Chapter 4

Hastily headed home with a heavy set of beer between each arm, Aelious couldn't help but think back to when things were different. Not too long ago, Sundays meant being forced to go to the Cornucopia with his mom and dad to get their weekly groceries. He'd never admit it, but Aelious secretly enjoyed spending mundane time with his family. Back then, his father used to smile—a real smile, not the sloppy drunk grin he graduated to after a few too many. His mother had a calming presence that made him feel safe, like he belonged in some small corner of the world. Lately, he felt like he didn't belong anywhere.

Aelious's face grew hot, tears welling up as he trudged on. With his hands full, he leaned into his shoulder to wipe them away but winced, the pain in his injured shoulder flaring up. The memory of his father's last tantrum flashed vividly in his mind. Astrid was right—he didn't know how much longer he could endure living like this. The past few years had been filled with nothing but pain and sadness. His father had been a wreck ever since his mom passed, and the most attention he paid Aelious came during their many altercations.

Lost in thought, Aelious looked up to find himself just a few feet from his front door. The blare of the television spilled out into the quiet night, some news broadcast playing at full volume. His hands trembled as he reached for the keypad and punched in the code.

"Shit!" he whispered in panic as the security system blared a loud notification. He'd entered the wrong code.

"WHO'S AT THE DOOR?!" his father's slurred voice rang out from the living room.

Aelious quickly corrected his mistake and stepped inside, forcing a smile. "Hey, Dad. I got your favorite beer."

"Do you not know the code? Are you stupid or something?!"

"I accidentally typed it wrong, it doesn't matter. Do you want your beer now?"

His father leapt up angrily from his chair, dressed in nothing but a stained white T-shirt and boxers. "It doesn't matter? You probably woke up the neighbors with that, and now they're gonna be mad at me!"

"What? No, Dad, It wasn't that loud."

His father closed the distance between them, invading Aelious's personal space. He reeked of beer and poor hygiene. "You always think you know everything, don't you? I think I know our neighbors a little better than a 17 year old smart ass kid"

"I doubt it, you haven't left the house since…" His voice trailed off. He never liked bringing up mom to his dad. 

"Since what huh? Since you got your mother killed? My wife?" He slapped the case of beer out from under Aelious's arm. The box hit the floor, cans rolling out as a couple burst open, spreading beer across the floor. 

Aelious felt helpless. He backed into the kitchen to put down the remaining beer, but his father followed. The kitchen was dimly lit and filthy, dishes piled high in the sink and grime caked onto the floor.

"Where do you think you're going, huh? Don't walk away from me!" his father shouted, his voice rising with rage.

"What do you want from me? I didn't do anything to you! Just drink your beer and leave me alone!" Aelious pleaded, desperate to defuse the situation.

"You didn't think I noticed you were late for curfew? You're always disrespecting me! You never fucking listen to a word I say! You're such a piece of shit child. I can't even believe you're my son. In fact, I don't believe you are."

Aelious froze. This was the first time he'd ever heard something like that from his father. His mind raced, but all he could manage was a weak, "What?"

"Yeah, that's right. Your whore mother was always sneaking around, doing God knows what. She was probably out there fucking the whole town for all I know."

"Maybe because she knew what a piece of shit you are!" Aelious shouted, his voice shaking with anger.

His father's rage became almost tangible, the air in the room heavy with tension. "I'm a victim of circumstance" He said condescendingly shrugging his shoulders. "But i'll tell you I never raised you to be such a pathetic fucking loser, so how did you end up like that? What's your excuse?"

Aelious felt a sharp sting in his heart from embarrassment. He felt his anger boil over. His whole body burned with frustration, and tears streamed down his face. "At least I'm not a disgusting piece of shit drunk who just sits around the house all day!" he screamed, shoving his father and making a dash for the stairs.

"DON'T YOU DARE WALK AWAY FROM ME, YOU LITTLE SHIT!" his father roared, grabbing Aelious by the collar and yanking him back. They stumbled together, crashing into the counter.

"GET OFF ME!" Aelious yelled, struggling to break free.

His father grunted, throwing a punch that knocked Aelious to the ground. "Who I am now is because of you! It's your fault your mother died! You got her killed and ruined my life!"

Aelious's mind went blank. He felt every emotion at once but couldn't process any of them. His father's words played over and over in his head like a sick refrain. It was his fault. He'd been too careless to get the groceries his mom asked for. If they'd stayed home, she'd still be alive.

The memory of that day flashed vividly: the shriek of tires, the deafening pop of automatic rifles, the sight of his mother's body ripped apart by bullets while he stood comparatively unscathed. The guilt had consumed him ever since.

Snapping back to the present, Aelious's rage consumed him. He felt energy surge through his body, his fist tightening. Without thinking, he swung at his father with all his might. The impact sent his father sprawling backward, screaming in pain. Aelious scrambled to his feet, horrified to see a massive burn mark on his father's face where the punch had landed. His skin bubbled and melted, the sight horribly grotesque.

"Get the fuck away from me, you freak! What did you do?!" his father screamed, clutching his face.

"Dad, I'm so sorry! Oh my God!" Aelious cried, stepping forward. As he moved, the spilled beer ignited, flames roaring to life and quickly spreading through the kitchen.

His father's agonizing screams turned to unconscious silence as the pain overwhelmed him. Aelious panicked, trying to drag his father away, but when he reached out, he realized his own arms were ablaze. The flames spread impossibly fast, consuming the house in an orange inferno.

Aelious's screams echoed through the burning room as he tried to extinguish the fire engulfing his body. He patted his arms on his pants, but it was no use. He sprinted to the sink using the nozzle to spray his entire body. The flames wouldn't relent. Turning his head to see his father still unconscious, The orange carnage dancing around him as he was encircled. Aelious made one last dash to his father, dragging him by his shirt, but deemed futile as the fire spread anywhere he touched. Aelious panicked, desperately looking around trying to come up with some type of plan. A sudden realization hit him as the crackling of wood poured through the burning house, was he a caster? He fell to his knees, placing his hands on his head. Through the blurriness of his teary eyes, Aelious takes one last glance in his fathers direction to see the fire charring his body. Desperation and fear overwhelmed him as the heat closed in. Finally, as the house crumbled around him, Aelious succumbed to the darkness and blacked out.