Chapter 4: Starting Point
An amazingly thick giant fir tree grew in the backyard of the inn. It was so high, it looked as if it could pierce the sky. Thanks to it, the Ramons’ inn was particularly easy to find.
Piper Ramon was sitting under the tree, casually playing the ukulele as he was humming the song “Beautiful Sandra”. The afternoon sun casted its rays over the leaves and the breeze was full of the aroma of plants.
Oliver, on the other hand, held a wooden sword and was laboriously chopping the thick wooden stake in front of him.
“No,” his father stopped humming and scratched his chin. “This won’t do. You have to find an unshakable faith— Otherwise, the magic won’t activate.”
“An unshakable faith?” How old was he then? Oliver pondered. Eight? Nine?
“It’s something you’ll never doubt,” Piper popped a grape into his mouth, “just like your old dad. Back then, I… forget it. In short, once the swordsman begins to deny his will, everything will be over.”
“I don’t want to be a swordsman.”
“Dad just wants to teach you some lifesaving moves. If you’re not interested, you can learn something else.” Piper Ramon winked and smiled. “Don’t think too much son. No one says you must be a swordsman. What do you think for the ukulele? Do you want to learn it?”
“Who would be interested in that kind of thing,” the young Oliver muttered in a low voice. “What’s the point of cutting stakes?”