As Ananke was sitting inside the tavern, eating his bread. Just then his ears slightly twitched and his eyes shifted in some specific direction.
Ananke said to Smiley 'You know what? I need to go somewhere. I will come back in a few days for your answer' as he stood up without wasting any time.
Smiley asked 'Did something happen?' and Ananke simply replied back with 'Duty calls.' and went off.
'Well that`s weirder than usual…' as he drank his water and stood up.
Smiley went outside of the tavern and towards the cemetery where he met Cor, standing in front of the grave of the man named Camlon.
Cor said 'I guess you came back alive' to which Kid replied 'I had to keep my promise'
Cor looked at Smiley 'Thank you for not making me regret it…'
He patted him on the back saying 'Take your time' as he walked off.
There laid white tulips across the graves of those who died on that day marked as 'The Bleeding Tree'. The gruesome scenery of blood surrounding a tree that stood alone in desolated land. As the tree slowly drank the blood of the dead for survival of its own.
Smiley saw his brothers and master's grave. Yet he was not able to cry a single tear. He just stood there and stared at the white tulips which represented unconditional love the mercenaries showed, acting as "Guardians Of Village".
He just mindlessly stared, unaware of what to do, unable to express thoughts and emotions.
He kept on staring down at the gravestone as his hair covered his eyes behind them.
He closed his eyes, whispering calmly with a slight smile, 'Any time now… I will wake up—'
A widened smile across his face. His eyes had turned dark black once more, losing the color of his awakening as something ate it whole, almost lifeless of any emotions.
He raised his hand checking the curve on his mouth and repeated once again 'Freak…' The same words he whispered upon waking up. He just– turned away and walked off.
As he walked across the village, where he saw Cor again, sitting on the bench at center as he said to Smiley "I heard the rumors that Ananke wants to take you with him to outside of this village"
Smiley did not respond. He just kept on looking at the sky while Cor leaned forward looking at the ground.
Cor asked him "Do you know why Fariz decided to stay near this village when every other man was looking for fame or power?"
'…'
Cor turned his face towards Smiley, "So that you could bond with other children in the village. There were no 'Guardians of Village', your master only wished for you to live a normal life—, others joined him for their loyalty. Heh, He was even overjoyed like a little boy when you met this girl named Ellea"
Cor recalled the past where once Fariz sat next to him on the same bench. Fariz said to Cor "That boy— He is always showing like he is excited to go out and kill people just to earn my praises…" his laugh smile dropped and silence fell.
Cor looked at Fariz whose face was drowning in worry as his eyes were screaming in pain. Fariz continued "I am scared Cor… I am scared I might turn that boy into someone he was never meant to be."
Cor said to the boy "Fariz once taught me, The world itself does not stop for anyone, not even when your own world crumbles before your eyes. Call it cruelty or mercy for those who have yet to come."
'…'
Cor continued "Ked… I have no right to say much on this but go out and see the world. After all, we only live once. You should not anchor yourself to such a small village."
His words were simple yet carried the key to free him from the chains that Fariz failed to free him from. The chains set by expectations and death of his master. Ananke offered the key to take him from this memory which the boy refused to accept.
And now he was awakened, there was no one in the village who could guide him as awakened bodies act differently once the OG settles into their bodies.
^ (Note: "OG = Originality" in case that was not clear enough.)
The kid's mind was occupied by one thought… 'What does one have to be for him to be free…'
"Be free…" Even at his own death, Fariz cared for not his survival or regrets of his life but only thought for the boy, consoling him even when he was dead.
Fariz knew how one can forget the things important to them in the moment of grief so he told him to follow his will, giving him time to find his own. Telling him to continue on even if he must betray his wishes so that he would not be bounded by his last words.
A single thought followed, a thought planted by Elenbel 'What— is a human?…'
The boy looked at the people in the distance. Their faces were blurry that he could not make out who they were.
He thought to himself as he narrowed his eyes 'It`s getting worse.'
The kid smiled brightly with his closed eyes while looking back, 'Thank you. I will think about it' as he walked away just like before.
Cor looked at Smiley walking away and a doubt formed in his mind as he thought "Fariz… Did you really die that day…"
As Cor sat there, he overheard adults gossiping 'Look at that boy, His whole group died and he is not even crying'
"Tsk" Cor clicked his tongue in anger as he glanced for those gossiping adults to walk off like nothing happened.
"Over Grown Childern…" Cor whispered and looked at the sky "Hey old man, Just what is the right thing to do?"
Later on a windy day, Ananke returned.
As Ananke was about to head upstairs, Rhina told him 'He is not here right now'
Ananke questioned 'Did he go somewhere?'
Rhina responded 'Ked probably went to the same tree close by.' as she pointed towards the direction of void and continued 'There is a single tree on the off road'
Rhina expressed her concern to Ananke, 'He is acting differently lately. I know you told me not to worry but this is too weird. When I tried to question him, he brushed it off like nothing happened. I have secretly tried to follow him, but he just— disappears… and he was just— smiling the whole time'
And just then Ananke realized something was off, 'The kid— was smiling the whole time he was with me. No child can keep on smiling after what happened…'And suddenly it clicked…
'Was there even a Smiling Kid to begin with?'
No…
'Or a Kid who even wanted to smile—'
But forgot how to stop
'He was just a kid who was asking for help—'
But never knew how
Ananke looked at Rhina and people around him as he thought 'How could I have forgotten… The people here do not know kid means a child. No wonder they are calling him Ked'
{Note: For comparison:
Think of Kid has a word from a different language or a unique dialect and people are calling him Ked due to differences in pronunciation.
(Emphatic Consonants for language nerds)}
Ananke responded 'I see… I will go check on him'
He went outside and started walking towards the direction of where she pointed.
Along the way he spread open his fingers as the wind around him started to shift. He was buried deep within his thoughts with his eyes closed as he controlled the wind and felt everything around him.
The footsteps of people. The fight that went on. He could feel it, the voices of the past like reading a story book.
Two ghastly white shadows of teens playing around. One chasing another. One falling face first into the ground while the other laughing at him. One climbing the tree, looking far off while the other laying on the ground, gazing at the sky.
These shadows were not of the boy but two unknown teens.
Ananke swiped his left arm in the air like opening a curtain and slowly opened his eyes.
There Ananke could still faintly see the ghastly figure of two teens which slowly disappeared to only leave behind the boy who was sitting in the shade of the tree as he stared at the tree's lustrous green leaves waving back at him, sitting there lifelessly .
Ananke walked up to him and asked 'So this is the place. Seems peaceful.'
Smiley responded 'Yea, it is.'
Ananke asked him 'How long are you going to keep up this act? Kids should not hold back their tears.'
'For some reason, I don`t feel like crying… so just leave me alone' said Smiley, indifferent to all.
For a moment, he acted like death or life made no difference for him as he kept looking up at the green leaves waving in the wind.
Ananke replied 'I am afraid I can not do that.'
The boy smiled 'Isn`t it weird? He let me live on even when he could have used the ring to save himself…'
Ananke sat beside him leaning on the tree 'Yea he could had.'
Smiley continued 'I am just a coward who was so afraid of using his power and let them all die… So, leave me alone? I have brought nothing more than death to people around me. You will be no different.'
Ananke replied 'You see, I am strong. You do not have to worry about death coming for me.'
Smiley, still looking at the leaves, said 'You don`t know a thing about me. Just walk away and forget I ever existed. It will be better for both of us.'
Ananke said coldly 'Yea you are right' as he stood up, 'We both are strangers after all. We will never meet each other ever again.'
Ananke glanced back at the boy 'But the real reason why you went to the void—'
Smiley's heart sank upon hearing it as Ananke continued 'String was an excuse wasn't it. I should have known when you changed the topic back then. It was not because of the string but you wanted to prove yourself that you were weak, was it not? That you were not strong enough to protect them. So you provoked and fought against that adventurer but not being assured you went for the Void.'
Smiley knew deep down what he said was the truth he was running away from and spoke up enraged, 'What do you know me? Just… Leave Me Alone' as he tightened his fist. His voice raised 'I AM JUST A COWARD WHO COULD HAD SAVED ANYONE . I ONLY… if only—'
Smiley's voice sank as his eyes became dull and he responded showing no emotions, 'If only they had never found me in the village— No… if only "I had never existed—" they would all still have been alive. They all would have never wasted their time on a useless mess like me. This is all my fault.'
Ananke said as he looked at the boy 'You said yourself your master let you live on. Did he not? I am just a stranger and nothing I say can or will change what happened but your master put his trust and faith in you.'
Smiley laughed 'The faith I betrayed by letting him die'
Ananke replied 'The faith still lives as long as you survive.'
Ananke replied 'So cry it all out'
Smiley was still smiling 'I told you—'
Ananke replied 'cry'
'Its fine—'
'Cry'
'Can you—'
'Cry' as Ananke gently smiled.
Smiley finally looked away from the green leaves with a sign of annoyance, glancing at Ananke to find him gently smiling as a cold wind blew across their faces.
The moment his face turned and looked at Ananke's gentle smile, the world started to go blurry and a sudden tear fell down on his cheek while still having a smile on his face.
His gentle smile was like a gentle warmth to his frozen heart. The warmth that made the land of the dead look like a field of flowers.
Ananke said warmly, 'Kids should not act strong in front of adults. It's not a shame to cry so don`t hide your tears looking at the sky. If you are embarrassed then just blame it on the rain', he knelt down in front of him with a smile as sun rays shined down upon him. He noticed his dark eyes.
Smiley said 'Huh? The world is becoming blurry…' as he let out a small laugh trying not to cry.
'Those are tears, you idiot' said Ananke softly as he patted his head against his shoulder 'Let it all out. I wouldn`t leave you, so cry it all out. You are not a burden to anyone.'
The tears the kid was holding back, started to flow down as his smile finally faded away.
The tears he held onto while wearing a mask smiled for all, lying that everything was alright. The mask that hid his tears was now finally cracked before the red haired who held him, revealing a face of just an ordinary boy.
Ananke gently said 'Be true to yourself or one day you will never be able to find your true self behind those masks you wore for others'.
For those were the words of someone who truly understood the boy.
A kid who never had the chance to express his emotions just smiled at the world. Trying to forget it all by replacing it with a smile. A smile that will comfort everyone. Even to him— by lying to oneself— finally cried his tears out.