Chapter fifteen: To Seek Truth

This isn't happening, this isn't real, he's not real!

How the hell?! "How-you're dead." All the memories of him flood back into my mind.

"Vila wait." His voice brings back the horror that's been pushed back into the darkest part of me.

I'm back at that haunting house. The wall prevents me from getting any further from him as I sit on the cold floor in fear. His shadow casts an anger that's ready to be unleashed as it covers me.

"Vila calm down."

My breathing mixes in with my words as I hyperventilate, "I-I'm sorry-I'm sorry-I'm sorry." That's all I can say, that's the only thing I could do that would appease him back then. The tears, I can feel them run down my face again. I haven't quivered like this in years. I hate this feeling!

I can't

"Vila," his calm voice catches my attention, it doesn't sound like he's mad at me. Gonma kneels down to my level and gently puts my little seven-year-old hand in his. The soft white gloves fail to contain the warmth that he gives off. "It's alright, you don't need to be afraid anymore." He gives me a comforting smile from his pale complexion as his long black hair elegantly flows down his shoulders. His suit is a dark purple like it usually was while being casual at the same time. "I'm sorry for everything that I've done to you. I just wanted you to reach your full potential. I've had time to think over all the horrible things I did to you back in that place-as that man..." Gonma hasn't acted this way towards me since the day Mom gave me over to him. "Now please, control yourself, the void can manifest your thoughts and emotions."

His last phrase brings me back to the present. The building disintegrates around us and we appear back in the darkness like we were before. He helps me to my feet with his grey hand and black nails as himself again.

An awkward silence stops me from saying anything for a good long while. "So-uh-should I call you Vensen still, or, do you want to be Gonma again?"

"Grandfather is just fine dear."

"You're my grandfather!?" I knew it, none if this is real!

"Quit your shouting child, it's not like you're obliged to wake the dead or anything." He snaps back at me with his disciplinary attitude. "You should be going back to Fupum by now, it would be a shame if you wear out your body too much."

"Oh yeah, my tsavi." Good thing he reminded me of that. "Wait, how do I get back?"

His charming father-like smile comes back when he answers me, "Have you learned nothing child? Think of it as a dream, and wake up."

"Oh, alright." That might be more difficult than being said.

"Ah, and one more thing before you go."

"Yes?"

"You should stop telling yourself that Sommi being your father is a lie."

"What?" He knows about that, but how?

"You need to stop telling yourself that it's a lie." He seems to be very serious about this.

"May I ask why?"

"Of course child, because it's the truth."

"The truth?"

"Sommi is your father dear. That night when you two met and I was-Gonma, he was looking for you. That's why he was so attached and defended you against me."

I'm not sure how I should take this in. There's too much to sink in. I look up at Vensen to see if there's a glimpse of a lie in his eyes. "He's-Sommi is-my father?"

Vensen nods.

"Do you know where he is?"

He brings his hand up, "you need to go child," then snaps his fingers.

My eyes pop open as my lungs fill up with air and I cough from over-consumption after a lack of oxygen.

"Oh thank Methel, you're still alive!" Zaru pulls his hands back from my chest as he signals the people encircling me to back off a little.

The ground is so warm, and I'm so cold. I'm not even sure what happened...

--------------

A few days have passed since the destruction of Erekinxon and I'm lying on a hospital bed being cared for by Zaru himself along with Caru. Ruus, Mueimma, and I were the only living bodies who were recovered from the wreckage. Ruus took a serious toll, though, his spine was damaged from Mueimma's heavy weight on him. He also broke a majority of his ribs, but I don't think that's his main focus now. We're not even sure if he can even move again since he hasn't been able to for the past few days. It's getting to the point where he could be paralyzed for the rest of his life...

As for me, my energy was drained tremendously when my-tsavi was activated, so I'm basically bed-written for the time being. Caru was kind enough to hand me a journal to pass the time with writing and I've been using that to put down questions that I have for Vensen, if I ever get to meet him again. Everything he's told me so far has been twirling around in my head and I can't seem to find my own answers to them. Does he know where Sommi is? Was he the one who wrecked the lav back in Kai? Who are the other members of the Stuki clan? Have I met any of them yet? How come I don't remember Sommi from when I was little if he really is my father? I have too many questions for my own good. A wise old man would probably tell me that they will be answered with time, but I'm itching to know!

"Hey Vila." Caru steps into the room with a calm smile.

'Oh, hey Caru." I haven't known them for too long, but I'm actually starting to become very attached to the triplets. Yeah, I call them triplets.

"How are you feeling?" She asks while seating herself on my bed.

"I'm better than yesterday, but I still feel pretty sluggish."

"Guess it'll take longer than we expected then." We both chuckle to lighten the mood a little before she tries to take a peek at my journal. "I've been wondering what's in that diary," she starts to lean closer in order to read it, "you seem so glued to it-"

"That's none of your business!" I say as I manage to pull it away and bring it close to my chest.

"Oh c'mon." Caru starts her brown-nosing. "You write in that thing like it contains your last words or something."

"I do not, I maintain my interactions with people!"

"You zone out whenever you're not writing, at least tell me what you're writing in there."

"They're just questions."

"About what?"

"About life!"

Caru finally backs off a little. "Geez, calm down, don't need to get excited. I was just curious is all."

You're the one who started it by giving me this book.

Another stillness takes us before I speak up, "So," Some blush appears onto my face. "Is Zaru busy today?"

She looks at me with her casual face now. "You tend to ask about him to dodge things a lot. If you like him so much, why don't you say something to him about it?"

My face turns pure scarlet from her words and I try hiding my face in the book. The words just flow out of my mouth like a rushing river, "What'r you talking about; I don't like him, not in that way!"

"Really; yesterday you kept asking me when he would come to check up on you."

"That doesn't mean anything!"

"You made him laugh."

I pause for a second before responding, "Huh?"

Caru then looks to the ground with a reminiscent stare. "The other day you made him laugh... I haven't heard him laugh like that in years-not since..." She pauses and stares at the linoleum floor to remember a specific moment that I don't know about.

"Well, the patients seem to be doing better than usual, I guess that's a good thing." Zaru walks in and unknowingly interrupts our conversation.

"Does that mean we can finally relax a little?" Caru states with some excitement as if our little chat never happened. "Say the words, please say the words," she somewhat whispers to herself with zeal.

He smiles at her gently and replies, "Caru, you may take the rest of the day off. Haru is waiting for you at the door."

Caru jumps from the bed and speeds over to him for a hug. "You make sure to take frequent breaks, alright."

"I will," he says with a chuckle.

When she storms out it feels like Zaru and I are the only two people left in the building.

"Um-Zaru, may I ask you something?"

"Yes?"

I hope this doesn't ruin anything. "When you were running towards Erekinxon-did you-see anything?"

His smile dims as he sits on the side of my bed. "Yes, actually, I've been meaning to talk to you about it lately." Zaru looks to me as he continues while I listen, "I had to contact someone from Duahe in Catherr, someone important, and he wants to meet you as soon as possible."

This gets my curiosity. "Who is it?"

"Tumma, our current leader."

"The leader, what does he want with me?"

"I don't know for sure, but this might escalate quickly."

This is starting to get out of hand again. "When do you want to leave?" I ask him.

"Whenever you're ready."

I take a moment to think it over before answering, "How about sometime tomorrow?"

The legitimate smile comes back to Zaru's face. "Sounds good."

----------------------

I supposedly fell asleep for the night, but somehow I manage to find myself back in the void. I wonder if I'll ever see Sommi, Kakashin, or Vensen again...

"Vila..." I hear an echo calling my name. I know that voice! "Vila!"

I turn to see the person I've been longing for this whole time. "Sommi!" My feet push against the ground and force my body to run after him.

Sommi opens his arms and we embrace each other.

I can feel the warmth from his chest as my head presses up against it. A tear makes its way down my cheek as the happiness swells within my heart.

I found him!

Sommi holds me tighter as his voice speaks with a type of joy and a hint of trembling, "Thank Methel, you're alright!"

"Have you been in here this whole time, Sommi?" I ask as I look up to him while our arms are still wrapped around each other.

He looks back down at me with his tender green eyes as his scruffy brown beard hides his malnourished neck. "Yes Vila, I have. I actually want to talk to you about our current situation. We should take a seat and discuss this." A living room forms around us with a comfy cushion chair and a sofa ready for us. I take the couch while Sommi gets comfortable in the chair and he starts this chat, "Vila, you've probably already met a 'person' named Vensen."

I nod.

"Then-you probably understand by now that he's not human."

My head makes the same motion as before. Does he know that Vensen has already gone through this with me? Should I even tell him about the conversation we had?

"I managed to escape my confinement temporarily so I could tell you a few things."

Great, more damn questions to shove into my journal, when I have the chance...

"Oh, what's that you got?" Sommi points to the journal in my hand.

"Huh; oh, uh-my journal." I lend it over to him. I guess this is what Vensen was talking about with the void forming my thoughts. "It's just full of questions I've been meaning to ask you."

"I see," he says as he opens it to take a look.

"I was maybe wondering if Vensen could also answer some-"

Sommi jumps out of his seat and latches onto my forearms while standing over me, "You talked to him!? Vila, that's dangerous, his lies are sweeter than honey and bring everlasting pain!" His grip on me gets a little tighter as he continues with his concerned tone, "What did he tell you!?"

The words stumble out of my mouth as I'm almost reluctant to tell him, "Uh-that you, he, and I are related, and-not human."

"Is that all?"

"No, he told me about our tsavi and that it's a blood trait of the Stuki family... He also told me that he was Gonma."

Sommi trims down to his knees on the carpet as his eyes turn away from me to the floor. "Your mother was trying to protect you from Vensen, but she must've found out soon after and that's when she disappeared. I was almost too late to rescue you from his clutches."

"I-I'm not sure what you mean, Father."

He looks back to me as his calm self and sits next to me. His arm touches my shoulder furthest from him and places his chin with that scruffy beard of his on my head, letting it brush up against my blonde hair. "I'm sorry sweetie, I'm not angry at you, it's just-I wanted you to live a happy and peaceful life."

"It's alright, I don't care what happens, as long as I get to see you."

We both let the silence take over us as he holds me tighter. I don't want this moment to end, but I still have so many questions. "Sommi," I start as my head stays resting on his chest.

"Yes sweetie?" He replies in a calm whisper.

I slightly strain away from his side-hug. "Are you-are you really my father; and is Vensen my grandfather?"

His hold on me becomes even tighter before he replies with his calm whisper of a voice, "Yes..."

A few seconds pass before I have the guts to break the silence again, "Do you know what happened to Mom?"

"Vensen must've locked her up in the void somewhere, which isn't easy considering how big this place is."

My heart sinks down as I contemplate over every new revelation about my life that's been given to me. "Why does Vensen do these things?"

Sommi strains for the answer himself as he speaks with a sigh, "I wish I knew, but you can't believe his answer when you see him again. He is wise and has plenty of knowledge on a lot of things, but don't ever be deceived by his motives, that's where he lies the most."

"But, he said that he wanted me to reach my potential, back when he was Gonma-"

Sommi grabs my forearms again and turns me to face him a little better. "Vila, listen, no matter what he says, it's for his own selfish gain; and if he doesn't say what his motivation is, that means he just wants to watch you suffer."

Another rush of quietness passes over us before he calms down and releases his grip. "You should be waking up by now, it's probably morning where you are." He then stands up.

"Wait," I start as I get up as well, "but where are you; in Fupum I mean."

He looks to me with a worried smile, "I'm afraid I will have to tell you that later."

"When will that be?" Without a warning, I feel my body jolt and sense myself on the hospital bed again. I sit up from my mattress and see the sun popping out of the horizon from my window.

"Finally awake I see," I hear a voice say.