creative spark 2020

Creative Sparks

A Collection of creative writing in Matayom 3-6 students
The English Program for Talented Students (EPTS)
Patumwan Demonstration School
Srinakharinwirot University

Advisors:
Asst.Prof.Chaisak Leelajaruskul Director
Dr.Duangchai Chongthanakorn Deputy Director of
Academic Affairs
Ms.Yupin Puthapipat Assistant Director of the
English Program for Talented
Students
Editor: Ms.Kangsadan Choo-im

Editorial Committee:
Mr.Kyle Dreher
Mr.Robert Bradley Burch
Mr.Kevin Peter Raw
Mr.Jason Neil Sore
Ms.Kangsadan Choo-im

Administration: Ms.Nutrada Boonnoon
All characters in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual
person, living or dead is purely coincidental.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced
in whole or in part, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form
or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or
otherwise without written permission of the publisher.

First Printing: April, 2020.
Published by: Patumwan Demonstration School, Srinakharinwirot University

Cover Designed by: Nachapon (Tan) Ratsameedara,
Worajate (Will) Wilaiwongsa,
and Kanuth (Kanuth) Supthavichaikul

Illustrated by:
Nara (Aim) Phonpraserth Kanuth (Kanuth) Supthavichaikul
Ninthira (Pam) Jarupanich Wish (Wish) Waiyawuth
Natthasich (Alfie) Ngoenwiwatkul Tedat (Phupha) Noppapak
Napat (Pat) Chutijirawong Jiratchaya (Ing) Puapornpong
Thorphan (Didi) Tienboon Ramida (Opal) Watcharinporn
Parintara (Kat) Wongsrisoontorn Sirapop (Upo) Chavalvechakul
Tanyatorn (Rosie) Thienpaitoon Sirorat (Nate) Khamwanate
Pomai (Pomai) Pothinamthong Ratchapon (Boss) Triruangworawat
Natnicha (Focus) Ngerndee Tirasit (Tan) Yingyongdumrongsakul
Dayada (Dada) Pujchathum Sirasit (Mos) Prayotamornkul
Napak (Im-Im) Arthasart Siwat (Art) Rakngan
Sirapop (Ray) Yimyam

Data for Bibliography

Patumwan Demonstration School (2020: Bangkok)
Creative Sparks the eleventh issue. Editor Kangsadan Choo-im and
committees.Bangkok/Patumwan Demonstration School, 2019.

1. English Learning 2. English Skill 3. English Communication
I. Kangsadan Choo-im and committees, Editor.
II. Patumwan Demonstration School.
III. Content Topic.

808.831
ISBN : 978-616-296-211-0

4



Foreword

I represent Patumwan Demonstration School in expressing
our praise and pleasure as I present to you I the eleventh edition of
Creative Sparks – A Collection of Creative Writing by EPTS
Students. This yearly anthology is a true gem in the crown of the
PDS heritage and a testimony to the hard work and efficiency of the
foreign teaching staff, without whom this publication could not be
produced. Therefore, I would like express my sincere gratitude to
the EPTS English Department and Ajarn Kangsadan Choo-im, as,
well as, of course, to the student authors and illustrators.

To the reader, I wish you all the delight and wonder possible
as you take in these pieces of literature and accompanying
illustrations.

Thank you.



Assistant Professor Chaisak Leelajaruskul
School Director

5



Foreword

Now, for a decade and a year, Creative Sparks has been
the banner of creativity in the English Program for Talented Students
at Patumwan Demonstration School and a hallmark of the
productivity of our dedicated teachers. Every effort has been
expended to ensure a publication of the highest quality, beginning
with the instruction and motivation from the English teachers in the
EPTS; to the tireless creative process engaged in by the student
writers and artists; to the endless days of revising, editing, and
polishing; and finally to the press.

I would like to personally thank the contributing English
teachers, the teacher-editor Ajarn Kangsadan, and the contributing
students. I genuinely commend you and value what you have done
and continue to do. I hope every reader will be as excited as I am
about this project.




Ajarn Yupin Puthapipat
Manager of the English Program for Talented Students

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Foreword

Every story has a beginning, a middle, and an end. Within
the confines of the jacket of this book, you will find many such
narratives. Sometimes, the beginning is long, with its character
presentations and setting description, a back story to set the
scene. Other times, it is the middle that is expanded, offering twists
and turns, peaks and valleys, along the upward curve to the grand
finale. Yet other times, the ending is drawn out, leading you down
unexpected avenues, leaving you guessing whether you had
gaged the various conflicts and climaxes as precisely as you could
have. Creative Sparks has been a narrative of its own over the past
eleven years, exhibiting a strong beginning, raising an interesting
development of the plot in the middle. The end is not yet in sight,
fortunately for the reader. There are many a tale yet to be told,
many a yarn yet to be spun, many an illustration yet to be unfurled,
before the sun should set on this scene. And surely to be expected
is a twist or two in the telling.

On behalf of the teacher-editors of this year’s Creative
Sparks publication, Ajarns Brad Burch, Kevin Raw, Jason Sore,
and yours truly: thank you to all of the student authors, poets, and
graphic artists, fellow teacher-editors, admin staff, and our
indefatigable leader in this project Ajarn Kangsadan Choo-im.

Feast your minds, readers, upon this year’s offering of
stories, poems, and Silk Road journeys. And many more to come.


Ajarn Kyle Dreher
Creative Sparks Committee Secretary

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Preface

“I like nonsense; it wakes up the brain cells.”- Dr. Seuss

I believe that anyone can talk about, think of, or even write
a nonsensical story. Many are good at it because it makes people
laugh. At times, I often listen to my students as they talk nonsense
in class. Not in a bad way, but I am sometimes amazed by the
nonsense they speak, leaving me wanting to hear more. My point
is, I think nonsense has value. It encourages imagination and
allows students to think outside the box.

It is limitless when it comes to imagination as well as the
eleventh volume of Creative Sparks by the English Program for
Talented Students. I am thankful for the dedication of our committee,
staff, and students who have assured that this volume is amped up
by valuable nonsense. Conclusively, I’d like to thank the readers for
the continuous support in the expansion of students’ imagination.



Kangsadan Choo-im
Editor

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Contents


Stories

Welcome to my journey on the silk road 14
Nara (Aim) Phonpraserth
A Journey on the Silk Road 26
Chonmabhum (I-Nam) Chaisrisawatsuk

The Journey of the Unfortunate Di An 38
Napat (Dean) Kiatproongwech
A Plight of the Light Knight 48
Natthasich (Alfie) Ngoenwiwatkul
The Family’s Flight 56

Thorphan (Didi) Tienboon & Tanyatorn (Rosie) Thienpaitoon
The Selected 67
Natnicha (Focus) Ngerndee
Lost Sister 78

Napak (Im-Im) Arthasart
A+ Class 89
Kanuth (Kanuth) Supthavichaikul &
Tedat (Phupha) Noppapak
Lost In Her Heart 99
Ramida (Opal) Watcharinporn & Sirorat (Nate) Khamwanate

Artificial World 107
Peerawich (P) Inwong

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The Diaries of the Mirage 117
Ninthira (Pam) Jarupanich
Alive 127
Napat (Pat) Chutijirawong &
Parintara (Kat) Wongsrisoontorn

Sound of Silence 136
Pomai (Pomai) Pothinamthong &
Dayada (Dada) Pujchathum

The Answer to Life 148
Sirapop (Ray) Yimyam
Paradigm Shift 153

Wish (Wish) Waiyawuth
For the Love of Loving 157
Yuenbing (Yuenbing) Ooi
The Beginning of the End 164
Punnapa (Pun) Suvimolpan

It Was a Sunny Day, as Always 177
Preeyakorn (Beauty) Bangmo
Jone’s Fault 190
Sirapop (Upo) Chavalvechakul &
Ratchapon (Boss) Triruangworawat

Infelicity of His First and Last Love 199
Sirasit (Mos) Prayotamornkul &
Tirasit (Tan) Yingyongdumrongsakul

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Purple Hyacinth 209
Jiratchaya (Ing) Puapornpong
For the greater good… 218
Pacharasorn (Luksorn) Thummachote

Outdated 228
Siwat (Art) Rakngan
Astronauts 243
Varissara (Bam) Narongwanich


Poems
Belle is my name 254

Pandha (Belle) Chatdokmaiprai
O Friend 255
Abhipol (Dee) Vibhatasilapin
Odd Visitors 256
Rachakorn (Fyn) Nabhindhakara

Everlasting Bond 257
Pornpailin (Ice) Paradeevisut
Lovefool 258
Chada (Kabkam) Sukkitsompot

Men versus Machines 259
Patarawut (New) Sritipsukho
A school 260
Kanik (Ping) Sritara

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A Fire of Deception 261
Poom (Poom) Plodmechai
Moonchild 262
Pornnapas (Pim) Rittiwut

Viewer 263
Thanutchaya (Biw) Tresirikasem
Retrospect 264
Thanwarat (Earth) Kitimahakhun

House of Cards 265
Jiranadda (Lukpat) Chulaka
Afraid to Fall 266
Phuritchaya (Me-Mee) Chatkicharoen
Judgment of Honoured Soul 267

Jitkeerati (Miu) Kulsomboon
Hello 268
Tanyapat (Plern) Chaiseri

indefinite 269
Arpitchanand (Tam) Tipayanond
Friend/dneirF 270
Worajate (Will) Wilaiwongsa



Stories

Welcome to my journey on
the silk road

























- Nara (Aim) Phonpraserth -

Dear diary, this was the 7 year with you and this year was
th
the best year of my life. Welcome to my world. Now, you are going
to enter a world of adventure.The world of mine. First, I have to
introduce myself, my name is Shu hua or (Liu Su hua), a lot of you
may be surprised by my last name. Everyone is going to think
about my grandfather ‘Emperor Wu of Han’ or his old name ‘Liu
Che’. I lived behind the walls of Wei Yang palace for 15 years
without going anywhere except the market and towns for my own
safety. Finally my grandfather allowed me to travel on the silk road
and study the goods, the trading systems, lifestyles, and culture
without telling anyone who I was, if not necessary. This was a good
opportunity for me to learn the whole world. I requested to travel on
my own with 4 servants and my royal nanny. My journey started at
Shang-an, the capital of China which was where I lived. The journey

15



began here. As the orange rays of the sun hit the window, I woke
up lazily in the morning, analyzing my own mind that was dealing
with my sleepiness and I realized that this was the day I was going
to start the journey of my life. I hurriedly got dressed and gave my
luggage to the servants.





















My father ‘Liu Dan’ and my mother ‘Liu Mei Li’ blessed me
before I left my darling home and my grandfather hugged me like
never before and said, “make me proud as the best granddaughter
of the great emperor Wu,” he laughed, “and be safe my little girl”.
I promised him to focus on the knowledge I would gain and not risk
myself, but I was not even sure that would I keep the second of my
promise or not. I and my nanny stepped on the palanquin, and then
the servants carried my palanquin leaving the great palace gate
with chinese architecture on it behind. I gave my last glance at the
palace, a place I had called ‘home’,as tears rolled down my cheeks
a little. I tried to be strong, but it was hard to hide the pain of leaving
my home and my family. Then, I entered the busy town of Chang’an

16



it was dense with people, merchants and goods. People dressed
in colorful Qi Pao dresses. I never saw these beautiful colors of
dresses and extraordinary patterns in the royal palace, because
most noblemen and clerks dressed in plain uniforms which were
quite boring. No fashion in the palace, because there were only
royals who dressed in the best dresses. Then, I sensed the fresh
smell of food, but then something else caught my eye....

























It was a very detailed fabric placed on a table with foreign
and Chinese customers gathering around. It was silk, in many
colors, purple, red, yellow and white. The colors seemed not to
cause any difference, but it actually affected the price a lot. Purple
silk or what I’m wearing was the most expensive, it is the symbol of
royalty. No one could afford it accept for the royals. The red one
was next and others were cheaper still. This made it easy to judge
the status of people in China by their clothing. There is also jade,

17



silver and iron in the market. I bought a jade bracelet and 2 red and
3 white silk dresses, so it shows my memories at Chang’an and
help me to disguise myself as a normal person. I travelled to
another city beside called ‘ Lan Jo’ which was the center of trading
in that period, the smoke from worshipping at the mosques and
smoke from food cooking, caused me to sneeze a lot. The market
was very crowded with people. I found more silk here which was
way cheaper, maybe because it was the center of trading. This
gave me an idea of buying these chinese goods and selling them
on at a higher price through my journey. I also bought gun powder
incase... So, I bought a lot of silk 3 reds, 2 yellows and 5 whites.
So altogether I had 5 red silk, 2 yellow silk and 8 white silk pieces
of fabric. I packed the goods in my backpack and stopped to have
lunch. I had lunch at a small restaurant in the market. It sold Dim
Sum a traditional Chinese snack which was served in small portions
in a round steam basket. The smell of steamed dumplings and
buns lifted my spirit, it was very delicious, warm, juicy and soft.
It was very simple and boosted both my spirits and my energy.

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Then, I heard people gossiping about a yellow river that
passed through this city. Curiosity filled my thoughts, so I asked my
servants who were guiding me on my journey, whether we would
pass the yellow river ? The answer was a definite yes. The river
possessed minerals and was also a trading route which was
important for Lan Zhou.

After I left the market, I arrived at a natural site on the
outskirts of the town. I had never seen any place like this, because
as I had mentioned before that, I was not allowed to walk out of the
palace gates. That kind of stuff had been hidden from me, but had
kept me reading books, studying and investing. I am one of the
royals that hated chores and lady stuff, I often avoided them by
acting sick. I would rather take fighting classes instead.

I ran out my palanquin and looked at the new world around
me. On my right was an orange Tian Shan mountain range and in
front of me was the yellow river. I saw boats steering in the distance.
After a while, I left for Urumqi sleeping on my paraquin and realized
when I woke up when it was midnight, this was a very large city
mostly surrounded by deserts. I realized that I was in a huge
caravan in the desert. It was freezing cold at night and unbelievably
hot in the daytime. I could see stars, because the sky was so clear.
I saw the shadows of mountains in the distance. “Please sleep my
princess, it’s a long journey” my nanny said. “No, I’m not sleepy…”

I yawned. But it was time to sleep . “I’ll enjoy my beauty sleep
then,”I responded reluctantly and laid down watching the night
sky, finally my eyes closed completely.

19
























I woke up and asked the driver where we were and he said
that we were at Bishkek-Soviet. I was very excited, because I had
never come this far. I saw mountain ranges along my path.
I supposed that this must be a path way, not a stopping off point.
But then I was hungry, so I ordered them to hurry up and get to the
town.

There were a lot of churches there, so I assumed the main
religion must be Christianity. I got down from the caravan and
walked to a restaurant nearby. The seller spoke with slavic accent
in Mandarin trying to communicate with me, but I interrupted him
and talked to him in Slavic “Могу ли я обменять его с этим Джейд
(Mogu li ya obmenyat’ yego s etim Dzheyd)” means that “Can I
trade this with this Jade?” He said yes. So I traded a Beshbarmak
dish with jade that I had brought from Shang’an. Beshbarkmak was
a traditional dish with meat and noodles. It was really good,
because I loved noodles and the taste was unique. I also drank

20



shubat or camel’s milk. It was white and
tasted quite sour. Next, I travelled to
Smarkand, this was where I planned to sell
my goods. I passed the grassy plains on
my way to the town. Everyone was dressed
in cotton dresses with patterns, the sleeves
were quite long. I noticed that they spoke
Sogdian, which I wasn’t comfortable with.
I wandered around and saw a silk shop,
it was very expensive 4 times more
expensive than mine. So, I walked to a
table and showed the silk cloth and
shouted, “silk from china exchange point”.
This was how it worked, I trade silk c with
other things that were valuable. At the end of the day, I had traded
2 red silks, 1 yellow silk and 3 white silks. In return I got about 12
bags of spices and 6 cotton dresses. It had been a good trading,
I had made a ot of money.
After that I travelled to Dushanbe which was my pathway to
Persia. In Dushanbe, I passed the snowy Pamir mountains and the
Vazob river. Then I noticed something on the floor, it said that to go
through the walls of water and you will find what you desire. I was
very curious, I thought it was a waterfall or something, but what was
the name. There was a scrambled word “a s h a n”. So, I continued
traveling. I didn’t notice that there was something following me...
There were buddhist temples around and I went to a big restaurant
in the square of the town. It seemed that the meals started with
sweet dishes first like halwa, it had sesame flavor. It was a bit

21



crumbly but also a bit fluffy at the same time. Then I had tea, the
server stated that in the summer they had green tea and in winter it
was black tea. After that, I had a kabuli pulao, a rice Kajik dish with
yellow turnip, meat, and olive oil. It was fascinating and very
relaxing.

I asked the Kajik seller to help me unscramble it, he said
“ahh... Shaan” Then, a group of people ran into the restaurant
armed with swords and knives. Some also also bows. I panicked
and hid behind a desk. They shouted “capture princess Liu Su
Hua!!!”. No one responded, so they shot all my servants in a row,
I cried and said “come and get me then”. Then, my nanny jumped
in front of them and told me to run, tears rolled down her face
slowly.I cried a lot seeing my servants dying because of me, but
I had to leave. “Hua wonnn” I cried “I will remember you”. I ran as
far as I could but my nanny died, stabbed by these wretches. I ran
from the town to a natural site, into the woods as they followed me
closer and closer. Then, I held the scroll as if it could help me,
it said at the bottom “the great warrior scroll” I panicked for a
moment. The great warrior scroll was a lead to a hidden sword in a
rock and only the true leader could pull it out of the rock. The sword
was the most valuable treasure inherited from the Shang Dynasty.

22



I realized that there was another reason they tracked me,
they must have seen me picking up this emerald scroll. I ran until
I stood in front of a cliff. “Capture princess Su Hua now”, They
rushed towards me. I looked at them and looked at the cliff, luckily
there was a waterfall below, but I could easily die. I thought about
my grandfather who passed a lot of risky wars until he was a great
emperor till now. I closed my eyes and jumped off the cliff
encountering my biggest fear of ‘death’. They must think I’m dead
already.... I felt like falling down from heaven. I thought I have died.
But then something woke me up. In my head, I saw a mighty
dragon which represented my ancestor spirits. That freaked me
out and I realized I was in the waterfall. I swam to the nearest piece
of land and lay down on the floor. I thought about my servants and
my nanny and cried, why am I alive ? I should die with them, I cried
talking to myself. My backpack was still with me and I put it aside,
I finally remembered the scroll and the Shaar waterfall. I realized
that this may be it !!! I stared on the floor, it said “This is it”. This
wasn’t a coincidence at all. I saw a path in front of me that’s led me
to the underground. I walked down there feeling a little scared,
I tried to think about my grand father to stop myself from freaking
out. I finally came to the end , there was the sword I was looking
for…... shiny and beautiful on the rock…

23



As I walked to pull the sword up, a figure pulled my hands
off the sword. It was a dragon!!! I leaped and covered my face in
shock. It said “How dare you try to touch this sword. Keep your
filthy hands off it. You are a girl who wanted attention, travelling
this far”. I would laugh again if you claim yourself to be a warrior.

“I might not be the type of warrior you want, but I can lead my
country like my grandpa. I’m nobody, but at least I have to try. A
lot of people are trying to threaten me and my family. Give me a
chance” I said confidently, there was nothing to lose at that time.
“Well, if you fail you’ll die like the othersss....” I didn’t spare a
second thought and reached for the sword and pulled it. It fitted
into my hands perfectly and slipped out of the rock. I was extremely
proud of myself and also a little shocked at the same time.

The sword took me to somewhere else. I opened my eyes
and saw the Salt desert, mountains, karun river in ‘Persia’ !!! It was
such magic !!! I promised myself to use this to help others. People
here spoke Persian. I continued to the market to learn the goods as
my grandfather instructed. Goods here were quite different. But
I could smell something very wonderful, so I followed the smell
which led me to an aroma shop. It smelled a lot better than stinky
Chinese perfume. I asked the trader that if I could trade a red rose
aroma with my jade bracelet which was quite expensive there and
he agreed. I placed the aroma in my backpack. I walked a little
further and found some jewelry. A girl of the same age as me
walked alone seeming a little frustrated. I said “Excuse me, What
are you looking for” and she replied “Well, my hammer ‘shaft
broke today it was such a bad day”. ”

24


















“So, you sell jewels ?” I questioned. “I trade them, would
you like to make a trade ?” She asked and I nodded. I traded a
white silk robe with a opal and ametis. She told me that she lived
here since she was born with no parents, so a man adopted her
and left her all his belongings when he had died. She felt very lucky
and she sobbed a little. I didn’t know these things were going on in
the real world. I was taught that everything was as peaceful and
wonderful, like everything had been in the royal palace, but it
actually wasn’t. There were lots of people that were suffering.

I passed Istanbul. I crossed the black sea and continued
my journey to Moscow. People here spoke Russian. I ran into to a
market and I discovered something new, it had an awkward but
wonderful smell, it was quite strong. It was the smell of orange
blossom !!! I traded it with 4 bags of spice. There was gold in the
market too, but I didn’t need any gold. My family already had as
much gold as they would ever need. I had red betroot soup called
Borscht. It was red and looked creepy, but it tasted ok. I learned a
new Russian phrase “Это лучшее блюдо на земле” (Eto luchsheye
blyudo na zemle) which means “this is the best dish on earth”.
The waiter taught me this.

25

















I finally came to the end of the journey and I’ll soon head
back to my country. I learned about people’s lifestyles and I will try
and go back to Chang An and improve my people’s lives as their
leader, and no one will ever know who I am with the title “the
masked princess”.. .


Good Bye...



Silk Road




...Written in 101 AD

A Journey on

the Silk Road

















- Chonmabhum (I-Nam) Chaisrisawatsuk -

The year is 1037, a journey began and ended. A Journey
on the Silk Road.

A group of merchants travelling in a small caravan began
their journey at the city gate of Beijing. “Alright, if everyone is
ready, we can leave now,” said a large man with a booming voice.
This person is Ali, a guide for merchants and camel salesman from
Arabia. The group of merchants consisted of Ali, the guide,
Zhēngqì, a young merchant from China and Milan and Maya, a
merchant couple from the himalayas travelling around Asia. All of
them cheerfully left the gate of Beijing and started their journey.
“Where shall we restock our supplies?” asked Ali, sitting on top of
a trotting camel. “I would like to resupply at Anxi, a region at the
western end of the Great Wall of China,” replied Zhēngqì instantly

“The Oolong Tea there is one of the best and we could also buy
them to sell to importers in Arabia.” The weeks went by smoothly

27



and quietly, most of the crew in the caravan aren’t familiar with
each other and are not opening up. Most of them only speaking
when they require something from the guide. A few weeks of
silence passed travelling through the Imperial Highway when the

caravan reached their first stop, the beautiful county of Anxi. “The
smell of the tea here is amazing!” Maya shouted excitedly “well of
course it is, Oolong Tea here is renowned as one of the world’s
finest.” Zhēngqì replied. The group decided that they would rest at
a small inn near the gate for a week to keep the cost down, so that
they could have more money to buy supplies and tea. The rest of
the week went by quickly as they re-stocked their food and water.
Before they left, they heard a woman screaming “Help! A thief!”
before Zhēngqì could do anything, Ali suddenly rushed toward the
burglar, grabbed him in the throat and Slammed him into the
ground. He then grabbed the small purse and gave it back to the
lady while the city guards quickly ran towards them. “Thanks for
the help.” said one of the guards. Ali nodded and quietly walked
back to the group while Zhēngqì stared at him, his mouth gaping
wide open. Before Zhēngqì could say anything, Ali jumped back
on his camel and slowly trotted towards the city gate. Ali nodded at
him and the couple to follow. The following night Zhēngqì pondered
in his tent, “How is it he is that strong?”, so he decided to ask Ali.
When he left his tent, Ali was sitting next to the scorching campfire.

“Sir?”
“Hmmm? yes, what is the matter? And please call me Ali.”
replied the bearded man.

28



“So… um Ali? How were you able to slam the thief in the
morning?” asked the Chinese merchant.
“Well….. I used to be what is called a Treasure Hunter,
Travelling around the vast deserts and mountains, looking for
signs of ancient civilizations."

Zhēngqì stared at the bearded man, his eyes wide open.
“But do not be worried,” Ali said as he saw the look on Zhēngqì’s
face “I stopped doing those extreme adventures a few years ago
and decided to settle down and be a guide instead.”

While Ali and Zhēngqì started talking more about Ali’s past,
they hadn’t realized that the couple was eavesdropping on both of
them. “We should get away from him as soon as possible.” said

Milan, in a deadly serious tone. “No,” Maya snapped at him “I know
that we can’t trust him, but we would not be able to survive here
in the middle of nowhere.” They started arguing when suddenly a
tall figure loomed over them. “It is not polite to eavesdrop on other
people’s conversation,” said Ali “but since both of you are still
young,” he continued “I will not punish both of you, but to be clear,
I would like both of you to trust me if not for my sake then,” he
quickly glanced at the young chinese sitting next to the campfire
“then for his.” This left the couple shocked by how intimidating he
was, yet he seemed to be compassionate as well. “Both of them
nodded concedingly and headed back to their tent to rest” . A few
weeks have passed since that night and they have finally started
opening up to each other.

29



“Well…...both of us are from the foot of the himalayas
around nepal.” said Maya
“A few years after we married we decided that we would
like to take a look around the world,” said Milan

“We started our journey in India travelling there for a few
months. That’s when Maya decided that she would like to go and
take a look at China.”
“When we first arrived in China we were shocked at how
marvelous the cities were.”

As the couple continued to describe the marvelous structure
in Beijing

“The life there isn’t as beautiful as you think…..” murmured
Zhēngqì quietly
The couple managed to hear what Zhēngqì said and
looked at him with confused faces.

“I was born in the slums of Beijing,” said Zhēngqì in a sad
tone “I have never even seen the face of my parents, I was picked
up and raised by an old lady…….” he continued as tears welled in the
corners of his eyes, when suddenly Ali stopped him and said that
he didn’t need to say it if he didn’t want to. Zhēngqì nodded silently
and the journey from there until they arrived at a caravanserai was
as quiet as the void of space. When they arrived at the caravanserai
Zhēngqì quickly went inside his own room, avoiding any
conversation and rested, while the others were out buying supplies.

30



“Why was he so moody all of a sudden?” asked Milan with a
confused voice.
“I have seen this type of person before,” said Ali “their
past is sad and tragic to the point of haunting them, they cannot
let go of the past without any help, how miserable.”

“Then we should help him!” replied Maya, sympathetically.
Deciding to change the mood Milan quickly replied,

“So that he won’t act like a gloomy cat through the journey.”
This brought a smile on her face and lightened the mood. After they
finished shopping for supplies they all headed to Zhēngqì’s room
to speak to him.

*Knock Knock*
“Who’s there?” said Zhēngqì with a sad tone in his voice.

“Zhēngqì, it’s us,” replied Ali “please allow us to help you.”
he said in an affirmative voice while opening the door slowly

They saw him in a state that the word miserable couldn’t
even be used to describe him. His eyes were red and bulging from
the tears rolling down his cheeks. “I… I…” He said with a raspy
voice.

“There’s no need to speak,” said Ali with a soothing voice
“we would talk later, when you feel better alright?”
Zhēngqì nodded slowly and fell back deep into a slumber.
He woke up later around dinner, still feeling depressed. He decided

31



that it would be best for everyone if he told them his past. So when
he left his room for dinner, he met all of them sitting in the middle of
the caravanserai, looking up at the stars. Zhēngqì quickly told
them that he would like to talk to the three of them in his room.
When they made it back Zhēngqì the started to tell them his past.

“As I said before, I was born in the slums of Beijing, My
parents left me to die in a small alley because they didn’t have
enough money to raise me,” said Zhēngqì sympathetically to
himself, although he is sad, he never bared any hatred toward his
parents, he knows that they did it out of necessity, “After that, I
was picked up by an Old lady, her name wais Jiù zhǔ, she picked me
up and brought me back to her home, a small hut next to the
market, she raised me up and taught me everything till I was about
12 years old and that’s when the tragedy happened …..,” He spaced
out his eye filled with guilt of not being able to protect the one he
loved when suddenly he heard a finger snap and was quickly
brought back from his thoughts that day I went to pick up the food
that we ordered, it wasn’t anything special, just vegetables and
tofu, when I returned home that day I saw something that haunted
me for the rest of my life, Jiù zhǔ laying on the floor, barely
recognizable, crimson blood sprayed all over the floor and covering
her body, staining her white dress. Her body was a mess, her guts
spilled everywhere with her body parts laying on the floor, she was
now nothing more than a pile of charred crimson flesh. There was
something on the table though when I read it tears started pouring
from my eyes, I could still remember the note like it was yesterday.

32



“Dear Miss Jiù zhǔ, we would like to inform you that your
Incurring debt pile with the royal bank had seemed to be
too much for you to handle, with your old age, we
Were also afraid that you would try to escape, seeing
That you have also bought a camel with the money
That you have borrowed from us, so we decided that
Now is the time to show the people of your kind that
The bank would not allow people who can’t pay their debts to
Leave without punishment…… so we decided that you
Would be the one we would make an example of, sincerely.”
-The Royal Inspector

After reading that note, I cried for the rest of the day, every
night while resting, I have felt guilty that I was the one that caused
her to get into so much debt. After that day I sold her hut instantly
and started stealing. A few years had passed when I got caught by
a merchant, but surprisingly he asked me why I was stealing. I told
him about my past and he gave me an offer, to become a merchant
and travel with his group instead. I quickly took the deal and started
learning about the trade routes right away. But as I was about to
embark on my first trip on the silk road, my group was *sob*
slaughtered by a group of bandits, I was the only one that made it
out alive, barely, so I decided to stop everything and rest for a few
years, until just a few months ago when I had built up enough
courage to actually start trading on this journey through the
wonderful path known as the Silk Road. He finally ended his story
and looked up to see all of them staring at him with sadness in their
eyes.

33



“We’re sorry that we tried to push you,” said Milan with a
rather soothing tone, contrasting his normal skeptical and rough
voice.
“It’s fine, I’m finally able to express my feelings and
overcome my past, thanks to all of you”

Zhēngqì said in a cheery tone contrasting the state that he
was in before.

The rest of the week staying at the caravanserai went by
smoothly, although their departure was interrupted by a large
sandstorm that came from nowhere delaying them for a few days.
After the sudden delay their group departed instantly right after the
sandstorm had ended. The sand hills were much higher and there
were no signs of living creatures. A few days passed, their water
stocks depleted rather quickly because of the heat glaring from the
sun, like hellfire burning them down to nothing but piles of ashes.
Days and nights of torturous weather and climate went on as they
soon ran out of supplies and they became extremely fatigued.
Luckily Milan spotted something unusual, a large oasis in the
middle of the desert, the palm leaves dancing with the wind, tall
grasses giving off the aura of freshness and harmony and a large
pool of water making him feel refreshed instantly. After spotting this
beautiful sight, Milan quickly ran to it while Ali and the rest of the
group were confused of Milan’s action,

“Is he going insane?” thought Zhēngqì “He’s running and
screaming with joy to the middle of nowhere?!?”

34



As Milan (As he sees) quickly jump into the water Zhēngqì
realized something
“Milan, No!” cried Zhēngqì with a sudden voice of haste
and panic. But it was all TOO LATE. As Milan ran near to the oasis
he suddenly sank into the ground with a splosh sound, suddenly
the beautiful oasis he saw was nowhere to be found but a large pit
of QUICKSAND?!?! “HE WAS HALLUCINATING, WHAT HE
WAS SEEING WAS JUST A MIRAGE” thought Milan his mind
losing all hope from the sudden realization.
“NOOOO!!!” Yelled Maya. Milan was hallucinating all the
time, because of the heat and the lack of water. “Please no no no no
no no….. You can’t die now, please Milan, we’ve been through so
much together!”
“Sorry my love, but I think that it’s the end for me,”
As they lean to kiss each other one….last….time.

Milan’s body sank into the sand, never to be seen or heard
by anyone again. As Maya knelt down in front of the pit with tears
in her eyes as she shoved her face into her palms “NO *Sob* why
him….. OF ALL PEOPLE” Milan yelled with sorrow and anger in her
eyes, “Why...him, he’s just a nice young man.” As she continued to
cry, Zhēngqì knelt down next to her and whispered in her ear,
I know that it’s sad to lose someone who is as important as your
own life, but here is not a place to mourn for the dead, let’s get
going to next caravanserai, so that we can properly grieve him.
Maya looked up to him, nodded and threw an exotic-looking flower
into the quicksand pit. A few weeks of silence and agony have

35



passed and they finally arrived at our second destination, The once
powerful kingdom known as khotan. Disestablished only 31 years
ago, the ruin of this kingdom still contains the essence of buddhism.
There are still many large temples with many buddhist statues, all
of them are slightly covered in moss and vines. Inside the hollow
kingdom are many groups of merchant and a small inn. All of the
merchants are selling silk and carpets, Khotan’s specialty. The
beautifully knitted carpets were designed carefully and precisely,
giving of the aura of humbleness, showing how much effort it took
to weave these carpets together. The city on the other hand is far
less populated than before, only merchants seem to be travelling
here in this once glorious kingdom. When they arrived, Ali rented
rooms inside the inn and quickly went to the bazaar to restock.
While Ali and Maya were buying medical supplies and even more
rations Zhēngqì decided to wander into the bazaar looking for
something “interesting” while he was walking through the place he
spotted a small camp with an old sign hanging on it, “THE GREAT
FORTUNE TELLER”, it read. Out of his own suspicion. Zhēngqì
decided to peak inside the tent and saw a small old lady sitting in
front of a crystal ball, before he could say anything, the old woman

suddenly spoke up, “Your fate is sealed, there is no escape from
the pit of hell, it has spoken,” As Zhēngqì was about to say
something the door suddenly slammed shut, pushing him out of
the tent. Zhēngqì walked away, confusion eating him from the
inside like swarms of maggots inside of a rotten apple. Shrugging
it off as a mere theory, Zhēngqì decided to go back to his room
and rest for the day. The rest of the weeks in the kingdom went by
smoothly, their trade with the locals were successful and the group

36



even managed to gain extra profits for even more merchandise
than expected. After the successful trade at the kingdom their
group decided to depart instantly. The weather throughout the rest
of the TaklaMakan Desert was extremely tough, especially with
sandstorms occurring everywhere. One night, after a long day of
travelling, the group decided to set up a camp so that they all could
rest.

“A harsh Journey lies ahead all of us,” said Ali “We should
all have a goodnight rest and continue tomorrow”
As the moon reached midnight Zhēngqì couldn’t sleep at
all, scared to his spine because of the words of the fortuneteller. He
rolled around trying to sleep, trying to forget everything when
suddenly he heard multiple footsteps around the campsite, his
heartbeat sounded like drums banging. With the sudden urge of
fear, Zhēngqì quickly ran out to see what exactly happened, that is
when he met a sight so disgustingly gruesome he felt like he was
about to fall unconscious. The other camps and the camels, they
were all burning, crimson flames erupting from them like geysers,
Inside the burning tents are two figures both screaming in pain and
agony. Zhēngqì quickly ran and ran and ran as far away as possible
from the scene. “The bandits, it must be them, they did it they
killed them” thought Zhēngqì “What have we done what have our
group done to anger the gods.” He thought of everyone from Ali to
the couple he ran until he saw something, a caravanserai. He
quickly went in there to hide. He bought a room and quickly went
to hide inside a closet. As he went on he heard the sounds of
screams and fire, he looked out to see the caravanserai, in flame

37



and a large group of bandits, coming to silence the witnesses. He
quickly hid even deeper into the closet, hoping that they wouldn’t
find him. But alas, a story always end. The door of his room was
knocked down and the closet door opened, Zhēngqì was about to
say something when suddenly he felt something leaking from his
neck, a gaping wound, pouring out warm crimson liquid was visible
at his throat, Zhēngqì gasped for air, but to no avail, his last sight
was the crimson blood and that’s when he fell deep into a slumber,
never to be heard of again.



结束
(THE END)

A Journey of

the Unfortunate di an

















- Napat (Dean) Kiatproongwech -


An excerpt from the Book of Memoirs and Diaries, property
of the Museum of History, Damascus.

11 APRIL 1037

Dear Diary,
Things are going well here. I, Shao Mei, and Khao Hui have
just departed China. The weather is not bad, although quite hot
and dry. The air is far from humid, and all we can see are sand,
camels, more sand, and other merchants. The sky is very clear,
and the Sun is burning. We have good keffiyehs, though. We got
them from our last journey. All we can hear are camel noises and
their trotting, and the smell of them is horrible, just like their sounds.
My camel is called Xing, and he is not behaving right now. I just
talked to Shao Mei about our goods. He brought vases and silk.
I only brought silk, but also have plans on stopping somewhere in
Persia to buy some spices. Khao Hui really does not want to tell us

39



what he brought. I do not know why. Well, we still have a long way
to go. Our supplies of water and food are far from empty. I will write
later.
15 MAY 1037

Dear Diary,
We are near the mountains. It did not take us long to travel
through the desert, but it will through the mountains of Central Asia.
We might try to flank the area, but the route will be tiring and
dangerous nonetheless. We need to go slowly, and wait every
night. The conditions are unforgiving. The wolves, the bandits, and
the damn wind. The mountains are looming in the distance. We can
see some snow on the summits. The wind is fierce. FIERCE. It is
stabbing my face like a thousand needles, and screaming through
my ears right now. The sky is dark and cloudy. It will soon be night
time, which does not help at all. On the bright side, the weather
here is still better than the desert, though, since it is rather hot, this
time of year. Our camels are exhausted. It is getting cold. The air is
still dry, and is irritating my nose. Khao Hui says we have to set up
camp soon, or el---FOR GOD’S SAKE, XING, HOW ON EARTH DID
YOU TRIP?!
17 JULY 1037

Dear Diary,
Sorry for not writing for a long time, but the conditions really
were not ideal for doing so. We have finally left the mountains,
GOD. A quarter of my silk got blown away by the bloody wind. Xing
scratched his leg early on in the journey, and is shuffling quite a bit

40



now, but that is fine. Why? Because we have taken refuge in a
Persian caravanserai! All of our fellow merchants are resting here
too. Other merchants from other countries are also here. There are
Indians, Persians, and Arabians here in this cosy hostel! I am
writing this in the court of the main square of the caravanserai. The
weather is better and warmer here. Shao Mei is playing something
on a board with an Indian merchant. Khao Hui told me it was
called...chaturan..chaturanga..what was it..chess? What a strange
game! Xing is recovering resting his leg here. He has gotten a lot
better. Shao Mei has cooked dinner for us. Ah, the smell! I will go
and eat, and call it a day.

23 JULY 1037

Dear Diary,
We are in Merv. There are many people here. I just bought
some spices and carpets. Why not? I will sell them later in Arabia,
perhaps Damascus. The Persians are quite nice to us Chinese,
and gave us discounts for the carpets. Khao Hui even bought a
carpet for his own family. We got ourselves supplies of food, water,
and clothing, which are very important, since we all know the
conditions in the Arabian deserts. Here, the weather is warm, the
markets are colourful, the local band plays beautiful music, the
smell of spices are everywhere, and everyone is smiling, but that
will all be gone once we reach the feared desert.

41



27 JULY 1037
Dear Diary,

Yesterday I travelled to a market in Merv. Most people
(Persians) here are muslims. There are mosques everywhere here.
I really adore the sound of the morning chants coming from the
mosques, ah, how soothing they are. Here, they speak Persian.

I only speak Arabic as well as my native Chinese, so I had
some problems communicating. Luckily, many of the lovely people
here know Arabic. Even a small boy asked me a question in Arabic
yesterday.
I consider myself lucky for being able to speak Arabic.
Many people speak it in Persia. What does that mean? I can buy
more carpets and sell even more silk! I hired a Persian designer to
turn some of my silk into clothing, and sold them for some lovely
money. I really love Merv with all of my passion. The people treat us
Chinese nicely. They are very friendly, and seem interested in our
culture. I taught a priest to speak basic Chinese, and gave a mother
a book of Chinese lore for her child! The priest can speak Chinese
now, and the child is drawing pictures of the Jade Dragon. I also
talked to a poet about Confucianism, and he was all ears. His
bearded jaw dropped out of fascination and...mind peace?
Yesterday I met him in a market. He was teaching his friends what
I had told him! It is truly fascinating how so many things, other than
goods and money, can travel through the Silk Road. This road truly
is a river of culture of humanity.

42



15 AUGUST 1037
Dear Diary,

The Sun has risen. The chants from the mosques echo
through the city, as the first light of day shines through the tops of
the mosques, decorating the amber coloured sky with silhouettes.
This is my last day in Merv. I will miss the beautiful mosques and
the wonderful music from the wonderful people here. I hate the
desert. I hate dryness and drought, but I will have to move on.
Farewell, Merv. We might meet again sometime. All right. We have
our water, we have our food. We are ready to move on.

28 AUGUST 1037
Dear Diary,

We are in the middle of an Arabian desert. I despise this
part of the Silk Road. There is nobody here. Our caravan is the only
group of life in this remote area. The Sun is burning, the weather is
dry, and the air is stuffy with heat. We must stick together, because
of the Arabian bandits, on their camels, wearing dark keffiyehs,
swinging their scimitars, looking for innocent merchants like us. We
all know their blades are seldom shiny, for they are always covered
in blood. Some say the bandits drink blood. I do not like how that
sounds. I, Shao Mei, and Khao Hui sleep together every night out
of fear. Sometimes our ears play tricks on us, and we fear that the
bandits have encircled our caravan, preparing their scimitars for a
massacre. We always sleep and dream and wake with fear and
anxiety. I hope we will finally leave here soon, since we can never
entirely rely on caravanserais. They are not everywhere. The only
thing that is everywhere is sand, and sand is unforgiving.

43



23 SEPTEMBER 1037
Dear Diary,

We finally made it through the desert without encountering
any bandits. We are in Damascus now. This is our final destination
before heading back in three months time. We found ourselves a
place to stay and markets where we can sell our wares. It is even
more colourful than Merv here. The Arabian traditions are
breathtaking. From the scimitar-swinging daredevils on the streets,
to the belly dancers with their seductive moves. The weather is real
nice. The market is always noisy with people and music. The whole
city is scented with perfume and spices. At night, the city is as
colourful as ever, with lanterns lighting the whole place in different
shades like a whole new planet, of beauty, to be frank. The mosques
and palaces are grand and bizarre, with decorations and features
never seen in China. This is the farthest West I have ever been, and
certainly does not disappoint me. I began selling my carpets,
spices, and silk yesterday evening. At least half of a quarter of
them had been sold. That is OUTSTANDINGLY fast. I will probably
have about a couple of months to spare, and enjoy the city. The
people here are very friendly. Arabians are also Muslims, just like
the Persians. I made some friends; Abdul and the unnaturally tall
Mohammed. They are always smiling, and have wonderful
manners.

14 NOVEMBER 1037

Dear Diary,
I have now sold all of my goods, and bought carpets and
spices to sell in China on our return. Our caravan is about to depart

44



the city, but my friends Abdul and Mohammed had made me an
offering. They want me to stay, for a few months, at least, and help
them with their “errands” as an accountant, and have offered me
lots of gold for undertaking the job. That means my caravan must
leave before me, but that is fine. The sultan has given a command
to build more caravanserais throughout the desert. I have decided
to stay.

28 NOVEMBER 1037
Dear Diary,

The caravan just left yesterday. Shao Hui and Khao Mei
both looked very worried about me, and warned me about the
dangerous journey back alone. I told them I will stop at different
cities, so that I will not need to take the long journey in one go. I am
working for Abdul and Mohammed’s “organisation” now. Its income
is questionably high. Very high. It seems to be quite rich, but when
I asked Abdul what they did, he just told me to keep quiet and
work. I am not complaining, though, since the rewards are good.

7 DECEMBER 1037
Dear Diary,

I am beginning to not like this at all. Hate it, in fact. I noticed
after I asked Abdul about his organisation’s job, someone has
been stalking me. I am not hallucinating. I’m sure it is not because
of the blinding sunlight. Someone has been, and IS, stalking me.
Everywhere I go, everything I do, I see eyes. Eyes, eyes, eyes, and
ears. Everywhere. Everything. I am not sure who it is, but I suspect

45



it is a tall figure. Very tall. Always wearing black clothing, stalking
me, spying on my actions, listening to my whispers, feeling my
BREATHS. Even now, I can still imagine his strange, petrifying eyes
staring at me.

Robbery is common in Damascus. Every day, there is news
of robbery and murder, and still I do not know what Abdul and
Mohammed’s organisation is up to, but I am smelling something
rotten, something fishy. The rewards might not be worth it after all,
but I do not know. I do not know…
14 DECEMBER 1037

I SAW THEM. I SAW THEM, GOD. MY GOD. Yesterday
I was returning from the market late at night, when all of a sudden
I heard screams, then flames. I went to investigate, AND I SAW
THEM, KILLING INNOCENT BANKERS IN FRONT OF THE BANK,
IN FLAMES! I SWEAR TO GOD I SAW THEM, SAW HIM. The tall
man. THE EYES. They were covered in clothing, but it slipped off.
IT WAS MOHAMMED. MY GOD, MOHAMMED, WITH HIS
SCIMITAR SLICING THE THROAT OF THE POOR BANKER,
SPILLING BLOOD EVERYWHERE. THE CLOTHING, THE EYES,
THE BANDITS! THE ORGANISATION! THAT DAMN
ORGANISATION! I AM WORKING FOR THE DEVIL. I am leaving.
Right away, I am leaving. Somewhere. I do not know. A city.
A caravanserai. I do not know. Tomorrow, sometime soon. REAL
soon. I am not safe here. I am going back to China. I am going
back to Shanghai. I should have listened to Shao Mei and Khao
Hui, GOD, WHAT HAVE I DONE?

46



16 DECEMBER 1037
Someone broke into my room. Papers are scattered all
around. This diary is lying on the floor. It must have been read. IT
MUST HAVE BEEN READ. Them...it was them, wasn’t it? They are
now aware that I know about them. That night. What they do, and
the names of the perpetrators. I am the witness, the only man alive
in town that can expose their secrets and turn them in to the law.
But they know where I live. They know my name, and they know
I KNOW about them. They will shut me up. They will silence me by
turning me dead, for dead people do not speak. They also know
that I will be leaving soon. How am I supposed to leave this cursed
place?! I might---wait, am I hearing..camels?..OH GOD, XING,
WHAT HAPPENED?! XING, NO! YOUR BLOOD, YOUR BLOOD!

17 DECEMBER 1037
I am alone now. In the desert. Not East of the city, no.
Mohammed and his group are patrolling that area. I left through the
South on FOOT. Those devils killed my Xing. His blood is still warm
in my hands. They planned for this. They cut off my only escape
route. Curse you, Abdul, that snake! I left the city last night. I left
most of my money there, so that perhaps they will be more forgiving.
They probably will not catch me here though. They expected me to
go East, not South. The wind is strong, and should help hide my
footprints. The only thing I can do now is walk, and wait. Wait till
I see the closest caravanserai, and take refuge there. I have been
walking for a day now. It’s dark again. I do still have some water left,
and---that..FINALLY! THE CARAVANSERAI! I AM SAFE!

47



18 DECEMBER 1037, AFTER MIDNIGHT
No. Here. DEAD. Dead people. DEAD BODIES. THIS IS
HELL. THOSE DEVILS KNOW I WILL BE HERE. They hired some
bandits to MURDER EVERYONE HERE AND TAKE OVER. Dark, it's
so dark, AND WET WITH BLOOD. I can't see anything. I can only
see the light of death waiting for me as the Sun rises. I CAN HEAR
THE DEAD GUESTS CALLING FOR ME RIGHT NOW, HA HA, OH,
THEIR VOICES, THEIR HANDS. THEIR HEADS, FOR I AM ABOUT
TO BECOME ONE OF THEM. I am hiding in a closet right now.
I can hear footsteps. They are patrolling outside. This is my last
entry. Farewell, world. To anyone who will ever read this miserable
tale, ABDUL DUMBLY TOLD ME, LIKE THE IDIOT THAT HE IS,
HAH! He told me that the secret chamber for the organisation's
treasure is in the sec-

The diary of Di An ends here. It is assumed that he was killed in
a caravanserai to the South of Damascus, now reduced to rubble,
where this diary was found in an ancient Arabian closet. In 2016,
it was included into the Book of Memoirs and Diaries. The
location of the mentioned treasure still remains a mystery.

PROPERTY OF THE MUSEUM OF HISTORY, DAMASCUS

*The Museum of History, the Book of Memoirs and Diaries, the
characters, and the events featured in this narrative are fictional.*

DEAN-11-351

A Plight of the Light Knight


- Natthasich (Alfie) Ngoenwiwatkul -


A body stood tall, broke free from an enclosed packet of
crystal. Embracing the color of icy blue, the figure differentiated
from everyone else. They arrived to a world in shambles, without
light, as silent and gloomy as a graveyard, yet ambition and energy
were secretly held away from this kingdom. However, to unlock the
great mysteries behind the kingdom, one must reach out to the
most difficult trials the world has ever faced.
Amidst the morbid world lied a luminant knight. Stood
strong with a sharp, white-ish gray blade to vanquish foes of dark.
The ghostly figure started their adventure by moving along the
paths to the Crystallized Caves to power the first switch, having no
time to waste. At the entrance of the cave, the Gem Crawlers,
which inhabited the area, greeted the ghost with great delight,
noticing the figure standing heroically to complete such a noble
task.