Descent of a God

Arrival | Season 3

Arthur's POV:

I had expected a guard or two to be on the other side of the doors, but instead, a rather large dark bear towered over me. It gazed down viciously, the two white markings above its eyes shaping its expression into something of a scowl. It stood about three meters high, its hind legs rooted to the ground and its chest exposed to reveal a tuft of white fur just below its neck. Despite its angry-looking eyes, its exposed teeth gave the impression of a smile, two rows of white daggers protruding jaggedly out of its mouth.

"Brothers!" a melodious voice chirped.

For a split second, I thought it was the bear that had spoken, but Ellie, my little sister, appeared from behind the beast with a goofy grin on her immature face.

While subtle, my sister had definitely changed over these past few years. Her ash-brown hair ran freely down her shoulders instead of in pigtails which she had sported when she was younger. While her dark round eyes still shone with innocence, her thoughtful gaze toward me contained a profound maturity.

"Ellie!" I picked my sister up into a hug as she wrapped her arms around my neck and swung around me.

"Arthur!" another pair of voices called out. It was my parents.

After putting her down, I turned to my parents. I stood still, tense. Feelings of doubt and remorse kept me from giving my parents a hug. I didn't know how to greet them after how we last separated.

I saw Jude hug Ellie out of the corner of my eyes.

"Come here, Sons!" My father ran up and encircled us, wrapping us tightly in his arms.

"I-I don't understand," I stammered, taken aback by their actions. "I thought—"

"Thought what?" my father interrupted. "That just because you have memories of whatever previous existence you had, you could stop being my son?"

I chuckled as my father let me go. My mother, who had remained a few feet away, anxiously approached. My mind flashed back to how she had so desperately tried to deny everything, and I lost what little confidence I had to greet my mother.

Each slow step she took toward me made the lump in my throat grow larger. I looked down as her foot was just inches away from mine. I couldn't look her in the eye.

Suddenly, my mother clasped my hands tightly, bringing them close to her.

"Give me some time," she whispered as drops of tears landed on our hands. "I'm trying. I really am. Just give me some time."

As though a stone encasing shattered around my body, a wave of happiness and relief washed over me as I accepted her sincerity.

"Of course," I nodded, unable to look at my mother for fear that I'd cry as well.

I was envious of Jude who hugged mother like it was nothing.

"Brother! Brother!" my sister chirped as she held Sylvie in her arms. "Say hi to my Boo!"

As my mother released me from her grasp, I cleared my throat and took another hard stare at the giant mana beast.

"Your B-Boo?" I repeated incredulously, looking at my sister and back at Virion and Aldir. I knew that the mana beast wasn't an enemy, but I hadn't realized he belonged to my family.

"Yup!" she nodded. "Boo, say hi to Brother!"

Boo and I locked gazes for a second until the mana beast smirked at me. Raising a giant paw, Boo swung down at me.

Raising an arm, I immediately willed mana into my body. At the force of Boo's attack, the ground below my feet cracked.

I stared at my sister in shock with the bear's paw still weighing down on my arm.