Reunion

Frank was silent, trying to process what Matt just described to him. Many times, he had tried to imagine how the young boy was passing by while being all by himself out there. His imagination, however vivid, never placed Matt in a position where he would have to fight an assassin for his life. What happened to the boy however beneficial, was also worrisome since neither Matt nor himself knew exactly what the mark on the boy’s neck could trigger at any given time. Despite the questions that were raised from the boy’s encounter, one detail was clear enough to Frank. He very well knew who the old woman was, and he couldn’t stop blaming himself for the trials the boy had endured. Buried deep in his thoughts, he took out a packet of Morley’s, tapping it till one of the smokes popped out, then slowly put it in his mouth. Patting down his jacket, he realized his lighter had emptied a while ago and he had thrown it away.

Matt brought his finger in front of the smoke, Frank staring at him confused. He saw a blue spark running through the boy’s arm, leading to his finger. Upon the moment the boy touched the tip of the cigarette, a small flame appeared, lighting it up. Frank blinked and pulled his head back a little, then took a puff with eyes wide open, not from surprise for the boy’s abilities but his control over them.

“You have been practicing,” he commented.

“That I have. It was quite tricky at first, I had no idea what I was doing. I just realized that if any other robed prick came after me, I would need to know how to defend myself.”

“Clever thought. After all, one works with what one has.”

“True. Listen, Frank. I need to ask you something. Back then, when these guys attacked us after I had just gained my senses, you said something to me. Do you remember?”

Frank nodded. But deep down he wished he didn’t.

“It doesn’t matter now. I was wrong, I should have kept my tongue from running wild.” Frank sighed; he never expected the two of them would have this conversation. In the best case scenario, he imagined himself deep in the ground by now and Matt chained in some degrading occult experiment. But here they were, both of them alive and well, sharing cocktails and stories like old pals.

“Do you know who these women are? The two in my dream and the other one that helped me? Or at least that’s what I think she did.”

Frank threw the cigarette butt in his glass, as soon as it touched the melted ice it went out with a hissing noise.

“I think I do, but if I am to tell you, you need to promise me to try to avoid all three of them, no matter what.”

Matt felt a wave of irritation raising from his stomach up to his throat. The bastard knew. The boy didn’t care when or how he found out. After all the crap the old man had brought on the boy, he still had the nerve to bark advice to him. Matt tried hard to remain calm, to hide his anger. It was pretty tough not to snap Frank’s neck right then and there, but Matt wanted him to keep talking. So, he took the plainest, normal, innocent even, look he could and nodded in agreement to Frank’s request. Outside the wind howled erratically.

“Alright, I’ll give you the short version and leave the philosophical aspect of their existence out of this discussion. These three are sisters. They are very old and very powerful, so powerful that they can alter reality as we know and perceive it.”

“What, like Gods or something?” Matt had suddenly felt his curiosity overcoming his anger for Frank.

“Not really, but you can say they are the next best thing. And if we are to believe the mythology surrounding them, then their power is bestowed to them by a deity that was once worshipped and loved by many.”

Frank looked around him and paused while watching Lou restocking the shelves, then turned back to Matt and continued, his voice lowered.

“Before you were born, very few believed someone like you could ever exist. Decades of previous attempts of creating what some would describe as the perfect state of existence was nothing more than a dream. Then I found the key, the one thing that could make this fantasy come true. And you were born.”

“Wait a minute. You want me to believe that you are the reason I exist? That somehow you brought me to life?” Matt was stunned, Frank’s words lingering in his mind like ghosts trying to escape the place they haunted.

“Dude, you are not my damn father.” Matt’s voice was trembling as his rage was building up once again.

“Relax, I never said that. I know how it sounds. But you are very much aware that your creation took place in the Hall of Transformation, isn’t that right?” Frank noticed the disbelief painted all over Matt’s face. The kid was trying to process the whole story, but Frank was not good with such interactions. Years after years of having to rely on himself and his research to achieve what was considered the impossible, he now had to provide a synopsis of all that to a boy that resembled a teenager but had spent less time on Earth than a baby. And apart from that, Frank had noticed Matt’s internal battle earlier, when he asked him to stay away from the sisters. Frank thought that it was safe to assume the boy hid something from him, something that could very well be to his disadvantage. The real question was, could Frank trust the boy? Or was it already late?

“I have no previous memory before the day of the incident. It bugged me a lot the previous months, I kept thinking what could be the reason for that. I just never assumed what you are saying could be the reason.” Matt admitted.

“Listen, kid. I know you think it’s my fault you became a runaway and to be honest you are probably right. It was not what I intended but this is no excuse, I am aware of that. I just want you to know that it was never my intention to harm you.” Frank looked Matt in the eye, the boy saw that he meant every word. That, however, did not calm him down, more likely broke his defenses and Matt felt the mark on his neck tingle. He stood up clenching his fists.

“You-you have no right. I was alone out there; do you get that? Some people do unspeakable things to children that roam the world alone and unprotected, did you stop for a minute and think of that? Matt’s voice started with a tremble and built up to a deep roar. The atmosphere around the two of them became electrified. Frank felt the temperature dropping and looked around him worryingly.

“Matt, calm down, please. Look, I get it, you are right. I fucked up, that’s what you want to hear? Well, I did. But just for a moment, consider that you were never unprotected. You can’t be, that’s the whole purpose of your existence.” Frank kept his tone lower than Matt’s, every word he spoke was accompanied by electric spikes on his lips. Matt kept staring at him for a moment, thinking of countless insults, weighing on the possibility to let the man taste how it is to feel helpless. As the two of them remained still, eyes locked and both ready to explode, they felt someone touching their shoulders. Both turning with surprise, they saw Lou smiling at them.

“Did I tell you how good it is to have company after all this time? My mistake gentlemen. It is an honor to be in the presence of the revered High Summoner and the one that the scribes called, the Final Son. Please, allow me to express my gratitude for you choosing the Far and Beyond Bar for your meeting.” The man said this with utter respect, making a small bow in the end. Matt and Frank stared at him with mouths gaping with confusion. Frank took a step forward shielding Matt from Lou’s sight.

“Who the hell are you? And don’t you dare tell me your name is Lou and you are a freaking bartender.” Frank said, turning all too serious to the man. Raising his hands, he snapped his fingers and a small black spark ignited, then hovered between his fingers and rested in his palm. Frank made a fist, squeezing it and the spark exploded and spread around them, making the lights fade and a sudden unbearable pressure, filled the room. Matt felt his mark burning with frosting eagerness to take over his body. Frank took a step forward inches away from Lou, who remained serene and unaffected by the theatrics.

“You only have one chance,” Frank growled between his teeth. Matt held his breath, what was he talking about? This was Lou, the guy that sheltered them from the cold, serving them delicious drinks. He was the guy that greeted Matt and treated him with respect, allowing him to wait for his friend with no questions asked. The more he thought about it now though, Matt realized he may have been a bit hasty. The reason he was there was that he managed to locate Frank due to an ability he recently discovered that he had. While he had explained to Frank how it worked earlier, the boy was now unsure if coming here was his own choice after all. Suddenly, all seemed a bit too easy, something he was now regretting not noticing earlier. Lou raised his hands, Matt noticed two tattoos drawn on his palms, suspiciously similar to the mark on the boy’s neck.

“Alright. You got me,” the bartender said raising his shoulders and smiling wildly. Frank and Matt took a step back knowing that the next moment anything could happen.