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I welcomed for those who had survive the voyage and manage to land safely in the third island of Archipelago
you may now restock and rest here for the moment. :)
But If I may , please notice me of any strange or failure that you notice during the sail, it might be the Ship was full of holes, or even The direction were wrongs. We don't want to be sunken during the journey do we ?
with that said thanks, and happy reading
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“ Ughh... my stomach hurttsss”
“ That’s what you got for overeating!” Lisa answered my ridiculous yelps as if it was not her problem.
“ But it’s not everyday I got to eat something that delicious !”
Yep, she had outdone herself today. There were many of my favorite dishes prepared. It was all seafood with lot of different spices. There was this crispy small fish that was heavily seasoned with salt and chili. The flavour was just heavenly.
There were also Calmars which were roasted to a golden yellow with its oil still dripping on the plate. Clams were already peeled off from its shells and was pricked together, the dip sauce was prepared beside them and ready to be used.
She also went out of her way with the vegetables. Some were made into soup together with the other side dish while some were prepared raw, fit to be eaten together with the clams and calmars. The aroma that those dishes release were just unbearable.
My stomach hurts but my hands never stopped, now it moved towards one of the soup. My body seems want to relish the pain in my stomach by adding some water and attempt to quicken the digestion process. However not long after I gulped down the soup I hiccuped.
“ Hey that is rude !” now she got agitated
“ Sowwwyyyyy.” ah... I slurred my voices and my hiccups still hadn’t stopped.
“ You always said sorry but never mean it”
“ I do mean it!” I Stiffen my voices and my hiccups stopped. what does she mean I never mean it anyway ? I am a man and a man stays true to his words.
“ Okay, just remember your own words…. and regret always come late.” She suddenly sounded mellow. Lately she always had this kind of atmosphere. If Juan became very rude for the past months, Lisa on the other hand would suddenly become gloomy for no reason.
“ Lisa ? are you okay ?”
“ Yeah … no problem.” she said but I can’t believe her, she never told me what is haunting her all this time.
“ Let’s go to the rear porch.” she mentioned to me while starting to stand up, moving towards our backyard. She didn’t wait for me at all and just open the door that separate this middle room with the rear porch before sitting down while leaning on the side wall.
Her eyes looks gloomy again but this time she focused her eyes towards the full moon. The wind was blowing slowly and playing with her hair, making her hair flew, destroying the calm demeanor she usually had.
She is around 50 if I am not wrong, although she never once told me. She had asked me in the past to call her as Andung. I had asked her at that time why should I call her as that and she said that it was more fitting for her to be called as such compared the name first name basis we had used.
I still didn’t understand though and I asked her again what is the meaning of the word, and she answered me easily, it meant grandma or old woman with family ties. At that time I refused her blatantly and said it didn’t fit her at all.
From what little experience I had with woman at that time around 4 years ago, I could tell that woman didn’t like to be reminded of their age nor would they like to be called old, but Lisa seemed different on those regards. I wasn’t aware though at that time it wasn’t because of that reasons.
Then when I refused to call her as such, she just laughed it off and start walking towards our rear porch and just stare blankly at the night sky, much similar with what she is doing right now. She would stay silent all night unmoving like a statue.
“ Do you want me to get you anything ?”
“ Lu...pa.” she mutters while turning her head towards me
“ Yes Lisa ?”
“ Would you mind coming here ?”
I didn’t answer her and just come striding towards her before sitting beside the wall that was used as her support.
“ Come closer will you.” now she moved her hand up and down, asking me to come closer in which I obliviously comply. Then she reached my head with one of her hands, pushing my head down towards her tight and forcing me to lay my head there as well as resting my tired body that I tried to hide from her.
She then started to stroking my hair while looking at every inch of my body. If I had to describe it , what people call motherly aura was emitted from her.
“ Lupa, you did it again today didn’t you ? “
“ Did what ?”
“ Throwing spears ?”
“ I didn’t …. I couldn’t”
“ You tried.”
“......”
“Lupa, just look at how big you are now”
She said while checking my body once again. It was not dark anymore, rather a tanned yellow skins much different to Lisa white pale skin. She then grabbed my right hand with one of hers and squeezed it tightly.
“ You have turned around 15 now”
I stayed quiet, I know at time like this, she just want me to listen. I didn't even complain that she told me I am only 15, after all even I don’t know how old I am. She might have compared myself with the other youth in the village nearby.
“ You are much different from 5 years ago”
“ Look at your palms with lot of calluses, you worked hard didn’t you”
“ Your hairs had gained it’s lush black radiance, compared to 5 years ago it is so different. “
“ Your body is becoming muscular, have you tried seducing some young girls in the village ?”
She then paused for a while while still caressing my head and sometimes gave me a little massage in my stiff shoulder.
“ Your veins in your hand and body, it’s bulging.”
“You must have tried really hard this morning.”
“ You didn’t have to you know..”
“ Lisa I …” I need to let her know but I … don’t really know how to say it
“ You really liked my name don’t you Lupa ?”
I thought to myself it is not like that ...
“ You could have done anything other than being a Calmar spear hunter Lupa”
“ Why would you still force yourself ?”
“ Lisa I … I want to … repay you.” Ah … it comes wrong
“ Repay ? me ? why would you think I need it ?”
“.....”
“ Lupa today is your birthday.”
“ Today was also the day you got your names 5 years ago”
“ You who had arrived at this Island with nothings...”
She then gulped her next words, I know she didn’t meant to say it but she still couldn’t let it go
“ Lupa... would you grant one of my wish ?
“ What is it ?” I asked her softly, I just hope it is not about that again.
“ Call me Andung.”
“ An….”
“An .. An …”
she began to smile a bit but then it disappears as I couldn’t complete my words.
“ I … I am sorry.”
“ There you go again Lupa.”
“ No .. I really am … I don’t know .. I just can’t say the word.”
I really don’t know why I can’t say it, much like when I tried to let go my spears towards my target. This words Andung, Grandma or anything that meant like them could never left my mouth for the past 5 years. I felt like something was preventing me from saying it...for whatever reason and I feels like something could broke if I ever say it.
“ It’s okay .. don’t force your self Lupa … I know you still did not want to acce”
“ No !” I cut her words and sat up, facing her and holding her frail hands. I grasped her hands tightly, my eyes facing hers and I focused my mind, concentrating and thinking on how I could deliver this feelings of gratitude that I’ve held for 5 years.
“ Lisa .. I for the past 5 years, ever since you named me, ever since you saved me…. I thank you … without you I would have died ...without you I would have been nothing.”
I lied not with my words. I tried to convey my feelings to her so she would accept it.
“ Lisa … You were there for me when I was alone, you were the one who teach me anything.”
“ I felt like that was what being loved means … I’ve never felt anything like that before not that I’m sure ...but”
Her tears began to fall down. She must had hold her tears and emotion for far too long since we headed home from the beach.
“ Lupa … I know you …”
“ Lisa listen, no matter what I felt an eternal gratitude towards you but I felt only that is not enough …”
“ I want to prove ...and maybe you don’t need it .. but I felt that if I don’t do that … something that brought me to this island will happen again … I just couldn’t shake this feelings”
“ Lupa ...everything would be fine ...even if you do nothing ..”
“ No Lisa … I know ...it will happen even though I don’t know what is it.”
This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.
“ Lupa ...you are like a family... no…. a family to me.”
“ I know Lisa ...and that is why I need to go tomorrow.”
Yes I know what makes her especially desperate this time, although I felt that she shouldn’t be. As far as I remember, she told me that I can do whatever I want, I can conquer Eru sites whenever I like it if the chances ever arrive, and it does...tomorrow.
I had prepared myself for the past 3 years only for this. Ever since I heard of the news that Ra kingdom would send their expedition teams to this island to try and conquer Eru Sites here, I had been looking for information on how to join them.
“ Lupa … we don’t need richness ..nor power ..nor any artifact … we could just live like what we have done for the past 5 years.”
“ You are right Lisa, but I felt that something bad is going to happen … something that make me lost everything I had, my memories, my past , my names, my very beings and I don’t want that to happen again to me, to you, nor anyone else on this Island.”
“ Lisa you taught me everything and you accepted everything that already happens, loved everything that was left from it … and I wish to protect that …”
It’s not like I need anything either, It just my hunch, my feelings and my callings. I don’t think there would be a second chance to do this either. It had to be tomorrow when the expedition teams finally going to enter Eru sites and completing the entrance trials before trying to tackle the true trials inside it.
From what I’ve heard, the entrance trials needs to be done with at least 2000 people and that number is not small for this island. I also heard some rumors though that whenever Eru trials demands whole lot of people, there would be high number casualty as well.
This time, the Eru trials in my island also demanded a set of profession to be listed in those that tried and one of them is being a local Calmar spear hunter or fisherman. For whatever reason Eru sites always know when people try to cheat the entrance and whenever people try to force it, they would just get thrown back.
Most local Calmar spear hunter were uninterested in this event though said Juan. And based from that I could force my way and joined the expedition tomorrow. I also heard that Ra kingdom would sent some of their experienced conqueror that already conquered Eru sites that have similar condition with the one on this island.
“ I understand …. Lupa bring me those long wooden box in the bottom side inside my wardrobe.”
I don’t understand why she asked me that,I just stayed still looking at her and she just nodded back at me while wiping her tears, implying that I should go and bring her this wooden box.
I went ahead to her room where the wardrobe was. Her room was small and nothing much could be found here outside of the standard needs. I rarely got the task to clean her rooms when she was gone and I never knew she had something like long boxes inside the wardrobe.
She is a very tidy and clean person. She would put out things inside the drawer before cleaning it inside out, erasing any speck of dust she could notice and therefore I considered it strange that there is something that she had which I don’t know.
True enough though when I opened her wardrobe, it was clean with a bit or fruit aroma in it. I am guessing she left some of the fruit skin dry inside it before throwing it out. I then looked at the bottom side of the wardrobe but I couldn’t find any long box that is until I tried to grab the bottom side and notice there was some sort of string on it.
I then proceed to pull it and with a screech sound the hidden lids were opened. I then noticed a few big items laying there and some old cloth. I am guessing it belongs to her late husband. Not long after I found the long box she mentioned.
It was quite big but not to wide. I thought it would be heavy at first time I tried to pick it up since my arm can reach the top side of it easily and I am confident with my arms strength. However to my surprise it was so light, almost as if there was nothing inside of it.
It matters not though as I just bring it towards Lisa, placing it beside her and I also sit down nearby. She then moved her hand towards the box, caressing the box surface as if trying to calm herself down before she faced me with a bit of bitter smiles.
“ Lupa … I want you to know something.”
“Yes”
“ I’ve been lying to you for all this time.”
I didn’t answer her as I don’t know what is she talking about.
“ I was never content with what happened to this island…. what happen to my husband … what happen to my child.”
at her words I tensed up a bit… I also didn’t know she had a child
“ I had lost all of them … and now you were going to ..” she waited for my response, but I just stayed silent urging her to continue
“But I could sense you are serious this time, like my husband … you felt something had to be done and nothing will stop you from doing it.”
“ I tried to rise you, teach you not to be like that … but I guess my very presence urge you to do that.”
Now I just smiled at her words ...since no words I said will comfort her.
“ Lupa hear me this time, I truly felt you were like my very own child, you are someone dear to me...and because of that I respected your choice.”
“ I don’t know what circumstances you are facing right now … I don’t understand at all but ...your arrival to this island was already a miracle itself.”
“ You were washed here by fate ...no matter how cruel it is …”
“ You who had nothing at time...not even a cloth was a lie from me”
“ You arrived here with one thing…. a stick that you held so dearly”
“ A stick that saved your life by staying afloat for how long that even I don’t know”
“ A stick that might have warded off the sea predators.”
“ A stick can do that ?” now I am bewildered and she just chuckled seeing my reactions.
“ Yes , at that time I too was confused.”
“ I was striding by the beach at that time alone.”
“ I wanted to wash away my sadness as I remember the day I lost my husband and my child.”
“ Both of them was taken from me by creatures that emerge from seas.”
“ I’ve never told you this but my child died when our village was ravaged by sea pirates”
“ I guess my husband was pained by that fact too, and when the sea monster emerged, he sought revenge after them.”
“ It was silly if we think about it… but the dread he feels at that time might have awoken his instinct for revenge.”
“ And I felt the same thing in you too … so I will not prevent you from doing it ...but just one thing … stay Alive no matter what.”
“ I will be waiting for you here.”
“ I will, ndung…..” I almost had it
“ No need to force yourself anymore Lupa… I know you tried giving your best in everything you do.”
“ Lupa, about the stick…..”
“yes ?”
“ I think you should bring it with you tomorrow …”
“ Whhyyy ?” I really am dumbfounded, I still couldn’t believe that the stick could warded sea predators and what not stay afloat and drag me to this island.
“ That stick was glowing dimly when I saw you stranded.”
“ And when I come near to find you, it died off and turned into a normal stick”
“ When I tried to separate you from it, you clutched it harder …”
“ And then you carry me piggy back style towards your home even though it is far away right ?” I cut her sentence tried to lighten the mood, we had enough of this tiring atmosphere and it succeed as she laugh afterwards.
“ Yes, I carried you and nursed you.”
“ You were asleep for a long~ time.”
“ Never once you let go of that stick but once you wake up…”
“ And once I wake up ???”
“ Once you wake up … I was there beside you nursing you”
“ Oh come on… I am very curious about this stick.”
She then smiled after successfully teasing me and continued with her words.
“ Once you wake up, I asked your name.....”
“ For a long time you didn’t answer me and just look at me blankly repeating my words.”
“ You said name, name, name many times.”
“ Then when you said you don’t know, the stick naturally comes off from your right hand.”
“ I see ...but how come I don’t remember such a thing ?”
“ What do you remember Lupa ?”
“ Uhmm… I guess starting when you feed me with porridge ?”
“ That is a week after you first time woke up.”
“ Ughh….. I don’t know.”
“ Just sleep for now, I believe you need to wake up sooner tomorrow.”
“ Are you fine already Lisa ?” I asked her worriedly… truthfully I am dead tired right now but my sense of responsibility forced me to stay awake and stays with Lisa.
“ Yes I am fine just go to sleep.” she said while smiling and her hand urging me to go inside towards my bedroom.
“ Okay, I will then. Good night.”
“ Good night Lupa, have a nice sleep and you can just open the box tomorrow alright.”
“ Got it Lisa.” Then I forced my body to stand up, eww... pain stills linger in my joint. I hope a good sleep will heal this.