After a while, Pepe stood tall and faced the orphans. His hands rested on his hips. "All the chores are done, so I'm heading out now," he announced.
Nearby, Pepi and Pepoto slept on two sofas.
"It's late. Where are you going," Hafen inquired.
"It's a secret," Pepe replied and smirked. He raised his hand and pointed to the ceiling as something popped up in his mind. "Next time, maybe I'll take you three with me," he commented and winked.
Stark and Matteo exchanged glances.
Snaky slithered between them and explained, "Pepe always leaves at this hour. He never returns until the next day."
Stark crossed his arms and suspected, "We're missing out on something. Aren't we?"
Pepe, nervous, stammered, "I have important things to do. Sorry, but I cannot say."
Hafen, Stark, and Matteo narrowed their eyes.
Across the room, Pepe waved and announced, "Don't worry! I'll be back in the morning!" He walked out of the front door.
Meanwhile, the orphans expectantly stared at the door. In a second, they shrugged and continued what they had been doing beforehand.
Simultaneously, Hafen went back to the library. Later, he sat and read a thick book in the library.
It was an advanced textbook titled History of The Sacred Forest. Its author was someone named Paul.
Nearby, orphans gathered and looked through picture books in amazement.
Among them, Snaky noticed Hafen and approached him.
Hafen glanced at him and asked, "What do you want?"
"What are you reading," Snaky inquired.
Hafen hesitated for a second, and his eyes moved to his book. He held it up and displayed it.
Snaky's eyes widened in disbelief.
The pages were filled with long paragraphs and a couple of pictures.
Confounded, Snaky gulped and inquired, "How did you learn to read so well?"
Hafen closed his book and his eyes. He reminisced about his first book. As a toddler orphan, he stumbled into Otso's study room.
Otso sat on his chair and rested his arms on his desk.
In front of him, Henry and Adelia stood. They turned around and spotted Hafen.
"Oh my, hello. What's your name," Adelia questioned with a hopeful look. She held a book next to her waist.
Back to the present, Hafen explained, "I learned how to read when I was a toddler. Adelia taught me." His face instantly darkened as he remembered the traumatic events.
Flashes of the sinister fire deterred him.
Hafen gritted his teeth in frustration.
"Are you fine," Snaky questioned.
"I am," Hafen claimed, and a drop of sweat trickled down his temple. He took a couple of deep breaths. A few seconds later, he calmed down and sought to know, "How did Ursa accomplish renovating The Orphanage?"
"Apparently, Otso made a deal with Stribora before his death. He seems to be beloved by everyone. I wish I could have met him," Snaky remarked and continued, "After that, a high number of people moved into the forest, and Ursa's business became profitable. I'm not sure how much of this is true, but it's what I've heard in my short time."
"I think it aligns with everything that's happened," Hafen concluded and nodded. "Before I was adopted, I used to think there weren't many humans. But I was wrong when so many appeared. Then, I pondered where the new people came from. I hypothesized they came from the depths. I was wrong again when I went into the depths and stumbled into The Southern District. There, I met people of different backgrounds."
"You met them? They get scared when I try to," Snaky commented and pouted.
"Yes, and most of them came from beyond the depths and the districts. Hence, outside the forest," Hafen elaborated and added with a smirk, "So, I wondered why."
"Do you know why now," Snaky questioned.
Hafen nodded and hypothesized, "This history book leads me to believe one thing. The Sacred Forest became a place for refugees."
Impressed, Snaky's mouth formed a circle. "Did you get that from reading a book? Could you teach me how to read it? Maybe I can figure out where I come from," he inquisitively requested.
"Alright. Let's start with the characters first," Hafen muttered with a smile. He showed Snaky the history book and pointed to the page.
The other orphans glanced over at them, and their heads tilted with curiosity.
A few minutes later, Hafen stood with a book. Teaching the orphans how to read, he faced them.
Amazed by Hafen's intelligence, the orphans sat down and paid close attention.
Ursa stumbled into the library, and her eyes widened. Her expression softened into a smile. "My children, I have an important announcement for everyone. Come to the dining room," she interrupted.
The orphans looked at her and stood up. They went to the dining room.
Hafen closed the book and followed.
Outside, the orange light of the sunset seeped into the forest. A small, feathered monster perched on a branch, and it spread its wings.
In the dining room, the orphans gathered around Ursa and waited for her announcement.
Ursa pressed her hands together and informed, "Tomorrow was the first day of school for some of you, but things have changed. The first day will be delayed for everyone's safety. With the events of last night, it's too risky. Instead, we will hold a memorial ceremony for Henry and Adelia."
All the orphans stared in surprise.
"Memorial? Did I hear that right," Stark questioned.
Ursa repeated, "Yes, I've spoken to the other residents of The Sacred Forest. It will be held nearby."
Unsure about the future, Stark, Hafen, and Matteo nodded.
Night fell, and after some time passed, the sun rose again.
Residents of the forest prepared to depart their home and then walked along the path towards The Orphanage, where the memorial ceremony would be held.
At the memorial ceremony, the orphans and other families living in the forest gathered. It was a somber reunion for all. Many attended, but strangely, Pepe was missing.
A stage was built, and an audience waited in anticipation.
Ursa stood behind the podium. "My fellow residents, it is a shame what has happened to The Fisher Family. Henry and Adelia were murdered in cold blood, leaving their adopted sons behind. We cannot let it happen to another family. We must be vigilant of any suspicious activity. We must pursue peace in The Sacred Forest," she declared.
The residents of The Sacred Forest affirmed with purpose.
Some of them sniffled before bursting into tears. They wept and grieved the tragedy with no restraints.
"Those poor kids," a resident remarked with a trembling voice.
Others were angry.
"How dare they come in here and destroy a beloved family," one of them commented while clenching his fists.
Soon, it grew dark, and the lights in the sky shone brightly. Chirps in the forest reverberated in the ears of the three lonesome brothers.
Hafen, Stark, and Matteo looked up in wonder.
"How are we going to avenge mom and dad? How will we find and defeat the cloaked figures? How do we get stronger? What if going to the outside world is not enough," Stark asked and tilted his head to the side. With no answer and a head full of uncertainty, his eyebrows furrowed with worry.
Hafen narrowed his eyes and responded, "Stark. We're pathetic standing here and now. Still, it doesn't change things nor complicate them. It's simple. Our goal moving forward is to confront The Exalted One and Sabre whenever we're ready."
Matteo shuddered and remarked, "It will be a dangerous adventure outside the forest." He sniffled and looked down.
Hafen sighed and placed his hands in his pockets. "I think we can find more about it in school. We'll have to check it out," he suggested.
Stark nodded in agreement. Trying to soothe his brother, he caressed Matteo's back and stared down with him. He nudged Hafen to join him.
Hafen obliged and patted Matteo's head. "There, there," he muttered and glanced down, as well.
At their feet, a monument, engraved with their parents' names and birth dates, kept their attention.
A carving of a flower, marking their parents' graves, was on top of it.
Hafen, Stark, and Matteo kneeled and bowed to the ground. They mourned their loss for a final time before their grand adventure began.
Suddenly, leaves shuffled behind them.
Pepe's feet stepped on the pile of leaves, and he limped over. "Sorry for missing the ceremony. I had urgent matters to tend to," he stuttered.
Matteo, Stark, and Hafen turned to him. Their eyes were red and watery.
Pepe, covered in more bandages than before, looked back and weakly smiled. Marks of dry blood stained his face. He was injured all over.
Matteo, Hafen, and Stark stared at him in disbelief. They surrounded and checked on him.
"What happened to you," Hafen sought to know.
Stark questioned, "Are you okay?"
Struggling to speak, Pepe coughed and admitted, "I got into a fight, but don't worry about me. I'll survive."
"What did you do," Matteo inquired.
Hesitant to provide a proper answer, Pepe nervously chuckled and averted his gaze. His eyes evoked a feeling of sadness, and he took a deep breath instead. He looked back at his siblings with a sincere expression. "I'll be fine, guys. I promise from this day onward. I'll help you grow stronger and become powerful together," he proclaimed.
Stark clenched his fist and let his thrill build. "You bet, and you better not fall behind," he motivated.
"What do you mean? Pepe would never fall behind," Matteo complimented and smiled.
"With Henry gone, Pepe needs our help, now," Hafen assumed and added, "So, we will help protect the forest. After all, this is our home, too."
The grave of Henry and Adelia glistened with the moonlight.
Pepe nodded, looking solemnly at the grave, then at the starry sky. "I don't want to lose any of you. I don't want to lose more friends," he murmured and clenched his teeth with a face of pure devotion and determination.
If he fails one day, then someday, Hafen, Stark, and Matteo would surpass him and avenge Henry, Adelia, his father, his close friend, and everyone else harmed by the cloaked figures. They will take his place as protectors of good against evil. They will be the heroes of their home, The Sacred Forest.
"I'll prepare them and make it so," Pepe proclaimed under his breath.
Deep in the depths, a mysterious and sinister figure walked along the trail. Cloaked and hooded, he grinned, and his long curly hair flowed over his shoulder.