Inside the compact but spacious stone house, Hoshi and the Pandarian couple were consuming food comprising of bread, light red tangy soup and roasted vegetables while lacking any kind of meat in their brekkie. Hoshi was more interested in Sharon than his food as he kept gazing at her.

"Something wrong Hoshi?" the observed calmly asked.

"No sorry, It's just on my planet there were no creatures like you," Hoshi quickly answered.

"Hey! My wife's no creature! and if that's the case how did you people have children?" Hirishima questioned.

"We didn't, in fact I am the only one," Hoshi stated.

"All the others were just adult males? I wouldn't want to go there that's for sure," Hirishima jeered.

"So.. How old are you?" Sharon asked.

"I am 13 years old."

"You are fairly muscular for a 13 year old boy," Hirishima pointed out.

"That's because ever since my birth, my father placed me under intensive training including lifting bulky objects and sprinting for entire days."

"Oh, your scarf is worn out and is ripped from that loose end. Let me sew you a new one." Sharon got up from her chair.

"That's alright, my father made this for me and now I want to keep it as a token of his sacrifice." Hoshi grabbed a loose end of his scarf.

"Your father, what kind of man was he?" Hirishima inquired.

"As much it hurts me to say it, I don't know much about him. There was a time when his personality completely changed. I can say this however, his solemnity was his biggest strength. In both phases he placed me through hellish training and for that I despised him. I even considered running away at many occasions. Despite all that, the last two years I spent with him were with his most humble and affable self from which my esteem for him boosted a lot. Because of that, I actually started enjoying our sessions," Hoshi wailed.

"I am sorry you had to say farewell to your father, I can't understand your pain, I never got to know mine," Hirishima conversed.

"Why? What happened?"

Hirishima sighed and began, "I am not sure how to tell you this, you see I am not originally from inside the boundary of the river and was born well beyond it. My village was small, poor and muddled with shit when it got attacked by the demons. I was young enough to not comprehend anything around me but I can remember screams of agony and murky pools of blood everywhere around me. A young valiant warrior saved me and handed me over to an orphanage here."

"(It's almost like we had the same beginning)," Hoshi pondered.

"It was all for the better I believe as I met my best friend here and got married to Sharon. Growing up, when the elders told me this story of how that warrior travelled miles carrying me on his back without adequate water or food made me want to become a warrior myself. Now forty years later, I still don't know his name and appearance as he removed all his traces with his departure," Hirishima finished.

"I see, that's staggering how a single person managed to survive a demon attack and even carry a helpless child to safety," praised Hoshi.

"Yeah, I am grateful to him and one day I will definitely find him to say thank you for sure."

"What if he's already dead?" Hoshi queried.

"I am sure he is alive because I sometimes get the feeling he is standing right besides me," Hirishima answered.

Silence sunk into the room and in an attempt to break that silence Hoshi curiously asked, "I know this is random but how do you people have children?"

Sharon and Hirishima cautioned and stumbled, "You see.. we uh.."

"Well Hirishima weren't you supposed to take him somewhere?" Sharon abruptly spoke.

If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

"Oh yeah! Come Hoshi, we need to gain more information about you with the help of the scholar!" Hirishima quickly dragged Hoshi outside.

"What happened? Did I say something wrong?" Hoshi puzzled.

"Forget it, here take this." Hirishima pulled out a wooden sword placed on the edge of a nearby window of the house.

"This is."

"You kept hold of this while you were unconscious, I know It holds some significance to you." Hirishima handed the sword over.

"Yes it does. Thank you." Hoshi examined the sword and used the attached strap to carry it on his back.

"No problem kid, let's get going," Hirishima smiled.

Both began walking through the forest right of the house. The long trees were extremely sturdy while their leaves were very sharp and could inflict a wound on exposed skin quite easily. On the higher branches Hoshi could hear the singing of ravishing long tailed and blue colored birds that gave a calming chant while they were threading through. He looked up and caught a glimpse of one of the birds and got amazed.

"Sir Hirishima, they're so mesmerising. I can't believe I would actually see a bird in real life."

"There were no birds on your planet? Then how do you know about them?" Hirishima inquired.

"I read about them in a book called 'The Lost Paradise'. I am beginning to think this planet might be the one mentioned in it."

"That book sure sounds familiar, that's right! It is a famous book written by one of the first scholars here, but how could you have possibly read it there?" Hirishima perplexed.

"It was the first book I finished from my father's old collection, before he burnt all of them," Hoshi bitterly replied.

"(His father, was he a Pandarian originally? No, it can't be. Then how did he get hold of that book?)"

After a couple hundred steps, the two entered an open field with a bunch of grey haired and dark blue skinned horses which were grazing the land. The ones on this planet had much larger and muscular bodies with strong legs allowing them to run faster than the normal kind.

"Wow! What are those?" Hoshi marvelled at the fascinating animals.

"Those are wild horses, once tamed and saddled they can help us cover great distances and much quicker speeds," Hirishima responded.

"Amazing! This planet has so much more diversity in life!" Praised Hoshi as his spirits were completely lifted.

"(Seeing him this excited fills a large empty hole in me. I know he is not my son but still..)" Hirishima's thoughts were broken as a horse right in front of him moved away to reveal a man with short black hair, red and white armor with a different symbol on his left chest plate walking towards the two. His thin armor had the extremities which resembled a spartan body armor.

"Hirishima the elite swordmaster, I have a message from the King for you," the man reported.

"A message from the king? How did you find me?" Hirishima questioned.

"That's not your concern, all I am supposed to inform you is the message itself," The man proudly objected and it was certain he wasn't going to be intimidated easily.

"I am listening." Hirishima folded his arms.

"You are ordered by the cult and the king himself to escort the outsider towards the Palace at once," the man notified.

"(What? How did that bastard came to know of this that quickly? I must hide him). There is no outsider here, no one can cross the river without the help of the bridges at the few warrior camps," Hirishima rejoined.

"The evidence is right there besides you, don't play smart." The man pointed at Hoshi loitering behind Hirishima's back to act innocent.

"He is my son and his hair was always like that since his birth, now step away we are getting late," Hirishima debated.

"I am afraid I can't do that. The king would have my throat sliced if he would be feeling merciful," the man retorted.

"What will you do? You know you can't lay a single finger on me," scowled Hirishima.

"(This is bad, the way Sir Hirishima is showing hesitancy, this king sounds quite parlous)." Hoshi straightened his posture.

"You... you're right. I can't, not alone." The man tilted his head to signal a dozen more of the King's guard to come out of hiding behind the trees on the far end.

"What the hell? How did you people plan about this in such a short notice?" Hirishima astonished.

"Like I said not your concern, now hand him over or die here, right this moment." The man who seemed to be the leading guard threatened.

"Let's say I did give him up, what plans do the king have for him?" Hirishima questioned.

"That's it! Not a single more question! Value your life and do as your masters, the king and the cult have asked!" the lead guard loudly restated.

"You and those bastards are only shitting in that big palace because us warriors are risking our lives against the demons everyday! Now show some respect or I will shove that pride right up your ugly ass," Hirishima fumed.

"You stubborn bastard, you left us no choice. Archers! Kill him!"

The lead guard commanded and four of the dozen guards armed with a quiver and a bow rushed up towards the front while drawing their bows with steel arrows which were aimed right at Hirishima's head. The field was open and there was no cover in close proximity of the targets.

"Shit, they're too far for me to take down." Just as the archers were about to launch a rain of arrows, Hirishima faintly smiled and submitted. "Alright! I surrender! I will take him to the King! Just as you have asked! Many apologies for my behaviour!"

"Everyone stand down!" On the lead guard's order, the archers loosened their grip and lowered their bows. "Thank Cora, you have some brain in that thick skull of yours, now walk in the midway of our formation. We will make sure you don't try anything."

"Whatever, just get this done already. I am getting hungry," Hirishima responded while stretching his back casually.

"What? He surrendered? So much for an 'Elite' warrior," Hoshi mumbled.

"What are you muttering about huh? Start moving." Hirishima pulled Hoshi in front while secretly signaling him with his other hand as if he had something up his sleeve.

End of chapter four.