A raindrop fell, followed by another, until the sky poured. A heavy, swift rain, just like the flow of the river of time.
Such was life, like rain, you never know when it begins nor when it ends.
Minutes passed, and hours, and days and weeks, and months, precisely three months.
Life at the academy continued. They studied various lessons: types of currency, silver and gold, used in global trade. And types of horses: Andalusian, Arabian, English, and the winged horse. They trained in the use of weapons, with a bit of bullying and racism from time to time between the different student classes.
Amid all of this, friendships sprouted like flowers between rocks.
Eugene, Rin, Reem, and Fred spent most of their time together, going out to watch movies, and doing challenges from time to time.
Like Rin confessing his fear of spiders, which led Fred and Eugene to disguise themselves as a spider and scare him.
Or when Fred mistakenly admitted that he had a box of Mountain Candy in his locker, which was Eugene and Reem's favorite sweet, prompting them to go and take it, until Fred caught them.
Those days were simple, but they were beautiful.
Under the warm air and bright sun, the scent of bread filled the surroundings, mixed with the breeze of rain.
Eugene walked with steady steps until he heard a loud voice coming from behind him. He turned his head to find Reem heading toward him.
"Eugene..."
Reem stopped running and stood for a few moments under Eugene's gaze, trying to catch her breath from running.
"What's wrong? Did something happen?"
Eugene felt some confusion that faded with Reem's reply as she raised a striped pink card.
"Melissa invited us to her birthday."
"Oh... wait, Melissa's birthday? You mean at the Kanfi family palace?!"
Eugene's features transformed in moments into a mix of shock, tension, and happiness.
"Yes, and it will be held at nine in the evening."
"What?! Nine today?"
Eugene felt even more shock and tension. He spoke while looking at the wristwatch he had recently bought.
"That's only six hours from now!"
"Yes, that's why I came running to you."
Eugene moved back toward his apartment, his steps gradually quickening. He turned his head toward Reem and said:
"I'll go find something to wear."
How small our problems are sometimes, and how big they are.
After a few minutes, Eugene reached his apartment, and before entering, he remembered.
"Wait, all my clothes are dirty, and I don't have anything suitable for occasions."
Eugene felt his tension rise a little, but he quickly remembered that he had a neat and elegant brother named Rin.
He changed direction toward Rin's apartment, and since he had a spare key, after Rin had given it to him earlier, he entered.
He found brown walls, floors covered with a red carpet, and the scent of roses and mint filling the place. Everything was organized and clean.
He searched for Rin but did not find him, so he headed toward his room where he kept his clothes and entered.
A medium-sized room with a fireplace, photos of Eugene, Rin, and their mother placed on a table near the bed, and candles in a small lantern lighting the room with a dim glow.
Eugene stood looking at the photos, specifically at his mother, and feelings of sadness and happiness played a melody on his young heart.
A mother… even absence does not erase presence.
A wooden door opened, steam came out, and a voice said:
"I put it for you by the couch outside."
Eugene turned his head. It was Rin speaking.
Eugene asked, his eyes wide with happiness as he looked at Rin who headed toward the wardrobe to take some clothes:
"Did you know I don't have suitable clothes, and that I would come to take some from you, so you prepared them and left them outside?"
Rin said while selecting clothes from his full wardrobe to change for the party:
"Of course. You've been my brother since I was one month old. I know you well, especially since this isn't the first time this has happened."
Eugene went out to the couch and took some clothes, then returned to the room and entered the bathroom to change.
"Isn't it supposed to ask my permission before entering the bathroom in my apartment?!"
Eugene's voice came from behind the door:
"Permission? Why? You're my brother. There's no need for that."
Yes, brotherhood does not require permission.
Rin replied while wearing a white blouse:
"Anyway, how are things with you regarding cultivation?"
Eugene raised his eyebrow behind the door while trying to find the correct side of the white blouse, his voice slightly muffled with some echo:
"Hmm... well, it's not bad. We're constantly learning martial arts, weapons, survival methods... we haven't really gone deep into cultivation itself."
Rin removed his shirt, revealing some modest muscles, and said while looking at himself trying on the white shirt:
"Yes, I know. I'm in the same class as you."
Eugene finally found the correct side and spoke:
"Then why are you asking me?"
Rin said with a light sadness:
"Nothing, I'm just trying to create an atmosphere so we can talk like we used to in the past... lately we've been focusing on other, more dangerous things."
Time takes us and does not return us.
Eugene also felt a wave of nostalgia for the past. He imagined himself standing at the edge of a mountain, the fresh air striking his face, his strands of hair fluttering, just like those imaginings in that moment.
After silence, Eugene said:
"At least we now have friends, and a better quality of life than the village, and we've become stronger, right?"
Rin returned to take a pair of pants after wearing the white shirt. He flipped through the trousers, thinking about something. After a moment of silence, he said:
"What are your plans for the future? I mean, if we stay alive."
Memories of the monster attack moved in his mind like a film replaying every time.
After moments of thought, and while checking the cleanliness of his teeth, Eugene said:
"Well, I don't know. All I'm trying to do now is gain strength, friends, get out of loneliness, and avoid future hardships."
Rin slightly lifted the corner of his mouth:
"I think I'm thinking about starting a family."
Eugene paused for a moment before processing Rin's words. He raised his eyebrow and looked toward the door even though it was closed and he could not see through it, and said:
"A family? What do you mean by family?"
Rin sat on the edge of the bed and said in a tone carrying sadness and some shyness:
"Well, you know... marriage, having children."
Hahahahaha, Eugene laughed lightly.
Rin raised his eyebrows in a straight line, with some irritation on his face:
"Why are you laughing? Did I say something funny?"
Eugene's voice came from behind the door:
"No, it's just that if you want that life, why dive into the world of cultivators?"
Rin brushed his hair slightly, then looked at his hands:
"Well... I think I'm forced... yes, forced to stay in this place because of that disaster in the village, and I drank the potion because of it. And also I'm... hmm, still young, I mean fifteen years old. I'm not at the age that allows me to do these things."
Eugene paused for a moment, processing Rin's words. Logical words.
From his mind's side, he felt happy that his brother had a dream of his own and was not merely following him.
But from his heart's side, he felt sadness, for he had always imagined in his childhood that he and Rin would be powerful cultivators, leaving their mark in history.
But of course, he did not say this aloud.
Eugene opened the door and came out, wearing a white shirt with brown trousers. He took a tie, then sat on the side opposite Rin's bed while putting on his shoes.
"How do you feel about drinking the Fog potion?"
Eugene recalled the past, everything he felt with that potion, and said in a slightly unsteady tone:
"I don't know. I just feel that when I'm in a foggy place, I become more active. And also... I feel that the air around me, and the steam and smoke, have become clearer to me."
"What about you? What do you feel regarding shadows?"
Rin thought as well and replied in the same tone:
"A strange feeling. I drank the Explorer potion, but I had to take this potion for your sake, to save you back then. And I feel some itching in places of bright light."
Eugene did not pay attention to Rin's words except for the point that he drank the potion because of him. Sadness spread in his heart. He lowered his head, and his features became slightly pale.
Quickly, Rin noticed the change in Eugene and understood. He said, trying to lighten it:
"But in the end, this potion suits me, and Explorer would not have benefited me if I had drunk it during battles."
Memories flowed of the moment Rin pushed Eugene during the attack, the moment he ran toward him while he was burned in the awakening ceremony, and the moment he drank the potion for his sake to save him.
I am the older brother. I should be the protector, not the one who needs protection... Why is he always the one who sacrifices, and not me? Why?
Not sadness nor anger, but a vague and strange feeling in the heart of a young man who lived his life in happiness and safety, only to find himself falling into the crater of reality and truth.
Love is not measured by sacrifices, but it is seen in them.
Rin wore a white shirt with a black formal suit and black trousers.
Eugene wore brown trousers, a white shirt, and a brown coat.
Knock... knock...
There was a knock on the apartment door. Both Eugene and Rin were dressed. Eugene went to open the door, and Rin went to put on some perfume.
Eugene opened the door to find Fred, dressed exactly like Rin, and said:
"Heh, I like your taste in clothes."
Hahahahaha, Eugene laughed loudly.
"Of course, I chose them."
A voice came from Rin's room:
"Liar. I chose them for him. He doesn't know anything about clothes at all."
Heh, Fred laughed softly.
Eugene said with some bitterness and confusion:
"Why don't you just stay quiet for a bit?"
Rin came out of the room, then left the house saying:
"I don't like lying."
"Man, it's just a small lie."
Eugene went out as well, and Rin closed the door behind him:
"A lie remains a lie."
The cold night air, the silver moonlight illuminating Eugene, Rin, and Fred as they headed toward the exit gate to go to Melissa's house.
Trees swayed in the wind, stars shimmered, the sounds of waterfalls spread around, and thick clouds appeared, approaching with rain soon to fall.
To be continued...
End of Chapter