I turned to Jakhir and said,
"If your son hadn't been there, you might not have seen today's sunlight."
Jakhir looked at Ronny in surprise, then back at me with gratitude.
"Thank you, Naeem. Truly."
"Don't thank me," Naeem replied. "Thank Ronny. He's the reason you're still alive."
Jakhir nodded, and after a pause, he asked,
"So… where are you and Anisha heading?"
"To Noora Bad," I said. "Her family lives there. Or at least they did…"
Jakhir's eyes lit up.
"Noora Bad? That's perfect! We were heading there too—my brother and his family live there."
He smiled, and after a moment, I nodded.
Traveling with another family wouldn't just be safer—it would give Anisha a chance to bond, to smile again. Radha could care for her in ways I couldn't.
We decided to rest for the day. We all needed it.
We slept the whole day, and when I woke up, it was already afternoon. The air was still. I walked a short distance away to train.
La-Dan's lightning weapon… it was stronger than anything I had.
My dagger had done its part, but I needed something greater.
I pulled out one of the hearts I had taken. As soon as I consumed it, I felt power surge through me—raw, volatile, and new. I sat down and began to meditate.
Slowly, I shaped that energy, focused it into a weapon form. After hours of deep concentration, a transparent battle axe began to take shape—massive, heavy-looking, glowing faintly with a dark light.
But it wasn't finished. Not yet.
When I opened my eyes, the sun was low. I saw Anisha and Ronny playing together nearby, their laughter echoing faintly. Radha stirred a pot over a fire, and the smell of roasted meat drifted over.
I approached.
"Is that… meat?"
Radha smiled. "Yes. Jakhir found a goat nearby. Lucky, isn't it?"
Dinner was ready not long after. We all sat together, eating quietly.
My thoughts returned to La-Dan. His lightning rod… it had been powerful. But my new axe… it felt like it carried something deeper—something darker. Maybe even more dangerous.
That night, after dinner, I helped Anisha train. Her energy was growing stronger. Fast.
Three days passed without any trouble. We traveled mostly at night, when the shadows made me stronger. During the day, we rested and kept watch.
By the end of the third night, I had finished the battle axe.
It radiated red, black, and purple energy. Fire licked along its edges, and its weight pulsed with power. It wasn't just a weapon—it was something that could burn through anything in its path.
As I sat sharpening the axe by the campfire, Anisha came and sat beside me.
She looked at the axe, then at me.
"Why do you always make knives, swords, or axes?" she asked softly. "Why don't you make something… beautiful?"
I chuckled. "Your mother said the same?"
She nodded, her eyes gentle.
I looked at the flames and smiled faintly.
"Maybe you're both right. Next time… I'll make something better. Something beautiful."
Anisha leaned against my shoulder, and for a moment, it felt like the world was quiet.
I have a life to live.