The Mystery of the Fate Fairy
The city never slept, not even at night. Streetlights flickered, cars still roared past even though the clock was nearing midnight. In a cramped room on the third floor of a student boarding house, a young woman sat still, staring at a small candle burning by the window.
Her name was Nadia. A second-year university student, child of a middle-class family. Her face looked calm, but her eyes were swollen. Her hands clenched the fabric of her clothes on her lap, holding back a storm of mixed emotions.
Earlier that day, she had lost the gold necklace her mother had given her. It wasn't just jewelry; her childhood name was engraved on the pendant, a piece she had worn since her teenage years. Losing it felt like losing a part of herself.
In desperation, she remembered a whispered rumor from an online forum: about an ancient ritual under the full moon. "The Fate Fairy, the giver of fortune," it said. The requirements were simple: the room must be dark, only a single candle by the window, and the chant repeated without pause until something answered.
At first, Nadia had laughed at the story. But now, alone in the dark room, she was willing to believe. What harm could it do?
With a soft voice, she began to chant:
"Fate Fairy, giver of fortune... the wanderer asks for one wish... from the three stars... Lix... Fox... Zix..."
Silence. Only the faint sound of cars outside.
She repeated, her breath steadier.
"Fate Fairy, giver of fortune... the wanderer asks for one wish... from the three stars... Lix... Fox... Zix..."
The flame flickered once, then steadied. Nadia held her breath. And then, a voice, unfamiliar and strange, filled the room.
"Speak... your wish..."
Her heart leapt. The tale was true. Yet she did not act recklessly. She bowed her head, not daring to look for the source of the voice. Carefully, she whispered, "I only want my necklace back. The gold necklace with my name engraved. That's all."
A pause. Then the candle went out.
Darkness swallowed the room. Nadia shut her eyes, trembling, but made no sound. After a few seconds, the flame returned. It burned calmly, as though nothing had happened.
She opened her eyes. Something cold touched her skin. Looking down, she froze.
The necklace was there, lying on her lap. Whole, unbroken, her name engraved just as she remembered.
Tears welled up instantly. "Thank you..." she whispered.
That night, nothing terrible happened. Nadia had followed every rule. She had gotten back what was hers—as if it had never been lost.
But somewhere deep in the darkness, something had recorded her wish.