Preston needed time to rest and recuperate after his near-death experience, but the human didn’t stay off of his feet long. As we returned back to Watcher Station, the god of humor assumed his mantle overlooking Domus, and summoned me to stand alongside him by the window. I studied his new hairdo—long and curly, like he was a mere pirate of the skies. I could picture him brandishing a rapier. We stood alongside each other and reflected in silence, but his blackened eyes seemed a million miles away.
“I’m sorry,” I said at last.
The human’s smile looked weak and unsteady, as he held his hands behind his back. “Rough day. Don’t mind me, kiddo. I’m really glad you don’t want me gone, and that we said all the important stuff.”
“Then what’s wrong? I can see that something is weighing on you. If you were frightened or if it disturbed you, I’d like to comfort you.”
Preston sucked in a sharp breath, his five o’clock shadow looking unlike the clean cut, short-haired man we’d always seen in the chapel windows. “Oh, it’s silly, Enty. I’d sound like a real fool complaining about it to you.”
“Try me. I already know you are a real fool.” I teased, bumping my elbow into his side. “One could say I’m used to it.”
“Liberi resilience. Hmph. I, um…” The Watcher stared at his fingers, now free of the scars that had once marred them. “I was trying to hold onto human Preston. I didn’t want to change. I just lost the last tie to him, and he’s gone forever. I know, that sounds silly and hypocritical when I make all of you change bodies after you die, but…”
I stared at the immortal with concern, seeing a distinct heaviness on his frowning face. “Human Preston was never tied to your body. It wasn’t when you were Estai, was it? Corai still loved you whatever you looked like, and so do I. You should be holding onto people more than your physical person. That’s what attaches you to your soul.”
“I suppose you’re right. Shit, you didn’t get your brains from me, but I still feel like the corporeal matters. Like a part of me did die. Sometimes, it just helps to have physical reminders, you know.”
“Parts of us die all the time, my…father. That’s change, the way Shoen lost their hatred and Kri’s trying to be a bigger person too. That’s how you don’t become stagnant like the Elusians. Something new can be born, and it can even be a better version than you. Built on the ashes of a million yous of yesteryear. Maybe a part of growth is letting go and living in the present! The lessons of the past should be written on your heart, not your fingers.”
Preston chuckled, flashing perfect teeth and summoning a baseball cap into his hands. “I think we need a posthumous gospel of Entival. You are…a remarkable young man. I want to do things we never got to do, as father and son. If there’s something new that can be born of Watcher Preston’s life, you’re the part I don’t ever want to let die.”
The human held the cap by the bill, which read “I ❤️ my Papa.” I chuckled at the cheesiness as he fitted it onto my head, before he yanked it over my eyes. By the time I lifted it to clear my vision, I saw that he was wearing a matching version that said “I ❤️ my kids.” He waved a hand and opened up a portal, herding one half of my body through it. I stared out at the lake where I’d sat and spoken to him, and watched as he leaned down to pick up a rock. He reared back and skipped one, before waving at a horrified group of Liberi.
“Be not afraid! Beautiful weather! Nasty rain coming in about an hour though, you might want to get inside,” Preston yelled casually, grinning through the half of his body that’d crossed the portal’s threshold.
“How do you know…you must r-really see the future.” A man squinted at the god, while I also marveled at how effortlessly he could forecast the weather. I had to see how I could acquire such divination myself, now that my precog had kicked in. “Since when do you have long hair and half a body?”
Preston gestured from head to toe. “I don’t know. Is it hot? I haven’t showed my wife yet.”
“What? Why the secrecy? Why would you not tell Corai before making such a drastic change? Isn’t it her teaching to communicate with those you love?”
“When the WiFi’s down, the WiFi’s down. That’s Preston 6:9:69, right, Entival?”
“Human Preston was so much different from this.” I mocked him through telepathy, before reaching down and letting my own skipping stone compete with his. “Communication is important, but the real stuff shouldn’t be based on your appearance at all. People ask, ‘Would you still love me if I was a worm?’ I would! I love who they are, not what they are.”
“Prophet Entival? You walk with the Lord Preston?” an awestruck woman asked.
“I do. I always have! I was basically haunted for my entire life.”
The human scoffed. “Oh yeah? Maybe I’m the haunting type. We can’t all just play Sky Realms grabass like you.”
“Your wifey would let you, with her, at least.”
Fire smoldered in his eyes, and he dragged me by the arm back through the portal. “You don’t get to say that about my dear Corai.”
“It’s not like I need to. Your public indecency speaks for itself. Do you remember how you two acted when I first died?”
Preston sat down and burst out laughing, hugging his sides. I leaned my head back and guffawed alongside him, to the point where hysterical tears fell down my face. Life on Domus was no more far away than his human life was; those days would always be a part of us, as long as we kept the most important lessons close to our hearts. I thought we should pay attention to the time we had here just as fiercely though, when we’d seen how it could all be taken away in a moment.
This feels nice, like how things always should’ve been with Preston. The two of us, inseparable and overflowing with joy, approaching the Liberi and giving them signs of what he really wanted from us!
“I sit up here and I watch them. So many generations that come and go,” Preston breathed. “It was always that easy to open a portal and walk over to you. It made me feel like I wasn’t really there for you that I…couldn’t. Or didn’t. You’re the only Liberi that’s ever loved me. The real me.”
I nodded a few times, patting him on the back. “You don’t show a lot of people the real you. If I may, I think deep down, you’re ashamed. You’re letting your fear of judgment, of failure, of disappointing them, haunt you. That’s not the ‘haunting type’ you want to be. Maybe…let human Preston’s shame go with him.”
“It’s not that easy. I’m a silly old man,” he sniffled.
“Is that a bad thing? You never gave the other Liberi the chance to know the real you. You wanted me to know you weren’t perfect. It’s healthy to open up and let people in. That’s signaling that they’re not beneath you, Preston. They’re right there with you in the muck that’s life.”
“Bah. Of course you’re counseling me.”
“I’d counsel anyone who went through what you just did. It helps that I know you so well.”
“I’m…glad that you get me. That you don’t think I’m a Deceiver. I wish they listened to you more.” Preston pulled up a hologram, showing me a live feed of a conference room where clerics were debating. “Your writings are considered heretical gospels now, you know. Quite contentious whether to accept anything in them as truth.”
“They’ll accept the truth if you remind them. You can’t let a false myth go on forever. Then they’ll never know the real you. You saw how dangerous that can be with Iara.”
“Yeah, I mean, I gave them a sign for you once. I suppose I could make it clear just who you were to me. Maybe the other Liberi will get how I see all of you, when—”
“Preston!” a desperate cry came from the human’s side, before Corai tackled him in a hug. “What happened?!”
Preston froze, his eyes going wide, though he looked relieved to see the Elusian again. “My love. I thought I’d never—Entival hugged me to death!”
“That’s…” I removed the cap in a slow motion, before placing it on backward. “And I slapped his ass.”
“That had nothing to do with the dying.”
I gave my most innocent smile. “Oh, good, he doesn’t know.”
“I don’t find it funny at all how close I was to losing you!” Corai objected. “I’ve never known, in all of our time together, what it was for you to ever come to such serious harm. I sent you there and almost got you killed. My people attacked you, because I still care about their fate even if they deserved it. Worst of all, you knew it would happen!”
Preston raised his hands, swallowing hard. “Typical precog. It all worked out, okay? You didn’t do anything; Shoen wanted to go on this mission and turn over a new leaf. Sofia was on top of things, because she’s, uh, almost as smart and brilliant as you.”
“Do not disrespect my intelligence with flattery!” Corai summoned nanobots from midair, placing a muzzle over his lips before he could sweet talk her any further. “Do you know what it was like for me when I lost my people? That’s why you went, I know that, but I care for you a billion times more than any of them! I wake up every morning and find my arms around my lifeline. How could I bear to lose the one who was never supposed to leave?”
“Corai, I’m sure he was hurt and confused. He wanted to protect you?” I offered, biting my lip.
The Elusian shot me a look that could melt ice. “Preston decided that I didn’t deserve to know the truth! After all these years, my t’vakna, you didn’t trust me to have your back until the end?”
Preston raised an eyebrow, as the muzzle parted slightly. “I…wanted it to end happy. I know what it is to be without someone for a very long time…”
“Mikri not telling you meant you never got to say goodbye. It means nothing to you how I’d remember it? Our end being you hiding the truth from me like…I can’t handle it and be there with you? Like I’d want you to die without being comforted and reassured that you’re my everything? That I never regretted a moment? You completed my life. I would’ve gone an eternity without closure and wondering…why?!”
“Oh, Corai.” The human reached out with tears flowing from his eyes, stroking her cheek. “You’re right. I should’ve thought about what you wanted. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
“You were saying goodbye, when you boarded the ship! I see it now.”
“Entival is my son. I had to let him, you know? I didn’t want him to get hurt. I never did, but he’s been through so much on missions I sent him on, and he keeps being better than me. I’d like to say I never doubted, but I failed everyone, my love. Letting people down is what I do best! I’m sorry.”
Corai blinked several times, before she patted his head. “I…understand. I always would’ve. Did you forget that I chose to believe in humanity, at risk of you killing my entire species?”
“Of course not. For people like us, it’s impossible not to care. To attach our entire souls to them. I wanna be a good steward. And I love Enty so much…”
“I do too. Enty’s family: the best of those under our care. I was hoping he’d find his place here, from the moment I encouraged him to take his first steps. I support your decision to trust him—just not your choice not to trust me. I’m glad you’re both okay.”
“It could’ve been a lot worse,” Preston acknowledged. He coughed, looking a bit self-conscious. “Hey, sweetheart? Whatcha think of the luscious locks?”
“I think you want me to pull on them,” she said, her coy gaze holding a threat.
“Yeah. Uh-huh. Keep going…”
“You know, I’m horribly busy, uh, I’m gonna head back to quarantine,” I sputtered.
Preston winked, flipping his hair back. “Yeah, kiddo. Thanks for reuniting me with my original fam. I owe you one; I’ll find a way for you not to be separated from yours any longer either. You don’t need any more of my teaching to hold onto people. Now skedaddle; the old folks are about to get frisky.”
The human waved an arm to open a portal, before forming a giant nanobot hand like Corai did all of those years ago and shoving me through the gateway by the rump. I supposed that was payback for the smack I’d dished out to him back on the ship. I sat still on the ground and rolled my eyes, laughing to myself. Whatever he thought in his own mind, Preston never changed. I knew that whatever anyone believed, my love for my father was unwavering too.
My family in the Sky Realms was the one I’d chosen, and it meant more than all eternity to me. I wasn’t sure how Preston meant to reunite me with the loved ones I’d left behind, but the simple promise made my heart feel as light as a feather.
A/N - 13! Preston mourns the loss of his original body after all of these years, while Entival assures him he’s the same Preston. The god of humor then reunites with Corai, who chastises him for not telling her. Do you think Preston is right to be concerned about holding on to his mortal self? How will Enty’s life change now that he has a Sky Realms family?
As always, thank you for reading and supporting!