0007. Jessica and James

As Nile was envisioning his future, a man with a short beard and a girl of similar height approached the wagon. Despite the noise of departing villagers, their approach was quiet and subdued. Nile glanced up and watched as the man struggled with heavy bags loaded onto one side of the wagon.

Quickly moving to help, Nile took a few bags and stepped beside the man. "How many times have I told you to not strain your old bones, Uncle James? Why don't you ever listen to me?"

"Haha, good evening, Nile," Uncle James greeted, unloading the heavy bags with a grin.

"Stop laughing about it all the time, Uncle. Do you want to end up like our neighbor John, not able to use your legs or arms at old age?" Nile's tone was firm.

"Don't worry, kid. My bones and muscles can handle this little bit of load," Uncle James replied, chuckling.

"You always say that, but wait till you get a muscle strain or a bone fracture. I won't come to help you then," Nile grumbled as he placed the luggage in the wagon.

"Pipe down, Mama's boy," came a sweet voice from behind, followed by the sound of bags being placed. "Good evening, Aunt Veena," greeted a girl, her voice full of energy.

"Look, look, Uncle James! Only I care about you. Your daughter doesn't even care about your health but wishes for you to get hurt," Nile protested.

"Yeah, like he'd ever get hurt," Jessica grumbled.

Hearing the girl's grumbling, both Uncle James and Veena exchanged a knowing smile.

"You—you," Nile started to argue with Jessica but stopped when she narrowed her eyes at him. "Did you forget the last beating, Mama's boy?"

"Never mind him, Jessica. Come sit here, child. Let me see how much you've grown," Veena said, addressing the girl.

Seeing his mother getting busy with Jessica, Nile leaned in close to Uncle James and sat beside him at the front of the wagon.

---

The Awakened Path

"Nile," Uncle James began, "I remember Jessica stopped going to school last year, but now she's going to town school. I thought she failed. Even you told me last year that she failed."

"Nile boy, it isn't like that. Jessica completed her village studies early and even managed to awaken her abilities without Templars' guidance. She could have gone to town school if she passed my personal test, but she failed. So, I had her train under me for the past year," Uncle James explained.

"Oh, I see. Wait a minute, Uncle James. She was training under you. That means you're awakened too?" Nile's eyes widened.

With a knowing smile, Uncle James nodded. "Yes, boy, I am awakened."

Nile finally understood. His face darkened with realization. "So, that's why you always laugh when I told you to take care of your body. You and Mama have known all this time and laughed at me, never clearing up my misunderstanding. You guys are really..."

With a small chuckle, Uncle James interrupted, "Heh, now you see, boy, why that girl always calls you Mama's boy. In our nation, children strive to reach their limits to awaken by themselves before turning 15. After 15, they're almost guaranteed to manifest their abilities. Your mother has told me you've decided to start your martial path."

"Yes, Uncle James. If I want to see Frost, Sister Reema, and Brother Shakti again, I need to become stronger—strong enough so that Mama can tell me where to look for them."

"Are you really not curious about your father and birth mother?" Uncle James asked.

Nile's face turned gloomy, his voice quieter. "It's not that I'm not curious. It's just that Mama always told me to live a happy life. I won't destroy it for parents I didn't even know about until yesterday. But mark my words, Uncle, if someday I gain enough strength, I will search for them. But it will never be over the cost of my current happy family."

"I'm glad you understand, dear Nile," Uncle James replied with a reassuring smile.

---

A Favor and Guidance

After a moment of silence, Nile spoke again. His eyes sparkled with mischief, and he wore the most brilliant smile he could muster. "Uncle James, could you help me with something?"

Looking at Nile's innocent face, Uncle James sighed. "And here I thought someone was actually caring for me. You just want to ask for a favor. Tell me, what is it?"

"Nothing much, Uncle James. I just need some guidance for my martial path. I was hoping you could teach me..."

Before Nile could finish, Uncle James interrupted, "Not a chance, boy. I already have that girl to teach. Even with your mother's help, I barely manage to satisfy her questions. I can't handle another one, especially not an amateur Mama's boy."

Nile groaned, frustration evident. "Not you too, Uncle. I'm not a Mama's boy! It's just that I only have Mama after Sister and Frost left."

"Oh, really? You also have Jessica to talk to," Uncle James teased.

"Who, that she-devil? Do you remember the last time I mistakenly ate a bit of her birthday cake, and she beat me so much I couldn't even remember the taste of it?"

"Be real, Nile. You not only ate more than half of the cake, but you ate it before we could even cut and celebrate. Even an old man like me had the urge to beat you."

"I only ate a little bit. It was Frost who loves the jelly and ate most of it," Nile defended himself.

"Boy, I believe you. After all, even Frost was beaten senseless by her," Uncle James said, smiling.

Recalling the memory, Nile chuckled, and soon both of them were laughing.

Nile's Reflection:

As they sat by the wagons, the bustle of the departing villagers swirling around them, Nile found his thoughts drifting. The events of the last day felt like they had shaken something deep inside him. The truth about his mother, the revelation about his birth father—it was all too much to process in such a short time. Yet, instead of feeling overwhelmed, Nile felt strangely calm, his mind clearer than ever.

In the past, he would've been consumed by anger or confusion. But now, something had shifted. His conversations with Uncle James had taught him more than he realized. The carefree laughter, the lighthearted remarks—there was a lot more hidden in those moments than he had understood before. He hadn't noticed how much he had missed by not truly observing people, how much he could learn just by paying attention to their actions, their words, the spaces between them.

He glanced at his mother, sitting quietly beside him, her face a picture of serenity. She had been through so much, and yet she held everything inside. He had always assumed he knew her, but now he realized how little he truly understood about her. How much more was there to uncover?

This was what Frost had been trying to teach him all along. It wasn't just about strength. It was about awareness. About being able to sense what others didn't say, to see what was hidden in plain sight.

Looking at the people around him, the villagers preparing for their departure, Nile couldn't help but feel a change within himself. He no longer felt the rush to act, to charge ahead without thinking. For the first time, he felt the weight of the journey he was about to take—not just physically, but mentally and emotionally. He would have to learn to listen, to think before acting, to observe everything around him.

Nile wasn't sure what awaited him, but he knew one thing for certain—he wasn't the same boy who had arrived in the village. The path ahead wouldn't be easy, but he was ready. Not just to fight, but to understand. To become more than just a boy seeking answers. He would learn the ways of cultivation, not just with his body, but with his mind and heart as well.