GRANDPA?

(Drip........Drip.........)

*what happens....... Everything has gone silent... Kuro that feline, *

(Ring............)

A sudden sharp sound came ringing in Rustain's head along with it, a pain that jolted throughout his body.

"Ugh!" Rustain muttered in pain.

As he opened his eyes a single lamp greeted him in silence and a girl sleeping by the table in a sitting position.., her brown hair appears hazel as it prostrates itself in front of the lamp, and her fair skin glistens as it touches the lamplight.

The moonlight on the other hand only has its place by the foot of the door, windows covered in wooden planks, a floor made out of polished rocks, the walls and the ceiling are made of timber that is properly planned by a professional builder.

The room is cold but the thick blanket kept Rustain warm, carefully he observed the room and tried to recollect all the memories he had this morning.

*Hmm!! I met with these two people who leave in this forest than when I was left alone in the cottage an unbearable pain in my head suddenly manifested and it was unbearable to the pint I fainted, then Kuro appeared* Rustain closed his eyes and took a deep breath; he stood up and his legs slightly wobbled, maintaining its ground.

"Better not think of it, I should focus on knowing who is that old man from before, he looks strong, very strong," Rustain said he walked to the door and was about to open it but then he took a glance at the girl, seeing the field uncomfortable position he walked towards her and carried the girl. "I better transfer that girl to the bed. She would get a terrible feeling if she woke up like that."

Rustain carried the girl and gently placed her into the bed, in the process Rustain noticed him losing strength.

*Is this girl that heavy or did I become so weak, just a few steps of carrying her and I'm already out of breath.* Rustain said to himself.

Rustian decided to go out and breathe fresh air, when he opened the door instead of moonlight would greet Rustain a heavy amount of cigarette smoke flew right into his face, this made sustain cough slightly.

(Cough...... Cough........ Cough....)

Rustain closed the door and saw the old man from before is sitting right beside it with a pipe in his mouth, he looked at Rustain from head to toe and released a huge sigh along with the batch of a heavy amount of third-hand smoke.

"SIGH... Good thing you're awake, you were asleep for the whole day, I almost got worried that you might die since I don't know why your body is shutting itself down." The old man said he looked Rustain from head to toe and smiled afterward. "It's good to finally meet you again Rustain"

"You know me?" Rustain asks "Again? do I know you?"

"You were still a baby back then but it's in the past, no need for digging. Anyway, can you not remember how you got inside the forest?" The old man said.

"Did you really believe me that time? what if I'm lying." Rustian tried to argue, but also to see what's the motives of the old man.

*This old man is hard to read, and every time I look at him I can feel the ocean, the deep depths of the unknown, it suffocates me and the only thing I'm doing is to swallow my saliva, while I can't even imagine or anticipate this old man's moves.* Rustain thought.

"Hahaha! Are you worried about my motives heh... Well, nothing can escape my insights" The old man said with confidence, he looked at Rustain who is even more cautious than before. "That's what I thought before, just like the first time I saw you, I can't see through your fate even worse I can see that there's something inside of you but at the same time your missing something and it's making your body--"

A sudden howl was heard deep into the forest that surrounds the cottage, the old man stopped as he heard the loud howlings.

"What's with my body sir? Is something wrong?" Russian said trying to get answers as to why the tone of the old man was very concerning.

"We better talk tomorrow, it's getting late you better rest," The old man said, as he stood up and started to walk away from Rustain.

"But sir! there's still a lot of things I wanna know" Rustain tried to reach the old man but he was halted when he saw the glaring eyes of the old man, its golden light was brighter than he ever saw. "Your, a mage" Rustain said.

"What nonsense I'm just a healer Rustain, now just go inside and rest I have somethings to do first. Ah!! I almost forgot to just call me Grandpa" the old man left.

"Grandpa?" Rustain said confusedly.

* a lot of things happened today, but what's wrong with my body is that why I felt weak earlier, the old man is bidding something but he appears to be not hostile to me, maybe I could trust him somehow* Rustain said as he went back to the room.

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