“Do they know?”

“I didn't tell them what we are moving, but they are cunning enough to have pieced it together,” said Vardan with a grin.

"Is that going to be a problem?” asked Hakimi.

“We go way back. In fact, I'd say the opportunity to get back at those people is more of an incentive than what we’re paying them.”

Hakimi looked at Vardan skeptically.

“Trust me on this one. I know most of them personally,” said Vardan, "Man, I thought a few days of rest would have gotten you to lighten up.”

Hakimi rolled his eyes but said nothing in response.

The two of them were strolling down one of the tunnels next to the main mining site, Vardan holding a lamp out in front of them. They preferred to keep these conversations more private, away from the other children.

“What about you? How are the preparations coming along?” asked Vardan.

“We have the forty kilograms of magistones ready to go. Just barely. The defensive plans wasted a lot of time, but those are done as well. It’s a little rough, but we’ve blown in most of the major connecting tunnels and dug new paths to town. Ru Meng helped us lay a few traps in the old tunnels with the remaining black powder. It’s gonna be a lot harder and much more lethal to track us now.”

“That should keep everyone safe.”

“I thought you had the rat freaks in your pocket.”

“They’ve been keeping their end of the bargain so far— that’s how we know who’s coming for us— but it’s good to have contingencies,” said Vardan with a shrug, “So who’s moving the cargo?”

“As usual, the older boys. Hafiz, Han Yang and Osman. I’ll be going as well,” replied Hakimi.

Vardan stopped in his tracks and turned around suddenly. He frowned and said, “With your hand like that?”

Hakimi looked back at him with eyes as cool and clear as a crystal lake.

“You know how important this mission is. It’s more than the shipment itself. It’s about sending a message. Every crook and villain in the Nameless Town is watching to see what will happen next.”

“There’s no need for you to go. You would just get in the way.”

“You planned this operation, didn’t you? And you told me you had it in the bag. I’m putting my trust in you,” Hakimi retorted.

Vardan gasped and sighed and tried to say something in response, but he knew there was no convincing Hakimi. The younger boy was simply too stubborn to not be personally involved in something as important as this. The injury to his hand had only made him more restless. The few occasions that Vardan had been back from the Nameless Town, quite a few of the boys had complained about Hakimi. Unable to help with mining, Hakimi had been putting all his efforts into micromanaging the other boys and getting on everyone’s nerves.

“No progress with the book?” asked Vardan.

Hakimi scrunched his nose just a little, but Vardan knew he was right. That was the closest to flinching that Hakimi ever got.

“I think I’ve found the right spell, but nothing happens when I recite the incantation. I’m starting to wonder if I’m missing something.”

“Have you asked Ru Meng for help? He’s the magic guy,” Vardan suggested helpfully.

“I’ve tried. He’s not very…helpful as he is right now.”

“Is it his father?”

Hakimi nodded and said, “He’s too distracted half the time to help with anything else. I’ve had to pull him out of the mines a few times because he almost brought down a tunnel onto everyone else.”

Vardan looked to the ground grimly. The diagnosis for Ru Meng’s father wasn’t looking good. It had been a week now since they returned. While the fever had faded entirely, his condition had not improved at all. The poor man was hardly awake and when he was, the only words that came out of his mouth were confused, incomprehensible ramblings.

“You should talk to Ru Meng when you can. The kid needs you,” said Hakimi.

Vardan nodded. He had been out far too often in the past week, pulling together the connections they needed for this plan.

“The rest of the boys, they’re doing ok?”

“Exhausted. We’ve been running double shifts to hit the quota. Still, everyone’s in good spirits. As good as you can be in this godforsaken place. Lan’s up and running already. He looks more cheerful than he was before he got his fingers cut off. Which is good, I suppose.”

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

Vardan felt a twinge of guilt at the mention of Lan’s fingers again, but he put on a weak smile and said, “That is good. How much ore is left in these mines?”

“Enough for next week’s shipment, maybe, but definitely not the next,” said Hakimi solemnly, “I need to figure this spell out.”

Vardan patted him on the shoulder and reassured him, “We’ll figure something out together.”

——————————————————————————————

Time felt like it was bleeding away. Wasting away. Seeping from between his fingers and draining away, like the blood from his uncle’s neck. Ru Meng couldn’t remember how many days it had been. Most things were a blur. Somewhere in the back of his head, he knew he shouldn’t be like this. There were things to do. People that needed his help. Friends that were worried about him.

But there was nothing he could think about except for his father. He had a lot of time to think about his father, especially since Hakimi banned him from going into the mines.

The pale, old man that lay on the straw mattress on the ground seemed almost alien to him at times. Ru Meng loved his father, more than anything else in the world and he felt his heart tear into two pieces every time he laid eyes on him. The fierce, dangerous man was now a husk of what he once was. His limbs would spasm at times, contorting at strange angles as he wailed and moaned. It was almost as if Ru Meng was watching a monster performing a strange caricature of his father to him. He couldn’t recognize his father. His father didn’t seem to recognize him either. Whenever he looked upon Ru Meng, his eyes seemed empty and void.

Nevertheless, Ru Meng did his best to take care of his father, feeding him whenever he needed to drink and eat; taking care of his hygiene; talking to him as much as he could. That was perhaps the hardest part of the job. Every day he had to talk to his father as if he could understand him, as if he would get better, all while he knew in the back of his mind that his father was gone. Day after day, it only got worse as the realization set in that this was the state of things. That his father wouldn’t get any better. He had seen the look on Uncle Raj’s face the last time he came to check on his father. He told Ru Meng to keep taking care of his father, but Ru Meng knew the truth. Whatever he did barely made a difference.

Yet, somehow, Ru Meng couldn’t let go. He missed his father dearly. Some days, he even wished his father was well enough to get up and scold him; punish him for his mistake. He couldn’t even do that now.

Ru Meng was wiping his father down for the second time of the day when he felt a hand on his shoulder.

A familiar voice called out, “Ru Meng?”

Ru Meng turned around and saw Vardan’s kind face.

“Vardan,” he replied.

Vardan smiled and sat down on the earthen floor beside him.

“You doing alright, Ru Meng?”

Ru Meng paused for a second to process the question, even though people had been asking him the same question throughout the week. ‘Doing alright?’ What did that mean? After a slight delay, he nodded mechanically.

“You sure?” Vardan asked again.

Ru Meng nodded. He wasn’t sure if it was the right answer, but then again, he wasn’t sure if there were any right answers for the situation he was in. He was safe, warm and fed. He was doing alright.

There was a brief silence.

Vardan rubbed his head and asked, “Could you tell me about you and your father, Ru Meng?”

Ru Meng was caught unaware by this question. Everyone, from Han Yang to Wu Qing to even Hakimi, had been asking him if he was alright all week. Usually, when he said yes or nodded, they would wring their hands or laugh awkwardly, before patting him on the back and walking away. The only exceptions were Chu Wen and Hakimi. Chu Wen offered him a piece of jerky he saved from lunch, which he turned down. On the other hand, when he said he was okay to Hakimi, the other boy simply looked at him and said, ‘No, you’re not’, before walking away.

No one had asked him about his father.

Ru Meng struggled to answer immediately, but inside his mind, the gears of memory were turning.

Vardan waited patiently for his answer.

Ru Meng looked at his father, who was making weird sounds from his mouth as he gazed at a cockroach on the wall. He felt strange talking about his father as he sat right beside him.

Finally, he said, “My mother died when I was very young. Just a baby. Ever since then, it’s only been me and my father.

He taught me everything I knew. He taught me magic, and he made sure I learned it well, because one day I would take our revenge on the British, for what they did to my mother and our family. I…never really wanted to take revenge on anyone. I don’t even remember my mother. Sometimes, when I’m in bed, I close my eyes and imagine what she was like. I never can.

I wasn’t good at magic, so my father always left me at home to practice when he went hunting. My father is a good hunter. He really is. But sometimes he leaves me alone for days.

He’s a good father though. He takes his time to teach me. He’s patient with me, even though I’m so stupid. He yells at me. Sometimes, he drinks and beats me. But he’s a good father, I swear. Whenever he does that, he always apologizes the next morning. He hugs me, kisses me and tells me how much he loves me. How much I mean to him.

I love my father too. I wish I was better. I wish I could do something for him. I wish he was still here with me. It’s all my fault. It’s always my fault.”

Ru Meng was a sobbing mess at this point. He heaved and wheezed between every word, tears and snot mixing into one as they drenched his sleeve.

Vardan said nothing and pulled him into a hug.

After what seemed like forever, Ru Meng awkwardly wiped the snot from his nose and pulled away. He felt better after letting his emotions out. He looked into Vardan’s eyes.

The older boy had a conflicted expression on his face, but there was no denying the gentle compassion behind his eyes.

“Look, Ru Meng. I…I have a father as well. A family. I know how you feel. I…” Vardan sighed before continuing, “I’m sorry your father beat you. You should know that there’s not something that a father does to his son.”

He paused for a moment. Neither he nor Ru Meng said anything.

“But I understand how it feels to love someone and to be worried for them. No matter what kind of person they are. But you’re not stupid, Ru Meng. And none of this is your fault. Believe me.

I know it’s hard to think otherwise, but believe me. You’re so young! It’s my fault too. I dragged you and Hakimi into this stupid plan and I made you help us kill people. But Ru Meng, the truth is, nine-year-olds like you don’t do things like what we did. They don’t need to fend for their own survival, save their dads or kill a bunch of evil men. You’re a child, Ru Meng. You should be having fun, not thinking about your responsibilities or feeling guilt over the bad things that happen to you.

I…I’m sorry, Ru Meng. I mean it. It’s not your fault, alright? I know it’s hard to understand, but think about what I said.

Take care of your father, but don’t feel bad for what happened,” said Vardan, his voice nearly cracking as tears welled up in his eyes.

Ru Meng didn’t know what to say.

Vardan gave him a hug and walked away, rubbing his eyes as he did so.

‘It’s not your fault.’

The words echoed in his mind. Ru Meng didn’t know if that was true, but whether he realized it or not, something had shifted just so slightly in his mind.