Chapter 483 A Father’s Gift (2)
Chapter 483 A Father’s Gift (2)
"AH!" Ashton woke up with a start, panting as if he had finished a marathon, "Was it just a dream?"
No matter how much Ashton wanted it to be a dream, he knew what he had gone through couldn't possibly be a fabrication of his mind. He had fought and killed his father or whatever was left of him either way.
"Wait... what is this place?"
Ashton hadn't noticed where he was as he was busy debating whether he had killed his father or not. But now that he looked around, he could say with certainty that he wasn't anywhere in Fright City. The place was too damn beautiful to belong to Earth.
The scenery reminded him of the place his mind went to after Astaroth saved him from killing himself onboard the Endearing while protecting Eula.
"Oi Astaroth, is this you doing?" Ashton yelled, "I swear I'll kill you if you dare play tricks on me! Oi! Can you hear me-"
"Handing out death threats like postcards, I don't think your mother or I taught you such crude language?"
Before Ashton could continue yelling his heart out, he heard a familiar voice. A voice tucked away in a remote corner of his mind, a voice whose existence he had long since forgotten about—the voice of his father.
Ashton immediately turned around to see a man in his late thirties smiling at him. At first, he was shocked to see the grey-haired man, but his eyes soon welled up as he bolted in his direction, wrapping his muscular arms around Johnathan.
Thirteen years. That's how long Ashton had to wait to see his father again, to touch him again, to feel... complete. Johnathan patted his son's head, patiently waiting for him to cry his sorrows away.
"Now that you're done crying like a baby, shall we go for a walk?" Johnathan suggested, to which Ashton replied with a nod.
***
"How are you- I mean, how can you-"
Ashton felt so pathetic at the moment, as he couldn't even frame his question into words. But Johnathan just smiled, letting his son carry on.
"This isn't a dream, is it?"
"No, it's as real as anything will ever be." Johnathan replied, "Or I should say, it's happening inside your head."
His father's answer confused Ashton even more, but he kept going.
"But I killed you..."
"You sure did, but you only killed a part of me. Seemingly the final part."
"Then how are you here?"
"You have heard about Soul Fragments, have you not?"
The comment confused Ashton. As far as he could remember, Celeste and the rest of his summons walked him through their regeneration process.
They had mentioned something about a fragment of their soul always being held inside [Valhalla] that helped them regain their body after being destroyed.
However, how did his father know about it? Ashton was about to ask it but ultimately decided to push the questions back and enjoy what could be the last moments with his father.
The father-son duo wordlessly kept walking, enjoying the silence and the beautiful forest scenery. However, the place was strangely void of any other living being apart from them.
Despite what his raging heart wanted to believe, Ashton had to remind himself whatever he was seeing now was true, but it wasn't the reality. Once he wakes up, his father will be dead, and he will be back in the cruel world that took Johnathan away from his family.
"Ah, I see you haven't gotten rid of that habit of yours." Johnathan chuckled.
"What habit?" Ashton questioned, confused by his father's comment.
"Thinking of trivial things that don't matter when you can live in the moment." Johnathan replied, "Your mother was the same, you know. Always thinking of the future or repenting for the mistakes of the past. She never enjoyed a peaceful moment, let me tell you that."
Ashton smiled, showing his agreement. Things went silent again until they reached a lake, and all the memories came rushing back to him.
"Where are we?" Ashton asked to make sure he was correct.
"You do know where we are, don't you?" The smile didn't leave Johnathan's face for all this time.
"But how is it possible? How do you know anything about planet Euphoria?"
"I guess it's time I revealed my secrets to you." Johnathan sat down and gestured for Ashton to do the same, "But to answer your question, I'm one of the three people who designed the artificial planet, and the forest behind us was where humans were supposed to live, The Garden of Eden."
Ashton was stunned into silence. He made sure his ears weren't ringing, and he heard his father correctly, yet his mind was having a tough time processing the information.
"But that'd mean-"
"I'm a Precursor."
"..."
"I know it's a lot to take in, but it's true." As Johnathan said those words, his smile finally disappeared from his face, "I was possibly the only precursor who took refuge on Earth. The rest either fled the galaxy or were killed by the Xyrans. But I don't think I need to narrate all that to you."
"But how..."
Ashton was at a loss for words. Never in a million years would he have thought something like this would happen. Although, in hindsight, everything would make sense if that was the case. However, the situation was still bizarre regardless.
If Johnathan indeed was a member of the godlike species, then it would make sense how he could foresee Ashton's life and set a stage for him, as Mera mentioned.
It would also make sense why the precursor pets recognised Ashton and how his body could absorb conflicting genes perfectly. A Precursor had created him! His unusual behaviour and power were all the result of Johnathan's abilities.
"That's where you are wrong," Johnathan replied as if he was reading Ashton's mind, "What I gave you were mere tools, and without a capable artisan, the tools are useless no matter how good of a tool they may be."
He continued, "Don't sell yourself short, my son. You're still young and more talented than I ever was. The feats you have achieved are yours and yours alone, no one else's. Remember that."
Ashton nodded, but he still needed clarification about everything. Millions of questions were running through his mind, but it seemed Johnathan wasn't going to answer any of them.
"Would you look at that?" He smiled wanly, "It seems my time's up."
Ashton had seen his father looking gloomy for the first time, and he knew it was the end. Until he remembered the Precursors could
reincarnate over and over till they have a soul fragment intact.
Unfortunately, Ashton destroyed the last fragment moments ago.
"It's not your fault. It had to happen for the sake of the future, your future." Johnathan comforted Ashton before getting up as the binary stars headed for a sunset, "But before I depart, there are some things I need to do. Would you mind opening your inventory for me?"
Ashton opened his inventory as he was told, and to his surprise, the inventory allowed Johnathan to do as he pleased. Something that shouldn't have been possible for anyone but Ashton.
As if that wasn't strange enough, Johnathan took out two things from the inside- The Staff of Eden and Grim Reaper's Scythe. Items that no one should have been able to touch without facing the consequences, not even Ashton.
"It's been a while since I had these. The blessing of creation in one hand and the curse of destruction in the other."
"You're the Grim Reaper too?" Ashton inquired, but he didn't sound surprised, not even a little bit, "It's so ridiculous, I'm not even surprised anymore."
"Well, let's get rid of the restrictions, shall we?" Johnathan beamed before focusing towards the weapons.
Following a bright light, Johnathan placed the equipment back inside the inventory. But then he also did something to Balmond because the trust factor the weapon had towards Ashton shot from 71% to 100%.
"Balmond will never leave your side, and you can use other weapons simultaneously without upsetting him," Johnathan replied, "Also, the Staff will no longer mutate its user in self-defence. I've made it so only Anna or you can use it.
"As for the Scythe, you can use it without fear of becoming 'Death'. However, you'll only be able to use approximately 50% of its power. If you want to use it to the best of its ability, then I'm afraid you will have to sacrifice yourself for it. There's no way around it."
Ashton appreciated his father's gifts more than he'll ever know. But then, it was time to say their last goodbyes to each other. The outcome still saddened him, but he was content with everything.
After all, he got to share a few precious moments with his father, which was the best gift he could receive. But before departing, Johnathan had a final piece of wisdom for his son.
"Remember, Ashton, while having allies and friends is important, it's also important not to blindly trust them, even the voice in your head."
Saying so, Johnathan became one with nothingness, leaving Ashton perplexed but also at peace.
"Goodbye, dad..."