Today Bindo informed me that we had an important visitor. I was shocked. I thought he was pulling my leg at first. I said, "Bindo, how in the name of the Light can we have a visitor? We are blocked by a wall of ice!" He insisted I go with him. I followed out of curiosity, not that I believed him. I accompanied him into our family's main chambers and saw something I never thought my eyes would ever see again.
Standing in the middle of the dim room, in a shaft of light from the skylight high above, clad in an iridescent Reflec-Robe, Silver Shields and a SilverCirclet...was my beloved Rune. His long sky blue hair pulled back tight except for a few wisps at his cheeks, he stood silently. I felt a tear stream down my face and barely heard Bindo say, "I'll go tend to Araliya." I ran to him, arms out and embraced his tall figure like never before. He felt the same, had the same smell to him-one of Hewn Dust and Moon-Dew; and he had the same look in his eyes, one of love and devotion. I looked up into those deep blue eyes, as blue as the Dezo sky and so deep you could get lost in them, and fell in love all over again.
My voice quivered as I cried, "Where have you been? I never thought I would see you again!" He took his hand, and with a soft stroke, wiped the tears from my flushed face. "Shhh," he said. "I'm back and there's no need to cry any more." I felt myself relax in his strong embrace and I uttered the words I never thought I would ever say again, "I love you, Rune Walsh."
I then realized that the children did not know their father had returned. Our children were also Wizards and Espers, and would someday use their skills to combat Dark Force. They, like us, stayed at a stationery age, which was determined when they were born. Because they were the children of a Protector, they would live as pseudo-protectors, with all the powers of their parents. Joaquin's age was set at 17, while Araliya was to live forever as a 7-year-old. In some ways I felt sorry for her, but she would never know otherwise, and would learn to fight anyway. In some ways then, I almost envied her. She would never have to know the pains of adulthood, the hardships and the tragedies. On the other hand, she had to endure those emotions as a 7-year-old child. Joaquin, was quite a formidable Wizard, although his Esper skills were not as prominent. Araliya had the Esper skills of an Elder, and was already somewhat ready to heal in battle, should the need arise. I called for Bindo and asked him to get the children. As he went to find them, Rune shed his armor and removed the tie from his hair. I stared at him, lost in his presence. I quickly snapped out of my quasi-trance when I heard the familiar creak of the chamber door.
Araliya was the first to run in, and leapt into Rune's arms. Rune embraced her and started to softly cry. "Why ya cryin' Daddy?" she asked. "I have just missed you so much, and I am happy to see you! Happy tears, silly!" he laughed back. He hugged her for quite a long time and finally let her go. She started to jabber away about her recent acquisition of Nares and how Joaquin almost blew up the scroll depository with a burst of Flaeli, when a tall thin figure appeared from the hallway behind the large crystal door.
"Joaquin," Rune whispered. He was almost an exact copy of his father: long blue hair, blue eyes and had the attitude of a true Walsh...stubborn as all Hell. He approached Rune and stopped before him. They stood silent, for what seemed like an eternity, facing each other. Joaquin had never accepted why his father left, and was always angry at Rune deep inside. Joaquin looked to me, then to his sister, who was busy trying to put on her father's Reflec-Robe, and finally to Rune. "Father, I forgive you for leaving," the younger Walsh spoke. With that, he charged Rune and they shared a loving embrace. Rune motioned for Araliya, who had, by that time, given up on trying to get into the robe, and started to speak as soon as she was perched on his knee, playing with his pony-tail.
"I am so sorry for leaving you and your mother. It was something I had no control over, it was my destiny." He explained to them his need to conquer the Profound Darkness, and they understood. He then looked to me and said, "I guess I had better tell them my secret." Araliya looked at him and said, "Ooooh! No secrets, Daddy!" He stood up, with his little girl clinging tightly to his waist and began to speak once again. "Remember when I told you of the Great Lutz?" he questioned. "Yeah Daddy! He is old!" Araliya giggled. Rune looked in my direction and I couldn't hide my laughter. "Old? Do you think I am old?" he asked, as he tickled the little girl's elbows. Joaquin looked surprisingly at his father and said, "Are you trying to tell us that YOU are the Reverent Lutz?" Bindo interjected, "My dear Joaquin, your father is the Fourth Chosen, the Fifth Generation Lutz." He looked at Rune rather oddly for a moment and then yelled, "COOL!" We knew then that the children understood. Araliya thought it was funny, and after that took to calling Rune "Daddy Lutz."
Rune spent a few moments conversing with his companions and then was off to see the new techniques and skills of his children. He approached me on his way out and softly kissed me on the forehead. "EEEEEeeeeeewwwww! Kissing!" Araliya took time to yell as she busied herself trying, this time, to get Rune's SilverCirlcet to stay planted on her forehead. She was not successful, as it kept falling to her neck. "Nice necklace, pip-squeak!" Joaquin taunted. She was obviously offended by her older brother's remark and retaliated by casting a small burst of Foi at his arm. It was not enough to harm, just to sting. As Joaquin readied himself to cast a somewhat larger amount back at her, Bindo interjected, "Remember the conversation we had about using techniques on our siblings?" The two hung their heads and replied, almost in unison, "Yes Bindo." Rune laughed and quietly asked, "Do they always do this?" "All the time," I replied. "All the time."
He then looked into my eyes, and promptly crossed his. I laughed and slapped him on the behind. "Get out of here, you goof! Go teach your kids more skills to use on each other!" I yelled after him. He exited the room, Araliya clinging to his back for what Rune called the "Esper Express," and Joaquin at his side. As they made their way down the cavernous halls of the Mansion, Araliya's shrill voice could be heard as she screamed at her brother. His favorite thing to do was pinch her arms and then dart away before she could retaliate. Through all the commotion of sibling screams, Rune could be heard laughing.
Bindo and I showed our guests to their rooms and let them know that dinner would be served in three hours. Bindo then went to busy himself with the upcoming meal and to "wash the Motavian filth off of the Fifth One's clothes." As I made my way to the door of the inner courtyard to join my once again complete family, it suddenly hit me. My Rune was back. It wasn't a dream. I jumped in the air and let out a scream of joy. I then proceeded to make sure no one saw it. My life was back to normal...or so I thought.
