Alone

"The beautiful day, which has now turned into this rainy twilight, evokes a dreadful feeling, casting an eerie atmosphere over the surroundings."

The rain fell heavily on the ground, producing loud falling sounds that echoed through the darkness. The night enveloped everything, shrouding the surroundings in an impenetrable darkness.

No living beings wandered outside on this stormy night; the place appeared abandoned, with everyone seeking refuge indoors under the protective shelter of their roofs from the relentless rain.

Inside one of the many houses in the expanse enduring heavy rain, two people lay in bed, covering themselves with a blanket. A lamp cast a dim orange light in the room.

"You know, Grey, those people are very strong, and they possess so much knowledge of magic that people like us can't comprehend it fully." Spoke an old, slightly feminine voice, breaking the silence of the night.

"They are both savior and destroyer. They lend aid yet also wield destruction."

"They start wars, they end wars. Why? 'Cause they're strong, know magic, techniques, stuff way outta our league."

"Little Grey, remember when you're alone, and if you choose the path to get stronger, don't end up like those who misuse their powers. Use your powers for yourself and your loved ones."

"Have principles, ones you believe are right, and stick to them. And hey, change is okay. If you ever feel your principles are wrong, don't be afraid to change them. Making a mistake is one thing, but not correcting it? That's a whole other mistake."

The dark, rainy night kept spreading its terror, but the pair of grandmother and grandson persisted.

The grandmother kept sharing important things with her grandson, and Grey listened attentively, like the good boy he was. Soon, they drifted off to sleep, and the night carried on.

Days turned into weeks, weeks into months, and soon three years had gone by. Now, Grey was seven years old, having grown and matured a lot. However, something terrible happened - his grandmother passed away due to old age.

Grey was overcome with sadness and began to cry. The neighbors tried to comfort him, but Grey was still just a seven-year-old boy. His parents had died when he was only two, in a beast attack, leaving him to live with his grandmother, who had now also left him alone.

After he calmed down, Grey went with the villagers, many of whom were elderly like his grandmother, to bury her and perform the passing away ceremony. They prayed for his grandmother's soul to be protected by good spirits and nature, and wished for all her desires to be fulfilled.

They hoped she would safely journey through the cycle of reincarnation and rebirth to find a new, peaceful life.

After the ceremony, everyone left the place, leaving Grey alone. Some tried to persuade him to come with them, but Grey refused, saying he wanted to spend more time with his grandma.

"Grandma, you always said that I'm not alone, and that you're with me. I understand everything you told me - that nothing is eternal, everything is transient, except nature. So, don't try to live with the grief of losing someone; overcome it and move forward," said Grey, tears streaming from his eyes like crystal droplets.

"But grandma, it's easier said than done."

Grey's body bent as he lay beside his grandmother's grave, crying. He looked pitiful, his tiny body trembling.

"Grandma!" he cried out. "Grandma! I want you back!" he shouted desperately. "Please come back!"

The little boy kept crying, longing for nothing but his grandma's return. His sobs echoed in the silent expanse, devoid of any beings to hear his cries.

After who knows how long, Grey stopped crying and fell asleep. The morning passed, and the afternoon sun shone brightly.

Grey's body trembled as he woke up, his eyes fluttering, feeling heavy, his body aching. With almost every ounce of strength, Grey stood up.

He faced his grandmother's grave, joined both palms, and bowed. He remained in this position for at least five minutes before looking up and saying, "I remember every single thing you've told and taught me. I'll follow the path that feels right to me and find my own friends and family who care for me like I do."

Grey spoke with determination flashing in his eyes.Grey's oceanic blue eyes reflected his emotions. He cleared his eyes, now looking pitiful from all the crying.

Turning around, he said, "Grandma, don't worry. I'll always come here to visit you every five years, and each time, I'll be stronger—strong enough to make you proud. I don't know if I'll find people willing to be my friends or family, but I'll try my best. See you later, Grandma."

Grey walked away, his long black hair fluttering as the wind rushed past him. He reached the place where he and his grandmother used to live. Opening the door of the small house, where hardly three or four people could live, he gazed at the precious belongings of his grandmother.

As he started packing, his eyes trembled every few minutes, showing his sadness at leaving the house where he had lived for five years with his grandma after his parents died. After some time, he packed everything he needed for his journey to an unknown destination.

Standing at the doorstep, he looked back at the belongings, bowing his head in respect to the things that had helped him and his grandmother all those years.

Grey walked to the house of his neighbors, where he found Old Man John and Old Woman Joya, along with their brown dog-like beast, Scoops.

"Hey, Old Man John, and hello, Aunty Joya and Scoops," greeted Grey as he approached them.

Both the elderly recognized his voice and smiled, but concern filled their faces immediately.

"Are you fine, Grey? You can live with us. We'll love you as much as we can," said Old Man John.

"He's right, Grey. You don't have to leave the village. Your grandmother was our old friend, and we were too. You can stay with us," Old Woman Joya intervened.

"Bark!" Scoops barked, as if agreeing with Old Woman Joya.

A smile formed on Grey's face as he heard them. He held a very good image of both the elderly and was fond of the little beast, spending most of his time with him besides his grandma and playing with them.

"Thank you for your kind offer, but I've already decided to go on a journey to make new friends and start my own family," said Grey, rejecting their goodwill.

"Oh, that's disappointing. We would have loved to have you stay with us, but if that's what you want, we can't do anything about it," said Old Man John, smiling.

Joya also smiled. Although their faces were wrinkled with old age, they still looked as bright as ever. They didn't try to stop Grey because they knew how capable he was, even though he was only seven years old, and no normal kid would be able to overcome the grief of losing their only family like him.

After that, they gave him their blessings as Grey went to the other villagers. Similar scenes happened everywhere, lifting Grey's mood quite jovially. He visited every single member of the village and then left.

"Where should I go next? I've never left the village. Well, I'll leave that part to think about later. For now, I have to find a place to stay for the night," mumbled Grey as he walked through the forest.

As the sun descended behind the hills, the sky darkened, and night fell. Still, Grey hadn't found a place to stay. He continued to walk slowly through the deep, frightening forest, but the little boy wasn't afraid.

He had experienced this before, everytime when his grandmother went to sleep,he sneaked out of the house, venturing deep into the forest of their village to train. He started doing this when he was only four years old because he wanted to become strong like the people in the stories his grandma used to tell him.

In the blink of an eye, a rustling sound shattered the stillness of the forest, sending a shiver down Grey's spine. With lightning reflexes, he froze in his tracks, his senses on high alert. Without missing a beat, he reached behind his back, fingers curling around the hilt of a small, deadly knife he kept hidden for just such occasions.

Every muscle in his body tensed, ready to strike back at whatever dared to threaten him in the darkness of the woods. Time seemed to stand still as he waited, heart pounding in his chest, adrenaline coursing through his veins.

But then, just as quickly as it had come, the rustling ceased, leaving Grey standing there, breathless and on edge. For a moment, he remained frozen, listening intently for any sign of danger lurking in the shadows.

And when none came, he exhaled slowly, his grip on the knife loosening as he resumed his cautious journey through the forest. But one thing was for sure – Grey wouldn't let his guard down again, not in this wild, untamed place where danger lurked around every corner.