She brushed the hair of her little doll, wanting it to look perfect. Something in this house had to look good at least. After some more minutes of carefully brushing that hair she held the doll up. “Mama?”

She turned and looked to her mother. She was staring outside the window, not reacting, not saying anything, her gaze spoke of sadness.

Yukiko got up and went over to her. “Are you okay, mama?”

“Oh, sorry”, she said smiling, as she turned towards her. “I just prayed to god. I begged of him to make your life happier one day.”

“But I am happy being with you.” She let go of her doll and hugged her mother’s side.

“I am also happy when you are with me”, she answered softly. Her voice was as soft as her big hands and her hugs. “Now, go play a little more. Your mum has something she needs to do.”

Yukiko nodded and got back to her doll. “What did you do?”, she scolded her. “You got dirty!” Then she started to clean the dust from the dolls skirt. It took her a while to get it as clean as it was before and she proudly looked at her prized possession again.

Something broke behind her, glass falling to the ground. Yukiko turned only to see a small star hovering within the room. Fascinated from the soft blue light she forgot about the doll and let it fall again.

“Yukiko! What have you done …” Her mother stood in the doorway and looked at the blue, shining star.

“Look! A star has fallen from the sky”, Yukiko exclaimed and grabbed it. The light of the star vanished and a shock grasped Yukikos body. All her limbs were tingling and something very, very cold touched her heart. Everything went black and then … there was silence.

She dreamed she flew over an ocean of ice, still feeling warmth despite the cold, warmth that reminded her of her parents. It was like travelling to another land like in her mother’s story … only much more real. It was wonderful and somewhere on the horizon was the glittering blue light of the star she had touched.

But before she could go near it, everything faded and she opened her eyes once again. Her mother was hanging over her, her face distorted by sorrow, tears dropping down over her cheeks and onto Yukikos hands. And then a smile found its way back onto her face.

“Yukiko, dear? Are you all right? How do you feel? Speak with me!”

“Mama”, she whispered, feeling a bit weak all of the sudden. But it was enough to be hugged by her mother once again, feeling her warmth and love.

Yukiko tried to hug back and then she noticed that she still held onto the star.

“Can I keep the star?”, she asked tentatively.

“I … yes, you can keep it”, her mother answered sobbing. “But don’t ever touch another one, hear me?”

“Yes, mama”, she answered, even though she didn’t know why. Still, she was happy. She had a star all for herself and she would never let go of it.

◊

She took a deep breath and pressed the star close to her body. It was a ritual for good luck she always followed before going to ‘work’. Her mother had fastened the star to a leather strap, so she could carry it with her at all times. She wore it like a necklace and put it beneath her clothes.

She felt secure with it. She hadn’t had one problem with any of her ‘jobs’. Sadly her luck seemed to select only certain aspects of her life. Her mother had gotten ill, and from day to day it got worse, especially since her father had died.

She didn’t know, who was responsible for it, but one day soldiers had come to their house, deep within the night. They had taken them from their beds, out onto the street. The leader of those soldiers shouted the judgment out onto the street for all to hear: He was a traitor in their eyes and they would execute him right there …

Yukikos star was still lying beneath her pillow and she begged and begged for it to stop this, but it had been too far away to hear her.

She witnessed how they blindfolded him, put him in front of the next wall … Her mother begged for mercy and was ignored … they shot. Yukiko saw her father fall to his knees, the life fleeing his body fast. Her heart started to ache, threatened to stop beating altogether.

She couldn’t move. Her limbs felt like they were paralyzed. She wanted to run to him, to stop whatever was making the floor red …

She had hoped that it was all only a bad dream and that she would wake up from it soon. It had to be one. Then she heard her mother beg that someone should shoot her as well. She was hit by a soldier and sank down, quietly sobbing. The soldiers made signs to one another, spoke … but nothing of that registered in her mind. They vanished as quickly as they had come. She stumbled forward, trying to wake her father, she tried calling to him, shaking him … but those big warm hands never moved again and they stayed cold.

After a long time she gave up and stumbled to her mother. She called for her as well, shook her again, fear rising in her that she would be cold and wouldn’t move as well. But after a short while her mother woke up and hugged her …

Because of that she started keeping her star close to her at all times, especially at night, especially when she started to raise the income of her family.

Her neighbors saw them as outcasts. They all avoided them as good as they could, probably out of fear to be seen as traitors themselves.

Yukiko could see her life in ruins and it hadn’t really started at all. At least she had an ally. She had her star. And as long as she had it, she wouldn’t give up.

She hushed close to the corner and looked around it. There was a large wall across the street and between her and her target house. Judging from the size of it, they had clearly enough money. They probably wouldn’t even notice if some of it suddenly got missing. She had at least a use for some of it!

Things were harsh and she couldn’t lose her mother as well. She had been powerless as she had seen her father die, but now … now she had acquired enough talents to change something, to help her mother and herself to survive.

She had learned to hide in the shadows, to become practically invisible. It certainly helped that no one paid attention to her as the daughter of a traitor.

The moon shone enough light over her target to asses it. It was a very large house, about the size of three other houses and then had even two wings to its side, which were about the same and it was three stories high. About twenty-five poor families could live in that house.

The upper balconies were reachable by climbing through some rose-bushes. All those thorns could hurt her, but it was the best route to take and it was the perfect time, too. The lights had gone out a while ago and the residents should be fast asleep by now.

She sneaked across the street, jumped and pulled herself up to the top of it. She quickly looked around, to make sure she hasn’t been noticed, and she jumped down into the garden, rolling a bit and changing the momentum from the fall into a forward sprint to one of those roses.

She climbed up the thorny ladder and reached the balcony fairly easily. It had been a good idea to take the less thick ones. She looked through the large windowed doors into the room. It was deserted.

A small hard wire and some dexterity later, she opened the balcony-door and slipped into the room. Carefully she closed the door again and dived into the shadow of the wall.

The room was full of chandeliers, drawers, cupboards and pictures. Judging from their exquisite form they must be very expensive. Yes, this family was very rich. Probably she could even take some more than usual without anyone being the wiser.

She sneaked down and into the corridor. Counting the doors, one, two, three, she arrived at her destination. Judging from what she has seen at other times this had to be the families private office and thus the room that held the interesting riches.

She opened the door and smiled to herself. She was spot on. Staking your target out beforehand is just the right thing to do.

They had a desk, a few bookcases full of folders and books. There were also some pictures and … seeing that they all had the same ideas, behind one of those pictures was the wall safe.

Looking behind them she soon found the target picture and took it down. It was hard work getting the large, heavy picture down without letting it fall or making too much noise. She put it in front of the desk and fetched the chair. Putting her ear to the cold steel of the safe she started turning the number-combination. Click, click, click …

She thought sadly about the one that had taught her that technique. He had been sentenced to serving several years in prison. Well, he didn’t have a star on his side.

There it was the third ‘clack’. She turned the handle and opened it. In it there were several envelopes and private letters. The jewels and letters were pretty much worthless but in here there must be … yes, there was an envelope with money in it, unbound money, probably uncounted. And the numbers on those pieces of paper were big.

She searched for a few smaller ones – still pretty big – and took them out. She hid that money in her black suit and put the rest back to where she found it, careful to place everything back the way she found it. She closed the safe and hung the picture back to where it belonged.

She moved the chair back to its original position and smiled. Going that extra step has always been worth it. And with the money in her suit she was good for a few weeks.

She hushed back to the corridor and went back the way she came, counting the doors once again. She stopped on the fourth door. Light was flickering through the gap below the door. She gulped. Had someone noticed her come in and was now waiting for her?

She pressed herself against the wall and listened carefully.

“… will take care of that.” That deep, rough voice was very unique.

“Well, I certainly hope that you are more competent than others that have tried, telling me that they have searched for years! One even fled to the other side!” There was anger in that voice. He had a hard time to speak quietly.

“You know, that you can count on me. Have I ever disappointed you?”

“I hope so! This last trump card is our only hope to win this war! And if we find one, we will be able to find the rest as well!”

“My men are searching everywhere. It should only be a matter of days until I can present you with it.”

“A few days? We might not have that much time! I don’t know if we can hold the border for another forty-two hours!” Something cracked. “I hope that new weapon can …”

Youkiko breathed a sigh of relief. They hadn’t found her out. But her escape-path was blocked. She had to take the second balcony with the much thicker rose-bush. She needed to go two doors back, if she wasn’t mistaken. Carefully she sneaked to that door and opened it. It squeaked in its hinges. She stopped. Hopefully it wasn’t loud enough to reach the other room!

What was she thinking? They couldn’t have not heard it! She jumped into the room. A hiding place. She needed a hiding place!

She couldn’t use the cupboards and everyone could easily look below the table. The only place she could try to hide was the couch. The space below was pretty narrow, she could only hope to fit there!

Steps! There were steps in the corridor! She jumped behind the couch and started crawling beneath it.

Flickering light alerted her of the men now present within the room. She begged of her star that those would not look beneath the couch. She held her breath as one of them went slowly through the room.

“There is nobody here!” The other one said, tapping the floor with his foot.

“I am sure this door was closed as we came up here”, it was the one with the rough noise. He opened a few cupboards and looked inside.

“It got windy outside. The wind probably opened the door”, the other one commented. He seemed very impatient.

“Yes, that is probably it”, answered the other one and went to the balcony. “It seems that our housemaid is a featherbrain. I need to get a new one.” The window squealed as he closed it.

“See? There is nothing here!”

“I am just a bit careful. Others have reported of some missing money.” He slowly went back through the room, close to the couch.

“They probably miscounted or have finally payed their taxes. Now, to get back to the other issue …”

“I will start everything immediately. You should have come to me earlier, then you wouldn’t have problems right now.”

“Who do you think I am?”

“I know, who you are and I know what I can say to you. You need my help, not the other way around. I will get you what you want.”

Both left the room and the door was closed once again.

“I will give you two days. If I do not hear from you until then, I move to Plan B.”

Yukiko held her breath for a while longer before allowing herself to breathe. She stayed beneath the couch for a long time. She just escaped these two men and she begged of her star to let her escape the premises as well.

She waited a while longer before she went to the window and opened the door. Hopefully that one didn’t squeal as much as the window did. She moved the bolt to the side and opened it carefully. It didn’t make a sound. She was lucky again.

After sneaking out on the balcony she closed the door behind her, using the same trick to move the bolt back and then she started to climb down through the roses. She could feel the thorns scratching through her clothing and her skin. She bit into her lower Lip, trying to ignore the pain.

Finally she jumped the rest on the ground and looked over the still garden. Without skipping a beat she ran over to the wall, climbed over it and jumped back down on the other side. Breathing heavily she pressed herself to the cold stone. She did it. She was slightly injured and she would need to fix her clothing, but they would be carefree for at least a week.

Feeling especially well she vanished into the streets.

◊

She arrived home at dawn. Her caper had lasted longer than she wanted and she was tired. She sneaked in through the door and to her room.

“Young Lady!” The voice of her mother stopped her in her tracks. “I thought I told you to not do this anymore? What will you do if they ever catch you?” She came closer and the stern tone of her voice softened. “I don’t want to lose you as well.” Yukiko turned and saw her mother coming closer, her eyes filled with tears. “You are the only one I have left”, she whispered and embraced her in a hug.

“I’m sorry.” Yukiko returned the hug. She had tried to be stealthy about it. She knew they needed that money or otherwise she would lose her mother. She needed some rest!

“Now be a good girl and change”, her mother told her. She held her at arm’s length and smiled.

Yukiko returned the smile and started to turn, only to turn back as her mother coughed. There was blood on her hand. She was coughing blood!

“Mama?” Yukiko suddenly had a bad feeling.

“It’s just a cold. Don’t worry about it.” She wiped her moth clean and proceeded to hide her hand.

“A cold?” Yukiko stared at her mother. She was only a child, but she knew that coughing blood wasn’t normal for a cold.

“Go change, my dear. Your uncle is coming for a visit and you want to look good, don’t you?” She stroked over Yukikos hair and smiled.

“My uncle?”

“Yes, you deserve something better than this, my little angel.” She pressed a kiss on Yukikos forehead. “Now go.”

Yukiko shivered. What did she mean by that? Didn’t she want Yukiko anymore? Had she gone one too many times on a caper?

“I love you”, her mother whispered and left her alone. With a very bad feeling she went to her room and put the money below her pillow, then she changed into a long black dress. Its sleeves hid her wounds and its color showed her mood perfectly. Then she took the small brush that once belonged to her doll and brushed her own hair. After that she bound it into a pony-tail and looked into the mirror-shard.

“I am ready”, she called and went over to her mother’s room. She was laying in her bed, smiling peacefully, her eyes were closed. “Mama?” Was she already asleep again? She got closer to her unmoving form. Normally she had a very light sleep, so why didn’t she answer? Something was strange …

She felt her knees shaking and came close to the bed. She took the hand of her mother into hers and whispered: “Mama, I am ready.” Her voice was weak and almost choking on tears. There was no answer. “Mama, please”, her voice was on the verge of breaking. “Don’t leave me.” She pressed down on her mother’s hand. There was no reaction. “I need you … please … wake up! I won’t do this anymore … promise!” The hand started to get cold.

She knew that her mother wouldn’t come back anymore. Her father hadn’t come back as well. This wasn’t right. This couldn’t be right! “Mama!” Tears rolled over her cheeks and fell down on the bed. She shouted her name again and again and again.

Exhausted she collapsed on the bed, sobbing quietly to herself. Alone. She was totally alone now.

◊

Yukiko awakened once more as someone stepped beside her. He pressed her head with his large warm hands close to his body.

“I am sorry”, the stranger told her with a soft, but deep voice. “If only she had written me sooner.” His hands were shaking and she felt hot tears dropping onto her head.

He stayed with her, sharing his warmth and sadness with her until the sun approached the horizon and turned the sky into a yellow-orange color.

“Let go of her”, he finally told her.

Yukiko obeyed and opened her hands, letting go of her mothers. Her mother still held on to her, the cold unmoving hand not wanting her to go at that moment. She once again felt the pain and sadness coming back to her.

Desperate she clutched the stranger. He hugged her once again and removed her mother’s grip from her hand. His embrace ended only as she calmed herself down once again. Then he took her hand into his and guided her outside.

Yukiko looked back once again on the unmoving form of her mother, then she followed her uncle without saying a word.

Outside waited a small black car. He opened the door and let her climb onto the backseat. Then he opened the front door, took one lonely flower from the bouquet and went back inside. She was alone for several quiet minutes. She took out her star. Why? Why hadn’t it protected her mother as well? Was it because she wasn’t close to her, because she stole something?

She sobbed again as her uncle came back. He quietly sat behind the wheel, started the car and drove away.

◊

They drove for several hours. Yukiko just stared out of the window, watching the things that were happening on the street. Things got less and less busy as the darkness increased and the sun was replaced by the moon.

She didn’t talk with her uncle at all and she still felt like keeping quiet. Although she was in the same car as him she felt alone. The two most important people in her life had left her much too soon. She had felt a strong pain deep within her and it still throbbed, although she started to feel numb.

Soon they left the city and suburbs, driving through fields, soon approaching a small wood. Finally they stopped in front of a tall fence.

She kept watching as a person approached her car. He was dressed in a green suit, which would very much cloak him if he tried to hide in the woods. He spoke to her uncle, looked at some papers and wrote some things down. Then he stood tall, put a hand to his head and the car started up again.

They soon approached a small building. It was only one story high and reminded her of her own house. He opened the door and she followed him out of the car. There were only a few buildings around, a few streets and lots of trees. Was this her new home now?

“I still need to do some work”, her uncle explained. “I wanted to get you home first, but I am very late.” He smiled slightly.

So this wasn’t her new home. She wasn’t entirely sure if she should feel happy about it or not.

“There is a small room you can sleep in, why I work.”

Yukiko shook her head. She didn’t want to sleep.

“We might have some things you can play with.”

She shook her head again. Even though she felt alone, she didn’t want to be completely alone and he seemed nice enough.

“Can you promise me to keep close to me?” She nodded. “Don’t touch anything?” She nodded once gain. “Fine”, he gently took her hand and they entered the small house. The corridor was almost pitch-black; only a bit of light was shining from some stairs that lead down. The inside of that house so far was less decorated than her own home. She could see, why no one would like to light that up.

They climbed the stairs down, story by story. It was very unusual to go this deep below the earth. She was a bit afraid of the things that they might encounter there. She gripped her uncle’s hand a bit harder, thinking that it might have been a good alternative to play something. Maybe he was guiding her down towards hell itself.

She gulped and clutched her star with her other hand, begging it to protect her.

They stepped down the last flight of stairs and stood in a brightly lit corridor. Two soldiers were standing at the far end, saluting them.

Why was her uncle collaborating with those that had killed her father? Should she stay away from him?

One of the soldiers looked down on her, his eyes stern. She got closer to her uncle and decided to stay there.

“She is with me”, he said.

“Very well, Major”, the soldier shrugged with his shoulders and let them pass.

They arrived in a big room; a few men were standing there and discussing some things fiercely. One of them came over as he noticed her uncle.

“Major Artai, we have been waiting for you.”

“Excuse me being late”, he answered, “unfortunately my sister died today.”

“My apologies. Who is the small girl?” The stranger nodded into Yukikos general direction without even looking at her.

“My niece, Yukiko. I promised my sister to look after her.” Then her uncle started to whisper to the stranger. Yukiko couldn’t make out any more words. Then she stared at the man that had greeted her uncle.

“Good, very good”, the other one said. “You will join our little discussion, after tending to her then?”

“It will just take a moment, Major.” Her uncle kneeled and looked into her eyes. She looked back, wondering what that meant. “Is something the matter? Have you seen that man before?”

Yukiko shook her head. She hadn’t seen him at all, that was the truth. But she recognized his voice. It was part of that impatient, condescending voice, which somehow helped her escape. Still, seeing him now made her uneasy. It was not his appearance, he was average looking and wasn’t especially ugly or something like that. No, he was to orderly. Is short black hair was better trimmed as the grass in a nobles house, his face had hard features, absolutely symmetrical and his eyes … he had cold eyes, very cold eyes.

“You can look around, but don’t touch anything, okay?” Her uncle put a hand on her shoulder as she didn’t answer. “Do you understand me?”

Yukiko nodded, looking through the room.

“Good, I am counting on you. This won’t take long, promised.” Her uncle left her and joined the others in that discussion of theirs.

The room itself was full of strange apparatuses, which she had never seen before. Some were full of gears, blinking bulbs and wires. It was also covered with even stranger things. But in a corner of the room there was something that didn’t fit into the room at all. It was some kind of stone gate, just standing there, freely, not leading anywhere. But it was connected with even more wires to other machines. Where there were no wires there were certain symbols engraved into the stone.

She soon got bored of it and her eyes found another strange thing. Two wires that were shaped like a V were standing on a table, an arc of lightning travelling up between them to the top, vanishing there and then a new arc ascended from the bottom. She spied some weapons on the next table, the kind of weapons that killed her father.

She looked back on the lightning arc and watched it, fascinated. She listened to its crackling, smelled the stern air emanating from it.

A loud bang startled her. Yukiko turned to the source of the noise. Two men had started to argue loudly with one another, shouting. She couldn’t even make out words as both tried to outshout the other.

“Gentlemen! That’s enough”, the stern stranger ending the argument with his voice alone. “We should pause this until your heads have cooled down.”

While the two arguing men kept fighting each other with their eyes, her uncle came back to her, sighing.

“One Moment please, Major Artai”, the impatient man put a hand on his shoulder. “I would like to talk to your lovely niece for a moment.” He sounded friendly, too friendly.

“As you wish”, her uncle kept walking towards her.

“Alone”, he was kept back once again, with a hand. There was that commanding tone once again.

“Why …?” Her uncle stopped in his tracks, took a deep breath. “I will be waiting outside.”

No. He couldn’t leave her alone! Not with that man!

Her uncle didn’t hear her silent protest. He didn’t look back and left the room.

“You are wondering, why I want to talk to you, correct?” The stranger walked over to her, pulled a chair over and sat down in front of her. He was smiling friendly. Yukiko felt a shiver run over her spine.

“I knew what you did yesterday … about two hours past midnight”, he whispered. “I saw you running from the house, little thief.”

The more he said, the worse she felt, the closer she was to tears. She shook her head slightly. He couldn’t have seen her, her star was protecting her! She grabbed it, clutching it with her hand.

“You have a pretty necklace there. May I look at it?”

Yukiko shook her head again. She wouldn’t give her star to anyone.

“I won’t tell on you”, he said friendly. Maybe she was misjudging him? “But I have a condition. There is an artifact I want to have and someone with your talents shouldn’t have any problems fetching it, right?”

She started to shiver. He wanted her to steal something for him. Something he wanted out of greed. It was wrong. The whole thought was utterly wrong. She looked to the side. Hopefully he would give up, noticing that it didn’t bear fruit.

His fingers touched her chin, forcing her to look at him. “The alternative is, that I imprison you. It is dark, cold and wet there. Do you want that?”

She shook her head.

“Good, then let’s get to it right now. The sooner you get me that artefact, the sooner I forget about you trespassing and stealing.” He smiled, stood up once again and went over to the stone portal. Yukiko followed him, knowing that she didn’t have a choice in that matter. Why hasn’t her star protected her?

The impatient man pulled a heavy lever. It sparked as it made contact, a deep buzzing sound filled the room and the stones on the portal started to glow in a deep orange-red. Electricity coiled around the stones, jumping from one side to another, the air between the stones started to glimmer. Between them the scenery changed and she could make out a green field, bathing in the light of the moon.

The stranger went behind her and pushed her forward and through the portal. For a short moment everything felt ice-cold, as if she had jumped into a lake in winter. But just before the cold could start to burn her skin, everything had stopped. They were standing on the field she had only just before seen.

Unfortunately the stranger was still behind her, his hands on her shoulders. He forced her to look to the left and between a few sharp and high stones she could see a large structure. Judging from its size it was a few miles away.

“Somewhere down there is the eye of flows. It is a purple opal, surrounded by two silver waves. Just about the size of my hand.” He put his hand in front of her eyes to drive the point home. It was large, but hard and cold, very cold. “I do not care how you get it”, he explained, forming his hand into a fist, “but I want to hold it in my hand. If you bring it to me, I may think of giving you a reward. Don’t disappoint me!”

He waited behind her a few moments, not saying anything. Maybe he wanted to be sure that she hadn’t any more questions; that she understood what he wanted. Then he turned and vanished through the portal. A moment later the deep buzzing went quiet.

She sank to the ground, shivering. She thought the cold she had felt before was grasping her very heart. Sobbing she called for her mother, hoped that she would answer, that this all was only a bad nightmare. But no matter what she tried, she didn’t wake up. This reality held her captive …

As she had no more tears, she followed the destiny before her. The first rays of the sun lit up the field, as if to taunt her. She kept on trotting down the hill and towards the large structure. Hour upon hour went by and it seemed to her as if it wouldn’t come any nearer.

At noon she arrived at the doors to the building, breaking down, exhausted. She hadn’t eaten for more than a day. She was hungry and thirsty. She let herself fall into the soft grass. Her thoughts began to wander. If she died now … maybe she would see her mother again? Her father? Somehow it was a calming thought. She wasn’t afraid at all.

“Help me”, someone cried near her. A few feet were rushing around her. Naked feet.

“A girl? You don’t want to …”

“We have to help her! As soon as she is better, she will leave again.”

“I do not like this idea.”

“She is only a child! What do you think she will do?”

“I am only thinking that we should be careful.” The one sighed. “She is strangely dressed.”

Someone helped her back on her feet. “She is conscious.”

“Are you well? What happened?” Someone asked.

“Hungry”, she managed to say, “and thirsty.”

The man nodded to some of the others and they vanished through the gate.

“I still think it is a bad idea.”

“Just help me to get her onto the courtyard. The eye won’t judge us for helping.” She was lifted onto the back of the other man and was carried through the gate. On the other side she was put on a stone bench.

Tired she looked past the men and onto the open courtyard. What she saw made her hold her breath. She had to be dreaming!

Several men were standing opposed to each other, between them were stones floating, moving fast from one man to another as if thrown, but every time, just before it could hit one, it stopped midair and flew back the way it came.

“What is that?” Yukikos voice was still weak.

“Soup”, the man next to her answered, a wooden bowl in his hand and in it a delicious smelling soup. Just for a moment she forgot what she saw and started eating.

It tasted as good as it smelled, even if slightly strange. She emptied the bowl within a minute and held it out for seconds. “May I get some more?” She asked friendly.

He took the bowl and gave it to another, who went away. “How did you come here? Where are your parents”, the man next to her inquired.

Her mood got dampened immediately. “They are dead”, she answered, looking onto the dirt floor. She felt hot tears welling up again.

“I’m sorry for your loss.” He sounded genuine and seemed uneasy sitting next to her.

She fought her sadness. Why had she had to lose her parents? It wasn’t fair!

She quietly ate the second bowl as it was given to her.

As she finished she looked back into the courtyard. “Would you teach me the trick with those stones?”

“No”, the man answered. “Even should I want to, I am bound by the laws, to teach you the way of the eye.”

Her fantasies about stopping that impatient man, to force him not to tell anyone, died instantly. “I understand”, she answered although she didn’t understand at all.

“I am allowed to offer you to stay for the night. But you have to go the next day. The eye doesn’t take kindly to strangers.”

Was that why the impatient man wanted her to steal the eye of flows? But if it didn’t take kindly to her as well, what should she do then? She only had one chance, to find out. “Thank you”, she answered and tried to smile.

“Poor girl”, the man stood up. “Follow me. I will show you a room where you can stay for the night.”

He waited a moment until she got up as well and followed him. Curious she looked to the men again, but she couldn’t make out a movement or anything that gave their secret away.

A few men scowled at her as she went through another big door deeper into the complex. The narrow stone corridors were lit by few torches and window slits. She wondered why. Were there no bulbs around?

The man guided her to a small chamber that was barely lit by the sun. Inside were two large blankets, nothing more. They didn’t even know of beds. “You may rest there”, he said friendly enough.

She nodded as she could use some sleep. Deep inside she was hurting that she had to take something from these nice people. If they would have allowed her to stay, things would have been different. Tears were rising once again into her eyes.

“I’ll … come back later, when dinner will be served”, the man mumbled, closing the door behind him as he left.

Yukiko laid down on the lower blanket, pulling the upper one over her body. Was there no way for her to stay in this world and hide? There was nothing for miles and even if she went into one direction and got lucky to find someone, who would take her in?

Her tears quietly dropped onto the lower blanket. Closing her eyes she once again begged from her star and prayed to her mother, hoping that help might come to her.

◊

Yukiko awoke from a nightmare. The details were fading fast, but she was sure the impatient one had been in it, laughing maniacally.

Moonlight was lighting her chamber and a tablet filled with bread and fruits. He had come back as he promised.

She crawled over to the food and took some bread. She hesitated a moment before biting into the bread … a moment later she felt like being in heaven. It was so soft and delicious. Tears of happiness streamed down her chin … and turned into bitter tears. Why did she have to take from these people?

She just ate enough bread and fruits to satiate her hunger. Taking the eye of flows would already make her appear greedy.

She opened the door carefully and sneaked into the corridor. Of course she had no idea where she had to search, so she followed her intuition on this one. She followed the barely lit corridor in one direction, hoping not to run into anyone. She hadn’t had time for her usual stake-outs.

The building seemed empty, as if everyone inside had vanished overnight. The girl kept being careful, exploring the corridors, sneaking through the shadows. The night was the time for thieves for a reason.

After a while she found a great wooden door. The picture of a stormy sea was carved into one side and the calm land on the other side, in the middle something fell from the sky separating but also joining the two pictures together. It was beautiful.

She didn’t stay for long and went through the door, only to stand in a large, brightly lit room. It was not only lit by a few torches on the side of the room, but also by the tip of the pyramid that stood within the room. Platforms were built on top of one another, separated by stone columns. Right on the top of this pyramid hovered a bright purplish-blue light. That column was the only one that connected down to the floor.

Was that the eye? The target she had to steal? She gulped and took a step forward. Somehow she felt drawn towards the light and started climbing. It didn’t take her long until she stood right next to it, watching the bright light intently.

It was the eye as it had been described to her, a purple opal, surrounded by two waves of silver. It hovered there and turned into the directions of the waves, spinning slowly without anyone having touched it or anything attached to it. It was like pure magic.

She reached for it, wanted to touch the treasure, take it.

“I thought so”, a voice startled her. She stopped in her motion. “Back away from the eye and you won’t face a harsh punishment!”

Yukiko cursed under her breath. She had been careless. She had been so fascinated by the target that she hadn’t checked. Her hands sank and she turned.

“Very good”, the man smiled. He was the one that had been against her staying. “Now come down from there.” She didn’t move. She failed. “Now move, come down from there!” The man got impatient and made a step towards the pyramid and then … he stopped. In between his anger she noticed something else … he was insecure. “Come down her you damnable brat!” He made another step forward and was repelled. He came to stop a few feet away, lying on the stone floor.

He couldn’t come close to the eye and with him down for the count, she had another chance! She just had to grab it and run. She turned and grabbed it, her right hand getting hold of one of the waves.

For a moment it felt like a warm ocean wave washing over her. Then that touch turned into a deep burning sensation, that seemed to consume her hand and then her arm. She felt a shock through her whole body. Her eyes found the spot where her hand hat grabbed the eye.

The one wave oozed across her skin like liquid metal, crawling up her arm and starting to cover her whole body.

She tried to pull her hand loose, but it was as if it had melted into her hand already. She couldn’t move away and watched helplessly as the metal crawled up her arm, burning her. She cried out. From pain. From fear.

“The eye is punishing you”, the man snickered, laughed. “Now you will feel its full wrath!”

There was suddenly wind within the room, the man looked around, puzzled. Then there was bright lightning from the opal, and a noise of shattering glas. She looked once again at the opal. Its pieces were carried away by the wind, the silver of the waves was resting on her arm like a second skin.

“What is happening?” She turned again to look at the man. His voice had changed and his appearance as well. He had aged and looked like an old man. An old man with fear in his eyes. A moment later he changed into dust and was carried away by the wind as well.

The wind grew into a storm, breaking the stones of the pyramid apart, the stones of the ceiling above her, the walls.

The silver on her skin started to burn again, glowing red-orange. She could see steam raising from her arm and dissipating in the wind, as the pain became unbearable and she lost consciousness.

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Something cold was drilled into her cheek, bringing her back from the darkness.

“She is coming to, Major Bradley.” The cold thing vanished and Yukiko opened her eyes. What had happened? Her Arm wasn’t burning anymore and the wind had died down. She could see the clear blue sky above her.

She moved her arm. It didn’t hurt, it hadn’t vanished and there was no silver covering it. Instead she had a strange mark on the back of her right hand.

“Good morning, Yukiko.” The voice of the impatient man caused a cold sensation to run over her spine. “I hope you slept well.” She moved slightly and saw his face. He smiled broadly. “It is a strange location to sleep. You should have found a room for the night.”

The girl looked around. There were some stone walls, mostly overgrown with plants. Just some walls were all that was left from the large structure. Even that stone pyramid was in ruins, covered with cracks and broken down. “What has happened here?”

“That, young lady, is what I want to know as well”, the impatient one answered. “But there is something even more important: Where is the eye of flows? Be a dear and give it to me.”

“The eye …” it broke apart before her very eyes. But she couldn’t tell him that, could she? He probably wouldn’t believe her. There were not even splinters of it lying around. “I don’t know.”

“And you suppose I should trust the word of a little thief?” His smile vanished. “You have one more chance to tell me where you have hidden it.”

“I haven’t hidden it at all”, she started to cry, tears of desperation running over her cheek. “I don’t have it.”

He grabbed her clothing and pulled her upwards. With a single aimed grip he tore her star from her neck.

“Give it back! That is my star!”

“I take your … star as compensation for the eye. I don’t think you can complain.” He let her fall to the floor. “Lock her away.”

“Give it back!” Yukiko came back up, tried to get her star back, but she was held down by soldiers.

“Get her into our special dungeon until she remembers, where she hid the eye.” He didn’t even turn to her and climbed out of the ruins. The soldiers grabbed her below the arms and followed him.

“Give it back”, she started to cry, hot tears dropping towards the ground, while they dragged her back from the ruins and through the gate again.

The journey back took them several hours. Hours in which Yukiko started to hate her life. In a few days she had lost everything dear to her: Her father, her mother and now her star.

The basement on the other side of the gate was dark, her uncle was nowhere to be seen. He had left her as well.

Major Bradley turned to her once again. “I am benevolent, so I will give you another change.” He held her star in front of her eyes. “Where is the artifact?”

She didn’t answer. She knew that she couldn’t change anything. He would punish her as well, if she told him that it was destroyed.

“Very well, get her into one of the cells.” He ordered and left them. The soldiers just dragged her further, one story deeper and threw her into a small round cell with a glass door.

She couldn’t hear anything and she saw the soldiers arguing. One shrugged with his soldiers and then they left. The silence was deafening … until she heard water dabbling. She stood up, her heart beating up to her throat. Water was running into the cell she was standing in, first collecting into a small pool on the bottom, growing larger and larger. Why?

The water was cold, stealing the warmth from her legs fast, climbing higher and higher. She began to cry for help. Nobody heard her, nobody came.

The water climbed higher and higher, enveloping her whole body. Soon she had to struggle to keep her head over water. She moved her legs, but they felt numb from the cold. She started to gulp water, gasped for air. She panicked, tried to pedal faster with her legs. A burning pain in her legs made them stop. She sank down beneath the surface. Her instinct wanted her to breath, but she knew she couldn’t. She tried to hold her breath while trying to get over her cramping legs. Then her strength faded, she gulped water.

Everything jerked, the water started flowing somewhere, she gasped for air, started to cough. There was water in her lungs.

“Have you lost your mind, Bradley?” It was the voice of her uncle.

That is Colonel Bradley for you, Major!”

Most of the water had vanished, but some of it was left in her clothing, still stealing her warmth. Everything was just so cold, so very cold …

“That promotion, doesn’t give you the right to do this”, her uncle was furious. She could feel his big hands and the warmth of his body.

“Thieves don’t have any rights in this country, regardless of age.”

He told him … he told him! What would he do now? Would he leave her there? Would he put her back in that dreadful cell and let her drown? Everything was so cold and it was hard to breathe.

She could make out some noise and there was some light before her, a weak light. But something held her back, didn’t let her go to that light.

She was so cold … why couldn’t she move to the light? She was frozen to the ground. That is why she couldn’t go. She tried to escape, but her strength was failing her.

Then the Light vanished and the ice that held her turned into fire. Flames started to engulf her and that terrible heat seemed to burn her. Then she started to hear some voices again. “High fever”, “improbable”, “a few days”, were some of the words she understood.

Hours went by … or days, maybe even weeks or months? Suddenly the fire around her died down.

She opened her eyes once again. Far above her was a wooden ceiling. Someone had put her into a warm and dry bed; her black clothes had been replaced by a white nightgown.

Her uncle had saved her. She tried to grab her star that should have been on her breast in order to thank him. It wasn’t there and the painful memory of Bradley stealing it, brought tears to her eyes.

A door creaked. Her uncle was standing in the door frame and looked at her, his eyes wet, a smile on his lips. “You are alive”, he whispered. But somehow it seemed as if he had gotten ten years older. He stumbled closer to her and hugged her hard. “I am so sorry, so very,very sorry!”

He whispered those words again and again and again. Finally he released the hug and put his hand to her forehead. Tears were streaming down his cheeks.

Why was he crying? He seemed so glad before to see her being better and now … he seemed sad. Finally he leaned back, fetching a small chest. He opened it before her eyes, pulling her blue necklace from it.

She smiled, relieved. He had gotten her star back. She wanted to jump up and hug him, but he just shook his head, starting to speak those words of destiny, words that burned themselves into her memory.

She saw how her star lit up, a gleaming bright blue light within the darkness of her room. She could see shining waves of water rushing down on her, engulfing her.

She tried to move back out of fear, crawled backwards, one step, anoteher … and then she couldn’t move any more. She was held in place. As she saw her hands move without her telling them to, she started to realize that she was a prisoner within her own body.