The Achievement Junkie - 659 Tender Family Momen

‘Mom…’

Everyone was caught off guard when they spotted Lina now at Lunara’s side, wrapping her arms around one of Lunara’s heads.

‘Thank you… Linala…’ Lunara mumbled through her struggling throat.

Hearing that, Lina took the opportunity to enter her full hydra form and better embrace her trembling mom. She hated to see her mother like this and felt even worse learning what had happened to the grandma that she had never met.

While Lina and Lunara wrapped their combined eighteen heads together in comfort, Raztol was further forced into shock. His lip quivered. ‘She… She’s also… Linala…’ From that moment on, Raztol refused to say another word. Not to the loving mother and daughter nor in response or interruption of the story.

Jack was also taken aback. He had recently learned that Lunara’s early years were difficult, but he had no clue about any specifics. But this… He never would’ve anticipated such a story.

Eventually, Lunara regathered her breath and composure with Lina’s help. She continued, ‘When I finally returned home… I did my best to nurse her. I stole some herbs from a nearby garden and managed to escape my pursuers. But I failed to help her… It was already too late… All I did was drag out her misery…

‘But Mother never frowned. She never cursed her fellow hydras. Not even in her last words… ‘He’ll make things better’… ‘He’ll make things better’… All she could talk about was the father I never had… For some reason, she had always clung to some belief in him… saying, ‘He’ll make things better’… Those were her final words… I couldn’t do anything for her and she did everything for me, yet she held to her belief in my terrible father till she passed…’

Lunara was trembling once again but not as bad as before thanks to Lina. Jack had also crossed the table and leaned against his mother.

No one said another word. They all held their places in wait for the moment to pass on its own.

After quite some time, it was Jack the eventually broke the silence. Given that Lina had already shown her true self, Jack didn’t hold back calling Lunara properly. ‘Mom… I’m sorry for making you relive that…’

‘It’s okay… Son… I think… it was good for me. I feel much lighter… like a heavy burden was lifted from my heart…’ remarked Lunara, glad to have Jack and Lunara holding her close. ‘Regardless of what occurred in the past, I’m proud of what I have now. You two and your father are everything to me. I cut all ties to my people ages ago, and now… I can confidently admit that without regret.’

‘T-that… I… T-thank you… Lunara…’

‘I see… And I fully understand now…’ Raztol shook his head, releasing a long breath in the meantime. ‘No matter what it takes… I’ll make sure you aren’t bothered by anyone anymore. You have my promise as the hydra head.’

‘And you have mine as your son, though you can easily handle yourself now,’ chuckled Jack, trying to lessen the tension in the room.

Lunara smiled and chuckled, ‘Yeah… I’m sure we’ll be fine.’

‘Then… If Jack is your Son… is he…’

‘No, I’m not a hydra,’ stated Jack. ‘Sorry to disappoint you, Raztol. There are no more hydra gods you can beg to take your place.’

‘Jack!’

‘It’s fine, Lunara…’ Raztol chuckled also, but grievance still weighed down his voice. ‘So… I take it that you’re all gods?’

‘Not yet. Lina’s still too young, but she insisted on seeing Glacier Reef and Glacier Keep,’ answered Jack. ‘We only agreed because we can teleport her back whenever.’

‘And… What about the others?’

‘Like we mentioned earlier, I doubt they’ll immediately cause the reef any trouble. So long as you don’t pester or annoy them, I think Mom and I can convince them to peacefully enter Galcier Keep.’

‘I see…’ The hydra head’s voice was still strained. Clearly, he was struggling to get the story out of his mind. ‘Lunara… I don’t want to bring back any more harsh feelings… but do you remember the name of that elder, the one that hit you?’

Frowning, Lunara shook her head. ‘Sorry… I just remember seeing the headband and begging for help.’

‘That’s… okay… I wanted to seek him out if possible…’

‘He may not even be alive anymore,’ argued Lunara, trying to change the subject to something more lighthearted. ‘Are you sure you’ll be able to convince the others to cooperate?’

‘I can… Whether it’s through words or force, that I can’t promise just yet…’ utter Ratzol, admitting to the difficulty of the task. ‘But rest assured that everything will be fine.’

‘Quick question, Raztol. You said you had fought Flood Dragons outside of the trench and decided to explore the world. But why were you so far beyond the trench in the first place?’ asked Jack.

Shaking his head and trying his best to smile, Raztol stated, ‘I was the elder in charge of the hunting grounds. It was my responsibility to find new prey before there was a shortage. Because of that, I spent most of my time outside of the trenches anyway, making me into the strongest one-headed hydra without question and convincing me to explore the reaches of the sea… That’s all.’

Before Jack could nod with another question, Raztol stood up and sighed, ‘Thank you for… sharing something so personal. Allow me to take my leave first. I must begin preparations for the new policy, otherwise, the Body Council may force unneeded tension onto my people.’

As the old hydra went to exit, the same three-headed hydra from earlier opened the door and followed alongside Raztol.

‘Jakeek…’ Halfway down the hall, Raztol muttered, ‘I’ve forgotten something in my chamber… Go ahead to the study, I’ll be there soon.’

‘Please, Head Raztol, allow me–‘

‘No. I must go get it alone. But thank you for the offer.’

Without another word, Raztol turned and left at a strange pace. It wasn’t fast enough to be a jog nor slow enough to be a walk. The hydra’s steps were as jostled as his mind was. Upon entry to his chamber, Raztol immediately closed the door and fell to his knees in solitude.

‘Lin… Linala… I’m so sorry…’