Chapter 20: Family Ethics Drama
“I haven’t come to see you in a century…”
The mayor, living alone in the isolated time of Winterless Town, constantly longed to meet Adrian again. Due to guilt over his actions, he reacted strongly to Ron’s sharp words. No matter how kindly he portrayed himself to Ron, he couldn’t hide the truth – he was a deceiver who fooled his son and the townspeople. In the end, the deceiver found himself deceived as well.
“The one who wanted to freeze Them away was only you, yet you handed me this magic to use personally.”
Looking at the mayor indifferently, Adrian said, “Wanting to be a hero, yet unwilling to bear any responsibility.”
“Yes, you’re right,” the mayor didn’t deny everything Adrian said, “so I paid the price…”
“Price?” Adrian smiled, flames flowing on his chest, expressing his anger.
“Now, I am imprisoned in time and cannot die,” the mayor said tremblingly.
Ron’s words weren’t entirely accurate. The mayor didn’t want the magic lifted because he couldn’t bear to see his son lose his sanity with a monster in his chest. In this process, Adrian would gradually become less like himself, and unfortunately, this transformation wouldn’t take much time.
The mayor, avoiding everything, broke down when he saw the shattered frame, the last straw. Finally, the mayor released the snow-white squirrel, letting it guide the visitor – Ron.
Why Ron, and why now? He couldn’t answer these questions himself.
He just wanted to see his child once more and repent for everything he had done in the past. However, his words had no impact on Adrian.
“Father, since it’s like this, why don’t you just die now?” Adrian smiled at the mayor, “Do you want to live forever?”
Since the day the mayor deceived him and made him open the scroll, he no longer recognised the mayor as his father.
“You implanted the evil god, and you also sealed the evil god in ice.” Adrian’s smile seemed calm, but it gave off a sinister vibe.
The mayor had been sitting in front of the wooden house doing nothing, simply avoiding, and the broken frame was like the last straw that broke the camel’s back.
“Hypocrisy, cunning, and heartlessness – everything about the mayor in the past disappointed Adrian to the core.”
“You should implant the evil god-like us,” Adrian said softly, “then you’ll understand us.”
He thumped the side of his chest where the evil god resided, and a dull drumbeat echoed.
“Without a doubt, you are wrong,” he stared, “the evil of the evil god refers to those outside the faith. For us, He shouldn’t be evil.”
At this moment, the mayor, who was talking to his own child after many years, appeared considerably wilted. Perhaps he hoped for a favourable reunion with his child once Ron lifted the seal. But reality delivered a heavy blow, one that was not unexpected.
Now, the people who had been frozen were about to wake up again. However, even if these madmen woke up, they could never escape the prison of time. After all, this was magic carefully prepared by the Mage Tower for these evil gods, and for everyone in the town, it was the most malicious curse.
The mayor put down his cane, knelt on the ground, hands tightly clasped together, “I’m sorry… Vandal… I’m sorry…”
Even though he understood nobody could leave Winterhold, Adrian’s words still deeply affected him. After enduring countless years, he couldn’t reconcile with the actions he had taken.
“If possible… please tell me… how can I make amends now?” A sorrowful voice escaped his thin lips.
“Vandal?” Adrian suddenly chuckled, “Father, even now, you’re still the same as before.”
“Do you remember when you said we shouldn’t trust Vandal but trust the evil god?” He questioned, “What are you doing now?”
The evil god in his chest spewed flames, engulfing his right arm. The veins beneath the skin resembled flowing magma.
Adrian gestured towards Ron and the mayor, and flames erupted without warning in the cold wind.
“Firstly, the outsiders.” Ron, standing nearby, was thrown against the wall by the heat wave.
“Then it’s you, father.” Adrian approached the mayor, snatching away his cane.
Without mercy, he impaled the mayor’s abdomen with the cane and pushed him away. The frail mayor lay in a pool of blood, the cane deeply embedded in his abdomen.
Now, in Adrian’s grip, the cane emitted sparks, leaving countless charred marks after the sparks were extinguished. The snow-white squirrel cried mournfully beside the mayor, but its sound failed to attract anyone’s attention.
Adrian ignored his father’s fate, walking straight to Ron, saying, “Tear up the magic scroll in your hands.”
Tearing the magic scroll would awaken all the frozen people. At this moment, Adrian’s sanity, like his body, burned in the endless flames. He wanted to grow, to evolve constantly, but the purpose of this growth eluded him. The evil god urged Adrian to release the frozen people and leave Winterhold.
“You tear it yourself.” Ron instinctively pushed Adrian away.
When Adrian knocked him away, Ron stepped back, avoiding unconsciousness. The Ron from before wouldn’t have reacted this way, but now he believed he could, like a seasoned warrior. Even the force that pushed Adrian away was something Ron had never possessed before. Perhaps it was the effect of the “warrior phase” or intense training.
In any case, it brought Ron back to life.
