As I gazed out the window, Aunt's words echoed in my mind, and I couldn't help but ponder over their significance.
"If I don't take a step, I will remain at the starting point forever," I muttered under my breath, realizing the profundity of her words.
Drawing a parallel with the game of chess, I realized that just like a pawn, one's life couldn't progress if they stayed in one place. They had to take action if they wanted to make a difference. If a pawn remained stagnant on its square, it wouldn't be able to promote itself, and it would merely remain an insignificant piece that could only move forward.
Suddenly, my mind wandered back to the mysterious girl who had visited me in my dream. I remembered her saying, "You need to face your weaknesses and work to overcome them. Only then can you protect your loved ones and prepare for the catastrophe that may come. If you don't, however, nothing will change. You'll remain the same pathetic boy who hid himself from the world. You have to take action if you want to make a difference."
Shaking my head, I realized how foolish it was to compare myself to a mere pawn. A journey of a thousand miles may start with a single step, but what's the point? Even if a pawn could move forward and promote itself, it will still be just a pawn, nothing more. Time may be moving, but what's the use of moving forward when everything is pointless?
I felt like I was in a deep hole and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't climb out. Just like a pawn, I felt insignificant, powerless, and limited in my abilities. I couldn't see any hope of ever achieving anything worthwhile.
And then there was the nightmare that had been haunting me since that day. The girl's warning of impending doom and the need to prepare for it seemed like a hopeless task. How could I possibly make a difference when I couldn't even muster the courage to leave my room?
As I sat there in my room, I couldn't help but dwell on the negative. Time was ticking away, and I felt like I was wasting it. I had no sense of purpose or direction. The girl's warning only added to my anxiety, and the prospect of facing a nightmare that I knew nothing about filled me with dread. How could I even begin to take action when I didn't know where to start?
Despite this, I knew I had to take action. If what the girl had said was true, then I had to take a step.
As I gazed at the door, I felt an overwhelming sense of unease. The once familiar distance between my bed and the door now seemed insurmountable. Every step felt like a daunting task, and the thought of leaving the comfort of my bed filled me with dread. In the end, my foot retreated back under the blanket, and I resigned myself to the suffocating sense of hopelessness that enveloped me.
A suffocating feeling of hopelessness overwhelmed me, crushing my spirit and leaving me feeling drained. As I lay back in my bed, my mind was consumed by thoughts of an uncertain future. Was I doomed to be nothing more than a pawn, moved around by the whims of others in a larger, more complex game? The answer was unknown, and the weight of the unknown future pressed down on me heavily. With a heavy heart, I let out a deep, resigned sigh.
***
Leonelle's POV:
I was in a certain room; in fact, it was the same room I had visited the last time. It was the old man's room, filled with antique furniture and books that smelled old. Currently, we were having a chess game, and I was losing. This old man was a chess master who could even beat two good chess players and put them to shame.
"So, Leonelle, how are things on your end?" he suddenly asked me, moving a chess piece.
I moved a chess piece of my own and replied, "Not good, to be honest."
"I see," he said, then moved his pawn, checking my king. "Check."
I moved my king out of the way and asked him, "Your granddaughter... Her name was Shionne, right?"
The old man looked at me and said, "Yes, she's a brilliant girl." Then he moved another piece, checking my king yet again. "Check."
Once again, I moved my king out of the way and said, "Would you believe me if I told you that my wife had heard your granddaughter's name in a vision she had?"
The old man's eyes narrowed as he considered my words. His fingers twitched over the chessboard, poised to make his next move, but he seemed momentarily distracted by my revelation.
"What do you mean?" he asked, his voice low and dangerous.
"My wife said that in the vision she had seen, our son screamed a name, and it sounded exactly like your granddaughter's name."
"I don't appreciate your attempts to deceive me, Leonelle," the old man replied, his piercing gaze fixed on me. "Despite my age, I still possess the ability to defeat you. If you do not wish for things to escalate, I suggest that you refrain from speaking such falsehoods."
Despite his advanced age, the old man was still formidable and had earned the title of the man who defeated 100 soldiers. However, I knew I wasn't lying and felt compelled to defend myself.
"I assure you, old man, that what I am saying is the truth," I responded, holding his gaze.
The atmosphere in the room suddenly changed. The old man's eyes were now dark and piercing, and I could feel a dangerous energy emanating from him. I realized that I may have touched a nerve.
"Listen here, boy," he said in a low voice. "I don't know what kind of game you're trying to play, but I suggest you stop it right now. My granddaughter has nothing to do with your visions or whatever it is you're babbling about."
I could feel the tension rising in the room, and I knew that I had to tread carefully. I took a deep breath and tried to calm myself down.
"I understand your concern, but I assure you that I am not playing any games. My wife had a vision, and she heard a name that sounded exactly like your granddaughter's. I just thought that it might be worth mentioning to you."
"Look, I appreciate your concern, but I don't want to hear any more of this nonsense. Now, let's finish this game, shall we?"
The tense atmosphere between the old man and me was palpable. His insistence on continuing the game of chess, despite my concerns, was troubling. My intuition told me that his granddaughter may have had something to do with the vision that my wife had foreseen. I knew I had to address this issue, and so I refrained from moving any of my chess pieces.
The old man leaned back in his chair and let out a deep sigh. "I see," he said finally. "You're serious about this."
"Yes, I am," I replied, equally solemn. "If your granddaughter was indeed present in the vision that my wife saw, then it's possible that she was somehow involved in Leon's tragic fate."
"You think that my granddaughter was involved in Leon's fate?" he asked incredulously. "That's a preposterous notion, Leonelle. Our families have never even crossed paths before. There's no way that they could be connected in any way."
"I understand that, but we can't predict what the future holds. It's possible that they could meet and become close friends," I explained, hoping that he would see the logic in my argument.
The old man shook his head, dismissing my theory. "That's highly unlikely," he said. "Your son is known to be a recluse. He hardly ever leaves his home. There's no way that my granddaughter could meet him."
I nodded, knowing that was true. "Yes, he is a recluse, and I want him to stay that way, at least until we know he's safe."
If my wife's vision was indeed going to come true, then it was imperative that Leon remained isolated for a while. As much as I longed for him to experience the outside world, it was still better than losing him altogether.
"I implore you, Lord Aerith Alistair, to listen to me," I pleaded, addressing the old man by his full name. "I am willing to take any measures necessary to prevent that vision from coming true. If it means that they can never meet, then so be it. Please, help me in any way that you can."
The old man looked at me with a mix of curiosity and concern. "Why are you so sure that the vision will come true?"
I took a deep breath, unsure of how much to reveal. "My wife has never had a vision that didn't come true. And this one was so vivid, so real. I can't ignore it."
Lord Aerith Alistair stroked his beard thoughtfully. "I see. Well, I can't promise that my granddaughter will never meet your son, but I'll do what I can to keep her away from him. I care for her deeply, and I wouldn't want to see her caught up in something dangerous."
I was glad that the old man had agreed to my request, but I was taken aback by his unexpected stipulation. "But Leonelle," he said, "I request that you keep my granddaughter away from your son. If what you say is true, then it's crucial that she is kept out of harm's way."
I was confused by his request. Wasn't it his job to protect his own granddaughter? "Why are you asking me to do this?" I asked him. "Isn't it your responsibility to keep her safe?"
In response, the elderly man let out a deep sigh, seemingly burdened by the weight of his forthcoming words. "Of course, my dear, precious granddaughter is the apple of my eye, and it is only natural for me to want to shield her from any potential harm," he began. "However, my time on this world is limited, and as much as it pains me to admit it, I will not always be able to stay by her side to ensure her safety. And so, I humbly request that you assist me in this endeavor."
As I listened intently to his words, I couldn't help but feel a sense of sympathy and understanding for the old man. It was clear that he loved his granddaughter deeply and only wanted what was best for her. However, as much as he wished he could, he couldn't be there for her forever. His time was running out, and it was only natural for him to want to prepare for the future and ensure that his beloved granddaughter was safe and protected even after he was gone.
Despite not knowing the full context of the situation, I knew exactly what he was trying to imply. His request was not born out of a lack of responsibility or care for his granddaughter but rather out of a sense of responsibility to prepare for the inevitable.
With a sorrowful tone, the elderly man continued to explain his predicament. "As much as I would love to fulfill this mission with you, my time on this earth is now limited, and I know that I will not be able to be here forever," he said, his voice filled with a sense of finality. "And so, once I am gone, you will have to carry on without me. I won't be able to protect my granddaughter as I have always done, and it will be up to you to ensure that she is safe and sound."
It was then that I realized the full extent of the old man's situation. His life was disorienting, and he knew that he didn't have much time left. He was entrusting me with a task that was too important to leave undone.
"How long do you think you can hold out?" I asked him, trying to gauge his condition.
"Probably 3 months at best," he replied, his voice barely above a whisper. "My body is failing me, and there's nothing I can do to stop it."
I felt a wave of sadness wash over me. It was always difficult to see someone nearing the end of their life, especially when you had grown to care for them. Despite our initial disagreements, I had come to respect and even admire the old man's resilience and strength.
"I'm so sorry," I said, not knowing what else to say.
The old man gave me a small shrug. "It's alright. Death is a natural part of life, after all."
As the old man spoke, his words resonated with a deep sense of finality that made my heart heavy with sadness. I couldn't imagine how hard it must be for him to acknowledge that his time was limited, especially when he had someone he loved dearly who was still living.
Despite the gravity of the situation, I knew I had to remain composed and listen attentively to what he had to say. "I understand," I replied, trying to sound as respectful and empathetic as possible. "I promise to do everything in my power to keep the children from meeting. You have my word."
The old man nodded, seemingly satisfied with my response. "I have faith in you, Leonelle. You are a good father, and I believe you will do what needs to be done to keep your son safe."
As I watched him slowly get up from his chair, I couldn't help but feel a sense of reverence for him. Here was a man who had lived a long and fulfilling life, and yet he was still willing to do whatever it takes to protect his granddaughter.
As I sat there lost in thought, I couldn't help but wonder what the future held for my son and the old man's granddaughter. Would they ever meet? Would they fall in love? Or would fate intervene once again, and keep them apart forever?
Only time would tell.
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Hey there, lovely readers! It's the author here and I just wanted to say a big thank you for taking the time to read this far! I'm so grateful for your support and would love to hear your thoughts and feedback on the story so far.
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