A raindrop fell, followed by another, until the sky poured—heavy, fast rain, exactly like the flow of the river of time.
Minutes passed, then hours, days, weeks, and months—three months, to be exact.
Life continued at the academy. They studied various subjects: different types of currency—silver and gold—used in global trade; types of horses—the Andalusian, Arabian, English, and the winged horse; and training in the use of weapons, along with occasional bullying and discrimination between students of different classes.
Eugene, Ren, Reem, and Fred spent most of their time together—going out, watching movies, and holding challenges from time to time.
Like when Ren confessed his fear of spiders, which led Fred and Eugene to disguise themselves as a spider and scare him.
Or when Fred admitted that he had a box of Mountain Candy in his locker—the favorite candy of Eugene and Reem—which pushed them to go and take it, until Fred caught them.
Under warm air and bright sunshine, the smell of bread filled the surroundings, mixed with traces of rain.
Eugene moved forward with steady steps when he heard a slightly loud voice coming from behind. He turned his head to find Reem running toward him.
"Eugene—"
Reem stopped running and stood for a few moments under Eugene's gaze, trying to catch her breath from all the running.
"What's wrong? Did something happen?"
Eugene felt a bit confused, but it vanished with Reem's answer as she raised a pink, patterned card.
"Melissa invited us to her birthday."
"Oh… wait. Melissa's birthday? You mean at the Kanvi family palace?!"
In an instant, Eugene's expression turned into a mix of shock, tension, and happiness.
"Yes. It will be held at nine tonight."
"What—nine tonight?!"
Eugene felt even more shocked and tense as he spoke while looking at the watch he had recently bought.
"That's in six hours!"
"Yes, that's why I came running to you."
Eugene immediately moved toward his apartment, his steps gradually speeding up as he turned his head toward Reem and said,
"I'm going to find something to wear."
Within a few minutes, Eugene reached his apartment. Before entering, he remembered—
"Wait. All my clothes are dirty, and I don't have anything suitable for any kind of occasion."
His tension grew slightly, but he quickly remembered that he had an organized and elegant brother named Ren.
So he changed direction toward Ren's apartment. Since he had a spare key to Ren's room—given to him by Ren—he entered.
The apartment had brown walls, floors covered with a red carpet, the scent of roses and mint, and everything was organized and clean.
He entered and didn't find Ren, so he headed to Ren's room where he kept his clothes and went inside.
The room was medium-sized, with a heater, photos of Eugene, Ren, and their mother placed on a table near the bed, and candles in a small lantern softly lighting most of the room.
Eugene stood there, staring at the photos—especially at his mother—while feelings of sadness and happiness played a musical melody on his small heart.
A wooden door opened, steam coming out with it, and a voice said,
"I put it for you on the couch outside."
Eugene turned his head. It was Ren.
Eugene asked, his eyes slightly wide with happiness, as he looked at Ren heading toward the wardrobe to take some clothes:
"Did you know I don't have suitable clothes and that I'd come to take some from you, so you picked them out and put them outside?"
Ren replied while taking clothes from the fully packed 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."
Eugene went out, picked up the clothes from the couch, returned to the room, and entered the bathroom to change.
"You're supposed to ask permission before using my apartment's bathroom!"
Eugene's voice came from behind the door:
"Ask permission? Why? You're my brother. There's no need for that."
Ren replied as he pulled out a white shirt:
"Anyway, how are things going with cultivation?"
Eugene raised an eyebrow behind the door while trying to find the correct way to wear the white shirt, his voice slightly muffled with some echo:
"Hmmm… well, it's not bad. Most of the time we learn martial arts, weapons, survival techniques… we haven't gone deep into cultivation itself."
Ren took off his shirt, revealing some modest muscles, and said while looking at himself and trying on the white shirt:
"Yes, I know. I'm with you in the same class."
Eugene finally found the correct side and spoke while doing so:
"Then why are you asking me?"
Ren said with a hint of sadness:
"Nothing… I'm just trying to create a moment for us to talk like we used to. Lately, we've been focusing on other, more dangerous things."
Eugene felt a wave of nostalgia as well, imagining himself standing on a mountain edge, fresh air hitting his face and his hair strands fluttering—just like those memories.
After a moment of silence, Eugene said,
"At least we have friends now, a better quality of life than the village, and we're stronger… right?"
Ren went back to grab a pair of pants after wearing the white shirt.
He kept flipping through the pants, thinking about something.
After another moment of silence, he said,
"What are your plans for the future? I mean, if we stay alive."
Memories of the monster attack replayed in his mind like a film on repeat.
After a few moments of thought, while brushing his teeth, Eugene said,
"I don't know. All I'm trying to do right now is gain strength, make friends, escape loneliness, and avoid future hardships."
Ren slightly lifted the corner of his mouth:
"I think I want to start a family."
Eugene paused for a moment before fully realizing what Ren said. He raised an eyebrow and looked toward the door—even though it was closed and he couldn't see through it—and said,
"A family? What do you mean by a family?"
Ren sat on the edge of the bed, speaking with a sad tone and a bit of embarrassment:
"Well… you know. Marriage, work, children."
Eugene let out a light laugh.
Ren raised an eyebrow, his expression straight with some irritation:
"Why are you laughing? Did I say something strange?"
Eugene's voice came from behind the door:
"No, it's just—if that's the life you want, then why dive into the world of cultivators?"
Ren ran a hand through his hair and looked at his hands:
"Well… I think because I'm forced. Yes, forced to stay in this place because of that disaster in the village. I also drank the potion willingly, and I'm still young—fifteen years old. I'm not even legally allowed to do those things yet."
Eugene paused, processing Ren's words. They made sense.
Logically, he felt happy that his brother had his own dream instead of just following him.
But in his heart, he felt sadness. Ever since childhood, he had imagined himself and Ren as powerful cultivators who would leave their mark on history.
Of course, he didn't say that out loud.
Eugene opened the door and came out, wearing a white shirt and brown pants. He took a tie, then sat on the side opposite Ren's bed while putting on his shoes.
"How do you feel after drinking the Mist Potion?"
Eugene recalled the past and everything he felt with that potion, speaking in a slightly unstable tone:
"I don't know. I just feel that when I'm in a foggy place, I have more energy… and also, the air around me—the mist and smoke—feel clearer to me."
"What about you? How do you feel about shadows?"
Ren thought for a moment, then answered in the same tone as Eugene:
"It's strange. I drank the Explorer Potion, but I had to choose it to save you back then. I feel some itching around bright lights."
Eugene didn't focus on most of what Ren said—except the point that he drank the potion because of him. Sadness spread in his heart. He lowered his head, his expression growing slightly dull.
Ren quickly noticed Eugene's reaction and understood.
He said, trying to lighten Eugene's mood:
"But in the end, this potion suits me, and the Explorer wouldn't have helped me much in battles."
Memories flooded Eugene's mind—the moment Ren pushed him during the attack, the moment he ran toward him while being burned during the awakening ceremony, and the moment he drank the potion to save him.
I'm the older brother. I'm supposed to be the protector, not the one who needs protection… Why is he always the one who has to sacrifice, and not me? Why?
It wasn't sadness or anger—just a strange, unfamiliar feeling in the heart of a young man who had lived his life in happiness and safety, only to suddenly fall into the mouth of reality and truth.
Ren wore a white shirt with a formal black suit and black pants.
Eugene wore brown pants, a white shirt, and a brown coat.
Knock… knock.
Someone knocked on the apartment door. After both Eugene and Ren finished dressing, Eugene went to open the door while Ren used some perfume.
Eugene opened the door to find Fred, dressed exactly like Ren, saying,
"Heh, I like your taste in clothes."
Eugene laughed loudly.
"Of course—I'm the one who chose them."
A voice came from Ren's room:
"Liar. I chose them for him. He doesn't know anything about clothes."
Fred laughed lightly.
Eugene said with a bit of frustration and confusion:
"Why don't you stay quiet for once?"
Ren came out of the room and stepped outside, saying,
"I don't like lying."
"Man, it was just a small lie."
Eugene came out as well, and Ren closed the door behind them.
"A lie is still a lie."
The cold night air, pale moonlight illuminating Eugene, Ren, and Fred as they headed toward the exit gate on their way to Melissa's house. Trees swayed with the wind, stars shimmered, the sound of waterfalls spread through the air, and thick clouds gathered, signaling rain soon to fall.
End of Chapter