The Eternal Guardian

It has been a few days since Garim's first day of arrival at the wondrous place. He was shocked on the day after when he woke up as usual and there were no difference. In short, he was surprised that he is still sane on waking up. It is the 8th sunshine after all. The dreaded 8th sunshine. As for how he knew it is the 8th sunshine is because there is a window showing the outside world. The sunlight seems to be early morning, quite subdued after wresting control of the skies back from the darkness. He fainted during bright noon, and it is morning now, so it is safe to think that a sunshine has passed.

On the day after his arrival, he spent it adjusting to the fact that he won't die. In the room he found himself in, he knelt on the floor and prostrated himself towards the door. He knows that this newfound lease on life is due to the benevolence of the mysterious person he encountered. He waited in that position while waiting for the person to come. He knows that this form of respect is the most proper towards such a powerful person.

After some time, the metal doorway which seemed to be so sturdy and unyielding parted, revealing a dim corridor. From the darkness beyond them, came the mysterious man. He is still in the white robe that Garim saw previously. The man looked at the boy in puzzlement.

")&^%&%^%^%(*&$!#$$!"

After which, he knelt beside Garim and gently lifted the boy's shoulder up so that Garim is now standing in front of him.

"Lord, I do not dare."

Garim kept his head down in fear. He has heard stories of how you just don't look into the eyes of powerful men. It is disrespectful and such powerful men rewards disrespect with violent retaliation.

"(*^&&*&*%*%(*&^"

The man put his hands at Garim's chin and lifted it up, so that Garim is now looking at his face. Garim is really afraid of looking lest he gives offence, but the man is insistent. Garim could only settle on looking at the man's chest and he could see the man's lips moving. From his view, he could see the man's lips curling into a gentle smile.

"^&^&(^%^(*%^^%(%?"

While not understanding what the man said, there was no mistaking the questioning note in the man's voice. Then the man grabbed Garim's hand and gave it a cursory view. Garim understood that the man is checking whether he is fully recovered or not. After which the man gave a satisfied nod before leaving the room. During this short interval, Garim was left puzzled and confused. He is still reconciling himself to the fact that death has spared him from its' grip. Puzzled as to the reason why such a powerful person would save him. Confused as his worldview is being challenged with every breath he takes.

"(*^^()&^)(&!!"

The man came back with another bowl of the delicious gruel in his hands. He passed the bowl to Garim and gestured for him to eat.

"&%*"

"Eat?"

Garim asked. The man nodded in satisfaction.

"eaT? eaT!"

The man repeated happily, managing to learn one of the words of Garim's language.

While Garim eats, the man pointed to himself.

"Zuman."

"Zuman?"

Garim asked in puzzlement. The man pointed to himself again.

"Zuman!"

Garim understood that the man is referring to himself as Zuman. Whether that is a title or a name, Garim is unsure, but he knows that from hereon he will refer to the man as Zuman.

Then the man pointed towards Garim and looked at him in expectation.

After gulping down a spoonful of gruel, Garim pointed to himself and said

"Garim."

"Garim?"

The man asked. Garim nodded in confirmation.

"Garim."

"*&*&&*(. Garim &^*(***(&(. Hahaha."

The man said some incomprehensible things before laughing in delight.

While eating, Garim couldn't help but looking at the man covertly. As the man seems to be preoccupied with one the sparkling walls, Garim took this chance to study the man. The man seems to be lean, quite like the wiry hunters in his village. Yet, the man carries himself with the air of a wiseman, much like the elders in his village. At the same time, whenever Garim unintentionally glimpsed his eyes, there is a shine of childlike curiosity lurking in there, much like the shine in the eyes of the younger children in his village whenever they encounter new things they never knew existed before. This strange combination only adds more confusion to Garim and thus further fuels his curiosity towards the man's identity.

-

(If only this man could have saved my older brother.)

Garim found himself wishing. He found himself recalling his older brother who perished due to illness a few seasons ago. He only remembered impressions of the burial. His mother crying her heart out. His father standing stoically at the side. The village medicine woman shaking her head and pronouncing his older brother beyond her capabilities. His older brother wrapped up in blankets before the men came and took him away.

His older brother was already an apprentice hunter before one day he came back looking a bit pale. At that time, they thought it was just tiredness. However when the next day his brother came down with the shakes, his parents knew something was wrong and immediately asked for the medicine woman's help. The most she was able to do was to ease his passing.

Garim remembered at that time his brother looking at him and telling him.

"I am no longer able to protect our parents. Garim, when you grow up soon, please protect them in my stead."

At that time, being barely above 5 seasons, Garim could only nod dumbly, not understanding the gravity of his brother's deathbed request. However, he distinctly remembered his mother howling in grief when she heard what her eldest told his younger brother. Their father could only look on with a grim mix of grief and pride on his face. Grief upon realizing he is losing a son. Pride for knowing that his son remembers his teachings that the family is first.

Part of Garim's despair before was realizing that with his death, he couldn't fulfill his brother's last request, that he was breaking the promise made on his brother's deathbed.

-

Looking at the man, Garim whispered

"Thank you for saving me. Thank you for this life."

As if hearing him, the man turned to him in puzzlement. Then the man smiled again.

"[email protected]$#"

The man motioned to the bed, telling him to rest. Then the man left his room.

-

The next few days was spent with the man bringing food to his room at regular intervals. During these intervals, Garim was greatly surprised again and again as the man seems to display an astounding ability to learn his language. They could already roughly communicate with each other, and any moments where words failed them would just be covered with gestures and motions to convey the meaning across.

-

"Garim. You village, go back, want?"

"Yes Lord Zuman, I would love to, but I'm scared."

"Scared? This, what mean?"

"Scared? Ummm. Afraid?"

Garim realized the word scared wasn't mentioned in the previous discussions. Then he tried to explain by showing his facial expression, but as he is just a young boy, for a moment the Lord Zuman was confused as he perceived the face to be a constipated person's face, and as such, why would going back to his village make the boy constipated?

Upon further elaboration by the boy, finally Zuman understood that the boy was actually trying to convey the concept of fear.

"Why scared you?"

"Because I was supposed to die."

"But you no die. You now living?"

"Lord, your powers are beyond us. My illness has never been cured before."

"Oh. You family, still have?"

"Yes Lord. I have my parents and younger siblings."

"Siblings?"

And again the boy tried to explain the concept of siblings in his language to the man.

-

The next few days was spent with the boy teaching the man about his language and his way of life in the village.

-

"AI, have you managed to construct a database of this world's language?"

"Sir, cross-referencing all the language markers we have, I have built a language database for the language spoken by the boy. You can use it to at least have a rudimentary conversation, though it is highly recommended that you not utilize it for knowledge exchange as yet due to uncertain and unconfirmed language terms and concepts."

"Good then. At least when sending the boy back, I can at least converse with his parents and fellow villagers. I am quite curious about the technological level of this world."

"Sir, it is recommended that you at least equip yourself with a weapon before going to this boy's village. While this boy himself seems to be quite peaceful, the same could not be confirmed regarding his fellow villagers."

"Your suggestion is noted AI. I will consider it later after further talks with the boy Garim."

Zuman had a talk with the AI after his conversations of the day with the boy Garim has finished. He plans to escort the boy to his village soon after further refining the language database. As for how he is learning the language so fast, that is in part thanks to the AI translating it directly for him and in turn providing the correct terms to use when communicating back.