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Aiji's Theme: Death With Dignity- Sufjan Stevens
It all started on one fateful day. I had been preparing to set out ever since I'd first heard the news of my mother's death, but one day, a soldier came to the village to deliver the last letter that my mother was planning to send to me... The last thing my mother ever wrote.
You see, when the first soldier came to give the village news about her passing; they told us that they couldn't find any of her belongings from where she was stationed at the time, and that one of us would have to go collect her older things from Maryville. That's what I'd planned to do.
Maryville was my original destination, but the letter changed everything.
"My sweet Aiji,
Do you remember the strange man I'd told you about in my letter before? It turns out I was right, he was some sort of Imperialist from Ishiopia. I'd overheard him talking to the crown prince about some sort of arrangement. Luckily, they didn't notice me eavesdropping.
But after leaving I got a strange feeling... It felt like I was being watched. Me and a few of my comrades are leaving tomorrow to go check out the camp where that strange man was staying. If things go wrong, this could be my last letter to you.
If you get word of my passing, please, remember the legend I told you when you were young.
It may be the only way to keep Ukerra from being taken over by these men. A priest in Old Miovel should be able to put you on the right track.
With Love,
Mom"
That was it, that was the smoking gun.
When I was young, my mother would read me a little poem she made about a legend one of her superiors had told her. I really liked it, so I would always have her read it again and again at bed time. When she went back to her station... I couldn't see her anymore. So she wrote it for me and sent it here. I've been keeping it on the wall near my bed ever since.
"There's an orb of emerald within the orange trees.
Guarded by the ruins, that nobody sees.
It hides inside it's shell,
The glowing crystal hides it well.
It will grant any wish, anything you desire,
But tell too many people and the forest burns with fire...
If the wrong person finds, the orb within the shell,
Then gone will be our country, the people's land that fell..."
Overtime, I've tried to draw what exactly this orb would look like. I've tried to paint the orange forest. I always had a feeling that one day I'd be destined to find the orb, but I can only tell people I trust.
While packing my final things, elder Mae came to visit me.
Mae: "Are you sure you'll be alright out there? The soldier says the natives of the forest aren't too friendly..."
I nod.
Me: "Don't worry Mae, I've got this! No forest can stop me! Or natives... actually they probably could..."
Mae shakes her head and laughs.
Mae: "You're just like her you know. That's just about the same thing she said when she first went off to camp, before she had you."
Her sweet smile looked a bit sad in that moment. Elder Mae raised my mom, then me. I was going to miss her more than anyone.
Mae: "Just promise me you'll come and see old Mae sometime after your journey's over. I'll always be here, even if it's just in spirit."
With my large backpack Mae made for me all packed and on my back; I gave her a real big hug.
Me: "I promise."
Mae: "If the road gets tough, just remember... she's always watching over you. She loved you more than anything in the world."
Me: "You're gonna make me cry on my big day, Mae."
Tears had begun to fill my eyes.
Mae: "It's okay to cry, grieving takes time my boy."
I let her go and wiped away the tears that'd made their way down my cheeks. It's true I hadn't given myself enough time to process it all, but my mind was set at the time.
Besides, I was supposed to be getting all brave and stuff... Crying would've taken it down 10 notches. Now just wasn't the time.
My mother left me with a purpose. A destiny for me to fulfill.
No tears were going to stand in my way.
Me: "Goodbye, Mae."
I start out the door, to go and say my goodbyes to the rest of the village but I'm interrupted before I make it out.
Mae: "Aren't you forgetting something?"
I turn around and in Mae's hand she was holding my Puffo Keychain.
Me: "What would I do without you?"
Puffos are little plushies that I like. My mother sent me a letter about them once and I've been obsessed ever since. So she ended up sending me one that she bought when she was in Yu-jong city. She told me that Yu-jong has a big factory of them and that one day maybe we'd be able to take a trip there together. That day never came.
I plan to collect one from each place I visit. They're practically the symbol of Ukerra! In my mind anyway.
I attach him to my backpack and get lectured about remembering to always make sure I have everything with me before just leaving.
"There are thieves out there you know!"
"Yeah, yeah I know, it was one mistake!"
It felt bittersweet to be leaving behind the only place I've known my entire life.
Heiwa is a small secluded village, south of Matekanai forest. We rarely had people come there, aside from the mail soldier and one noble from Yu-jong who liked our food.
We grew our own crops, raised our own cattle, and made our own clothes too. So Heiwa has never seen much reason to interact with anywhere else anyway. People feared the natives that supposedly lived in Matekanai. Mae would say she was one of the few people who'd met a native. The way she described them was way cooler than what you'd hear among the village's idle chatter.
The people described them as evil savages, that'd kill anyone who crossed paths with them. Mae's still standing though. She'd say they're good people who simply have their own customs, customs that differ from ours. They were well trained with spears, bows and arrows. They lived their lives without much need for pointless material things, and they took good care of the nature around them, aside from the animals they would hunt for food. They just didn't like bad people in their home.
What was so evil about keeping your home safe?
I was excited to meet them, but I doubted I would. The soldier who came here as often as he did, claimed that he's been lucky, and had never encountered one a single time. So my chances weren't looking too great.
The most exciting part about me leaving was the fact that I'd get to meet new people, and that I'd get to learn about the way other people lived. I think those two things alone were good enough to keep me going.
As I said my goodbyes, people offered me food and other things to take with me on my journey so that I didn't die or anything like that. It was pretty cool seeing the village come together like they did. Not like we weren't united already, but most people were usually too busy working to do much else.
The downside to all of this was how heavy my backpack was getting, as if it wasn't heavy already.
Everyone gathered around the entrance to the forest to see me off. I knew everyone in the village, so there were a lot of tears, but everyone supported me. Even without knowing where my journey would take me.
The small stone houses and delicious grub would be missed, but with so little to see, it wasn't as hard as I thought it would be to say,
"Goodbye Heiwa."
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{Aiji's Journal: A journal gifted to him by one of the village-folk, who suggested that he use the journal as a way to record his adventure, and also as a way to cope with any feelings he may have along the way. I'll put one at the end of the chapter every so often! His drawings aren't always the best so no judging!...Please.}
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