Dinner fills the small room with a quiet kind of warmth — the clink of spoons, low breaths, dim light. Just the two of us: me and the girl named Rose.
"You know," she says with a small smile, "it's because you remind me of him. My father… he disappeared when I was eight."
She talks a lot. I listen more than I answer. Maybe because my face reminds her of her brother. Maybe because her voice reminds me too much of my mother.
"I wanted to look for him," she goes on. "Always did. But I never knew where to start."
I don't respond. I have nothing to say.
The silence hangs, so I reach for the only thing I have — the photo. Torn edges. Faded ink. Like its own wound.
"That's your family?" she asks.
I nod. "My father died first. So…" I force a thin smile. "I guess we're balanced."
She laughs softly — a laugh that makes the room feel a little less tired.
"You're not from this village, right? I've never seen you."
"The next one over," I say. "I came to sell something. To stay alive."
Her eyes light up. "Can I see? I love collecting strange things."
I lift the pendant from my chest and lay the crystal on the table.
Her curiosity freezes. Shifts. Tightens.
"I found it by the river," I say. "Thought it was an old relic. Something valuable."
She doesn't answer.
Then — without a word — she snatches it and runs upstairs.
A thud. Pages flipping frantically. And finally:
"Found it!"
A heavy book slams onto the table. She sets the crystal on top of the open page.
"This… is magic." Her eyes lock onto mine. "You touched it?"
"Yes."
Her finger traces the writing. "It says anyone who touches it will feel a pull… impossible to let go. Did that happen?"
"Yes."
"And then…" Her voice thins. "It says the one who touches it becomes its vessel. No, that can't—"
She cuts herself off and looks at me.
"Hiro… have you ever heard the story of the Sun and Moon War?"
I shake my head.
"Paragon has awakened," she whispers. "With a vessel. Using a human body. You."
I stare at her. None of it makes sense to me.
"My dream," she says, voice trembling, "is to meet the one destined to find this relic. The one who can lead me… to my father, or my brother."
She steps closer. "Hiro… will you travel with me?"
I blink. "I don't even understand half of what you're talking about. I don't know what this journey is."
"You touched the crystal. Enemies of relics will come for you. To take it, they have to kill you. Did anyone look for it before you got here?"
"…Someone," I murmur. "His body was wrapped in bandages. Strong. And for some reason—"
A flash. His sword. His breath. His moment of hesitation.
"And?" she presses.
"He let me live."
I let out a crooked smile. "Weird, right? I mean, I was ready to di—"
SLAP.
Her hand cracks across my cheek.
"You really think your life means nothing?" she snaps. "If your mother were alive — she'd break hearing you say that."
Her words cut deeper than her hand.
She wipes her tears. "I don't know where to start, Hiro. Please. Help me."
She turns toward the stairs. "Stay here tonight. There's an empty room. And you shouldn't sell that in this village — anyone who buys it will kill you for touching it."
The door closes behind her.
The night moves slowly. I lie on the bed upstairs, the moon spilling through the window, its cold light over my hand.
In the middle of the night, I jolt awake — restless, unable to sleep. My head is loud with one question.
Why did he let me live?
My life is nothing — a slave's child, a story no one cares about. Mother was once a noble, but she left everything for Father. For us.
And she died when I was eight.
I reach for the photo.
"Ah." Something I haven't looked at in so long.
The words on the back — her handwriting. Soft. Neat. For me.
My dear son…
Forgive this failing body. Forgive the short years I gave you. I wished to see you grow bright, strong, unbroken.
Your father guarded the weak — stand strong as he did.
I found peace, calm, and freedom — I pray you find them too.
Carry our hope. Our love. Our memory.
Forgive me. I love you, always.
My breath cracked.
A tremor ran through my hands.
"Mom…" I whispered.
"I miss you."