Chapter 5: Unexpected Surprises

The person got closer. The person had long hair and was wearing a white long dress. Erland stared at the person out of curiosity. He was startled.

He slowly backed away. He almost reached the end of the stool he was standing onto.

He suddenly noticed Svend coming from behind. He pulled out a white handkerchief and grabbed the person's mouth with it within a few seconds. As Erland saw this, he got surprised and eventually fell from the tool.

The person fell asleep. The time Erland got back on the stool and looked outside, they were gone. Erland let out a small 'ouch' which somehow waked his mother up. His mother went towards him and kneeled to hold him.

"What are you doing here?" said Gunhild.

"I came here to see the rain. I fell off after seeing a scary woman. She was bleeding!" said Erland.

"Oh, dear Lords...Are you telling me the truth though?"

"Why would I lie...I am telling you the truth mommy, there was a strange woman and out of nowhere Svend came and took her with him."

Gunhild seems slightly concerned "Huh? No...I must be overthinking. It was nothing baby, your uncle Svend is a big doc. He takes care of many people and the woman was one of them. Go back to sleep. How did you get off from your bed though?"

"I hanged with the sheet and slowly got off." Says Erland while scratching his nape.

"You cunning little brat. Hehe, you're gonna sleep with mommy now. No more getting off from bed without permission until you learn your lesson."

"Okay mom..."

The night went without any other incident. The next day was going smoothly as well. Hilda was acting gracious as always but it seemed perhaps too gracious to Erland. After finishing their meal, they all got on their jobs. Randi sometimes goes outside to run errands and Hilda stays at home with her mother and brother. While Hilda was working in the kitchen on her own, Erland approached her. She didn't respond. He called her out but she still didn't respond.

"HILDA!!!" Erland yelled.

"H-HUH? Oh, what is it?" said Hilda and stopped doing the dishes.

"You don't look good today."

"Do I look ugly?"

"No, you look pweety. But it seems like you are thinking something."

"No, nothing." Hilda got on her work again.

"Hilda, did you see that creepy woman too?" Erland asked and grabbed Hilda's dress. Hilda dropped the plate from her hands.

"W-what creepy lady? You and your wild imaginations." said Hilda.

"Hilda, you are lying. You saw too right?(Wait a minute, the woman was getting close to our house. Hilda lives downstairs and right below our room. Does that mean...)"

"No, I'm not lying. Why would I lie?"

"Because you think that it would fweak me out."

"Go back to your room and play Erland. Maybe you haven't been sleeping enough lately."

"I slept like a baby last night. Hilda, you are lying. The woman came towards you right?"

"HOW DO YOU KNOW?"

"Your room is right below mine and it was coming towards our house. More like my room, till I realized that you live right below me, mom and dad..."

("He's so smart sometimes that it's abnormal. What is it with him? Ugh...no time to think about this. I gotta make sure if he's okay or not.")

Hilda kneeled and asked Erland,

"Did it scare you?"

"No...but yeah, a little. Mommy came and picked me up. Did you see uncle Svend taking that woman away?"

"Yeah. We both will talk to mommy about this. Don't say these to daddy though, he'll start something weird with it or be over protective. He might even quit his job for a day or two. Stay with me until night."

"Okay..." Erland nods.

They both chatted with each other throughout the day.

Days passed, Erland got impatient because Hilda still didn't allow him to tell anything to Gunhild. Suddenly, in the evening, they heard a knock on the door. Randi went to open the door and saw a boy wearing a white shirt with a box in his hands. It was no other than Ceol.

("Ah, yes, my chad bro-in-law. No, what if he turns out to be bad? I gotta be cautious.") Erland got close to the door.

"Who you might be?" said Randi.

"Greetings. I'm Ceol, I recently moved here. I was hoping to visit my neighbors and send them gifts so here I am."

"Who is it, Randi?" said Gunhild and got in front of Ceol.

"Oh, it's a young man. Come in my dear." Gunhild welcomed Ceol warmly. Right at the moment, Hilda came downstairs and asked who it is. They both acted as if they didn't know each other. Hilda brewed him a cup of tea. Erik saw him keenly and began a conversation with him.

"So, when did you move here?" said Erik.

"A week ago. May I know your name, Sir?" said Ceol.

"It's Erik Hephaestus. You might have heard my name. Where are your parents?"

"They live at the Northern Gaion. I moved here because it is peaceful and refreshing. I might sound like an old man at this point looking for peace but we cannot deny where our heart leads."

"Such a mature answer...How do you make your living?"

"I am a simple bard for now since my mother and father have abandoned me. I often run errands and get a small amount of money. I'm planning on doing business after I settle here well."

Meanwhile, Erland was enjoying their heated conversation. His face looked as if he was cheering for them. Erik noticed the unusual behavior of Erland and asked,

"What are you so excited for?"

"We have a new guest!" said Erland and raised his hands high up and went towards Ceol. Ceol held him up with pleasure on his face and also in his heart.

("HE JUST CAME HERE AND HE'S STEALING MY CHILD! BEGONE UNHOLY DEMON, BEGONE!")

Erik was restlessly overthinking about the condition. He somehow choked on his drink, while cursing Ceol.

It took Gunhild a while to bring water so Ceol handed him his water pouch.

"Are you okay?" said Ceol, seeming gentle as always.

"*cough* *cough* I-I'm fine. Thank you." Erik finally let go of his stern attitude.

"By the way, I have brought some candies, hairclips and a handkerchief. The handkerchief is for you, Sir. I have brought the hairclips for the women and candies for everyone."

"Oh?..." Erik seemed to suspect Ceol with something. 

"I have to go now. Goodbye." said Ceol and headed towards the door.

"Wait. How did you know about my family?" Erik looked at him with an unpleased glimpse.

Ceol looked back. "I am friends with Hilda. Calling her a friend might be overexaggerating it, since I don't know what she thinks of me. But yes, we've known each other for seven months."

"Hilda is it true?"

"Yes, dad. I couldn't tell you all anything because everyone is so busy each day. I did tell Erland though."

"(You never told me-) Yes!" Erland smiled brightly.

"I see. Well then child, off you go. Come at our house anytime. It's a shame that we couldn't give you anything."

Ceol smiled at them and bid farewell. Hilda's face seemed more delighted than anyone else. Everyone stared at Hilda as if she has done something suspicious. Hilda casually walked off and started doing her works like she always does in the house, humming sweet melodies with who knows what going on in her head. 

"Well then, I'm off to my work now. The gauntlet isn't done yet." said Erik and left in a hurry. Erland went to his workplace as well, which was attached with the house.

"Dad, you told me that you'll tell me 'bout your work." said Erland.

"Yes I did. Hmm...(How do you even talk about these...Hilda and Randi never really seemed like the 'Dad!- How do you do this? Why do you do this' type...Maybe I should just tell him a story.) Where do I start? How about a story?" Erik talked with Erland while dipping a sword in the water.

"A real story?"

"Yes, a real one. A long time ago, there was a dwarf named Haldier and a man named Hephaestus. They both were brothers in arms. Hephaestus was however the son of two gods where Haldier was a blessed human like creature. They both had extraordinary craftmanship which were in fact the same...

Some mortals started to think of Haldier as the second god of craftmanship. It enraged the gods from the Wolcen and the Niflheim. They told Haldier to stop his crafting forever. But he refused since it was his only treasure life has ever given him along with his friend. They both used to meet at a place called Mithril. Hephaestus waited and waited but his friend did not come. He searched for his friend but he was nowhere to be found. He asked his father about Haldier. His told him to hold the virtue of a god and forget about him...

Being enraged, he stopped blessing the people with ores. The middle world became out of luxury within a few hundred years. It created a havoc. The mortals started digging deep into the earth. The gods from Niflheim reported to the gods of Wolcen that their decision has led the world to a havoc. The two gods had no choice but to exile their son after a meeting with the other gods. He was exiled to the earth and they took all his powers. He lost his senses. From that moment on, he could only hear. The former god took the form of burning black flames down in the land where he lives alongside with his dear friend yet he knows nothing about it. The two brothers in arms began to live. One as burning black flames and another as black coal."

Meanwhile Erland memorized every single word to later ask.

"Wow...what happened then?" said Erland.

"Then? Then the humans started making a use of the coal." said Erik.

"What about the black flame?"

"It still remains in the underworld. When it rages up, it awakens itself and burns a lot of land at once."

"Tell me more, tell me-ahem...No, I have to know about your job now."

"Ha ha. Now, what do you want to hear about my job?"

"(Yeah, what can I even ask about his job? Should I ask dad how it pays?- Nah...its impolite to ask a man about his salary, right?) So...why is our...um...last name, the same as the former god's name?"

"He had a wife and kids. They exiled themselves on earth. Since they were relatives of the former and disobedient god, their powers got taken as well, as soon as they took Hephaestus's power...The exiled Lord's descendants married humans since they weren't so different from us anymore with their powers taken. "

"Oh...so my great great great great great great great great..." Erland didn't stop saying the word 'great'.

Erik interrupted. "Yes yes, he was a god."

"Wow...But...dad, why do we live like this? Why do people call us peasants?"

"Er...about that...this is how it is actually. You are still young so you wouldn't understand. No matter who you are or what you are, once you lose your power, you are nothing to the people. It's not like you're nothing to your loved ones though."

("He keeps a lot to himself. Who knows how many times he got neglected for being a blacksmith. And for being the descendant of an exiled god...)" Erland frowned.

"Why that sad face? Come on, we are living a good life!"

"Did I look sad?"

"Listen son, you are too young to understand these words but one day when you will be the man of your own, you will get these eventually. Even though we live in a world where there isn't luxury for people like us, no one can take the luxury of our mind if we wish to set our minds on it. Your scars, your grief are your ornaments. Once your life ends, you can show them that you lived without guilt and that you were the king of yourself and you always will be...

Only if you live like it. Never lose a winning fight, never blame others for your own mistakes, never blame fate and always think about the present and plan for the future. Turn your pain into your power, your rage. I am an ordinary man yet for my family I want to give more than my best. These words may not suit me but who knows, one day these might look ordinary to you. You might become so great that you will be out of reach. Remember my words, son." Erik looked at Erland with a faint smile. It was obvious that he has vented his feelings to his son. His faint smile emitted a sense of passion, regret and thankfulness. 

"Thanks dad...I will remember." Erland left the workplace in a hurry. He went to bed early that night. He pondered about his fathers words.

("Who knew my dad has that much in his brain...Who knows?...Maybe if he was a noble, he could make revolution...Maybe I can do it too...on behalf of him...Or perhaps, I should just stick to my plan to leave peacefully for whatever reason I feel like it.")

Erland then got in a deep sleep...