The morning breeze brushed gently across the fields, carrying the soft scent of dew and earth. The sun had only just risen, casting golden threads over the horizon. Birds chirped faintly in the distance — it was peaceful.
Kai stood alone in the field, his hands buried in the soil, sleeves rolled up and sweat already dampening his shirt. The tools beside him were old, patched, but reliable. This was his daily life — working from dawn for his family.
His father had passed away when Kai was just fifteen, taken by a sudden heart stroke. Since then, everything had changed. The quiet laughter in the house, the strength in the field — both had disappeared. In their place came a heavy silence and an even heavier responsibility.
Now 22, Kai bore that weight without complaint.
His mother, Rose, was a soft but enduring woman. Despite her frail health, she worked relentlessly — sewing clothes for others, cooking for the temple sometimes, and always caring for him and his younger sister. Kai admired her deeply. She never gave up.
His sister, Elia, was in the tenth standard at school. A quiet, intelligent girl with a bright smile that softened even the harshest days. She loved sketching in her notebooks and always saved part of her lunch for Kai.
He wasn't brilliant, not strong, not even particularly lucky. But he was grounded. Focused. Searching for something — maybe a meaning to it all, or maybe just a way forward.
Working in the fields brought some peace. He grew vegetables and seasonal fruits, selling them in the market to keep the household afloat. It wasn't much, but it was honest.
But that morning… something changed.
His hoe struck something hard beneath the soil. Not a rock. Not roots. Something smooth… metallic?
He blinked and knelt down, brushing away the dirt with his bare hands. A box, small and strange, was buried just beneath the surface. It felt out of place — not rusted, not old, not dirty. Just… there.
A flicker of unease passed through him. In all the years he had worked this land — with his father, then alone — he had never unearthed anything like this.
Still, curiosity won.
Kai carefully pried the box out and carried it home. After washing the soil from his arms and face, and taking a quick bath, he placed the box on the table in his small room. It was surprisingly light, like it was hollow.
He wiped it clean, hands trembling slightly.
Then… it opened — no lock, no resistance.
Inside was a single, round bead. It shimmered faintly, like it pulsed with light just under the surface. Beside it, a folded note rested.
Kai picked it up, heart beating faster. The handwriting was elegant, almost too perfect:
"Don't worry about anything. It was yours to begin with. Just swallow it whole — and you'll know."
"But first… drop your blood onto it."
Kai stared at the note. A bead of sweat rolled down his temple.
What was this? Some kind of prank? Or… something else?
He glanced at the bead again. It didn't feel dangerous. In fact, for some strange reason, it felt… familiar.
Like a part of him had been waiting for it.
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