Sinful Magic~ An Atonement Legacy 2.3
Hey. The name's Haruki Daisuke. Firstborn son of the premier Infallibly Good Warlock in the area, and heir to his legacy. I don't know that I'll ever be quite the man my father was, but I am ready for the chance to prove myself. I just hope that whatever evil is out there, my children and I are prepared for it when it comes. Until then, I'm simply another step on this legacy of Atonement.
Ever since the oldest three children became teenagers, life has moved on as usual. Each morning, all three go to private school. When they return, most of them settle in to working on homework. The good news is, Kaname's grades have been vastly improving! He's on his way to becoming an A student.
Unfortunately, Aoi has needed the most attention of late, so I've been forced to turn my focus from the other children to him. So much as I hate feeling like I'm neglecting my other children, I've really grown to love this last unexpected miracle.
Miyako often stays out through all hours of the night working on an old clunker of a car she picked up from someone at school, only coming in to give financial advice for a small profit. She does all this after working an after-school job and still manages to keep her grades up. I worry about her sometimes, but she says she's fine.
"Miyako, do you have any friends?" Haruki asked his daughter one morning as she ate cereal in preparation for leaving for school.
Miyako fell incredibly silent- even for her- upon hearing this question. "I... don't see why it matters, Father?"
Even though his expression appeared distant, Haruki felt his heart sinking a bit when his daughter responded with confusion. So she doesn't have any friends... Aside from our family... Such a lonely child.. "I was just wondering... That's okay, not having many friends. I know I never had that many. Naoto was always the social butterfly."
Miyako could think of no response to her father's attempt at comforting her and soothing her loneliness, so she turned her attention back to her bowl of cereal.
Makoto's been studying Nature more and more intensely lately. You'd think he'd be going outside to do this, but nope, he prefers learning about the outdoors from books indoors. Such a strange boy.
Speaking of strange boys, Aoi has become incredibly temperamental since aging into a toddler. I don't know if I can handle this alone... Meadow's so busy with work, and I'm not forcing the kids to take care of their younger brother when all three of them are working after-school jobs.
Wait... there was a gypsy woman by here earlier. With a lamp just like the one I had in college. Is it possible-? Even if it proves not to be so, I must... I must try it. For the sake of restoring what was so unjustly taken from all of us.
"What is thy bidding, Master?" the genie asked when awakened from his lamp. The first two wishes this family had been offered of three had been squandered on wishes for beauty and wealth, with no results from either. Clearly, he was not in the mood for selfish desires.
"Please, Great Djinn of the lamp, I know that it's within your power to restore a soul from beyond the veil of death. I'm imploring you... Please, please use that power to bring my father back to life!" Haruki pleaded, tears in his eyes.
"I ask this, not for my own sake, but for the sake of my grandchildren who still need him in their lives... Please, bring my father back..."
The genie considered the request for a long moment before finally nodding. "Very well."
The air shimmered green and a stench not unlike that of rotting corpses filled the air as the world behind Haruki began to phase and shimmer, pulling a brightly-shining soul through the veil of death and reinstating it in the world of the living.
The soul felt itself become flesh once more, and looked down in wonder at his own outstretched hand. "I'm... alive?" he asked, sounding every bit the confused old man he'd been before death.
Haruki heaved a sigh of relief as he heard his father's voice from behind him, unaltered, undeformed. So... he's back now. Truly resurrected.
"Dad?" Haruki asked, looking at his father as he walked to the house. "Dad, are you okay?"
"I don't remember this place..." Torrac murmured under his breath.
Haruki's heart sank. Then the amnesia's still in effect. Even when he's been in death's grasp and returned. This spell is a powerful dark art...
"Wait..." Torrac said, looking the black-haired man up and down. "No. No, I do remember you. Just shadows. Echoes, really. My son... Haruki..."
At that, Haruki couldn't resist the urge to embrace his father, tears of joy streaming from his eyes. "Yeah... Yeah, Dad, it's me. You're home."
And though Dad barely remembers this house, and hardly knows anyone living in it now, he's proven as great a grandfather as he always was, helping Aoi learn to use the potty very quickly.
And Makoto spends a surprising amount of time looking out for his little brother, when he's not aiding an elementary school teacher or studying for his own classes.
Aoi has proven as much a genius as his alien kin, mastering talking about as soon as I sat him down to teach him how to do it. It wasn't long before he was talking in complete sentences.
Completely socially stunted though Miyako might be when it comes to peers, she does have a way with her younger sibling, taking extra care to make sure he's fed.
Now that Aoi's learned how to use the toilet, there's very little I can teach him until he gets older.
Thankfully, Dad has that covered by teaching Aoi an old nursery rhyme he'd learned I have no clue how many ages ago. Aoi now sings it to himself wherever he toddles.
Aoi is also enjoying drawing with crayons, though I can tell it's not really his passion. He just likes to have fun.
And Meadow's been moving up in the science world. Now, she's helping out at a very prestigious biochemistry lab. I can only hope that this bodes well for more promotions in the future, and that nothing goes wrong when she's on the job...
Meadow's hand flew to her stomach and her mouth as she felt the uncontrollable urge to vomit come up for the seventh time in as many hours since her last return home from work. Initially, she'd been worried she'd accidentally brought one of the bio-engineered bugs from work home with her, but further examination showed it to be a simple stomach bug. Albeit a particularly stubborn and resistant one.
"So..." Haruki began awkwardly, avoiding eye contact with his father. "You've been really distant with everyone except Aoi lately, Dad. Are you mad at me or something-?"
"Not mad at you." Torrac replied, his tone of voice nearly proclaiming him a liar. "Just a bit disappointed. And highly concerned."
"Disappointed? Concerned? Why, Dad?" Haruki asked, looking at his father, confused.
Torrac sighed. "I may not remember most things. I'm lucky to recall anyone's name in this house, much less the fact that you're my son. But believe me when I say I remember my magical teachings. Nothing is gained without losing something of equal value in return. My soul was at peace, Haruki. Even if I couldn't remember anything, it didn't bother me because I knew the answers would come in time. Now, each time a recollection evades me like a wisp, I get angry and frustrated. That's why I've been pushing all of you away, because you all irritate me so badly because I can and yet I can't remember you! I was at peace, and then you dragged me back. And now, there is a soul debt to pay. The Reaper once had my soul. Now that he no longer has me, he can and will take anyone to take my place."
As his father continued speaking, Haruki's eyes grew wider and wider in terror as he realized one potential target the Reaper had his eyes on. "No... MEADOW!"
Meadow knew she shouldn't have gone into work that morning. She'd been doing nothing but puking out her guts for the past few days. She couldn't eat, and even when she had eaten, it had just come right back up again.
Her stomach ached with hunger, but wrenched violently at the thought of food. She'd been trying to keep her fluids up, but each time she tried replenishing them, her body expelled them, so she was severely dehydrated.
Getting dizzy... she thought, barely able to focus enough to form coherent thoughts, much less coherent words. So hungry. Everything's going black...
"Haruki..." she murmured, her voice coming out as a cracked whisper before her body finally succumbed to the stress, and she knew no more.
"MOM!" Kaname cried out, running to his mother's side. "Mom? Mom, mom please, you have to get up. I just wanted to show you the As you helped me get, Mom, please-!"
"Well, well, isn't this just a sorry sight." the Grim Reaper stated as he flipped through his keyboard. "She wasn't due to be dead for a long time, but someone decided to mess with the natural order of things. Oh well."
Haruki was too shocked to react, but Torrac was galvanized into action upon hearing the Reaper's distinctive rasping bass coming from outside.
"Such a shame. She would have made a good grandmother." the Reaper continued, writing in Meadow's information to his keyboard.
"Stop!" Torrac cried out behind the grim figure. "You will NOT have her soul!"
The Reaper pulled out his scythe, ignoring the words of the warlock behind him. "Your time has come and gone. I suggest you do not waste this borrowed time you now have."
Torrac ignored the warnings of the Reaper in favor of chanting the incantation to a spell he'd managed to recall from his younger days of study.
"Angel of Death, turn your scythe from this one!
Steal not a life which has hardly begun!
When the magic is done, Death's pow'r is broken-
Expello Mortis, the words have been spoken!
Hear them, and BEGONE!"
"The debt still stands. This is merely a delay." the Reaper hissed before vanishing.
Meadow regained consciousness fully healed of her illness and thoroughly confused. "Wait... I thought I died. What happened?"
"For a moment, you did." Torrac confessed. "I... may not really remember you, young lady. And I know we don't always get along. But I know you're important to my son. And that is why I saved your life."
Meadow wasn't sure what to say to such a candid confession. "W-well, I... Erm. Thank you... I owe you my life..."
I was still in shock whenever Meadow came back inside. I was so certain for a moment that my folly had condemned her to an undeserving grave. But thanks to my father, she's still alive. We all are. Until the Reaper decides to settle a debt. But that is a looming shadow to contend with in the future. For now, we must live on in the present. And the present includes Makoto and Kaname heading off to college. I'm a bit worried about them leaving so soon, without me having the chance to tell them about their magical heritage, but I think after witnessing their grandfather bring their mother back to life, they're ready for some dose of normalcy...
Miyako, having become the bright young businesswoman I knew she would be, took the honor of helping Aoi to grow up. He has become a very active child, though he is still very temperamental.
Thankfully, Meadow's no longer the sole breadwinner in this house. I'm working as a teacher now, just as I've always wanted. And when I'm not doing that, I'm giving financial advice for more money.
Miyako left for college only a bit after her brothers. She's ready for the challenges of college life. Of that much, I'm sure.
Since the oldest children have all left, the whole family's begun to gravitate towards Aoi. I have a feeling that this is making him a bit full of himself, but then, he always was more concerned about himself than his siblings, fussing at all hours of the night for no reason when they were trying to sleep.
Meadow's been receiving promotion after promotion at work. Her near death experience sparked a flood of theoretical research that has gained her great credibility even amongst skeptics.
Aoi coughed as he choked on bubbles he'd been blowing to distract himself from the headache his homework had been causing him. Not that it was hard, really, just brain-bustingly boring.
Despite being known as a bit of a bully at school, Aoi did have a soft spot for his dad, who he always wanted to swing him around as soon as he got home.
Aoi found very quickly he had a natural knack for sports, spending all his spare hours shooting hoops, becoming faster and stronger than all the other kids.
When he saw his report card, he cheered, feeling a great deal of self-satisfaction that he could ace tests without the answers he usually beat up on other kids for. Beating the other kids up and getting away with it because he was the teacher's pet was fun.
Sometimes, I worry about Aoi. Something doesn't seem to be quite... right with him. I keep getting phone calls from the other parents about his behavior at school, but the teachers have never reported the first problem with him. Bullying is something I can't abide, having dealt with it a lot in school myself for being 'that science geek', but I just... It's hard for me to see him doing that.
On a lighter note, Meadow is now a well-renowned scientist. Though I am a bit worried about the... ethics of some of her latest experiments, most of which have to do with coming back from the brink of death using medicine. She assures me the people experimented on are never in any real danger of death, but... The Reaper is apparently already pissed at us. I don't know that he or I really likes the thought of her playing God like this.
While Aoi studies alone, she devotes herself to creating the medicine for her experiments, sometimes spending all day in her lab area. Lately, I wonder if I'm not losing her to her work. We've both become so busy...
Thankfully, with it being a snow day today, Aoi's tendencies for destruction can be exhibited healthily and somewhat constructively.
Though I, unfortunately, still have to work, he's right there waiting for me when I get home. How can a kid who clearly loves me this much be the terror that haunts the dreams of other kids at school? I just don't get it...
In what feels like no time at all, Aoi's already become a teenager... the last of my children ready to move out...
And Meadow's aged much quicker than I have due to her brush with the Reaper... I can only hope that she doesn't die before I do...
And just like that, Aoi's gone. Not even a word or a chance to say goodbye. I hope he finds whatever it is he's searching for. For the moment, I have a discussion I need to have with Meadow.
"Meadow, I know that adjusting to deal with a magical family hasn't exactly been easy..." Haruki began. "And I'm sorry, for the record, that I never really told you what you were getting yourself into from the get-go, but..."
"It's fine, Haruki." Meadow replied. "Like I said, weirdness or no, I love you. My only question is, why didn't you awaken the kids before they went off to college? I thought you'd have taught them a lot more stuff by now."
"About that..." Haruki began, "well... after what Naoto or his wife did to my dad, I realized something. If his powers hadn't been awakened, he'd be just an ordinary jealous brother. But because he had been awakened and had gotten friendly with a dark side witch, he became the twisted guy he is now. I don't want that to happen with our children. The others don't need to know the severity of carrying our magical blood. Just the heir. The others can go on their merry ways, never having to know anything of it."
"And I don't... I don't want anything bad to happen to you. To us because of infighting with our children. I don't want there to be infighting at all. That's why I..."
"It's okay, Haruki. I understand. We'll have plenty of time to talk the heir discussion over. For now, all I want is a hug to warm me up. It's freezing out here." Meadow replied with a smile.
Haruki was never happier to give his lovely wife an embrace than he was that cold, dark, snowy evening.
She's right. We have all the time in the world to mull over who should be the heir... And given our number of options, that's going to take a lot of thinking.
Ever since the oldest three children became teenagers, life has moved on as usual. Each morning, all three go to private school. When they return, most of them settle in to working on homework. The good news is, Kaname's grades have been vastly improving! He's on his way to becoming an A student.
Unfortunately, Aoi has needed the most attention of late, so I've been forced to turn my focus from the other children to him. So much as I hate feeling like I'm neglecting my other children, I've really grown to love this last unexpected miracle.
Miyako often stays out through all hours of the night working on an old clunker of a car she picked up from someone at school, only coming in to give financial advice for a small profit. She does all this after working an after-school job and still manages to keep her grades up. I worry about her sometimes, but she says she's fine.
"Miyako, do you have any friends?" Haruki asked his daughter one morning as she ate cereal in preparation for leaving for school.
Miyako fell incredibly silent- even for her- upon hearing this question. "I... don't see why it matters, Father?"
Even though his expression appeared distant, Haruki felt his heart sinking a bit when his daughter responded with confusion. So she doesn't have any friends... Aside from our family... Such a lonely child.. "I was just wondering... That's okay, not having many friends. I know I never had that many. Naoto was always the social butterfly."
Miyako could think of no response to her father's attempt at comforting her and soothing her loneliness, so she turned her attention back to her bowl of cereal.
Makoto's been studying Nature more and more intensely lately. You'd think he'd be going outside to do this, but nope, he prefers learning about the outdoors from books indoors. Such a strange boy.
Speaking of strange boys, Aoi has become incredibly temperamental since aging into a toddler. I don't know if I can handle this alone... Meadow's so busy with work, and I'm not forcing the kids to take care of their younger brother when all three of them are working after-school jobs.
Wait... there was a gypsy woman by here earlier. With a lamp just like the one I had in college. Is it possible-? Even if it proves not to be so, I must... I must try it. For the sake of restoring what was so unjustly taken from all of us.
"What is thy bidding, Master?" the genie asked when awakened from his lamp. The first two wishes this family had been offered of three had been squandered on wishes for beauty and wealth, with no results from either. Clearly, he was not in the mood for selfish desires.
"Please, Great Djinn of the lamp, I know that it's within your power to restore a soul from beyond the veil of death. I'm imploring you... Please, please use that power to bring my father back to life!" Haruki pleaded, tears in his eyes.
"I ask this, not for my own sake, but for the sake of my grandchildren who still need him in their lives... Please, bring my father back..."
The genie considered the request for a long moment before finally nodding. "Very well."
The air shimmered green and a stench not unlike that of rotting corpses filled the air as the world behind Haruki began to phase and shimmer, pulling a brightly-shining soul through the veil of death and reinstating it in the world of the living.
The soul felt itself become flesh once more, and looked down in wonder at his own outstretched hand. "I'm... alive?" he asked, sounding every bit the confused old man he'd been before death.
Haruki heaved a sigh of relief as he heard his father's voice from behind him, unaltered, undeformed. So... he's back now. Truly resurrected.
"Dad?" Haruki asked, looking at his father as he walked to the house. "Dad, are you okay?"
"I don't remember this place..." Torrac murmured under his breath.
Haruki's heart sank. Then the amnesia's still in effect. Even when he's been in death's grasp and returned. This spell is a powerful dark art...
"Wait..." Torrac said, looking the black-haired man up and down. "No. No, I do remember you. Just shadows. Echoes, really. My son... Haruki..."
At that, Haruki couldn't resist the urge to embrace his father, tears of joy streaming from his eyes. "Yeah... Yeah, Dad, it's me. You're home."
And though Dad barely remembers this house, and hardly knows anyone living in it now, he's proven as great a grandfather as he always was, helping Aoi learn to use the potty very quickly.
And Makoto spends a surprising amount of time looking out for his little brother, when he's not aiding an elementary school teacher or studying for his own classes.
Aoi has proven as much a genius as his alien kin, mastering talking about as soon as I sat him down to teach him how to do it. It wasn't long before he was talking in complete sentences.
Completely socially stunted though Miyako might be when it comes to peers, she does have a way with her younger sibling, taking extra care to make sure he's fed.
Now that Aoi's learned how to use the toilet, there's very little I can teach him until he gets older.
Thankfully, Dad has that covered by teaching Aoi an old nursery rhyme he'd learned I have no clue how many ages ago. Aoi now sings it to himself wherever he toddles.
Aoi is also enjoying drawing with crayons, though I can tell it's not really his passion. He just likes to have fun.
And Meadow's been moving up in the science world. Now, she's helping out at a very prestigious biochemistry lab. I can only hope that this bodes well for more promotions in the future, and that nothing goes wrong when she's on the job...
Meadow's hand flew to her stomach and her mouth as she felt the uncontrollable urge to vomit come up for the seventh time in as many hours since her last return home from work. Initially, she'd been worried she'd accidentally brought one of the bio-engineered bugs from work home with her, but further examination showed it to be a simple stomach bug. Albeit a particularly stubborn and resistant one.
"So..." Haruki began awkwardly, avoiding eye contact with his father. "You've been really distant with everyone except Aoi lately, Dad. Are you mad at me or something-?"
"Not mad at you." Torrac replied, his tone of voice nearly proclaiming him a liar. "Just a bit disappointed. And highly concerned."
"Disappointed? Concerned? Why, Dad?" Haruki asked, looking at his father, confused.
Torrac sighed. "I may not remember most things. I'm lucky to recall anyone's name in this house, much less the fact that you're my son. But believe me when I say I remember my magical teachings. Nothing is gained without losing something of equal value in return. My soul was at peace, Haruki. Even if I couldn't remember anything, it didn't bother me because I knew the answers would come in time. Now, each time a recollection evades me like a wisp, I get angry and frustrated. That's why I've been pushing all of you away, because you all irritate me so badly because I can and yet I can't remember you! I was at peace, and then you dragged me back. And now, there is a soul debt to pay. The Reaper once had my soul. Now that he no longer has me, he can and will take anyone to take my place."
As his father continued speaking, Haruki's eyes grew wider and wider in terror as he realized one potential target the Reaper had his eyes on. "No... MEADOW!"
Meadow knew she shouldn't have gone into work that morning. She'd been doing nothing but puking out her guts for the past few days. She couldn't eat, and even when she had eaten, it had just come right back up again.
Her stomach ached with hunger, but wrenched violently at the thought of food. She'd been trying to keep her fluids up, but each time she tried replenishing them, her body expelled them, so she was severely dehydrated.
Getting dizzy... she thought, barely able to focus enough to form coherent thoughts, much less coherent words. So hungry. Everything's going black...
"Haruki..." she murmured, her voice coming out as a cracked whisper before her body finally succumbed to the stress, and she knew no more.
"MOM!" Kaname cried out, running to his mother's side. "Mom? Mom, mom please, you have to get up. I just wanted to show you the As you helped me get, Mom, please-!"
"Well, well, isn't this just a sorry sight." the Grim Reaper stated as he flipped through his keyboard. "She wasn't due to be dead for a long time, but someone decided to mess with the natural order of things. Oh well."
Haruki was too shocked to react, but Torrac was galvanized into action upon hearing the Reaper's distinctive rasping bass coming from outside.
"Such a shame. She would have made a good grandmother." the Reaper continued, writing in Meadow's information to his keyboard.
"Stop!" Torrac cried out behind the grim figure. "You will NOT have her soul!"
The Reaper pulled out his scythe, ignoring the words of the warlock behind him. "Your time has come and gone. I suggest you do not waste this borrowed time you now have."
Torrac ignored the warnings of the Reaper in favor of chanting the incantation to a spell he'd managed to recall from his younger days of study.
"Angel of Death, turn your scythe from this one!
Steal not a life which has hardly begun!
When the magic is done, Death's pow'r is broken-
Expello Mortis, the words have been spoken!
Hear them, and BEGONE!"
"The debt still stands. This is merely a delay." the Reaper hissed before vanishing.
Meadow regained consciousness fully healed of her illness and thoroughly confused. "Wait... I thought I died. What happened?"
"For a moment, you did." Torrac confessed. "I... may not really remember you, young lady. And I know we don't always get along. But I know you're important to my son. And that is why I saved your life."
Meadow wasn't sure what to say to such a candid confession. "W-well, I... Erm. Thank you... I owe you my life..."
I was still in shock whenever Meadow came back inside. I was so certain for a moment that my folly had condemned her to an undeserving grave. But thanks to my father, she's still alive. We all are. Until the Reaper decides to settle a debt. But that is a looming shadow to contend with in the future. For now, we must live on in the present. And the present includes Makoto and Kaname heading off to college. I'm a bit worried about them leaving so soon, without me having the chance to tell them about their magical heritage, but I think after witnessing their grandfather bring their mother back to life, they're ready for some dose of normalcy...
Miyako, having become the bright young businesswoman I knew she would be, took the honor of helping Aoi to grow up. He has become a very active child, though he is still very temperamental.
Thankfully, Meadow's no longer the sole breadwinner in this house. I'm working as a teacher now, just as I've always wanted. And when I'm not doing that, I'm giving financial advice for more money.
Miyako left for college only a bit after her brothers. She's ready for the challenges of college life. Of that much, I'm sure.
Since the oldest children have all left, the whole family's begun to gravitate towards Aoi. I have a feeling that this is making him a bit full of himself, but then, he always was more concerned about himself than his siblings, fussing at all hours of the night for no reason when they were trying to sleep.
Meadow's been receiving promotion after promotion at work. Her near death experience sparked a flood of theoretical research that has gained her great credibility even amongst skeptics.
Aoi coughed as he choked on bubbles he'd been blowing to distract himself from the headache his homework had been causing him. Not that it was hard, really, just brain-bustingly boring.
Despite being known as a bit of a bully at school, Aoi did have a soft spot for his dad, who he always wanted to swing him around as soon as he got home.
Aoi found very quickly he had a natural knack for sports, spending all his spare hours shooting hoops, becoming faster and stronger than all the other kids.
When he saw his report card, he cheered, feeling a great deal of self-satisfaction that he could ace tests without the answers he usually beat up on other kids for. Beating the other kids up and getting away with it because he was the teacher's pet was fun.
Sometimes, I worry about Aoi. Something doesn't seem to be quite... right with him. I keep getting phone calls from the other parents about his behavior at school, but the teachers have never reported the first problem with him. Bullying is something I can't abide, having dealt with it a lot in school myself for being 'that science geek', but I just... It's hard for me to see him doing that.
On a lighter note, Meadow is now a well-renowned scientist. Though I am a bit worried about the... ethics of some of her latest experiments, most of which have to do with coming back from the brink of death using medicine. She assures me the people experimented on are never in any real danger of death, but... The Reaper is apparently already pissed at us. I don't know that he or I really likes the thought of her playing God like this.
While Aoi studies alone, she devotes herself to creating the medicine for her experiments, sometimes spending all day in her lab area. Lately, I wonder if I'm not losing her to her work. We've both become so busy...
Thankfully, with it being a snow day today, Aoi's tendencies for destruction can be exhibited healthily and somewhat constructively.
Though I, unfortunately, still have to work, he's right there waiting for me when I get home. How can a kid who clearly loves me this much be the terror that haunts the dreams of other kids at school? I just don't get it...
In what feels like no time at all, Aoi's already become a teenager... the last of my children ready to move out...
And Meadow's aged much quicker than I have due to her brush with the Reaper... I can only hope that she doesn't die before I do...
And just like that, Aoi's gone. Not even a word or a chance to say goodbye. I hope he finds whatever it is he's searching for. For the moment, I have a discussion I need to have with Meadow.
"Meadow, I know that adjusting to deal with a magical family hasn't exactly been easy..." Haruki began. "And I'm sorry, for the record, that I never really told you what you were getting yourself into from the get-go, but..."
"It's fine, Haruki." Meadow replied. "Like I said, weirdness or no, I love you. My only question is, why didn't you awaken the kids before they went off to college? I thought you'd have taught them a lot more stuff by now."
"About that..." Haruki began, "well... after what Naoto or his wife did to my dad, I realized something. If his powers hadn't been awakened, he'd be just an ordinary jealous brother. But because he had been awakened and had gotten friendly with a dark side witch, he became the twisted guy he is now. I don't want that to happen with our children. The others don't need to know the severity of carrying our magical blood. Just the heir. The others can go on their merry ways, never having to know anything of it."
"And I don't... I don't want anything bad to happen to you. To us because of infighting with our children. I don't want there to be infighting at all. That's why I..."
"It's okay, Haruki. I understand. We'll have plenty of time to talk the heir discussion over. For now, all I want is a hug to warm me up. It's freezing out here." Meadow replied with a smile.
Haruki was never happier to give his lovely wife an embrace than he was that cold, dark, snowy evening.
She's right. We have all the time in the world to mull over who should be the heir... And given our number of options, that's going to take a lot of thinking.