The sound of spears colliding with one another echoed throughout the southern peak as the two of them sparred without any rest.

The spar went on for a few hours until Haden's voice rang throughout the area.

"That's enough."

Rion's aura dissipated, he lowered his spear and grumbled with a displeased expression, "I can continue!"

Haden stared at him for a few moments before he turned around and scoffed, "I didn't ask."

"Huh?!" A vein throbbed at Rion's forehead, but there was nothing he could do or say to vent his frustration.

He stomped the ground, sat down with his spear trapped in his arms and asked with a smirk, "So? What do you think about my spear skills?"

Haden answered without a delay, "It wasn't too bad."

Rion's eyes went wide, his mouth fell agape, and he screamed inwardly, 'Not too bad?! The hell do you mean NoT tOo BaD?!!'

"If I had fought the group leaders with such strength, I am sure there would've been fewer of them, and yet it is just not too bad?! You just don't want to praise me," he grumbled under his breath, knowing well that Haden was comparing his skills with himself, not others.

Haden ignored him and just continued with his own thoughts.

A few moments later, he muttered, "What are you thinking?"

Haden turned his head towards him. "Nothing..."

Rion frowned at the unusual heaviness in his voice; however, he knew that his father wouldn't tell him anything.

Haden turned his head back to the south, and Rion stared at his back with a silent gaze.

A few moments later, Rion rose, walked over to Haden and said while pointing at the south, "What do you see there?"

Haden glanced at him and mumbled, "A dead tree."

Rion shifted his finger to the right, turned his head towards him and muttered with a grin, "There?"

Haden sighed, shook his head and answered, "Another dead tree."

"Tch," Rion clicked his tongue and shifted his finger to another spot.

Haden's lips lifted slightly. "A dead tree."

"What the hell?!" Rion exclaimed with an irritated expression and stammered, "Why does it only have dead trees?"

A rare chuckle escaped Haden's lips. "What else do you think you would find in a dead forest?"

"Right..." Rion whispered dejectedly, looked at Haden from the corner of his eye, and his lips curved upwards upon seeing the smile tugging at Haden's lips.

"Can you tell me about the outside?" He questioned while leaning on his spear.

Haden slowly turned his head towards him. He nodded and said, "What do you want to know?"

Rion blinked at Haden's unexpected agreement. "You are actually going to tell me...?"

Haden furrowed his brows and muttered, "Why not?"

'Is it because of The Remnant?' Rion wondered for a moment before he threw the useless thoughts away and stated with a curious gleam in his eyes, "Anything!"

Haden looked at him with a warm smile and said softly, "Even after you step down the mountains you won't find anyone for a week because of the heavy forest that covers the mountains."

"Oh? Do you remember the first outsider you met?" Rion asked with excitement-filled sheen in his eyes.

Haden nodded. "I do. He was a farmer who lived with his wife and son."

Rion's lips parted to ask further, but before he could, Haden added, "A farmer is a person who grows and takes care of fruits and vegetables. Shocked right? I was also shocked when I found out that they have to grow them."

Rion pressed his lips into a thin line and remarked inwardly, 'I forgot that farming is an unfamiliar concept to the tribe...'

The red and black mountains were rich with fruits and vegetables, so Dhaevrak had no reason to cultivate them. Farming was something they usually shouldn't know, and Rion only knew of it because of his previous life.

'To think that someone like father didn't know of such a common thing...' he remarked inwardly, a chuckle tried to escape from his lips, but he managed to keep it trapped.

Rion looked at Haden with an imitated puzzled expression.

Upon seeing that expression, Haden frowned and asked, "What's wrong?"

Rion scratched the back of his head and mumbled, "Can they grow meat?"

Haden blinked a few times before he burst into laughter and spoke warmly, "They can, but in a different way."

A thoughtful look appeared on Rion's face. "Then why don't we do it?"

Haden shook his head and stated, "We don't need it."

"Oh..." Rion fell silent for a few moments before he mumbled, "That farmer... what kind of person was he?"

A reminiscing glint flickered across Haden's eyes, and he spoke, "He was kind. He allowed me to stay with his family for a few weeks and taught me about the world before I left his hut."

"Did you meet him again?"

Haden shook his head and mumbled bitterly, "I didn't, I was late... too late. He was too kind, and someone tried to use his kindness for themself. He couldn't bear their cruelty and died, leaving his son and wife..."

Silence descended between them. Rion's lips opened and closed a few times, but he had nothing to say.

The melancholic silence stretched for a few minutes until Haden spoke, "Make sure to come here every morning."

Rion gave him a slow nod, took a final glance at Haden and left the place while clenching his fist.

—

Steps resounded behind Haden, and he said softly, "Shouldn't you be busy?"

A hoarse voice answered, "Busy? What do I even have to do?"

Haden shook his head, looked at the person from the corner of his eye and said, "What caused you to come here?"

Granny Nena's expression turned sombre, and she answered quietly, "I saw that they will move soon."

Just as her words reached his ears, Haden's jaw tightened. He looked at her with eyes as sharp as a blade and growled, "Why?"

Granny Nena shook her head and murmured in a low voice, "I don't know..."

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