Amulet of Fate

Chapter 1

Haelia

"How much do you offer for this?" Haelia asked, handing over the necklace to Kebbler.

It was a precious find, made from the gems of rare Embrodian pearls, and decorated with a small red crystal in the center. The little old man held his eye-piece up to the glimmering jewelry, carefully examining each and every single piece of gem. It was slightly chipped away, with little scratch marks on the smoothened surface of the intricate stones.

Haelia sighed with boredom as she waited for Kebbler to finish his examination, which could take anywhere from a few seconds to a few dozen minutes.

The shop was small and quaint, with shelves stuffed with various artifacts and rare antiques, which Kebbler never failed to boast about, given the correct circumstance. The streets outside of the shop were very busy, bustling with life, and filled with excitement.

"Haelia, I can offer you 100 gold pieces for this. It's a fine specimen, but it's a bit more damaged than I would have hoped."

"But Kebbler...it's just a few scratches." Haelia remarked. "It's not that big of a deal, how about you bump it to 150, and we can call it a day?"

The old man had to bend his neck upwards to look at her, for he was a little taller than his workbench, which was neat and tidy and stood only a few feet above the ground. His forehead was covered with wrinkles, and his hands were calloused and small.

He blinked for a second and then sighed in defeat. "Alright fine, but next time I expect better quality from you, young lady. You're my finest patron after all!"

Haelia nodded with a smile, "Sure thing, old man. I'll see you next time."

And with that, she grabbed the money and made her way out the door. For some reason, the kingdom seemed a bit more sprightly than usual. Men, women, and children gathered around the town square, where the statue of the two goddesses stood and gave their respects.

Sol was the goddess of the sun, known for her powers of life and growth, and Andis was the goddess of the night, known for her powers of healing and protection. Therefore at some point, one of the elders creatively decided to name the kingdom, Solandis. For some reason, the fact that the two goddesses were opposites was a symbol for the Solandi, as it proved that although the elements are opposite in nature, there must be balance and harmony to ensure peace.

Colorful kites flew in the sky, flashing their vibrant colors and covering up the many clouds way above. Flowers were blooming around the enormous trees, and around the burbling water fountains. Glowing lanterns with the Solandis sun and moon emblem were scattered around the town, from the treetops and branches, to the street signs, and even in front of shops. Families were laughing, huddling close together, and holding hands as they walked past Haelia without a second glance.

And why wouldn't they?

She was nothing more than a filthy peasant girl, with dried dirt on her blouse, and wet mud dripping from her boots. Haelia navigated effortlessly through the rowdy streets, ignoring the vendors who tried to lure her to their stalls, desperate for attention and customers. She held onto her satchel, keeping a glance at the people she kept bumping into. Noblemen and Noblewomen strolled through the streets, with large lavish gowns that dragged across the ground.

How could someone bother wearing that without breaking their skull? She thought to herself.

Castle guards were lurking about, some with large swords sheathed, others with shields, some with nothing but gloves. They wandered around the town square, keeping an eye out for anyone suspicious. Haelia grabbed the loaf of bread she had stuffed into her satchel earlier this morning, and bit into it. Unfortunately, the once buttery and soft bread had become rock solid against Haelia's teeth.