THE BATTLE OF 1000 SPIRITS

CHAPTER 40: THE HAND OF CURSE

7-year-old Myro slowly opens his eyes to find himself in a white bed like a hospital, of course as a child who lives poor all his life, Myro had never come to this so-called hospital, what he knew about the hospital came from the stories of the people he knew.

"Are you awake, son? Luckily, I was really worried that you wouldn't wake up again considering that the injuries you received were quite heavy. Although I have prepared a replacement hand for you, there is still a great risk of death from blood loss, fortunately you realize now that means you are still alive" said a man who is quite old.

Myro gazed towards the origin of the voice with his empty eyes to find a short white-haired man as well as a white mustache, he wore a clean white suit and looked like a 50-year-old man.

He walked up to Myro with a bowl that had white smoke "This is the porridge I just cooked, you've only recovered so I'd suggest eating a light meal before your wound fully recovers".

He took a spoonful of porridge before bringing the spoon closer to Myro's mouth "Come, if you don't eat then your wound will become more and more difficult to heal".

Myro looked at the man with a blank face "I thank you for taking care of me, but I advise you to stop doing things in vain. However, my existence was not expected by anyone, not even my father or mother. Therefore, don't waste your time on an existence that the world doesn't expect like me".

The man slightly raised his eyes as a result of Myro's words, he placed the bowl of porridge on the table beside "I see, so, I've sensed that you've had a bad past from your gloomy eyes before you lost consciousness, thankfully I took you to your treatment room. If you were in the general care of the soldiers, they would have ignored you and then you would have died in despair just as it is now. Not expected by the world, right? If you think so, I'll ask you son, who says you need to live on the expectations of others? I don't think anyone would die if nobody expected him".

"Do not live under the expectations of others, it will only carry a burden for yourself but live according to your own expectations. After all your life is yours, for that reason do not live up to the expectations of others but live freely".

"Living free?" said Myro with empty eyes, but this time there was a faint hint of light in his eyes "Am I really allowed to live without being expected by others? Besides, what kind of life do I have to live to live a free life".

"Of course you can stay alive, while what is free life then live according to what you plan to do" said the old man "The problem is you're still a kid so it's pretty hard to live independently, huh? I know, what if you lived with me until you were old enough to choose your own life? I'll take care of you until I'm old enough, I'll also give you the food and clothes you need - No, you can think of me as your own family, how about starting with calling me a grandfather? If you haven't been able to live freely and need someone else's hope to stay alive, then I'm the one who expects you to stay alive, how? Are you still planning on dying?".

"Grandfather? Family?", muttered 7-year-old Myro, tears falling from his eyes that were followed by loud cries.

"Myro, Myro Aras!", cried Myro who continued to cry.

Girfen was a little surprised to hear Myro's name "It turns out you also have the surname Aras, really a great coincidence. Today until you can live free, we are family, Myro".

.....

By the time Myro was 17 years old, he was standing in front of Girfen who was sitting with the wall behind him, the whole building around was destroyed, besides Girfen was covered by blood all over his body.

Girfen who was at the end of his life looked at Myro with a smile despite the blood flowing from his mouth "Come on, you have grown up and are 17 years old now, don't cry so like a child".

"Grandfather, I don't understand!", asked Myro, who held a strong black, iron-like right hand that replaced his right hand when he lost his right hand at the age of 7 "Why do you keep this cursed hand? Besides, why did grandfather give this cursed hand to me? I know grandfather never meant anything bad to me, but this right hand that grandfather gave me only brought war and bad luck, even grandfather ended up like this because of the right hand that is on me now. Wh why? Why didn't grandfather throw away this cursed right hand in the first place so that all the bad things wouldn't happen? This hand only brought misfortune!".

"That right hand is an artifact, an artifact inherited in generations by the grandfather's family, therefore even if that hand is a curse hand, I won't be able to throw it away", girfen said smiling bitterly "In addition, the black right hand you have is not a bad thing, either, if used properly, the right hand does not bring disaster but the power to protect those who are precious to you. Myro, I know that grandpa used to say you have to live freely, but can you do something for grandpa? This is my hope before I die".

Myro cried, he walked over and held Girfen's hand gently "As long as it's grandfather's decision, I don't mind having to die though".

Girfen smiled gently while his body grew weaker "How could I possibly let you die? You think I'm such a cruel person? You still need to live freely, do not be bound by any burden. As for Grandfather's wish, you may ignore it if you feel that this is taking away your freedom. Myro, the right hand that you consider to be the hand of the curse, use it to protect others! More precisely, protect by those who have fared just like you, those who consider themselves never expected to exist in this world. In that way, you will understand that the black right hand that our family inherited and that which you consider to be the cursed right hand is not a curse, but the right hand you have is capable of giving hope to yourself or others, the power to protect those you are trying to protect, those you consider valuable!".