That day, the boy gave his shoulder to his mother to cry on.
The night that followed was peaceful — they all slept soundly and happily.
Although that night, Aron chose to sleep beside his mother. He loved her dearly and couldn't bear to see someone he cherished in pain.
But that night, after a long time, a dream appeared.
Aron found himself standing by the seaside — the same one he often visited.
The waves rattled softly, creating an unsettling yet oddly calming sound.
The sun had not yet risen. The world was quiet and beautiful.
He sat by the shore for a while, holding a stick. With it, he drew a smile in the sand. Then, he casually began drawing a house.
But as he turned his face toward a nearby tree, the entire scene shifted.
The sea had vanished.
It felt like the dream had changed.
He noticed a place in the distance and began to walk toward it.
There was a hole — a deep, dark entrance to a cave.
He was scared, but he went anyway.
Suddenly, his right foot slipped, and he fell.
He kept sliding for what felt like a minute until he finally landed in what looked like an ancient cave.
Aron walked slowly and carefully.
It wasn't just a cave — it was a riverbed, ancient and echoing. It had to be thousands of years old.
But there was nothing there.
He turned back, about to leave…
Then he heard a whisper.
"Norm's successor."
That's all it said.
Aron woke up suddenly, breathing heavily.
He looked around — his mother was still asleep, along with Kyle and Maria, his brother and sister.
But his father wasn't there.
Quickly, he got out of bed and started searching for him.
It was still deep night.
Not far from the tents, there was a camp.
He walked toward it and opened the camp door.
Inside, he found his father — Agarth — fast asleep.
He looked tired, probably from a long journey.
Aron didn't wake him. He turned to leave quietly.
But then a voice stopped him.
"Aron, what are you doing here?"
It was Vince, a soldier and a close family friend.
Aron: "Just checking on Dad."
Vince: "Oh, alright. If you're free, help me with the firewood."
Aron: "Sure, let's go."
The two walked to gather firewood and began breaking the logs into pieces.
Thud.
Aron threw down a piece of wood.
Aron: "Huh... I'm tired, man."
Vince: "Not yet! Break them with the axe."
Aron: "Seriously? You can do that too..."
Vince (smirking): "I could — but I want to see how strong a true warrior is. Come on, show me!"
Aron picked up the axe and began chopping, but it was far too heavy for him to control properly.
Vince sat on a log nearby, sipping water with a grin.
This made Aron frustrated.
With a spark of mischief, he aimed the axe toward a log between Vince's legs — not to hurt him, but to scare him a little.
Thud.
The axe landed perfectly between the gap.
Vince was stunned.
He looked down and saw the wood split cleanly.
Aron laughed and ran off, his cheeks red with embarrassment and joy.
Vince (chasing him): "You little brat! Come back here!"
Just then, Agarth woke up and stepped outside the camp.
He watched his son being chased, a tired but warm smile on his face.
He yawned and approached them.
Agarth: "Stop, both of you!"
They froze.
Aron ran and grabbed his father's leg playfully.
Vince: "Commander..."
Agarth (smiling): "I'm so tired... Let's eat. There's three of us — first, we need to start a fire."
Vince started the fire using the wood Aron had chopped earlier.
It caught quickly and burned bright.
Agarth placed a stone over the flames and began cooking cow meat — enough for all of them.
Agarth: "So... what exactly were you two doing?"
Vince, still sweating and glaring playfully at Aron, responded.
Aron: "He made me chop wood while he just watched."
Agarth (grinning): "That's good, my son. You did well."
Vince: "He almost killed me with that axe! But... somehow it was a perfect shot."
They all laughed together.
Agarth: "Where's Keith these days?"
Vince: "He's out of town, visiting Oakville to see his brother."
Agarth: "Good for him."
The meat finished cooking — tender, juicy, the fat glistening as it dripped off.
They each took a bite — it was delicious.
The night slowly gave way to the light of dawn.
They talked and laughed as the fire crackled.
Vince, though a soldier, was like a big brother to Aron.
They always argued and played like children.
Having lost his own parents, Vince saw Agarth not by blood, but by faith.
Aron: "This is really tasty..."
Vince: "It really is."
Agarth watched them, his heart full.
He felt blessed — surrounded by good people who held a special place in his life.
The sun finally rose over the horizon.
A warm, golden light touched the earth.
And the three of them sat, talking, laughing…
As if time had stopped just for them.
The End.