"Hey, Grandpa," Edwin asked, still looking at the sky, "Who were my parents?" There was a long pause. The old man looked at the sky with Edwin, reflecting on everything that had led up to this point. "To be honest, Edwin… I don't know. I know that isn't what you wanted to hear, but truthfully, I never found out who they were," his grandpa said, both of them gazing up at the sky, cold raindrops hitting their faces as they sat there in silence.
"Come, I want to show you something," the old man gently touched the boy's shoulder, motioning for him to follow. They entered a log cabin, the place where Edwin had lived his entire life. The scent of wet wood wafted through the air, a candle on the small dining table providing dim illumination to the kitchen area. A wood-burning stove sat in the center of the kitchen against the wall, with counters on both sides. "Come, take a seat. I'll be right back," he gestured to a chair, and the old man walked into his room, the floorboards creaking under each step.
After a few moments, the old man emerged from his room holding a small box. He sat down opposite Edwin and placed the box on the table. With a sigh, the old man began, "I found your parents protecting you. Something had attacked their wagon, and by the time I arrived, it was already too late." He stared down at the table, reliving the memory in his head. "You were crying. Your mother managed to shield you from whatever beast had come. I laid them to rest and promised them that I would protect you and keep you safe." Another sigh escaped him as he placed both hands on the box. "I gathered some things from that night so that you would have something to remember them by."
He opened the small box, revealing a small painting, a small gold necklace, and a silver ring inside. The painting depicted a family: a mother with long brown hair and a round face was sitting down, smiling at a crying baby bundled up in white fabric. The father stood beside her, looking down as well. He had short, tidy, light orange hair and a mustache that was styled to point out slightly at both ends. They appeared to be a wonderfully happy family. Edwin picked up the picture and turned it around noticing writing on the back. Thankfully in between strength training and singing lessons He had also been learning to read and write from his grandpa "Our dear baby boy Edwin, We love you son. P.S Be careful of your Moth-" The last word ended abruptly, as if someone had pulled their arm away while writing it.
Tears flowed from Edwin's face. He quickly wiped them away, careful not to wet the picture. He looked up at his grandpa, attempting a smile as he let out a small chuckle. Then, he reached for the necklace, picking it up and admiring it. It was a simple gold chain necklace, thin yet sturdy. "That was your mother's," the old man said. "She had it on her when I found them." Edwin clenched the necklace in his hands, closing his eyes. "I love you, Mom," he whispered. He placed the necklace down and picked up the silver ring. Like the necklace, it was simple, with a small engraving of what appeared to be a branch with leaves on it. Inside, there was a circle with a small triangle. "And that was your father's," his grandpa said, pointing to the insignia on the inside of the ring. "I can't be certain, but that looks like an adventurer's mark. It's popular among groups of adventurers that have been together for a long time." Edwin looked at the insignia, then to his grandpa, and nodded. He clenched the ring in his hand and whispered quietly, "I love you, Dad."
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He unclasped the necklace and threaded it through the ring, then placed the necklace around his neck. The soft sounds of metal rubbing against metal were audible, and Edwin tucked the ring and necklace under his shirt. He took a deep breath, closing his eyes tightly, determined not to cry. A few moments passed, and suddenly, he kicked away the chair and rushed to his grandpa, embracing him in a tight hug and burying his head into the old man's chest. Edwin began to cry uncontrollably, repeating "why" over and over. His grandpa sat there, holding the boy and gently rubbing his head, allowing him to process his grief.
Several minutes passed, and Edwin's crying subsided into small sobs and occasional hiccups. "Did you know their names?" he asked his grandpa, looking up at him, his vision blurred by tears. "Louise and Thomas," the old man replied softly. "That's what I was able to gather." Edwin rested his head back on his grandpa's chest and then slowly pulled away. "You know, Grandpa," Edwin said, chuckling slightly between his hiccups, "I don't even know what your name is. I've only ever called you Grandpa or Old Man." His grandpa smiled and let out a hearty laugh. "Ahahaha, I thought you'd never ask! My name is Kaynen, Kaynen Callaway," he said, using his thumb to wipe the tears from Edwin's cheek.
"Come now," he said suddenly, "it's time I teach you about the outside world, starting with adventurers!" And so the day went on, Edwin captivated by the lectures his grandpa gave him.
He learned about the outside world: adventurers who helped people, slayed monsters, and cleared dungeons! Buildings called schools full of children his own age, learning just like he is now. He pictured what it would be like to have friends to play with. However, when his grandpa started talking about money and economics, it was an uphill battle for Edwin to stay awake.
Snoring could be heard filling the small kitchen in the log cabin. Kaynen turned around from the chalkboard that was placed off to the side against a wall. He looked outside, noticing that it had already gotten dark. He let out a sigh. "Huh, I guess time flies by when you're learning new things," he gently woke up the sleeping boy in front of him. "It's time to wake up, Edwin. It's already morning."
Edwin jolted into an upright sitting position, his arms stretched out wide, hands still on the table, and his face wearing a panicked expression. "What? Really? There's no wa—" his voice trailed off as he looked outside, realizing it was dark out.
The old man let out a hearty laugh that almost turned into a cackle. Edwin, with an unimpressed look, slowly turned it into a smile and started chuckling as well. "You really got me there, grandpa," Edwin said and chuckled again. "Come now, it's time for bed. Tomorrow we start learning how to fight! And trust me, you're not going to like me when we're done!" The old man said with a grin. Edwin looked at him, trying to hold back the excitement he felt. After hearing the stories of adventurers, Edwin wanted nothing more than to learn how to be just like one. "Okay, fine, fine. I'll go to bed. I'll be getting you back somehow for this, though, old man!" He quickly ran over to his grandpa and gave him a hug. "Good night, grandpa!" he said softly. The old man patted his head. "Good night, Edwin." They went off to their separate rooms, preparing for what tomorrow would bring.