't you save her?!" Matt sobbed, shoving Hal away.
"I called you… I called you so many times! Why didn't you come sooner?!"
Every word was a dagger to Hal's heart.
After sometime Sam approached him and placed a hand on Hal's shoulder. "She… it was a girl. I thought you should know." Hal's pain doubled, yet not a single tear escaped his eyes.
That night, Matt never stopped crying.
And Hal… Hal stood in the same spot for an entire week, mourning.
Matt never spoke to him again.
Back in the present, Hal stared at the massive hurricane his son had summoned. He smiled.
Then, he clenched his fists and punched the air.
The sheer force bent reality itself—the hurricane lost momentum and dissipated.
Matt narrowed his eyes. "Hmm… As expected."
"Are you done, Matt?" Hal asked, his voice firm.
"No. I was sent here with a mission. One—to kill you with my own hands," Matt said before launching multiple wind waves at Hal.
Hal dodged and threw a punch at Matt, but his strike was blocked by an elemental shield.
"You've gotten weak, Dad. You're still holding back," Matt sneered. "But I know a way to make you serious."
He turned toward the female cultist.
"So… it's time?" she asked, stepping back from Sam.
A red sigil glowed on Sam's forehead.
"Hey… what is that?!" Hal asked, his eyes widening.
Matt smirked. "Great, you noticed. It's a little present from her. She's placed it on every living being on this planet. It'll explode in three minutes... starting now."
"Matt… you don't have to do this," Hal pleaded.
"I think I do. Want to erase it? Just kill me." Matt lunged at Hal.
Meanwhile, Sam frantically tried to remove the sigil, but nothing worked.
"It's no use. My Sin is Class Two," the woman smirked.
Sam's expression darkened. "Sin powers disappear when the user dies, right? Then I just have to kill you."
He raised his sword, flames flickering along the blade.
"Feel the power of fire," he muttered, slashing down. A burning circle of energy formed and moved toward her.
"You think this can kill me?" she scoffed, swinging her knife—
But the moment she touched it, the circle exploded. She collapsed, half-burned.
Matt pressed a button on his watch. Instantly, her body vanished.
"Where did she go?!" Sam demanded, looking around.
"I knew you'd pull something like that," Matt said smugly. "So, I prepared a backup."
He turned back to Hal. "Only one minute left."
"Sam, alert every captain. Tell them to hold on," Hal ordered.
Sam nodded and ran toward headquarters.
Matt smirked. "What can you do, Hal Chlovsco? You're not the man you used to be. Just die."
Then, Hal saw her.
A little girl hiding behind a tree—her face marked with the red sigil.
Matt began the countdown.
"Ten… Nine… Eight…"
Hal clenched his fists, his mind racing.
"Seven… Six… Five…"
A memory flashed before him.
"Four… Three…"
Hal's eyes snapped open. He roared and charged forward.
"Two… One—!"
Hal's fist struck Matt's shield.
It shattered.
Blood splattered as Matt was sent crashing into the ground.
Hal turned to the girl. The mark was gone.
He sighed in relief.
"Ah…" Matt groaned. Hal crawled to his son and held his shaking hand.
"Hey, Dad…"
"Yeah, I'm here," Hal said, fighting back tears.
"Why don't you just die…?" Matt whispered weakly.
Tears rolled down Hal's face. "Because… I love you, son."
"Huh... That answers nothing.. "
Hal held Matt's trembling hand, his vision blurred by tears. The warmth in his son's body was fading fast.
"Are you crying?" Matt asked weakly. "Are you sad that you met me again?"
Hal forced a small, broken smile. "No… I'm glad. You haven't talked to me like this in so long."
Matt chuckled softly, his voice barely above a whisper. "Yeah… right… this feels nostalgic."
Then, his breath grew shallower.
"You know, Dad… I hate you."
Hal didn't react, only nodding as if he expected those words.
Matt continued, his voice cracking. "I don't know why, but I hate you for everything. For letting Mom die. For being a terrible father. For leaving me alone."
"Yeah," Hal whispered. "I'm sorry."
"I just wanted to tell you that," Matt murmured, his breaths uneven. "I hate you more than you think. I…" His voice wavered. "I don't know why, Dad."
Hal pulled him close. "It's okay… it's okay."
"I'm sorry," Matt whimpered. "It's just… like I'm filled with hate. I don't know why. I… I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done this."
"I know, son." Hal stroked his hair gently. "You were never wrong. I was the one who failed you."
"Yeah, you were a corny dad," Matt laughed weakly. "Haha…"
But his laughter trailed off.
His body became still.
"Son?" Hal called softly.
No answer.
The warmth in Matt's hand faded.
"Son…?"
Silence.
Hal's face twisted in agony. He held Matt closer, his tears falling onto his son's face.
"No… Don't do this to me, Matt. I can't lose you again! Oh, God!" Hal screamed.
"Dad?" The young Matt once asked, sitting beside Hal under the stars.
"What is it, son?"
"If I die… will you cry?"
Hal frowned, taken aback. "What are you saying? Don't talk like that again."
"But we all die one day, right?" Matt pressed. "So if I die before you, would you cry?"
Hal sighed and tapped his son's shoulder.
"You're not going to die on my watch. If you did, I would have failed as a father."
Now, Hal sat there, cradling his son's lifeless body.
He looked at Matt's peaceful face.
Then—he laughed.
A hollow, broken laugh.
The laugh of a man who had lost everything.
-To Be Continued...