Chapter 4:

Chapter 4: A Forest and a Small Cottage

The boy and the unmovable clock


"It's been a week since I met Solaine and started this journey; nothing noteworthy to report," he said, the sun beating down on him as he strolled down the lonely road of stones.

Three days prior, even though it was now nighttime, Ariel and Solaine were sitting in a wooden carriage with the starry night sky shining down upon them. Ariel wondered what might happen tomorrow as he gazed at the stars. They fell into a long stillness that was eventually broken by Ariel.

"Hey Solaine, how come you kept me safe?" Is there a particular cause? Was it merely a coincidence, or what?

Ariel thought back to the evening he set out on this adventure and met Solaine. Solaine considered for a time before replying with a somber tone.

No, honestly, it was just a coincidence that I met you, but I do have a problem. "Ariel, do you know anything about your birth?" was asked out of the blue. He paused, uncertain of what to say. He attempts to come up with a response, but nothing comes to mind.

That was all it took for Solaine to get an answer—that no matter what questions he asked, Ariel's birth story would stay a mystery and he would never know why he is markless.

why he's an irregularity who is fated to have a short life, and he didn't know how to break it to him as a child that their lives are numbered in comparison to the common folk or even the princesses and kings of this world.

After a little while of silence, they said, "Well, I didn't really expect an answer to begin with, but do you have any memories whatsoever?" Again breaking the silence, Solaine questioned.

Ariel tries to remember what he thought he had forgotten a long time ago once there is some more silence.

After a short silence, Ariel started talking about his past experiences, which he thought he had suppressed because he was afraid he wouldn't survive the next day.

They all seemed happy and lively despite living apart from their loving families, but I felt uncomfortable there, as if I didn't belong there and shouldn't have been there in the first place. After years of gradually growing closer to them, they all suddenly passed away, and I was unable to even comprehend what was happening.

If only tragedy awaited him, would he one day find salvation? Solaine wondered why he was left alone in that stifling village and why his lack of value was purported to be the source of his woes. or harmony?

After giving it some thought, Solaine decided to ignore it as it wasn't his life and he wasn't concerned about anyone else's life, so whatever happened, it wasn't his concern. Gazing up at the starry sky, he remembers the history of a lone traveler who was the only one to survive a protracted conflict.

And regarding his quest to find peace both inside himself and from others, as much as he would have liked it, he never once considered being the only survivor to be a curse or an honor; rather, he believed that, since he is only a lone traveler seeking a place to rest, simply existing would eventually bring him and others peace.

Ariel and Solaine drift off to sleep beneath the stars.

…..……..…………

As the sun rises, a new day breaks, and they both awaken from their deep slumber. The sky is now bright blue with hints of yellow, and as the sun rises, the remaining shadowy areas fill with a brilliant golden light that illuminates the entire grassy area and forest. Ariel is taken aback by the beauty of the daybreak as he stares at that brightness.

Every day when he strolled along the same route, the scorching sun's rays scorched him almost to the point of cinders in that settlement.

observing the same stores and merchants, the same children playing in the streets in spite of the heat, people getting ready for work, merchants packing their carts with merchandise and food, and, at the end of the day, homeless individuals pleading for money while gradually losing hope. Ariel is merely hoping that something would change or that someone would give him a cause to live—possibly even resurrect his life—while he strolls across the same desert with no signs of vegetation or stunning sunrises or sunsets.

…….……………

Surprised by this abrupt warning, Ariel becomes curious to learn more about the fact that he is an irregularity. "Once you get to a kingdom, try to stay away from any high-ranking official or leading princess and king. You're an irregularity, someone who by any means shouldn't be here, or else you might just suffer a bad fate by their hands, so keep your hands clean off them unless it's necessary for you and only if it benefits you," the warning reads.

Do you mean that I'm simply different from other individuals, and if so, how much? Even though Solaine was taken aback by Ariel's irregularity, which somehow didn't surprise him but rather seemed odd, he still answered him.

"Don't let anyone on to you try to stir away from people who are the kings/princesses consorts or officials if they notice they might try to strike you down by any means necessary." "Irregularities such as you are markless; someone once appeared here markless, and they died within a year of being here. I'm not sure if you have something special about you."

Ariel was at a loss for words, realizing that his time on earth wasn't long. He wasn't shocked, either, because he didn't really take life so seriously in the first place. Therefore, all of Solaine's nonsense didn't really register with him; he lived a life of abandonment and loneliness, with no purpose in life other than to wait for someone to end it or begin it again.

……………………………

Ariel was taken aback when Solaine stopped the carriage in a large village surrounded by a forest. He saw that everyone was moving around and that everything felt brand new. He didn't even know where to begin because he had never seen anything like that before. Now, the things that had always seemed normal to him were different, and he was thrilled. He wanted to stroll everywhere, but Solaine briefly stopped him.

"Ariel, I apologize for not being able to accompany you further. Good luck on the rest of your trip. Something came up, and I will have to split here. It's been fun being together. Kids aged 7 to 16 are treated equally here." And with that, Solaine vanished into the throng, leaving Ariel alone. Nevertheless, this time, he didn't feel alone; rather, this village felt cozier than the stuffy one where he had left everything behind. Here, he felt like he could take action because his wounds had already healed to a ten, making him feel more alive than ever. He began to explore the village.

‘’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’

Ariel felt excited as he continued to walk, paying attention to everyone around him. Eventually, he got tired and started resting on the side of the solid white ground. It felt nice to sit on, and it didn't feel hot at all; it felt more warm and a little cool. The shopkeeper selling vegetables, a 12-story wooden house filled to the brim with life and greenery all around. It was a strange feeling since he's never seen such life in a village like ever and that brought

It was ideal for him, and as he looked around the village, he began to notice how carefree everyone seemed to be—almost as if they didn't care about the ongoing war—though it's none of my business, he did wonder why everyone was grinning so much.

But as he continued to wonder, fewer solutions seemed to come to him, so he dismissed the idea entirely. A red-haired boy sat to his right. Ariel glanced at that boy and his features was really good—red hair that he never saw and eyes so blue that nearly reflected the ocean itself He genuinely looked wonderful After an hour of relaxation, Ariel tried to talk to him but was unable to come up with the correct words. Instead, he chose to ignore him and get up, returning to his exploration of the hamlet until the red-haired child stopped him in his tracks.

"Hello, would you mind listening to me for a moment?"

Ariel looked back at the red-haired boy and sat back down where he was just a second earlier and heard him out.

‘’ I'm currently in a bit of a bind. I wish to transport these to a specific residence. Could you please assist me for a little while? Although I can't guarantee I won't pay you, I might be able to provide you with a house; after all, soldiers frequently come here for supplies, so it's preferable to locate a place to stay. stay in and avoid them since this location is quite close to war grounds; its best to stay in house most of the time if you don’t mind, of course.

Ariel was shocked and taken aback, and he was at a loss for words. But he was also unable to decline the red-haired boy's offer, which was to find a place to stir away from the ongoing conflict if possible, especially after learning that Solaine had warned him not to ignore them at this point.

Therefore, he accepted the red-haired boy's offer and began assisting him, keeping quiet about Solaine's warning to himself and attempting to avoid any high-ranking officials or consorts as much as possible because the area is near war zones and he will undoubtedly run into some of them. It is best to be as far away as he can be and live in peace after accepting the offer.

Ariel wondered why it felt so convenient for him to find a place far away from war grounds during their encounter, but he was grateful and chose to ignore the thought. The red-haired boy handed him a few leather bags full of meat and vegetables, which were likely for him and his significant other. They then started walking while carrying the leather bags. They had finally reached a wooded cottage around nightfall. 

Nether
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