The Last Elementis's
THE TLE 33
That very night, no matter how the rain was pouring on Zoeearth, Alaric spurred on his limped steps. Troas and Nory, the two purposes of which are alternately mentioned by his pale lips.
Although his entire body was already shivering violently, Alaric's intention did not fade in the slightest. His filthy body had been washed away by the rainwater. The unpleasant smell had even evaporated. His body was weak, but it was covered by his strong willpower. He did not stop even to gouge out the broken bottle that stuck in the soles of his feet. His blood incarnated into a trail, pooling before finally being swept away by rainwater.
The night, the bigger the gig. The redness on Alaric's skin was gone along with his strength that was almost at the threshold. Yes stumble. Falling just to get up again.
"Nory." The name was again uttered in between the great thunder that shook his lips.
Alaric imagined the moment he would meet Nory. Hugged it. Shedding all apologies for the boy. He made a promise to protect her for the rest of his life. Give him everything he has. Take care of him until he grows up.
"Nory."
I don't know how long he's been walking. Alaric could not count it. However, the rays of dawn peering over the horizon gave little knowledge of its goal of reaching Troas was imminent. Soon, he'll be meeting Nory.
Alaric spurred his pace, but he may have forgotten to measure his own strength. He slipped while stepping on the lincin ground. Then his body began to betray him when his eyes were no longer open. His consciousness is gone.
...••••••...
"Nory."
"Nory."
Alaric flinched and woke up. The first thing he saw was his left leg, which was wrapped in cloth. The man then realized his clothes were no longer wet. As he loosened his gaze, he saw a middle-aged man sitting near the furnace looking to be warming something.
"Who are you?"
The man turned his head and stood with a bowl of hot porridge. He put it next to Alaric.
"Eat. After three days of falling asleep I thought you wouldn't wake up."
"Three days?" Alaric looked at the man in disbelief. "What happened to me?"
The man in front of him did not reply, but Alaric finally found his own answer after recalling everything that happened.
From his assessment, they were in a bamboo hut that was grounded in the ground. Alaric hesitated in the middle of the city there was a house like this so he immediately asked, "Where is this?"
Instead of answering the man in front of him instead shifted forward the bowl of porridge and sat down beside him.
"Eat. You must be very hungry."
Alaric admitted that his stomach was very rumbling. However, he was still not calm. "You haven't answered me."
"I am Aldwin, leader of the amagine race in Troas. I found you not far from here. We're in the middle of the Forst Forest. I couldn't take you so I just came to see you when I gave you medicine."
Troas?
Hearing the name of the city, Alaric immediately couldn't wait to get up. However, the intense pulse in his head made him realize that he had no energy.
"You haven't eaten anything yet." Aldwin moved the bowl back. "Eat. Fill your strength."
Alaric was silent for a moment before finally being moved to grab the spoon. His stomach felt sore, a warm feeling that entered his stomach he could even feel from the outside. The feeding speed increases with seconds. He starved.
Aldwin's face revealed a hint of uneasiness. When the porridge on Alaric's plate was almost gone he revealed the contents of his head.
"What are you doing in Death Valley?"
Alaric's movements fell silent. He avoided the questioner's gaze.
He knows about the creature? Alaric.
"I saw you there. What are you doing in Death Valley?" Aldwin asked again.
doubt immediately enveloped. Alaric asked in his heart, does he also work for the creature?
"You are not Troas. I didn't recognize you. Only Pyrgos workers have access to visit the place. You're definitely not. What can you explain?"
Hearing Aldwin's words Alaric drew a conclusion that the direction of their conversation was different.
He doesn't know about the creature.
"Maybe I'm lost" replied Alaric as originally and continued to eat.
"You're not lying?"
Alaric put the spoon in an empty bowl. "I'm a man who just lost his wife. I wandered in any direction to divert my sorrow. You should have trusted me because you've judged yourself how you found me."
There was relief implied on his face, Aldwin said in a calm intonation, "So where are you going now?"
Momentary pause. Alaric laughed before finally answering, "Go to atone for sins." Small voice. Then he moved on to leave. "Thank you" he said on the doorstep.
Aldwin did not hold it back this time, but the middle-aged man threw out a few words. "How do you return the favor?"
Alaric's steps stopped. "What do you want" he asked?
Aldwin looked at it and replied, "My words about Death Valley today, assume I never said it."
...••••••...
Alaric walked down the street to Nory's house. His feelings are mixed. On one hand he eagerly wanted to see the boy, but on the other hand guilt swarmed him.
The house is near. Alaric memorized this street. Who wouldn't remember? If the house alone he had been intai for almost two weeks. His current regret why did his compassion towards the little boy not show up from the start when he was targeting his mother? Maybe at that time he didn't know his name. However, his face ... Alaric even knew right away that a girl standing alone on the side of the road was the child she was looking for.
"Nory."
As before, he always seemed alone.
Alaric's move stopped. He lost the ability to move. Until an adult man approached Nory, Alaric's intention to approach the child completely receded.
"Tomorrow, I'll come again tomorrow."
...••••• ...
The next day, Alaric came with a bag of sweets. He didn't see Nory in the yard so he headed straight for his house. This time the man came with a strong determination. He can't run anymore. Responsibility must be fulfilled.
From today I have to take care of Nory. The boy is alone now.
Often saying that, his stance was back solid. The wooden door in front. His creak was painful all the way to Alaric's bones. She's a little nervous.
Only when he entered the room did the unrest he had experienced disappear be replaced by a feeling of grief. In front of him a girl was putting water into a bowl of rice that was a bit sticky texture, mixing it with her hands and eating it. Seeing Nory even scavenging the remaining rice grains in his bowl, Alaric could no longer stem his tears.
He was too small to live alone.
"Nory."
The boy raised his head, looking at Alaric with a flat face. Alaric went closer.
"Uncle brought you a bag of sweets. Take and eat. Everything's for you."
Nory's expression did not change. He just looked at the bag of sweets, but did not touch it.
"Whose uncle?"
The tears that he just removed as hard as he could hold so as not to fall back.
"I'm Alaric. I'm a distant relative of your mother's. Your mother once told me she hasn't been back yet, Uncle will take care of you."
Nory's facial complexion changed subtly, it wasn't something good. He looked down and did not look at Alaric. Nory doesn't even answer Alaric's questions anymore. The man was ignored until he left.
Not giving up, Alaric came again and again. However, Nory's reaction was still the same.
It's the sixth day. The money he had saved from the loot had already run out. He brought five rice cakes and this was the last one.
Alaric went in even though he felt he had no hope. Nory's in there, playing something in his hand. Alaric approached and placed his luggage beside Nory. He didn't say anything. Not going out either. Alaric sat in the corner of the other room and pondered. He bent his knees and buried his head there.
Alaric was thinking of leaving. His presence was not expected. But he wanted to rest for a while. Just a moment to think about how else he should persuade Nory.
After a long time, as he raised his head and gathered the intention to leave, Alaric found a small hand thrusting a piece of rice cake.
"This is one for Uncle. I can't spend it."
At that very instant, Alaric could not hold back his tears.
