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She could still remember how the air smells; when she was in a small village in Marionne where she used to live… she used to have friends- very good ones. They used to wander around the town watching over the busy merchants and farmers who planted different types of crops and especially, kradberries, since Marionne is the kradberry capital of all of the kingdom of Rideah.

At least she used to think that.

One thing they love to go to- the ruins… that is believed by many of the town folks as a haunted place--- it is where spirits lurch especially at night. For what reason or history, she did not know. But she used to very daring, often challenging herself to look braver than her childhood best friend who always beats her in everything.

All the other town children considered them as friends but she knows that behind their backs those foolish kids laugh at them for their weird hobbies. Whenever they arrive at town from the station’s ‘ghastly’ borders, she and Seth always strut any stuff they get from the hidden ruins somewhere in the caves near the station’s desert… though the truth is that they go there even though they can’t describe or tell the directions.

It’s as if their feet were controlled by some invisible force while their minds were half asleep, leaving them surprised that they already reached the ruins without even knowing how. All she can remember is that there are people there. But they were always hiding whenever they arrive at the mouth of the huge cave that conceals it from the sight of the occasional desert travelers.

More than once they told the town folks about what they had seen inside; huge buildings made of jewels of bright green and red, gold and silver carriages, magnificent creatures of which appearances she could not even remember now… somehow the memories had faded but she still keep an object of mystery that remind her that those memories were not hallucinations or a creation of her imagination from a fantasy-filled childhood.

She kept it in many years and she holds on it tight now… in her pocket. She immediately put it out and examined its delicate features for a while: an inverted tear-drop shaped amethyst stone, the size of a pebble, glittered as if casting dawn-colored shadows onto her pale palm. Some jewelers even gave huge offers to buy it from her but she wouldn’t sell it. It doesn't look like anything she's ever seen in the Sukurai city where she lived since she turned twelve...She could not dare to. It is the only thing that put a great bind to her and Seth… before he disappeared.

She was just eight and Seth was just ten.

It was the middle of the harvest season. People are busy with the farm work while most are in the trade halls to find rich merchants who are willing to buy large stocks of kradberry to sell to other towns or villages. Farmers cannot afford to transport all the harvested berries to other nearest towns such as Khail or Janimbha because of the enormous and dangerous distance that the carriages the small-time farmers could afford to buy or build. Only the rich tycoons are able to transport such amount of goods through their luxurious sand-cruisers, which are not destroyed nor scratched by the ravaging sand storms, fierce beasts and which can store tons and tons of fresh water from inhabited Oasian areas (areas with abundant source of water such as Marionne) to endure the extreme heat and cold in the middle desert.

Because their parents weren’t there to look after them, they had the chance to sneak out from the town borders and went stuporously into the cave ruins.

She cannot fully understand why Seth was rushing to get into the cave. All she remembered is that despite her blurring vision and labored breath, she can sense Seth’s grief and trouble. Tears streamed from his clear blue eyes as he ran ahead of her to conceal it.

He's just trying to hide it…but something’s terribly wrong. Why can’t he just tell me?

She looked for answers, but she only found the reasons, which are too obvious.

He’s always acted as the tough one…He thinks only he can protect me but not the other way…STUPID! I care for you as much… or even more than you do for me!

Without even knowing it, tears welled from her enigmatic dark but clear gray eyes. Those eyes always fail her in everything she wants. She prefer to go unnoticed, but everytime, people she met kept looking at her because of those strange eyes. They say her eyes seem to look violet when light is reflected on it or that they are being captivated by how she stares. Who cares? She s crying, but those stupid eyes failed her once more.

When they reached the mouth of the cave, Seth paused for a while, seeming to examine the glaring amber which covers the ground. she caught up with him, trying to wipe the dew drops that welled on her cheeks.

"It's over..." muttered Seth under a dark blank facade.

She twitched a little and stepped closer to see her friend's face clearly.

"What are you talking about? What's wrong? Tell me..."

He shook his head and managed a faint smile.

"I'm sorry... I can't protect you anymore." he said wearily still wearing that gloomy facade.

"I can't understand. What are you talking about... and why would you need to protect me? I can protect myself." she said defensively.

She started to walk into the depths of the cave, when she noticed that Seth was not following her. She looked back and saw the boy still standing frozen on the spot where she had left him.

She stared at him, as if to say, hey! what are you waiting for?

He walked slowly towards her and smiled once more.

"I know you can protect yourself and... I'm glad that you do can," he said, being as casual as he can.

"Are you hiding something from me?" She glared at him.

He shook his head and approached her. Without a word, he put his arms around her and whispered on her ear.

Tears flooded once again from her now reddish eyes. How could you you do this to me? she tought bitterly.

His shoulder where her head rests shuddered as if he was trying to suppress a sob.

Blinding light started to radiate from the delicate amber floor as if trying to engulf her soul and banish her into a river of stars. Her vision started to blurr. She tried to see Seth who had just let go of her. But once again her eyes failed her. She tried to find Seth with her hands swishing in the warming air. But to no avail; she couldn't find him.

"SETH!" she bellowed as hard as she can from her shallow breath.

"Lucille..." his voice echoed calmly.

She tried to find where it came from, but she could not touch anything but thick warm air.

"Follow your heart always..." said the boy, his voice fading with a hint of sadness. "and do not forget me, as I you." Then echoing footsteps slowly faded away as her vision continued to be hindered with clouds of smoke, unitl all she can sense is the darkness and the cold and pain that enshrouds every tiny spect of her being...body and soul.

In the darkness that clouds her thoughts, she saw a mist, slowly invading the faltering light from the waxing moon. From the thick air emerged a boy with dark brown hair, clear blue eyes and a rather fair and bright face, about five or six, grinning as he ran from the mist the obscured the view from the ruins.

He called out, "Lucille!" with a huge smile as if excitement is already burning inside his chest, ready to explode any minute.

Another figure emerged from the white atmosphere and ran towards the boy. She has long raven-black hair, rather pale face, clear violet-gray eyes which looked very enigmatic, and a dark shadow that seemed to loom over and inside her.

"What is it?" the girl asked in a very blank tone.

The boy stretched out his arm and opened his palm with delight. A violet tear-shaped crystal, the size of a pebble with hazy lilac streaks, entwined on a thin silver chain lay there glistening and glaring at her.

"It's for you... I thought it matches well with the color of your... eyes." The boy almost blushed from what he just said. Trying to hide it, he immediately put the necklace around her neck and said, "Like it? I found it in the ruins... well an old spirit gave it to me..."

The girl smiled silently, as if it's needless to say thank you with her honest but rare expression.She touched the crystal and smiled once again at the boy, who smiled back in return.

"It is... my promise." he said mumbling.

"What promise?" The girl at last said something with innocence in her gentle face.

"It's a secret." He ran back to the mists followed by the girl, still bewildered about her friend's little secret.

There she still lay like a crumpled paper, like a babe inside a mother's womb. She knew it's only a vision, or a dream... or maybe a hallucination or illusion brought by her newfound frustration. She kept thinking about the past... about Seth and she lingered there for the rest of the cold night. She's not dreaming nor asleep, but she could not possibly summon the courage to find out the truth that herein lies.

Seth is gone... just like that. And she will never see him again.

Albeit his voice continued to echo inside her head; those words he whispered to her before he vanished...

"My promise is that... I will never be gone from your side... always,"

LIAR!!!

She did not move nor tried to sob as tears continued streaming from her tightly closed eyes.

TO BE CONTINUED...
crying sweatdrop