*The Son of Phantom

I walked along the streets of what was said to be my fathers old town. Though I had never met my father. I was told he died a few days after I was born. It pained me to think I'd never know him.

My friend, Silas, slightly nudged me, telling me to stop. I stopped and blindly reached out a hand.

"Where are we?" I asked.

"Stay here for a second Eric." He replied instead.

Yeah, cause a blind man can do so much unsupervised in a place he's never been before... I thought grimly, lowering my hand.

"Can I at least sit down?" I asked.

There was no response. Silas had already left. I sighed and sat down, not caring where I was.

I wasn't always blind, I can tell you that much. I remember seeing. I saw my mothers face. Her sweet blue eyes and her dirty blonde hair that was all the way down to her shoulder, she had told me my father was dead and that she couldn't take care of me. I believed her. She didn't look like she could really take care of herself. I was so young when that happened. I still don't know how I remember it. Other than that memory I've known nothing about the fate of my family. Silas grew up with a kid named Konrade whose father was best friends with my father.

But there was one small issue, Konrade moved out two years ago. His brother moved out long before he died, and their mother died years ago. That left Derick, their father. Which was going to be more helpful than Konrade and his brother would ever be. Silas had promised me that he'd get Derick to talk with us. That's why he wanted me to stay here. Or at least I think that's why.

"Hey, sir, why are ya sitting here?" A voice asked.

I jumped and turned to the sound of the voice, "I'm waiting for someone." I replied.

"But why here? Ya know there's a bench a couple feet away from here right?"

"Nope, didn't know that."

"Ya can see it from where ya are."

I snorted, "No I can't. I'm blind."

"Prove it, remove the bandanna over your eyes."

I crossed my arms, "I'd rather not."

"Fine then, I'll do it myself." I heard them get closer to me, so I jumped to my feet and backed away.

"Ya know, for being blind ya move around pretty well..." The voice observed.

"Because I've been blind for most of my life!" I scoffed.

"Okay, look, I just want to see if ya are actually blind. That's all."

"How will you be able to tell?" I asked, "As far as I'm concerned, blind people's eyes can look like a normal person's eyes."

"Then why are ya so concerned about me seeing them?"

"Because, I don't want some stranger looking at my eyes without my permission."

They wrapped their arms around me and began to untie my bandanna. Soon I felt them remove it and the light of the sun hit my super sensitive eyes. I cried out in pain, and covered my eyes. The person began to laugh.

"You ain't fooling me." They grabbed my arm and began to pull me.

"Silas!" I yelled, "Help!"

There was still no reply. I freaked out and started fighting against the person. I heard them move to hit me and I shockingly grabbed their hand and began to twist it till they were begging me to stop. But I refused to stop. "Give me my bandanna." I growled, twisting it more.

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry." They whimpered, putting my bandanna in my open hand.

"Thank you." I hissed, pushing them away from me. I tied my bandanna back over my eyes.

"Can I ask how you became blind?" They asked after a while.

I turned in their direction, wishing they'd just go away, "An explosion. The light from it destroyed my eyes and I couldn't see after that."

"What were you doing?"

I was silent for a moment, "I was on a mission, we were told to blow up a supply of weapons. So we did. None of us expected the explosion to be so... Bright. I was the closest one to it. I wasn't able to close my eyes fast enough... I lost my eyesight and my ears were ringing for a few days afterwards."

"I'm sorry, man." They whispered, "I never got you're name..."

I sighed, "It's Eric Walker. What's your name..."

They were silent for such a long time that I had almost thought they had walked away. "Names Derick Vanderpool."

I paused, "Silas went to find you."

"I'm aware."

"Is he with you?"

"No, he's still at the cabin."

I nodded, "You knew my father right?"

"I think I do. Rune Walker. One of my old friends."

"How did he die?" I asked.

Derick paused, "He's not dead..."

I froze, "Hold up. He isn't dead?" I exclaimed.

"Shh. We need to go somewhere more private." He grabbed my arm this time a lot more gently and he began to lead me away from wherever we were to wherever he was planning on taking me.

After I heard a door shut and he put my hand on the frame of a chair. He sat down and sighed, "Yes Eric, you're father isn't dead..."

I carefully sat down on the chair and faced the direction his voice was coming from, "How? And what about my mom?"

He sighed, "Elora is dead... She died in battle. As for your father..." He trailed off.

I raised an eyebrow, "What about him?"

"Eric... You're father is Phantom."

I froze, "Hold up. You're saying my father is the most notorious assassin who's never been caught. The man who has no loyalties?"

He chuckled softly, "Yep. Rune broke."

"How?"

He sighed, "Many different reasons..."

"Like?" I asked softly.

"His best friend died in his arms... He lost his mother... Then he was captured and was stuck in a prison, only to come back right in time for a battle that killed your mother..."

I bowed my head, My poor dad...

"Why was I never told this?" I asked.

"Your mother grew afraid of your father, Eric. We all did. He became something no one could even think about controlling. A hollow shell of who he used to be. His only friend is the pain and rage that still burns deep in his bones and his infamous sword Sanza..."

So... My dad isn't dead... But he is the most feared assassin in all of Lonior... Cool.