The celebration went on and on, until it was finally time to open my presents. I had high hopes to get really nice things. I ripped open the first box, within was some money and a nice old book about herbs. I opened one after another, gathering a huge variety of books, but also clothes. The books were mainly about building, fighting and meditating, the things I was most interested in. The clothes on the other hand were nice and good, but kind of useless for me.

The most interesting gifts for me came from my parents and Nian. Nian’s present I really had no clue what it could be, until I opened it and could therein see a flacon with a yellowish coloured liquid. I was bewildered seeing it, as the only thing I could think it could be was an expensive enhancing Potion. They are crafted from a tiny bit of a strengthening stone, mixed with different kins of rare items.

As I stood there still, Nian said, I should drink it before meditating this evening, it would help immensely. But I hesitatingly asked him, if it was really alright to accept something that expensive from him. He just shrugged it of, so I guessed that it wasn’t something to worry about, as I was still clueless about his family. So I just thanked him a lot.

The next gift came from my parents, and in it was a carving, it featured, my whole family, with me mist. They all stood shoulder at shoulder gazing forward. But they were nowhere the same, all looked different, all were unique in their way. As I saw it a tear rolled down my cheeks.

The lively party, had been getting quieter as one after another all the guests left. Until finally only Nian, my family and I were left, the sun was already beginning to set. So Nian and I decided, we would have our fun tomorrow, whilst fighting. Today I would go outside with him and enjoy going around.

Nian slept with me in my room, he was sleeping on the bed, while I was sitting on a pillow. There I was deep in my meditation, after taking the potion. And as Nian promised it helped greatly, my energy improved rapidly and I could control the ever growing energy better than ever. I could even to some degree shoot it out of my fingers in form of little lightnings. It was perplexing to see how much I could improve with the help of one little potion.

We both awoke well rested, as the noises from outside became louder. Our plan was to go out of Aldorem, to my favourite place, as soon as possible. There we planned on fighting. As we went downstairs, we unexpectedly found my family preparing breakfast. They nicely greeted us and told us to already sit down. So we ate all together.

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After it, my brothers asked my parents for allowance to see Nian’s and my fight. They were allowed to, and so we walked out of the door, and then in the direction of the staircase. My brothers had actually never been there, so they were even more excited. I always wanted to show it to them, but my parents were strictly against it.

As we walked up the damp, mossy way, my brothers were astonished. They looked at ever little plant sprouting from the cracks in the walls, and at every little insect running trough the dark tunnel. After emerging from the darkness, onto the way leading up, we took a little break. My brothers stood the whole time at the very edge of the way, having their eyes fixed on the chasm. Their eyes gleamed of joy, due to the unique, but beautiful sight.

The rest of the uneven way, we conquered rapidly, At the top the wind greeted us with a light breeze and the birds chirped a songs for us. My brothers were fascinated, they seldom saw such a natural nature. While they were running around the plains, I was mesmerized once again by the sight at the endless, mysterious void of the chasm. Nian stood beside me, he looked into the far distance, maybe remembering something.

We marched on as the sun was still a margin before it’s zenith. In front of the forest I needed to search a bit, before finding my way, which had been overgrown by plants. But before submerging in the endless green, my brothers took me by my T-shirt and told me that they felt bad going inside. So I told them that this was normal and I had back then the same feelings. Furthermore I said that as long Nian or I was here, nothing could go wrong. With those words they felt comforted and so we went inside. This time we wandered rapidly trough the forest, as my brothers wanted to be outside as soon as possible. But I on the other hand enjoyed being here again, as I made many memories here.

The gigantic plain, after the forest, we left behind us. Now we stood on the ancient bridge. All of us, even Nian were fascinated, but as we wanted to reach our destination, we stayed there only for a few minutes.

My favourite place—here I wasn’t since over half a year, I was so indescribably happy. My brothers and Nian were happy to be here too. They liked it a lot here.

We sat down around the masterpiece of a table I had carved and crafted. There upon we ate our delicious meals, my parents gave along with us. Thereafter we talked a bit and laughed together.

After that the rematch of Nian and me was next. We went over to the plains, where we had more place and could fight freely. So we took out our weapons, I my dagger and my short sword and Nian he had a new, even more impressive broadsword.

We readied ourselves for the moment, The stone which my brothers would throw in the air would land. We both said before it finally started “I hope for a good and fair fight” then we shook hands, and at last we gave a nod to my brothers. So the coin got airborne by the flick of a finger. Whilst it was in air, the whole world got quiet, there was only me and Nian in it any more. My concentration was on all time high, the coin fell in slow motion for me and fell and fell and fell.

And then it hit the ground...