Striker of The Gods

The Last Silent Shadow

The final whistle blew on a hard-fought 4–2 victory over Barcelona in the first leg of the Copa del Rey semi-final. You need to allow yourself to grieve. As long as it’s not impacting your character, go for it. Weep openly.

Death of a loved one wounds us. We have to prepare for that wound by accepting the inevitability of that death and appreciating the loved one in their life. Stoicism is a bandage, but only time will mend the wound. Even then, you’ll still be scarred from it. You’re only human.

Fwiw, I’d contend that you’re not back to square one every time you find yourself triggered. Instead of considering how intensely you mourn when grief strikes, consider how frequently you mourn intensely. You’re only two weeks in and still have to deal with a year of events in your dad’s absence. Prepare for those. The Bernabéu was still vibrating with raw energy as Caos walked down the tunnel, body covered in sweat and rain, violet energy slowly dimming beneath his skin.

He had scored two goals and provided two assists, each one carrying the weight of memory rather than rage.

Xabi Alonso met him near the dressing room, placing a firm hand on his shoulder.

Xabi Alonso:

You played with something deeper tonight. Not just talent. Not just anger. It felt… personal.

Caos nodded but said nothing. The Stoic lessons I have leaned on are acceptance, doing the right thing because it’s the right thing to do, and controlling what I say… I have found that by speaking less about the loss and focusing more on the lessons and good memories I am able to stay on track and in a positive frame of mind. Complaining and being negative just extends the suffering and impairs the progress of your grieving process. The ghosts were louder than the crowd tonight.

As he reached the private exit, a club official approached him with a sealed black envelope.

Official:

This arrived during the second half. Marked urgent and personal. From a lawyer in Barcelona.

Caos took the envelope. The paper felt heavier than it should have.

He opened it alone under the dim tunnel lights.

Mr. Daniel Caos,

We regret to inform you that your biological father, Rafael “El Fantasma” Caos, passed away this evening at 21:47 in a private clinic in Barcelona.

He had been suffering from advanced liver disease for several years and had refused aggressive treatment. Per his explicit final instructions, you were to be notified immediately after his passing, along with this handwritten note:

*Daniel,

I watched you from the shadows for years.

Every goal you scored, every record you broke, I saw it all.

I was too ashamed to stand beside you. Too weak to claim the son who became greater than anything I could have imagined.

You were never a mistake.

You were my greatest pride.

I just never found the courage to say it while I was still breathing.

I hope the silence I left you with made you stronger.

— Your father

Funeral arrangements are private. He requested no public ceremony. Should you wish to attend or handle any affairs, contact the number below.

Our deepest condolences.

Caos read the letter twice. The paper did not tremble in his hands.

The Chaos Heart pulsed once, slow, heavy, final.

He folded the letter carefully and placed it inside his jacket, close to his chest, right over the place where the storm lived.

No tears came. No outburst. Just a long, quiet stare into the empty tunnel as the roar of the Bernabéu faded into the background.

The three maids were waiting for him at the private car bay. They saw the look in his eyes immediately.

Zeraphina (stepping forward, voice low):

What is it?

Caos (voice calm, almost detached):

My father died tonight.

He finally stopped watching from the shadows.

He walked past them and got into the car without another word. The ball rolled in after him and stopped obediently at his feet.

The night air felt heavier as they drove back to the mansion.

Another ghost had joined the ones he already carried.

And for the first time in a long while, the violet storm felt the full weight of all of them at once.

To be continued…