The Case of the Serpent and Scorpion

Chapter 17: Losing a Parent

Jerome's POV

“Would you like to hear about it?” Gramps asked, wondering if I’m curious to know about it.

I gulped, eyes turning into slits as I feel suspicious of this opportunity. What is there to know about a tragedy of someone? It sounds disrespectful to talk about someone’s life, knowing something awful happened to them.

“Would it be alright to tell me?” I wondered, gazing at the old man’s eyes.

His eyes glowed with concern, hesitant and bothered by the mention of their names. Gramps surely knows something about the tragedy, despite it being an issue of Green Serpent. The question is why does he know about it?

“That child… Vana is her name, right?” the old man said, heaving a breath.

“Yes…”

“Many rumors are spreading around her. Dark ones, suspicious ones. They say she’s a cold killer who killed their father. Some says that she even killed her mother,” Gramps said, propping his chin on top of his fist.

“What?” I exclaimed, brows furrowing with confusion. “Why?

“Their father died. Rumors believed that Vana killed her father 10 years ago,” the old man muttered. “There is some truth in it, but I didn’t involve myself any further in that issue at the time. Though, the case is clearly solved.”

“You know the whole story?” I asked, my curiosity keeping my mind thinking of it.

“At the time, Sergis told me about it. We were still in good terms back then,” he said. “The girl was innocent, done nothing wrong and contemplated for it. The whole case was an accident, but Vana was blamed for it because they believe she’s the reason for her father’s death.”

“An accident?”

“Vana had manifested her magic at the time. Irritation took over her body and her magic exploded, causing it to go out of control. Her brother, Storm, could not do anything as he is in the Mortal World. Sergis said that their father risked and sacrificed his life to save Vana and put her magic under control.

“They blamed Vana for taking her own father’s life. It was her magic, Jerome,” Gramps explained, feeling pitiful to Vana.

My mouth gaped, jaw dropping as I hear the story. Her father died from saving her. The manifestation of magic is where accidents often happen because magic can go ballistic. Explosion of magic during manifestations are most likely to occur when there’s build-up stress and emotions inside the caster.

Explosion of magic is equal to loss of control of it, and its what exactly happened. But to blame Vana for something she cannot grasp or control, how little is their guild members’ minds are? What’s even worse is that, that rumor still circulates everywhere without pause. A stigma.

I knew something was wrong when I hear those rumors. Vana is outgoingly annoying, but she’s not the kind of person who can murder her father. She’s cheerful to an extent, but her personality seemed to have a limit as she always tries to control the emotions she’s emitting.

It’s like she’s choosing the emotions she’s letting out and hiding the emotions she shouldn’t show.

“It’s better not to be interested at her, Jerome. We never truly know what she’s capable of,” Gramps said, giving me a warning.

“Do you believe in those rumors?” I asked, with dread and awry in my eyes.

“No, I said not to be interested in her because she is from our rival guild. From the guild who killed your father. You should stay focus on your own goal instead,” the old man answered. “Better if you don’t involve yourself with anyone from that guild. Even Storm Farasol.”

“That’s easy and all, but how am I supposed to do that when we have to work together in the mission assigned to us,” I remarked, growling as I lean back on my seat. And how am I supposed to face her when I know the truth about those rumors.

“I’m not stopping you from working with her. But I hope you know the boundaries. You know what their master did to your father. Always remember that,” Gramps explained, stating the words I needed to hear to put myself back on track.

Yes, I can’t forget what their master—Green Serpent’s master—did to my father. I will never forgive them for it. I must always remember it. Always remember and remind myself of everything they’ve done to my father…so I can get my revenge.

“Let the rage in you be your strength. Make those emotions your strength, Jerome…” the old man muttered, advising me on what to do.

I clenched my fist as I remember the memory in my mind. Time may have past, but the scar will always be a reminder of the truth they have done. I’ll avenge my father. I’ll make sure they pay for it. I won’t their master or their guild to live on without suffering the consequences of their actions.

“… and, never let yourself be blinded by revenge and your fury. Sergis may be the master of Green Serpent, but that doesn’t mean we’ll target every single one of their members. Not all people are the same,” the old man continued, reminding me of the lessons he and father had thought me.

“Yes, Gramps…” I mumbled, keeping his words in mind. “How’s mother?” I asked, changing the subject to let my head rest from all the thinking.

The one who took the biggest blow in my father’s death, is my mother. If I cannot accept dad’s death and is looking for retribution, mom cannot accept dad’s death and succumb to sadness and depression. She cannot bear the grief of losing her husband, the man she loves.

“She’s fine. I think you should visit her tomorrow,” Gramps answered, with a gloomy voice, saddened as we talk about mom’s condition. “She wants to see you.”

*****

The shine was about to rise when I woke up this morning, preparing as I visit mom in the mental institute. Ever since she tried to commit suicide, Gramps decided that it would be best for her to be admitted in the mental institute. For her sake.

We were lucky that day. When she was about to kill herself, and we stopped her in time. I was around ten or eleven when it happened. When I found mom about to hang herself on their bedroom, I was horrified. I remember screaming, which had snapped my mom to reality.

We live at the guildhall, and the sound of my scream made Gramps and other members of the guild rushing to our home. I bawled and wailed the most that day. I can remember my mom breaking down on her knees as she regrets her actions, crying as she took me in her arms and apologizing.

I felt clueless and unaware of mom’s depression and sorrow at the time. I was clueless about many things. All I know is that my mom is crying and that something is wrong with her. All I know is she wanted to die, and I could not let that happen.

I snapped myself back to reality as I stroll across the street, burying the traumatizing memory in my head. Recently, according to letters Gramps sent me to the academy, mom has only been having terrible nightmares and hallucinations.

Her heath has improved significantly since she was admitted to the institute, but her grief and agony remained. It became a habitual phenomenon for her to switch back and forth from being normal to losing her sanity. She has also lost most of her comprehensive ability due to that circumstance.

Fortunately, she can still recognize me and the old man.

I checked in on the help desk, heading to her room on the first floor of the building. I knocked on her door before entering, skidding inside with a smile. I had also bought fruits on my way to the institute, so mom can have something to eat in my visit.

“Good morning, mom,” I greeted, making my way to the table next to the bed. “How are you?”

Mom’s condition made her physical health disintegrate and drop significantly. Her eyes have sunken, black circle darkened around her eyes. Her skin is paler than before, her body thinner because of how little food she eats every day.

She had a blank expression on her face, clueless of my appearance inside her room. She turned her head at me robotically, her eyes sparkling for a moment after recognizing and seeing me. It meant that she recognized me, his son.

“Je…rome…” she mumbled weakly, ever so feeblish.

“Hi mom,” I said, a bitter smile drawing across my face.

“Hi…” she said, plastering a sweet smile at me. Her smile broke my heart as I know that behind it, she still regrets her actions, and her loneliness only grows and lingers.

I sat down on a chair next to the bed, holding mom’s hand as I assure her of my presence. “How are…you?” mom asked, concerned about me as she raises her hand to reach me.

Day by day, mom started to be aware of her mental condition. On her most normal days, she would walk along the corridor and take a fresh air on the institute’s rooftop. Her health is slowly improving again, but it might deaccelerate again sooner or later.

She continued to have hallucinations of father’s death. It continued to haunt her. It was the one drawback that is keeping her in this state and unables her to recover.

“I… uh… made a little trouble. But all is well, I’ll be sent to a mission, and I’ll soon be graduating. It won’t be long before I become a wizard,” I stated, telling her vaguely the things that happened yesterday.

I smiled, feverishly as I feel my eyes water. Times like this always gets me. Whenever I see mom, I can’t help but feel helpless and sorrowful. I held mom’s hand tightly, squeezing as I made up my mind with determination. I stared at her, gazing in mom’s eyes with conviction and longing.

It won’t be long before I become a wizard. A wizard like my father. My father is the reason why I aspire to be a wizard. A kind of wizard that is respectable and is there to help the troubled and helpless.

“I’ll be a wizard soon, mom. I’m a S-class wizard,” I stated. “I wish dad is ere to see me be like him…”

If only dad wasn’t killed; if only the Master Sergis didn’t kill my dad; if only he didn’t retaliate against Gramps, none of this would have happened. Dad may still be alive, and mom may have been the happiest she has ever been.

I clenched my jaw from thinking about it, and instead of letting it saddens me, it only fueled the wrath burning inside me. I clenched my fist into a ball, tightening it until my nails dig deep into my skin. The tears turn into anger, the fury silently waiting to be released.

“Mom, I promise. I promise I will avenge dad. I promise I won’t let Master Sergis die in peace. I promise, and I will make sure that I take down their guild. I promise it for you and dad’s sake,” I swore, gazing at my mother’s eyes.

“Don’t… lose… yourself… like me…” mom murmured with all her strength, her words coming slowly. “Don’t… rely… on revenge…”