Shadowcast

Daddy Issues: Part 6

From their vantage point, Liza and Wendy could easily hear and see the Kulshedra family at their booth by the window without easily being seen themselves. A short, stocky woman with curly red hair on her chin brought a stamped metal tea tray with their food.

"A forty-nine piece bucket."

"That's mine," said Liza. A paper bucket filled to the brim with beautiful golden-brown morsels of hand-breaded and deep-fried chicken descended onto the table in front of her.

"And one chicken tenderloin."

Wendy raised her trembling hand. The dwarf set before her a sandwich that wouldn't be out of place at a provincial fair. Wendy's expression softened at the smell of food. Her ears perked up a little, and her tail swished happily in her seat. Liza took a piece of chicken out of her bucket and focused her gaze on Wren and his father.

"What have you killed?" asked Kulshedra, rending chicken flesh from bone, "So far?"

"So far," Wren said, "A Shadow Spawn. The kind with the gross flesh-ropes. I helped take down a wyvern, a colossus golem, and an ice elemental. I saved the human's life more than a couple times."

Kulshedra stopped mid-bite. "You're not getting caught up in any of that healing nonsense, are you?"

"No, of course not."

"Good. A strong man like you should be fighting. Conquering. Not enabling weaklings."

"Of course."

"Speaking of which, how are the powers I gave you? Are they working? Any misfires?"

"They're... great. I use them... a lot. But, you know, I'm studying Transmutation, so I don't use a lot of explosions and fire in my classes."

"Still, much more useful than whatever your deadbeat mother offered you, yes? What did she give you? Floating lights? Healing?"

"Yes. Both of those things."

"Useless parlor tricks, if you ask me."

"I didn't."

"But I'm your father, so I get to answer anyway."

Wren took a bite of his chicken. "How's hell?"

"The war has been winding down. Sadly, it looks like we're headed toward a long-lasting peace. Without a skull to cave in, I'll be bored to suicide. I might come to visit you more often."

Wren flinched. "I'm sure you'll find something to occupy your time."

Wendy nudged Liza. "Are you gonna finish those?" she asked under her breath, pointing to Liza's bare chicken bones.

"No."

"Thank you." Wendy stuck a bone between her teeth and gnawed on it while she watched the disaster unfold.

Kulshedra looked up from his chicken. "Elren, you know I love you more than all the blood that has ever flowed through the Abyss."

"I know."

"And I will only ever tell you the truth."

"For better or worse."

"The truth is that something worries me."

"You? Impossible."

"I am worried your mother is trying to push me out of your life."

"What?" Liza saw Wren's shoulders tense up. He nearly spit out his chicken. "Why?"

"The last two times I tried to visit you, a burning light stopped me. I know it was her! She must not have been looking this time."

"What are you going to do about that?" asked Wren, trying once again to take a bite of his chicken before putting it down and setting his plate to the side.

"You still... care for me, do you not?"

"Of course. You're my dad."

"Good. She has not corrupted your mind with her lies." Kulshedra reached out to touch Wren's face.

"What lies?"

"I'll tell you everything when you're older."

"You've been saying that for twenty years. When are you going to tell me the truth?"

Kulshedra's eyes flared. Liza could tell he was using an immense amount of self-control to keep his cool. "What truth do you seek, my son?"

"If you hate my mother so much, and she hates you the same, why did you choose to have a child with her?"

"I didn't choose!" Kulshedra spat. The whole restaurant went silent. Wren's eyes grew wide. He straightened up in his seat and leaned away from his father.

"What... exactly... do you mean?"

"You misunderstand me. I love you more than the glory of gore! I would not trade you for a thousand souls!"

Wren's hands wandered up toward his horns and clutched the sides of his head. "Answer me."

"I..." Kulshedra's horns grew long, his skin red, his arms larger. "You would not understand. You are too young."

"I can't keep doing this!" Wren shot back, "Dad, I grew up with parents who hate each other! Do you know how that makes me feel? Have you thought for a second about how I feel about all this? Most days I want to walk out into an air canal and see what hits me first, because maybe then I'll be able to get away from the two of you! I'm not just your child. You and Mom are armies, and I'm the battlefield you fight on!"

Wren pushed his hair back behind his horns and glared up at his father. "I've been thinking about this for a long time, and I think I finally came to a decision. You need me more than I need you. I don't want to see you anymore."

Kulshedra reached out again to touch Wren, but his hand met a translucent green barrier.

"No!" he roared, shaking the windows and sending a ripple through the floorboards. His hand smashed through the table, sending splinters across the room. The ceiling charred and popped from the gouts of flame bursting from his horns. His other hand came crashing down against the barrier, but it did not yield. He threw his arm, and a chorus of tortured screams filled the restaurant as a portal opened in the air beside him. He stormed through it, and the portal closed behind him. Wendy lowered her hand, and the barrier disappeared.

Wren clutched his chest and steadied his breathing. His eyes were still trained on the space where Kulshedra was.

"Meet my dad."

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Author's Note:

I'm not projecting, you are!