A traitor

"What makes you think that he died?" I asked back.

"You being here. I doubt Nahdi would let you go on a journey to find us. How old are you anyway?" He explained, but other questions came to his mind as he realized he didn't know me at all.

"I am 19 years old. And why wouldn't he allow me to find you, my family?"

"I can't believe it, that old? [Damn Nahdi!]"

"Well, we were at home. Salan happened and the house collapsed on us. My father tried shielding my mother from falling debris, but to no avail. They both passed away."

My grandfather and uncle listened without making any noise, they tried to be as polite as possible, I didn't care.

"What about you, son?"

"I was buried under the rubble with a few injuries and a source of water. After months, I was able to build my Mana-Core and free myself. I don't want to tell you the rest of the story as I'm tired of doing so."

They didn't doubt my story one bit. They saw no reason for someone like me to lie. If I were them, my story would've sounded like the most unreal story ever, but what they all can't comprehend is the pain I suffered at that time.

"Sorry to hear that, son. Can you tell me more about your family? Your mother? Or any siblings you might have?"

It was my grandfather's right to know and ask these things. He was still a parent and most likely cared much for his descendants.

Tsuki widened her eyes in curiosity. She wanted to know more details too. It wasn't the time for her to know yet.

["I promised I would tell you in old Japan. Let me speak with them in private, please."] I spoke in Japanese so Tsuki would understand.

"You did. Excuse me then." She responded and stood up. Disappointment filled her face.

"Why did you make her leave?" Uncle asked.

"I promised her something and I'm trying to keep it."

"Was that Japanese, son?"

"It was, grandfather." I replied.

"Pfahahah! Grandfather." He mocked me

Before I could ask what was up, he explained.

"Why so formal? Just call me grandpa. Do you really think that using honorifics change our relationship? We are family, aren't we? Just grandpa, all right?"

"I understand, grandpa."

I was kind of amused about the way grandpa acted. It was probably the face of a family man, not the face of a swordsman who taught my father from childhood.

"So, you might've guessed. My mother is Japanese. That makes me mixed. I had-... have a brother. He was lucky enough to not be at home at the time of the impact. His name is Haru and he is 4 years older than me."

"Even older than you, huh? Son, I want to ask you more about your life, your family, your experiences, but I fear I have to tell you the truth your father must've hidden from you all this time. I also fear you didn't come to stay permanently. Your eyes tell me that you have a goal and you're trying to achieve it."

„Tell me then."

"When the 3rd World War began in 2020, everyone between the ages of 18 to 40- who were also healthy -were drafted for war. And as you may know, the Lands weren't how they are now. Back then, there were hundreds of independent countries such as Lebanon. Lebanon was a country that was involved in this war. Your father and your uncles were all drafted and served in the military. Your father and uncles fought battles more gruesome than in any historic clash. Then, the time came for Lebanon to defend itself against enemy troops. Your father and 5 uncles were positioned a few kilometers south from here. [The last bone] is what we call the final clash before the war ended. Thousands of soldiers died, even more civilians. But when the clash was at its end, the enemies surrendered. Your father, the commander at that time, was the last high-ranking soldier there, the one responsible for anything that happened after that point. After all the tanks stopped moving, all the planes stopped flying above, all the artillery firing ended, and the enemies raised their white flag of capitulation, your father was the one to decide what was next. He radioed his officials. No response. He had to do something, and so he did. He approached the soldiers that waved anything white to show that they gave up. He had 2 options at that point, kill all the soldier even though they were showing no intention of harm, or try and arrest them by military law. But that was not what your father chose to do at all. He gathered his remaining troops and walked to the enemy line. Then, gunfire from all directions. [The last bone] took away 3 of your uncles, and since that day, your father is being regarded as a traitor. No one knows what he was trying to do at the end, but the fact that he was responsible for the deaths of many Lebanese sons doesn't change." Grandpa told the story with teary eyes.

'3 sons rather than 1. Understandable. But I feel like he missed out some parts on purpose. Whatever, it's the past anyway and my father is already dead.'

"After that, your father disappeared but swore to continue the family tradition. Keeping that in mind, you shouldn't know the [Warm Light Style], but you still wield swords."

"I'm sorry for your losses, but my father is dead now and the past is behind us. I know you might think I wanted to know why I was kept in the dark by my parents. I did, but after some time, I started to not care, my life was good, with or without an extended family. I had my mother who taught me her family's technique, my father who taught Haru your family's technique."

*Salaf Noor*

'I can't possibly tell him the truth about his relentless father. I can't tell him how he ordered hundreds of bombardements on places where civilians still lived, or how he fought prisoners of war in a one-on-one sword fight. The reason he is seen as a traitor is because he didn't care about his country's people. He caused the deaths of many and gave my family a bad name.'

It was silent after I lied to him. Tsuki came back to sit at the table, the opportunity to talk about family affairs was over.

„Can I get my weapons back?" Niam asked for his blades and gun.

„The chipped, Asian swords and the revolver? They're in terrible condition. What did you do with them?" My son asked.

„It was a long journey, let's leave it at that." Niam responded.

‚What kind of man did Nahdi and his wife raise? He didn't say it out loud, but he must've killed somebody at some point of his travel.'

„Niam, you can't possibly think about continuing your journey with those blades. One stronger opponent is enough and your blades will shatter. It will also put the sword's smith to shame."

„I will do as I please. I cannot not continue using my blades. My swordsmanship is based on the use of a Katana, unlike yours, my family technique can't function with all types of blades." He explained.

‚A technique developed and honed solely in Japan. No wonder the technique never adapted to foreign combat. We, the once Arab people, have fought people from other nations since the technique was initially created.'

„What is your plan, son?" I asked.

„I want you to teach me how to ride a horse and all the stuff that comes with taking care of them."

„Do you want us to give you horses for your journey? I-..." I was interrupted by my son.

„In what world would we give you a horse?! Do you even know the new laws? You can't ride a horse without a permit. You can't even sell one!"

„Shut your mouth. Think about it. He is doing what is best for him. And we, as his family have to help him. It doesn't matter what his father did. A child doesn't bear the sin of his parents.