125 The Lighthouse of Hope (1/2)

\”So, what did you want to ask, son?\” Old Man Hartford whispered, \”Don't tell me that she's finally gotten—\”

\”No, this is isn't about that, goddammit! And I've already told you that we aren't ready for something like that!\” said Reed.

Despite his best efforts, Reed couldn't understand why the old man wanted to see it happen so goddamned much. Was it something intrinsic to the elderly? The old couple had changed ever since Reed confided in Old Man Hartford one of the biggest dreams he had yet to fulfill several months ago.

A part of Reed regretted that he'd told the geezer because nowadays, it was all the old man ever wanted to discuss. An unpleasant, invisible force had manifested in the kind old couple's expectant faces overnight. It was smothering and heavy, yet gentle and sweet.

What form of arcane power do children have over them? Why are they all so smitten with the idea of babies? I don't understand why they're both so gung-ho about us having a ...

\”Look, it's not about that, alright? We're taking things at our own pace, gramps — we'll reach that crossroads when we reach it. There's no need for us to rush, right?

You said it yourself, right? 'Although slow-burning love doesn't burn the brightest, it burns the hottest.'\”

In truth, it frightened Reed as much as the idea excited him, but deep in his heart, he understood that he wasn't ready to tackle such an enormous responsibility. How would he, who couldn't even take care of himself properly, fare in taking care of another life? He was nineteen, for heaven's sake! Someone as young and inexperienced as him was unfit to handle being a...

Nope. I'd fuck it up to hell and back. I'm sure that Lu'um would fare a million times better than I, but it shouldn't be a solo act.

I refuse to be dead weight. Fuck that noise. Some guys might prefer that, but I won't stand for that shit. Either I'm ready for it or the whole thing ain't happening.

From what Reed had learned of Old Man Hartford, they had played it by the ear. One day and they woke up as expectant parents-to-be and that was that, so to speak.

A night of passionate love had begotten them their first child. Reed had died a bit inside when he learned that little nugget of truth from Old Man Hartford. They had improvised the entire way through, learning through trial and error on their own without any help from their families. Even so, they had taken it very seriously and done their best in raising their child.

Their love had been an expensive one; their marriage disregarded by their families.

At one point in his life, he had been a promising young man — someone who would have become a Chosen. Missus Hartford, too, had been the recipient of the same illustrious privilege. They would have lived as demigods in the clouds.

Instead, they did something that no one imagined possible.

On the eve of their final exam as trainees, they both relinquished what had been bestowed unto them by the Will of the World — their Alma.

...No rules stated that one had to remain Chosen after becoming one. They had both fallen in love with each other over the year they had spent as trainees and discovered in themselves their truest desire: A normal life with one another.

Over the course of their training, Old Man Hartford and Missus Hartford came to the understanding that although they were gifted enough to succeed as Chosen, neither of them wanted to live such a life.

Deep down, neither one of them cared enough for the duty that every Chosen needed to uphold. What interested them was their budding love that had taken a turn for the serious.

They both understood the risks that came with the life of a Chosen and accepted that if they chose to remain Chosen, it would mean that they would have to place their duty as Chosen first over their love, at least while they were active and that would be a long time.

Decades if lucky; Centuries at best; Forever at worst. That was something they could not accept.

Well-known was the fact that all Chosen would one day die in battle for the sake of the world. It was a part of the deal that they had made for the privilege of becoming a demigod. When and where it happened was not up to them, either.

Neither of them desired to see such a thing so in the end...

Love had won over Duty.