CROSSFIELD TRILOGY : Volume No. 01

Chp. 06: Father

"My dad..............was killed?" Mark muttered these words to hinself. He knew his dad was dead. Tokyo had made it clear in their last meeting but he just couldn't digest the event. He felt sad. As if, a certain emptiness had taken over his mind. However, this time the tears didn't come out of his eyes, nor did his voice go sore. "He was the one who did it?" Mark mumbled, his eyes fixed on the wedding photograph. What was this feeling? What was this urge to hold on to the anger piling up inside him? Why did it feel as if adrenaline would burst through his nerves at any moment? Why did he want to hold on to that bitter anger? Why didn't he want to let go of it?

Tokyo took a sip of coffee as he observed Mark. 'It's finally happening, I guess.' The angel gave the card a glance. The shiny golden colour had now started turning orange.....now it was red......a darker shade......it was almost maroon now.........an even darker shade...it was black now. Pitch black in colour.
'Just as I thought.' Tokyo turned towards Mark. The 15 year old was shaking now, sweat formed on his forehead and nose, fingers rubbing against each other anxiously. Mark's eyes were still fixed on the photograph. He hadn't blinked in the past 2 minutes much less turn his gaze somewhere.
"Alright that's enough." Tokyo said out loud as he got up. Placing one hand on Mark's head, he took a deep breath.
'Sorry Mark, if it hurts a bit. It's necessary qt this point of time.'
"Dei arbitrium:Calmth aeternam"
(God's will: Eternal Calmth)

Slop!
An unconcious Mark fell to the floor, the atmosphere in the room becoming normal again. Tokyo glanced at the card. It had begun changing its color from black to the shiny gold.
The angel gave a sigh of relief.
'I was able to control him for now. But..'
Tokyo looked at his hand. The skin on his palm had completely burned now, turning his palm a bloody red. A bit more and he would've lost his right hand forever. The spell which he had just performed, cost him about half of his spiritual energy.
                        ___________

"Thea Gonzales, could read the extract from page 76 onwards?" Professor Gibson asked intently waiting.
He was a tall slim man, 58 years of age
who had been teaching history at Christford High for about 10 years now.
The long hours he spent in the school had definitely started getting to him, now that some of his hair was turning white.
Mark looked out of the window clearly disinterested from the happenings in the class. In his hand, was the letter Tokyo had left for him last night after Mark had rendered unconscious. He had read about 10 times already.
He bit his lip out of frustration as he remembered that event  that occurred last night. The anger that rushed through his nerves and the desperation that shook his mind. He felt like a completely different person back then. Shaking his head a little, Mark let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. He was calm now. Accepting the truth and moving on was the only thing he could do at the moment. 'I should've managed myself better last night.' he thought to himself.
His mind went back to the letter that Tokyo had left him.

'I'll come pick you up 4 days from now. We will be going out of town for a bit so make sure to pack your a small bag of warm  clothes worth 3 days.' Mark remembered what Tokyo had written in a rushed handwriting.
'Out of town huh? As if mom would allow that.' Mark thought to himself. He glanced up at the professor who was now writing something on the board. Making sure that the professor was busy in writing, Mark quickly turned behind. Janet's seat was empty. 'Strange. She's been absent for 3 straight days now. Not to mention, she hasn't replied to any of my messages.'

Rrrrriiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnnggggg!!
The bell rang loudly. The reaction was almost instantaneous and expected. Even before the professor had the chance to say anything, half of the class had already gotten up and were headed towards the canteen. Mark got up from the chair and moved along with the large mass of students that had gathered in the corridor. Usually, he would hung back and discussed a few things about the day's lecture with the Professor. However, considering the fact that Mark had spent the entire lecture mingling in his thoughts, there wasn't much to talk about with the professor.

                   __________________

"I'm home." Mark said as he closed the door behind him.
"Mark you've come just in time." Ms. Jefferson said. She was standing outside the hallway with a smile on her face.
"Hey, what happened? You look happy."
Mark asked.
"Well, I was checking the mail this morning after you had left for school and this came in." Ms. Jefferson showed Mark a purple coloured envelope with a bright golden seal.
"That's some good news I hope?"
"Its excellent news. You know those coupons that were kept for sale at the bakery? I was coming home last week and bought one of them. The results came in today and I've just won a fully paid trip to Las Vegas for 3 complete days!" The happiness had now completely flustered Ms. Jefferson's face. Mark could very well tell that his mom had been waiting all morning just to tell him this.
"Congratulations mom! That's great news. When are you gonna leave then?"
"Its exactly next week. I'm gonna be meeting up with the guide and 5 other winner from all over America in Las Vegas. Though..." Ms. Jefferson stopped.
"Though?"
"Its just that, it would have been much better if we could've gone together Mark. Like a mom and son trip you know." Ms Jefferson said as she motioned Mark to sit at the dining table.
"Its alright mom. I had project submissions anyways. Not to mention I have to write a gigantic report on The tale of 2 cities for my English class tomorrow." Mark said as he sat down on the dining table while his mom kept a plate of spaghetti and meatballs in front of him.
                       ________________

"Scotland! You never told me were going to Scotland!" Mark said, completely taken off guard.
"Well, I did say we're going out of town didn't I?" The angel spoke calmly as he took a look around Mark's room.
"I see you've cleaned your room and packed your clothes too. A cab will be coming to pick us up in about 15 minutes. The driver has your passport and Visa too." Tokyo said.
"You have my passport? And how did you get a Visa so quick?" Mark asked, baffled.
"I took the passport from your drawer when I came here last week and about the visa, I think you are forgetting who you are traveling with. International boundaries don't matter to us anymore. I already have the GEA provide all the necessary documents to the Scottish immigration department." Tokyo replied. He looked at Mark who was pacing around in his room, clearly thinking about the consequences that he would have to face. "Mark?" The angel asked. "Isn't there something you wanted to ask me?"
Mark stopped walking and looked at Tokyo. It was true. Before Tokyo's arrival, Mark had some doubts running ferociously in his mind that he wanted to clear. "How did you-"
"Let's just say I know. Now, the questions please?"

Mark gulped. Taking a deep breath, he closed his palms tightly. "My mother dosen't know about dad does she? That he is no more?"

Tokyo rubbed his chin. "No, she dosen't. Even though we were prohibited by your father from informing your mother, we did try to explain his death to her. However, unknown to us, your father had taken a step ahead and placed a spell on her that was triggered the moment she heard about his death. The reaction was that your mom had suddenly fallen unconscious with a mild fever. When she woke up, she had forgotten the part about your dad's death and the entire conversation that took place. If it wasn't for the wold attack that you had to face that night, I would most probably have never come to Christford. However, now that the card has made you it's carrier, I had no other choice."

Mark took in deep breaths to calm himself as he took in Tokyo's words. The image of his mother smiling, unknown of the tragedy that befell his dad flashed through his mind.

"Earlier, you said that Korowaz is believed to have killed my father. What exactly happened?"

Tokyo raised his eyebrows and wiped the sweat off his forehead. "Are you sure, you're ready for that Mark?"

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