Jiji no. 8

At The Gate

XIN HOLDER VISCUS PURSED HIS LIPS as he lifted is huge, tattered brown bag down to one side of his shoulders. It wasn’t actually heavy. Any travelers coming from Hem, actually, won’t bring a heavy bag along their journey—it was because, there are no mode of transportation here until the mainstation which is five miles away from their place, and that, because, people at Hem had no enough items, clothes, foods, or accessories to store and use while travelling. So instead of too many things to pack, Bevin’s bag had only three pair of clothes, one worn jeans, and five breads. Lucky him, isn’t it? Not.

Well, he pursed his lips not because of the heaviness of his bag, but because of the people watching him lifting his bag, and every movements he had with glistening eyes of sadness and of telling how they would miss him.

“So,” Holder started talking. “I think I need to go.”

Holder and the people watching him are all at the edge-end of Hem—the place where the last house of a farmer in Hem could be found. It was at the edge of a hill. And down the swollen terrain, there is a long, loneful path which Holder would take in order for him to reach the main city of a next region, where the mainstation of a train could be found.

“Do you really need to do this, Holder my child?” a woman in thirties but was looking tired, had asked.

Holder nodded. “Yes, Mama Julien. Among all, you are my Mama whom I had been telling about my dream the most. I want to be a knight, Mama Julien.”

This Mama Julien that Holder was calling, had sighed and brushed the tears which fell on her cheeks.

“Then that means you will try finding the truth about your deceased Papa as well, Holder?” another farmer asked.

“Yes, Papa Gustos. I want to know what happened to my Papa.”

“May the gods help you.”

Thing is, Holder loves Hem so much. It was his parents. It was what made him—him. The people in the region has been treating him as part of their family. In fact, he has been treated as own son of different families—they feed him, talk with him, and sometimes, when his grandfather was annoyed at him, and was letting him sleep outside of the cold night, he had no problems with it, for he can choose any of the Hem people’s house, and sleep there with warm welcome and loving treatment.

That is why it was so painful for him to leave Hem, because he was not leaving one family, but, a lot. In return, many of his treated parents and brothers and sisters would miss him as well.

But he had a dream. And he wanted to fulfill it.

“I’ll be back, don’t worry.” Holder forced a smile. “And before I came back here, I will make sure that I have fulfilled my dreams. Just like Papa, I will come back here wearing my shining armor. And I will let you all wear it! That is . . . if you can carry it.” He joked.

“Oi Holder!” A woman, same of his age, had penetrated to the crowd. She swooped the people who was watching at him, and made the very best effort to see Silver in the front.

“Riri!” Holder called.

And when the woman finally swam out from the crowd, Holder saw a beautiful woman (who was covered with dirt and a bit of mud on her face). Just like everybody else, she as well, has a trace of tears warning to fall on her eyes.

“Oi,” the woman named Riri stood at his front, lips are pursed, and trying not to burst out in front of a lot of people.

“I thought you won’t come to send me off. I have been waiting for you.”

“Why you didn’t tell me, eh? I thought we’re bestfriends? Then why are you leaving me without telling me about this, huh?”

“Uhh . . . everything happened fast. Baba Cicero wanted me to leave as soon as I can. I guess he hated me that much.”

“Baba is at your house, crying. He doesn’t want to see you leaving Hem.”

Holder was stunned. And then he smiled, both on feeling sad and happy—if that can happen, that is what Holder is feeling.

“That old sadist.”

“You really leaving?” Riri asked.

Holder stared straight through her eyes, and nodded. “Wait for me, Riri. I will come back here. Then I’ll teach you what I have promised.”

“Swordsmanship?” Riri asked.

Holder nodded.

“Then you better bring me a sword as well. I have no money to buy it.”

With that, Holder laughed, and replied, “I’ll bring you ten swords.”

From that, his bestfriend Riri cannot hold her tears anymore. With an ugly cry, he tightly hugged Silver. She said, “I will miss you bro! please eat a lot of potatoes for me when you’re there, huh?”

Holder hugged back Riri and tapped her shoulder. “I will, Riri, I will.”

When he removed his hug, he looked at the Hem people waiting for him, then looked back at Riri—with a stare that bids goodbye.

“I have to go.”

Riri nodded. “Go now. We’ll see you sooner.”

“Tell Baba he’s an old geezer. What kind of grandfather would let his grandson leave without him sending me off?”

Riri laughed. “I’ll tell that. And you’ll receive a steel bar on your head when you’re back.”

Holder smiled, “I’ll miss his beatings. Please tell him too, how much I love him. And please thank him in behalf of me for giving my dream a chance.”

“I will.”

Then he bid his goodbyes to the people watching them. One by one, they send him a congratulatory kiss and hugs, and told him words such as, “I’ll miss you”, “Come back and fulfill your dreams”, “I love you son”, “may the god help you”, and so on.

By then, he had to leave.

He turned his back to the people who treated him as his family, and started walking the path leading to his dreams—and leading to an unknown future he would have on the central kingdom.

He dared not to look back again. He was holding his emotions until now, as he trailed the narrow path down the hill. He knew everyone was silently watching him, praying for him and his safe journey. So he would not look back, for if he do, he would have hesitations on his decision.

He doesn’t want that. He want to live on his dreams. He want to fulfill his promises. This was just only a little bit of sadness. And when he’s successful, he will come back.

“Holder!”

He froze. A familiar kid’s voice sang his name at the top of the hill. Without hesitation, he looked back, and saw a young man running down the path, and rushing towards him.

“B—Bevin!” Holder called.

Holder was surprised, for the kid is finally healed. He was okay now, that he was back to being energetic and athletic. At his hands, while running, Silver saw a familiar item. A necklace. And he knew to whom does it belong.

When Bevin reached back to him, he jumped and hugged Holder. Holder caught him, and hugged back.

“Finally!” the kid told, “You’ll have your dreams coming true!”

Holder had failed to hold his emotions. He tried biting his lips, but then he cried. “Yes, Bevin. It will.”

“I am so happy for you, Holder! You don’t know how proud I am! When I grew up, I will be like you someday! I will be as great as you.”

Tears fell harder from his eyes. He sobbed. “Y—you should be. I will wait for you in the central kingdom, huh?”

He felt the kid’s head moving. “I will! Wait for me!”

And then the kid broke off from his hug. “I have a send-off present for you, Holder.”

The kid Bevin showed a necklace from his hands. He wasn’t shocked from it. He saw it when Bevin was running.

Instead, he asked, “How did you get this back, Bevin?”

“Mama and Papa. They did their best to find your necklace.”

“But . . . how about the money? How did you get it back?”

“Mama and Papa said you don’t have to bother with it. Just like you, they got it in a legal way. Here, bring this with you. This is your lucky charm.”

Holder sat, and let Bevin place the necklace on his neck. When done, Bevin smiled.

“Go now, our hero.”

Our hero.

Hearing those words, he felt moved. Genuine tears of happiness continued rushing from his eyes. He was so lucky to have this special people loving him this way.

“I will go now. Please take care of yourself, Bevin.”

He thought that if he looked back, he would have hesitations for himself; that he wouldn’t leave Hem and would just let his dreams slid off. But here he was, more determined, more passionate.

He looked back at the people watching him from above the greenish hills. He smiled, and waved his hands—a genuine goodbye.

People waved back, and bid his goodbyes as well. Bevin went back to his parents waiting above the hill.

And with that, with full determination, he went to his journey fully equipped with strong determination—and inspiration as he remember the smiling faces of his beloved family.

****

**CENTRAL GATE, KINGDOM OF AGNOSBADTT**

A MAN IN WORN BROWN COAT was wary with the surrounding. He looked left and right, checking everything, finding for signs of unusualness. He was on the line of people. These people, either rich or poor, were lined in a single pile, waiting for their turn of inspection. There are at least near hundred of guards standing at the huge gate. They have been rigorously checking the bags and containers and carriages of everyone who wish to enter the central palace. Those were the protocols.

He had travelled from Hem for two days—two long and tiring days. And now, the man was in the front of the gate of the Central Kingdom. He was excited, of course. He can’t contain the strong pounding of his heart. Too much excitement.

But, he have to remember what his late father told him when he was a child.

“When I was new in Central kingdom, son, I am clueless of everything. The first time I saw the huge wall surrounding the whole central kingdom, and the huge gate as an only entrance, I was so thrilled and excited. I gasped and showed my fascination from the structure not knowing there were bandits waiting for a prey. And they saw me. Everything I had was robbed by those men. And so I have to enter the palace while crying, and empty handed. Do not be fooled by the guards. They are just moving and protecting special and high-classed personnel. For a poor and middle-classed man like us, they do not care if we get robbed or beaten. They will say their perimeter of obligation is up until the gate only. That sucks, right?”

And so he made sure of himself that he won’t be seen as a newbie at the place, so that there will be no bandits who will rob and beat him.

He held his bag in the front, hugged it tightly, and slightly bent his body. He looked suspiciously at every people he would see, he weirdly sniffed at the surrounding to see whether he could smell the scent of the bandits, and . . . he even asked people in front and back of him whether if they were bandits or not. His legs are shaking from fear as well.

That . . . is how he made sure Bandits won’t come for him. That they wouldn’t see him as new in the city.

Not.

He was creepily looking and sending off strong aura of being a ‘newster’ (term of bandits for the travelers new to central kingdom).

He stopped shaking and just stood frozen, when he saw a pair of huge feet standing on the ground.

“Hey,” a big voice cracked through his ears. “Are you new here?”

“N—No! I am not new here! I am—I am travelling eversince I was a child. This is my four hundredth time of entering the kingdom! I swear to the gods!” he said, panic was in his voice. He was just a few steps away of the kingdom. Only five people was in front of him, waiting for their turn of inspection.

“Really? Then if you are, you must be familiar of me. Can you tell me what is my name?”

“Huh?”

“My name, young kid. People long travelling always knew my name. Who am I?”

“I—I am not a kid anymore. I am a teenager already,” the man told in shaking voice.

“My name,” the huge man asserted. Five more huge men appeared in his front. The people in line mumbled annoyance, but cleared the path for the bandits. They cannot do anything but to just watch.

“Oi, Oi! What is happening there?” the guards in the gate asked.

“Don’t worry chief! We’re just entertaining the travelers!” the huge bandit man said.

The man in worn coat wanted to ask for help to the guards. But, as he saw how the guards went back to their errands, not minding with the commotion, he realized that what his father told was real: the guards do not care for the poor man’s welfare.

“Say kid, what is my name.”

“Won’t you ask my name?” the man in coat asked.

“What? Hey, I’m asking you what is my name!” the bandit was now annoyed of the man.

“Xin Holder Viscus. That is my name.”

The bandit stopped for a moment. “Viscus?”

Holder looked back at him. And nodded.

The bandit laughed. “You dare to use the great knights last name?!” with a quick, unwarned motion, he punched the man who claimed a Viscus’ last name.

“But I am his son,” Holder said, holding the huge fist of the man who aimed to punch him. The bandit pulled back his fist out of surprise, but, another surprise, he wasn’t able to pull it. Holder was restricting the huge man’s fist with his only tiny left hand.

The men behind the bandit who punched him had started to move. Holder saw it. He twisted the arm of the man who punched him, making his bone pop in cracking. The man screamed in pain.

Holder then kicked the man. He jerked backwards, hitting another bandit. Another man assaulted him with his right hook. Holder ducked. He touched the ground, then with a flash, he kicked the man in the face, while his arms was supporting him on the ground. He went back to stand. Two more man attacked him. This time, they were holding a knife. Holder rushed to the first man. The man then was about to stab his knife, but, Holder had anticipated it already. He caught the man’s arm who was holding a knife, twisted it, and smashed its elbow, causing the man’s arm to broke and deform. Now, the other man who was holding another knife had attacked him on his back. Yet, Holder was quick. He jumped in the air, circled acrobatically, held the man’s head as a support, and forcefully kneed the back of the man. A gurgling pain escaped at the man’s mouth. The last bandit was holding a sword. Holder grabbed the knife of the man laying on the ground. The last bandit standing was shaking in fear. Holder looked at him blankly. Then, the man rushed to him with sword sloppily holding in his hand. Holder then threw the knife, aiming at the hand that holds the sword. The man screamed in pain. He dropped the sword. Then, not giving any chance for him to recover, Holder quickly sprung to the man, and punched his abdomen, causing it to lose its consciousness in an instant.

The people in watch gasped in shock with what had happened. Impossible, that is what inside their heads. Those group were known as the most feared bandits outside the kingdom. But then, they were single-handedly beaten by a young man.

The wind blew. The hood covering Holder’s head was removed.

And there, the guards, remembered that similar dangerous stare.

“I am his son. Please remember my name.”

Holder saw that the path to the gates was cleared. He silently went to the guards and handed his bag for inspection. He too, showed his Sen Pass. When the guards was done, he grabbed his bag again, and started moving inside—towards the Central Kingdom.

“H-Hey,” the guard called him.

Holder looked back.

“Are you perhaps late general V-Vlad Serim Viscus’ hidden son?”

Holder raised his eyebrow. He didn’t know that he was a hidden son of his father. Why?

But then, he nodded, confirming what the guard asked.

“Wh-Why are you here, then?” the guard asked, nervous.

Holder had no idea why the guard was acting weird. Even the other guards was looking at him intently.

“I am applying for an army reservist,” Holder answered.

“Really? Then f—follow me.” The guard left his post, and started to walk warily. Holder started following him.

“To where are we going, Sir?” Holder asked.

The man in flashy silver armor looked at him. “I will recommend you to General Balfor.”

Holder, hearing the name, curled his forehead. “Balfor? He is familiar.”

“Is it? Perhaps late General Viscus had mentioned him to you once.”

“I don’t remember. Perhaps you can tell me more. Who is General Balfor?”

“Your late father’s bestfriend.”