Heeyyyaaa thanks for reading up this far, and I hope you will continue to do so :)
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[ Huf, Huf ]
I stopped and breathed heavily in the side of the paved road just before it turns right towards the beach area. I couldn’t believe that carrying this stick in my back would tire me this much. I mean it is just a simple stick but the longer I walk the heavier it become.
The straps that I wear to carry this Stick also left a mark in my shoulder, It left me to wonder just how heavy it could become later on. I might really leave the stick at the side road if its keeps going on however, I decided not to do that yet …. yet. It was the only clue I got about my origin after all.
I was also unaccustomed to travel with a huge robe full of slot filled with items, and on top of that it come with an adventure bag.
‘Should I gave up my adventure here and turn back ?’
The magical words began to flow in my chest, blowing doubt to my heart. I then became shocked that my will could be bend easily just with a little inconvenience.
“ Okay, let’s stop thinking about that. Focus~focus.”
Five minutes after, my ragged breath become normal. I swept my sweat with my robes. I also drank a bit of water from a wooden water can that was tightened to my side holster which Lisa had previously stuffed it inside my bag, without my knowledge.
“ To actually forgot something important this early .... “ Lisa words sounds true that it become scary.
okay, let the bygone be gone, just focus on what lies ahead and avoid the same mistakes.
Feeling good enough to continue my journey, I let my right foot stepped on the sandy soil beside the paved road. With a bit ssssh sound my foot sink a bit, making it more natural since it was not a hard solid ground .
I then marched on while still feeling a bit sluggish since walking on uneven ground such as this one makes things harder. I could felt my body sway a bit since the path I walk on began to descend.
“ I hope the old man already here.”
[shrek, shrek]
Not long after I could hear the sound of woods getting grinded and from sound it produced, I could assume it was the old man doings. My expectation weren’t wrong as not long after I could see the old man back, He was rubbing something to the logs beside his small boats.
[Shrek, Shrek]
I was now within 20 rakat apart from him. I felt weird that he still didn’t notice myself yet as I was carrying a bag full of items and it produced noises. I didn’t really think about it though and just went ahead and call him.
“ Old man.”
still no response.
“ Old man, Ooolllld maaannn !”
I shouted his name even longer now as I kept getting nearer to him.
“ Ollldddd maaa…..”
[ Swish ]
I was around 10 rakat from him but suddenly I felt my body tensed up and it jerked off to left. In split second after something quite fast just flew by me. I was a bit late though as my right cheeks bleed a bit, but it was nowhere alarming.
[ Crack ]
It seems that something get stuck on the wooden pole beside me. From the way it sounded as it made contact with the wooden pole, it must had stuck deep inside. I shivered imagining what would happen to me as my head was there a moment ago, In front of the pole.
Then times felt really long for me as I try to comprehend what had just happened, however the old man just continuing whatever he was doing before although the sound he produced right now was different. It felt more rough as the object he rubbed again the woods might be different, something that was large and blunt.
After I calmed down, I began to stare at him. I think the way I glare at him right now could produce a hole in his back.
I kept staring on him and I felt it was like 5 min already and he still ignore me. I had hoped for some explanation at least before I could leave this place but it seems I won’t be getting any.
10 min passed by and I decided to finally left this place. I thought to myself that I have little to no reaction to the way the old man treated me. I really didn’t know what to feel tough. I just somehow felt it was void.
Ah… It might have gone past my limit and I just decided unconsciously that the old man was never there, and It never happen. There is no way the old man would try to kill me after all. He might hate me, but killing me off with no reason should be impossible right ?
As I thought that I began to turn my body back, facing the ascending lump of sands, heading back to the paved road. I better just leave this place and go to my original destination.
I then began to walk while ignoring the accident that just happens. I was now around 10 more rakat from my place before, at the exact same spot where I began to shout, calling the old man. I still could even saw my fresh footprint undisturbed.
“ Where ya going lad ?”
“ ….”
I don’t even feels like I need to reply him and I just continue on walking.
“ 4 more rakat and you won’t be able to walk.”
He said something that might have been a warning he throws at me, I didn’t care though. He wasn’t supposed to be here after all and the hut was empty, no one was there.
“ Huh ….”
Suddenly I limped down, my feet gave up and my body losing its supports fall down helplessly. I tried to put my hand down first to soften my fall in this sandy beach which was supposed to be okay but I couldn’t move them too.
ughh now my faces fall down first hitting the sand, it was a bit painful but I managed to avoid getting sand in my eyes. My mouth though couldn’t escape the bitter taste of the sand as it also bleed, grazed by some mixed small stones. I felt iron in my mouth too now.
“ Your own fault Lad.”
“ What did you do to meee !” I retorted back to the old man. I don’t know what is happening anymore.
“ You are one of the worst ungrateful brat ever walked on this Island !”
“ What did I ever do to you !”
I waited for his reply but he doesn’t answer me. I felt unfathomable rage brewing inside me. I never felt this angry before in my life since Lisa always told me to be patient in life.
I don’t know what is happening, my emotions runs rampant when it shouldn’t be. I have faced far worser situation, but my anger never reached this threshold. I need something to vent on, I turned my head towards all direction, Uncontrollable.
My thirst to feed my rage somethings was so unbearable that I began to move my paralyzed hands. At this sight the old man only smirked at me and moved his fingers up and down, challenging me.
I lose to my thirst and went ahead crawling towards him. Slowly I get nearer to him as some sharps tiny rocks that was hidden in the sands sliced my palms. Small drips of blood began to flow from my palms but I care not, I felt no pain from my hands as I was crazed by my rage.
“ Raarhhhhh.” I shouted my cry as I forced my body to crawl faster.
“ I will kill you !”
“ I am waiting.”
“ Rraarhhhhh.” Now I already went past the pole that was struck by something. Closer, closer I shouted in my mind. I can’t wait any longer. I need to kill him and vent this thrills to bathe in his blood.
5 more rakat ….3 more rakat … 2 more … and I blanked out.
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“ Ughh my head.”
“ Finally wake up boy ?”
“ who ???”
“ your mind lost again, hahahaha.”
“ Ju..Juan … where I am ?” I asked him while turning my heads left and right looking for clue.
“ Inside the hut.”
“ Why ?”
“ You crawled here hahaha.”
“ Crawl ? ah …” Finally I remember, I had tried to kill Juan before, but I didn’t know why.
“ Finally eh ?” He said that and stood up while dusting off some of the sand he got on his thigh. He was sitting on one of the small boat before.
“ Get up, don’t be lazy otherwise you will be late.”
“ I know and besides its your fault.” I forced my body to get up, strangely I felt refreshed and my back pains from before had disappeared.
“ Huh…” I was panicking a bit since my body felt so light that I couldn’t feel any weight on my back. I was late to realize that my bags were not equipped and my stick was missing.
“ Here.” Juan said while throwing my bag and warped stick.
“ Thanks” I said to him since I don’t feel any remorse towards him anymore.
“ You better be and be careful with that stick, it is not normal.”
“ Don’t worry about the stick.” I also waved my hands to make him ignore my stick.
“ It get’s heavier when you wore it didn’t it ?
Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
“ How did you…”
“ Don’t belittle me … anyway you better avoid to wear it in your back for now.”
“ Why should I listen to you.”
“ I warned you.”
“ Alright I got it, anyway what did you called here me for ?”
“ You are leaving aren’t ya lad ?”
“ Leaving ??”
“ Don’t play dumb.”
“ No, I'm not leaving anywhere from this island.”
“ Dumb kid, you are going to Eru sites right ?”
“ … Yes.”
“ That means you are leaving this world.”
“ Huh ?”
“ You are too stupid to understand even that ?”
“ I am not !”
“ You are with your skills, you will die lad !”
I gasped when he said that, I think I know why he called me here now nevertheless I shall press on.
“ I won’t and I already promised Lisa to comes back.”
“ Chee, cheeky brat.”
“ …..”
“ Fine have your way.”
“ What do you mean by my skills ?”
“ What ? you don’t know ?”
“ I don’t know what you mean.”
“ Yer weak lad.”
Now he sounds strange with his words, his tone also changed … I never knew he could speak this way.
“ Weak ?”
“ Very weak indeed that you gonna leave this world soon then others.”
“ ….”
“ Yer can’t even avoid a simple throw properly.”
“ But you throw it without warning !?”
“....”
“ Okay, so how am I weak ?”
“ Yer failed ma test.”
“ Test ?”
then suddenly the old man expressions changed to what I remember him the most, when I first met him. He now wears kind expression. He then smiles and continue his words.
“ Yes Lupa, Do not takes Eru sites lightly.”
“ I had only shown you a glimpse of what Eru sites could do to weak people.”
“ You might have qualified the entrance by being a local Calmar fisherman, but you survival and battle skills are far lower compared to others.”
“ You might have a toned muscular body, but you don’t even have the essence nor true way to control it.”
“ I had parted you with a lot of my knowledge but even so I don’t know if you can survive what Eru sites will brings you.”
“ Knowledge ?”
“ Yes Lupa, Knowledge is power.”
“ I don’t remember you ever doing that ?”
“ Ever since you were looking for me to become a Calmar fisherman, I had known.”
“ Had known what ?”
“ I had known that you want to enter Eru sites someday.”
“ Lisa had also came to me, asking for me to change your hearts 6 month ago but it was for naught.”
“ Lisa ….”
“ You are weak Lupa, so pitifully weak that you won’t win a match against those of Benua.”
I stayed quiet now, he kept reminding how weak I am that it begin to hurts.
“ I know you are pained by my words Lupa, but you need to bear it.”
“ For pain that comes with patient shall bring power.”
“ You keep saying power, power, knowledge …. I don’t understand.”
I began to get frustrated by his words.
“ Yes, for words alone shall help you, but your thirst to attempt might kill you.”
“ I don’t care, I want to complete Eru trials and stop something !!! I need to do it ! I know something bad will happen if I don’t and I don’t want Lisa to get hurts !”
“ I see, then mayhaps, parting with you now is the right choice.”
Juan expression then changed again, now he wore his past 6 month usual expressions. With his grin and the facial trait that I hate the past 6 month he continued his words.
“ Lad, definitely take my gift with you.”
“ Gift ? what gift ? ”
“ You had received it before, though in the wrong way.” Now he grinned wider while pointing the direction at the pole behind me. The pole that was struck by something.
“ That thing ?”
“ Hey don’t call it that thing, it wasn’t easy to made.”
“ what is that then ?”
from the way I could perceive it from here, it was nothing big. A sort of grooved dagger with a wooden crafted handle. The handle was brown while the dagger itself was grey, sort of ash color.
“ It is a weapon can’t you see that ?”
“ Yes I can see that but why ?”
“ Since you are weak and what kind of master give no gift for his pupils when he parts with them.”
“ ….. the truth please ?”
“ You can tell ? good good.”
“ Yes, now go on.”
“ Cheeky brat, It was Lisa request.”
“ She wants something to keep you safe so I made those.”
“ Lisa….”
“ Stop that lad, few hours gone by and yer like that ?”
okay now his tone and expression changed again.
“ That dagger ain’t normal.”
“ Yer were its first victim.”
“ was it the cause I can’t move ?”
“ yep...now lad u better be careful. It got poison in it.”
“ then why you aim it at me.”
“ to test you lad, it can’t kill yer.”
“ It will if it stuck in my head.”
“ Whom dya think ye is ? my disciple.”
“ Since when ? “
“ since yer wanted to fish.”
“.....”
“ Yer too stupid to realize it don’t ye ?
“ Yer think it’s normal yer had to watch the movement of Calmar all day long ?”
was it the eagle eye things he said before ?
“ Yer think counting the pace and distance was normal to do in yer situation ?”
Oh that one was when he told me to keep predicting the distance for every object that I could see compared to my position while moving years ago. The hardest one was when he brought me to stand behind a waterfall and told me to count the distance of moving animals that was running relatively fast in front of the waterfall.
“ Yer distance estimation is way better then others, yer can even do it in any situation.”
Now he mention it, it was kind of not normal. I could do it with precision as long it was under 50 rakat. No matter if there was a water in the way or anything, I could perceive movement and distance without problem in any environment so long I could see the object.
“ Yer still far from good tough, yer need to be able do it like me”
“ You mean facing backwards and just rely on noise ?”
“ smart boy but wrongs, yer need only presence no noise, though yer might need to do that first.”
“ Okay okay …. so can I leave now.”
“ Good, I’m tired seeing yer ungrateful face too.” He sighed afterwards, seems he was trying to be serious and I played him, better to watch my mouth.
“ Hey … I’m feeling grateful you know for all you have done although …”
“ Yer still can’t accept it don’t ye ?
Ughh he got it right, I still want my revenge for his deeds.
“ Fools, remember that being patient,sincere and forgiving is key to succeed any hunt. Yer can’t win if yer can’t control yer emotion which, yer failed too before..poisoned a bit and yer go crazy.”
“ ugghhhhh …. okay fine, thank you ! I will be careful bye !”
I am tired of his way to ridicule me ...really.
“ Grahahahaha good, begone !!! Come back if yer dead !”
“ Ha !! I will come back alive ! and I’ll beat you when I do.”
I straightened my back and wore my bag. I didn’t put my stick on my back though, I brought it with my hand. Then I ran leaving this hut behind with a crazzy old man on it. I was amazed at my own feats to not notice that Juan was crazy and strong ….scary.
I didn’t forget my gift tough, as I plucked out the dagger out of the wooden pole. I then went straight towards the paved road. I estimated by the time I would arrive in big Market in the middle of the island, I would barely come in time and get drafted to join the expedition. The sun positions was already hanging slightly on western horizon after all.
“ Lad, don’t forget, mine and Lisa words is power for you ! you also need this !”
He shouted again, reminding me of his and Lisa advice. I thought to myself, sure sure I won’t forget about it and I was also ashamed that I kinda accepted him as my master just because his words before.
He also threw something half rakat away in front of me. It was a scabbard that I guess he made for this dagger. I went ahead and picked it off, turned my body back towards Juan and his grinning faces as though he knew I would turn back.
“ Old man thank you for the gift, I will make better use of it then you !”
“ Che cheeky brat, don’t lose the scabbard you hear me ! The dagger needs it to keep it’s poison.”
“ Yes , I will and thank you and I will come back alive !”
He didn’t reply and just smiled, erasing his grinning faces. Strangely I could somehow notice he was smiling with 3 different vibe. crazy I thought but I better watch my words, he might become really crazy if I told him he is crazy.