Afternoon in Beysolun
That afternoon, the sky above the harbor city of Beysolun seemed calm, though the usually soothing salt air felt heavier than usual. Inside a simple house with old wooden walls, Neir sat on her bed, slowly sipping the warm soup prepared by her mother. The soup was thick, with soft pieces of kahlun fish and coastal spices. Usually, its taste could make Neir forget all the things troubling her mind. But today was different.
Neir looked at her spoon, then occasionally glanced at the slightly open window, letting the sea breeze slip through. In her innocent mind, she replayed the events she had experienced just a week ago—the shadow of a man named Dani whom she had never known, her encounter with the mysterious sorceress, and the explosion that changed everything.
"Who is Dani?" Neir thought, squinting her eyes as if trying to find an answer from the empty air. "Why did I meet him? And... was that a dream? But why did it feel so real?"
She remembered Mr. Gharrick, who always welcomed her with a smile and small lessons about letters in the library. Suddenly, a fear crept into her mind. "Is Mr. Gharrick okay? Was he hurt? And... is that sorceress really already—" That last thought made Neir's small body tremble. The wound that once stung had now healed, but the fear and trauma still lingered in her heart.
Her mother entered the room with a soft smile, carrying a small plate of Beysolun's signature snack—grilled fish bread with a sprinkle of spices. Mariela, Neir's mother, was a simple woman with a smile that could always soothe anyone's anxiety.
"Neir, are you feeling better?" asked Mariela, her voice as gentle as the murmur of small waves in the harbor.
Neir nodded slowly, placing her soup bowl on the small table beside the bed. "I'm fine, Mom," she answered quietly. Then, with childlike innocence, she added, "But... is Mr. Gharrick okay?"
Hearing that name, Mariela's smile instantly faded. Her expression changed like a sky suddenly covered in dark clouds. She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself, but her emotions were clear on her face.
"Mom? What happened to Mr. Gharrick?" Neir asked, confused by her mother's sudden change in demeanor.
Mariela averted her gaze, placed the bread on the table, and said in a slightly tense tone, "I haven't met Mr. Gharrick. And you... don't think too much about him for now."
Neir grew even more confused. There was something her mother was hiding, and she knew it. But before she could ask further, Mariela quickly changed the subject.
"By the way, I heard there's an open school recently organized by some volunteers in the city. They say they're former heroes and wise people from the central city who want to help children here learn. Registration starts tomorrow," Mariela said with a faint smile.
"School?" Neir's eyes sparkled, though her mind was still clouded with curiosity about Mr. Gharrick. "Can I go study there, Mom?"
"Of course, dear. But for now, you must stay at home first. Your body still needs to recover," Mariela said in a firm yet loving tone.
Neir nodded, though in her heart, she still wanted to know what was really happening. She knew that every time she mentioned Mr. Gharrick's name, her mother would get angry or look sad. So for now, she kept the questions to herself.
Registration Day
The next day, Mariela woke up earlier than usual. After making sure Neir was fine at home, she headed to the registration site for the newly opened open school. The place was located in a small hall in the city center, surrounded by tall, shady trees.
Mariela brought the required documents—simple things like full name, age, and identification. As she handed the documents to one of the volunteers, an old man who had once been a war hero in Aurië, she felt a little relieved.
"I just want my child to have a better future," Mariela murmured to herself.
Yet, in a corner of her heart, anger and worry still burned. She couldn't forget the incident at the library, let alone the fact that Mr. Gharrick had not given a satisfactory answer.
One Week Ago
That day, Beysolun was, as usual, enveloped in the bustle of the market and the distinct scent of the sea. Mariela was busy serving customers at her stall. The smell of fresh fish mixed with the sound of haggling from other vendors filled the air. The clear sky gave spirit to the merchants, including Mariela, who hoped her goods would sell well. She smiled as a customer bought a large bag of fresh kahlun fish.
However, her smile suddenly faded when she heard whispers from a few people passing by her stall. They spoke in serious, almost panicked tones. Words like "big explosion," "debris," and "library" made Mariela's breath catch.
"Library?" Mariela murmured, her chest suddenly feeling tight. She knew exactly which library they meant. It was where Mr. Gharrick worked, the place where her daughter Neir often studied or simply played with that middle-aged man who liked to speak in strange, metaphor-filled language.
"Neir!" she cried out in her heart.
Without a second thought, Mariela closed her stall and hurried toward the library, which wasn't far from the harbor. Her feet ran over the cobblestone streets, her mind filled with various terrible possibilities. "Please don't let anything happen to Neir," her heart pleaded repeatedly.
When Mariela arrived at the scene, her breath caught. The library, which usually stood sturdy with moss-covered stone walls and large wooden windows, was now almost leveled to the ground. Debris was scattered everywhere. Thin smoke still billowed from the remains of the explosion. Pieces of charred wood and bricks lay scattered like wounds on the city's body.
A crowd had already gathered, some busy helping to clear the debris while others just stood with shocked expressions. Beysolun was indeed a small town, and that library was one of its important, prideful buildings.
Mariela pushed through the crowd, searching for her daughter's face. But what she found instead was the figure of Mr. Gharrick stumbling out from a pile of rubble. Mr. Gharrick looked disheveled. His temple was bleeding, his face and clothes covered in dust, yet his eyes radiated a look of deep anxiety.
"Mr. Gharrick!" Mariela called out, her voice almost hoarse.
The man looked up, his eyes meeting Mariela's. "Oh, Mariela..." he uttered, his voice heavy, as if bearing an invisible burden.
"Where is Neir?!" Mariela exclaimed, her tone panicked. "What happened? Is Neir okay?"
Mr. Gharrick let out a long sigh, then spoke in his usual metaphorical tone, "Neir... is caught in a storm that should not have been hers. Like a small leaf swept away by a typhoon, she was taken in a direction she never chose."
"What do you mean?" Mariela stared at him with a look of disbelief. "What happened to her?!"
Mr. Gharrick wiped his dirty face. "Neir... she's in serious trouble," he answered briefly, avoiding details. He knew that if he explained about the green pendant and the mysterious woman, Mariela wouldn't understand, or worse, might panic even more.
However, that answer only made Mariela angrier. "Serious trouble?! What do you mean? Neir is just a child! She shouldn't be involved in your problems!"
Mariela's emotions peaked, and without thinking, she raised her hand to slap Mr. Gharrick's face. But the man, with reflexes as sharp as a warrior's, dodged just in time. His movement was swift, as if the sea wind guided his body. Mariela lost her balance and nearly fell, but Mr. Gharrick deftly caught her.
"Mariela, calm down!" he said, his voice firmer yet still gentle. "I know you're angry. I know you want answers. But believe me, this is more complicated than you imagine."
Mariela looked at him with tearful eyes. "What are you hiding? Neir is everything to me! If something happens to her..." Her voice broke into sobs.
Mr. Gharrick sighed again. "Mariela, listen to me. I will find Neir. I promise you, even if I have to search every corner of the forest and fight every shadow there, I will bring her back. This is my mistake, and I will make it right."
He looked at Mariela with a seriousness rarely seen on his face. "A mother like you is like a strong tree root. You gave life to Neir, but now I must be the branch that protects her from this storm."
Mariela couldn't answer. She just sat on the ground, hugging herself while crying. The people around them fell silent, witnessing the conversation in utter stillness.
Without waiting for further response, Mr. Gharrick stood up and walked away. His tall figure soon slipped through the crowd. Mariela wanted to call out to him, but no sound came out. She could only watch his back as it grew farther away.
Some people tried to console her, but Mariela couldn't stop thinking about her daughter. Neir, the cheerful little girl, was now somewhere, trapped in something Mariela didn't understand. Meanwhile, Mr. Gharrick, with quick steps and a determined gaze, headed into the forests of Beysolun, a place he believed held the key to finding Neir.
Back to Neir
At home, Neir sat by the window, watching the slowly clearing sky. She thought of her mother who had gone to register her for school, but her mind kept returning to Mr. Gharrick and that green pendant.
"Will Mr. Gharrick return? And... what really happened that day?" Neir thought while clenching her hands tightly. She knew something was being hidden.
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