Elemental Origins I: Return of The Lost Prince

Chapter 4 - Deep Talk

Adam rushed upstairs to see all the commotion. He had an invisibility watch to help him get away unnoticed.

"Father?" Alyssa opened her room's door, but then she panicked. "No, Father, wait, no!"

Without saying a word, Austin grabbed Alyssa's hands and started to drag her through the hallways, to the stairs where Adam was watching them.

Adam, still invisible, quickly ran down the stairs, hid behind a corner to watch Austin dragging poor Alyssa down. His fists clenched, wanted to immediately stop his father from hurting his sister once again.

But he stopped when Austin and Alyssa stopped in front of the basement door. 

"Listen, young girl." Austin said to Alyssa. "I'm going to repeat this one last time. Where is he?!"

Alyssa shook her head. "Father, I don't know what you-"

Austin slapped Alyssa's cheek. "Answer me!"

Adam was startled. He realized everything now. "Alright, that's enough."

Adam turned off his invisibility watch, revealing himself behind those two. "Were you looking for me?"

Austin turned his head to see Adam, pushing Alyssa away from him. "Look who's here. The great warrior himself."

"Cut the crap." Adam walked closer, showing no signs of fear. "Leave her alone, Father. Or whoever you are."

Austin laughed—it sounded more like a forced one. "So you actually prefer your adoptive father rather than the real one?"

Fierce lit up in Adam's eyes as he activated his powers. "Oh, you? This day's getting weirder by the minute." Then he looked away and said, "I have so many questions, Atlas, my father. First of all, what are you doing here?"

"Looking for you. What else?" 

Adam closed his eyes, trying to hold his anger. He looked at Alyssa and told her, "Go back to your room immediately, Alyssa. This is a talk between me and Father."

Alyssa, still shaking, nodded, running away from them, back to her room.

"So, Xavier," Atlas walked closer to Adam, placing a hand on his shoulder. "How are you holding up for the past few centuries, hm?"

Adam sighed. "What a bad way to start the conversation."

"I know. I'm not used to the human world despite being here for so long."

Adam shrugged.

"Listen, I'm not trying to hurt you or anything, unlike centuries ago. That was not on my will."

"Must we really go through this again?" Adam turned away, folding his hands close to his chest. "I told you, I have joined the light. I only did what I could to protect the palace."

"But are you sure you did the right thing?"

"What do you mean?"

"Didn't Crypt tell you?"

Adam shook his head. "He abided by my order to not tell me anything."

"Oh, he's also in the human world."

"He is your advisor. How could you not know?"

Atlas placed his hand on his waist. "That kid believed I was no more since the uprising war centuries ago."

"Enough with Crypt. What exactly do you want to tell me?"

Atlas looked around, then back to his son. "Can we not talk here? I'm afraid there may be something listening to us."