9th dawn

I hesitated at first, unsure if I was ready to fly again, especially with the old man in my arms. But I owed him so much, and it was the least I could do. With a deep breath, I carefully picked him up, cradling him like a princess."Don't blame me if you fall," I warned.He just laughed, the sound light and carefree.

With a few flaps of my wings, I soared higher into the sky, climbing until we were close to the first layer of the atmosphere. I was about to say something, but the sight before me made my words catch in my throat. The old man's eyes were glued to the stars, a look of sheer joy on his face. He pointed to each one, naming them with a peaceful, almost childlike bliss."Aldebaran, Sirius, Betelgeuse…" he murmured, lost in the beauty of the night sky.

I flapped my wings gently and moved us forward, flying at a slow and steady pace. I, too, could see the stars now, and they were indeed beautiful. But I didn't share his fascination. I was focused on the task at hand—on Aloka, on Maya, and everything I had to do.

After a while, I broke the silence."Have you seen enough?"But before I could finish, he cut me off, a joyful expression lighting his face."Take me to the moon, young lad. To the moon!"I smiled at his enthusiasm, and without hesitation, I flew toward the moon. As we grew closer, his expression became even more joyous, and I couldn't help but feel a sense of peace as I watched him.

"We can check all the stars in the sky tonight if you want," I offered.He shook his head with a smile."Thank you, but this will do. The stars are bountiful, just like everyone in the universe." He spoke with a calm voice, the weight of his words settling in."Everyone's life, no matter their social class or spiritual essence, is equally significant. Never forget that."

I understood the surface of what he meant, but I could tell there was a deeper truth buried in his words."I'll remember that," I said quietly.

I turned to Hildegarde, asking if she had any place she wanted to go, but she said nothing. With a soft flap of my wings, I slowly descended toward the ground, bringing us back to earth in a smooth landing.

The old man hopped off my arm with surprising energy and insisted we take the bus back home. We walked to the nearest bus stop and swiped our cards, settling in next to each other on the ride. As the bus moved, buildings and people flashed by, but I hardly noticed. I was lost in thought about the battle ahead, about the sword, and about everything that was yet to come.

About 35 minutes later, we arrived at the nearest stop to his house. We alighted, and the old man fumbled for his keys. When he unlocked the door, it swung open with ease."Welcome," he said with a grin, gesturing for me to enter.

He quickly moved to the sword he had been working on earlier, placed it in a scabbard, and handed it to me with a calm voice."The rest is up to you, Jeremiah."I accepted the sword with a nod, feeling the weight of it in my hands. As I turned to leave, he called after me."Why don't you stay for dinner? You look like you could use a meal."

I hesitated but agreed. I hadn't eaten in days, and the offer was too tempting. Hildegarde's voice echoed in my head as I entered the kitchen."Ugh, finally, some food."

The old man opened the fridge and pulled out two cups of ramen noodles."Did you think I was going to cook some grand feast for a 22-year-old?" he chuckled.

I raised an eyebrow."I was really expecting some traditional delicacies. I'm a bit disappointed."

With a smirk, he replied,"I have some alcohol I can offer you."I immediately declined, but he poured himself a glass anyway, shaking his head."What an addict," I thought to myself as I took a bite of the ramen.

It wasn't a grand meal, but the warmth it provided was more than enough. I hadn't eaten in days, and the simple act of sharing a meal with someone, something I had never really done with family, filled me with an unexpected sense of comfort. I smiled, feeling a rare sense of peace.

After some idle chatter and the old man finishing off another bottle of alcohol, he finally succumbed to sleep. I carefully carried him to his bed, tucked him in with a duvet, and then washed the dishes. There wasn't much soap left, but I made do, using some tissue to dry the dishes afterward.

When everything was taken care of, I stood up and checked around the room, making sure I hadn't forgotten anything. Satisfied, I grabbed the sword and stepped out of the old man's apartment, slamming the door behind me.

I was alone now. The quiet weighed heavily on me as I walked slowly down the street. I checked my phone for the next bus time—it was still 27 minutes away. That's when Hildegarde's voice appeared in my head, frustrated."You can just fly, Jeremiah. Why don't you use your head for once?"

I scoffed, irritated."I will not be saying thank you. Instead, 'fuck you.'"She seemed confused."What does that mean?"

I smirked, responding mockingly."It's a word of respect."

I could hear her muttering something, but I was too distracted by the effort to spread my wings. After some flapping, I managed to lift off the ground and take flight.

The sky stretched out before me, and as I flew, I couldn't help but think of the old man and the peaceful look on his face as he gazed at the stars. But the darkness of the night sky also reminded me of Aloka—of the battle ahead. My thoughts turned to Maya and the mission I still had to complete. There was no time to waste. The path before me was clear, even if it was filled with darkness. I had to face it.