Legacy

Lux stood on the shore, watching the sunrise. Today was the day. The day he was leaving.

As he watched the sun appearing over the water, it was hard for him to imagine that it was the same sun that had risen over the horizon twenty years ago, the day his father died. So much had changed since then, but that sun still remained the same. Every morning it rose, and every evening it set. It never changed.

He was going to change though. His whole life was going to change. Starting today.

He was old enough now. His mother had told him the whole story about what happened to his father. She told him about the scarecrow, about the fight, and about the poison that had killed him. She explained why there was a burnt-down structure on the far side of the island – she had been the one to burn it down after he had been poisoned there.

This was the first time he got the whole story, and now he understood why.

Because now that he knew, he could no longer stay put. He wanted to see the world that his father had influenced. He wanted to go on the same adventures and face the same dangers. Maybe one day he would even find Honeydew.

He knew that's why his mother didn't tell him sooner. Because she didn't want him to go.

He stood in place for another half hour. By the time his mother found him, the sun had already risen above the horizon, and the new day had begun.

“Look at you,” said Lomadia, coming and standing next to him, putting her hand on his shoulder. “All grown up and ready to go on adventures.”

Lux smiled, doing his best to avoid looking at her. The last thing he wanted was to cry, especially when he had to meet with Pixel in half an hour.

“I'm sorry I'm leaving,” said Lux, glancing at his mother.

He saw her smile sadly. “I don't mind that you're leaving,” she said. “Just as long as you come back.”

Lux didn't respond, afraid he would start to choke up.

Lomadia sighed. “I... I think you're old enough,” she said.

Lux fully turned to look at her. She reached under her jacket and pulled out a sheath.

“What's this?” he asked as she handed it to him.

“Well I can't expect you to protect yourself with that shitty half broken iron sword,” said Lomadia, gesturing to the sword her son had strapped to his back.

Lux unsheathed the sword. It was a sharp fine-tuned diamond sword. When he held it up, it caught the orange light of the rising sun, refracting it through the diamonds and making it glow like a torch.

“Wow...” he muttered, his glowing blue eyes widening as he admired the sword.

“It was your father's,” said Lomadia sadly.

Lux looked up at her, his vision suddenly becoming blurry. A split second later, he found himself in her arms, shaking as tears finally appeared.

“Shh,” whispered Lomadia, rubbing his back.

Lux shook his head a bit. “I never even met him...” he whimpered.

“But you will,” said Lomadia, stepping back with her hands on Lux's shoulders. She put her hand under his chin and tilted his head up so he could look at her. “You'll get to see everything he's done, you'll probably meet a lot of the same people he met... And if you can find Honeydew, then it'll be just like meeting your father. I promise you...”

Lux smiled a bit and wiped his eyes. “Thanks Mum...” he said quietly.

Lomadia nodded, blinking back tears.

After a moment, Lux turned and looked at the sky. It was time for him to go.

Lomadia seemed to know too.

“Go on...” she said quietly. “I won't keep you waiting...”

Lux looked at her, suddenly feeling like a child again. Slowly, he looked down and sheathed his father's sword, slinging the sheath across his back. He gave his mother one last hug. Then he turned and walked towards the docks.

Lomadia stood, watching him go. She felt the wind pick up a bit.

“He's just like you, Xephos,” she said quietly. “You would be so proud...”

The wind carried her whispers away.

XXX

Lux walked into the clearing where he and Pixel agreed to meet. Sure enough, she was standing there, cloaked in a variety of mechanical gear that looked ready to explode at any second.

“Aww, look who's finally ready for his first adventure,” said Pixel, smiling.

“Shut up,” said Lux, laughing a bit.

Pixel's smile widened, and she absently tightened a screw on her power glove. “So where do you want to go first?” she asked.

Lux turned a bit and looked through the trees, seeing the light of the sun shining through the branches. He felt the wind blow his hair back and rustle the leaves.

He smiled. “Let's go save the world.”