[C O M P L E T E D]
Finished on 1 Jan 2019
It is now the 22th Century and the year is 2112. Times are extremely different from the 21st Century. Now, the world is divided into only four continents- and Alara Berrera resides in Excidium.
In Excidium...
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ALARA
Leave with an easy heart and conscience.
She tried to complete her duties as a filial daughter by ensuring that her mother had at least five month's worth of health poultices and medication but she still felt that she did not do enough. As a result, she mentally chided herself for her incompetency.
Three years was a long time. During her other meetings with Maren, she had managed to negotiate with Maren to give her at least six months' worth of break where she could use it anytime she wished to anytime she wanted to. If it were not for her relentlessness, she would have ended up with only two or even three months' worth of break.
Meanwhile, she had ensured to notify the private investigator to work harder than ever and contact her via mail if he ever found any leads regarding Ren's whereabouts. Once again, she was always full of gratitude towards him as he was someone who she could constantly rely on and count on- even during the pressurising years.
He had helped relieve many of her onerous burdens by going out of his way to aid her in any way he could, such as by giving her discounts and sending her extra herbs whenever he could. All she knew of him was that he was twenty-years-old and that his name was Lesk.
I desperately hope that by the end of this, my family will be back together. I will use the resources from the Agency to develop a cure for you, Mama. I promise.
Again, she pondered on Maren's advice to her. Tears fell when she knew that she was leaving with a guilt-ridden heart and uneasy conscience. Frustratingly, her mind frequently went back to the day where she had apologised to her mother for leaving her as her mama had not taken it well.
That memory was forever etched in Alara's mind.
___
That day, she had taken her time to boil her Mama's medicine, being more conscientious than ever as she had attempted to buy time to spend more time with her mother.
That day, her Mama had been more energetic than usual and Alara had caught a glimpse of her mother's former self as she had been oddly eagle-eyed and sharp, which was something Alara was understandably unaccustomed to.
"What's wrong, Alara?" Her mother had queried anxiously. "Are you in danger?"
Those words had shattered her heart to smithereens, and she could not help but wonder, why must the day of my departure be the day when my Mama is finally more sober and clear-headed? What did I do wrong to be punished so cruelly? All I have ever yearned for all these while was just for Mama to have moments of clarity and not trapped mentally in pure desolation.
My own selfish desire for the past decade was just to have my own time where it was just me and Mama bonding- just as normal families do.
When Alara had woefully explained to her Mama in vague details as to why she may be gone for a long time, her Mama had broken down in tears of regret. Even the mere mention of Jonek being her new caregiver - who she liked immensely- did nothing to subdue the agony in her heart.
