A crow, picking away at the wild grass, turns its head at me before hopping away a couple meters. It then silently flies away into the foggy forest.

I lean down, hoisting Oribu to the top of my shoulders before turning around.

“Alright, let’s do it.” I say to Mallefard and Garci, standing closely in front.

“Yea!” “Whooo!” The two of them cheer before the four of us begin hiking up the trail, to the mountain.

“You better have gone to the restroom beforehand riiiight?” Garci looks up at Oribu.

“Yessss, mom. I did.”

“Good.” Garci replies.

Mallefard suddenly clicks his tongue, causing the two of us to turn at him in disbelief.

“Nah, I’m just kidding.” He laughs. “Made sure to eat light this morning.”

“Mally! Don’t do that!” Garci knocks at him with a smile on her face.

“Hey, out here there’s no one except us, so don’t be ashamed if you can’t hold it in.” I say.

“You think I’ll anger some bears if I go by the tree?” Mallefard says.

“Oh yea, they do that thing where they pee on a tree to mark their territories don’t they? But that doesn’t smell the same right?” I say.

“Ehhhh, I think they won’t be happy either way. In a sense, it’s even more disrespectful, no?” He says.

“Ew! Gross! Stop it, both of you!” Oribu yanks at my hair.

The two of us sheepishly quiet down after being reprimanded by an eight year old girl.

The first few trickles of sweat begin coalescing across my hair as we continue upwards.

“Mmhmm!” Garci clears her throat loudly. “In any case, if there is a bear then can you deal with it Mally?”

“Most animals are too afraid of humans anyways these days.” Mallefard brushes his hand against his sheath.

”Not the mountain bears who’ve never seen a human, wolves might also live here as well. Don’t get too comfortable now.”

“Aren’t you better than me in a fight? Why am I the one who has to carry the weapon?” Mallefard complains.

“It isn’t a good look for the woman to be protecting the man. Tsk, tsk.” Garci wags her fingers, turning her face towards us.

I could see her smile, but the rest was…

I close my eyes and pause.

In the distance, a crow caws loudly.

I open my eyes again.

I’m walking in the front this time, Garci in the back, Mallefard in the middle.

”Don’t you miss the city?” Mallefard asks.

”Not even a little.” I reply. “We were lucky to get out before the succession began, and Taesen became king.”

“Oh that was a disaster I heard.” Mallefard laughs. “Who knew that the royal family hated each other so much? There’s rumors of Taesen being incredibly paranoid, like won’t even sleep in the same room with his wife level of paranoid.”

“Yea who could have predicted things would turn out this way.” I snort, knowing fully well that Mallefard wasn’t actually clueless. “I don’t envy Taesen at all, who’d want to be a king in this day and age?”

“I’m sure there are people out there who’d do a good job without issues.” Mallefard looks at the sky. “I’ve yet to meet someone like that though, most people are only suited for a normal life, no matter how big they dream, sometimes their dreams aren’t big enough.”

“Like you huh?” I say.

Mallefard looks at me for a couple seconds before weakly smiling in response. “It’s strange how much more miserable the big city was than the countryside.”

I nod. “Something I can agree with.”

“Yea, back then, every day I was reminded of how bad life could be, the ugliness inside every person. Here I’m… I still think of those things, but just… It doesn’t feel important anymore.”

Oribu suddenly lurches to the right.

“Whoa! Don’t do that please, I might fall over.” I say.

“I’m just trying not to hit the branches here! The trees are getting really dense.” Oribu exclaims. I gaze at the path ahead. I should let her walk a bi—

A crow sat on a branch looking at me. I take a deep breath then continue forward, ducking underneath a tree branch.

“Sorry for asking you to come with us.” I say. “I know you have family back home that you won’t be able to see for a while.”

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

“Bah, I got all the time in the world for them, can’t say the same about you two.” Mallefard says.

“Hold on, you see us almost daily! What do you mean by that?”

“Hey, do I really need to spell it out?” Mallefard looks to the side. “I didn’t expect how many dreams and ambitions I had to give up when I had little Ain. I love them but… You guys bring me back to those times.” Mallefard grows silent. “Don’t you ever want to go back? I know I already asked you something similar but for real this time.”

I look down. “Of course I do. When I have regrets… I think about the past, I think about everyone that has happened to lead up to that regret, if this small thing never happened, or this small decision was never made. I think as far back as possible and wonder how it’s possible for all the small events and coincidences to finally accumulate to this, if the universe was playing a cruel joke on me.”

Mallefard broods quietly while he considers my answer. “So… You think this is a mistake?” He asks hesitantly. “This life we’re living right now?”

“Who knows.” I say simply. “Who knows if we were destined for something much greater or worse.

I look behind to a crow pecking at the ground. “Who knows what would have happened if your ambition never overshadowed your love for Garci. You were always more popular with the ladies than me. How different would my life be… Maybe I would have never experienced this pain.”

I turn back to the black mass as it morphs and shifts. So hey. How about you? Do you regret anything? Or do you give up? Broken without even a whimper remaining?

Me or Mallefard, I could no longer tell who this darkness belonged to.

…

I open my eyes.

Garci happily walks next to me with Oribu riding on my shoulders.

“Look at that!” Oribu points to the view as the fog subsides and we pass over the low clouds.

A welcome hit of the crisp mountain air chills my sweaty body as a verdant landscape expands to the horizon, dabbled with ethereal wisps of white clouds. A flock of birds flew underhead, soaring in a V-shaped configuration. The descending sun casting an orange hue and a deep shadow across the hundreds of thousands rows of ancient oaks, standing proud and strong. The pale moon could be seen against the faded violet of the setting sky, filled with tiny flecks of white as the stars gradually reveal themselves.

I suddenly went weak in the face of this tranquil grandeur.

If I disappeared right here, if everything I’ve ever done ceased to be, if my entire bloodline never existed, none of this would change.

The birds would still sing, the wind would still blow, the sun and moon would still travel across the sky.

I’m… Tiny.

“It’s beautiful isn’t it.” Garci stares in the distance. “I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of this view no matter how many times I see it.”

“... Yea.” I say.

This was no ordinary mountain, this was the mountain Garci grew up on when she was a child. She lived in a dainty village situated at the base of the mountain, spending her childhood foraging for nuts and fruits. She eventually left the village with her parents in order to seek further opportunities in Lyster, but I’ve never heard her call another place home.

“Speaking of, I’ve been dabbling in art and painting.” I say.

“You? Painting? Who would have thought!” Garci exclaims.

I chuckle. “It’s been going as well as you would expect. What can I say? I’m talented in the opposite direction.”

“Are you getting inspiration right now? Is this the type of landscape you want to create?” Garci asks.

“Yea… This view is divine, but…” I shake my head. “No, it’s not what I wanted to paint.” A bulge begins to creep up my throat. “No… It’s…” I choke through the words before taking a deep breath.

“I commissioned a well known castle artist to create a portrait of you two.”

“Oh? Did it go well?” Garci asks,

“Without you two there well… He couldn’t really get it right. After a week of attempts he stormed off and told me to do it myself.” I laugh. “So that’s what I’m doing.” A lone crow takes flight in the thin mountainous air, higher than what any bird typically dares to reach.

“But…” I look up, squinting at Garci’s face. “Somehow… I’m finding it hard to remember it as well.”

A single tear drips down my face. “Hey, can you look at me?” Garci turns to me, her face was fuzzy and distorted, features completely indistinguishable.

“I’m so sorry. I must be horrible for forgetting how you look. I try, try, try so hard to remember it, but the pieces are no longer coming together. If I’d done this sooner, maybe I could have captured your memory forever, but now...” I began to breathe heavily, the annals of time had forced me against my will to forget their faces, I was no longer… sad, eventually feelings fade into memories, in a sense it was no longer real and the only thing I had left was the sharp, burning guilt of indifference. “Please forgive me.” I struggle for air as I choke these words out.

The face in front of me mouths something, but I couldn’t hear it anymore.

…

I open my eyes for the last time. Oribu’s round and naive eyes, upside-down, were mere centimeters away from mine. I quickly reach up and support her weight as she grabs onto my arms.

“Can you still see me?” She asks.

I nod in response. “Careful up there.” I caution.

“I will.” She says as I carefully bend down, flipping her over till I was holding her in the front, one of my arms wrapped underneath her thighs and the other supporting her back.

“Hey daddy?” She asks.

“Yes Ori?”

“Please don’t be sad.”

I smile bitterly. “Is that what you truly think? Are you even allowed to say that?”

Oribu nods vigorously in response, eyes open wide.

“And why would you even say that after I… After I… I…”

“I love you daddy. Why would I hate you?”

“Because you’re not… Real. You’re just me, trying to make myself feel better.” I close my eyes.

…

Then open them once again.

But Oribu was still there, her face pristine and clear. I stare in shock as she slowly raises her hand behind me, in the dusk sky. “Look, it’s a bird!”

A strange force compels me to turn around, despite being able to remember her face for the first time in months. I look back in the sky to see…

Nothing.

The crow is gone.

I look back down, in my hands were two urns filled with ashes, and I was at the peak of the mountain.

The sun peeked halfway down the horizon, gradually sinking lower and lower into the ground, turning the land into gold.

In a daze I bend down and unscrew the two urns, ash seeps out through the rim as the wind blows the insides into a flurry. I stare down as the gray snow-like substance flickers upwards and disappears into the air.

For some reason, I can no longer think of this dust as you two anymore.

I lift the urns upside down and release the ashes, letting them blow away into the clouds. Then I look at the sunset, releasing beautiful dancing shades of violet orange and red across the sky.

No, this is you.