Chapter 62: The Farm

*** Author's note ***

I just want to say, enjoy the chapter!

***

Waking up to the cool morning breeze, I loudly yawned and stretched my limbs. I almost couldn't remember how long it's been since I slept this well. "Hmmm… Breathe that fresh air. Huh?" I felt a presence by the door but suddenly it vanished. Weird… I stood up and stretched some more. I gaze outside the window and smell that familiar farm smell. "*Deep breath* This really takes me back to when I was back home." I continued to gaze at the darkness of the break of morn. After a few more minutes of reminiscing of home, I soon fix the bed and then sat cross leg on the floor. I closed my eyes and Visualize. I see… My strength has recovered quite a bit. Surprising what a good night rest could do to the tired body. My body is all green also, except for my left arm which is still yellow green, but nothing my Ki couldn't fix. Although, it will take much time since I am still getting the hang of self-healing and don't have any Void energy to hasten the process. I guess I will do it later. In the meantime, I should help this wonderful family in their farm work.

I stood up once more and exited the room and saw a chair near the door of the room I am staying in. "Hmmm… Was there a chair here last night?" I wondered before shrugging my shoulder and continued my way outside. As I tour around the farm, I noticed that there was a log pile, and beside it was a chopping block but no axe to be seen. "I guess I won't be chopping wood right now. Well, now that I think about it, chopping wood this early in the morning might disturb those two's rest. We did have a crazy afternoon yesterday." I mused to myself as I continued to look for something to do.

I know… I could feed the animals. There's the chicken feed and there's their trough. This should be easy.

I grabbed a small pale and put some feed inside it. I then entered the chicken coop and put the feed in the trough. I was expecting for the chickens to start eating, but instead of eating, all the chickens are huddled in a corner. "Why are you not eating chickens? Not hungry yet?" I spoke softly. When I tried getting close to scatter the food near them, the chickens started clucking as they try to climb over each other as if they are intent in breaking out of the coop by pressing all their bodies against the coop's wall. "The hell…" Surprised by their reaction, I started walking back. But the chickens are still trying their hardest to bust out of the wall. Afraid that the chickens will hurt themselves trying to escape, I stepped out of the coop, and only then have the feathered bitches stopped climbing over each other.

Damn these weird ass chickens. Maybe they are just shy. Oh well… I already scattered their feed. They should eat once I leave.

The next place I went was the barn. There are about 20 cows in their pen. I took a pitchfork and grabbed a pitchfork full of hay and brought it to them. Surprise, surprise. The cows are also doing their best to get away from me with one trying its hardest to climb over a fence. The hell is going on? I understand chickens are being chickens. But cows being chickens? The hell?!

"The animals don't seem to like you very much eh boy?" I was startled when I heard a voice of a man behind me. When I turned around, it was Lilya's father, Bilya. He walks towards me and soothes the cow that is now stuck with its stomach on the pen and all four of his hooves off the ground. The poor animal wriggles as it tries to reach the ground with its' front hooves. I was about to help the dumb stuck animal when Bilya stopped me. "It will just get more terrified. Let me handle it." He stated as he walks towards the cow. He then lifted the front half of the cow and put it back to his pen. A feat that relies on great strength as even half of an adult cow weights as much as 300 Kgs. He then soothes the cow's nerves by gently patting it with his hands. "Don't know why it is but the poor thing is terrified to death by you. Look at it trembling like a young calf in the cold." He continued calming the nerves of the cow. "How about we talk outside and spare these poor creatures from fear eh?" He then proceeded to walk outside.

I took a last glance at the animals at the far edge of their pen and shook my head. I worked in a farm before and never had I experienced something like this. Is it because this is a different planet? But even so, these are animals found in Earth also, shouldn't they also act the same? Once I came outside, I saw the old man gazing at his farm, with axe in hand.

"Daybreak has always been my most favorite time of the day." He started. "For it signifies a new day. A new beginning." He then turns towards me and handed his axe, which I slowly took. "I see you want to help with the farm work. But since your mere presence seem to scare the animals, how about you chop some wood instead? I wouldn't want to let the savior of my daughter to do labor under my roof, it's poor hospitality you know?" With a strong pat at my shoulder, he continued. "But I know men like you. Men that are unable to stand still."

"Erm… Yeah, I would like to help. If it wouldn't bother you." I told him.

"Why would I be bothered lad? Help is help. To turn one down is an act of folly." He then chuckled. "Besides, we need chopped wood. I wouldn't mind getting help from a dependable looking lad such as yourself. You could get started while I go check on the animals. You gave them a good scare, you did."

"I'm sorry about that." I apologized. Honestly, I've never experienced animals behaving that way to me before.

"No need to apologize lad. Not everyone knows how to animals. Sometimes you need time to get a hang of it. I know that as a fact." He stated before he left towards the barn.

Watching the old man's figure enter the barn, I breathe in deep before exhaling. It's time to go to work. I approached the pile of logs and placed one on the chopping block. Each log was 25 cm thick and 60 cm long. "Shit. Not only is it thick. It is wet. This will be hard." I say to myself. Good thing Bilya have a felling axe. It will be a bitch to swing but it will do nicely. A 1-meter axe with a 15 cm long axe head weighing about double the normal felling axe at about 5 kg. "Better start." I said as raised the axe. Swinging with all my strength, I cleaved the log but only halfway as it became stuck. "Damn. This log is tougher than I remembered." I wrenched the axe off and swung once more. This time the log was split all the way. I then placed the half of the log and swung once more. Splitting log with such a heavy axe should've been easy even if the logs are wet. "Grrr." I grit my teeth as I swung the axe once more. I feel my muscles contract as I summon all strength that I can muster. But even when giving it my all, I still couldn't split it in one swing. I feel lungs burn and my arms ache after just cutting through 15 logs. "Damn it. Am I really this out of shape?" And to think that just a few days ago, that I was an untiring, unstoppable force of nature. Now look at me. Just a husk of what I once was. Only strong enough to beat weakling bandits. They are not even good at fighting.

As I wind up for another swing, I heard a voice behind me, making me hit the log by the flat of the axe, hurting my wrist in the process. "They say you learn much about a man by seeing him swing a weapon." I heard the voice say. When I turned around, I saw Bilya leaning by the fence.

Damn this man. Almost gave me a heart attack. Why is he even doing sneaking behind me? Putting down the axe, I massaged my wrist. "Then what does my swing tells you about me?"

"That you are not a good with an axe." He chuckled as he grabbed the axe. He then placed a log in the chopping block. With a single swing, he not only split the log in half, but he did it like he was cutting butter, not a thick wet ass log. "More strength isn't always the best way in cutting things. Instead, speed and precision is the key." He then placed the half of the log in the chopping block. "Relying too much on your muscles will indeed make your swing stronger, but it will also make it tense, resulting in making your swing slower, wasting the advantage of weight that an axe gives." Placing the other half of the log, he takes another swing. It was a fluid motion that the wet log seems like it isn't even putting much of a resistance. So different from when I am chopping it earlier, with the axe always getting stuck. "Relax your muscles instead. Use the weight of the axe to do your job for you. At the moment the axe is about to hit the log, that is when you use your strength." Handing me the axe, he continued. "Want another swing?"

"You make it look easy. You could chop all of these logs in no time." I told him after grabbing the axe.

"Maybe." He abruptly said. "But I could finish more work if I have help."

"Do you all do this work every morning?" I asked him before taking a swing at the log once more. Shit. I was not relaxed enough, not enough speed or strength. Thus the axe got stuck again.

"Relax your grip, loosen your shoulder, and bend your knees. Your movement must be coordinated starting from your feet up to your hands." He advice. "My daughters usually feed and take care of the animals while I tend to the field at first light. But since our esteemed guest went to bother the chickens so early in the morning, I just thought it will not hurt to start the day early."

"Sorry if I disturbed your sleep." I apologized.

"No need to apologize young hero. This is a welcome change. It almost feel like my sons are---…" He suddenly stopped talking, his energetic demeanor was replaced of that of a man who lost his sons. Which is literally what happened. After a few strenuous moments, he shakes his head and smiled, as if nothing happened. "I'll leave you to it then. The crops needs to be tended. If you wouldn't mind, could I ask you to grab some dried up wood from the forest first? The logs we have are still wet and will not burn well and my daughters will need fire wood soon to prepare breakfast. I am ashamed to ask the one who saved my daughter, but if you would grant me my request, I will give you a reward later."

"No need for the reward. I would gladly gather those wood for you. It is the least I could do after you gave me food to eat and a roof over my head." I answered almost instantly.

"That would be wonderful. I give you my thanks young hero." He bowed.

"No need to bow." I placed my hands over his shoulder to raise his head. "Off I go. I will be back once I gather enough wood. Bye Bilya." With that I started to walk towards the nearby forest.

***

"Father!" I turn around and saw my daughter Lilya peeking out of her window, yawning her sleep away while scratching her messy hair. "You woke up early."

"I did. With my energetic and helpful daughter out of commission, I would need to work twice as hard so I decided to work early." I walk towards my daughter and ruffled her hair.

"Who said that the most energetic and most helpful of your daughter is out of commission? I am fine as you can see." My eldest daughter Miya, who was already dressed and ready for the day chimed in. Soliciting a pout from my youngest daughter Lilya. "How was your sleep father?" She asked.

"It was quiet all night that I slept like a babe." That young man, Cloud. He was respectful and eager to offer help. I don't sense that he has ill intent on me and my family, and in that dinner last night, all I can sense is the kindness within him. Although there was a hint of melancholy, which is not surprising since according to him that he has a loving family and was separated from them by circumstances.

I sighed as my thoughts wander towards my sons. Truly the world is cruel. To bless us with a wonderful family, only to take it away.

Miya who have come out of the house approached me. "I see you have chopped the wood already father. Hmmm?" She picked up the log that Cloud have chopped. "I see that age is getting to you now father. Never have I seen you chop a wood this clumsily, and you told me to marry. Who will look after you then if I did?"

Chuckling at my daughters jab at my age, I placed a log upon the chopping block, grabbed my axe, and in one fell swoop, chopped the log on half. "I am not that old yet daughter."

"Heh. Then why such shoddy axe work father?" Lilya asked while still peeking outside the window. Her ankle must still be hurting or else she would already be outside, helping me and her sister.

"Not my work oh nosy daughters of mine. It was your savior's, Cloud." I told them before chopping the log into quarters and tossing it at the pile.

"Mr. Cloud? He's already up?" Lilya asked.

"Yes daughter. He wanted to help with the farm to show his gratitude to us for feeding him. So, the first thing he did after waking up was to feed the animals. But they were so scared of him that I had to jump in and made him chop wood instead."

"So that's why the chickens were so noisy so early in the morning." Miya said as she took the chopped logs and arranged them on the ground so that it would be easier to dry in the sun. "Wait. Cloud's left arm should still be injured from the burns he suffered from the Bihorn. How was he able to swing an axe? Did he do it with one hand?"

"I was thinking about it too. But he must've already been healed for he seems to not be affected by it. Not that it helped with his swing. Total amateur." From what my daughters told me and from his own story, the man is a capable hand to hand fighter. At first I thought that he was a swordsman who is also experienced with unarmed combat, but it looks like that he is a pure brawler. Such a rarity to find such a warrior survive in a field dominated by swords and magic. Unless…

"Wow. The goddess must���ve been watching over him. Healing him as he sleeps while basked in the moonlight." Little Lilya excitedly proclaims. She has always been like this. A devout believer of the Gods. Taught to her by her late mother. My wife, Eudora.

"Silly little sister. Cloud must've known how to heal himself. Such magic exists, so it is possible that he knows how to cast it himself." Miya explained as she continues to arrange the logs as I chop more wood.

"If he does know, then why didn't he cast it sooner? Why wait till now? His injury must've hurt a lot no?" Lilya declared.

"I don't know. Maybe he doesn't have enough energy to do so? I am not a mage so don't ask any further." Miya states dismissively.

"Well, I like my explanation better. Mr. Cloud is a kind man and wouldn't let a damsel like me to suffer in my injury if he knows how to heal me." Lilya smiles as she teases her sister. They used to tease and make fun of each other every day, but ever since the death of their mother and their brothers getting drafted, moments like these became rarer. "Anyway, where's Mr. Cloud? I don't see him around."

"Oh, he just left. I sent him to gather some dry wood to use for cooking breakfast." I answered as I finish the last of the logs.

"Where'd you sent him?" Lilya asked once more.

"Towards the woods. Over there by the stream." I pointed to where Cloud went.

I see Miya drop the log she was arranging. "Father. You know there was a Bihorn on the loose in the vicinity. Why did you send him to the woods?"

"Daughter, Bihorns are intelligent beasts. They learned that encountering humans means that there will be more to follow. A lesson they learned at a hefty price after getting hunt down by the adventurers. I was surprised to know that one has attacked you. Normally they run away when they see humans now." I tried to calm my daughter down who was ready to run after the man. "Don't worry daughter. That Bihorns should be far from here by now."

"I hope you are right father. I don't want Mr. Cloud to get hurt." Lilya says by the window. It seems she already grabbed the bow and quiver that her mother used to use when she goes hunting in the woods.

"Believe me. You don't have anything to worry. Now go put those back before you hurt yourself." I told Lilya. "Now go prepare breakfast. Cloud will surely be hungry when he gets back."

Lilya quickly vanished from the window, preparing bread, milk, and cheese probably. This child. Always a ray of sunshine. How I missed seeing her genuine smile which I thought she had forever lost ever since her brothers were drafted. Also seeing Miya care about anyone other than me and her siblings was a surprise also.

After finishing chopping the logs, Miya proceeded to walk towards the barn to milk the cows while I went towards the farm to tend and harvest some crops to barter with the trader who should be coming any day now.

Gazing at the direction where the young lad went to and shook my head. The Bihorns are surely gone by now so there should be no danger to him. But why do I suddenly get this bad feeling in my gut? Hmmm… Probably nothing. Maybe this is just old age talking.