“...... That's how you proposed?!" Ed exclaimed in disbelief, "And did she say yes?!"

The old shaman squinted at him and smiled: "No, she glared at me and laughed as if I was a fool." I love the way she laughs, like the sun piercing the clouds in winter. ”

Ed lowered his head and scratched his ears, feeling his face heat up a little. Humans don't usually express their love so bluntly, especially the elderly...... But he has to admit that he likes the frankness of Sao.

"I've never been so serious about doing a thing. The old man's smile was a little dazed with a long-lasting nostalgia, "I am bent on making her my wife—bent on making her happy, and willingly agreeing to me." It was harder than all the trials I had ever undergone, and no ancestral soul would help me...... But I succeeded. ”

He grinned and nodded at Ed like a child: "It took me a long, long time until she answered, 'I do.'" That was my greatest achievement in my life. She couldn't go home again, and neither could I, so we came here, the place where our ancestors once lived, the Great Giant's Back...... This is our home. ”

He looked around at the small, rudimentary, dilapidated cavern and smiled. Ed unconsciously followed him and giggled. He loves to hear such beautiful stories...... Although he has realized that the ending of this story may not be so good.

He didn't know whether to ask, and the old man suddenly fell silent, staring at the fire in a daze. The black eyes are like the sea in the night, and there are endless waves rolling under the calm surface.

Late at night, Ed fell asleep in a daze, only to wake up to the horror of finding that Seo was not in the cave. He jumped up and rushed out of the hole. In the sudden drop in temperature, I shivered several times in a row. Shaking so much that even the bones looked like they were about to fall apart.

The snow began to fall unhurriedly again, and in the midst of the silver, Ed could barely see the lonely figure of the old shaman.

Sio stood on a protruding rock not far away, looking out over the white wasteland, the snow falling on his cloak and gradually piling up, making him look like a pillar covered in snow...... It was as if the body under the cloak had lost its temperature.

Ed approached the old man with some trepidation, and his heart stopped beating when the old man suddenly spoke.

"I see him here. The old man tapped the ground with his cane, and his low voice sounded like a dream. "It was a night like this, the snow was heavier and colder...... I woke up in the middle of the night and heard him singing in the wind. He came out and saw him standing here. He looked at me. But he didn't speak, as I did when I left. In the blink of an eye, he was carried away by the wind...... Then I knew that Belda, the great shaman of the Benlu tribe, was about to enter another world, and that I was supposed to be his successor. I thought he had given up on me and found another successor, but he didn't...... He came to call me. ”

“...... So, are you going back?" Ed asked softly. He knew there was nothing to blame for it - responsibility was not something that could be waived so easily. Not to mention the loss of the guidance of a shaman for a barbarian tribe. It almost means perdition.

He just couldn't help but grieve for Caroline, the blonde, blue-eyed human woman. She didn't do anything wrong, she was beautiful and strong, but she had to lose her husband...... Well, having lost her home again.

Sio turned his head to look at him, his sparse eyebrows and beard dyed white by the snow.

"No, I'm back in my home...... Back to my wife. He said.

He slumped even harder, as if the choice of many years ago was once again weighing heavily on his shoulders: "But I can't act like nothing happened, and I can't act like a people who don't know me...... Even loved ones will lose battles, die, or become slaves of another tribe...... My Caroline was beautiful and smart, she knew everything very quickly, and then one day, when I came back from hunting, she had already packed her bags and told me that she was going home...... She should go back to her forest, just as I should go back to my icefield. ”

The snow reflected a faint light, allowing Ed to see in surprise and panic as tears welled up in the old man's cloudy eyes.

"I sat there, knowing I couldn't stop her. She'll leave alone, and even if I can find her again, she won't come back. For I have only half my soul left, and half my heart to give her...... And that's not worthy of her. ”

Ed opened his mouth, then closed silently. He wanted to comfort the old man that his wife didn't leave him because of this...... But what does he know? He's just a storyteller.

"That's my story, young man. The old man's voice swirled in the wind, "My people only know the shamanic half of me, but I need someone to know that I was once a husband. You have to remember, young man, my wife, Caroline, her home is in Gabriel, if one day you pass there, if she is still alive...... Or if you can find her grave...... Please offer a flower on my behalf. ”

Ed nodded vigorously. He heard a low whimper, but he didn't dare to look up to tell if it was the wind or the old man's cry. He used to think that this old man was wise...... Even the cunning and cute old shaman has lived his life without regrets......

There may not be such a perfect life.

The next day the old shaman began to have a fever, and his whole body was so hot that his blood began to boil. Ed was at a loss and hesitated for a long time, so he could only secretly use spells to treat the old man.

He knew that faith was not something to be violated at will...... It might even be an insult to Sio, but he couldn't watch the old man die in front of him.

The priest's spells didn't seem to be as effective against the barbarians, but Sio's body temperature returned to normal in the early evening. When he opened his eyes, Ed still saw the shadow of death in them.

The high fever burned out what little life he had left...... No matter how powerful a priest is, he is powerless to stop the erosion of time.

The old man looked at him calmly, but his eyes were very clear.

"Tell me your story, young man. He said, "Did you come back here alone for the sake of the woman you love?"

Ed's face turned red, and then quickly turned white - he did have a beloved woman...... But she had already rejected him outright.

"A barbarian?" the old man narrowed slyly, "Nutka likes you very much. She boldly praises you before the savages, a human who can't even lift a sword, and praises you for your honesty and bravery. ”

Ed glared at him, his mouth stammering, his whole face burning.

"No, it's not like that!" he almost bit his tongue in a panic, "I'm here for ...... In order to ......"

His head drooped, his voice getting lower and lower.

"For my mother...... She's dead. I killed her...... I have killed many people...... I don't know what to do......"

Telling your own story is not that easy...... Especially when the story is filled with sadness, anger, guilt, and remorse. For a while even Ed didn't know what he was talking about, but the old man listened quietly with a faint smile on his face, without the slightest impatience.

Talking and listening seem to have magical powers. Ed gradually calmed down, and he was willing to say more in front of this old shaman than he was with his relatives and friends.

At the end of the story, he looked at the old man with apprehensive and expectant eyes, and the old man smiled with a wrinkled face.

"What wise guidance do you think I can give you...... Help you find your way. He said.

Ed nodded honestly in acknowledgement.

"But I can't. The old man shook his head slowly, "I am not your god. Even if I am, is God's guidance necessarily right? Is the guidance of our ancestors necessarily right? If you only listen and obey and don't discern, everything that is right will eventually be wrong -- and I can't teach you how to tell. ”

Ed looked at him in a daze, as if he didn't understand.

"I'm a shaman. "I listen to my ancestors and tell my people - but sometimes, I don't tell them all." I taught my chiefs to treat humanity as equals and to renounce senseless killing and fighting, even when ancestral spirits roared in my ears for revenge. For I have heard, I have seen, I have loved a human woman...... I know that some things, some things called 'traditional', are not right. But those, I can't teach you...... What can I teach you, after all?" he sighed, his eyes darkening, "After all these years, I thought I was successful...... But now my chief no longer hears my voice, and the fire of war in his heart is kindled and will not be easily extinguished...... I don't know if my departure will wake him up, maybe I'll only be able to see the end in another world. ”

Ed's eyes widened in astonishment. He thought of Dutton, the calm and steady chief...... It's hard to imagine that he would also be involved in inter-tribal scuffles.

"But who knows, maybe as the descendants of giants, we are destined to fight to the death...... Then we can be reunited and have true peace. The old man looked at him calmly, "That is our fate, young man, you don't need to worry about it. If you really need any guidance, maybe that's all I can give you...... Your direction is lost in the crowd and it is impossible to find it in no one's place. ”.

Two days later, Ed scattered the ashes of the old shaman into the ice field and watched the grayish powder disappear into the snow. He didn't know if the old man's soul was smiling and squinting, and he didn't know if he was going to do more wrong......

But at least, he had to do it first.

(To be continued......)