The Secrets on the Path to Hope

I find myself in a dark alley, surrounded by darkness. There's no light, and the only visible thing is my hand. It's like a void. I see Sylvia walking, but I remember she's sick.

She approaches me, smiling, and whispers, "You'll never get free. You're stuck like a puppet. You think I trust you? No one will be loyal to you. Come here, Ethan." Then, I notice Ethan with his hand covered in blood, his armor stained. It never fades away.

My heart drops. Everyone loyal has been broken, and everything I built turned to ashes. Suddenly, a brightness breaks through the darkness. Kyle appears, holding my hand, promising, "I will make you remember. I fulfill my promise." A high-pitched voice calls my name, and everything starts to brighten. I look around, trying to breathe slowly.

I'm still in the same place; it's just a nightmare. It's the same one I always get since leaving the castle. Sylvia smiles at me, still visibly sick, but her smile turns to worry. "Are you okay? Your face is so pale. Did that nightmare trouble you again? Don't worry, I am here." She gives me a soft hug. I resist crying and instead muster strength, telling her it's time to work. She understands, preparing my clothing and hair. Ethan is already occupied with his own work and building station, finally, after four attempts.

He has a short temper sometimes because many speak ill of me, even the commoners. He gets mad, but I try to convince him to stop that childish behavior, yet he doesn't understand. Sylvia chuckles, seeing my expression; she understands how I express myself like an open book, making my anger evident. "Sylvia, you know Ethan has a short temper. It's not easy to get him a job with so many attempts, so thank heavens he has one. After all, we need to pay so many things." She hands me a cup of tea before work, and I tell her not to worry; we're all friends and loyal to each other.

After three days, I experience a shock, understanding I need to treat Sylvia differently. She has problems, and I have to get myself up and go to work. I don't blame her for anything; if she doesn't want to be with me, she can return to her family. Besides, our friendship has grown stronger, like that of best friends. We discuss work matters most of the time. When I enter my workplace, everything is chaotic.

I try to figure out the significance of the necklace my mom gave me, but the antique shop offers no answers. The old man at the shop has two sisters who treat me like an intruder. They never return my kindness, making me furious, but it's my only job.

When I entered the shop, they started looking at me and began to gossip about my appearance. I don't have much interest in fashion or clothing. I continue selling various items, from spoons to jars to old clocks. A dirty young man approaches, looking like he emerged from the garbage. I'm not judging, but I wish commoners would at least appear clean. The two women curse and whisper among themselves.

The man asks me to fix his watch threateningly, saying, "Young lady, can you please fix my watch? If you don't, you'll see a beautiful knife on your neck." I nod in agreement. When I see the watch, it has the same symbol my mother mapped - the moon. As I fix it, thoughts race through my mind. When I finish, I politely ask him about the watch's rarity and where he got it, but he doesn't respond. He smiles, quickly pockets the watch, and I wonder if it's stolen. I note the details in my book, and the two women panic, summoning the police. They apprehend the man, and I explain the rarity of the item.

These incidents have become frequent, causing a headache. Eventually, they give us money, thanking us for our cooperation. I split the money between myself and the two women, returning home to find Sylvia talking to Ethan, who's covered in scratches and has a wounded arm. Frustrated, I ask why, and he explains he had a disagreement with his boss and got beaten for it.

"It's good not to let anyone treat you badly, but don't get yourself injured. Try another type of work; it's not good for your health," I advise him. I return to the shop, taking advantage of the situation, examining the items there. Strangely, when I bring them close to my necklace, they seem magnetic. Upon opening the watch, I find three stones similar to those on my necklace. When they get close to each other, they repel, but when near my necklace, they're attracted to it, like magnets.

I sit on my bed, wondering about the relationship between these items. Ethan looks at me, observing the mess I've made. "So what are you trying to do? You look so tired and messed up," he remarks. I sigh, acknowledging that he's right, realizing that my situation isn't that good either. "So Ethan, you know about my necklace; I don't want to sell it. You're familiar with the history of the kingdoms. Today, someone gave me this watch with the symbol of the kingdom of the moon. It attracted to me, so I began to dismantle it until I found those stones, similar to my necklace. I don't know the relation between my necklace and these stones."

Suddenly, Ethan stops me, looking at the three stones and how they attract my necklace. "Can you show me the map your mother gave you?" I hand it over, hoping it might provide a clue because I'm unable to find anything. He starts pointing at three places on the map, each with a similar color but different sizes. He places each stone in a different location on the map and begins mumbling to himself. I suggest giving him my necklace if he needs it, and indeed, he does.

He places my necklace in the center, and the stones behave strangely, not as magnets. They begin to move, and eventually, all three stop at one place. My face lights up; we've discovered something that could lead us to my mother. "Ethan, you're a genius. You found it, not me. You're so smart. I don't know how to thank you. Even if I wanted to pay, I can't. You're still my best friend."

Sylvia overhears this and approaches, shocked. But when she tries to touch it, Ethan stops her, explaining about the spot where the three stones converged, indicating the place we live in. He insists that we need to move out and change our location to safeguard the stone.

I hand him a pencil to mark the first place the stones stopped, and we head to the city center. We follow the same pattern, and the stones move from their original position. Sylvia looks at Ethan, the only one aware of what's happening. "So, the stones move in the same way we do, and your necklace is your guide. We're much farther than your necklace, so if you spot it, track it. Please, stop sticking your face to me."

I'm thrilled by what he says; finally, we can move without worrying about heading in the wrong direction. Moreover, we're far away from the Holy Kingdom. "So, Ethan and Sylvia, tomorrow we'll gather some things and get ready. We need to find my mother, but Sylvia, if tomorrow isn't good for you, you won't go with us, okay? We understand your situation."

Finally, I can't reach my mother yet. It's not my biggest goal, but it's a step toward reaching my goal.