A Promise For A Lifetime

As Lok woke up the kids, they felt some shock thanks to the loud entrance while he thought about how Mira's feelings affected his doings. But his sister's health is the most important for him.

- Get up! You will come with me today!

- Why ... what are we gonna do? - asked by Ayla as she felt the tiredness she had in her eyes.

- It's another method to teach you. Don't complain! Be ready in 5 minutes!

And with those last words, Lok left the room, let the kids get dressed. In the meantime, Mira talked to Lok outside of the house.

- Do you think you can do it, Lok?

- I need to do it. Fuff is already old, he needs to retire soon.

- Why do you think that? - Mira wondered why Lok said that.

- I'm a hunter. I see his breathing and moves are slower. His mana circulation is getting messy. Even if I don't see it, I can sense, you can't deny it.

The kids showed up before them, being ready to leave. Lok just waved his hand as a signal to follow him while he said goodbye to his sister. With Lok's leadership, new training got started.

- Is Fuff not coming with us?

- He will rest for now. And with him, you would learn nothing as he does everything in the place of you!

Because of Lok's answer, Ayla felt herself a little offended, but Ayla's mood changed at an easy and fast pace.

Riox and Ayla followed Lok's instructions, but for the first time, they were just viewers. They saw how Lok was searching for traces of animals, moving without making noise or observing the environment and the weather.

Since that day, Riox and Ayla have moved out every second week with Lok to learn about that and more. Lok took the initiative to teach them using bows and swords. And at the third opportunity, they hunted their first animal. At first, Riox was too cold as he saw the blood of the animal, while Ayla became depressed about it's death, but they slowly got used to it.

On the other weeks, Mira stood up as the teacher. Surprisingly, the kids adapted quickly to the hunter's life, such as being in the wild for days and being aware of their surroundings. The mana sensing they practiced with Mira had no results at all. On the days when Mira taught them, the rest of the days went as always.

However, on a windy day, after the first colder breezes passed, Riox couldn't take a nap under a tree he usually did. He sat down for a little, but as he couldn't sleep, he stood up and walked inside the village, for the first time. He looked around how the village was built, the little market and the workshops.

*How long did we live in this village? It's already been 2 months ... time is flying away quickly. And this is my first time coming to the village. I wondered how people live their lives. It's a bit faster, after all ... 'we' ... live on the outskirts of the village. So strange to say it ... we. I ...*

As Riox lost in his thoughts, a sudden banging noise shook back his attention. He turned his head to where sound came from. He saw a man squeezing a hammer that hit a metal rod. It was the blacksmith of the village. As he stared at the man working, he completely forgot what he wanted to do. Some memorizes came back to him as a remembrance of dialogue :

- Hey, uncle! What are you doing?

- Me? I'm making some hand made fences with iron!

- Woooow! So cool!

- He-he-he! Well kid, if you are interested in smithing, I can show you some tricks! Come, grab this hammer!

- Like thiiii ... ugh, it's heavy!

- Later you will easily lift it, just remember how I show the tricks! This is the angle you hold the hammer, but hit the metal from this direction, then ...

The time he first met with a blacksmith. The blurry memory showed an old man who had no face, laughed with peace while he explained and told the moves to him. He now remembered a thing he forgot a long time ago. He wanted to learn smithing.

- Hey, kid! Do you wanna som'thin'?

The smith asked him, because he felt confused as Riox stared at him.

- M-me? Oh, I just always wanted to try out the smithing ...

- You? Hm, let's see ...

The smith put down his hammer and left the white-hot metal rod on the anvil and walked next to Riox.

- You have bad shape to become a smith. Y'ur muscles 're small and ...

As the smith pointed out all the mistakes he saw at a first glance on Riox, he walked back and continued his work. Riox took the insulting words from the smith, but he didn't leave, just stood still before the workshop.

As the daytime turned to night, everyone closed their shops and went home. The blacksmith's workshop also closed its door for the day, but Riox still stood before the building.

It was near midnight, and Riox didn't move a bit. In the distance he heard Mira's voice, and realized what time it was. He stood a half day before the blacksmith without realizing it.

- Riox! Riox! Where did you go?

Mira stood next to him and asked with worry.

- It. It was nothing. Nothing happened. I just felt ... something.

- Come with me, it's already too late! You need to sleep to get enough rest!

Mira grabbed Riox's hand and led him back home. Riox's thoughts still wandered around that blacksmith, and that he wanted to grasp that hammer and hit the metal as he remembered the old man's words.

The house appeared in their view, Riox regained himself and he told the only thing that came to his mind to Mira.

- I'm sorry for making you worry. I wondered how it feels to smithing and lost in my thoughts. I'm sorry!

As Mira looked at him when these words were said, she was relieved, because she found something that was interesting for Riox.

- I'm not angry at you! I'm just worried.

- I'm really sorry. I promise it will never happen again.

Mira smiled and let Riox hand as she saw the sincere regret in his eyes. She slowed down and embraced Riox on his shoulders.

- The others are already sleeping, so we should be quiet!

She whispered to him before they entered the house. Mira went to sleep in her room because she was already too tired. As for Riox, when he stepped into the room of his and Ayla's, Ayla instantly sat up on the bed, staring at Riox with the glance of an angry wife. Riox just stood still as he watched out for Ayla, because he had no idea what she would do.

She pushed aside the blanket and slowly stepped before Riox, who stood like he was ready to get a slap on his face and closed his eyes in the fear of anger of Ayla. But he got a hug and a bit panicked complaining.

- Why didn't you come back?! I'm so worried!!

She was near to the point of crying. Ayla is still sensitive with this matter. Riox just hugged Ayla to relax her.

- Don't worry, nothing bad happened. I'm here with you.

- You won't leave me, right?

*She is still a little childish, but can't help it. Her mental growth is a bit underdeveloped at this point, but as I see, she will soon achieve the mentality of a grown up woman. What should I answer for her? I don't want to lie, but saying in silence is also ... After all, this world maybe is better than I lived in before ...*

- Don't worry. Something like that would never happen.

- Never leave me alone!

*She was sobbing between my arms. How cute ... I wanted to leave her in this world alone. I wished for my disappearance many times, but now ... I feel I have a reason to not leave this place. It's her. She got the chance to live because of me. I gave her my name. I didn't want to bond her to me ... but it seems ... She needs me. I think I've finally found my reason to stay here. I denied it a few times … But it's not a bad reason to help her live a beautiful life ...*

- I will never leave you, Ayla. Never.