The Reason Why I'm Here

‘Dor.’

‘Dor.’

‘Dor.’

‘Dor.’

There is someone shooting on the empty ground. He is young. He is about twenty years old. The youth’s breath is full on his face, sparking in his eyes, and overflowing while he is shooting.

He is wearing a long black pants with shirtless on top of his body. The upside of his body looks tight with sweat flowing, which also envelops his thick, messy black hair that makes him look sexy.

 “What??” Shock Abelard.

Beside him is a man, who is as tall as him with a wider body. That man wears a sewing vest and long black pants. His hair is semi white-black, long and wavy, flowing on his shoulders. Though he is quite old, his face shows different features. A few wrinkles on the bright brown skin. He is Aahva Aaric, Aberlard’s master.

 “Ha ha ha, you are already twenty years old and still not proficient in using a firearm?” Laugh Aahva.

“How many times have I taught you about using a firearm!? hah!!”

His mouth opens loudly with his both arms cross over his chest. His deep voice is smooth and light. Yet reproaching the opponent in front of him with his sharp gaze. His pupils sharpener, as if it can pierce his opponent in front of him.

But instead of replying to his master’s words, Abelard quickly reloads his rifle and prepares to fire it up again to shoot the targets. Abelard’s gripping the gun tightly, focuses his mind and breath, aiming intently at the target.

‘Dor.’

One bullet hits the target. With no juncture, He re-targets on another target. Abelard sets his breath, focusing his mind, and shot the rifle.

‘Dor.’

Hit two targets.

‘Dor.’

Abelard’s heart is shivering, which reaches his both hands. A target whose center is still intact, with a nearby hole formed by a single shot. Abelard is quite surprises that the third shot missed the target. But that doesn’t make him lose his focus and get ready to shoot again.

 ‘Dor.’

The fourth shot hit the target.

Eventually Abelard puts down his rifle and turns his face to face his master. In front of him stands an old man with a flat expression on his face with his both arms cross in front of his chest that doesn’t change since he watched Abelard shot his rifle on the second turn.

 “So, what do you think now?”

“Still bad!”

His mouth spit out spicy words with disdain tone and the same expression. What a reaction even a disciple would never expect.

The veins on Abelard’s forehead gets tightened so that his face stiffens. Abelard’s chest heats up, followed by his breathing becoming rough.

 “Still bad? Wasn’t that an improvement? Are your eyes already blind, old man!?”

A ticklish feeling appears at the base of Aahva’s neck. His body vibrates slowly with his gaze lowered. There is an indistinct voice. It gets louder and louder and finally turns into laughter.

His face stiffens, his eyes sharper, his mouth agape. A complicated expression is etched on his face. An unpleasant sight is reflecting in his eyes. Abelard could feel his chest heat up to his throat. His entire body is shaking so violently that the veins in his body get tightened, as if he would explode at any moment.

 “Do you think that was funny, old man!?”

The tingle feeling in his throat doesn’t go away. In fact, it’s even more amusing when he hears the hot statement from a boy is like an entertainment in front of him. Aahva doesn't even care about Abelard’s reaction.

 “Hei!!”                                        

“I’m talking to you, old man!”

“Damn it!..”

Abelard is unable to stand his teacher’s attitude anymore. Abelard takes his gun and point it at Aahva. Without thinking any longer, he shots him.

“We’ll see if you’ll still laugh after this!?”

‘Dor’

There is a bullet that shot as fast as the wind. But the bullet gets caught, caught with only two brown fingers. An old man who was just laughing now reacts swiftly even though he is still on the ground. Despite being shot by his own student, Aahva just smiles in front of his student. His face does not show any expression of surprise, anger, or disappointment because he was the one who had raised Abelard since he was a kid. On the other hand, the uncontrollably harsh voices suddenly disappear, followed by his thoughts. His eyes don’t even blink, his body froze for a few seconds because of the unusual thing happening in front of him.

“Boy! you have to be more careful with your actions!. Try harder to control your anger because it can harm other people!”

Abelard’s eyes and mouth are still wide open. Eventually, Aahva taps him on the forehead to surprise him.

“Ah…”

The hot temperament that was overflowing earlier disappears immediately. A soft voice slowly up and down come from Abelard’s mouth.

“Sorry uncle, but I’m starting to doubt myself if you’re keep playing on me like before. How can I use the gun the way you can now?”

Aahva laughs lightly at Abelard’s words and a smile forms on his face. Aahva messes up Abelard’s hair and answers his disciple nicely.

“Come on Boy, don’t be like that. To get what you want, you have to work harder than you do now!, you know.”

“What??, How can you say that, but come on! Think about it. How long have I been practicing? I’ve been doing it since I was 7 years old..! And you see.. Even now when I’m 20 years old, my skill is still so bad. What if I can never use the firearms in my whole life…?”

Abelard’s face is sullen. The way he’s talking is confusing, and he doesn’t believe in himself anymore, but it’s the opposite of his master.

Aahva’s face is still the same. Even Abelard is complaining to him. Without any doubts on himself, he advises Abelard.

“Abelard Aaric! What is the meaning of your sentence? Hmm…”

“Don’t you remember? You are better with sharp weapons when it compares to me. And even using your bare hands, you can keep up with me. You can still be good in close combat fight, remember?”

Abelard feels a lightness in his head, but the annoyance in his heart was still the same. Slowly, he looks his master in the eyes.

 “You always say that.”

“Of course! Besides that, you are my disciple. I am the one who educating you so far. You just have to trust in yourself and someday, when you find your own way of using a firearm. I’m pretty sure you can use your own gun as good as you use your sword.”

Abelard’s lips curve, his eyes are shining, his confusion is disappearing, and his mood begins to be better.

“Old man.. Old man.. No wonder you can always attract many people so far.”

Aahva can feel his disciple is getting better, he is also happy to see that and he can’t avoid his smile to not appear.

 “Nah, that’s my boy. Now this is Abelard Aaric. Besides that Abelard, you have to be even smarter in controlling yourself! Remember that negatif emotions can be a source of demonic power. ”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah, you have said that many times.” Abelard answers nonchalantly.

In the middle of the training of those master and student, suddenly there’re sounds of the footsteps from the upstairs. A slim man with a hat over his head seemed to walk down the stairs. He’s wearing a black formal suit and a coat that over his body.

He’s walking closer to them with a calm aura around his body. Slowly, he bends up his lips as he’s getting closer to them. His left hand takes off his hat. A middle-aged man with his clear colored eyes and brown-colored hair that looks nice is facing Aahva right now.

“Oouhh, you look very nice today. I didn’t expect you to be here with those clothes. Where did you steal those suits?” Laugh Aahva.

“I Just come, and you just ask that? Heh heh, you really never change Aahva.”

The brown-colored hair man named Aimer who was Aahva’s co-worker. Even though their age is almost the same, but the differences are too obvious. Aimer’s face looks younger than Aahva, like he is as young as Abelard. Aahva also has a thicker moustache than Aimer.

“You don’t look old at all? What are you eating, Aimer? Perhaps I can turn younger like you.” Laugh Aahva.

Aimer immediately sighs at those words.

“I’m happy with your compliments, but you always treat the guests like this, huh..?”

Aahva’s face doesn’t show any change, but it still looks the same. Aimer turns his gaze to Abelard and wave his right hand to him.

“Hey! Young Abelard! Long time no see. I’ve come a long way with some news for both of you. How about a tea break?”

Abelard smiles wryly, annoyance feeling slowly rising to his heart. The way Aimer spoke to Abelard lightly is good enough, but Abelard looks a bit sullen.

“Hah? Why should I obey you? You should have said that to the host in front of you!”

“Abelard, that’s enough!, Put on your shirt!, Put down your rifle!, let’s go upstairs and have some tea!”

A big voice’s coming to Abelard ears, which was none other than the voice of Aahva, who’s walking up the stairs. After hearing those words, Abelard sighs and answer lazyly.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah, I got that old man.”

After tidying up his training equipment, he goes upstairs and when he arrives at the office, Aahva immediately orders Abelard to make tea.

Abelard is a bit irritated and his face doesn’t lie either. Even so, he immediately carries out his teacher’s order and head to the kitchen.

Since Abelard showed up, Aimer can’t take his eyes off from Abelard, who he had been staring at with some weird expression in his eyes since emerging from downstairs.

“He’s grown up, huh?”          

“Of course, you know yourself.”

“It’s been that long huh, thank goodness nothing bad has happened so far.”

Aahva’s ears get heated up, his pupils dilate, followed by his face becoming stiff. The air around Aahva became tense, as if it had dried up. His previously relaxed self is now stiffening with his sharp gaze.

 “What do you mean by that Aimer?”

“Heh, don’t pretend to be stupid, old friend!”

Aahva’s still wearing the same face, and this time he really looks displeased.

“Aahva, I’m starting to think how about Abe-“

“AIMER!!!”

Before finishing his sentence, Aahva immediately yells at Aimer with his so loud voice, even Abelard in the kitchen gets shocked.

“I am Abelard’s master. If anything bad happens, then it will be my responsibility!”

Aimer's expression is getting darker. He’s gazing towards Aahva with the same weird look as he did to Abelard before. Slowly, he urges Aahva with an intimidating voice.

“Have you lost your mind? How long you will be playing around with something that human shouldn’t take care of. And soon enough the fate would turn upside down.”

“Is that a treat?” Aahva’s voice is getting sharp.

"What?” Aimer shocked.

“Is that a treat and your purpose being here?”

Aimer’s back tenses up, he’s getting nervous with Aahva’s in front of him. His Breath is heavier without he knows it. Eventually, Aimer turns his gaze upside and leans his back to the sofa.

“Ha ha relax… That’s not it, I was just reminding you, you can have my words. But I hope the bad things would never happen. Isn’t that so, old friend?”

After that sentence came out, Aahva slowly started to calm down.

“Heh, never gonna happen. By the way, enough with your complaintment. Now let’s get down to the business! What do you have right now? ”

“Hhmm, Alright, let’s see,…. I think I’ll start from the victim section.”

Not to be missed, Abelard opens the door and brings the tea with him at the right time.

“Hey, did I miss something?” Abelard asks joyly.

“Heh,, just on time, young Abelard.”

With the arrival of Abelard, the atmosphere is melting away. Everyone sat opposite each other. Aimer started telling the news.

“Two days ago, in the depths of the forest, a pair of an old grandmother and her grandson were found in dead condition. Their bodies were found in a state that was no longer intact.”

“Wait a minute! You sure it wasn’t a bear?”

Abelard interrupts the conversation that Aimer had just started. But Aimer isn’t surprised at all, since he’s already known Abelard for so long.

“If it’s the work of a bear, how could it be torn apart, besides that their hearts and pancreases are gone.  Not only that, some of their bones were also not found in the location. And you shouldn’t inturerupted someone’s else when they’re talking, young Abelard!”

“What??”

Hearing Aimer’s clarification, Aahva believes that it wasn’t the work of an animals. Then he immediately opens up his mouth with a serious face.

“Aimer! Do you think that information is true?, How do you know about it?, Where did you get those Information?”

“Wait, wait, wait, Don’t you think that way old friend!” Ask Aimer nicely.

Aahva and Aimer exchange their glances which Abelard couldn’t understand.

“You must be thinking something as I do, right?” Ask Aimer.

“So… Do you still remember about it?, I thought you have forgotten everything about it Aimer.”

Seeing the two people in front of him staring at each other seriously so much and talking about something he didn’t know, Abelard is so confused. Even his curiosity is pricking his heart, his mouth kept on shaking, the veins in his neck tightened. The longer he holds his desire to know, the more that desire would explode.

 “Come on, you two! Can’t you make it easier to be understood? You two have been talking about something that I don’t even know… And I supposed to watch you all say this and that??”

His voice shoots up, accompanied by a deep sense of irritation. Abelard begins to pointing his finger to Aahva and Aimer as he exploded his emotions.

The two people in front of him are taken aback, and Aimer is the first to react.

 “Wow… wow.. wow… Relax Young Abelard.. relax…”

Aimer looks at Aahva right in his eyes. His clear eyes filled with many questions, his mouth smiles faintly, showing a sign.

“So you haven’t told him about it?”