Chapter LIV: Naine, The Healer

The vibrant color of the flowers and trees paired the tranquility of the cocktail hour. As the sun watches, the kids run around the field with their smiles carved up to their ears, catching butterflies with their handmade bamboo nets.

"Hey! Wait up!"

The boy heard in a distance as he watched the other kids around his age run so free and playful, too different from him, who always wore dusty-moldy clothes with chopped branches of trees wrapped around in his arms while countless mushrooms and wild herbs filed up in his basket that he had been carrying behind for hours.

When the kid was about to proceed on his way home, the boy who was just catching up on his friends earlier had stumbled upon the spiky grass, causing his knees to bleed.

"Marlo!" 

One of his friends shouted catching Naine's attention, watching how the kids groaned and his nails and wounds were slowly turning purple.

"He-he was poisoned!"

Naine, who's hiding behind the tree, suddenly approaches with herbs in his hands.

"I- can heal him if you don't mind!"

He insists as the boy's friend is hesitating to agree.

"Then... *Hick!* Then please help our friend!"

Hearing their approval, Naine started mixing, crushing, and washing the herbs, preparing for the cure of the boy's wounded knees.

"I can only lessen the pain, but it will surely prevent the poison from eating him whole."

"Thank you!"

They happily spoke after seeing the state of his friend gotten better.

"I'm sorry, we shouldn't have left you like that!"

*Hick!*

They started apologizing before shifting their gaze back to him.

"Come play with us next time!"

Naine's eyes lit before he stood up, realizing something.

"Hmmmm!"

He nodded while smiling.

When he reached a small cottage that was covered in mosses and hanging plants, he immediately opened the knob and happily went inside, skipping on his feet.

"Mom! Today I made some friends, and they want me to play with -Thud!

He immediately ran towards his mother, leaving the herbs and wood scattered on the table after hearing the continuous dry coughing coming from her.

"I'm sorry, mom! I'll prepare your medicine right now!"

He hurriedly went straight to the kitchen, though hearing no response from his mother.

Naine, who hadn't even yet reached the age of maturity, can be seen preparing the food and medicine with his frail little hands that were covered in scars, snubbing the pain from the wound on his hands.

"I *Cough!* should be the one *Cough!* taking care of you."

His mother affectionately stated as he gently helped her be seated to eat, but hearing it, Naine immediately shook his head, putting down the spoon in his hand before he continued to speak.

"Don't think about anything, Mother, and just focus on your recovery!"

"Tomorrow I'll go to the mountains to pick up some herbs and create the most effective medicine for you!"

"For sure, this time I'll succeed!"

Hearing it, her mom proudly smiled.

*Cough! * "Just be careful!"

His smile was so bright, it was shining compared to the twinkling stars in the sky.

When the sun rose in the morning, he was happy to encounter the boys around his age again, in a better state.

"Naine, come play with us!"

"We were about to hide from George!"

The other stated as they giggled and were about to run from the tree when he just simply smiled, though his eyes told the opposite.

"Maybe next time, I need to get going."

As he states it, Naine is unaware that he is already in front of the familiar wooden door, and hearing the loud crashing sound of fallen things makes him come rushing inside, shifting him back to reality.

*Crash!*

The loud stumbling of things was soon followed by a continuous coughing of a lady with her clothes tainted with blood in her hands, flowing from her mouth.

Seeing it, his eyes widen.

"Mother!"

He felt as if his heart dropped. He couldn't breathe, unaware that his eyes were already in tears.

"I'm-i'm sorry! I'll go make your medicine right now!"

He spoke in a shaky voice.

"Please hang in there!-

But before he could even stand, his mom caressed his face, preventing him from going; her hands were warm, yet the continuous blood coming from his nose and mouth made him feel fear.

"You've ....al...already done enough.... I.....I'm thankful for that. Mo....mom is so proud of you..."

Her voice sounded weak that he even had to get his face closer for him to hear.

"Mom?.....Mo-Mom?!"

He began wailing like a kid for the first time, feeling the warmth in her hands that caresses his face turn pale and cold.

"No! Please I'll do anything; please don't leave!"

*Hick! * "Please don't leave me here alone!"

"I.....I just need to *Hick!* feed mom her *Hick!* medicine...Mo-mom's me..dicine."

Thats when Naine realized that it was already too late and that he was already kneeling in the wet ground where two tombs stood in front.

It wasn't even yet years when his father passed away from a plague, but then his mom had already followed, experiencing the same fate as his father, leaving him completely alone in the world.

"Why?...*Hick!* Why can't I heal them?"

He asks; he doesn't even dare to lift his face in front of the tombs while the water in his eyes blurred his vision.

"I promise to heal them!I-

Suddenly his eyes widen with a flaring gaze, remembering a word that seemed to have given him a little ray of hope and courage.

"You are going to be the best healer; you should be proud of yourself!"

His eyes continue to water.

"It is not too late; I promise to heal the sick. I don't want to give up."

After performing a ritual, he puts flowers on their grave before he once again needs to face the harsh reality where he now needs to live by himself, which is not like he never imagined.

"Ha- Ti....tired."

Weeks passed, and he was already at the foot of the mountain, looking thin and pale as a sheet of paper. Though he was experienced in the wilderness, it was harsh for a frail kid like him to face the monstrous beast alone, running after his life until he couldn't catch his breath. 

"Wa...ter....water....*Thud!*

He then passed out like a log inside the wagon after chasing the fire at the slope of the mountain.