Sun in the Night

As I made my way back home, I tested out the limits of my leg. While no one was looking, I tried pushing myself off walls, kicking in the air, and even kicked a wall. While the last one had caused some pain due to the impact, this pain wasn’t even comparable to that when it was broken. My ankle was functioning properly again, and not to mention all the scars from that terrible time were gone. The freedom from everything that had binded me to those memories had felt far too liberating. It was like I could walk on air.

Seeing that now I had value to Flint and Allirea, I hoped that I wouldn’t get disowned. The realization had made me feel far happier than when the healing magic had fixed everything. It had even caused me to start doing a few spins on my way home before I got dizzy.

Seeing the warm light of the store coming into view, the smile on my face couldn’t be put away. It was far too obvious how happy I was about everything that had happened today. I wanted to try and at least make it a little subtle, but it seemed as though that wouldn’t even be an option. It felt like I was on top of the world. I peered inside the store to see that it had still been lit but that no one was there. They must’ve been in the main room, then.

Making my way towards the room, I looked inside to see if I had assumed correctly. Flint and Allirea were sitting in silence. Allirea seemed to be troubled by something as she held her hands to her forehead in the way that one does when they have a headache.

Flint's expression was different from Allirea’s. His eyebrows were low and he held his head down towards the floor. He seemed as though he wanted to say something but didn’t want to speak either. I wasn’t sure what was going on but it didn’t seem like it was anything good at all.

Taking a deep breath and exhaling, I attempted to relax myself before entering. Maybe I’d be able to find out what was going on and how I could help. It may also help to show Allirea I’m healed so that she may lighten up just a bit.

As I stepped through the doorway, it seemed as though whatever break they were having had finished and they decided to continue.

“How could you just do that without telling me?” Allirea asked while yelling.

“I did it for our daughter!” Flint responded with a yell of his own.

“That was almost all of our money! What will we do now!?”

“So what? You want me to just let that opportunity go to waste?”

“I know why you did it, Flint, I really do. But you never think about the after!”

“It’s fine! We’ll get the money!”

“How?”

“The rebel forces will pay us!”

“How would they do that? Why would they?”

“We’ll just eavesdrop on the guards who come into the store. Any info those idiots let out loud we’ll give to the rebels. Easy.”

“Do you really think they’ll pay us for that?”

“Of course they will!”

“Ugh, I hope you’re right about this!”

“It’d be better if that stubborn old man just outside of the capital sold his home and smithing store to us.”

“Why would that help anything?”

“We wouldn’t have to worry about all this if we were just outside the capital.” Flint explained, ending the momentary argument they were having.

“H-hello.” I interrupted the conversation as I didn’t want them to start arguing again.

“Hibiki!?” They both called aloud.

“U-uh, yeah.”

“When did you get here?” Allirea asked.

“Umm, just right now.” I responded, hoping to ease the rising tension building in the room.

“How much did you hear?” Flint asked with a chilling coolness.

“J-just the argument that happened! But I think by now you should trust me right?”

“Ugh, yeah we do Hibiki. But that doesn’t mean we want you hearing about our financial situation either.” Flint let out a sigh afterwards.

“I-I’m sorry, I should have told you that I was home earlier.”

“It’s fine. I mean it is our fault.”

“Thank you!”

“Hey Hibiki. I know I told you to use ‘thank you’ instead of ‘sorry’, but don’t over use it either. It starts to feel insincere.” Flint responded sternly.

“I’m sor…..”

“Ah, whatever. You’ll figure it out one day.”

“So what was it you were arguing about?”

“You’ll see in a second.” Allirea answered my question unenthusiastically.

Wondering what she meant by that, I tried looking around to figure it out on my own, however, I was unable to find anything. Maybe Flint broke something expensive and had already cleaned it up?

“Cordelia!” Flint called her to come downstairs.

With a loud thud, she opened the door and began coming downstairs. It sounded like each step was only getting deliberately heavier and heavier. As she reached the room, her expression was sharp, but became soft after seeing me. Between herself and Allirea, it seemed she had been the first to notice that the visible scars on my neck were missing.

“Hibiki, what happened?” She wondered.

“I met someone who was able to heal my scars and fix my ankle with magic.” I replied.

I could also see a look of shock on Allirea’s face as well. It seemed as though she had only noticed this just now. All the attention made me self conscious and I could only turn my sight away from their astonished stares. I tried looking at Flint to get him to say whatever he had called Cordelia down for so that all this attention would go away.

“Cordelia.” Flint called after seeing my signal.

“What is it?” She responded coldly to her father.

“I know you don’t want to go.”

“If you know that then why are you sending me?”

“We have our reasons, but please believe us when we say it’s for you.”

“Hibiki told me the same thing yesterday! And besides, how am I supposed to believe you if you don’t tell me anything?”

“We want to tell you dear, we really do.” Allirea stepped in after seeing that Flint was a little overwhelmed.

“Then tell me please!” Cordelia pleaded.

“Cordelia, we are trying to do something. But if it doesn’t work then everyone who knows about it will be in danger. That’s why we can’t tell you.”

“Then that means you’ll be in danger too! You can’t send me away! I can help!”

“No Cordelia. We can’t have you in the middle of this.”

“WHY?”

“Please, we need you away from all of this so that you…”

“WHAT?”

“SO THAT YOU LIVE IF WE DIE!” Allirea cried out, her voice breaking towards the end of her sentence.

Tears had started coming from Allirea’s eyes. She tried to wipe them away, but the broken dam wouldn’t allow for the rushing water to stop once it was in motion. The tears kept flowing and she had started wailing as well. Flint had gone over to put his arm around her and gave a look to Cordelia.

Cordelia didn’t even say a word. She had tried opening her mouth in what seemed to be protest, but she could only slump her shoulders, accepting in the end that she had no say in the matter.

Resolve had started coming back to Cordelia’s face. It seemed different from the resolve she had while protesting earlier though. A smile began to come across her face that caused Flint to move Allirea a bit to get her attention. They both looked at their child who was smiling in front of them.

“Okay. I’ll go.” Cordelia responded in a low tone but made her voice clear.

Tears began to build in Cordelia’s eyes and the family came rushing to each other to wrap their arms around one another. The touching sight had even started bringing tears to my eyes, but the awkwardness of watching everything unfold while being an outsider in the matter held me back.

Seeing this, Allirea motioned for me to come join them. This had caused the tears I was trying to hold back to also come out in full force. I joined the family for their hug, hoping the moment would last forever. I wasn’t ready to leave this family hug. I wasn’t ready to lose all of this. I don’t want any of them to die. I don’t want any of them to go away.

“Hey! I’m being squished!” Cordelia cried out her concern.

Realizing the intense grip everyone had and how it was suffocating the poor girl, we let go. All of us wiped away the remnants of tears on our faces and laughed at what had happened. It seemed the tension in the air a moment ago had finally cleared. It was as though the sun was shining brightly again, even though it was night.

Flint and Allirea exchanged a look with each other. They both seemed to be in agreement about something, but I’m not sure what it was. Maybe it was related to what they had been talking about before I came home.

“Cordelia.” Flint started.

“Yes?” Cordelia sounded a little confused.

“We got you a little present.”

“A present?”

“Here you go.”

Flint handed her something which I couldn’t quite make out due to the way it reflected the light in the room. I was able to see something green sparkling, but nothing more than that. Cordelia seemed to be admiring whatever she was holding. Her eyes had the same sparkle I had seen just a moment ago from her present.

She put the mystery object around her finger which allowed me to connect the dots. It was a beautiful, sparkling ring made from what seemed like gold fitted with a great jewel at the top. The jewel was so alluring it seemed as though it was the finest jewel I had ever seen in my life. Could this be a magic crystal or just a regular gemstone?

“It’s so pretty!” Cordelia spoke with a certain breathlessness.

“Do you like it?” Flint asked.

“I love it! It doesn’t quite fit around my finger though.”

“Well, you’ll be able to grow into it. Just keep it with you.”

“I will!” Cordelia excitedly answered.

She began going for the stairs, most likely to go into her room to admire her new gift. As she reached the stairs, she stopped to see how the light coming off the gem moved based on its position.

“Hey, I’m exhausted from today. I’m going to bed now.” I told them as a great yawn had worked to escape from me.

“Goodnight Hibiki.” They had both told me.

“Oh, by the way, can I take tomorrow off after four?”

“Are you doing something?” Flint asked.

“I need to thank the mage who healed me some more.”

“Give her my regards as well then.”

“I will!”

“Oh, one more thing Hibiki.”

“What is it?”

“We told Cordelia this a bit earlier, but she’ll be leaving the day after next.”

“I see.” I tried to hold back any large reaction. “Goodnight.”

I began making my way up the stairs calmly. My heart felt like it was sinking as I realized the happiness I had been feeling was coming to an end soon. With Cordelia leaving, we would all lose someone very important and wouldn’t have moments like before. One more person who cares about me will be leaving me. Hopefully this all comes to an end soon so we can regain the moments I longed to feel again.