In the morning before heading off, Smiley went out and tried to search for Ella all around the village but was unable to find her anywhere. He asked around people and they said they had no idea who he was talking about. He even went to many farmers and asked them about her but they all claimed they had no daughter named Ella which was confusing as the village was still not that large for her to be found nowhere.
Smiley came back tired to the tavern where Ananke was ready to set off. Rhinan noticed Smiley's distress instantly and asked him "what's with that face?"
'Do you by some chance know who Ella is?'
"Ella?" she questioned. Smiley replied 'Yea she has blue hair and eyes. She has helped me sometimes but I cant seem to find her'
Rhina said "If I find her. I will tell her that you said good bye so don't worry" as she smiled assuring Smiley but deep down she was confused herself as she knew many people from the Village but never once heard of her.
Ananke was overhearing this conversation with his closed eyes for some moment inside the cart and opened them back lost in his own thoughts.
Rhina said "Remember to eat properly and come back safely". Smiley smiled as he said 'I promise.' reassuring her he will be fine.
Smiley came into the cart with a sheath of sword and a small leather pouch and Ananke asked 'Is that all your belonging?'
Smiley responded 'This is all I have. I have another set of clothes which are torn up'
But Smiley was wearing a white clothing in the tavern when he was in his stage of awakening.
'I guess I will get him a new sword and some clothes in the town.' thought Ananke
The cart was now in motion and Rhina and Cor with a few more old men were there. Rhina said "Stay safe, and don't forget to eat your meals. Do not forget to take a bath… Oh and do not be swayed by evil people"
Ananke thought 'I guess she was worried about him even when she did not showed it'
Rhina continued "And if Ananke causes you trouble, tell me, I will teach him a lesson" Ananke felt cold stare at him, as if she was threatening him with a smile. The man who was strongest felt as if his life felt threatened from mother-like love. 'I really do not want her on my bad side'
Ananke turned his head towards the front side of the cart and asked, annoyed 'And why are you still here…'
There seated the leader of the town soldiers in the cart with them and he said "I am just making sure you do not kidnap the poor fella—"
'The truth' Ananke instantly cut in.
"Yea. I missed the timing when camp was moving out. Just going with you till the next town."
'No camp moves without a leader and its not even that far. Go for a walk, its good for your health'
"Now now, making an old injured man walk"
'Injured old men do not go out hunting in the first place, you are just here to mess with us, aren't you?'
The leader said to Smiley ignoring Ananke "Why don't you come work with me instead of him"
Ananke responded 'Remember what Rhina said. Do not be swayed by evil people like him'
Ananke and Camp Leader were passive aggressive among themself as Smiley thought 'This is going to be a long road trip wouldn't it…'
He stared outside the cart towards the village and everyone had already headed back but at the gate he noticed something. His eyes lightened up and thought Ella was standing at the gate, the same place where he last met her… but it was too good to be true.
He just stared blankly and wondered with a gloomy expression 'I guess the only one who was good at finding was you…' regretted Smiley, he felt something in his heart, heavy and suffocating.
He felt a warm drop fall on his neck as if something dripped from above and a warm hug. He touched his neck where he felt the water droplet fall but found no liquid. He even looked above and there were no signs of leak and the warmth was the same as the one he felt when he was drowning in the endless sea.
When he looked to his left. He found only two grown ups fooling around.
Smiley looked at Ananke as he smiled and said 'Thank you for taking care of me' as he started to twist his finger around the sword's broken halt.
Ananke looked up and replied 'Dont worry about it, I barely did anything'
'So am I supposed to defeat an evil demon or something?'
Ananke replied 'I dont think that is for you to worry about. After all you look too young to be from the hero cycle'
'What is the Hero cycle exactly?'
'Hero cycle is the chosen hero after every hundred years. You could be the one as your age is unknown but you look younger than other children who were born from customs that are in cycle.'
'Customs?' questioned Smiley and Ananke replied 'A hero is chosen in a 100 period cycle so people tend to have children on that cycle. It's more of a custom made up by people so their child can become a hero.' Ananke paused 'Well it's not like it can do anything as the hero is chosen by the world itself and can not be altered.'
Smiley questioned 'Isnt that just useless then?' to which Ananke explained 'it isnt a bad thing as a generation of strong younglings are born with the hero. Nobles, kings and even peasants does it as well so it is actually more influential as the hero can meet strong individuals, connections and allies. It would be good even for you as you will get to meet many strong individuals at school yourself if you enroll earlier.'
'Do I really need to go to school?'
The leader replied this time "I mean after all if what he says is true and you had an awakening let it be heroes or not, you will be forced to join the capital academy as this kid was too" as he pointed towards Ananke.
Ananke replied 'But keep it a secret for now, you never know what these people will do when they find out'
The leader laughs as he said "Only your awakening was a disaster." to which Ananke raised his eyebrows to which the leader instantly dropped the topic.
Smiley questioned 'What happened at your awakening?' to which Ananke responded 'Nothing much. Everyone was just confused on how I randomly awakened out of nowhere' but his tone was different which smiley immediately noticed but only replied with 'I see, must have been rough' and did not question further as some things are better left unknown. After all he was just a random kid to him who was found in a random void. Prying any further would be disrespectful of him.
Smiley yawned as he asked 'Do you guys know each other?'. Ananke replied 'Well its a long story… actually not really. We have met a few times before' interrupted the leader as he claimed "and none of them were great first expressions. Not a single time I have met you and had not to fill out huge amount of paper work"
Ananke responded 'Haha… sorry for the trouble?' to which the leader responded "You don't sound to be… Well you have grown up" to which Ananke smiled pridefully.
The leader instantly turned that prideful smile of his down claiming "But i still hate paper work so I would prefer you letting this old man rest."
Ananke laughed 'Well I do make a lot of mess which you had to take care of after all'. The leader sighed "Well this time it was justified. After all it was our fault to begin with"
Ananke looked at Smiley and noticed he was struggling to keep his eyes open 'We must be boring you with this. If you are sleepy then go on ahead.'
Smiley blinked 'No… I just feel pretty tired all of a sudden'. It was weird. It was like his energy was being drained from just sitting, doing nothing. He tiled his head a bit towards the right.