The Revenant

Nova Arc 5

NOVA

I sat beside Mom's bed,holding her hand in my own. The doctor returned shortly after and I leapt to my feet.

"How is she?! Is it bad?!"

"Sit down son. Calm down."

I did as the doctor instructed,taking deep breaths in and out.

"Do you have an adult with you?"

"No...I don't."

"Where is your father?"

"I don't know-"

"I'll stand in for his dad." Delion said.

The doctor raised his eyebrow. "Very well...follow me outside."

The two left the room,leaving me with my mom who was hooked to several  machinery.

I focused as hard as I could to try and eavesdrop on their conversation.

"Talk to me doc."

"It's not looking good. She has a bad case of Epilepsy. The seizures she suffered were major and if the boy had arrived a moment later,she would have bit off her tongue."

"By the gods..."

"That isn't what worries me. During one of our scans we discovered this..." The doctor said,pausing for a few seconds. I heard the sound of paper being withdrawn from a folder.

"What am I looking at doc? I'm a soldier not an x-ray guy."

"Do you see the red part?"

"Yes?"

"That's an indication of cancer. The boys mother's is severe..."

"How severe?"

"Stage 4..."

Stage 4 breast cancer? Maybe the scan was wrong or...

Mom was sick...

"The boy's father must be present. We can't keep his mother here for free."

"How much do you need?"

"A hundred gold per night."

"Per night?! That's a ludicrous price!"

"Commander,all due respect,this is a private hospital. In the noble district no less. We have state of the art equipment necessary to keep the childs mother as healthy as possible. In order to maintain that equipment, we need funding. Which is why you only see Noble's and those who can afford it here. "

Silence fell.

"I'll speak with him."

A few seconds later, Delion entered the room once more. He sat beside me.

"Nova...do you know where your father is?"

"No...he's been gone for a few weeks."

"Do you know where he's gone to?"

"No...I don't..."

"You need money...I'm sorry Nova but I can't spot you. I have a family to feed...maybe you can get a job?"

"I'm six years old...no one's going to hire me..."

"You could clean chimney's-"

"Chimney boys get paid by the copper...I need gold or else mom...mom will get kicked out..."

Delion looked away for a moment. "If you were older,I'd allow you to join the army-"

"I'll do it." I said rising to my feet.

I bowed my head to Delion, hiding my tears. "Please...I need the coin..."

"You're only six years old Nova-"

"I can fight"

"School bullies. Grown,trained men and women? You could never handle that."

"Bet!" I said,raising my head. "If I lose, I have to walk your son home every day. If I win,you recruit me into the army."

"What exactly are we betting on Nova?"

"Your best fighter. The strongest one you've got."

Delion looked at me. I could tell he was dumbfounded.

He rose from his chair, sighing heavily. "Fine. Tomorrow at dawn, come to the army barracks. It's just-"

"I'll find it."

"Don't be late Nova, or our wager is forfeit and I win by default."

While Delion left me alone, I placed a kiss on mom's forehead, then began making my way toward the barracks. It was already late,but I knew some members would still be awake.

I walked up to the gates of the barracks,which were much smaller back then, and hopped over. There were a group of soldiers who were training outside,thrusting their swords and waving them around in an almost hypnotic notion.

"Hey!" One of the soldiers yelled. He approached me,clad in heavy armour,the sunset glistening off of his breastplate. "What the fucks a kid doin here?"

"I wanna join the military!"

The soldier stared at me for a few seconds before he burst out into a fit of laughter. "Hey! Hey boy's! This child wants to join the military! He wants to join the army!"

He called all of the men around us. Even the men who were training approached, lowering their weapons to laugh at me.

In most cases I'd break down and cry. I wouldn't be able to handle the pressure. But, I was angry. All the rage that had built up in my chest,I channeled it into the fist I drove into the mans face. I cut his laugh short, sending him stumbling back a few steps.

He gripped his nose while blood flowed down his gauntlet, running over the steel before dripping to the floor.

"Fucking brat!"

"If you don't believe I can fight...fine...I'll prove it to you."