Divine Beast Ascension

Chapter 360: Father-Daughter Reunion

Inside the palace, two people entered the kitchen in silence. Bradok’s jovial smile remained. Ania’s half-smile flickered.

“We’ll handle lunch today, so get out!” Bradok shouted in his usual tone, not surprising the palace kitchen staff one bit. As the staff exited and closed the door behind them, Bradok activated the kitchen’s silence barrier and sighed through his grin. “Little Ania... Tell Dad what happened.”

Struggling to respond, Ania stepped aside and grabbed an apron hanging on the wall. “At least... We’ll cook while we talk.”

“Okay.”

The father-daughter duo began their quick preparations. Ania began peeling and separating the halves of the jrabda fruit while Bradok began butchering and cleaning a gigantic elk.

“So...”

“... So...” Ania spoke up but still struggled with where to begin. She still wasn’t sure how to break the news about Oli, so much so that she had forgotten about most everything else she would have to recount.

.....

“Ania... What happened to Dioro?”

“I-I...”

Putting down his oversized chef’s knife, Bradok sighed and put a hand on Ania’s shoulder. “Has he...”

Quivering, Ania sniffled. She nodded. She kept looking down at the fruit, avoiding eye contact but not turning away Bradok’s presence.

“Oh, baby girl... I’m so sorry!”

Feeling her father’s embrace, Ania clenched one fruit tighter and tighter until it burst in her hand. “He... H-he...”

“He what, dear? He saved you?” Bradok did his best to understand the subtle hints and help his daughter finally grieve.

“He... saved our son...”

“Oh, baby girl! I knew he was the one for you...”

“Yeah... I knew it too. He showed it time... and time.... again...”

Smiling tenderly, Bradok reached for Ania’s arm and got her to put down the mutilated fruit. “Ania. Did he go out in honor?”

“Yes... YES!” Finally, Ania gripped her father’s forearm tightly. “He saved us all! Dioro saved us! Dioro defeated the dragon!!”

“A dragon?!”

“YES! A king dragon!” repeated Ania.

“AMAZING! Beyond amazing! A true champion!”

“He..... He gave Oli his treasure.. And now Oli is becoming strong just like Dioro!”

“Oli...” Bradok blinked. He paid no attention to the water reaching a boil on the other side of the room. “Oli... What a great name! And by the sound of it, your son is just as amazing as his father.”

“H-he is! Oli is amazing!” Ania wept. One hand was nearly yanking off the fur on Bradok’s arm while the other covered her face, failing to stop her tears. “Oh, Oli! I miss him!”

“Where is he?” asked Bradok, caught off guard.

“He’s! He’s... He’s safe.. But I haven’t seen him in a while. I just want to see him, with my own eyes,” replied Ania, “not through Vloz’s or anyone else’s eyes.”

“Hmm... It sounds like he’s training hard, just like his father!”

“HE IS!!!”

Turning around, Ania wrapped herself around her father. She would never act in such a way with anyone else. But how could she hide her true feelings from her doting father? Finally, though she would never admit it, Ania was alone with the last person she could be completely vulnerable with...

“He is, Dad! Oli is training so hard!” Ania continued, riding through the mental rapids that were her emotions.

Bradok sighed, holding back tears of his own. “Ania. Baby girl. I love you.”

“I know, Dad! I love you too!”

“I’m no Dioro, but please let me be there for you. Don’t keep me out-”

“Of course not! We need you! I need you!” Bawling harder and harder, Ania stopped wiping her own tears. “Without you, I... I almost lost Rathe. And now-”

“Oh no! What did that brat do this time?! Do you need Dad to teach him some manners?”

“Dad... Rathe, he...” Pulling her face back, Ania looked her father in the eyes. “Rathe... He fought a king, like Dioro. And he almost... he almost DIED!”

“My little brat... He went toe-to-toe... with a king?!” For a moment, Bradok reeled back in shock. But he quickly broke out in hysteria. “My boy! My boy fought a king. And he won?!”

“Dad... He... It’s complicated, and I’m explaining everything terribly! I-”

“Is he safe?”

Startled by the ginger look in her father’s eyes, Ania blinked. “Huh?”

“Is my boy safe?”

“Yeah... He’ll be fine. But he’ll need a long time to recover...”

“That’s all that matters!” Hugging his daughter even tighter, Bradok jumped with joy, “My boy and baby girl are okay! And I have such a wonderful grandson! This... This is wonderful news!”

“I’m glad you’re happy, Dad...” Ania sighed as some of her intense feelings began to lessen.

Bradok then shook his head, beaming, “You should’ve come sooner! The moment you had a territory, you should’ve sent word!”

“I’m sorry, Dad. So many things happened so quickly... And Rathe, he-”

“Let me guess? The brat didn’t think he was strong enough to beat me down, so he stalled for time?”

“Y-yeah...” Ania snickered, surprised she was able to laugh.

Sighing, Bradok nodded. “Of course, that’s what happened. That means Dioro passed before claiming the territory, leaving Rathe in charge?”

“Mhmm...”

“In that case, just leave it to this old man to remind him what’s best!” Pounding a fist against his chest, Bradok laughed. “I’ll teach him well, like I always have!”

“Thanks, Dad. I missed you... a lot.”

“Oh, there, there. I missed you more, baby girl!”

Sharing another tight hug, the father and daughter laughed and cried together. Now, Bradok understood why Ania asked for two hours. Because without it, they wouldn’t have time to cook after their reunion.

“Baby girl... You said Oli was off training?” asked Bradok. “How old is he?”

Trying to clear her eyes of fluid, Ania answered, “He’s an adult now. He’s training for the tournament-”

“REALLY?! Just like Dioro?!”

“Yeah, just like his father. Only... Dad, I think he’s even more amazing. Dioro thought the same thing. Most people do.”

Taken aback, Bradok was speechless. “... He’s that crazy?”

“Yeah! He’s crazier than Dioro ever was.”

“Ha. HA!” puffing out his chest, Bradok laughed loudly yet again. “That’s my boy! The crazier, the sooner I want to meet you!”