Rise of Yahunyens: Origin

Episode 46: Wrings The Wings: Part 5

The sun had long disappeared beneath the horizon when Fheniz sat on the small porch of his stone house. The night was peaceful, with a cool breeze rolling in from the distant hills. He stretched his legs, exhausted from the day's work but relaxed in the quiet. It wasn't long before the rhythmic clatter of wooden wheels on dirt reached his ears, accompanied by the unmistakable bray of Burohagikun's donkey. Fheniz sat up straight, a smile already tugging at the corners of his lips. As promised, Burohagikun was back—right on time.

Burohagikun's "ass-kart" came to a stop just a few feet away from the house, and with a grunt, the old shoemaker jumped down from the cart, landing solidly on the barren ground. Fheniz stood up, dusting off his ¾ shorts, and greeted Burohagikun with a grin. "Come along!" he said as he opened the creaky door to his humble home, stepping inside and lighting the oil lamp that sat on the corner table.

Burohagikun followed, his eyes sweeping over the stone walls of the small house. "Welcome to me!" he declared with his signature wing-bing laugh. "Nice house ya got, brat!"

Fheniz let out a yawn and stretched his arms above his head. He was bone-tired after the day's work and couldn't help the pang of embarrassment that crept up as he glanced around at the mess. Dirty dishes cluttered the small countertop, clothes were strewn across the floor, and his bed was a tangled mess of blankets. The small couch in the corner looked like it had seen better days—its cushions were worn, torn, and covered in dust. Still, this was his home, and he smiled sheepishly.

"Thanks, but see, it's all messed up," Fheniz muttered as he pointed out the disarray.

Burohagikun waved a dismissive hand, plopping himself down on the rickety couch with a loud thud. "Eh, no big deal. I didn't come here to judge ya house, brat. I came to chat ideas with ya!"

Fheniz grinned in appreciation. He was thankful that Burohagikun never seemed to care about things like this. He had always been more focused on the bigger picture.

"Tea?" Fheniz offered, making his way over to the small stove in the corner.

"Ah, sure!" Burohagikun quipped, his eyes twinkling with amusement.

Fheniz laughed softly as he put a pot of water on to boil. He knew better this time. Anticipating his uncle's arrival, he had stopped by a small vendor on his way back from the shop earlier and picked up some ingredients for the special flower tea Burohagikun loved. He added the dried petals into the boiling water, letting their floral scent fill the room. With a quick movement, he poured few drops of lewst, a natural sweetener harvested from the hives of the special Lew-bees. The tea began to bubble and froth gently, the aroma thick and intoxicating.

Once the tea was ready, Fheniz poured it into two clay cups, the steam curling up in lazy tendrils. He handed one cup to Burohagikun, who took it with a grunt of approval. "Smells good," he said, taking a sip. His eyes closed in satisfaction as the warmth spread through him. "Mmm, I feel much better now."

Fheniz chuckled as he sat on his bed, cradling his own cup. The old man's gruff mannerisms always managed to put him at ease. The two sat in silence for a moment, savoring the tea, before Burohagikun spoke up again.

"Well," Burohagikun began, his voice taking on a more serious tone, "the way you live, kid... I think ya deserve to be with me in this competition. If we win something, ya can improve the conditions ya live in."

Fheniz took a long sip from his cup, staring down at the chipped surface. "Yeah, maybe," he said quietly, though his thoughts were already racing. The possibility of winning one of the prizes was starting to seem real, tangible. He imagined fixing up the house, maybe even getting a new bed or some proper clothes. It was a tempting thought.