Chapter 104 Walking Her
Shakir was a hero amongst the townspeople. But like all heroes, his tale had to come to an end sooner or later.
No matter how powerful humans become, or how much they level up, they are not and can never be compared to monsters.
They are both beings that grow stronger with time, but it gets to a certain point for humans where after a certain time, they start to age, and rather than become stronger like monsters, they grow weaker.
The body they have spent their whole lives building up, wanes with time, while for monsters, it grows stronger with time.
That is the prime difference with monsters and humans, too much time is advantageous to one side, while too much of the time is disadvantageous to the other.
There are ways by which the humans can bypass the time disadvantages, but only rarely does such a case comes to be, as most already grow too old to attain said opportunity, and so, they become bound by time itself.
Shakir got old, weary, and unable to keep up adventuring, but his child did not.
While in his glorious days, he had married and produced an offspring to pass on the family's tradition to.
The child took over the father's position to become the town's protector, married another fellow adventurer and birthed a bouncing baby girl.
"It was indeed, a day of celebration for all..."
Said the old man, as he recalls the dreadful events that took place shortly after the birth of the child.
The mother did not survive the birthing process, and the father, absconded to chase his dreams of wanting venturing into the outer plains, leaving behind his newly born motherless child.
" It is all my fault, I should have been more strict on him to make sure something like that would never have come to be".
Shakir grieved long and hard on how his parental training on his son was inadequate and lacking in so many ways.
If he had made batter choices and groomed his son in a more appropriate direction, then maybe, maybe his granddaughter would be with a father who loves her, and not one who abandons her for another life.
What an irresponsible example he is, both he and his son. He could have done better if only he had payed more attention.
"Grandpa, I am done now".
She came out of the room all dressed up in her school attire, coloring a cream upper wear, with a green skirt, and a black average sized bag.
"there is my little angel. Let's get you down to school now".
Shakir gets up from his squeaky chair and moves closer to Dana stretching his hand out to her, to which Dana grabbed unto without hesitation, squeezing it tightly between her palm.
With Dana holding unto her grandpa's hand, they both walked themselves to the doorway.
"Grandpa, what about your walking stick".
"i don't need a stick to help me walk my baby girl to school".
"Grandpa if you are not going to be using your walking stick, then why don't you carry me on arm".
"no, no, no. You need to walk yourself to school if you want to grow stronger".
Talking to her, Shakir grabbed the handle of the door and pushed it, opening it. He allowed Dana to find her way out first and followed behind her to close the door.
They left the two room cabin, and walked down the streets laced with buildings built with woods and in a well furnished manner.
The houses, lined up by the sides leaving a path at its center for people to walk through.
The little girl's hand tied to her grandpa's as she swings her legs freely with a gleeful grin on her face, not looking at the road she is trending on but instead fixating her eyes on Shakir.
"you know angel, a time will come when I won't be there for you anymore, when that time comes, I need you to stay strong and be able to walk yourself to wherever it is you want to go".
"Grandpa is lying".
Still walking happily about, she retorts her grandfather's words with confidence in her tone.
"what, what makes you say that".
"because grandpa will never leave me no matter what happens".
"and why are you so sure of that my little angel".
"because, grandpa loves me".
Shakir looking at the hairlines on his granddaughter, was shocked to say the least at the kind of unwavering trust his granddaughter has in him.
He felt himself satisfied with the current outcome. Even though her father isn't here to care for her, he is, and he is going to make sure to be with her until she grows to a stage where she can care for herself, not even death or old age can take that away from him.
"that's right my little angel, grandpa is going to be with you for as long as you want".
Shakir picks her up from the floor and threw her in the air, disregarding her weight.
She stretches her hands out, gliding herself in the air before she lands back on her Shakir's wrinkled arms.
"come on grandpa, do it again".
"no, that's going to have to wait until after you are back from school".
"....."
"don't go sulking up on me now okay, I promise you, when you get back from school, I am going to give you all the jumping and flying I can".
"promise....."
"yes, I promise".
"okay. grandpa. Ho, that is right Grandpa, I forgot to tell you, but today is going to be my first dungeon exploration day".
Shakir stopped walking and slightly drags Dana's body back using her hand that was squeezed in between his.
"what..., why didn't you tell me that earlier".
"i forgot".
She said, with a smile on her face.
"how can you forget something that important?. It's the first day you will be entering a Dungeon, and you forgot to tell me".
"its nothing that big grandpa".
"no angel. For our family, it is a really big deal. Think of it as you not having your cake ready on your birthday, how would you feel about that".
Dana did not respond with her words, but the expression she made was enough to tell that she was displeased with thinking of such outcome.
"see, that is exactly how I feel".
"i am sorry grandpa".
Shakir let go of Dana's hand, and placed one of his hand behind him, using it to support himself so he can crouch his upper body down.
"It is okay angel, it is just, this is an important event for you, one I have to know about days prior to when it is going to happen".
"do not just spring it on me like that, it is too overwhelming for me. Is that clear".
He wipes her face with his palm as he continues to enlighten her on how he feels.
"yes grandpa".