Alone

"Ehi kid wake up."

"mmh?"

"I'm speaking with you wake up"

"Where am I?"

There was a lot of noise around me: whispers, cries and screams that made my awakening the worst possible. I opened my eyes and discovered that I was in a room plenty of people; most of them seemed anxious or gloomy; there were also some others who were dressed in white, arriving quickly through some side doors, rushing across the place and disappearing a moment later.

In front of me A brown-haired, thin and small-eyed doctor was touching my shoulder.

"You are in the Edenfall's hospital; you came here with your sister yesterday morning. You've been waiting here the whole day until you fainted. I'm her Doctor, my name is Lorenz"

[Oh right, I remember now, I'm in this place because of Ram-]

"Big sis! How is big sis now?"

"Are you okay?"

"What?"

"You know sometimes too much anxiety can make you pass out and…"

"No! It's my traits effect; just tell me how my sister is faring!"

"Okay come with me I'll bring you to see her"

I followed him through the hospital until we arrived in front of a light green door. I opened it and finally found Ramona; she was on a bed, unconsciously resting under its' sheets.

"Sis!"

I ran to her side calling her name but I didn't get any response.

[Please don't tell me…]

"Doctor what's happening? Can't she listen what I'm saying?"

"Don't you worry she's just under sedation she'll be awake in a few hours"

*phew*

[Thanks God. For a second I assumed the worst.]

"Can you tell me your name little kid?"

"I'm Alexander, Alexander Morrowitch."

"Oh so you two are the Morrowitch brothers, Elijah's nephew and niece."

"That's right."

"And tell me Alexander, how can we contact your uncle?"

"He still hasn't come?"

"Last I checked, you were the only one who came for her."

[I knew he was angry because of my failure during the activation, but for him not to come here to visit big sis, this is really… No! All of this happened just yesterday, he probably doesn't know yet!]

"Why do you want to speak with him?"

"Well, I need to discuss about your sister's illness with him an-"

"Illness?"

"…"

"What illness are you speaking about?"

"I'm not sur-"

"Tell me!!"

I tried to look into his eyes, but he was keeping his head low. He did not say a word. Suddenly I got a bad feeling about the situation. I observed him for another second or two and, just as he was getting ready to answer, I noticed a stack of documents on a bedside table on Ramona's left.

I ran and snatched them; they were her medical files.

"Stop"

[Patient number: 350,

Symptoms: organ collapse.

Cause: Unknown.

Life expectation: 6 years.]

My mind went blank. Lorenz took the files back but it was too late. I had already read what I wanted to know, my sister was dying.

"How much did you read?"

[It cannot be… It can't…]

"Oh god, I'll get in a lot of trouble for this"

"Doctor… you will be able to heal my sister, right?"

"I... well I'll tell you the truth since you've already read her file. We don't even know what's happening to your sister and, even If we knew what it is, we probably wouldn't have the necessary cure"

"Can't you invent it?"

"It's Edenfall's research team located in the sanctuary that deals with the creation of new medicines."

"O-ok let's repor-"

"But your sister is the only known case of such an illness they won't bother about her."

[Is he joking? This is Edenfall: a great city where some of the best warriors were born. Everyone always told us that this city is a glorious one, it protect us and that its sanctuary worries about the citizens. It was all…]

"Damn it! Damn it all! This city, their ceremony, their sanctuary! It's all bullshit!! Bullshit!!"

I went crazy, I started trashing things around and spouting random insults and I continued until my throat was burning and my arms were too tired to continue. Then I started crying. The doctor didn't do anything to stop me, he allowed me to vent my anger.

"Uncle! Uncle Elijah is a very important man; maybe he can use his influence to force the research team to find a solution!"

Suddenly this revelation hit me. There was still hope. I ran away from the room and the hospital. I crossed the whole city and arrived home.

"Uncle Elijah!! Uncle Elijah!! Where are you?"

I felt a presence behind me, I turned and I found the person I was searching for.

"Uncle big sis is in hospital!"

I expected him to have some kind of reaction like being astonished or even shouting maybe, but he just stayed still.

"I know."

"You knew?"

"Of course, nothing happens in this city without me knowing about it"

"And do you also know that her illness has no cure?"

"Yes"

"Then, can you use your influence to ask the sanc-"

"Why should I?"

"???"

I couldn't understand. We were speaking about my big sis, her nephew.

"I said why should I?"

"But big sis…"

"She's a weakling, a dishonour for our family just like you."

[What the hell?]

"Uncle?"

"Perhaps I wasn't clear enough right now. You and your sister are useless to me and to our family. I have no obligation to help you"

I was struck. I finally understood who my uncle truly was: a lurid bastard who only cared about his name.

"So It's like this? Ahahhahhahahahah"

I started laughing. What was happening seemed too absurd. I employed a little while to stop laughing and elaborate the whole matter. What came next was an incredible rage and resentment.

"You…You'll regret this day uncle"

*sneer*

"Me regretting it? Tell me who's gonna make me regret it, you? Look at me I'm a powerful warrior respected and loved by everyone, as for you… you're just an untalented little brat. What can you do to me?"

"I-I will…"

I didn't find any response.

"Yeah, that's the answer: nothing. Leave my house now and don't come back ever again."

He disappeared leaving only a stream of wind behind. I stayed frozen for a moment then I went toward the door and stepped out. I had nowhere to go so I started walking aimlessly through Edenfall.

[Isn't there a single thing I can do?]

This question kept revolving in my mind. It was the first time i felt such bitterness and desperation; I had no solution to my problems.

I found myself in road I had never before seen. I was exhausted and sat on the ground.

Then a miracle happened. I don't know if it was fate or a god's will that brought me in that place, but there I met the person I needed to see the most in that moment.

His bald head and his big build made him stand out in the crowd.

He was going home with his groceries, walking steadily as he casually passed near me.

"Little Alexander is that you?"

"Mmh? Mister Baldwin?"