The Demon Sword: Sorataki

Chapter 31: In time for tea

Andrew sat on the orange living room sofa as his mother paces up and down in unrest, her face dark and uncertain she looks her son in the eye, unable to maintain his gaze with her Andrew turns away almost momentary causing Trisha to shake her head in disappointment. 

"I may not have known you for ten years, but I know my son's a liar, a bad liar at that, " she said.

Andrew bowed his head in defeat, she was right. Lying was never one of his strong traits; most people sussed him out when he attempted it. This was the first time however that he felt so torn apart from being exposed.

"Now are you going to tell me the truth?" Trish's response pulled Andrew out from his self-pity and back to her expecting eyes.

Her arms folded over another she waits for a response that does not arrive. Seeing this Trisha sighs her frustration out long and slowly as she walked on over to the window to peek open the certain. Seeing the blood red patch on the horizon smothered over with light spores like stars in the sky made her heart leap up in her chest.

"It's got something to do with this, hasn't it?" she prodded again.

"I just-" Andrew said before tripping up on his own words.

Trisha getting a response quickly moves on over to face her son.

"'Just' what?"

"Were just on a hunting job, a simple mission we took up from Zannidue to keep a little money in our pockets. I'm a hunter like dad-"

"Can you stop with the lies?!" Trisha snapped. "I may not be a hunter but I know what Intel's as 'simple' in the profession! Simple is doing a trade escort or hunting wild game for small coin! That 'thing' out there, is not simple! It's a death warrant to all who's caught under it!"

She points angrily to what's outside her window.

Andrew out of options clenched his fingers into his thighs in frustration. Finding his zeal he rubbed his clammy palms together before meeting his mother in the eye.

"I want to tell you, but I can't," Andrew mumbled, his tone part frustrated.

"Why?"

"Because part of it is complicated-"

"Try me," she intervened.

"And the other reason why is because you'd be a lot safer not knowing." He mumbled.

"But then, what about your safety? Who's keeping you safe?" Trisha replied with a concerned and disgruntled face.

"I'm a knight," Andrew said with a low tone of duty and pride. "I've trained to watch my back and protect others-"

"But who protecting you!?" She interjected. "When you're out there protecting others who's watching your back?!" her voice breaking at the very end of the sentence she stops.

Her eyes burning with anger, sorrow and disappointment she looked him in the eye allowing her question to linger. Her eyes began to stream with droplets before she suddenly turned herself around to face the living room exit to wipe her face. Andrew seeing that his words were tearing his mother's heart swallowed the lump in this throat.

"I may not be a hunter or possess knight powers to speak of, but I hear stories. I hear plenty of stories," she said, her voice firm yet shaky.

"It's like the sky itself has been wounded," she commented whilst letting out a disbelieving breath. "It's really happening, isn't it? The demons have invaded here of all places, I don't need powers to know its hell out there, and I won't stand here and watch my own son end his life."