When we climbed the stairs and reached the flat ground at the top of the mountain, we threw ourselves onto the ground. Our legs ached, and we were desperate for a sip of water.
"You did it," said the young girl whose name I still didn't know, her breath heavy.
"We did it," I corrected. I hesitated to ask her name. It had been a long time since I had a friend other than Aaron.
"Luvia," she said quietly. "My name is Luvia."
The way she spoke her name, as if answering my thoughts, surprised me.
"I'm Luna, but you can call me Lulu," I said with a smile.
"Alright, Lulu, our next route is the cave on the mountain," she said with a giggle.
"I don't want to tire you out, Luvi." I brushed my hair back. My fingers were numb from the cold."And where did this cave come from?"
"I'll tell you a secret," she said. "Encounters on journeys are not always coincidences." She struggled to keep her gray eyes open.
When I just stared at her, she continued. "I was assigned by Lethia, to test and guide you." She went on as she stood up, "You passed the test, Luna." She brushed the snow off her knees.
I guess I had been wrong about her. She was a young girl with special powers, and she had known everything from the start. My thoughts, my regrets.
"Come on, everything is just beginning." She held out her hand for me to grab. Though she meant to pull me up, I mostly relied on my own strength as I took her hand and stood. I brushed the snow off my hips and clothes as well.
We headed toward the cave she mentioned. I didn't know what exactly the test Lethia had planned was, but if it was simply climbing this mountain, then I had succeeded. Even if I had left my healthy legs behind.
After a while, the flat ground gave way to rough, forested paths. Thorns and cold pierced our skin, but we kept moving without giving up. I wished I had brought more water. I was exhausted. There wasn't even the slightest movement or sound on the mountain. It felt like we were the only two people in the world. A sense of loneliness wrapped around me, but we kept going with the same determination.
"There it is!" Though her voice was more tired than before, it still carried its liveliness. She pointed at the cave, and at Lethia standing there. The moment I saw her, a cold shiver ran through my body. The endless thoughts in my mind sped up.
I couldn't panic. I knew this task wouldn't be easy.
"Follow me," she called from a few steps ahead. I knew she was speaking to me because Luvia remained where she was. I turned back and thanked her, then followed Lethia.
As I walked behind her, I examined the cave. It was wide, with icicles hanging from the ceiling. Its surface shimmered with the light coming from outside. I nearly slipped several times. After a while, the darkness gave way to a path lit by torches. When we passed through the long corridor, a massive door greeted us. Its iron surface was carved with chilling, deep blue shapes, both animal-like and terrifying.
Lethia turned to me. "Go inside, and you'll understand what you must do. Don't be afraid." The last sentence had the opposite effect, but I gathered my courage.
Only then did I notice a handprint on the great blue door.
"Place your hand." She took my hand and set it on the mark.
At that moment, the massive door began to open with a thunderous sound. As I started to see inside through the narrow gap, a sound of astonishment escaped my lips. It was magnificent. In this enormous chamber of ice stood equally enormous statues of incomprehensible creatures. There were also a few decorations carved in the shape of tears. I felt a force pulling me inside. Unlike the cave, the room was warm. The sudden change made my body shiver.
The moment I stepped inside, the door closed behind me while I was still looking around in awe.
At the center stood another massive platform, surrounded by circular, rising stairs made of ice. I headed toward it, because I hadn't come here just to admire statues. I climbed the stairs, my legs aching, pressing myself against the wall for support.
When I reached the top, a large leather-bound book lay at the very center.
At that moment, I felt whispers filling my mind. It was a magical book. A question crossed my thoughts. Could this be… that book?
The book where the Great Collapse and the old legends were written, the one only a single chosen person could access.
If I was here, did that mean Lethia was its guardian?
I approached the glowing book. It radiated an immense power, one that made me feel overwhelmed.
But it was as if it was calling me, touch my pages, read me, I was created for you. I lost myself to that voice and couldn't resist. I reached out and touched the edge of the book with my finger. This had to be the Sacred Book. It emitted an unbelievable energy.
At that moment, the pages began flipping rapidly. It stopped on a page filled with tear-shaped patterns. On it was written the fate of the City of Memories.
The moment I saw the writing, I stepped back suddenly. My weakened knees collapsed to the ground. I stared ahead blankly for a while. That suffocating feeling wrapped around me again. I was afraid, deeply afraid. I was terrified of facing it.
"Do not fear, gather your courage, Tear Collector," Lethia's voice echoed in my mind. Why was she doing this to me? She truly was a cruel princess, just as they said.
I denied it. I had to return to the Desert Kingdom and take back that necklace.
"Tears… they are your fate."
No, I thought. I will write my own fate with my own hands.
"Then there is no exit from this room, Luna."
My eyes widened in disbelief. "No…" My voice trembled. Tears streamed down my face uncontrollably.
"I would rather feel than be numb, until the very end."
I didn't want to hear her voice or her words, but…
I paused. She had heard me again. It was unsettling. But something inside me stirred. Collecting those tears wouldn't be easy. Each tear carried a deep past, the past of an entire humanity. A Tear Collector shouldn't give up so easily. I wiped my tears. Though hesitant, I stood up on shaky legs.
For the first time, her words gave me strength. I felt a familiar energy overflowing within me. I would endure the pain. I had to face it. That was the only way out.
I stood and approached the book calmly, beginning to read the small letters carefully. In the book filled with writing, it said:
The Fate of the City of Memories
The entire City of Memories gathered and wept with tears to save that girl.On that day, the whole City of Memories sold its soul to its saviors through a ritual.It is their fate that they will be slaughtered by the hand of that savior.Thus, a power that will save the world shall be born.