New Haven was the most beautiful place Kai had ever seen. The floating city sparkled in the clouds like a jewel. White bridges connected crystal towers, and gardens grew in the air without any ground to hold them.
Kai walked through the peaceful streets, looking for Maya Chen. The people here all seemed happy and calm. Children played games with floating balls of light. Adults sat in cafes drinking tea that glowed like rainbows.
"How will I find her in a city this big?" Kai asked Luna.
"Use the crystals," Luna whispered in his mind. "The third crystal will call to its friends when you get close to Maya."
Kai held up his hand, and both crystals began to glow softly. They pulled his hand gently to the left, like tiny magnets pointing toward something.
Following the crystals' pull, Kai walked down a street lined with shops that sold bottled clouds and dream candy. The crystals glowed brighter as he walked, which meant he was getting closer.
Then he saw her.
Maya Chen was sitting on a bench in a small park, reading a book to a group of young children. She had long black hair that shone in the sunlight, and kind brown eyes. When she smiled at the children, her whole face lit up.
But what made Kai catch his breath was the soft golden glow around her heart. Only he could see it because of the crystals. The third crystal was really there, beating gently inside her chest.
"She's so young," Kai whispered.
"The same age as you," Luna reminded him. "And she has no idea that she carries one of the most powerful objects in all the dimensions."
One of the children scraped his knee on the crystal ground and started crying. Maya put down her book and gently touched the boy's knee. Golden light flowed from her fingers, and the scrape healed completely. The boy stopped crying and hugged her.
"Thank you, Maya!" the boy said. "You're the best healer in the city!"
Maya smiled. "It's nothing special. I just like helping people feel better."
Kai walked closer, and the crystals in his hand pulsed faster. Maya looked up and saw him approaching. For a moment, their eyes met, and Kai felt something strange happen. The world seemed to slow down, and he could feel the third crystal inside Maya responding to the other two crystals.
"Hello," Maya said with a friendly smile. "I don't think I've seen you before. Are you new to New Haven?"
"Yes," Kai said, trying to keep his voice normal. "I'm Kai. I'm... visiting."
"I'm Maya. Would you like to join our story time? We're reading about brave knights who save kingdoms."
Kai looked at the children's innocent faces and felt his heart breaking. If he took Maya's crystal, these children might lose the only person who could heal their cuts and scrapes. Maya might die, leaving all these people sad.
"That sounds nice," Kai said, sitting down on the ground with the children.
As Maya continued reading, Kai watched her carefully. She was so full of life and kindness. How could he even think about taking her crystal? But without it, all the worlds would be destroyed by the Shadow.
"Once upon a time," Maya read, "there was a knight who had to make a terrible choice. Save one person he loved, or save a whole kingdom of strangers."
Kai felt like the story was speaking directly to him. He had to save Maya, but he also had to save all the worlds. There had to be a way to do both.
"What did the knight choose?" one child asked.
Maya turned the page. "He found a third option. Instead of choosing between them, he found a way to save everyone. That's what real heroes do - they never give up looking for a better solution."