Four days pass and Luke is finally ready to bury his family. Yuga went and retrieved the bodies, taking very little time to go back and forth between the log house and where they lay in the snow. Luke said he’d bury them him himself but he had underestimated how hard it would be.

As soon as he saw the bodies he felt sick to his stomach and couldn’t move. It took him a while to get himself together. He went into the log house, got himself a shovel and started digging.

He dug up two graves not far from the log house, which took him the entire day of continous toiling and very little time to rest, but it was impressive for his age. When he was done he told Yuga to help him place the bodies in the graves.

"You’re making only two?” asked Yuga.

"Yes. One is for uncle and the other is for my family. I want them be together even in death.”

He asked Yuga to place his uncle in the left one and place his family in the right. Arranging his mother and father side by side and the baby in their middle.

Luke made sure it was wide enough to fit the bodies side by side. Once they were placed, he stood by the edge and stared into the grave, letting the final image of his family imprint itself on his mind. It wasn’t a bad one, they looked peaceful as they lay together.

After one last look, he started shovelling back the earth he’d dug up into the grave. Once he was finished, he sat down on the ground, completely exhausted from a day of continous hard labor. It was evening, the sun was soon to set. It was done, he’d finally buried them, now there was nothing left for him.

Yuga who stood and watched all through, finally moved from his spot and approached Luke. He sat down on the ground just in front of Luke and crossed his legs.“What will you do tomorrow?” asked Yuga.

Tomorrow? “I…. I have…. No idea….” replied Luke still looking dazed.

"Do you understand what that question means?” asked Yuga calmly.

"Sometimes…. Things go bad for people. We lose stuff, family, friends, our home, our will to live. We fall so hard that we feel like it’s all over. But the one thing we always have left, as long as we’re breathing, as long as we’re alive, is tomorrow. The future. Though we may lose everything the future is what remains for us. And so it’s up to us to keep striving, to keep persevering, for the sake of tomorrow. A chance to find something that gives us meaning, a chance to get to a better place. So - What will you do tomorrow, Luke?”

Luke took a bit of time, staring at the ground, thinking on what Yuga said then answered. “Tomorrow….. Tomorrow, I’d like to finally cut some logs.”

"Not a bad start.” Yuga said with a smile.

"Can you take me somewhere?” asked Luke.

"Wherever you want.”

"If you keep heading west from here, there’s a cliff with a view of the landscape. I’d like to go there.” said Luke.

At that request, Yuga got up, picked up Luke, and sprinted westward.

The cliff wasn’t far at all and they got there after a short run. Yuga stopped his motion a few meters before the edge and dropped Luke who then sat on the ground. Yuga stood looking over the edge. It was a very stunning sight.

From the cliff one could view the entirety of the landscape below. There were large hills all over the land, covered in lush green plant life. The flat land was mostly covered with tall trees and on the open fields there were creatures trodding slowly in large groups. Far in the distance there was snow falling, blanketing the entire area snow fell in a sheet of white. On the horizon, the sun was setting, colouring the sky in a pale tint of orange as it descended. The scenery gave a sense of calm when you looked at it.

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"It’s a really beautiful sight isn’t it?” said Luke softly. “Papa took me here once. But he can’t do that anymore. Can’t take me hunting in the forest or carry me on his shoulders. Mama is gone too. Who is going make the meals she did for us? Who will smile and tell me I’m a strong boy in that way that made feel like I was the strongest man on Lehrone? My baby sister. She was going to grow and be strong like mama. It was my job to protect her until then and I failed, I failed mama. I wasn’t as strong as she thought.”

What do you think we should name her, Luke?

Eliane, like mama, because she looks just like you.

No, she needs her own name. Don’t you think it would be confusing if we had the same name?

Oh, right

Hmmm, I think I know what to name her

What?

We’ll name her….

"Reilaria was her name, it means sun set. Mama said she named her that because she was going to grow to be as beautiful as the setting sun.” said Luke, staring at the dimming sky, a river tears flowing down his face.

.

.

.

"We’ll be leaving soon, are you with done that?”

"Almost, just a few more minutes of stirring.”

Several days had passed since Luke buried his family. He had dreams that they were still there but then he’d wake up to the reality and spend the rest of the night crying. Today was his last day here, in this log house where he grew up. Before he left he decided to make one last meal, in the way he’d seen mama do.

He’d gathered the ingredients himself and most importantly, he’d cut the logs for the fire. A few minutes later the food was done. It was stew made from ingredients one could find in areas not too far from the log house. He served two bowls of it, one for him and the other for Yuga.

Yuga had been waiting in anticipation for the stew. It was the first proper meal he’d be eating since he woke up and finally it was done. He didn’t waste any time admiring the food before him and just dug in a with a spoon. He took his first spoon and paused to relish it. Then he took another, and another and another until he’d quickly finished everything in the bowl. Luke sat across him eating slowly and was only half way done.

"Do you believe in the afterlife?” asked Yuga, still reminiscing about the food he just ate.

"Heaven?” asked Luke “Mama said it’s where all the good people go.”

"Anyone who makes food this good is going to heaven.” said Yuga which made Luke chuckle.

"That means mama went to heaven.” said Luke with a smile.

.

.

.

It was time to leave now. Yuga was already much farther off from the log house waiting for Luke. Luke was standing in front of the grave. He’d come to say his goodbyes to his family.

He was leaving this place. This place was where he grew up, where they lived and spent time together. It was all he’d known, but it was time to leave. He had to leave to find something, something to keep him going. And when he did, he’d come back here. To tell them all about it.

After saying his goodbyes he walked down to where Yuga was standing and asked, “Where are we heading?”

"North. We’ll just keep heading north.” replied Yuga.

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.

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Another day, and very little progress. Nothing new aside these creatures Kirveas found particularly irking. They were very small organisms, microscopic to precise. The annoying thing about them revealed itself when these creatures attached themselves to a living organism.

Once attached they proliferated in an instant and formed a mass of purple goo as large as a person’s head by absorbing a little of the host's energy. It was easy to get off but the air was filled with these things and most creatures couldn’t sense them, so the area was filled with creatures tossing themselves around trying to get the goo off but ultimately getting attached to more of these organisms.

But Kirveas could sense them. They didn’t mask their presence so he could very easily tell where they were and he avoided them as much as he could as he moved forward. But there were too many of them in the air and occasionally he’d have one stuck to his body and a mass of purple goo would grow on the spot.

It was annoying and he couldn’t go on like this. He drew his sword from the scabbard on his waist and brandished at the seemingly empty air.

He focused for a moment, sensing the positions of the creatures, then began his attack.

Perfect Mesh

He swung the blade rapidly through the air, moving forward as he sliced, each swing connecting with its target, the many microscopic creatures that littered the air, killing them instantly. This was a precision in sword skill that most voyagers and swordsmen could not boast of. And by doing this he progressed through the area completely unbothered.

After walking for a while, he couldn’t sense the creatures anymore and sheathed his sword. He paused to observe the area. From the right, two people were approaching and it was clear to him who one of them was.

It took him quite a long time to find me. It’s been over a week since he went back to that log house with the child. Is the child the second person?

Kirveas stood and waited till the two figures came into view. Yuga looking not much different from when he’d last saw him, exuding calm confidence as usual and then there was the second person. It was the boy indeed.

So he’s successfully convinced the boy to live despite his cruel fate. The boy looked sad but hopeful. He had bags under his eyes, probably from many days of crying. He was carrying an axe and shivered as he walked. Unlike Yuga, he was affected by the cold.

"I finally found you from all that murderous intent you were giving off.” said Yuga once they were in hearing range. The boy stopped walking and left Yuga to approach Kirveas.

"You somehow convinced him to live on.” said Kirveas.

"That’s mostly his own will. I told you, humans can be stronger than you think.” replied Yuga.

"I see. You could have gone your way so I assume you’re here to train.” said Kirveas.

"I’m not as strong as you yet and I feel like we’re not done with the basics. I’ll take as much as I can from you, when that’s over I’ll leave if you like.”

"As strong as me? That’ll take far longer than you think. A few more danger zones first then you’ll learn something else.” Kirveas replied. And with that he turned around and continued his march but paused and added one final thing. “Also, the boy is solely your responsibility.”

Yuga nodded with conviction. Brief like always.*

Once Kirveas had gone Luke finally moved and came to where Yuga was. “He looks scary.” Luke said.

"He probably is. But what’s important is if he means harm. So far, he doesn’t.”

"Can you beat him?” Luke asked.

"No, and that’s why we’re here” replied Yuga.