3. The Coming Attack

"Knock, knock."

Nash stood in front of Chisato's house and knocked it three times. He was just returning from Mr. Jenkins after getting paid this month as a lumberjack.

"Just open the door! My hand's full now!"

He twisted the painted mushroom doorknob and went inside to find an old woman overwhelmed in her kitchen. Her figure was almost buried behind the pile of unwashed dishes.

Nash approached her and stopped at the sink to wash his hand. "Need a hand, Grandma?"

Chisato's grandmother, Gressida, rolled her eyes while shrugging her shoulder. She lifted the bowl that was filled with flour dough in Nash's direction so he could see better. "Can't you guess yourself?"

"Hahaha, look like you need a hand. Let me wash the dishes."

"Thanks, Dear." Gressida continued kneading the dough and cutting it into several pieces before putting it on a large tray in measured distance—so the cookies would not stick to each other later. Meanwhile, Nash busied himself with dishes and soap, trying to finish it before Chisato returned home. Gressida was one of the people that always helped little Nash survive by giving him free food or checking on him at night whenever a winter storm came. So, Nash would never mind helping her with a little chore like this. For Nash, they were like his own family.

"What do you want to do with all these cookies?" Nash asked, just to melt the awkwardness between them. "I also see Chi went to Mr. Kleo's house to bring him a basket of wheat bread. Do you celebrate something?"

"Huh—you forget about today? Really?" Gressida stopped kneading and looked at Nash with a shocked expression. "Chi gotta punch you hard if you forget that today is her birthday."

Now, it was Nash who stopped doing his dishes and watched Gressida's face with a jaw dropped. "Today? You mean it's today?"

Gressida shrugged her shoulder. "Well, that's right." She then continued her words, "You know, she talks lot about today and wishes that she'll get so many presents. Especially from you, she adores you so much—Nash? Where'd you go?"

Before Gressida could finish her sentence, she found that Nash had already left the half-finished dishes and gone outside.

"What else?" Nash curled his eyebrows as if the answer to Gressida's question was obvious. "Of course to find a present for her. And one more thing—don't ever say that I forget her birthday or she'll sulk at me forever! I'll come back soon!"

The door left opened as Nash dashed outside to find a present, which made Gressida giggle, looking at his fast reflex. No wonder Chisato always talked a lot about Nash. Nash like this, Nash like that, Nash was the best!

"Ooops, gotta finish all of this before it's too late." She realized that she also needed to finish all the cakes and share them to all people in Camden as a part of their birthday tradition. In Terraria, when a person has their birthday, they must treat all persons close to them, even though the treat was just a cupcake or a candy. It was done purposefully to tighten the bond between villagers and brought peace in their homeland.

In return, the people who received the treat must give back a present. The present value was unimportant as long as it was given from their sincere will.

Now, Nash was bewildered to search for a present for Chi's birthday. He had to dismantle all his belongings inside the house and found nothing. Nash had zero ideas what kind of gift a girl would like. A doll? A dress? Or something like accessories?

"I remember I see one in Mom's room."

Nash went to his mother's room that located downstairs. He opened that room and went inside. The room still remained as the same when his mother still alive. Nash cleaned it every single day and never moved any single things from their position. Nash just wanted to eternalize that room as if his mother was still alive. His foot inched on the floor, avoiding stepping on the things lying there. He went to his mother's drawer and opened it. As he had expected, he found a box of gold jewelry, from necklace to their wedding ring. He picked a ring with a butterfly jewel and closed the drawer again.

"Mom, I promise I'll replace the ring later," said Nash to the empty air before walking outside his mother's room.

Bathump!

Nash stiffened in his place when something flashed inside his mind. He saw a scene where the butterfly ring fell from someone's hand and rolled on the ground, followed by a crimson fluid that made the gold colour soaked with red.

The scene shattered and Nash snapped back to reality. He limped down with a wide eyes and huge shock. He touched his head with one hand while glancing at the ring on his left palm with a scared expression. "What’s … that?”

*

“Nash, why you aren’t eating?”

Gressida's soft voice called Nash when he barely touched anything on his plate. The boy looked up with confused look. “Oh, it’s just … nothing. I’m sorry.”

He shook his head and started spooning the soup into his mouth while still in a blank state. Gressida felt strange toward Nash's sudden change of behaviour. She glanced at Chisato, which still focused on her plate, it was just a matter of time until she discovered that Nash looked different from usual.

(Is that because I ask him to bring a present? He didn’t need to do that if he didn’t want to, Chi is still glad as long as he’s here.)

She wanted to clear that misunderstanding before it got worsened, she opened her mouth to speak, “Nash, look, about the present—”

“The present?” Chisato cut Gressida’s sentence fast with a gleaming face.

“Right! The present.” Nash snapped back to reality as he picked something from his pocket and gave it fast to Chissy. “Here, your present.”

“Wow, it’s a ring! Grandma, look! Look! It’s a beautiful ring!” Chisato jumped out from her chair and showed the butterfly ring to Gressida.

But, instead of feeling happy, Gressida was worried. “Nash, is that a gold ring? You don’t need to do that! Just give her a random ring made from flower, not the gold one please.”

Chisato pouted at her grandmother's words and tried to hide the ring behind her back, not wanting to give it back because it was so beautiful. She wanted to keep it forever.

“It’s fine, Chi could keep it.” Nash shook his head and smiled. He bet his mother would also do the same if she was alive.

“But—”

“Grandmother, I want it! I want it! I want it!”

Gressida was just about to throw another protest when Chisato pulled her skirt with an almost sobbing face. Then she turned to Nash and saw that boy shrug his shoulder as if telling her she had no other option except to accept the gift. Gressida heaved a sigh. “Huft, alright. But I’ll never receive any kind of this expensive gift anymore. And you, Chi, better you keep it safe or I will give it back to Nash. Do both of you understand?”

“Got it, Grandma.”

“Yes, Grandmother.”

“Huft, alright. Let’s eat the dinner before it gets cold.”

RUUUUUMBLEEE—

Suddenly, a low rumbling began to grow beneath their feet. The dishes rattled on the table, and Nash looked up in alarm. He had felt this before. He knew it—in his dreams.

“Grandmother!” Chisato hurried to get up and reached for her grandmother that looked surprised and almost stumbled from her chair.

The earthquake was brief, lasting only a few seconds before it faded away, but Nash couldn't shake the sense of unease that had settled over him. He looked around at the others, searching for some sign that they had felt it too, but they seemed unfazed.

“What happened?” Gressida could not help but frown at the strange earthquake that had just happened a second ago. Both Nash dan Chisato shook their head in confusion. But before the three of them could compose themselves from the sudden shock, a loud shrieking scream came from outside, followed by others screaming.

“MONSTER! THERE’S A MONSTER ATTACK! THE VILLAGE IS BURNING!”