Opal.

"Times change, and with them our duties." I thought this deeply as I watched the carriage bearing the symbol of the House of Sol drive away, feeling somewhat guilty. "Vlad of the House of Sol, the King has decided to surrender the crown before the estimated time. Prepare for the investiture." I knew well that good news wouldn't soothe the sadness of a wayward son who imposed a temporary exile, but it was better for them to address more pressing matters and not dwell so much on little Abaddon. "I apologize for what happened."

"Saint, there's no excuse. I've neglected my son, as announced at the trial, and perhaps upon his return I'll be able to devote more time to him." He turned to the family present. "I entrust you with the protection of my family while we are in the process of inheriting the crown."

"Yes." I replied, aware that the shades of light they emitted were blue. The sadness I anticipated would increase only lessened, and with that, I set off for the temple. I had a lot of work to do and wouldn't be long.

When I arrived, I saw them, my sisters of Faith, and only the light uniting us. I shared my doubts and, more importantly, my sadness, and we left for the center of the temple, while everyone prayed outside.

“Is everything ready?”

"Yes, sister, we've also prepared some things for our somewhat extended stay in the past." I gently pass around a small box.

Just by opening it I could feel the pure energy contained and I couldn't help but marvel at seeing the angel's tear present there, with it seeing the future wouldn't be so difficult and we would have a chance to change some things if we wanted to, but I feel 5 that if we were to look in the past, maybe it wouldn't even be enough.

“How did they get it?”

“There are special occasions when the Holy Faith allows us to use it, and there is no limit to how much wear and tear it can take on this mission. If what the child claimed is true, Lasha might not be in a good position even if the five of us are here, and for an Ascended to participate in the war is unprecedented.”

"We'll have to report everything, right?" I closed the box with resignation.

"I fear that, and I fear what we'll find in your successor. His ability to see the future so clearly is disconcerting, especially to someone who will serve in the future." The eldest of them spoke, barely showing any wrinkles on her face and hands.

“Alba cries for peace and those who oppose her must only perish, let us part, sisters.”

They all entered the small room, arranged in a circle and all aligned like pearls taken by gravity and held only by a string, while the golden circle of white shine easily besieged holding them above the small living room table.

“Sisters, remember, look for key moments among the memories, and if Red's warriors are seen, flee. We can't miss this opportunity.”

“We know.”

“Leave it to me, there won’t be a moment when I don’t have to check.”

“Dark times are coming and we will have to light the way.”

“I will see as much as I am allowed, no more.”

The 5 entered into a trance, while the thin thread that unified them condensed to the size of a fist and with that they placed the book that Abaddon had left at the trial, noticing how it began to burn, with the meaningless numbers he had left in between.

The arrival at the beginning was the closest they ever had to seeing a child being born, officially they waited outside until they heard the cry, but once inside they saw it, the hand of darkness in the servant, not much older than anyone in the mansion, but enough to show the first wrinkles, so that everyone noticed she was discouraged and by night, the touch of darkness, that alarmed everyone and they followed her, like guards watching the slave, fulfill the sin that would condemn him to wear the purple collar.

The event took place without a hitch, and they saw how his arrival into the world wasn't very well handled; a carelessness was the only thing that saved the little one, and even so, during the kidnapping, they noticed him; he had been thrown into a well.

“As far as I know, he’ll be in trouble until morning.”

“Go sisters, I will see that he is well.”

“I’ll leave it to you.”

“Let’s see what the boy was playing.”

He didn't think about it much as he went down and saw how she resisted drowning by clinging to the bucket, and yet he couldn't help but show pity, he contained a little of his light and used it to give her warmth.

He stayed there until morning, only to see him picked up, dropped, and hurriedly picked up again, and it took him no time at all to recognize the lady of the Celim house, prior to her engagement to the head of the family.

She didn't think about it much and walked a little further, noticing how everything moved forward much more quickly, while the ties of the present forced her to arrive the next day and with that repeating, until she saw the moment in which she gained the favor of the Celim family, in addition to the meeting with the son of the Sol house.

She followed him all day and after, only to find that things weren't exactly improving. The jobs he'd acquired since he was a child, his lack of friends, and the almost constant presence of waking up in the middle of the night, only to cry for a while and go back to sleep, only made her feel like a busybody.

“Boy, what brings you here?”

I frowned as I noticed the black and purple clothing, I put a little light behind him, to get his attention, but I only managed a slight glimpse, as he seemed to approach the merchant.

“I’m looking for directions. Do you know where the sun house is?”

“Over there.” I point with my finger. “Three blocks and then turn right, you’ll definitely get there.”

He didn't know what to think, he expected forced treatment or even insults and yet he had helped him without further ado, the next day passed and the same thing, a path and after several days he arrived at the merchant as it should be, pleasant conversations, for any spectator, but in reality, the merchant managed to get important information from him about the Sol house and almost everything in particular and after the fifth day he had it very clear, but he didn't know what led Abaddon to return again and again to the merchant, except for the informal conversation and how they dealt with complicated issues, he let it go.

"At some point you must have talked to your friends." She moved away a little, allowing the present to claim her strongly.

Day and night passed every minute, accelerating time, while he noticed a more or less prepared routine, some occasional exercise, arriving at the store of the lady of the Celim house and then with the merchant, long conversations, the occasional buyer interrupted, but nothing worthy of mention until he got to see how she made the first purchase, he found nothing strange, except that he could not see the contents of the box, but the next day everything returned to normal, only to calm the doubts of her innocence and to her bewilderment to meet the youngest of her sisters.

“Hi Opal.” I wave.

“Greetings, sister.” He bowed slightly. “Did you find something important?”

“The naughty boy helped the lady of the house buy cakes from the merchant, even though the head of the family forbade it.”

"Really?" I said, avoiding the words in surprise. "I don't think you're the type to do such a thing."

“Look, he’ll give her the piece of cake soon.”

The contents of the box were revealed, but what surprised us was not that, but the environment breaking and seeing my sisters, two of them were seriously injured, we attended to them quickly, but at the same time, the fear that my empathy had cost us very valuable time to see the truth.