Chapter 4 (English)

When I woke up, I was lying in an unfamiliar bed.

I wasn't sure, but it looked familiar.

Besides, what kind of dream was this?

Wait, was that just a dream?

< "You slept through a whole day Jun" > said a familiar voice.

When he entered the room, I saw that it was Grim.

< "Grim is my mother alright? I just had a very bad dream in which my .... " >

I wanted to tell him about my dream, but he interrupted me and said < "That wasn't a dream Jun. Your mother is dead. Your mother has already been prepared for the funeral tomorrow" >

When I heard that, I was in shock again.

Even though it was short, I had a moment of hope.

The worst moment is when you hold on to a spark of hope and then that hope is destroyed.

I had that moment.

I lost the most important person in my life in a horrible way.

No matter how hard I tried to stay positive, as I had for the past few years, I couldn't.

I didn't know where to go, but I wanted to leave.

I wanted to be alone, but I couldn't get up from the bed because my whole body hurt.

< "Stay down and rest. I know your emotions are going crazy right now, but don't forget your siblings. You are the oldest in the family from now on, which is why they need you. They don't have anyone else but you.

Take as much time as you want, but when you show your face to them again, you have to be there for them" > Grim said and left the room.

I knew Grim was right, but I wasn't mentally ready to stand in front of my siblings.

I didn't even know if I ever would be, because after all, I was the one who couldn't protect Mother.

I rested for a few days to get physically fit again.

Due to my poor condition, I could not attend the funeral.

What am I talking about?

I didn't want to attend it because I couldn't show my face in front of everyone, especially my mother, after I couldn't protect her.

I was lying in bed with depression.

Even when I was better, I lay in bed all day, in a dark room.

After a month, I secretly went out in the evening to the "Tree of Life."

I made a connection between the tree and my father, which is why I talk to it and take my worries out on it as if it were my father.

When I saw the tree from a little further away, I started running. The closer I got, the more my tears came until I was completely crying.

Then I fell on my knees in front of the tree and leaned my head against it.

< "I don't want to lose my mother. Please. Please. Please. I never knew you, my father, and now my mother has been taken from me. Father, I'm sorry. I couldn't protect mother. I don't know if you are alive, but I wish you were here."> Jun said, leaning his head against the tree.

Then I lay down on the side of the tree and slept there until morning.

The next day I woke up under the sun around noon.

I went straight home, not wanting to run into anyone, but as luck would have it, I ran into Ake and Nima.

I realized that they must probably be sad too, so I put a smile on my face so as not to worry anyone.

Nima ran to me and hugged me <"Jun, where have you been? I was worried about you.">

Then Ake joined us and said with a worried face < "Jun, we are here for you no matter what you need. You had to watch mother's death. I'm sure it wasn't easy for you. If you need anything, please come to us.">

Then Nima added < "Even though mother is gone, we're still family. Right?" >

< "Of course we are. I couldn't imagine my life without you" > I replied.

< "Then stay with us. Don't hide from us again. I want us to stay together always" > Nima asked me.

I hugged both of them out of gratitude.

I might not have a mother and father anymore, but that time would have come eventually anyway.

So I should be grateful that I still have a family to rely on.

From that point on, I spent more time with my siblings and smiled in their presence. Not to worry them, however, it took me some time before I could laugh from the heart again.

Two more months passed and I had meanwhile recovered, also my health was much better. Due to the good nutrition that we had through Grim, I gained a bit of mass.

So I went to Grim and asked him about the three men.

I asked him if he knew anything about the men, to which he told me <"I knew your mother as well as your father Jun, but I didn't know their past. Your parents arrived in this village at that time completely exhausted and finished. It was as if they had fled from a war. I never knew what had happened, why they had come here, and why they were so broken. After some time, when your parents had settled here, we got to know each other a little better and I got to know that your parents had problems with the government and had fled from them. After I gained their trust, your father asked me to do one thing. He asked me, if something happened to your father and mother, that I should take care of you. When you should be old enough, he asked me to tell you about Luceli. By your age I guess your mother told you about it before, didn't she?" >

< "Yes, she told us over and over again about it, that when she should be gone, we should go to Luceli" > I answered.

< "Well that's all I have to tell you, that's all I know. The rest is up to you. If you want to go, I won't stop you. If you want to stay here, I will take care of you like I promised your father" > said Grim and left the room.

I thought about what to do after that conversation, all day.

When I decided, I went to Grim and my siblings and asked my siblings < "The decision is up to you. I will set out for Luceli, which our mother had always told us about, but I will not force you to come with me. If you want, you can stay here and Grim will take care of you. I would like to stay here too, but I need to know why this happened to mother and what happened to father." >

< "We'll come with you" > they both said at the same time.

< "Let's stay together forever. I don't want to lose anyone" > said Nima.

< "Then the matter is settled. We'll be on our way tomorrow at noon. Pack your things and get ready." > I said to my siblings and turned to Grim < "Here's your answer Grim." >

Grim just nodded and everyone went to their rooms.

The next day we all had breakfast and enjoyed the last breakfast with Grim in the village.

After breakfast we said goodbye to Grim with a group hug, which made him blush.

Then we set off on our way.

Since we didn't have a port or anything important, Grim organized a fishing boat for us, from an old acquaintance of his.

We sat down on the boat

When the sails were set and we sailed off, the boat driver said <"Things come and go, but everything that comes leaves something there that stays forever. These are the memories of the situation and people.">

I looked at him confused and then he added < "It depends on what you make of those memories. Some stay in the same place or fall behind, but again others use that memory as an experience and grow from it. They learn for the next time.">

I didn't know why he said that now, but smiled at him in agreement and took that wisdom with me.

< "I did my job Grim, you owe me one for that" > said the boat driver and sailed on.