Chapter 6 – Family and Friends

Two shadows were standing over Wanderer's unconscious form on the floor of the shrine, looking down at him, when the second statue in the niche opposite to the first one's glowed and exploded into pieces as well.

The impact and the noise woke him up. He got to his feet and looked up at the skylight on the ceiling of the deserted shrine as the voice immediately rang:

Thy next foe is... A giant canopy soars to the heavens... The anger of the sleeping giant shatters the earth...

Wanderer listened in silence until the voice faded away. Agro ran up the stairs to him again, with the youth's bow and quiver of arrows hanging by the saddle. He patted the horse on the neck as praise, as usual.

When they left the shrine, the sword's light guided them northwest, in the same direction as where the second colossus once resided. So, Wanderer rode along the same path until they reached the abyss and a natural rock bridge to the other side of the sea.

However, the light now pointed over the beach. Wanderer saw the remains of another arch to the west of the previous remains she saw. In between the two wrecks of pillars was yet another natural bridge, closer to the direction of the gathered light.

The boy and Agro crossed the rock bridge to the other side, which was a rocky plain. It was dotted with constructions that looked like towers. Curious, he approached one of them, finding that the base of the tower housed a stone tablet with ancient runes inscribed on it, obviously an altar. Time had worn down the inscription and some of its structure. Tangles of vines covered it and various plants sprouted out of the stones' cracks.

Wanderer passed the ancient altar without paying much attention to it, heading straight to the cliffs that loomed in the distance after the light. On the way he saw hawks flying in the sky, and some kind of big black lizards crawling in the grass, hiding from their winged predators. They were at least two other kinds of living beings, apart from the colossi, that he met in this deserted land, and he had no thought of disturbing them.

But after a distance, the boy was surprised that he felt hungry.

Hunger was something he never thought of in this land, the land where the sky is equally bright without any sight of the sun, and without any passing of time – according to Dormin. But the hollowed feeling in his stomach, which was also troubling his mind, was definitely hunger. What was worse was that he did not want to risk encountering the third colossus in this state. Hunger could reduce the ability to think and take action to the point that he could fail easily.

He remembered the pond and the fruit-bearing tree he encountered on the way to the first colossus. But he was now very far from that spot; turning a round trip would take too much time. So, he rode on the way before him in hope of finding some more fruit trees. However, as he went on, he found that the end of the sword's light hit the face of a cliff. Near it was yet another altar, just before a narrow mountain pass in the shade. There was no tree in sight.

Pulling on the reins, he commanded Agro to stop and dismounted him. The boy looked around in hope of finding something to eat. His gaze met a lizard crawling on the altar's wall. It was easy to spot, as it had a white tail unlike the plain black lizards he had seen.

He stood looking at it for a moment. Then he slowly pulled out his bow.

The arrow flew straight to the middle of the lizard's body, sending it down to the ground. His dagger welcomed its quivering form.

"Forgive me…" Wanderer said before he ended its misery. "I need your flesh to survive."

As there was no fuel to build a fire, he skinned the lizard and cut meat out of its bones. He then tried a mouthful of the meat. It tasted similar to that of a pheasant, though a little stickier and with a distinctive smell.

While he was eating, Agro lowered his head, trying to graze on the short grass in the area. Wanderer told him,

"Sorry, Agro. When we find some fruits I'll share them with you. Back then I was too careless."

The black horse was still nibbling on the grass, not looking at him. Wanderer sighed. After Mono's death, Agro remained his sole friend, the one companion who always stayed by his side even before he decided to enter this forbidden land. That thought reminded him of one of the afternoon conversations he had with Mono at the shrine.

* * * * * * * * *

At that time, Wanderer was talking about how to catch wild horses and train them, and the uses the tribal people had for horses. He was careful to avoid the subject about the horse meat they sometimes consumed, and the horse skins they covered their yurts with. He did not forget what Yaheem said about not speaking of killing to Mono. However, it was the girl who asked him.

"I read in a book that you eat horse meat. Is that true?"

He had to nod in confirmation.

"It's true, but only for old horses, and it's when we can't find other games to hunt."

Mono blinked.

"So will you eat Agro someday?"

He was speechless for a moment. Then he laughed.

"Never," he said, shrugging. "I've taken care of him ever since he was born. I think of him as a friend. I'll never be able to kill and eat him."

But the girl continued to ask.

"What if, during a journey, you can't find any animal or anything else to eat?"

It was much more difficult than the first question, but after pondering for a moment, he shrugged again and answered,

"Well, then I'll have to try and find one."

"But if you really can't find anything?" Mono did not give up.

"Then I'll have to wait until Agro starves to death. Only then can I bring myself to eat him. But I'll never let him starve to death before me."

Now the girl was the one silently mulling over his words, before she spoke up, apparently confused.

"I think your words are…paradoxical. Those two sentences somehow contradict each other."

"Well, I intended it that way," Wanderer chuckled again. "That kind of thing will never happen anyway, so I never worry about it."

* * * * * * * * *

Thanks to the lizard population of the deserted land, he did not have to be so worried about finding food that he needed to consider Agro's meat his final alternative.

"I won't let you die on me," the boy mumbled as he watched his grazing friend. "You'll live to your ripe old age and die a natural death. Only then can I let you rest."

Those words, "ripe old age", reminded him of a time long ago, when he had never doubted the certainty of people around him gradually growing old and dying away. That thought gave him some fear, but not much. Even though he realized that finality, his youthfulness made him feel that such a day was so far away; now they had years to live together, years that would pass by slowly so he could prepare himself to accept loss.

But then came a day he never expected: the day he found those he loved all dead, not because of any natural causes.

Wanderer now recalled another conversation between him and Mono, in such a time when those he mentioned or even his listener were no longer living in this world.

* * * * * * * * *

Wanderer had stayed in this peaceful village for almost half a month now. On days that he did not go see Mono at the shrine, he would ride Agro in the forest or the fields, join the hunt with the village's hunters, or practice fighting with the shrine guardians. Then came a day he spoke to Mono by the cemetery as usual. But what they spoke about was not directly about the Arslan tribe.

"I feel I've told you all about my tribe. I can't think of anything more," said Wanderer.

"Then what about yourself?" Mono suggested. "Like, who you are, what your family's like."

He did not reply, and his face must have looked so serious that the girl lowered her face and said more quietly.

"If you don't feel comfortable telling me, it's all right."

"Not at all," said Wanderer. "I just think my family isn't going to be interesting for you."

"Why not?" Mono asked. "You've told me a lot about the Arslan tribe. That's why I want to know you too, as someone in the tribe."

"Hmm…"

"Please," she said.

"All right," he answered before collecting his words. "I'm a nameless wanderer, as I've told you. I have a father, an older brother, and a sister-in-law. When I was young I lived with my grandparents and my brother. Now my grandparents are all deceased. My mother died when she gave birth to me, so I never know her all my life."

"My mother died when she gave birth to me too," Mono remarked softly. "I really want to know about her."

As he saw how sorrowful the girl became, he quickly continued.

"My father likes to travel. He's hardly at the camp. I remembered seeing him for the first time when I was already four."

"That long?" The girl exclaimed. "Why did your father take so long a journey?"

His eyes drifted far away as he thought of the past.

"I heard others said that he was devastated when my mother died. That was why he couldn't bear to stay in the camp any longer. But I've always thought that it was because he didn't want to see me."

"But why do you think of such a thing!" Mono could hardly suppress the surprise, and perhaps disapproval, in her voice. "I…I think that…no matter what happens…a father is supposed to love his child, isn't he?"

"Well, I didn't mean that he didn't love me," the boy simply said. "It was just that he never talked to me so much. Perhaps he couldn't help but blame me for causing mother's death. He'd stayed with us for two years. Then he left again. Another two years after that he returned. Then he made short trips into and around the plains. As I grew up, we began to talk more to each other. Still, I wasn't that close to him. But he taught me like a caring father sometimes."

The girl was silent, seemingly deep in thought. Then she asked,

"How old are you now?"

"Seventeen," replied Wanderer. "I'll be eighteen in another seven moons."

"So you're a year older than me," Mono remarked. "When your father left the camp the second time, you were six, and then he came back when you were eight, right?"

He thought for a moment.

"I guess so."

"So, what's your father's name?" she asked. Then she quickly stated her reason, "I want to know how names of the Arslan people sound."

"It's Chinua."

"Chinua…" Mono repeated the name slowly, and she asked again, "What about your brother? What's his name? How's he like?"

"My brother's called Tolui. He's a very skilled hunter," the boy said admiringly. "When I was young, my grandparents took care of me, but they were very old. So Tolui taught me many things. He taught me how to put up the yurt, all about butchering and hunting and riding. Sometimes I think he's more like a father to me."

"That's great," the girl remarked. "I really want to know how it feels like to have an older brother."

Wanderer chuckled and said lightheartedly.

"If you don't mind, you can think of me as one. After all, I'm a year older than you."

Mono laughed. Her laugh was genuine, soft and gentle.

"Then that'll be great. I've always wanted a brother who will take care of me." She looked into his eyes before saying in a serious tone. "So, I can really think of you as my brother, right?"

Wanderer was speechless for a moment. He never thought she would take this so seriously.

"Huh?"

"Can't I?" Mono blinked. She already looked like a little sister who wished that her younger brother would dote on her – if he considered her his little sister indeed.

"Well…that's up to you," he answered evasively.

"Well, that's up to our mutual agreement isn't it?" The girl giggled. "It's no good if I want you to be my brother, but you don't want me to be your sister."

"Hmm…"

"So that's settled, right, brother?" she said, laughing a little.

"Hey wait. I haven't agreed on it." He feigned protest as she concluded by herself.

"You just said it was up to me, didn't you? So, please think of me as your sister," Mono said, looking at him so pleadingly that it would be impossible to resist. "Please, Wanderer. I never had a brother. I'd be very – no, I'd be happiest – if I can call you my brother."

"I guess it's all right, Mono," Wanderer said, though a little hesitantly. "I'll let you become my sister."

"I'm so happy!" she gave him a bright smile. "Thank you so much, brother!"

He could only smile back at the girl, who beamed at him with her brilliant eyes. She was apparently so overjoyed that she could have stood up and embraced him as a brother had Yaheem not been keeping an eye on them.

"By the way, do you and Tolui fight often?" Mono asked.

"Sometimes, but not that much. Maybe because he's much more grown-up than me."

"I wonder if we'll fight…"

"I hope not."

"Well, siblings do fight at least once in their lives, don't they?"

"But I can't think of anything we'll fight over."

Mono giggled again. Then she asked,

"And how's your sister-in-law like?"

"Her name's Erdene," he said. "She's beautiful and kind, two years younger than Tolui. He told me he fell in love with her because she was so like our mother. They got married six or seven months before I left. She's pregnant now. I'll probably get to see their baby when I return."

"I wish I could see your family," Mono said, rather regretfully. It was as if she knew it would never be possible. "They sound very loving and happy."

Wanderer smiled wryly.

"Actually, it should be my brother's family. After he got married, I put up another yurt so I wouldn't disturb them."

"And what about your father?"

"He's been living alone in his own yurt for years, even when he's at the camp."

Mono did not say anything for a moment. Then she asked hesitantly,

"And do you have…a lover?" she quickly added when he did not reply. "I hope you don't think I'm being nosy. I mean, a sister can ask her brother about that matter, right?"

"I don't mind." He gave her a comforting smile. "It's just that…I never thought about it."

"Why?"

"Maybe I think I'm still too young," replied the boy. "I enjoy going around riding and hunting. But after the naming ritual I may think of settling down. It depends on whether I find someone that's right for me."

"I know that, someday, you definitely will," Mono said with certainty. "Because you're such a kind and gentle person."

Wanderer did not answer. How strange… He felt a little troubled and he did not like what she just said.

Only in recollection did he begin to understand his feeling back then.

To be continued...

Chapter VI – A Sign that Came with the Rain

* * * * * * * * *

A/N: Dear all readers, I'm sorry for taking over a year to finish the translation of this chapter. Right now I cannot say for sure how fast or slow it will take to finish the rest, but the recent comments I've received keeps me going on. So, let me say thank you to you all, though I may not be able to answer your comments personally. I'll make sure to answer any question you have. I hope this chapter is a Christmas and New Year present you enjoy, though it's quite overdue. ^^;

Basically, I consider this chapter a light break in between the tense times. I think it would be great if Wanderer could speak about his family himself.

Many fanfics I've read wrote of him as an orphan and some a servant to the priestess Mono, knowing her since their childhood. I think losing the only one close to him in the world is reason enough for his determination in resurrecting her. Yet, I want to try something different. I think of Wanderer as an outsider, as you must have already known. This enables him to "see things in a different point of view"…and also enables me to create his own back story. I must admit I like a lonely and angsty Wanderer. I sometimes think of different versions with angstier Wanderer from the beginning, but I don't think I'll be able to write one. In my version I think it'd be interesting if he had an easy-going personality and a family – before he lost them and Mono.

The names of the Arslan people, as I've mentioned in a note in an earlier chapter, are Mongolian names. Chinua means "wolf". Tolui means "mirror" and is the name of one of Genghis Khan's sons. Erdene means "jewel".

One thing I'd like to mention is how many readers comment that my story is true to the game. I truly appreciate that. I think it is one the best compliments fanfiction writers can ever receive. However, I think I should have say in advance that the story somehow took on a life of its own during the course of one year I wrote it. And some turns of events may or may not be what many imagined of the game. I know what I imagine cannot be exactly what Ueda-san or the team had in mind. Neither can it be exactly what Miyabe-sensei would think about SotC if she played the game. So, please consider it a version of the many possibilities that can develop from the same generic setup of SotC, like the many versions out there.

I've put up quite a long author's note here and I guess I should stop. ^^;

Happy New Year 2009! I hope it's a good year for everyone.