Over the course of six months after that, Ralph devoted most of his time to smooth out the relationship between the harpies in the Sky Castle and Ling. Surprisingly, he even managed to come across Caprison's mother. His father, like him, had been enslaved and killed. Caprison's mother, Joyce, ate with him at the Great Wave. Where Ralph had given her the remaining photographs taken of Caprison. Still, he had one, just one, picture of Jerron and all his closest followers, including Caprison, safely tucked away in the pocket of Eve's coat. Another difficult task was to get the people of Ling used to live on without someone telling them what to do. The remaining members of Jerron's followers collected themselves into a group that still refrains basic laws (no killing, no stealing, etc) to the city. It is hard, to turn a weaponry empire into a peaceful city, and Ralph knew that he couldn't get things done to perfection, or do this on his own. He worked with Paulie and Jane, together they decided Ling shouldn't be jumping for the best but avoiding the worse. By doing so, he knows that they are at least improving, bit by bit like he had been.
He's also made a trip to the Bread. Kanitha and Cecilia had already cleared this place out and distributed its prisoners to other regions and Kingdoms willing to take them in while Ralph is still out cold after the war, which is now titled the War of Dawn by the world.
He picked up some courage to browse through the empty chambers and rooms inside the prison. He came across a couple that he thought would've been the room where he first met with Eve. But even without the Scars and the prisoners, this is still not a pleasant place to visit with the lingering, putrid scent of blood, urine, and dead stuff clinging to every brick and tile of the building.
So Ralph headed out. Out on the same cliff where he'd been stabbed. How is it possible, that perhaps just a year or two ago, he is still sitting here, trying to find a reason to reject Eve? But actually, his worry had been right. Eve made herself one of the most important people in his life. He loved her as much as a friend ever would. But if he knew it would've ended like this, wouldn't it be a blessing if he had just left Eve at a safe place where he would never revisit until the Scars' been defeated?
No, he told himself. I can't. Before the Scars's defeated, there is no place considered safe for a Target like her.
He sat down at the edge of the cliff with his legs hanging, feeling the wind whipping his scarred eye. He dazed at the bright, joyous ocean glimmering in sapphire blue under the blaze of the sun. The overcast that hangs above the Bread is finally gone. But Eve is not here to witness it.
No... I can't leave her. From the very second I met her when she saved me from whatever that officer was going to do, I should know that this will end badly. She died warning Jerron. She has to. Her heart won't allow her to watch him run into his death when she had foreseen it happening. But he did it anyway. He has to. He has to save everyone else that's still alive on the battlefield. He has to defend Shelly. He has to die.
"Sulking in sadness, Ling?"
Ralph sighed heavily, resting his chin on his hand. "You always appear when you're least needed, Chenire."
"Hey, what do you mean?" Forrest raised a brow as he sat down beside him. "Am I not the one passing you toilet papers when you have a mission two minutes later and you're still stuck in the bathroom?"
Ralph blushed. "Shut up."
Forrest chuckled, then pulled out a bottle from his jacket, handing it to Ralph, who reads the label suspiciously.
It was a bottle of Luana-made coconut wine. His favorite drink.
"What's this for?" He demanded.
Forrest didn't answer him. He got his bowl that he carries around, and another cleaner, newer one.
Ralph widened his eyes.
"You still kept this?" The other one was his bowl. Forrest had always carried it for him during missions, but he didn't expect him to still have it with him.
"Of course," Forrest says matter-of-factly, holding his bowl in front of Ralph.
"But why?" Ralph asked, still confused as he opens the wine, pouring it into Forrest's bowl.
"Well," Forrest shrugged as he handed Ralph's bowl to him. "Let me guess- You still don't have your own eating utensils with you."
Ralph said no more as he filled his own bowl. Setting the wine bottle aside, he exchanged sakes with Forrest.
The familiar taste of his favorite drink sliding down his throat feels nice. He finished half his bowl before stopping, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.
"What did you come here for?" Ralph mumbled, feeling his cheeks burning from the alcohol.
Forrest sighed with relief after swallowing his drink. "Well. To put it simply, did you remember what I told you about Monk saving me when we met at the Toe of Layat?"
"Wha-"
"Drink on! Drink on," Forrest urged, emptying his bowl. Ralph did the same, as he brought the bowl away from his lips, he was already feeling a bit drunk. But Forrest only refilled it once more.
After their second bowl, not much was left in the bottle. When Forrest still reached for it for the third refill, Ralph grabbed his wrist, forcefully stopping him.
"What do you want to tell me?" He hissed. There was still little sanity free from the drunkenness telling him something is quite wrong with this whole thing.
"The time limit of my lifespan is up," Forrest said straightforwardly this time. "Monk reversed the time of my body for a year. Time's up now."
YOU ARE READING
Alasla: The New Age
Fantasy"What killed him isn't me. It's the world." Ralph had never asked for much. Not even his own identity. But when his best and only friend got murdered by the man he calls father, he was forced to set off on an expedition to unravel the truth of this...
