The next day, when Aerin woke up…
Hey Aelira, why are you still here?
"Um, I just wanted to um," Aelira replied.
Okay, okay. I guess I should have just said this. Why do you like me?
"U-um s-sorry," Aelira said softly.
It's okay if you don't want to tell me. I just want to know what you feel. I guess I'm overstepping my boundaries, sorry. I'm going to go get something to eat.
As Aerin began to walk downstairs, Aelira grabbed his hand and said…
"Wait, I want to talk to you. I'm sorry, I'm shy."
It's okay, I get it. It's hard to share feelings with others.
Look, I'll sit back down on the bed and wait. You talk to me when you're ready, okay?
Then Aerin sat on the bed, and Aelira sat on the bed too…
Several minutes went by as Aelira gathered her thoughts…
"I know I already told you this, but I love you, and it scared me when you fainted. I thought you wouldn't wake up. Don't do that to me again, okay," Aelira said while sobbing.
There, there. I'm sorry for scaring you. I won't do something like that again, okay? Now please stop crying.
Then Aelira began to hug Aerin…
Look, I'm sorry for scaring you. I'll be more careful next time.
"Aerin, make me a promise," Aelira said.
What do you want me to promise?
Aelira then hesitated for a moment…
"Promise me you will marry me when we turn 18," Aelira said.
Huh, what?
"I want to marry you when we turn 18. Promise me you will marry me when we turn 18," Aelira yelled.
Okay, okay. I promise.
Then Aelira got up from the bed and said, "Remember you promised," as she left Aerin's house…
What have I gotten myself into?
Then Aerin went downstairs…
"She seems like a nice girl," Arthur said while he was cooking breakfast.
Yeah, she can be a bit persistent though.
Then Aerin sat at the counter…
"Girls are mysterious, but you'll grow to understand her when you get older," Arthur said, laughing.
Then suddenly Arthur began to cough and cough some more, but then he fell…
Old man, are you okay?
Old man!
"Aerin, come here," Arthur said in a weak voice.
I'm here, I'm here!
"It looks like it's my time, but promise me one thing, my child," Arthur said with difficulty.
Anything!
"Promise me you will remember all the advice I've given you. Promise me you will find peace and happiness with your family," Arthur coughed out.
But you're my only family.
"Family isn't just those related to you. Family is the people you can rely on in the highs and lows. You can count on them in the valley of death and in the purity of Eden. Just remember that you must always help them too," Arthur said as he drew his last breath.
In that moment, Aerin realized his old man knew a lot more than what he had told him, but he also realized that he had lost the most important person in his life…
Aerin felt a hole that had been ripped open in his heart as he ran out of the house…
At the village gates, Aerin sat crying…
But then sadness became another emotion entirely, and Aerin was lost…
Why, why, why, why, why? Why the hell would he have died? He was the most important person to me. He suffered all his life too. He had PTSD from being an assassin all those years. He constantly had dreams of the people he killed, crying and screaming for mercy—but that's not all! He constantly had horrible thoughts of ending it all, yet he still endured. And then cancer comes along and makes it even worse.
Why!
Then a bright light came down, and a familiar face appeared to Aerin…
"Child, I understand you are sad and angry, but don't let that corrupt your heart. A long, long time ago, there was an angel who got a glimpse of his beauty. While beauty may not seem that significant, his pride once he saw his beauty was. His pride led him to desire, and his desire led him to lose that beauty," Léōn said while sitting beside Aerin.
What happened to this angel?
"He fell, and he fell hard. He became the root of all evil in a world beyond this one," Léōn replied.
What, there are other worlds?
"There are many worlds. Well, I should say an incomprehensible number for you. Your world is one of the smallest and one of the ones with the weakest beings," Léōn explained.
What?
There are an incomprehensible number of worlds, and we are one of the weakest worlds.
"That is right, my child. Your world is the lowest true world. The worlds below this one technically aren't worlds at all, but rather planes and points. The world right above this one is a more real world, and the one above that one is even more real than the last. There is an incomprehensible end to all things that exist if they choose to believe in one being. That being is me. I have many names in all different worlds, but if you believe in me, you will see your old man once again," Léōn said.
"Farewell, child, and don't let your emotions control your destiny," Léōn said as he disappeared just as fast as he appeared.
That's right, I still have my team. They are my family as well.
Thanks, Léōn. I needed that!
Then Aerin returned home and buried Arthur in his favorite place, his garden…
I'm going to make my life meaningful like my old man wanted it to be.
Then Aerin went upstairs and retired for the night…
To be continued…