Chapter 7: The Land that Bleeds Black

As the weight of Alan's words settled over them, O'kuyo stepped forward and grabbed Ryland by the shoulder, trying to calm him down. "Hey, Ryland, take a deep breath," he said soothingly. "Let's sit down and talk about this."

Ryland nodded, his mind still reeling from the revelations about his parents. Sitting down with O'kuyo, he turned to Alan, his expression filled with confusion and uncertainty. "I don't understand," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "Summoning abilities? I've never heard of such a thing among the New Humans."

Mr. Lambda chimed in, his brow furrowed in thought. "Yeah, from what I've heard, Xavier Dragonheart was a Beast Tamer," he said, his voice tinged with uncertainty. "He had the ability to communicate with beasts and monsters alike. But summoning? That's a whole different ball game."

Alan smirked at Lambda's words, a knowing glint in his eye. "Ah, the stories people tell," he said cryptically. "You'd be surprised how much truth gets lost in the retelling."

Lambda raised an eyebrow, intrigued by Alan's response. "What do you mean?" he asked, his curiosity piqued.

Alan leaned back in his chair, a thoughtful expression crossing his face. "Well, let me tell you a little secret," he began, his voice low. "The staff that Ryland found... it belonged to his father."

Ryland's eyes widened in astonishment, his mind racing with questions. "My father's staff?" he repeated, his voice tinged with disbelief.

Alan nodded solemnly. "Yes," he confirmed. "That staff was created specifically for your father's use. It's not just any ordinary object."

Lambda leaned in closer, his interest piqued. "But how could a staff give someone summoning abilities?" he asked, his voice filled with curiosity. "I thought New Human powers came from within, from radiation effects and core system enhancements."

Alan nodded in agreement. "Normally, you'd be right," he said. "But this staff is different. It was created with a special compatibility to Xavier using a long-lost technology from the Old World."

Lambda's eyes widened in surprise. "Old World technology?" he repeated, his voice tinged with awe. "But that's... that's incredible."

Alan nodded, a knowing smile playing at his lips. "Indeed," he agreed. "But there's much more to the story than that. Unfortunately, I'm not well-versed in the scientific details. It's all a bit too much for my old brain to handle."

Lambda sighed in frustration, running a hand through his hair. "Well, you're Xavier's father, for crying out loud," he said, his voice tinged with exasperation. "You should know more about his abilities than anyone."

Alan's expression grew somber, his gaze turning to Ryland. "There's something else I need to tell you, Ryland," he said, his voice low.

Ryland and O'kuyo looked at Alan, their curiosity piqued. "What is it?" Ryland asked, his voice filled with anticipation.

Alan took a deep breath, steeling himself for what he was about to say. "I'm not... not actually.... your real grandfather," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

The words hung in the air, heavy with meaning. Ryland, O'kuyo, and Lambda stared at Alan in shock, their minds struggling to comprehend the gravity of his words.

Ryland stood up, his frustration boiling over as he confronted Alan. "You're lying," he accused, his voice trembling with anger. "Tell me the truth, old man. Testify to what you just said!"

O'kuyo rushed to Ryland's side, trying to calm him down with a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Easy, Ryland," he urged softly. "Let's hear what Grandpa has to say."

Lambda shifted uncomfortably, feeling like an outsider in this family drama. He observed the scene with a mixture of awkwardness and concern.

Alan sighed heavily, his eyes filled with regret as he looked at Ryland. "I'm sorry, Ryland," he apologized, his voice heavy with emotion. "I should have told you the truth a long time ago."

Ryland's eyes burned with intensity as he demanded answers. "How could you keep this from me?" he questioned, his voice laced with betrayal. "Why wait until now to reveal the truth? And if you're not my grandfather, then who are you?"

Alan took a deep breath, preparing himself to share the painful truth. "I was one of your father's generals," he confessed, his voice steady but filled with sorrow. "During his prime, I stood by his side as one of his most trusted advisors."

The weight of Alan's words hung heavily in the air as Ryland and O'kuyo listened intently, their attention solely focused on the elder man.

"Your father, Xavier Dragonheart, was a revered figure among the New Humans," Alan continued, his voice tinged with reverence. "He commanded respect and loyalty from every faction, even the outlaws."

Lambda's eyes widened in surprise at the revelation of Xavier's influence and power during the war. He had heard tales of Xavier's bravery and leadership, but he had never realized the full extent of his impact.

"With Draugr and Xania Thistletouch by his side, along with his five generals, he led the New Humans to victories," Alan explained, his voice filled with pride.

Lambda nodded in agreement with Alan's statement. "During his time, only a selected few really knew that Xavier's actual power was summoning," he confirmed, recalling their past conversations about Xavier's abilities. "Others believed he was just a powerful Beast Master."

Alan continued his story, his voice steady as he recounted the events after the war. "After the victory, Xavier called us generals for an urgent meeting," he explained. "He announced that we were going to war with a more powerful and sinister being. But he had been warned by the Oracle-Eye, a woman with clairvoyant abilities, that this war would not end in victory for the New Humans. She told him to go to 'the land that bleeds black.'"

Ryland's eyes widened with curiosity as he listened intently to Alan's words. "The land that bleeds black? Where is that place?" he asked, his voice filled with wonder.