Kai''len walked back to the village, the thought of Aki''s teaching sparking an excitement he had never known before. The world around him felt lighter, sharper, with colors richer than usual—but he knew it was only an illusion, a mask for the unease that lingered toward Aki and her father.
He had a habit of skip-walking along cobblestone paths, carefully landing his feet in the center of each stone, avoiding the cracks—one of those little things boys do. "I''ve done enough walking today," he muttered to himself.
On his way to the village, Kai''len saw him—the same man with the bleeding eye tattoo—walking out of a house, with an elderly lady standing near the entrance. Curiosity piqued, Kai''len approached.
"What are you doing, mister?" he asked.
The man smiled softly, gazing into Kai''len''s eyes. He recognized the boy as the same one he''d seen during mass. "This woman just lost her grandchildren," the man said, "and I''m here to keep her company."
Kai''len was stunned by the man''s sincere words. The man''s face was friendly, and he was carrying a basket of fruit, presumably a gift from the elderly woman.
"Weren''t you with your family, young man?" the man asked, noticing that Kai''len was alone, coming from the direction of the lake.
Kai''len simply replied that he''d gone out to play with a friend, but curiosity got the best of him. "Mister, your tattoo… I''ve never seen anything like it."
The man, intrigued by the question, explained, "This tattoo is a symbol god opening his eyes to the truth about humanity. When that happens, His eyes will bleed, ashamed of His children''s sins."
The boy was rightfully confused by the man''s cryptic and vague words. To Kai''len, they didn''t mean much—just the ramblings of someone being dramatic, especially to a skeptic like him.
Kai''len wasn''t interested in entertaining his words. Instead, he asked, "Uhm, mister Is the elderly woman okay now?"
The man replied, "She''s doing well. She merely asked for counseling."
"Counseling? What kind of counseling?" Kai''len asked further.
The man explained, "Since she''s nearing death''s door, she''s asking for comfort—whether heaven exists, where she''s going after death, or if she''ll meet her grandchildren on the other side."
Kai''len had never really thought about his mortality. He was so young, feeling like there was an endless list of things to do. He tried to put himself in the shoes of the elderly woman, who was old and nearing the end of her life.
But for now, Kai''len pushed those thoughts aside and asked the man his name. The man curled into an almost eerie smile. "You''re the first person to ask my name properly," he said, sounding pleased.
"It''s Samael."
<i>Names have weight.</i>
The air felt heavy as if time had stopped. He was simply stating his name, yet Kai''len asked himself, "I feel nothing."
When people usually hear someone''s name, they typically have some reaction—"Oh, that sounds weird," or "That''s a nice name," or "Oh, that name is beautiful." But this time, Kai''len felt... nothing. For a brief moment, he experienced an eerie absence of emotion.
The fallen leaves rustled softly as Kai''len checked his pulse again. It was still beating. He wanted to feel fear, but he felt nothing. His fingers pressed into his skin, counting each steady thump, but there was no shift in his mind, no racing thoughts. He was alive, yet he felt as though he wasn''t. His expression remained unchanged, his thoughts distant. It was nothing.This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
"Boy, what''s wrong?" The man''s voice broke through the silence, pulling Kai''len back to the moment.
"No—nothing," Kai''len said, but why did he say <i>nothing</i>? It''s clear that something was wrong, but why couldn''t he utter anything else? "I got to go," Kai''len said, trying to desperately leave the area.
"Very well, take care, young man," the man bid him farewell.
Kai''len walked away, his heart devoid of feeling. Samael picked an apple from the basket, biting into it with relish.
"This village holds more treasures than meets the eye," he murmured, watching the boy retreat.
"Now that you know my name, you must bear its consequence," Samael whispered to himself.
Kai''len kept walking. The further he went, the more his emotions slowly returned. He gasped for air, and the moment his emotions resurfaced, his heart grew heavy, accompanied by a dazed vision and a ringing in his ears.
He didn''t understand what had happened to him. All Samael had done was share his name. This made Kai''len cautious about himself. Was he sick? Did he have a condition? This strange sensation had occurred when they''d discussed mortality. His mind flew into paranoia. What was happening to him? He didn''t want to blame Samael, from his perspective, that man did <i>nothing</i> at all.
He wouldn''t forget the feeling of pure nothingness—how it had almost been a miracle to regain his emotions.
As Kai''len reached Leon''s home, he noticed the front yard was lined with ceramic pots, each decorated with colorful flowers that would soon wilt because of the approaching winter.
The modest cabin came into view—its wooden structure is simple. He ascended the wooden steps and heard the voices of three children inside: his sister, Lyn''chael, and the two orphans Leon had adopted. He''d spent the morning playing chess with them, though he''d lost terribly.
Inside, the cabin was rustic, with wooden beams and walls that gave the place a natural, welcoming feel. A worn sofa sat near the hearth, a few pillows scattered around, and old family photos hung on the walls, each telling the story of Leon''s life. Kai''len''s gaze inevitably drifted to a mounted rifle, which hung beside a photo of a woman—the late wife of Leon.
Leon had never remarried after her passing, choosing instead to honor her memory by adopting. He had no children of his own but had given Hakon and Elin a home.
Hakon, a boy around Kai''len''s age, had pale, snow-white skin and hair. He was from the distant Shiva Continent and had never spoken his native language since arriving. Elin, a fair-skinned girl with short hair from the Aldun Continent, was adopted as well.
The two rarely ventured outside. The burden of being different from others weighed on them, and they still needed time to adjust to their new environment.
Hakon and Elin were playing chess, with Lyn''chael spectating. They didn''t bother greeting Kai''len when he arrived—perhaps the game was too intense.
"They''re too careless—didn''t even notice that I''m here." Kai''len thought to himself.
Kai''len moved closer, but it wasn''t until then that his sister noticed him.
"Brother! When did you come in?" she exclaimed.
Hearing his sister''s voice soothed him. What he felt in that moment was an emotion—care. He placed his hand on his heart again, and its beating now carried a profound meaning. He was grateful to feel something familiar after feeling <i>nothing</i>.
"Just now," Kai''len replied, glancing at the game. "What''s happening?"
Lyn''chael looked up, her eyes gleaming with excitement. "Hakon and Elin are playing, and they''re betting money!"
Kai''len looked at the table, but he was more interested in the amount of money they were betting than the game itself. He wasn''t interested on who was winning.
Hakon had wagered 3 svetian silver marks, while Elin had bet 2, making the total pot 5 silver marks. This was the allowance Leon had given them—highly irresponsible on the children''s part.
Kai''len reached into his pocket and pulled out 2 silver marks, his allowance. It felt satisfying to hold the coins in his hand. The boy found pleasure in the sensation, perhaps because after feeling a void, he was desperate to feel anything at all.
The silver svetian mark bore the face of Adam the Prophet. He knew that there were coins with both higher and lower values: copper trinkets with the face of a peasant, the lowest currency, were worth a fraction of a silver mark, while the gold crown—bearing the face of the first pope—was worth 10 silver marks.
The gold crown was rarely seen in circulation, as it was reserved for major purchases and was considered too valuable for everyday transactions.
But this time, Kai''len looked over the three of them with a softened gaze as he heard his sister''s soft laughter. He didn''t want money to distract him from this moment. He couldn''t help but smile, seeing three friends enjoying their time together—three of them from different continents. To him, this was a blessing.
These thoughts and emotions remained inside him, building up every day.
"Checkmate," Elin said. She had won against Hakon, who looked devastated to have lost 3 silver marks, a lesson he would never forget.
"Good game," they both said, showing sportsmanship.
Hakon turned to Kai''len. "Where did you go? Lyn''chael was the only one who came here."
Kai''len explained that he''d had somewhere to be—Aki, though Hakon and Elin didn''t know who she was. Lyn''chael''s eyes brightened. "Let''s visit her sometime!" she said, and Kai''len agreed, though not right now, as he still needed to be taught sorcery in secret.
Elin, ever the quiet one, stood up, took her winnings, and went to bed. Hakon was responsible for teaching her Ingles, but progress was slow.
"You two heading home?" Hakon asked.
There was nothing left to do here. Lyn''chael had played with them while Kai''len was away. The siblings agreed it was time to head home, and Lyn''chael was happy that her brother had come to pick her up. They didn''t want to wait for their mother and were ready to leave.
On their way home, Kai''len asked, "Sister, can you teach me how to cook?"
Lyn''chael glanced at him, surprised. "Who are you cooking for?"
Kai''len hesitated, unsure how to answer. He couldn''t tell her it was for Aki—it would be too embarrassing. "Sounds like a fun skill to learn, that''s all."
Lyn''chael gave him a sidelong look, sensing that he wasn''t being entirely truthful. "Sure, I''ll teach you, but only after my studies."
Lyn''chael''s studies were demanding. Every morning, she attended the small community school in Aspen. The days were long, from 7 AM to 4 PM, covering general education and teachings based on the ?wiatian religion. Kai''len had never asked what her dreams were, but it seemed like she was leaning toward becoming a nun at this rate.
But tonight, their father had promised to bring something home, so Kai''len couldn''t cook just yet. He''d have to find another way to bring food to Aki without raising suspicion.
One thing was clear—Kai''len was impatient for tomorrow.
Chapter End.