The Time Stone Crystal

Chapter 3 - Car Accident and the Stranger

Another morning, Weng woke up feeling great. Unlike before that she almost suffers from hip and back pain. She thought that it might be the reason, the necklace on her neck. Perhaps. Did an excellent samaritan mean to leave this odd thing for me? Or maybe it has a curse? If there's something awful happens to me today, I will remove it. But, when it does bring good, I will wear it. She is a positive thinker, and it is not harmful to believe some unbelievable prodigies. Who knows? She got up entirely and started her memorable day.

Weng went to his sister Jessa's house in Cainta. She also offered a little help for her niece Anika and the other financial needs for them. It is Saturday, and her sister doesn't have work.

"Hi, Sis Weng! Have a sit." Her sister greeted her when she arrived.

"Hello! Oh, Where's Anika?" she immediately looked for her niece. She sat on the sofa in front of her sister.

"She's in Jelai's house, my neighbor's daughter. I let her played," her sister replied.

"Is that so? Alright. I just passed by to give you this. I don't have time to deposit it." She put the white envelope on the center table.

"Thank you, Ate Weng. You still remember Anika and me somehow." Jesse took the white envelope.

"No worries." She stood up. "I'll better go. I will go to my friend in San Lorenzo Village, and we have a project to do. You know, sidelines."

"Oh, I already prepare food for lunch. You'll not stay here for a while?"

"No. I'll take my lunch there."

"Okay. I'll take you outside."

She said goodbye to her sister Jessa as if it will be their last glimpse. There is something emotionally unwilling inside her. She drives away and also went to Nica's house at least to check her nephew Jacob. After her nephew was feeling better, she immediately left. Even if she is a busy person, she does not forget to take care of her family. According to her meeting schedule, she went to Makati with Rika's former co-worker to discuss the big project they will make. Occasionally, she receives projects from other clients, especially when her idle schedule.

IT WAS NIGHT when she arrived at her grocery store. They even visited the site, so it took them a while to discuss their clients' proposals. They also met with the other partners in the project, and now it is her business that she will deal with again. They only had store hours until eight o'clock, so she closed the main entrance after her other employees left.

"Goodbye, Ma'am Weng. See you tomorrow!" her cashier Jane said goodbye.

"Bye and be careful. Please be here early in the morning. It's Sunday," she told her.

"No problem, Ma'am Weng."

Her cashier Jane waved at her and walked towards a motorcycle with her husband's waiting in the corner. Then, she also walks towards the car she had just parked in front of her store. She feels uneasy when someone said the words goodbye. She thought that there's nothing horrible happened the whole day but turns a lucky day. Her store also earns a lot today, and they have closed the deal to specific projects they had with Rika. She touches the crystal pendant then drives the car away.

She's along the quiet road of C. Raymundo Avenue while listening to her music on track. Minutes after, an eighteen-wheeler truck suddenly across in her direction with the fastest speed. Her eyes wide opened and startled. No! She instantly turned the steering wheel in the right direction to avoid it but, it's too late. The truck bumped into her car and crashed. At a sudden moment, Weng has a lot of thoughts about her family and her precious life.

What if she died?

How about her family?

In unexpected events, her car overturned. Several vehicles followed her behind and entailed with the accidents. The car airbag would have protected her, but the front glass was broken and hit her head. Her body was also trapped inside, and the other part of her body is wounded. Unfortunately, that was the end of Weng's life.

Persian War. Battle of Thermopylae 480 BCE

She took a deep breath when she woke up in a dark domain. She was also lying on the ground and feel herself at the moment. After a few seconds, now she remembers what happened, so she quickly turns out. She looked at herself wearing a white dress with a rip at the edge, not wearing slippers or any other footwear, and has minor wounds. She heard a group of men furious screeching along with their noise of shields whacked on the ground. She quickly stood up and glanced where it comes.

Her eyes widened as she peered at the thousands of warriors.  Their bodies are fully armored, along with swords and spears. They also carried a shield for self-protection while others ride their horses. She could not believe what he saw until the warriors began to fight. My God! Where am I? Am I—dreaming?

She hides in the boulder while staring at the fiercest warriors. She's nervous. She was involved in an accident, and C. Raymundo and a truck bumped into her car. And now, she's in the midst of the battle. She didn't notice her body shape changes and her face but rather a plan to escape.

Suddenly, she heard the footsteps of the horses approaching her direction. She was even more surprised that some of them were heading towards where she was hiding. She looked around and tried to hide somewhere, but there's no chance. But in the end, she prefers to move and ran away. They should miss me up. I know I already died, and if I were in another world, I should never die again! But—why did I run so fast? Ouch! She stops running. She felt the wound on her sole foot after running without wearing a pair of slippers. My God! If this is a dream, why am I feels pain? My God! Where did you take me? I am a kind person and, If I am a living soul— She decides to run again, but a horse stopped in front of her. She was surprised too. It was dark all around, but she could see the man wearing a long white dress riding on it. He has long hair ponytailed, and something caught her attention, his golden eyes.

"C'mon! Mount on here!" he ordered.

"Huh?! M-Me?" she replied.

"Who do you think I'm talking to?"

"I-I don't know! W-Who are you?" she barely asked the stranger.

"It doesn't matter anymore. Will you mount in, or else I will leave you here with the men behind you?" in his sarcastic voice.

"Men?" she remembered the group of men behind her. Abruptly, her crystal pendant starts to gleam with radiant light. Wait—I didn't notice it. I was wearing it since before the accident and still on my neck?

"C'mon!" his voice was nasty.

She wasn't sure if he's a good man, but she had to accept his offer or else she stays there forever. The man also helped her to mount on at the back of the horse

"Hold on!"

She embraces him tightly when the white horse starts to move fast as they crossed a long road. After they crossed the long dark road, they instantly appeared in surroundings with a transparent surface. At that moment, she felt that she was in a dimensional place, and only then that the speed of the horse they were riding slowed down.

"Where am I?" she could not help herself but to ask him.

"If I answer your question, will you believe?" he's still serious.

"I guess, 'coz you already know this place. Hey, wait! Are you an angel who sent from heaven for me? Did you know that I died in a car accident earlier? Maybe, the driver is drunk. I'll sue them for their damages if I can go back." She started her voluble conversation.

"I asked you once, but you replied with more questions too. Tsk," he shook his heads once. 

"I just want to know where I am and what kind of place it is. If I am dead and you are fetching me, it means you are my guardian angel. Or else you are the God of this world!" she explained.

He sighed. "Here we are." He pulled the reins to halt the horse.

"Here? Where?" she looked around. She just noticed the place where the surroundings had changed. It is a cozy world and a large mansion a few steps.

The man moved and got off the horse. "Come down, and I will support you," he said.

"I can be able to get off. I was already riding a horse—" Weng felt the pain in her sole right foot. That's when she remembered that she had a wound.

He sighed again.

She stared at the young man for the first time, and still, his golden eyes glares. He's very handsome.

"Will you just stare at me all day, or will I treat your wound?" he's started to become infuriated again.

She's not yet informed and carried her by him. "Oh!"

"You're too slow." He glanced at her then walked inside. 

She couldn't hide her nervousness and was still confused. But, she needs to get along with the man first before thinking about everything that happened. 

Weng sat on the smooth sofa while Kairo put a liquid medicine in a cotton ball. They are inside the mansion house and no idea of where she is. Her wounds slowly got healed because of it. While she's staring at her unknown hero, she took a glimpse of his handsome face, his perfect nose, red lips, and his thick eyelashes. His golden eyes were much more attractive among the latter. How could this man have a perfect feature like a deity? Is he an Olympian God? Or, he came from a fantasy world? God! He is damn handsome!

 "Ouch!" The guy pressed the cotton ball on her knee part, and she screams. "Can you please make it slowly?"

 "This is the best way to treat your wounds and, please don't ever complain. Or else, it will stay like this forever."

"What? Forever? How can that happen?" she asked him.

 He stopped and took a sigh. He also slightly looked at the woman intensely. "Miss, would you please ask me one by one? You even beat a lawyer on asking successively," in his sarcastic tone of voice.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean it. I just wanted to know because⸻I felt pained. I'm wondering. As far as I remember, I already died. Wait! Am I dead?!"

He did not answer her question instead of placing the cotton ball on the center table near the liquid medicine. He stood up and said, "We will talk later. Come with me. I will lead you to your room."

She slowly stood up. "Wait! I don't know your name yet. How am I supposed to thank you for saving my life then?"

He glanced again to her. "Kairo Middlestone." He formally answered.

 "Uhm. I'm Rowena. Weng for short." She even remembered her name.

"Alright." He continuously walked upstairs.  

She followed him upstairs silently. Though, she has a lot of questions for herself about why she's there. But in the meantime, she will reserve all her queries after she regained her strength. She felt a headache and wanted to rest but couldn’t want to take away her glimpse of a man who helped her out from the chaos. At the same time, staring at his back, something urged her to push herself to embrace him tight. That was mischief called, but she can’t resist him by that. How could a man have this kind of aura that makes me charming? And his golden eyes? My head is going to burst at any time.