Chapter 11: Ken’s childhood (part 3)

In the middle of the destruction caused by the war on the state of Ruby, two young children stood lost, unsure of how they would continue their lives after losing their families, with no idea what the future held for them. These children were Ken and Yoko. They walked through the rubble, holding each other's hands, hearing the screams of people trapped beneath the ruins. Fear and sorrow were etched on their faces.

As they walked, they were startled to see a teenage boy sitting amidst the rubble. He appeared to be around fifteen years old, with blonde hair and green eyes. His body and face were covered in scars and wounds. When he saw them, he stood and approached them.

Boy: "Hey there, do you need help?"

Ken (with exhaustion and sorrow): "We don't know where to go… Our homes are destroyed, and we lost our families."

Boy (trying to hold back tears): "The same thing happened to me… I thought I was going to die. My house was bombed, and a lot of rubble fell on me, but I managed to get out. Then I found all my family dead…"

Yoko (with deep sadness): "What will we do now? Are we going to an orphanage?"

Boy: "Maybe… Anyway, my name is Randy."

Ken: "I'm Ken, and this is Yoko."

Randy: I just remembered… What do you think about escaping to the island of Orakano? It's nearby, and I have a small boat that can take us there—hopefully, it hasn't been damaged.

Ken (looking around the devastated city): I don't think we have any other choice… Our homeland has been completely destroyed.

Randy: Then follow me.

The two children followed Randy, trying to process all the events of that grim day. After a short while, they reached the beach, which was the only place untouched by the bombings and destruction. Randy's small wooden boat was still there, so the three got on board. Randy began rowing, with help from Yoko and Ken. Silence filled the air, and before long, exhaustion overcame Ken and Yoko, and they fell into a deep sleep in the boat, resting on Randy's chest. Randy, overwhelmed and unsure of what he should to do, kept rowing for a while longer until he too drifted off to sleep, realizing they all needed rest after such a devastating day.

The next morning, Ken woke up, for the first time in a place that wasn't his bed and without his mother calling him for breakfast. As soon as he remembered everything that had happened the night before, he broke down crying. Yoko and Randy woke up to the sound of his sobs. Randy held Ken in his arms, trying to comfort him. Ken's cries softened, not from consolation but from sheer exhaustion. Randy then resumed rowing.

Randy: I think we'll reach the island of Orakano in about an hour.

The three rowed in complete silence, taking in the sight of the blue sea reflecting the clear sunlight, scattered clouds, and refreshing breezes. After about an hour, land began to appear.

Ken: Is that the island of Orakano?

Randy: Yes, we've arrived.

Yoko: Is it big?

Randy: Not really. It's home to only about a million and a half people, but it's beautiful. I've visited it before.

After a few more minutes, the boat reached the beach. The three disembarked, their appearance clearly revealing that they had fled from a war. They walked amidst the stares of strangers, it was clear that they had taken on more than they could handle.

Yoko: So… where should we go now?

Randy: I'm not sure…

Suddenly, a police officer noticed them and approached.

Officer: Hello, did you came from the Ruby Kingdom?

Randy: Yes… our homes were bombed, and our families were killed. We escaped using a boat.

Officer: Many people came from the Ruby state last night. You can go and look for anyone you know to live with.

The officer gestured behind him and said, "They're over there, go ahead."

The three walked toward a large open area on the beach, filled with chairs and many families carrying their belongings, hoping to reunite with missing loved ones. Suddenly, Randy spotted someone he knew among the crowd and ran toward them.

Randy (shouting): Uncle! Aunt! I can't believe you're here!

Ken: That's good—Randy found his relatives. But I wonder if we'll find ours…

Yoko: We don't know…

Suddenly, a woman with short black hair and blue eyes appeared. The moment she saw Yoko, she shouted: "Yoko! Is that you?!"

Yoko: Auntie!

Yoko ran into her aunt's arms, crying.

Yoko: Auntie! They're all gone!

Yoko's Aunt: I know… I thought you were dead too! But thank goodness you're still alive, my dear!

Yoko: Auntie, will you let me live with you?

Yoko's Aunt: Of course.

Yoko: What about Ken? He's my friend, he lost all his family members.

Yoko's aunt looked at Ken with annoyance and said: "I don't have time to care for other people's children. I'll only take care of you!"

Yoko: But Auntie! Where will Ken live?!

Yoko's Aunt: That's not important; what matters is that you're safe. Let's go find ourselves a home now.

Ken was shocked by Yoko's aunt's reaction and her annoyance with him. She pulled Yoko by the hand, and Yoko cried out, "Wait, Auntie! I want to say goodbye to Ken!"

But her aunt didn't respond and continued walking, holding Yoko's hand tightly, leaving both Ken and Yoko with expressions of shock on their faces.

Ken shouted with tears in his eyes: "Goodbye, Yoko! We'll meet again, for sure!"

Hours passed, and Ken sat alone, waiting to spot someone he knew, but no one came. He watched many families reunited, the number of people dwindling until, by sunset, Ken was left sitting alone. Feeling lost, sad, and unsure of where to go, he began crying softly while sitting on a wooden bench away from the shoreline.

An old man heard Ken's quiet sobs and approached him. The man appeared to be in his eighties, his hair full of gray, and his blue eyes still gleamed with a youthful sharpness. Despite his age, traces of his former handsomeness were evident. The old man sat down beside Ken to talk to him.

Old Man: Hello, young one. Are you lost?

Ken (wiping his tears): I don't know where to go…

Old Man: Your accent is different. Are you from the Ruby state?

Ken: Yes… I've lost everything! I have no mother, no father, no siblings!

Old man: What's your name?

Ken: My name is Ken.

Old Man: You can call me Grandpa Laud.

Ken: Okay… Grandpa Laud.

Laud: Don't you have any other relatives?

Ken: No, I have no one…

Laud: Then you can live with me.

Ken looked at the old man with joy and said: "Really?!"

Laud: Yes, I'm alone, too. I can be your grandfather.

And so, Ken began living with Grandpa Laud in a modest house that met all their needs. Ken gradually adapted to his new life and found happiness and comfort with Laud. Unfortunately, Laud passed away when Ken was 11 years old, leaving Ken some money and the house.

After that, Ken decided to start training to become strong enough to face Cirrus. We can see scenes of Ken practicing with a sword in the yard, building his agility and skill. There are also moments of Ken attempting to use his fire elemental power, imagining cirrus in front of him. He would unleash flames on the ground in anger but then quickly extinguish them to prevent burning down the area.

To be continued…