The start of a journey

POV Sebastian

Three days after the my dad visited the Eastwoods the merchant arrivies.

He had three wagons drawn by 4 horses.

This one merchant was a familiar face. He is a more regular guest that comes by here to sell his goods.

Everyone welcomed him at the village entrance. Well except for Kieran.

Most of the merchants use our village as a means to rest. To recover from their journey they had to take to come here.

He came to us in the late evening hours and will stay here till the next morning afte the sun rise up. After the trade was done.

Most times we trade good against good but sometimes we have to pay with money too because sometimes our goods are not enough or the merchant doesn't need them.

Its a happy event for all of us. We get new resources that will make our lives.

Except that this time the worry on everyone faces could not be hidden.

"What is with your faces? Every other time I was her you were so happy that it radiated from all over your face. Are you not happy to see me?" said the merchant white a smile while walking towards us.

More precisely he walked towards my dad.

"We wouldn´t be happy to meet you Daniel. Today is just a bit special."

"So if it isn´t about me than what is this special to send you in such a state Oliver. If somebody knows it than you, the chief of this village." He said while his smile vanished a bit.

My dad looked at the location of the Eastwoods and said "One of our families has a child that is ill. We dont know what it is just that if he stand in the sun he will suffer. Our doctor said he did everything he could do but it seems nothing was useful."

"As a last resourt we want you to take him to a city. He will come alone with you and I hope you will take good care of him. Naturally you will be paid for all you are doing."

Daniels smile stiffend "Alone? Thats a big burrden he has to carry. If I get paid enough I will take good care of him. Still I will promise nothing. The world is far too big for such a thing"

"Thats enough. Thank you." He switched his gaze to me "Sebastian could you go to the Eastwoods and tell them that the Merchant will leave tomorrow morning"

"I can do that, dad" I answered with a forced smile and made my way to the Eastwoods Family.

"Hello Aunt, Uncle"

"Hello Seb. Did you have a nice day?"

"No not really" I right now wasn´t in the mood for little small talk "I have a message for you. The merchant will leave tomorrow morning."

"Thank you for telling us." They both noticed my mood and went on "You wanna meet him one more time before we will get him onto the wagon in the morning?"

"Yes absolutly"

With this we made our way to their house.

As I entered their home it was still dark. The same as everytime i got her the last 3 weeks. Its kind of depressing and I could never live that long shut in a dark house. I would love to change his state but I clearly can´t. I feel like his older brother. Like one of his protectors but If he really needs help I can do nothing but cheer him up and hope for his betterment.

It´s as much of a burden to me as the expectation of my dad to become a good leader in the future. For the village he sais all the time.

POV Kieran

I just woke up as my door to my room opened.

"Mum, Dad is it you?" I asked seemingly nobody

"No its not them its me" Answered the void back with the same voice as Seb

"Seb its you" I answered with a happy grin "What brings you here. You wanna play a game?"

"No I´m here to say Goodbye"

"Is it already time? Is the merchant leaving already?" I asked as felt tears were dropping down my cheek.

"No he will leave tomorrow morning they want to get you on the wagons before the sun rises up"

"Then I have atleast time to play with you and the others for some time"

"We can play later. Your parents are here, too. They want to speak to you." I heared a sniff coming from the dark

"Oh so you have emotions, too" I joked as seeing emotions coming from him were as rare as the newspaper talking about a Titan

"Ohh shut the fuck up . I did not" He laughed

"Ohh you said something bad" I laughed

The laughter abruptly stopps

"I will come by later again and don´t try to joke about it infront of our friends later" I heared his steps getting quiter

A while later I heared two footsteps and a small light coming my way.

Both my parents came into my room and place the little candle ontop of my nightdrawer.

They sat on the right and left side of myself withour saying a word and embraced me.

There was a long silence as I enjoyed the embrace of my dad and mum. In these seconds it was like every problem vanished. I felt happy. My mother began to speak. Her voice was nearly breaking.

"Do you know how we much wish to not send you away?" I don´t

"Do you know how much we wish to go with you?" I don´t

"Do you know how much we would give you a normal live? A normal live where you don´t need to risk your life to get the chance to live a normal life?" I don´t

I never saw my mother in such a state. Her face red, exhausted and wrinkled.

I felt my father stopp embracing me and moving towards my mother to yet again place herself on his lap. This scene in front of my was more commoner since I got my illness.

"Son. All she said is right. I wish I could go with you. It´s just we can´t. Without enough payment the merchant won´t let us onto his carriage"

"Son. All I have to say is come back alive. The last weeks were already hard enough for us. To see you, our child, live a life without light without the company of many is unbearable for us."

"Now child rest till tomorrow. We will wake you up to go to the waggon. Stay strong."

POV Sebastian

I waited in the dining room till Aunt and Uncle came down from their talk with Kieran.

It was dark in here and I had nothing better to do than think. Think about all the times together with Kieran. A Kieran that will soon need to go out into the world. A world thats probably not as forgiving as here.

Soon the silence and darkness got to me and I began to cry for my little brother.

"Hey is everything okay Sebastian?" I heared Aunts voice and I became somewhat aware of my surroundings

"No its not. I don´t understand. Why do you have to send him into the world? Do you even remember my Grandpa? Somebody that could be the hero of the village as he awakened a mysterious power? We believed him to have the potential of a Mage so the Village decided to spent all the money for him to go to a city. But he never came back all that we got was a finger and a Mage Badge. Even a Mage died in this World. And now what kind of terribly parents would send their own sons for a simple believe they cant even prove is right to the same horrible place? To send their son into the dangerous world and not keep him ...?"

I got shut down by a slap. I was angry, looking for the person who did it and came face to face with Uncles angry face. All my anger vanished instantly as it was too scarry.

"Do you know what you are saying? You think the decision came easy to us? Sending him into the same world my wifes brother died to? Are you out of your mind?"

"I think you really need a time out."

The next think I was able to take in was a door being slamed shut behind me and the feeling of the cool wind.

As I came to a relisation as what I just said it was to late. I couldn´t really take it back as this is what I really just thought. Even I shuddered at my own thoughts.

POV Kieran

I got woken up by my parents.

It was the day to say good bye for some time.

For my journey I got a big bag by my mother with all the supplies i could possibly need.

The short walk to the carvan was the first time since a long while where I could appreciate the outside world.

It was beautiful. Just as dark but beautiful.

On this day dark clouds were hanging above my village threatening to let down a storm.

Its as if the nature could feel the mood in the village belowe. Not that It would care.

Its something that could not be controlled by human hands.

My place to sit was in the first wagon. A small space was made free for me to sit and sleep on the journey.

As it was really dark outside and no sunshine was visible so I didn´t need to go into the wagon yet.

It was like every other day in the 3 weeks but just more refreshing as I could feel fresh wind blowing into my face.

We waited nearly for half an hour and more and more villagers gathered at the wagon.

My friends, my familiy, the villagers all gathered here for me. A warm feeling flooded my hearth.

It was see full of lights brightening the dark world.

I was mesmerized and without noticing Daniel arrivied before us.

"I would be ready to set off into the world"

With this he ripped me out of my delusions and brought me back to a reality.

I looked into the direction of my close circle.

"Come hug me a last time" Said my mother and so I did.

Everything happend in a silence because everything that has to be said was already said.

I went from person to person and hugged everyone in the village atleast once.

After I hugged every person I went back to the carriage and waved everyone a goodbye and vanished into the wagon and it began moving.

Moving into the outside world.