Sorrowed Hills

Part 1 of 2

A man, old and brittle, muscles still visible, almost like he still worked out, makes his way over to a hut. Walking over he uses his sturdy broken pickaxe as a cane, he stands slumped over at about five foot five. Oil and grease stain his rugged clothing, muscular arms, and wrinkled face. Hanging from his broad shoulders a cream colored apron with scorch marks and worn holes from age. Obsidian gloves crafted from leather wrap tightly around his hands in attempt to bear heavy burns that would come.

The old man, limping with a broken pickaxe; used in place of a cane. Slowly approaches a low class cottage built of scrap wood thrown out by the wealthy, left to decay. A garden sets in front of the lawn with an astounding young lady attending the luscious vegetables so they don’t whether.

The woman, in her late twenties, stood the average height of a five foot two. A hazelnut pigment in the shape of a ponytail covered the top of her head, reminding the man of a forging fire as it glowed to the rays from the sun. She wore a tattered linen dress, almost as if it were her gardening outfit, from the embedded soil that was smudged all about her ware. She yields a steel tool, taking shape of a half circle, with the blade face inward to remove the invading plants, that never seem to disappear.

Off to the side of the garden the old man catches a glimpse of a young child, prancing around with a small pink wand in one hand, and the potion that allows her to magically summon small orbs, that flow along with the gentle wind. The girl, no older than ten, wore her hair the same as her mother's, only hers had a light brown tint. After having a pleasant time, it didn’t take long for her to notice a familiar face strolling up the dirt paved street. The girl stops her wizardry to run up the path, greeting the elderly man.

Wondering what possibly got the girl all worked up, the young woman glanced over to see what her child's focus was set to next, and couldn’t help to grin.

“Haru, what might this delightful visit be for?” The mother chatters once the aged man gets closer, with his new little campaign.

A man, unseen from before, begins to work his way down the disintegrating ladder, with a concerned look on his face. Still being polite to his unannounced guest, his motions his head in a greeting fashion, down from the ladder.

“Hello there sir, what may I owe this pleasant visit to?” The man speaks with a hidden tone of worry.

“Haru, would you like anything to drink?” The woman behind the thick wall of healthy tomato plants, politely asks.

“No, but thank you for the offer Asumi. I don’t plan on staying long.” Haru cleared his voice as it rang with sorrow. “Sorry Asumi, I would love to stay longer and visit, but I came to talk to Katu.”

Katu’s face grew drerry.

“Daddy?”

“Yes Yuki, I came to speak with your father.” Hatu’s stomach bunched up, as if it wasn’t already hard enough for him. Haru had spent most of his time with this family, paying them short visits after a long day at the blacksmith, keeping Yuki entertained, helping out with maintenances on their worn out home. They were Haru’s life long friends, even though he was much older than them, he still looked up to them. No matter how bad a situation got, they pulled out of it. Haru felt a bit of regret and guilt for what is about to come, but he had no other choice as the Blacksmith had a decreasing number of customers.

Changing his mind, he decided to take Katu’s wife up on her offer. “Asumi, I suppose I wouldn’t mind a quick cup of black tea. Katu, why don’t you grab yourself something to drink too and follow me up the trail so we can talk for a bit.” The sun grew old, but the 80 degree humid day didn’t, even though night was around corner.

“Okay sir. Asumi I can grab the drinks, don’t you worry about it.” Katu quickly runs inside to grab him and his boss a nice cool refreshing cup of black tea. The glasses had beads of water dripping off them by the time Katu made it back outside.

“Are you ready Katu?”

“I think so Haru.” Katu afraid to say much more.


Haru and Katu work their way down the dirt path a while, sightseeing in silence, They both looked in the same general location, spring had just weathered away so there weren’t many astonishing sights, other than what flowers trees kept a hold of. After a bit longer, getting tired of the heat, Haru took a sip of his semi-cool refreshment, trying to make it last until they got back to Katu’s home, though it wasn’t looking too promising. Than he finally got up the courage to start the conversation he came to speak.

“Katu, I didn’t want it to come to this, I really like having you work with me and all, but we haven’t had enough business for both of us to work up at the forgery. I’m sorry, but I have to let you go. I will be sure to let you be the first to know when we have enough customers to support both us and the shop!"

A deep silence broke out between them once again. Katu wasn't to sure what to say. He didn’t want his master to pity him, but he also couldn’t do without that job. His family, considered a lower class residents, couldn’t afford not having a source of income. Haru on the other hand felt bad. Katu after all was his best and only worker, but he had to make a tough choice of either losing his beloved shop, or his one of a kind worker. if he choose to lose his shop than what good what that have been for Haru? Katu would lose his job either way so the best option for Haru was to fire Katu.

Living in poverty, it really put Katu in a bad state of mind. A few moments later Haru had went ahead and worked his way back to the into the silence of the town as dawn slowly creeped upon them, Leaving Katu in peace to sort things out, and grasp the event that just took place.

After about a mile, Katu decides to turn back about, and hit the inn for their specialty alcoholic beverage to relieve some of the stress.

“Ah Katu, I was beginning to get worried. It isn’t like you to miss your six o'clock drink. What have you been up to today?”

Glaring at the bartender, not holding his emotions back one bit, he finally manages to slip a few words from his dry, dehydrated mouth from the long walk in the heat and humidity.

“Nothing good I’m afraid of. I lost my job, we didn’t have enough support from our customers. It was either I lose my job, or Haru closes the smiths. I take pride for Haru’s decision, it was a hard one on his hands, but in the end he did what was best. It would have been pointless and stupidity for him to close the shop on my account, because either way, I would be without a job. There is no sense in running two people out of out of bread money when there is still hope for one.”

“Well, I’m sorry to hear that. I’m glad to see that you are taking this fairly well. I suppose I wont be seeing you around here much then, at least not until you get on your feet again?”

“I’m afraid so.”

Katu sat in silence for the rest of his time there. He sorted through options trying to find out where he can work next. Nothing came in mind, which left him to dribble with one unpleasant way to make money. Katu skimmed them room before deciding any further to see if anyone posted fliers. Noticing something behind the counter of the key holder, Katu spotted that someone was in need to be rescued on a thick book. He took it upon himself, even though he was sure he wasn’t suppose to see that book as he has never seen it there before, to go to the rescue. Wobbling on his way out he heads back up the path where Haru took him, heading to the thick canopy of trees. Katu didn’t pay much attention as to where the young lad was, he just knew the general direction of which to head. Being in shorts, it was a bit of a task for Katu to breeze through the viny forest floor through the dark without worrying about what creepy crawlers he had to shoo off his legs.

After about an hour of aimlessly wandering around Katu had seen something the struck his interest, there was a bare spot in the middle of the forest, almost like a settlement was once there. Prowling around the area to research more on the mysterious barren he had come across a young follow laying about on the cold damp ground, surprisingly nothing scavenged him for meat while he was past out. Bugs made sure to steer away as if there was a force field of some sort protecting him. Katu was certain this was the stranger that needed rescuing, and searched no further. He had wore himself out with the tedious swatting throughout his adventure.

Lifting the boy on his broad shoulders Katu heads back to the inn to place the human in a safe environment for the night. On his way back out of the woods thick greens Katu thought more and more about what he came up with back at the Inn and made up his mind. He would turn to theft, to continue to support his loving family.