Alam’s sleep was restless.. his breath is heavy. and when he wake up in middle of night, his head is dizzy. his troat is sore, he trying reach out for water from nearby bowl. there is no water. and the fisherman is nowhere to found. if i going to die. atleast someone will find me alam thought. he then just back to sleep without water.

Eleanor, blonde hair flowing in a white dress, stood on a distant hill in a field of wildflowers. Behind her, his helicopter crew stood beside the Hind helicopter, she wave at him. alam instictly walk toward her, but their distance is getting far, alam then walk faster until he full sprint. but their distance getting far. until he see a xian. complete with their monument in other distance. alam then take the path to xian. As he turned back to the hill one last time, Eleanor and the crew gave him a final salute. He nodded and kept walking.

Morning arrived, and Alam slowly opened his eyes to the fresh air wafting through the tent. The sun was high, and the encampment buzzed with activity. He spotted Nalin walking by with a basket, casting glances in his direction.

“Hey, someone call... um, who was that girl again? Nalin!” he called out his voice is bit dry

Nalin noticed him waking up and quickly ran over, her face lighting up. “You woke up! Are you feeling better?”

“Kind of better, but my hips still hurt. I can’t walk properly. Can you get me some water and a meal?” Alam requested.

Nalin nodded eagerly, fetching a wooden bucket of water and a dish of vegetable soup with small pieces of meat. She approached his bed, bending over to set the food down, her face flushing as she withdrew.

alam then take a sip, and empty the cup in one glup

“Do you have an English book or something?” Alam asked, breaking the silence.

Nalin’s eyes widened in surprise. “I do have a book! Actually, I have three. But one is a mini dictionary, and the other two are about old knowledge that isn’t very useful. The useful one is small and thin but has a lot of information.”

“Ehh, I’m kinda bored doing nothing in bed. Yes, bring your favorite book,” Alam said, his interest piqued.

Nalin stood up, retrieving the book and returning to sit beside him on the bed. She placed it down carefully, her body brushing against his, sending a jolt of warmth through them both.

“What’s this book about?” Alam asked, glancing at the cover.

Nalin looked shyly at him, her blush deepening. “This book talks about many things, especially the past—how human society rises and falls, the technology, medicine, and the inventions of humanity. Mostly, it’s about history and how things became what they are today.”

“Oh, I see. Sounds boring but great,” Alam said, opening the book to read.

As he delved into the pages, She retrieved the book and sat beside him, careful not to jostle his injured side, her heart fluttering with excitement and curiosity about the man beside her.

Alam leaned back, a curious glint in his eyes. “Hmm. Tell me about your past life in the city before moving here.”

Nalin's eyes widened slightly in surprise. She paused for a moment, contemplating his question. “My past life? How far do you want to know? From the moment I was born?”

“Umm... yeah,” Alam replied, intrigued.

Nalin took a deep breath, a nostalgic smile creeping onto her face. “Well, I was born in a small city in East Asia. Back then, I was just a normal girl, living peacefully under the shelter of my family and community. I loved storytelling as a child, spinning tales of heroes and villains. I even wrote my own fantasy stories about epic heroes.”

The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

“I see. What was life like there before the war?” Alam asked, his tone gentle.

Her expression shifted, a hint of sadness creeping in. “Everyone enjoyed their lives. There was no fear of war or disease. The nation was prosperous, advanced, and the people were civilized and open-minded. Technology was thriving...”

Alam nodded, sensing the weight of her memories. “I think that’s enough for now.”

Feeling a bit awkward, Nalin looked down, realizing the sensitivity of her past. “You don’t want to know why I live in this encampment now instead of the city?” she asked quietly.

“I know what happened next,” Alam said, patting her head absentmindedly as he turned back to his book.

Nalin blushed deeply, caught off guard by the unexpected gesture. “Then you know why I’m here. Can you tell me what exactly happened after the war started? I’m still a bit confused.”

“Not really. Not much interesting happened. You’ll learn the details yourself when you’re older,” Alam replied, a hint of mystery in his voice.

Nalin’s face fell slightly, and she nodded slowly, trying to mask her disappointment. “Yeah, you’re right. I shouldn’t bother you with this anymore. I’ll get you some food soon. I have work to do in the encampment.”

“Thank you,” Alam said, watching her as she turned to leave.

For three days, Alam was confined to the tent, his world a sliver of light from the entrance. He watched the mundane life of the encampment unfold: children chasing chickens, a few sheep bleating in a makeshift pen, and occasionally, a man riding a sturdy-looking deer – probably for herding, Alam figured. The fisherman who’d dragged him in never reappeared. What a jerk, Alam thought, flipping another page of his mind-numbingly boring book. At least Nalin was taking care of him.

He still hadn't changed his clothes – three days in the same grime – but he was starting to get used to it. He eyed his leather jacket, hanging near the entrance, sunning in a futile attempt to air it out. Three neat bullet holes punctuated the chest. Damn good jacket, he thought with a touch of gratitude. He was glad he’d ditched the Xian emperor’s fancy silks before the crash. Those wouldn't have stopped a thing.

Every afternoon, Nalin cooked near the tent, and Alam watched her process with a mix of curiosity and amusement. She'd hack chunks of sheep meat – each roughly the size of a man's fist – from a larger carcass, then toss them into a heavy iron skillet. After adding a handful of dried herbs and what looked like crushed berries, she’d place a heated river stone directly into the skillet, then set the whole thing over a small fire pit. It was a bizarre cooking method, but Alam wasn’t about to complain. He ate in comfortable silence as Nalin occasionally chattered about the day’s events – who’s sheep had wandered off, which child had fallen in the stream.

It was… nice, in a way. Less spicy than the Xian cuisine he’d grown accustomed to, but satisfyingly hearty. Meat had been a rare luxury in the cities and even his MRE rations on campaign, but here it was plentiful. Nalin had mentioned that while meat was abundant, spices and grains were scarce, traded from distant settlements. That explained the simple seasonings.

On the third day, Alam finally felt strong enough to venture outside. The fresh air was a welcome change from the stuffy tent. Nalin’s face lit up when she saw him. “Oh my, I can’t believe you’re feeling much better! That’s wonderful news!”

“Yeah, heh,” Alam replied, taking in his surroundings. The encampment was larger than he’d initially thought, a cluster of a dozen dome-shaped nomadic dwellings. Smoke curled from openings at their peaks. Roughly woven fences separated the dwellings, and a low rock wall enclosed a small herd of sheep. A few children napped peacefully beside a couple of deer, their spotted coats blending with the dappled sunlight. Beyond the encampment, dense woods and thick vegetation stretched to the horizon. No high-tech anything in sight.

Nalin smiled, leaning closer, a nervous blush rising on her cheeks. “Can I ask you something… about love?”

“Why so sudden? I thought you were going to show me around,” Alam teased.

Flustered, Nalin pulled back. “Oh! Right. I… lost my mind for a moment. Yes, the tour first.” She laughed softly, still trembling with nervous energy. “There’s a beautiful clearing by the river. You’ll like it.” She led him there, the water flowing gently around the encampment.

“Hmm… Where’s the nearest main road?” Alam asked, surveying the area.

“It’s far that way,” Nalin pointed. “Mercenaries and caravans use it for trading. They come every two or three weeks, mostly on weekends.”

“I see. I guess I’ll wait for them,” Alam said, considering his options.

Nalin’s concern returned. “Why do you want to go back to the city so badly? Are you sick? Or…?”

“My friends must be worried,” Alam replied, a hint of determination in his voice.

Nalin’s expression turned serious. “They must be… disappearing without a word. But is that the only reason?”

“Yes,” Alam said simply.

“If you find whoever shot down your helicopter…” Nalin began, then hesitated, “Will you… do something bad to them?”

Alam smirked. “Maybe a good spank on the butt,” he joked.

Nalin laughed, then grew serious. “There’s a rule here: no killing. Anyone who does is considered a criminal and gets kicked out after a year or two.”

“Of course,” Alam nodded.

Nalin’s concern deepened. “How are you feeling? Can you walk okay?”

“I can manage,” Alam assured her, starting to move toward the river.

“Wait! Don’t go there alone!” Nalin exclaimed, hurrying after him. “The river’s deep and cold. You’re not strong enough yet. I can get you water in the tent.”

“Oh, alright...” Alam conceded.

Nalin smiled, raising her hand to gently pat his neck from behind. “If you just want to wash your face, you can do that in the tent. I can get you a small bowl of water.”

“Yeah...,” Alam yawned. “I’m kinda sleepy. I think I’ll just head back to the tent and rest.”

Nalin noticed his drowsiness and leaned closer, her voice soft. “Yes, you seem really tired. Just go back to the tent. Don’t make your condition worse.” She paused, worry etched on her face. “But please promise me you’ll be okay and that nothing bad will happen to you. I don’t know what I’d do if something happened when I’m not there.”

“Yeah..i will enjoy my time in here until the caravan come. and dont worry about me now. i already feel better.” Alam replied, settling down for a rest.

"actually. Nalin replied. "the caravan is depends on the weather and… other things." She hesitated, glancing towards the woods.

"Other things?" Alam asked.

Nalin lowered her voice. "There have been… rumors. Whispers of increased activity in the forests to the east. Not just animals.

Alam's eyes narrowed. "i see"

Nalin pulling her shawl tighter around her shoulders. "They say… they say it's the raiders or rogue soldier or somethings, The ones who prey on the caravans."

While he lay recovering in that remote village, the wheels of war continued to turn, carrying others towards their own destinies.