The Spirit Stones

Lucas:- What the? Where does that stone go? 

Zen:- It was in your hand just a second ago. Where can it go? Search the ground. Maybe it fell down from your hand when that light shone.

Nora:- Wait. Look at your chest Lucas. What is that brooch? 

Lucas:- What brooch? (He looked down at his chest and saw an emerald stone brooch on his chest. It shined lightly for a second once again. )

Lucas:- I don't know. Where did it come from? (He spoke in surprise.)

Zen:- To be honest, if you look closely. Isn't it the same color from the stone before? 

Nora:- That's true. Does it mean that these stones are actually SPIRIT STONES??? (She said with utter surprise) 

Lucas and Zen stared at Nora. They didn't understand why she was so surprised. 

Lucas:- Why are you so surprised, Nora?

Zen:- What is a Spirit stone? (he asked with his head tilted to the side.)

Nora:- I can't believe we have these stones with us. I didn't think that I would see these here. No, rather I never thought I would see one in my whole life. (She said calmly)

Zen:- What are you saying? Can you explain it for us please?

Nora:- I heard a myth that there were spirit stones specifying every spirit's powers. I heard that these stones only let them use who are chosen as their spirit users and it changes into accessories as their personality. 

Zen:- Does that mean that this stone changed because of Lucas?

Nora:- The stone he picked up was green stone. Green color is the symbol of nature spirit. So I think this is the most reasonable reason. 

Zen:- I see. But what do these stones do?

Nora:- I heard that it can protect the user from mild dangers, signal dangers around the user and it can heal the user once from severe injury but it can't bring back any dead person.

Zen:- Woh. You know a lot. Where did you learn it? 

Nora:- I heard when I was in my hometown. I used to practice my sword skills in the mountains, when I met an archmage. I got closer to him and he used to tell me these stories. I thought it was all a myth. 

Zen:- I see.

Lucas:- But I still have a question. Isn't Zen also a spiritual warrior? So why didn't his stone react toward him? His stone also should shine, shouldn't it? 

Nora:- Eh. That's true too. Zen, your spiritual power is thunder. So, I think your power stone is the yellow one. How about you pick that up? (She held the box toward him and gestured to him to pick up the stone.)

Zen:- O-okay. (He picked up the stone but it didn't reacted to him)

Nora:- What the? Why didn't it react toward him? 

Zen:- I don't know again. Why is everything so awkward with me? (He tried a few times again but failed.)

Nora:- What's happening, it shouldn't be like this. 

Zen:- Sigh. Anyways, we will see it later. We should think about the important work here. Let's reach our destination first.

Nora:- Okay. Then we will set off tomorrow morning for Drawayles town. 

Lucas:- Okay. Good night. See you tomorrow.

The next day, they took their farewell from the duke and set off for their journey. They set out for Drawayles town. They took a carriage. 

Lucas:- We would've traveled faster with horses. So why the heck did we take a carriage. It will take 2 days to reach there.

Nora:- It's indeed true but you know that we cannot afford it. 

Lucas:- Huh? But why? We received quite a pleasant sum of money from the duke, didn't we? 

Zen:- We did but we cannot spend it this quickly. There are a lot of paths left out there. What if we stumble upon another problem and injure ourself again. We were lucky that we were at the castle after we wore ourselves out. But we might not be lucky next time. We would need a lot of money. So we gotta save as much as we can.

Lucas:- I see. But if we go like this, won't we be late?

Zen:- I thought about it again last night. To be precise, we still have a good time left in our hands. So, why should we rush and tired ourselves? 

Lucas:- I understood. 

After that they talked about this and that. Two days passed by. The next day, by the afternoon they reached the Drawayles town. They got down from the carriage and started walking in the town. They were so tired after riding a carriage for two straight days. They took some rest at the town and walked again toward Kinslake lake. Then they decided to camp at the lakeside for the night. 

Nora:- Let's camp here tonight and start again tomorrow dawn. 

Zen:- Okay. Then let's make the camp.

Lucas:- Then I will go and collect some firewood. 

Nora:- Okay. Let's get to work. 

They keep their luggage at a side and start their work. But they stopped when they heard a little kid's crying voice. They looked at each other in confusion.

Zen:- Did you guys hear that?

Lucas:- Doesn't it feel like a kid's voice?

Nora:- But what a kid will be doing here at this time? 

Zen:- Let's go and check on it. But we must be careful, we can't let our guard down like last time. 

They picked up their bags and went that way. When they reached the direction the voice was coming from, they saw a kid crying. They rush closer to the kid. 

Zen:- Hey kid. Why are you crying? (He crouched on one knee beside the kid.)

Lucas:- Kiddo, stop crying and tell us what happened. What are you doing here alone at this time?

Kid:- Sob.. Sob.. Please help me. Please save my sister. Please. (The kid grabbed Zen's hand and started to beg)

To Be Continued

**Khadiza Jahan**