The Rightful Owner

"So, it's a pendant! Impressive! Is it embedded with an emerald crystal? It looks absolutely stunning!"

Aditya marveled at the pendant, an unfamiliar sight for someone who had spent his entire life in an orphanage. Surrounded by affluent classmates adorned with expensive ornaments, he couldn't comprehend the significance of spending so much on a mere stone when he struggled for basic necessities.

This experience revealed to him that certain things don't necessarily need practical use; their mere existence can allure people into purchasing them. The pendant fascinated him, evoking a sense of nostalgia, even though he couldn't quite comprehend why.

"Hold on, lad! I don't believe it's an emerald. I've examined this crystal, and its composition remains unidentified."

The Old Man cautioned, pulling his hand back. The green-hued crystal on the pendant held a mystique that intrigued Aditya, leaving him spellbound as he gazed upon it.

"Ohh! It's becoming more interesting and mysterious as I learn more. How do you decide whom to give this pendant to?"

Aditya's curiosity deepened, and he was determined to leave with that pendant, whatever it took.

"I don't know. My father said it's destined to reach its rightful owner on its own, although I don't know how."

The Old Man replied with confusion. There isn't a manual for finding the pendant's destined owner; his father simply instructed to keep it with him, and it would find its owner itself.

"I feel like I am that destined one."

Aditya's eyes gleamed with anticipation, a wide grin stretching from ear to ear.

Aditya, devoid of family and labeled as poor and an orphan, endured a life where he suffered the indignity of being treated like refuse. Despite his hardships, Aditya paradoxically possessed an abundance of overconfidence and narcissism. 

Despite others pitying him upon hearing his story, Aditya never succumbed to feelings of inferiority. In his childhood fantasies, he envisaged a future where diligent work would propel him to rule the entire world.

Convinced that this event would be pivotal, Aditya embraced the belief unwaveringly, akin to characters in fantasy tales. Doubt never clouded his mind.

"How about we approach it this way? Let's verify whether I am the destined one or not. If so, your duty would be fulfilled, and you can release your worries."

Aditya suggested, raising his eyebrows and maintaining his infectious grin.

"Alright. I don't want to see a young lad like you shed tears at this age. But what if you're not?" 

The Old Man asked, sighing softly, burdened by years of carrying the responsibility of finding the destined one for the pendant.

"Then, I will assist you in finding the rightful owner. And in case you desire an heir to carry on your duty, I promise to give my utmost effort to fulfill that role. What do you think, Grandpa?" 

Aditya proposed earnestly.

"Alright. Let's proceed. At least in the worst-case scenario, I can entrust my responsibilities to you and find solace in closing my eyes" 

The Old Man decided, his resolve firm.

The old man has carried that pendant since he was sixteen. Its weight, both physical and emotional, has been with him for decades. His father, in his youth, unveiled the tale woven into the pendant's intricate design—the story of duty and consequence. Despite his skepticism, he clung to the pendant, aware that its legacy might die with him, leaving no heir to inherit its burden.

Doubts gnawed at him incessantly, questioning the authenticity of the story and the supposed power the pendant held. There were moments when he contemplated parting with it, attempting to sell it off in pursuit of fleeting relief from its looming presence. However, fate intervened, unveiling a sequence of inexplicable events that shattered his skepticism, revealing truths he couldn't ignore.

Now, in the twilight of his life, the old man grapples with the weight of the pendant and the unresolved legacy it carries. With each passing day, the urgency to confront its significance intensifies. He yearns to reconcile with its purpose before his final breath, determined to lay to rest any lingering regrets that may haunt him in death's embrace.

"But how do we check it? I've been told that if the destined one is near, the pendant will give a signal. We've been talking here for an hour, but still, nothing has happened. Maybe you're not the destined one?" 

The old man inquired, his hand resting on his chin in contemplation.

"Give me that pendant. You're clutching it like I'm about to swipe it."

Aditya grumbled with a pout, his expression reflecting annoyance.

"Alright, alright! Here, take it!" 

The old man relented with a sigh, reluctantly passing the pendant to Aditya.

Aditya extended his hand, and the old man gently placed the pendant on his palm. As Aditya made contact with it, goosebumps rippled down his spine. He gazed at the pendant, stars dancing in his eyes. Its exquisite craftsmanship and the intricate details of the designs on the chain carrying the crystal left him in awe, as if it spoke a language unknown to him.

"Did you sense anything, young lad?" 

Inquired the old man with curiosity.

"Absolutely! It's mesmerizing! This crystal shines like it's holding some magic in itself" 

Aditya exclaimed softly, captivated by the pendant.

"Hey! I'm not seeking your opinion on the pendant. I want to know if you feel any connection or sign from it"

The old man clarified, waving his hand in front of Aditya's face.

"Oh! Um... No, I don't sense any signals from it. Maybe there's a communication issue or something" 

Aditya complained, shaking the pendant.

"Ugh!" 

The old man sighed, resigned to the outcome. He hadn't harbored any expectations, yet disappointment eluded him. Nonetheless, with Aditya by his side, he could entrust his duty before his final breath. Despite their brief acquaintance, he found solace in Aditya's trustworthiness, certain that betrayal wasn't in his nature.

"Well, it only means one thing. You're going to assist me in carrying out my responsibility from now on," 

Declared the old man as he tried to take the pendant from Aditya's palm.

**Zzssh**

The pendant vibrated, stubbornly resisting any attempt to leave Aditya's hand.

The crystal on the pendant emitted a green glow and began vibrating as Aditya held it in his palm. The sudden movement startled the old man, prompting him to withdraw his hand from the pendant.

"Whoa! What happened to it? Are you truly the rightful owner or something, lad? I've held onto this pendant since I was young, but I've never witnessed anything like this" 

Exclaimed the old man, a mixture of shock and amusement evident in his voice.

As the old man reacted with surprise, Aditya stood calmly, his gaze fixed on the pendant as if its response was entirely normal. While he had never encountered supernatural or unrealistic phenomena before, he had long harbored a belief that one day he would come into possession of a mystical item. From a young age, he had prepared himself for such an eventuality.