Tami sat in front of Ten, his voice low but heavy with the weight of experience, as if every word emerged from the depths of a wounded and aware soul:
– Do not believe everything they say about me, my son… Today I will tell you everything. Not to justify myself, but so you understand why the truth is sometimes more bitter than illusion.
He reflected inwardly and spoke calmly:
– I have realized that friendship is sometimes more valuable than money, and the human heart is not measured by what it owns, but by what it endures.
His memories came back to him like silent crashing waves, carrying images of the past:
He was 28 years old, and his family was drowning in relentless poverty. Poverty was not merely a lack of money, but a constant feeling of need and despair. A girl always accompanied him; her presence was like a faint light touching his heart in the darkness of those days.
At that time, Nelson's father, the village chief, had passed seventy-five, and his son Nelson was twenty-seven, admiring the girl but unable to approach her. Power, Tami realized, is not always in love but in controlling circumstances.
One day, Nelson's father went to the girl's house and offered her family a huge fortune. Money, as Tami would later understand, is not just a means to live, but a tool to manipulate morality, undermine pure desires, and buy silence.
The girl hesitated but eventually agreed, unaware that freedom is sometimes sold at a high price.
On his wedding night, Tami wore his finest attire, his heart overflowing with joy:
– This is the best day of my life! – he said with a smile, deceived into believing that love and honesty could withstand everything.
Two hours passed without her arrival, and suddenly a wave of anxiety swept over him. He rushed toward her house, his eyes searching for the truth in every corner, and when he reached the alley, he stopped.
He saw her riding a luxurious carriage, the path adorned with flowers, and beside her, Nelson's father. She did not utter a word, lowering her head as if her heart had become an unbearable burden.
Tami fell to his knees, tears flowing relentlessly, a heavy silence settling over the place, as if the universe itself had paused to witness fate's betrayal.
He spent six months in seclusion, the door closed, his spirit trapped, his mind plunging into the depths of grief. From his solitude, a strong friendship emerged with three of his closest friends, one of whom was Ten's uncle, as if together they were trying to understand the meaning of life amidst lost hope and shattered dreams.
At the age of thirty, he met the uncle in a quiet garden, the trees whispering and the breeze gently moving the leaves:
– I discovered something dangerous about Nelson… – the uncle said softly, yet his voice carried the weight of truth, as if opening a time capsule.
Tami, eyes burning with curiosity and anxiety:
– What is it?
The uncle smiled and said:
– Power, money, control… everything can become poison if the human heart is not sincere. Nelson's father smuggles drugs to the Fire Village. That is the source of their wealth. The truth is, they were once mere poor people, but they broke society's moral code to live, at the expense of others.
The uncle sighed, looking at the flowers:
– Humans often believe they are free, but they are bound by their desires, fears, and the sins inherited from others.
Tami asked, his voice trembling with anger and confusion:
– And what about Ten?
The uncle answered with philosophical confidence:
– I said goodbye to him and told him everything. The truth will free him, and he will grow stronger… but true strength is not in money or weapons, but in knowing when to stand against injustice.
Tami, eyes full of hope and fear:
– And you? Where will you go?
The uncle smiled quietly, as if measuring time:
– I do not know… but I will try to deliver this code to him. Sometimes the mission is not about the place, but about the action itself, the choice you make.
Tami, voice hesitant:
– Give it to me, and I will deliver it.
The uncle chuckled lightly:
– No, Tami… you have a bigger task.
Tami, confused:
– And why must I serve my enemies?
The uncle looked at the sky, as if searching for the meaning of the universe, and said:
– He succeeded, and trapped my nephew in his dirty game. He is also the reason your friends died. Everything is tied to betrayal, and every action carries its weight in your soul.
Then, in a sarcastic yet wise tone:
– Do you still love her?
Tami lowered his head, contemplating human nature:
– Not only do I love her… I consider her a priceless jewel. Love, even in the harshest conditions, remains higher than money or power.
The uncle laughed again and explained the plan:
– Nelson's family has a treaty with the Fire Village, detailing the drug trade. Your task is to find the documents in the master's office inside the palace… perhaps your friend will understand and escape with you.
Tami, his face tense:
– Will the plan succeed?
The uncle replied, closing his eyes:
– Everything depends on your choice and the courage and conscience your heart carries. As for me, I will think of how to stop the war later… for now, the matter is in your hands.
Tami smiled, whispering to himself:
– On your own… my friend.
An hour passed. He met his runaway brother as the rain poured down heavily, washing away every trace of joy and betrayal together.
– You are a disgrace to the family! – Tami shouted, but his brother remained silent, walking away, as if words could not restore what was lost.
The next day, Tami stood before the palace, its white dome shimmering under the sun, a golden lion statue crowning it, and the garden surrounding him with orderly trees. He wore a luxurious garment, the same as on his wedding day, his steps hesitant, his heart heavy with anxiety and distrust. Yet he knew that true strength lies in action, in decision, and in the courage to face the truth, no matter how bitter.
– Let's begin… – he whispered to himself, summoning all his bravery and determination.
Tami stopped in front of the door, gazing at the stairs leading up, flanked by sturdy white columns supporting the palace facade, as if standing witness to the struggle of time and place. He hesitated, anxiety etched on his features, weighing each step before knocking.
Finally, he knocked, and the maid appeared in her white servant uniform, symbolizing order and precision in the grand palace:
– Please, sir, – she said calmly, her tone formal yet familiar.
Tami entered, back straight despite his troubled heart, his eyes surveying the spacious hall. The central staircase rose gracefully, with the kitchen on the left and the bathroom on the right, while the reception hall stretched beside it, decorated with a table full of lively flowers amidst the monotony of the walls.
He ascended with the maid, the long carpet stretching along the first-floor corridor like a calculated path toward his destiny. At the corridor's end, the master's office awaited, tightly guarding its secrets. The maid knocked, and Tami heard Nelson's father's voice:
– Let him in.
The father sat behind his desk, gray hair covering his head, the signs of age clear on his face, raising a hand to signal Tami to sit.
Tami smiled, hiding more than he revealed:
– Hello, sir. I came on business… and I am glad you agreed.
Nelson's father placed a paper on the desk with an air of absolute authority:
– Did you dream of working in my palace… and were too shy to ask?
Tami raised his left eyebrow and lowered the right in a nervous smile, trying to decipher the meaning:
– Yes, I truly dreamed of working here, – he replied carefully.
The father responded, as if weighing the past:
– No need to be shy… without the letter your father sent, you wouldn't even know.
Tami, in his mind, philosophically puzzled: What letter? Who wrote it? Why does everything seem orchestrated with such precision?
Then Nelson's father continued, his voice heavy with authority:
– I will assign you the task of guarding the palace gate.
Tami forced a smile, a veil he kept in his heart:
– Thank you, sir. This job suits me perfectly.
He shook the father's hand and left the room, while his mind buzzed with questions: Is everything as it seems? Or is he entangled in a web of secrets?
Later, Tami stood at the palace gate, the weight of responsibility pressing on him. A postal courier on a bike approached, carrying a red bag, and asked curiously:
– Are you Mr. Tami?
– Yes, – Tami replied, maintaining his calm exterior.
The courier handed him a letter. Tami opened it slowly, wondering about the sender:
> "Tami, I am your uncle… Do not ruin what we planned. I rely on you. By the way, I facilitated this job for you; I wrote the letter and pretended to be your father."
Tami paused, the letter in his hands like a stone in a sea of time, weighing the meaning of every word. Every action now seemed part of a larger network of conspiracies. His heart raced, and his mind tried to comprehend the truth that trust and loyalty might be more complicated than they a
ppear… and that his role in this game was more than guarding a gate—it was a test of his will and his ability to face a dark truth.