My Devourer System: Rise of the Bastard Son

A few hours later, Lucen was in the backroom of Liam's shop, begging him to man up.

"You're almost fifteen and still scared of your mom? This generation…"

"Shut the fuck up," Liam hissed, eyes darting to the front of the shop, where his mom was working.

They were sitting on stools, sifting flour for the week's batch of white bread. Sweat covered Lucen's brow, his back creaked slightly from the hour of intensive work. He poured some grain into the mill's hopper and began turning the heavy stone.

He had avoided using magic to train and temper his body, but the task was becoming unbearable.

"We could have left today without you," Lucen grunted, turning the shaft one more rotation. "I don't know when we'll go, but tomorrow is most likely if the weather's good."

Liam smoothed the flour falling into the trough beneath the mill and handed Lucen more bushels to grind.

"This isn't fucking Selene, man. You know how my mom is," he whispered, glancing behind him. "I have to be careful or she'll think I'm just following you."

"What about telling her why you want to go? That you want to search for your—"

"No."

The silence between them dragged, the only noises were the rhythmic sound of flour falling into the trough and the grinding of stone.

"I wonder who'll help my mom sift the flour when we're gone," Liam murmured.

"Selene. Or that idiot with the muscles always trying to show off to her."

"You can't let men do things for you." Liam shook his head. "They never do anything for free."

Lucen glanced down, eyebrow raised. "Are you serious right now?"

They both smiled weakly.

"I just worry, man. She's getting old," Liam continued. "Her hands hurt a lot these days and her back is bad."

The sound of grinding continued uninterrupted. Liam's eyes flicked up at Lucen a couple of times before he answered.

"If you don't want to go, just say so, Liam."

Liam visibly swallowed, lowering his head to focus on the bushels.

"I want to go. It's a once-in-a-lifetime chance for an adventure. But I just wonder… what if I fuck up? Or the Squires find me annoying? And I'm so fucking slow, I'd just—"

"Here I thought you were scared of dying." Lucen chuckled. "I was scared of you dying. It's been on my mind. This won't be a simple, fun trip. With my damn luck, we'll be surviving by the skin of our teeth."

Liam's face scrunched up. "I still want to go. I've just…"

Liam handed him more bushel, eyes distant. "I never really talk about my dad. He was a veteran from the Third Sky-silver War. He got his channelling technique and spell as commendation for his service."

Lucen smiled. "So you're going to learn his channelling technique instead of waiting for me to become a Knight?"

"I never said that," Liam grumbled. "I just… I wanted to be like my dad for the longest time. He used to tell me stories about his service and take me out to watch him hunt with his enchanted bow."

"I understand. I can help you learn, I have a good way of synchronising your mind with mana." The Devourer system and Warren helped him with the ropes, now it was his turn to help Liam.

"I'm not done," Liam said grimly. His hands froze over the sifted flour. His blue eyes dimmed; he ran his fingers through the fine dust.

"My dad left one night, took everything he owned. All he left was a note that told us he wanted to find his destiny as a Knight and that he would be back. My mom doesn't believe that, but I want to."

Liam's words slowed. "I want to believe he's still out there, trying to make a name for himself. He told me that he would always see me. No matter how far he was. Through the stars. You know the old saying: all children must return to their fathers."

Lucen struggled with what to say. He always felt like he never knew how to comfort people. Even though he and Liam were fundamentally the same—both raised by their mothers, both abandoned by their fathers.

Before Lucen could open his mouth, Liam's mother, Caria, stepped into the backroom and folded her arms.

Lucen straightened up immediately. Liam rose to his feet, gathering words to say but getting lost.

"Mom, I'm sorry," Liam started. "I—"

"I'm not angry," Caria said, but her face was slightly red and her voice was tightly held. "I didn't know I was such a bad mother that you couldn't come talk to me."

"I wanted to say something, I just…" Lucen gulped, looking down. "I know you're still angry with Dad."

"Come here."

Liam paled, inching forward, hands raised over his head for protection.

"Oh, stop it, I'm not hitting you." She strode forward and wrapped her hands around Liam.

Lucen cracked a grin when Liam flinched, but it was a more happy smile, just partly mocking.

"I've been too hard on you," Caria muttered. "I was worried you'd grow up to be a man like your father. Though you chase skirts just like him."

Liam flinched once again. Lucen's grin turned a bit more vindictive. Finally some retribution, he used to pray for times like this whenever Liam started boasting.

"But you're a good kid, and I love you. You know that, right? I may be a bit too hard sometimes, but I just want the best for you."

Lucen's grin fell a bit, his heart tightened just a bit. Liam buried his face into her and cried softly.

"I love you too, Mom. I'm not scared of you, you aren't a bad mother. It's my fault, I'm so—"

"Okay now, boy. A lot of that isn't true," Caria interrupted. "I've been a bad mom, one you're scared of, and it's most definitely not your fault. Kids shouldn't be punished for their parents' mistakes."

Caria pulled back Liam's head, brushing her hands through his brown hair and staring into his blue eyes.

"All children must return to their fathers. It doesn't literally mean returning to your parents. It's about origin and finding yourself. Go with Lucen and don't worry about finding your dad. Find the man you want to be when you grow up."

Caria smiled softly. "But I do hope Lucen will take care of you."

Lucen did a mock salute, grinning ear to ear. Caria smiled softly and let go of Liam.

She walked past the milling machine and picked up a hammer in the corner of the backroom.

Lucen and Liam glanced at each other, not sure whether to run yet.

She raised it over her head and brought it down on the wooden floor with a rattling crack. The floor vibrated under his feet as she brought the hammer down three more times.

She set aside the weapon and reached into the hole in the floor, pulling out a blue bow.

The bow's limbs were midnight blue specked with purple stars, its string glowed softly in the dim light of the backroom.

Caria raised the bow, excitement blazing in her eyes. "And I have the perfect companion for you."