Kavato thought: "It's darker than usual in these mountains."
(End-mountains, where Kavato's master, Hekima, resides.)
Hekima smiled warmly: "It's been a while, Kavato."
Kavato, elated to see him: "Yeah, how have you been?"
Hekima: "I heard you're an alchemy master now. I am proud, boy."
Kavato glanced inside the house and spotted someone else: "Oh? Who is that?"
Hekima: "Come in, I will tell you everything."
Kavato entered the small house on the hilltop.
Kavato (sitting down and bowing): "Thank you, Master. Without you, I would not have reached this far."
Hekima: "Come on, brat. It's not just a small feat. You are a rare one, possessing an alchemy type. I believe you're the first in history. Make the most of it."
Hekima introduced Milee: "She is my new apprentice."
Hekima: "Milee, could you make some tea?"
Milee: "Of course, Master."
Milee went in to make tea.
Kavato was surprised: "She is small, around 10 or 11."
Hekima shared her story: "Her mother was ill and died a few days ago. She's obsessed with alchemy and remembered me from my childhood. She got rejected by other alchemy masters, so she came to me."
(Milee, a 10-year-old girl from Bama village, had a dream of becoming an alchemist.)
Hekima: "She acts like a grown-up woman. In these days, she became the house's caretaker. Not like you, sleeping until I pour water on you. She wakes up before me and does all the household work. She's been hard on herself, learning alchemy without taking breaks. She might not be a genius like you, but she is trying so hard."
Hekima: "I am leaving this place; you have to take care of her."
Kavato: "Where are you going? I don't think I can handle a 10-year-old student. I was just a student myself a few months ago, you know."
Hekima: "I'm 40 now. It has been my dream to explore the world, and finally, I feel prepared. Now, I have a student who will surpass me as a master alchemist and continue my legacy. But I doubt she'll create something as intriguing as your love potion."
Kavato smiled: "I doubt that too. So, this might be the last time we see each other."
Hekima: "Perhaps."
Milee: "Master, senior, your tea is ready."
Hekima: "From now on, he will be your master."
Milee, surprised, asked: "Senior?"
Hekima: "He will be a better master than I am."
Milee: "As you say, Master."
Milee sat down and bowed to Kavato, saying, "From now on, I will learn from you, Master. It's my pleasure to be your student. I'll be in your care, Master Kavato."
Kavato: "Don't be so formal."
Hekima teased Kavato: "Now, Kavato, don't do anything funny to her. She's much stronger in hand-to-hand combat."
Kavato: "come on she's just a kid, Master."
Kavato: "I will be a good master to both of you."
Hours passed.
Midnight.
Everyone was asleep.
Hekima came out from the house, making sure both Kavato and Milee were peacefully resting.
Hekima gazed into the dark woods: "What is it you want?"
A group of assassins surrounded the house, wearing masks and dressed in black, holding daggers.
One of the assassins: "Step aside. We want a boy named Kavato. If you interfere, you'll meet your end."
Hekima, with a stern face: "Try me, you punk."
Hekima threw a green smoke on the ground, spreading it around.
The assassin in front screamed, affected by the green smoke—a powder causing eye pain and temporary blindness, even in small doses.
Hekima hid in the tree branches.
An assassin on a tree aimed an arrow at Kavato through the window. Hekima threw a needle soaked in poison at him; the assassin fell from the tree. A thin string tied to the needle allowed Hekima to pull it back.
"Only two more left," Hekima thought.
Kavato woke up to the commotion.
Hekima screamed: "Get in, you brat, now."
Kavato, in shock: "What is going on?"
Hekima shouted: "Just do what I said."
Kavato: "I'm sorry. I know they're here for me. I won't let you in my fight."
Hekima: "You fool."
Assassins: "There he is, go get him."
Kavato unleashed his sleeping powder.
Kavato: "You'll all be sleeping like babies after this."
The powder spread, blocking their vision.
Hekima: "Kavato, be careful. They're wearing masks; the powder won't affect them."
An assassin emerged from the powder, attempting to attack Kavato. Hekima intervened, trying to block the dagger, but it pierced his belly. The dagger contained poison.
The assassin on the tree aimed an arrow at Kavato and shot. Hekima pushed Kavato back, taking the arrow to his chest.
Kavato took out the needle Hekima had given him during their training. He fought with it, killing both assassins.
Kavato ran to Hekima, crying: "I'm sorry, Master."
Hekima, despite his injuries: "It's ok, I am happy I could protect a student of mine. I know I can't justify the death of that student who died at training. But it will cool my heart for a bit. Take care of Milee, she acts like a grown-up but she is a kid."
Kavato sobbed: "I'm sorry, Master."
Hekima, vomiting blood: "I said it's okay, you damass."
Hekima smiled at Kavato as he left this world.
Kavato sensed something and ran to the house.
What he saw shattered his heart into pieces. He knelt with the weight of regrets.
Kavato: "The only thing you asked, Master. But I couldn't do it; I'm a failure."
Milee was all bloody, lying on the floor, half-dead, saying: "I killed the assassin, Master. I protected you."
And there was the body of an assassin on the other side.
Kavato cried loudly, hitting his head against the floor.
He was poisoned by his own needle and fell in front of the door of death.
He heard the voice of his master: "The only thing I asked of you, and you couldn't even protect her. She was the one who protected you."
At that moment, Kavato felt nothing. It was all empty.
He died after that.