Neir was still fixated on the green pendant; the greenish glow from the gem inside felt strange yet calming. She was so engrossed that she almost forgot she had left her bicycle behind. She quickly returned to the spot, made sure her bike was still there, then pedaled back to the market where her mother was selling.
Upon arriving at the market, Neir immediately approached her mother, Mariela, who was squatting, cleaning the fine powder from her eyes. "I'm sorry, Mom," Neir said sadly. "I couldn't catch that boy."
Mariela gave a small smile, even though her eyes were visibly slightly swollen. She took some clean water mixed with simple herbal concoctions to rinse her eyes. Their neighboring vendor, a middle-aged woman named Tasia, quickly helped Mariela treat the irritation.
"It's okay, Neir," Mariela replied softly. "Mom is fine."
Other neighbors, including Tasia and her friend, Linya, gathered to discuss the earlier theft. They said thefts like this had been happening frequently in the area, usually carried out by small, organized groups.
"You really must be more careful, Mariela," said Tasia, patting Mariela's shoulder. "We all know the risks in this market."
A moment later, the group of women and children who had helped chase the thief returned. Among them was Kaela, a young woman who, although not a vendor herself, often helped her parents tend their herb garden.
"We didn't manage to catch them, Mariela," said one of the women, breathlessly.
"It's alright," replied Mariela, trying to stay strong. "As a vendor, this is a risk we have to accept. Even though the loss is quite significant."
"How much was taken, Mariela?" asked Linya.
"About 40 glein," Mariela answered with a sigh. "It's quite a hit, but at least not all of it is gone."
Evening began to approach, and one by one, people said their goodbyes to Mariela, offering words of comfort and encouragement. Mariela was touched by their kindness.
Kaela, who was still there, decided to help Mariela pack up her stall.
"You don't have to trouble yourself, Kaela. You've already helped enough," said Mariela.
"Ah, it's no problem. Besides, I'm only helping a little," Kaela replied with a relaxed smile.
Meanwhile, Neir was busy helping her mother tidy up, even though Mariela repeatedly told her to rest. "I'm fine, Mom," Neir said stubbornly.
After everything was done and the small stall was closed, Kaela said goodbye and headed home. Her house was in the opposite direction, but not too far from Mariela and Neir's home.
On the way home, Neir was silent, still thinking about the pendant. Once they arrived home, they took turns bathing. Mariela bathed first, while Neir stored the leftover fish in the small crystal-cooled refrigerator—one of the practical technologies for those who couldn't use magic.
That night, their dinner was simple, just a fish soup made from the leftover fish. Although simple, its warm aroma filled their small home.
"Eat slowly, Neir," Mariela chided as Neir ate hastily.
But Neir didn't listen. She hurriedly finished her food, drank, then ran to her room. Mariela sighed, thinking her daughter was just tired and wanted to sleep immediately.
In her room, Neir sat on the bed, gazing at the green pendant in the dim light. She held it carefully, feeling its smooth surface with her fingertips.
"So beautiful," she murmured, smiling slightly. There was something special about the pendant, even if she didn't know what.
Driven by curiosity, Neir stood up and took a small wooden-framed mirror hanging on the wall. She held the pendant up in front of the mirror, tilting her head to see how its green shimmer reflected on the glass.
"Like a magic stone," she whispered, smiling. Her eyes were full of admiration, but also held a hint of unanswered curiosity.
However, after some thought, Neir decided not to wear it. She was worried it might get damaged or lost while she slept. Carefully, she placed it on the small table beside her bed.
"Tomorrow morning, I'll look at it again," she said quietly, before pulling the blanket over herself. The pendant remained there, glowing faintly in the candlelight, as Neir finally fell into a deep sleep.
---
World shift.
In the dark forest, a woman in a white robe stood inside a large stone circle engraved with ancient symbols that emitted a faint glow. The night air was cold, but the woman remained calm, clutching a glowing green crystal in her hand. Her eyes were closed, focused on the Etherium energy surrounding the place.
"My pendant..." she murmured softly, her voice cold yet full of determination. She concentrated her thoughts on the crystal, which began to glow brightly, replaying events of the past. The green light formed faint shadows in the air, recreating the scene that had previously happened in the market.
In the shadow, she saw herself walking through the bustling market, her face hidden by the white robe. People passed by unaware of her presence. However, as she passed a small alley on the side of the market, a boy running at high speed crashed into her. The collision was hard enough to push her aside, and she heard the sound of something falling.
The green pendant, which had been in her pouch, fell onto the street. She saw the boy run up onto the roofs, but her eyes were drawn to a small red-haired girl not far from her. It seemed the girl had been chasing the boy. The girl had even tried to help her, but she had pushed the girl away, causing her to stumble. The woman herself had run away from the girl.
"Dammit... I missed it earlier... damn," the woman muttered in frustration.
Then came the few people who gathered around the girl.She saw the girl being helped up by a young woman who was among them. The girl was wearing a shabby apron, and without hesitation, she picked up the green pendant and slipped it into her apron pocket.
The woman looked very annoyed by her own carelessness. She desperately wanted to take her pendant back, but she could only watch the shadows. Silently, she memorized every detail, including the girl's face and the direction she left.
Back in the present, the woman opened her eyes. Her gaze was cold, and a thin smile formed on her face.
"That little girl..." she murmured. "She doesn't know what she's carrying. But that pendant is mine, and I will take it back."
The green light from the crystal began to fade, but the direction of its energy was now clear in her mind. The woman turned, left the stone circle, her steps firm as she disappeared into the darkness of the forest.
---
Time shifts to another dimension.
Temanggung, Central Java
On the second floor of a simple house, Dani Darko was lying lazily on his bed. The room was messy; used t-shirts piled on a chair, empty instant noodle bowls scattered on a small table, and an old fan hummed softly. The air in the room felt stuffy, but Dani didn't care.
Dani stared at the plain ceiling, his eyes heavy not from physical fatigue, but from the exhaustion accumulated in his mind. He let out a long sigh, then muttered to himself.
"Did I take a wrong step? Back when I graduated high school, I really hoped to become something. I remember how excited I was when I first started working at that store. But nothing went the way I thought it would. They said I was slow, not agile... even though I was never taught anything. Just thrown in like that, like being told to swim in the ocean when I didn't even know how to float."
His hand reached for his phone lying nearby. He glanced at the screen, but there was nothing there, just empty notifications from a game he was already bored with.
"I tried, you know. Applied for jobs so many times after that. Cover letters, CV, even bought clothes for interviews... all with money I could barely spare. But no one accepted me. They said I lacked experience. Well, where am I supposed to get experience if no one gives me a chance?"
He turned his face towards the window, looking at the large, sturdy avocado tree. But the view offered no peace, only emptiness.
"I actually wanted to work out of town... but they didn't allow it. Said it was too far, too risky. I get it, they're worried. But if I can't do anything here, then what am I supposed to do? Money's gone, savings are zero, and now I'm just a burden to them. It feels like I'm only alive to cause problems in other people's lives."
Dani closed his eyes, letting the silence fill his mind for a moment. But the thoughts kept returning, circling endlessly.
"Sometimes I wonder, what's the point of me being here? If I were gone... would anyone care? Would anyone miss me? Probably not. I'm just an unimportant part of other people's lives. Even if I left... the world would keep turning, like I was never here."
Tears almost imperceptibly began to flow from the corners of his eyes, but he didn't move to wipe them away. His arms just lay limp, his phone slipping from his grasp. He stared blankly at the ceiling again, letting time pass him by.
"But well... this is my life. Don't even know how to give up. Maybe this is my destiny: to live as a shadow in the crowd. And that avocado tree... at least it's more useful than I am."
With the last of his energy, Dani let out a small laugh—a sarcastic laugh that was more painful than comforting. But in his heart, he knew that laugh wasn't enough to ease the hollow feeling haunting him.
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