After the court hearing was over and all the small matters were cleared, we returned home.
Yesterday was very devastating for all of us.
It was impossible for me or Brian to tell others what had happened yesterday.
I didn’t even want to leave the house today, but dad reminded me of what Eon told me.
Eon wanted me to protect the baby and baby like Brian.
He knew, he understood I was the only one who could do that.
I might be able to do that… yes.
For our better lives and for the future… a better future where my Eon would be with us, I had to do everything on my side.
Brian would understand and come back to normal after some time… hopefully.
I had to be strong here… but, why me!?
Why was I the one that had to be strong here?!
Am I strong enough to do what he asked?!
Why did he even-
“Nolen. Let’s go,” Brian stepped out of the carriage and wiped out the tears on my already red eyes.
He wasn’t doing any better than me.
He might not be able to show that with his emotions but… I could feel him.
That silent cursing.
That helplessness.
That anger.
Remembering the past events where his parents went through something darker and similar.
Even right now when he was wiping off my tears, his hands were cold.
His eyes were void of many common emotions.
He was just keeping himself standing somehow.
I hated to see this.
I held his hand and dragged him inside, string into our room.
The distance between the house and gates was great as a garden separated two places.
But right now, there was nothing visible in our eyes.
Not mom or dad, not even brother or sister.
We even ignored Carla ever since we got home.
She was so excited to meet her little brother but, now no one knew how long that would take.
‘I know he will come back. He will…’
I was sure, I knew he will come back.
He will come back… to me. To us.
But, even I knew this won’t be easy or how long he might have to suffer.
I knew…
‘No hell is easy to escape.’
And he was, maybe, in one of the most brutal ones.
Even so… as a powerless mother, the only hope I had was the ring that told me he was… at least alive.
[Soul Rings]
One’s soul energy was stored inside them and it reacted whenever the soul was endangered.
Soul energy was the fundamental energy of every living being living inside nature.
If the soul was to integrate into nature, then it meant the person is dead.
In dangerous situations, the soul weavers so the reaction to the other ring indicated the critical state of the person.
When the ring was reacting for the first time, my heart was running wild.
But, I knew it also meant he was alive.
He was fighting so I couldn’t just break down completely.
And if it meant I couldn’t break, I can’t let this fool of a husband breakdown either.
We reached the room and I slammed it behind my back.
We sat down and I cupped his big face and pulled it towards me.
He looked at me with his soulless eyes.
“Brian. It wasn’t your mistake. You were strong and you fought bravely.
You protected us when you could and it wasn’t your mistake that Eon was pulled away.
He protected you!
He did what he always said he will do.
He did everything he could then… why are you acting like this?!
He asked us to look after the baby, you know right!?
If you continue acting like this… h-how will he feel?
Pull yourself together…
We need you…”
Some life lit up in his surprised eyes.
“N-Nolen…”
He hugged me tightly and a dam of tears broke out.
I hugged him back and continued my own downpour.
We… were still lacking as guardians.
***
I swung my wooden sword for the last time for today’s training.
My training for the day was done.
I had to do this by myself since no one was free.
Grandfather, as well as dad, was busy with some sort of work ever since aunty came back.
My little brother wasn’t with them, I didn’t know why.
No one told me where he was.
I was practicing so hard these past few months just to fight him.
I wanted to defeat him so grandfather could praise me a little bit more.
Though he praised me more than anyone, while talking about Eon… he was different.
He was proud of me but, Eon thrilled him.
My Grandfather was a great person and my hero.
I wanted to be just like him so I started training at the very young age of 6.
Grandfather used a Warhammer but a sword suited me the best.
I knew the sword was best for me because I had already tried every weapon there could be available and my synergy with the sword was… unreal.
I could feel the sword, naturally.
This was rare for children of my age or even any other professional sword wielder.
Grandpa said my brother was somewhat the same but unlike me, he always knew what weapon he would use.
Though bows weren’t that special and only used by those on the backlines of the wars, he wasn’t some simple archer.
He was a mage. Just like my uncles.
He used magic to create arrows instead of those annoying circles.
I liked that about him.
He was also good with books, just like my dad.
Dad and mom were looking forward to meeting him for a very long time but now, they were busy with something that they didn’t tell me.
Why were they even keeping something like that from me?
It wasn’t like he was dead or something.
No way… no.
He was amazing and before fighting me he wasn’t allowed to die!
I had worked hard to reach the strength of (Rank-1) knight!
Those kids who played in the gardens now started fearing me.
Well, I had nothing to do with those kids.
All I wanted was to get strong and find that ‘goal’ thing grandfather mentioned. .𝒄𝒐𝒎
I also wanted to ask him what this goal thing was exactly?
It might be something simple if he found it, right?
Well, what might be so difficult in these things?
I was good with this sword so I might also be good with fighting, right?
Well, I want to at least meet my uncle and aunty.
They were also busy ever since they arrived.
Aunty looked very sad for some reason and uncle didn’t say anything.
I at least understood that something did happen to my little brother.
But, thinking he might really be dead… no.
That was thinking of the worst-case scenario.
And I didn’t like worst-case scenarios.
I sat down by the large fountain in the garden and splashed some water on my face.
I looked myself inside the water.
Blood red hair just like my mom and sky blue eyes like my grandfather and dad.
I was somewhat… pretty?
But that wasn’t something I thought much about.
I was still just 7 years old so doing big things like fighting was still not allowed to me.
I could have just fought those new recruits to pass my time but… nope.
‘As a child, you should play and do other things besides training. Study for a bit or at least do something you like.’
Those were my grandfather’s words when I just played with a sword for a whole day without attending my dad’s classes.
Well, mom knew I liked just playing with swords the most so she was happy if I was happy.
I liked that thing about mom.
Dad, well… what can he do?
He wanted to teach me but I would run away from him.
Then mom had to take care of him.
Well… whatever to them.
Thinking about unnecessary things was pointless.
This tension and the hot atmosphere weren’t a good thing.
I wasn’t one of those people that would wait for anything.
I walked inside to ask anyone I could find, what was going on and why only I was excluded!?