The agonizing journey back to the house was both long and inevitable. His thoughts had stopped once again and it was his feet carrying him and taking him wherever they wanted to be and it was not a surprise that they led back ⁰to the house.
He stumbled on the sword as he was passing and for a moment, he was back only to pick the sword with the other hand before his brain stopped once again.
He entered what used to be his mother's room and he leaned on the wall as he slid down and sat on the floor his back to the wall. One leg stretched and the other one folded at right angle at the knee.
He was holding the sword on his left and the jade on his left. The left hand was resting on the knee and his vacant eyes staring into the nothingness. Not a single thought forming.
***
His brain refused to think and also rejected sleep. He could not read anything on arrays and darkness had come and gone for three days.
He never moved from his spot and he never shed a tear. He was hungry after but he could still not move.
His eyes never closed for a second and when he finally blinked, he was out for three days and it was hunger that rose him from the dead.
He woke up with a rumbling stomach that made him aware that he could not keep it up for a second longer. He had mourned but he did not know whether that was how he was supposed to do it.
The grief and anger were there but they were not boiling anymore. His mind was clear at the moment and he could think of things he could not when he was engrossed in his grief.
His mother was dead and there was no changing that but if he was going to remain stagnated because she was not here anymore, then she was not important to him at all.
She was the one woman he was fond of and he was not going to let her final hopes and dreams for him to come to naught.
She wanted him to get stronger? He was going to be the strongest out there. She was not a naïve woman. She was a mother who did not for a moment believe that her son had died.
His mother.
If she learned that he had come back but he had stopped moving forward, that would be disappointing. Part of him still hoped that she was not fully gone but he knew it was the exact opposite.
For her to be alive, he had to keep her in his heart and memory. If he died of starvation, then they were both going to disappear.
He had heard what had taken his family and it was that forest. It took his dad first and it had almost taken him. Later, it took his mother.
This was the fate of the weak.
He did not know if his father was weak but the fact that he disappeared in the same forest too, he was probably weak and he had left his sword so that he would take over his dream of becoming stronger.
He had been starving in the forest and he had almost died because of the same reason.
He had been weak.
The ruins had been his salvation and taught him the way of the world. An infinite power that demanded from the heavens themselves. And he had gotten this power.
He was no longer weak and he was not going to die because of something as ridiculous as starvation. All that time he spent there was not going to be a waste.
His mother was the weakest in the family and she had ended up showing the most courage and optimism. She had infinite belief in him that he was going to come back.
That belief, he was going to carry it on. She was the one who never doubted him. Even in her final moments, he was sure that she believed he was going to get over her death and bloom into something more profound.
The forest was going to be his enemy and one day when he was strong enough, he was going to come back and destroy it for taking away his family.
He looked at the jade and he recalled the memory of his mother wearing the green sweater.
The jade had been tied on her waist. It was exactly as he remembered it and as something that she cherished, he was going to cherish it even more.
The same way he loved his father because she loved him more than Lyren if not equally. From the bits and pieces he recalled, she loved his father more.
This love had been transferred to him and he had the same reverie for his father like his mother. That is why their remaining treasured belongings were going to remain tied to one another from then on.
He tied the jade to the hilt of the swords and he realized that the two actually looked good together that way.
He smiled at this thought as he unsheathed the sword an inch and sheathed it back with a click. It was about time he made a decision to move forward.
He had come back because this was where he thought that his home was but that was no longer the case.
His home was now in his hands with the only memorial for their existence in his left hand. This was his home and there was nothing else in the village that was worth it for him anymore.
He had no reason to stay and if he left, he was not going to have any reason to come back again.
He stood up as a new determined light flashed in his eyes. It was like a smoke release from his smoldering flames deep in his eyes. He looked at the room once again and then left.
Well, as he stood at the door, he was met by a strange scene because all the villagers were there. Children in front and adults behind. They were all wearing complex faces as they scrutinized him.
"It really is him."
Those were the only words that were spoken and they made Lyren feel his heart tighten. He looked around and saw makeshift cooking spots in the compound.
They were boiling and a sweet aroma found its way to his nostrils. Now he was about to deal with humans again when he did not want to. He could see their fake sympathy and their faces were more of curiosity.
There were people who had furniture and utensils Lyren could recall and he felt like laughing at them. Did they expect him to take them back?
If they knew what plans he had for them, they would not have brought them but since they were being generous, he was also not going to reject them. Later, he was going to pee on their good intentions.
"Poor child. Is it really you?" The speaker was an aged voice that he was all too familiar with.
She was a lady they would spend time at her place listening to her stories. It was she who had a sort of meaningful interaction with him.
"I am fine. I appreciate it that you were thinking about me all this time and have come to see me. But why is everyone here?"
Lyren asked trying to sound curious and grieving and not sarcastic. Not like they could imagine a grieving kid rejecting their goodwill…
"About that. We had what that fool Joe told you and we are tremendously sorry that you had to hear it from him. He was the worst possibly person to hear the events from.
"We are here to apologize for his actions and also our failure for not finding you or your mother. Please allow us to throw you a feast both as a welcome and also as a farewell to your mother who we never got to say goodbye to."
It was the same old lady who was speaking and Lyren almost chuckled at them. They were throwing a feast without his permission and then requesting his permission midway through?
Ridiculous!
Well, he was hungry and they were just the perfect chefs for him. A feast was not a bad idea actually because it was going to be his first meal after what felt like ages.
"Oh. I am honored and there is no way I can reject your goodwill. I will comply with you all and you can do what you want. But this place doesn't seem fit to live in. I beg your help to bring life back to this place."
Lyren said as he bowed humbly as the kid the villagers wanted him to be. His sincere words were music to their ears and the lady replied with enthusiasm.
"That was the plan all along. We wanted to help you with repairs so that you can start your life as soon as possible. We are very pleased that you did not reject us.
"Everyone, lets get busy. The boy is finally out of his grieving period. Let us celebrate his return back home." The lady finished by addressing the crowd which dispersed and some people came towards him…