Chapter 119: Tam

Kothar raised his hands into the air, he didn't want to start a fight, not while being suspected as an intruder, in the middle of the encampment.

"Sirrah! Remove your armor and lay your weapons on the ground! You are suspected of being a spy!" By now, the Patrol Captain's face was the brightest shade of red that Kothar had ever seen, and it wouldn't surprise him if he saw smoke spouting from the man's ears.

At that moment, an invisible pressure swept out from the central tent, over the entire camp, but focused on the Kothar and the soldiers surrounding him. The Patrol Captain's face changed so rapidly from a scarlet red to pale white that anyone would be shocked, except everyone around was too busy fighting off the pressure that was weighing down on them.

Kothar felt it himself, this was like when he had faced off against Anteris on the rooftop, he could tell that Tam had similarly restrained himself, but wasn't trying to truly harm anyone.

"Let him through!" A voice boomed out from the center of the camp, cutting through the noise and clamor, immediately the soldiers and Patrol Captain backed off, hastily sheathing their weapons.

"Apologies Sir! Just following procedure." The Patrol Captain dipped his head and moved aside so that Kothar could pass. Kothar walked past, heading directly for the source of the booming voice, he knew it had to be his father. After all, the voice was so familiar and who else could it be.

Tam's tent was an unassuming dark blue, and was guarded by a pair of familiar looking scarred soldiers, they had to be the same soldiers that had guarded their house during Kultas' rebellion.

They simply nodded at Kothar and moved aside, allowing him through. Kothar moved the heavy cloth of the tent's doorway aside and stepped into the tent, which was brightly lit by many Mana Crystal Lamps.

Within, there was an enormous table, a desk in one corner and a bed, as well as a stand for Tam's dark blue armor which currently held the armor.

Tam himself was standing at the desk, an annoyed expression that Kothar had never seen before on his face.

While he still had the strong features that he shared with Kultas and Rotan, his black hair had grown past his shoulders and he now had a short beard. Additionally, Kothar felt an overwhelming coldness from his piercing blue eyes, which glared out at him from underneath Tam's stern face.

Kothar only felt a rush of air, and Tam's curved sword was pointed at his throat. Tam held the sword with a simple elegance that few could hope to match.

"Don't make this any harder than it needs to be, who are you, and why are you trying to get to me? Don't try anything stupid, your head would leave your body before you could move an inch." Tam hissed at Kothar, Tam was confused. The mana from the intruder felt both familiar and unfamiliar, it brought up a feeling of nostalgia, but he couldn't pin it down.

"It's me, Kothar." Kothar could tell that Tam was serious, and so he didn't beat around the bush. He knew Tam wouldn't be convinced so easily, but he didn't dare to try anything but the truth.

"Hahahaha, so you'll even try this. The people of Kalun have truly grown desperate, haven't they. Every spy and every assassin have failed, so you try to send one pretending to be my son but don't even have the decency to give him a decent disguise." Tam's sword swung back, and the only thing stopping him from taking the intruder's head clean off his shoulders was the intense feeling of familiarity that he had felt with the intruder's mana.

"Father, don't be alarmed. I'm going to take off my helmet." Kothar said gently, and reached toward the helm that covered his face, as slowly as he could. And then, it struck Tam, the mana felt just like Kothar's had only months ago, except far far more powerful, it really could be him. As far as he knew, there was no way to mimic a person's mana signature. But he hadn't survived so long by being so trusting, the sword remained pointed at the intruder's throat.

Kothar lifted the helmet away, and Tam saw the person behind the helmet. The lower half of his face was covered, but it was unmistakably his son, he saw himself in those eyes, and the eyebrows and the curls in the hair, those were unmistakable those of Ophil.

Internally, Tam was elated, his son was in front of him. But his face didn't betray the slightest hint of emotion.

"Remove the mask." Tam commanded, he had to be certain.

Kothar removed the mask, and then Tam saw his son, it was him, looking far older than when he had last seen him, fuzzy wisps of hair on his face and a squarer jaw, but it was Kothar alright.

Tam's sword fell to the ground, and he swept Kothar up in a hug, moving so fast that Kothar only noticed when Tam was already lifting him off his feet, and for a short moment Kothar thought his life was forfeit, and he had failed to convince his father.

"My son, my son." Tam murmured happily, tears streaming down his face, but why had he come all the way from Trinquile, and in disguise?

"Son, it's good to see you, but why are you here? Have you developed a habit of leaving your Academy to come to this jungle nation? I'm sure you know, I'm more than capable of fighting this war all on my own." Tam grinned, clapping Kothar on the back and sitting him down on one of the chairs around the table.

"I haven't been at the Academy, Father. I was betrayed by my mentor, and sent to another plane, I only made my back to Trinquile a few days ago." Kothar said slowly, and Tam's eyes bulged in shock.