Tales of Ab In

The Leader

A group of mercenaries wearing heavy armor rode into the village near the mountain. The Leader of the group dismounted from his horse and approached the first person he saw - an elderly woman who was struggling to walk. She stopped and stared at him.

The Leader was taken aback when he saw the old woman. Her resemblance to his mother struck him, and he couldn't help but soften his usually stern demeanor. He waited for her to speak out of respect, and the old woman placed her hand on his face and smiled at him lovingly. "I'm sorry, Mother, I didn't mean to startle you. I was in a hurry to find the house of Ab In, the master of Wood," he explained apologetically.

"Go up this hill," the old woman instructed. "You will see a broken tree. The tree has three parts that were opened by thunder. Follow the smallest part of the tree; it points to the house of Ab In. Be careful, my son. The road takes work. There is a secret to the three parts of the tree. Wherever you may stand, you will believe you know which part is the smallest. If you do not choose wisely, you must return to the tree." The Leader expressed his gratitude and made his way to the hill. As he left, the old woman grabbed his hand and asked him to bow down. She then kissed him on the head, as was tradition, for good luck. The Leader was overcome with emotion but stayed strong and did not show it. It had been a long time since he felt safe, and the kindness of the old woman reminded him of his mother, who had passed away.

Six months had passed, and the Leader still needed to find the right path to Ab In's house. He was disappointed by his poor choices and felt like the tree had repeatedly deceived him for the past six months. Although his men were exhausted, they had found a new home. Every morning, the Leader would wake up early, have a small breakfast, and march onto the tree, searching for the path to Ab In's house. Throughout his journey, the old woman had taken him into her house and treated him as her son. Her real son had lost his life on a battlefield. Sometimes, the old woman would stare at the Leader and, for a fleeting moment, believe that he was her long-awaited son.

The Leader walked away from the old woman's house and sat on the hill. He was feeling sad and lost.

The old woman saw his sadness and went close to him.

"Don't worry, sometimes choosing a road is difficult. People waste their lives trying to find their path. For six months, you had to choose a part of the tree for someone else. You never asked why you wanted to meet Ab In. You followed an order, and yet you are not a soldier no more. You have left your armor, and your sword is not shiny. The weight is not yours anymore. Your few men are now helping the villagers with farming the land. They are happy. What do you wish from Ab In?"

The old woman's words seemed to resonate with the Leader. He had been so focused on finding Ab In and completing his mission that he had lost sight of his desires and motivations. He realized that he had been mindlessly following orders without questioning why he was doing so. As he looked around at the happy villagers and his men helping them with their farming, he understood that his true purpose was to serve his people and make their lives better. He no longer cared about completing the mission or meeting Ab In. With a newfound clarity, the Leader turned to the old woman and said, "I wish to stay in this village and help its people. I want to use my skills and knowledge to improve their lives." The old woman smiled at him and said, "That is the right path, my child. Follow it with all your heart, and you will find true happiness." The Leader felt a weight lift off his shoulders as he realized he no longer had to search for a path. He had already found it and was ready to embrace it with open arms.

The Leader's eyes filled with tears as he took a deep breath. He felt a sense of sorrow and regret for all the time he had wasted chasing after a goal that was not truly his own. But then, with a sudden burst of wit and humor, he leaned towards the old woman and smiled. Despite his imposing size and imposing presence, he felt a sense of warmth in his heart that he hadn't felt in a long time.