The next day, Ryu woke up with a heavy heart still weighing him down. He had a simple breakfast—rice mixed with a raw egg—and drank cold water from the fridge. As he opened the refrigerator, he accidentally knocked over an old necklace he used to wear as a child. It had been a gift from his mother, given to him when he was born in the Year of the Dragon, the year that followed the Year of the Crow.
Ryu had been born into a deeply devout family, followers of a faith founded by a prophet who had passed away of old age. The teachings of that faith were symbolized by the letter A, and his family had made him a necklace with that very letter when he was just a baby. The necklace held great meaning for Ryu—it was a symbol of belief and his family's love.
But after witnessing the death of his entire family, Ryu no longer believed in the teachings he had followed all his life. He felt that the faith had not protected his loved ones from death, and that God had not been there to shield them. He chose not to wear the necklace anymore, keeping it instead as the last remaining memory of the family he had lost.
With a sorrowful face, Ryu clutched the necklace tightly in both hands and sank to his knees on the floor. He could no longer hold back his tears. He cried for not being there when they needed him most, for the weight of guilt and grief that now consumed him. He felt as though he had lost everything—that he had no one left in this world.
After a while, Ryu wiped his tears and forced himself to stay strong, to face a world that he saw as both cruel and beautiful at once. He knew he had to keep going; he couldn't stay lost in sadness forever. He had fields to tend to, crops to water and fertilize.
He began his day with the same breakfast, gathered his tools, and walked to his field. The morning air was cool and the sun was rising, casting a golden light over the landscape. Nature, he realized, gave him solace and strength. In its quiet beauty, he could find a kind of peace.
Upon reaching the field, Ryu got straight to work. He watered his plants, fertilized the soil, and trimmed the weeds growing around the crops. He worked with intense focus, pushing aside the grief that still lingered. He knew that work could quiet the pain, and in that labor, he could find strength.
After several hours, Ryu felt exhausted—but fulfilled. He had completed what he needed to do, and could now sit beneath a tree, breathing in the fresh air and letting the sun warm his face. In that moment, he realized he had found a sense of peace and strength in his labor, and that perhaps he could move forward.
Ryu knew there was still a long road ahead, but he believed he could walk it—with the strength and serenity he had discovered. He would keep going, facing the trials and hardships ahead with resolve, drawing power from his work and the natural world. He would keep living, and in time, find meaning and purpose in his life once more.