"Aven! Dinner's ready!" Elira calls out to a now eight year old Aven from the kitchen. "Coming!" Aven replies as he runs in from the garden. "When's Dad coming home?" He asks whilst kicking his shoes off. Elira gazes at the ground. "Won't be too long now…" She mutters under her breath.
"It's not fair ya know!" Aven pouts, "Why is Dad the only one that's ever allowed to leave? What if I wanna go exploring. The world we live in is huge, you taught me that"
"We've been over this Aven." Elira sighs, "Your father gets to leave the island because his work requires him to. If he didn't.," she lays Aven's plate on the table, "you wouldn't be eating right now."
Before long, Darian bursts through the door laughing, "This man's a fool!" He announces, gasping for air between laughs. "What the heck happened?" Aven asks. "Your uncle Jory was being an idiot again at work. He thought punching through a mountain would be faster than pulling the people towards us. What a moron!" He replies whilst wiping his tears. Aven's eyes widen, "Dad, you know someone who can punch through a mountain?! I have an uncle?! My uncle can punch through a mountain?!" Darian frowns in confusion. "I've never mentioned Jory to you? The big idiot who punches his problems away?" He glances at Elira. "We've really never talked about Jory to Aven?" Elira shakes her head. "Guess not." She murmurs whilst setting the table. "Oh wow…" Darian says to himself, "Yeah, you've got an uncle, kind of. We're not technically blood related, which is why he's never here, but he's my sworn brother. We always will be. But for whatever reason that big lump makes it his goal to try to be the older brother… fool." He comments with a chuckle.
"You said my goal is to beat your SoulCraft training right? But Dad, what's your goal?" Darian averts his eyes with a chuckle, "It's… complicated…" He answers, gazing at Elira with a smile who's making food.
"Just tell me!" Aven nags.
"I just… I want to enjoy the time I have with you and your mother." He begins whilst rubbing the back of his neck, "We're family Aven. Bonds are the most important things to any human. We can't function without them." He looks Aven in the eye, "I want to enjoy the life we have together. Before we all have to move on…"
"You can sleep on my side of the bed tonight, Aven, I gotta go again." He muffles whilst tipping his plate vertically, sliding the food into his mouth. "But you only just came back." Aven whispers. "Yeah, sorry kid, I just came coz I forgot my jacket. I've got most of the day off tomorrow though, so make sure you're back from the training tree by the time the sun begins to set. Don't be late, I gotta show you something."
Aven sighs, "Fine…"
"Heading out, D?" Elira asks as she sees him, "Yeah, work called, I'm gunna be gone all night," He holds her hands in his own, "Don't miss me too much alright?" He teases with a wink, grabbing his jacket before walking out the house, "Don't worry, I won't." She chuckles, gently closing the door behind him.
Birds chirp as the setting sun casts an amber glow on the land beneath it; Aven begins to return home from his daily attempt at beating the originally named, 'training tree.'
"Three years and I still haven't reached the top. Just because I can land on my feet now and climb halfway, doesn't mean I'm anywhere near the level Dad's at." He glances back to the tree before continuing, "Maybe he was right and I won't be able to beat it before I'm ten." He shakes his head, kicking a rock as he ascends the hill his house resides atop. "Mum said my growth is faster than normal," he scoffs, "some growth you've shown."
As he approaches his house, he sighs, "Dad told me to come home early today to help him with something. Normally he hasn't even got back yet so it must be pretty important, that guy loves his job and still won't even tell me what it is." Aven walks toward the door and readies his hand to knock, the door swings itself open, revealing Darian's glowing hand from inside the kitchen. "It's still so cool when you use your SoulCraft." Aven tells him, eyes glistening. "Shhhhh." Darian instructs, finger covering his lips, "Shut the door and come here. Your mother's asleep, whatever you do, don't wake her up." Aven nods and silently closes the door as he steps inside. "Why did you want me to come home so early? I was about to beat the tree ya know." Darian smiles, "Climbing it doesn't mean you've beat it kid, you still gotta catch the leaves. That's the true test." Aven nods in agreement, "Stop distracting me!" Darian shouts, "I gotta show you something…"
"Dad, I thought you said not to wake Mum up?" Aven asks sarcastically to which Darian doesn't respond.
"Aven, you know how much I love your mother right?" Aven nods. "And coz you're alright too," Aven chuckles, "I thought I'd ask you before I go forward with this…" Aven frowns in confusion as Darian reaches into his pocket, pulling out a black box, "Do you think it'd be okay if I…" He opens the box, revealing a ring coated in a multitude of glimmering metals, "married your mother?"
A glass shatters onto the floor, as Aven's eyes widen, eyes glancing between Darian and the one who dropped the glass, "Uh oh…" Darian mutters, slowly turning his head.
Elira stands in shock, tears rolling down her cheek as her shaking hands cover her mouth. "Ummm Elira, I don't really-" Elira interrupts Darian by pulling him into a deep embrace, "Aven cover your eyes!" Elira shouts.
"Uh oh…" Aven mutters whilst turning his back and covering his ears, "They're totally kissing, gross."
Aven turns around to see his mother sat on the floor, cross legged and in tears, "D… I just, I don't know what to say; I'm the luckiest person in the world! Who would've thought it possible that someone with my blood in them would ever be compatible with such a wonderful man like you? It's amazing that this has happened to me. Thank you Darian, you've saved my life. I love you." She says softly.
"You did it Dad." Aven whispers into a smiling Darian's ear. "I'm proud of you."
Suddenly, Elira's eyes open again as she shakes her head, "Oh my gosh Darian, what are we gunna do? We need to think of a venue and invite your family, and, oh my gosh my hair! I need to fix my hair! I've still got bed head!"
"Elira…" Darian chuckles, "Calm down, we're not getting married just yet ya know." Aven bursts into laughter, "I told you to be quiet, now the surprise is ruined ya big dummy." Darian extends his right arm as his palm begins to glow crimson, "Come here you!" He shouts before Aven gets launched through the air towards his parents, "Hey! Mum said no SoulCraft in the house!" Aven shouts as he lands into a headlock. Elira chuckles with a beaming smile, wiping a tear from her eye, it's okay Aven; today's a special day because in exactly seven months from now, our lives will be changed forever!"
If only I knew