49: Your Impact

I trained myself and my father and auntie as my coaches these past days. I kept myself, my mind busy just to forget about that gruesome experience. It diminishes my depression. Slowly I'm improving, I could heal fast but only a tiny slice from a finger. And two weeks had past, I still haven't made a scratch on the diamond.

The sun never sleeps without a training a day. I thought I was fine; until that day—I made a slice on my palm, I admit it hurts! I was able to heal it maybe after a minute past. When auntie demonstrated, she healed it in a blink or two. After another day had passed, she took me inside the garden and I saw a unique creature. They have thick fur and claws like a bear; they can stand in two legs and their eyes are big. For the total of cuteness.

"They are called Pishnies. Endangered, because their fur are useful for creating apparel and other objects." She sat in front of a cute Pishny and out of the blue it cried out loud.

"I gave her a heart-attack. And now, your duty is to heal it."

I was kinda bewildered with her request! I held it—just like how I held Haris. And when I thought about that, I trembled. She's weeping and gripping from agony! I keep telling myself that I have to heal her!

"Like I told you, our gift is the greatest succor we can give. You have to make that gift useful in dangerous situations."

"A-Auntie! I think—" she should stop! Panic hinders my concentration and that's how the pishny eventually... died.

I notice that with her last breathe and the pause of her motions.

"I'm afraid you still have a long way to go," auntie said. I watch her back as she walk away from disappointment. I feel ashamed! And again, tears drop on my cheeks. I hid the carcass under the two giant leaves and stare at it. Without looking, I know someone is standing beside me. Xymon.

"Tragic isn't it?" he said. I saw him counting with his fingers. "Three weeks! You've wasted almost a month," he laugh. "And yet look at you! You can't change, you will never be what you wanted to be!"

"I will. Just watch," I looked at him with my chin high. "I will never do the same mistake you did."

I walk away from the garden to calm myself. That failure with the Pishny occupies my mind even my training for the next day, it still haunts me. My past still haunts me. It only means I haven't wholly forsaken my past. In other words, my past cannot set me free. The sound of a stone colliding the diamond plays repeatedly as I beat the diamond timidly.

※ ※ ※ ORC ※ ※ ※

I can't stop thinking again. Even on the next day, inside the kitchen; I'm slicing my fingers repeatedly and heal it right away. Of course, my cousins recognizes my melancholy. They approached me and for maybe the second time, they invited me to tour around their town. And this time, I didn't declined them.

Their town isn't ordinary. The houses are colorful and what made things here odd are some of the houses are floating in the air. All of the people here had a welcoming smile, sometimes they give us some of their souvenirs and simple handmade foods.

After that temporary fun, they took me back to the garden.

"We were watching you the whole days of your training!" Jacko said.

"Yes, I can see your hard works. And actually I can heal like my mother. But I can't heal like you do!" Jenie complimented and I was confuse a little.

"What do you mean? Yes my healing doesn't include shines—"

"I mean, you're way too different!"

I saw a Pishny coming to them. And they play with each other like an old acquaint. And when it noticed me, it came closer, rubbing its soft thick fur on my leg like how a docile cat behave.

"It's the Pishny you healed before! She technically lost her heart beat but then early morning yesterday, we found her... alive."

"You are peculiar!"

When Jacko said that, I remembered that word came out from Haris before too. Does he know about this? I sat on the grass to play with the Pishny. The way she mingled at me depicts her appreciation for healing her. It made me smile. I was inspired to learn more to heal if my service gives happiness to them and me.

All of a sudden, I thought something that lifted my heart to hope! I rush to the hall of throne together with my cousins to look for my uncle. He's there, sitting on his throne conversing with Ms. Tony. And I called his name out loud with the excitement I never felt for the past weeks.

"Uncle Holland! Please tell me, Haris... is he... alive?!"

He bat his eyelashes because his mind was perplexed on my question.

"Mmm... you told me that he's dead, right? So why do you ask me?" My smile vanished.

"I was just hoping... because a Pishny that was suppose to be dead... came back to life... they said. And that's because of me."

"Really? My wife is such a marvelous trainer!" I scowl with his out-of-nowhere response. "Our duty is to make you stronger. Even your dead uncle."

"My uncle's purpose is to test me?! How did you know?!"

He chuckled, "Why not, this is my world. Our duty is to make you discover how peculiar you are! You can destroy, but you can create. You can hurt, but you can heal. You can kill and you can bring back the life. That sound scary!" Then he laugh.

He asked me to look at the seal, and its ink and image are perfectly restored.

"You can give strength to anyone, or anything, just like you did to that seal. That's why Haris gave it to you; for you to restore its loss power. Well I told him not to use it so much! He's so naughty!"

"Then... then... you're saying—"

He pinch my chin, "Of course he is the child of the prophecy," he smile at me. Could be the first time he gave me that sweetest smile. "He's alive. And you are the reason why."

I slap his shoulder, "Why didn't you tell me?!" I'm not annoyed. I am just overjoyed!

"Why would I? You're here to be tested!" I hug him.

I'm so happy I could shout it to the whole uncle's world!

Maybe that was Haris' only way to unlock the chain. And he never lied with that promise. I wish I could see him! But uncle said I can't unless I've finished my training. I'm here in front of the unscathed diamond.

With my inexplicable joy, I sway my sword once and I finally made a damage! The sword was stuck on the middle and I pulled it. I clench my fist, attempting to break this diamond using it like how I used it to break the walls during our journey. I smashed it, but it didn't shattered. However, my fist sunk.

It hurts a little but just like before, stones are protecting me. Stone scraps that covered my fist are slowly falling. Then I healed the pain. Therefore I figured it out, that this gift—or should I say gifts—I have had greater advantages in battle. I just need more hard work.

Why he gave so much impact in my mood? The only answer is,

he became important to me.