Artorias Tonela was a man who loved to say "no." He would say it to his wife, his children, his friends, and even to strangers on the street. He would say it with a smile on his face, and he would say it with a twinkle in his eye. But beneath that cheerful exterior lay a heart that was filled with sadness and regret.
Artorias Tonela was born in a small town in the middle of nowhere. He was the youngest of five children, and he was always the odd one out. He was shy and introverted, and he didn't like to play with the other children. He preferred to spend his time alone, reading books and dreaming of a better life.
When Artorias was 18 years old, he left home and moved to the big city. He got a job as a clerk in a grocery store, and he lived in a small apartment with two other roommates. He was lonely and isolated, and he didn't have any friends. He longed for companionship, but he never knew how to reach out.
One day, Artorias met a woman named Mary. She was kind and compassionate, and she saw something in Artorias that no one else did. She saw his sadness and his loneliness, and she wanted to help him. They started talking, and they quickly became friends. Over time, their friendship blossomed into love, and they got married.
Artorias and Mary had two children together, a boy and a girl. Artorias loved his children dearly, but he was still unable to shake the sadness that had haunted him for so long. He loved his wife and his children more than anything in the world, but he couldn't bring himself to say yes to them. He couldn't say yes to their requests for help, and he couldn't say yes to their dreams.
As the years passed, Artorias's sadness grew deeper and darker. He withdrew from his family and his friends, and he became a shadow of the man he once was. He lived in a world of his own, where he was trapped by his own regrets and his own inability to say yes.
One day, Artorias's wife and children left him. They couldn't stand to watch him suffer any longer. They loved him, but they couldn't help him. Artorias was alone again, and he was more lost than ever before.
Artorias wandered the streets for days, not knowing where to go or what to do. He was starving and exhausted, but he couldn't bring himself to ask for help. He was a man who had always said no, and he couldn't bring himself to say yes.
Finally, Artorias stumbled upon a park. He sat down on a bench and closed his eyes. He was tired of living, and he was tired of saying no. He just wanted to sleep and never wake up.
But then, Artorias heard a voice. It was a child's voice, and it was calling his name.
"Artorias Tonela," the child said. "Artorias Tonela, wake up."
Artorias opened his eyes and saw a little girl standing in front of him.
"Hello," the little girl said. "My name is Lily. What's your name?"
"My name is Artorias," he said. "Artorias Tonela."
"It's nice to meet you, Artorias," Lily said. "I'm here to help you."
"Help me?" Artorias asked. "How can you help me?"
"I can help you say yes," Lily said. "I can help you say yes to your wife, yes to your children, yes to your friends, and yes to yourself."
Artorias looked at Lily with hope in his eyes. He had never met anyone like her before. She was kind and compassionate, and she believed in him. He knew that she could help him, and he was ready to say yes.
"Yes," Artorias said. "I'm ready to say yes."
And so, Artorias Tonela, the man who had always said no, finally learned to say yes. He said yes to his wife and children, yes to his friends, and yes to himself. He said yes to life, and he was finally able to find happiness and contentment.