50 chapter 50

Donas and Iona's savior had come far too late to save the couple, but luckily had managed to save the parents' set of twins from the attackers.

The bearded man was ashamed that he had come too late to save even squatters on his own property. The white haired man had left the home furnished for travelers to use while they were in the desert. He had hope that those that truly needed it.

He had finally gotten his wish this day but now he had needed to bury the died.

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The mystery man had buried the bodies in house's back yard under many white bricks, while the killers were left to rot in the desert. The bones were picked clean by hundreds of vultures over a few

days and the bones were then ate by the desert itself. The Socanas desert was often a cruel mistress that made easy travel almost impossible. This was due to the natural troublesome environment of the land and also due to wicked traps laid throughout the desert.

So many traps had been laid over the centuries that it was not safe to travel through the desert without a well trained guide.

The children's adopted grandchildren had no need of such a guide.

The old warrior had done all that he could to care for the twins, as he was their own

grandchildren. He had learned the names of the twins by reading the sowed on names on their clothes. The boy was named Rin, while the girl was named Lin. The lad was the bigger of the two, with the girl appearing to be very frail looking. Both children were very healthy due to care being provided by their new "grandfather".

The man had some kind of guilt that he was burden with that forced him to care for Rin and Lin.

He felt that he owed Iona and Donas no favor but it did not matter to him since it did not ease the

anxiety that he had held within himself. He was once a great warrior, but he had done nothing to help

the people of the desert. Most people there had done nothing wrong but had just did what they were told. The victims of the Socanas cults were just too afraid to do anything against their captors.

But something unusual begun to happen.

The old man begun to love the twins very much and cared for them very deeply. The feeling was mutual among the twins and they demanded to doted upon by grandpa constantly.

This was strange to the old man since he had been alone for almost the entire last century. He had fought for hundreds of years and he had had his fill with dealing with people.

But, this was now impossible now to the delight of aged warrior.

The feeble looking man that cared for the children of (murdered) ex-cult members was named simply old man Bines. He was known only by Rin and Lin as Grandpa since he was the only family that they had ever known in their thirteen years of life.

It was still unclear if Bines was the old warrior's name, or that it was just an alias. The grandfather did not expel such unnecessary information to others, even to his own kin.

The twins knew only Bines' way of doing things so they did not think anything of it. It has been through out the ages that those with high intelligent were often seen as strange to those of lower mental prowess.

Rin and Lin were watched intently by their grandpa, since he often worried about the twins. He

wondered if the invisible hand would send more reinforcements, but none ever came. Bines potty trained the two and cared for their every need.

The old man was a hard task master and started to teach the children when they were only two years. Bines did this so that Rin and Lin would be self sufficient once they grew to adulthood. The desert gave no quarter and received none in kind as well.

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One year went by and the two were busy in their studies when Bines walked into the humble home.

Lin spoke,"We are nearly done with the homework that you had given us already!"

Rin smiled at his grandpa in agreement with what his sister had just said.

Bines was teaching them to read and write as well as math.

Grandpa spoke,"That is good for today, I need you to come with me to the shed."

Rin asked,"What is it Grandpa?"

Bines spoke,"You all will see when we get there."

The trio was all standing in the windowless shed with a lantern lit.

Lin spoke,"What are you going to show us today?"

Rin spoke,"Yeah, Grandpa, what is it?

Bines spoke,"You will learn to protect yourselves from bandits."

Lin looked worried when she spoke,"Why do we have to do that? Won't you be with us?"

Bines held his granddaughter in his arms as he gave her a huge kiss.

If you had told him one hundred years ago that he would had been caring for small children, yet alone doting over them so much had done for these last three years, he would had told you that you are crazy.

But that is neither here nor there.

The kids started to cry profusely since they thought that Bines was leaving them.

Bines held the twins in both of his arms as he spoke,"I just want you two to get big and strong like Grandpa is when he gets too old to travel."

Bines had to get supplies every few months and two abhorred to leave their home so he had to leave them behind for days at a time. He hated to do so but the children gave him no other choice. The children thought that it was that time again.

Bines spoke,"Don't you want to grown ups one day? I got to show you two how to do grown up tasks."

The twins stop crying and looked up into their grandfather's eyes.

Bines spoke,"Rin, Lin, I am hundreds of years old."

Rin spoke,"I know that you are not that old since you still have the color in your hair."

Children and even teenagers are often unable to think in long-term in such a way.

Bines spoke,"I am not getting any younger so you will one day be without me. This is a very big desert and it is filled with all sorts of monsters and bad people. If you are not strong enough the people will beat you up!"

Lin cried,"Are you gonna leave us Grandpa?"

Bines smiled,"Oh heavens, no! I just want you two to be safe when I am gone. That is all!"

Ten years had come and gone for Bines and his family. Rin and Lin had grown up into happy young adults, full of energy and youth. Bines had taken great time and care into bringing the twins. Rin and Lin were both very learned people and were able to fend for themselves. All they needed was just to go through some pilot testing so that they grow into people who their grandpa could be fond of. They had all the knowledge and training, but they just lacked real world experience. Life outside their home would help to bring out the talents that the old master had seen in them for the lion's share of the last ten years.