The men rushed me below deck of the ship. The interior resembled a castle. Or at least what I imagined a castle would look like. Everything was a mix of purple, gold, and silver. There were many Lupora just lazing around, a few of them just barely giving us a passing glance. After many turns and doors, I was brought to a large room where a woman in purple and silver sat on a gold throne with purple cushions. She looked at us, her face showing fast growing annoyance.

"What do you want? I thought I said not to enter unless it was an actual emergency." She sharply bit out.

"Ah! Queen Pauline. This child, we saw her trespassing by the ship! We assumed she was a thief trying to get inside until we saw what the ship was doing to her." The guards responded nervously.

The guard to my left tore off the blanket and yanked my still transparent arm forward, causing me to stumble along. The lady, the Queen, sat up straighter with interest.

"Child, speak. Where are your parents?"

"They..... They died.... Um ma'am."

"And what were they?"

"Just regular people? My mother died about two days ago while Father died...... A long time ago. I'm with my..... Uncle?"

The woman thought for a moment.

"How did you feel when you touched the ship?"

Why was that important?

"I.... Don't really remember.... I guess it felt.... Pleasant. Like I was the light."

I know it seems useless to tell all of this but, Mother always said to use manners with people of power because they could easily have you killed and forgotten. As much as I missed Mother, she wouldn't be happy with me for dying because of rudeness. Plus I wanted to leave as soon as possible, this woman gave off the 'off with your head' vibe.

"I see..... For nearly tainting my shop, which is a punishment of death, an endeavor which would be wasted on an urchin like you ...... I sentence you to exile. Do not return to these lands, do I make myself clear young lady?"

"B-but-"

I was cut off with a cry of pain. She was now holding a strange staff, the end of it just barely touching my chest but it felt like she was ramming it into me over and over. I could barely breathe.

"If this is about your arm, I will have my mage restore it. I do not wish to repeat myself. Now go."

Just as quickly as I was dragged onto the ship, I was dragged off. A solid red Lupora with a mask stood before me and just sat there, watching me. It gave off the sense that it was just as cruel as its master.

Before long, a cloaked figure walked off of the ship holding a basket of stones. They came over to me soundlessly and began to pick up different stones. They held them up as if comparing them to me, becoming distressed when they went through almost the entire basket without finding what they were looking for.

My fear and confusion ebbed away as I felt Oddball start to happily nuzzle my cheek. His sudden appearance made the figure hop back with a surprised yelp. This caused the Ryori to hide behind me with a whimper. Silence continued on between us. The figure, after nodding softly either to me or themselves, took a smooth cloudy stone out of their pocket and placed it in my near invisible hand.

"Don't use it until you are out of sight. She is suspicious already."

Before I could ask her what she meant, she quickly turned and disappeared back into the ship. I attempted to follow her but the Lupora and guards blocked the way. Defeated, I gripped the stone and ran all the back to the shack. Opal was resting outside. The sun was already setting. How long was I in there? I left this morning.... A surprised squeak from Oddball scared me. He was floating beside my hand. One of the orbs floating around him lit up. He tilted his head in confusion and pawed at it.

I felt it.

When his paw hit the light, I felt it in my arm. I looked at it, the stone from earlier still being held in a death grip. I wasn't sure what to do so I thought about that light I saw.... Felt. It was so calming and peaceful. That's all I could remember from it. The stone started to glow softly and soon the cloudy color drained out of it, leaving it a meek little white stone. My arm and hand was back! I don't know what I did or how I did it, but it was back, and the orb was dark again.

What was going on?

Emor rushed out when he heard my footsteps stop outside the door.

"Where have you been?!"

"I-I-"

"Don't you know its dangerous to be out on your own especially with him following you around?"

"B-but I thought-"

"What if you were captured? Or worse?!"

I don't know why this was upsetting me but it was. I was feeling like I had done something I really wasn't supposed to do. The sudden concern amd panic in his eyes that didn't quite fit him made it worse. I started blubbering like a baby. The gravity of everything was happening so far finally hitting me; mom's death, the loss of my home, going to a new place, being taken onto that ship....

"I didn't mean to yell.... Just..... Stop crying."

I couldn't stop. I instinctively hugged him and cried into his chest. He awkwardly hugged me back and pat my back.