After Nahdi won the duel, he asked my parents for permission to marry me. This came as a shock to my siblings. They could've expected me to do anything but marry a man. My parents gave their blessings immediately. They didn't say it, but they secretly wanted me to leave the family for good, hoping I would emigrate somewhere else.
I didn't wait, I packed my belongings and prepared to leave. But before I could leave, my father stood at the front door with a long box in his hand.
"This is your heirloom, a Katana made specifically for you after you were born. I never found a good time to hand it to you, but considering this may be your final moments here, I'll give it to you now." He said with a slightly sad expression.
He angered me. He really looked to me as if he was really sad by the fact that I was leaving. I didn't fall for his act and ripped the box out of his hand.
"You do not exist in my new future, just so you know. Don't expect any visits or information about my new life." I said and left.
***
Nahdi and I moved to Central Superio. Declan Wise, the richest man on earth, owned this recursive island. He had created an independent city that was uninfluenced by other Lands' politics. And after the war, Central Superio began to be flood with new people from all the Lands. Putting their origins' conflicts aside, the citizens of Central Superio managed to get together, and forget racial differences.
Nahdi had went to university before the war and had become an architect. That's what he did in Central Superio too. He opened his own firm and designed houses for people that wanted their home to have aspects of their culture.
I opened a small Kendo Dojo for kids up to the age of 16. I taught them basic swordsmanship, leaving my family's traditions out.
***
Me and Nahdi got along well, but what deepened my relationship with him, was the birth of our first child, Haru.
The moment I held Haru in my hands, the values of life and death - that had been equal up until then - wavered. The value of life gained so much significance for me, my way of life even changed with it. I even felt love again. Nahdi's values as my partner were apparent. I started to love him with all my heart.
"You name him. And let him keep your last name, please. You will never know what might happen to me." Nahdi stated.
He was right. He had committed war crimes. That fact was undeniable. That finalized it.
"Haru Henka. Haru, as in spring, and Henka, as in change." I announced.
"Beautiful."
My baby had inherited my pale skin color, his father's brown hair, green eyes and eye shape.
When Haru reached the age of 5, our second son was born. He came into this world as a complete opposite to Haru. He had inherited Nahdi's skin color, my straight, black hair, light brown eyes and mongoloid eye shape.
"You name him." I suggested.
With tears in his eyes, Nahdi agreed. It took a while for him to find a name that he thought would suit our second son the best.
"Niam Henka. Niam, as in law or given by god, and Henka, as in change."
Haru loved Niam. He loved the fact that he had become an older brother. He also loved the fact that he had someone to take care of and play with.
***
One year after Niam was born, Nahdi informed me about his new plans that involved our children. I was a bit skeptical to see through with it, but Nahdi convinced me.
"I will start Haru's training now. By my family's tradition, the oldest child is to inherit the 'Warm Light Style'. I will only teach him that and my religion."
"Do it then. Teach him the way of your family's sword and your religion. I believe that this is most benefiting choice for our children."
"I can't teach Niam the same technique. I, as the oldest sibling, was also the only one who was taught the technique. That was also the reason my siblings envied me. I don't want Niam to be envious of Haru. But if you taught Niam your family's technique, we could avoid a rivalry between brothers."
Nahdi was a smart man. And I was smart enough too. We both shared a scar when it came to siblings. We were both looked at differently. That was the reason why I agreed to teach Niam the 'Space Entity Style'.
***
Haru and Niam grew up fast. Haru exceeded in everything he did. Be it in school, at home with his father's training, or outside with friends. Nahdi said that he hadn't seen such a talent ever in his life.
When Niam turned 6 years old, I started to teach him my family's techniques too. Even though Niam was good, his will for improvement couldn't be compared to Haru's. Later in life, when Niam turned 10, everything began to change. Niam showed the same accomplishments as Haru when he was the same age. He even exceeded them. We, as parents, were really proud of Niam. But Haru wasn't. He was originally the center of attention and our family's pride, but now that Niam showed the same prowess, he developed jealousy towards Niam. It wasn't the fact that Niam was as good as him, or even better, it was the attention Niam got from us that Haru envied.
Haru found another way to gain my and Nahdi's attention. Haru "failed" in life. He purposefully failed in school, joined a gang, and committed crimes that varied in severity. His crimes ranged from shoplifting to full on assault. The only thing that didn't worsen was his swordsmanship.
It was safe to say that my kids' relationship worsened too. Haru hated Niam for the attention he got. Sadly, we never found a way to fix our family's relationship.
Haru, who had chosen to walk a path alone, didn't want to spend his time with us anymore. I was fully immersed in Niam's development after that. I guided him, hoping he could find a goal he wanted to achieve, or a way of life he wanted to follow. One of my proudest moments were when Niam had finally beaten me in a duel.
"Mom. Respectfully, you are a middle aged woman. Whereas I am a young man. I may have physically overpowered you in our duel, yet, I don't believe that I have the same technicality when it comes to the family's swordsmanship." He said.
'I am so proud...' I did my best to fight my tears.
A few weeks later, Niam revealed his first true goal. He wanted to study human behavior and use it for his benefit. That didn't particularly mean he wanted to become a bad person, or study psychology. I didn't care why he showed interest in that kind of field, I just supported him.
The day where Niam revealed his interest, I witnessed him making a friend for the first time. Omar was his classmate, a proper and well behaved kid.
***
"Turn on the Central Superio News channel." I said to Niam, while I prepared dinner.
An asteroid called Salan was to pass earth and shoot straight at the sun. Scientist all over the Lands agreed that it wouldn't endanger humanity.
Everything changed when the asteroid came to a complete stop and descended towards the earth. A power outage followed that.
Niam and Nahdi shot up from the dinner table. Short orders from Nahdi followed a serious question from Niam.
My stomach churned. I was scared. I feared the worst. My intuition told me that we were going to die. The asteroid was half the size of the moon after all.
"Dear god! Please! Save my children!" I yelled out for a mighty power.
I felt Nahdi hug me. It was dark, I couldn't see his expression.
"These worthless scientists' calculations were wrong! The asteroid hit the earth!" I heard Niam shout form just outside the kitchen.
***
I was knocked out from a shock wave. I was buried under my house's rubble, Nahdi on top of me, dead.
The pressure on much chest was too much. I was going to to die. The panic, the sadness, the worry and the regret spun my head.
"Niam... Haru!" I said my last words.
The pressure of the debris squeezed the last breath out of my chest. 'I have been a horrible mother.'