Chapter Text
Once there was a boy with a marble in his pocket. He found it in a creek as he was washing the rusted bruises on his knees. The marble was ever blue like the clear sky or the deep sea. And it became his most prized possession.
One day, as the boy played on a merry-go-round in an abandoned amusement park, he found that he was no longer alone. An older boy with hair as pink as cotton candy stood on the grassy ground across from him, his eyes wider than dinner plates like he was surprised to see the boy there.
The older boy rushed to him before carrying him on his back and running farther and farther away from the merry-go-round. That’s when the boy realized that the abandoned amusement park was not abandoned anymore. People in animal masks and crazy costumes were everywhere! Riding the amusement park rides, eating at the food stalls, and winning prizes in various games. He wanted to enjoy the amusement park too, so he slammed his fists against the older boy’s shoulders demanding him to stop running and put him down. The older boy did not listen to him, however, running even faster and further away from the amusement park.
“You are not safe here,” he heard the older boy say. “If a golden man finds you, he will turn you into gold and you will never be able to go back home.”
As soon as the older boy finished speaking, a man made of gold from his head to his toes appeared right in front of them, a wide, scary smile on his face.
“I knew I smelled a mortal boy,” the golden man bellowed, his deep voice sending a chill down the boy’s spine. “Give him here, young warlock, if you know what is good for you.”
Suddenly, pink smoke erupted between them and the golden man, and then the older boy slid him off his back. The older boy placed his hands firmly on the boy’s shoulders and told him, “Run out into the trees and do not look back. At the end of the woods, you will find a train. Tell Hobi the conductor that Jin sent you and to take you to Joon's workshop. From there, look for someone with rainbow wings and tell him you need to use the Southern Portal. Jump feet first, okay? And do not be afraid. The moon will watch over you. Now, go!"
The older boy pushed him in the direction of the trees and his feet began to run as fast as they could. When he was about to enter the woods, he heard someone scream loudly in pain. Though the older boy told him not to, he turned around and looked back.
The golden man stood on top of the older boy, a golden spiky tree branch in his hands poised to strike. Just as he was about to hit the older boy, the boy ran back, picked up a nearby rock, screamed at the top of his lungs, and threw the rock as hard as he could at the golden man which hit him squarely at the back of his head.
Slowly, the golden man turned his head to him. And though the golden man's face was contorted in rage, the boy stood his ground and shouted, "Leave him alone!"
The golden man then charged at him.
"Run!" he heard the older boy scream, and the boy was about to go back the way he came when he felt something go warm in his pocket. Reaching a hand in, he pulled out his ever blue marble which was now glowing brightly.
Without thinking twice, he threw the marble at the golden man. Upon contact, the marble exploded into a brilliantly blue shower of gems. The golden man bellowed in pain, his skin sizzling like it was burned and drooping in some place, obviously melted. The older boy then stood up and threw his own set of gems at the golden man. It erupted into a resplendently rose spectacle and the golden man was no more than a golden smoking puddle on the ground.
The boy breathed out heavily, adrenaline rushing through his veins, before jumping up and down at their victory and pumping his fists into the air.
“We did it! We did it!” he shouted out in glee.
The older boy, although a little worn out from his short scuffle with the golden man, managed his own smile and nodded in agreement.
“We did.”
And he stood there watching the little boy jig and celebrate. The question of how the boy had gotten hold of a warlock’s marble remained a mystery for a long time. But one thing had been clear at that exact moment, this story was just the beginning of a grand adventure.