Retired S-rank father becomes a teacher

Days passed until it was Friday evening, the day Kat would leave for the dungeon. I was on the sofa watching the news. The raid was being broadcast worldwide and crews even went inside with the hunters to record. This was a historic day. The final critical S-ranked dungeon would be cleared.

A cup of warm tea in my hand, pillows on my lap as I watched. There were three S-ranks, fifty A-ranks and hundreds of B- and C-rank hunters in the expedition team. They all wore the same uniform like a military team.

Silas started to rub my shoulders.

The S-ranks were standing on top of a hill in Greece, next to the dungeon entrance. The mountain was high, with lush green trees. The sky was clear. The sun was shining brightly. Katherine was leading it, her hands on her hips and a stern look.

She said a few words to the hunters around her. It looked so cool as they went inside and a Greek city appeared on the other side. It was like they transported back in time, to the era of mythology.

The streets were empty.

My husband squeezed my shoulders. The feeling of his strong hands was comforting as we watched together. It was weird to watch them enter the dungeon from the safety of our home.

Suddenly the ground shook in the city. The broadcast focused on the cause. A giant hole opened up like a gate to the underworld. From it came a huge three headed dog, Cerberus. S-rank.

It was okay. One S-rank didn’t stand a chance against the expedition team.

Silas leaned down, putting a hand on my belly. I hadn’t been inside an S-rank dungeon in a while, so I didn’t know the new monsters but the broadcast did a good job at introducing them.

Cerberus was killed and they got closer to the hole. The broadcast cut of there. The image paused on the entrance to the underworld as hundreds of eyes glowed from the darkness, waiting for the hunters.

My heart skipped a beat.

The news anchor started talking about something else. My husband took the remote from my hand and turned the TV off.

My eyes met his and he smiled.

“It’ll be fine,” he said and I nodded. I had to believe that.

He put the tea on the table and picked me up in his strong arms. The blankets were pulled over us as we laid down on the couch together, his arms holding me tightly to him.

Another day passed without any updates. I was cooking, watching the news for any new information but there was nothing. My hand went to my belly, feeling the twins kick inside of me. Silas was sitting next to me, watching the pot of tomato soup cook.

I felt antsy, on edge.

The second day. Finally the news broadcast had a new development. An emergency evacuation for eastern Europe was in effect and people had to leave the countries in a 100 mile radius around the dungeon. Silas stopped me from turning the TV on.

“Berlin is managing the situation,” he said.

I paused, my heart beating faster.

The phone rang on the kitchen island. It was his cellphone and I recognized the number. It was Berlin. Silas stood up and picked it up, he put it on his ear but kept it away from me.

A chill ran down my spine as I saw his expression. Complete calmness as he ended the call.

“What is it?” I asked, my hands on the kitchen counter.

“Nothing. The expedition will simply take longer and Berlin is joining the fight.” His answer was smooth. Too smooth.

I didn’t press the matter and I regretted it.

Greece was burning. I turned on the news in the living room while he was in the shower. I couldn’t take it anymore, I had to know. I had to see the broadcast and know my best friend was okay.

The broadcast showed the country in flames, dungeons spilling monsters into cities and people were fleeing the country. It was from a helicopter high up, the footage shaky and far away.

The announcer talked about the expedition team still being inside but losing communication with the outside world. A camera turned to show the emergency response of the hunter teams. More S-ranks joined the fight.

I felt dizzy.

Silas appeared in front of me with soap in his hair, naked. He turned off the TV.

My stomach was in knots.

“Liz you shouldn’t watch the news,” he said.

He rubbed my shoulders and planted a kiss on my forehead.

A week passed and Greece fell. Katherine was alive but the front line had moved further inland to other countries: Albania and North Macedonia—both were on the verge of collapse as a swarm of S-rank monsters left the dungeon, expanding their territory in the sky and land. Every S-ranker on the planet was now in Europe, keeping them back.

Except one. My husband sat next to me, his hand rubbing my belly as I read the newspaper. Millions died. Three S-rankers were confirmed dead. It was a catastrophe and I couldn’t tell him to go.

His warm lips met my forehead again.

I just had to wait and trust that Berlin and Kat would win this battle. I needed him here, safe and sound.

Serbia fell on the second week. Just fell. The dungeon kept expanding. My husbands phone kept ringing but he ignored it at first and then he threw it away, teleporting it to an unknown location.

fifteen million people were dead and six S-rankers. Kat wasn’t one of them; she was alive only because Berlin and her fought together.

On a Monday evening, the sun started to set and the sky turned orange. A click echoed and someone unlocked the front door. I was on the sofa. It was a strange sound because my husband was blocking everyone from getting even a mile close to us and he was in the kitchen, so he must have let them in.

The air in the room felt tense and heavy. The door opened and Berlin was standing in the doorframe. His right eye was bandaged, his body covered in bloody gauze, his uniform ripped. He was breathing hard.

Silas didn’t say anything.

Berlin just came and sat on the sofa infront of me. Blood dripped from his hand. He didn’t acknowledge my husband, instead he looked at my belly.

My body froze. If Berlin was here, then Kat was alone or worse. I had to tell my husband to go. I had to tell him to save my best friend, the world and leave me here. The words got stuck in my throat.

Just say it. Just say it.

Silas’ hand was on my shoulder, grounding me. I couldn’t say anything.

Berlin took out a cigarette but realized I was pregnant and he didn’t light it up. He just stared at it and put it in his mouth. That was a first.

“I’ll stay kid,” he said and I let out a breath. I knew it wasn’t meant for me, it was for Silas. My husband crouched down infront of me, holding my hands.

His eyes showed his conflict. His duty as the strongest versus his duty as a husband and father. He was waiting for me to say—he would never leave if I didn’t say anything.

So why couldn’t I say it?

He kissed me, his hand going to my belly. Suddenly his eyes widened as if he saw something I couldn’t.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered.

Then he vanished in front of me.

A sob left my mouth and Berlin turned on the TV. We sat watching a movie as my husband went to save the world one last time. My heart was breaking yet I couldn’t say a word. Wherever he goes, I’d follow him.

Four days passed as my mother in law came to take care of me. It felt like I was a child again, being watched over and coddled. Berlin, Anna, Lisa and little Hailey. All of them in one house.

I counted every second, hoping that every knock on the door would be his.

On a Sunday my hope died. I turned to the one thing lost souls go to, to a higher being. Outside in the garden I sat under the apple tree, the only tree that grew on the once barren field. A mana evolved apple tree. Its roots dug deep in the ground.

The wind blew through the leaves and I held a hand to my belly. On the dirt were two books.

Berlin had two of the oldest religious texts on Earth, the King James Bible and the Codex Gigas—the Devils Bible. My hands trembled as I placed both of them in my lap, side by side, and flipped through the pages, the chilly wind picking up and making me lose my place.

Berlin’s steps came from behind. He sat down next to me, handing me a glass of water. I thanked him.

We sat in silence, me flipping through the books and him watching the leaves of the tree fall.

Adam and Eve’s story were in both books.

“Say Berlin... Eve was Adam’s first wife?” I asked as I flipped the page. The devil was a serpent, an intelligent snake.

He grunted.

“Yep, she was the one who ate the apple first and then tricked Adam to take a bite,” he answered and put his cigarette between his lips. No light.

I turned to the Codex Gigas, flipping to the page with the big red drawing of the devil himself. The red paint looked wet like blood.

“Adam blamed Eve for his fall,” I said and looked at the text again. The story was so simple yet so confusing at the same time.

Silence for a minute.

“It feels wrong,” I mumbled and turned the page again.

“Let me guess God was the one who created everything, and the apple was there even before man existed, yet she got mad at them for eating it?” Berlin asked.

I shook my head and pointed to the verse that explained the creation of Eve, made from Adam’s rib. Eve was a part of him, the female version.

“Adam would never blame Eve. They were one, they would fall together, love eachother forever.” I explained my thoughts to Berlin. He listened attentively and then gave me a nod.

Another long minute of quiet passed as I tried to understand the book but no matter what I couldn’t. My ears started to pound, the blood rushing through my body as anger filled me.

I hated it. I hated this waiting.

“Your lighter please,” I demanded and looked at Berlin.

“Is smoking a good idea right now, Elizabeth?” He asked but handed me the lighter anyway.

Click.

A warm flame was in my hands and I held it to the Devil’s Bible. The page caught on fire quickly and then the entire book was on fire. I threw it down and watched the flames consume the pages, the red devil slowly fading into ashes. Then the King James Bible too. Burned away and the smoke flew above the tree, into the air.

Berlin chuckled.

“I don’t want Heaven or Hell, I just want Silas back home. With me,” I said and tears were rolling down my face again. “Is that too much to ask? God nor the devil has the power to do that?” My voice was hoarse.

The fire crackled and Berlin looked at me. He took his cigarette out of his mouth.

“He’ll come back to you.”

Berlin said it with a conviction he didn’t have before and he threw his cigarette in the fire.

“You two love each other in a way no religion can explain.”

I didn’t reply. I just held on to the hope, the stupid hope that he would come back.

On Friday evening, my mother in law, Anna, was cooking lambschops, the smell of the meat filled the house and my mouth was watering. I sat at the dinner table. The sunlight vanished for a split second like an eclipse. I jumped from my seat.

Berlin noticed it too, and Anna looked outside. Then I saw him appear in the living room. My love, covered in blood and ash.

His left arm was holding his severed right arm

There was a huge cut across his chest, his blood still seeping out yet he was smiling—at me.

I rushed to him and fell on my knees, the tears flowing out, my magic healing his injuries. He knelt with me, holding my belly, putting his head to it. He listened for the heartbeats of his babies.

A small laughter escaped me as I cried more. After I finished healing him, I hugged him.

“I love you. I love you so much,” I said with trembling voice.

“I love you too Liz.”

His voice was hoarse and quiet and his eyes were damp.

“Kat...she didn’t—” his voice broke.

I held him closer, stroking his hair. He didn’t need to finish his sentence. I knew.

My heart broke for my best friend. It was my fault: I could have prevented all of this if only I said the words.

With his fingers, he lifted up my chin and looked into my eyes. The violet was a bit dimmer, tired.

“Heaven or Hell. Together.”

Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath in.

"Together."