Chapter Two:

The caravan was late. It arrived when the stars were barely visible; painted over by a thin coat of dawn. Most the town folk had turned in for the night, and the few left were nodding off at the banquet tables. Silence seized our town that morning.

But Mintie was wide awake. Sitting patiently on the overarching hills. And in fact, she was the first to spot them- the shadow on the horizon.

She ran so fast she was barely able to keep her balance as she slid down the grassy fields. She stood on the bridge at the edge of the crystal's protection. And she smiled with hope in her eyes as they passed by. Still, as if her feet rooted to the land itself, they took no notice of her. The wounded and weary caravan.

Yvelle. She said my name. My attention immediately snapped over to her; the shining crystal girl in a realm of darkness. You told me your name was Yvelle.

Mother told me never to speak with her. She told me never to acknowledge her presence. She told me to turn away and run; to never look back.

But, the girl looked so sad.

As if she had just been weeping for humanity. As if she had all the answers in the universe, with no one to share, with no one to listen.

I sat down beside her. "Yes. I did."

I looked at her, unafraid as my mother told me I should be. She looked exactly the same as the last time I had seen her; untouched by time. And yet I- I had grown older.

Her face lifted to look at me. She was so bright I couldn't see her expression. But I knew. I knew she was crying.

"What can I do?" I asked.

Fight back. She pleaded me. Staying alive is not enough anymore.

"Fight back?" I paused to think, "I don't understand, aren't we fighting already?"

You fight what's in front of you, when the source lies far beyond.

I blinked, "The source-?"

A loud rumble interrupted me, paralyzing the realm and sending cracks throughout. We are out of time.

"But what-?"

No more. She took my hands. You cannot be here any longer. She lowered her head and kissed the back of my hand. Your adventure begins now. Her voice echoed in the back of my head as the realm shattered to white. A bright white light. My eyes adjusted to the room around me. The sun was up; it was already morning.

"-I slept in!" I cursed, jumping out of my covers. I struggled to quickly get my clothes on, and pull my untamed hair up out of my face. It wasn't until I reached for my jacket that I saw it.

A shining mark. Right on the back of my hand; where the crystal had kissed me.

I stood in silence; my voice painfully stuck in my throat. My lips open and quivering, searching desperately for words. My eyes glued to that mark; that intricate design that no living hand could have created.

"-Yve, they're back!" Mintie burst in through the door.

I shoved my hand behind my back. "What?"

"The caravan, they're back!" She repeated. "It took all night, but they finally..."

I just remembered to wipe the look of dread off my face.

"Are you alright?"

I smiled, closing my eyes. "I had a nightmare, it's nothing special." Mintie sat down on my bed. She kept her concerned eyes fixed on me. Those insightful eyes. "Why were they so late?" I asked, keeping her interest off me.

"They ran into trouble on the way back. A giant monster!" She explained.

I continued to get ready as if nothing had happened, hiding that mark as well as I could. "Is that so?"

"A behemoth by the sound of it! You know those creatures are known to hoard mythril?!" She lit up full of excitement. I made my way straight for the gloves hanging beside the door.

"Going riding?" She asked me.

"Y-yeah." I affirmed, still shaken.

"Okay, but after... I know you said you didn't want to go yesterday... but..." She trailed off into a mumble. "I was wondering if you'd like to go with me to see off the caravaners today."

I flinched. "Mintie... you're smart." I began, slowly. "Mom and dad want the best for you, and you'd be throwing away all of their hard work at trying to get you into a good alchemy school if you continue to neglect your studies. They're spending all the gil they have on your future." I shook my head. "The caravaners come and go every year, it's not important."

Mintie looked heartbroken. I swallowed hard, knowing I was trying to save her from the hard truth; I would be leaving with them. "Um... yeah. I guess you're right." She laughed a little, covering her disappointment. "Sorry to bother you." She said before leaving.

I waited for what seemed to be hours. I fell to my knees after she left. I squeezed my hand beneath the glove, as if applying pressure would make the mark disappear. "I'm so sorry." I whispered between sobs.