I can see my mother’s pale face reflected in my father’s eyes as he hovers over her. I can feel her ragged breath and heartbeat getting quieter. They look older, but that's impossible, they were here only six years ago.

“Hang on, honey, I’ll get help.” Dad says, his voice panicky, which is rare since he's always so calm and collected. Mom slowly reaches out and shakes her head. Dad holds her hand against his cheek and looks at her as if he’s the one in pain. “I can’t lose you too.” He almost whispers, his eyes tearing up. My mother smiles softly and pulls me off her chest. I realize I’m the amulet as she hands it to him, and I start panicking, knowing the amulet cannot lie, since it is no longer living, it can only store events. Dad holds me in his hand by the chain and through the swinging, I can see that she was stabbed in the stomach by a poisoned spine. She was never so careless as to fall into the trap of a chimera. A poisonous lizard demon with a knack for stealing, it’s favorite meal is other demons.

“Take this to the castle and sell it to one of the royal family, tell them how it has the power to find a warrior with the power to help, if the one searching for the warrior is truly in need.” My mother says to father. Her voice sounds forced and sad, and weak. I can feel tears run down my face, but my sight is unhindered since I'm not seeing this through my own eyes, but experiencing it through the amulet. Dad starts crying and mom gently wipes his tears with a shaky hand, “Our daughter is strong, she will not let herself be hurt.” Mom’s hand falls and a tear falls down her cheek. “She doesn’t even know that fifty years have passed already, to her it's probably only been a day or two.” She smiles and then a light dims in her eyes and she fades away. Dad weeps for her as the image changes.

It’s the market place. I am on a display watching everything go by as a man with a royal aura about him approaches and points to me. I see an old man smile and continue to tell the man that I am special, I can find a warrior that can bring armies to their knees with a swipe of my hand, but only if the user is truly in need will the amulet work, and I realize the old man is father. The customer smiles and dismisses the story with a laugh, and the shake of his hand.

“It is beautiful, but how could such a warrior exist?” laughs the young man. Dad looks at me and smiles sadly.

“This warrior is half dragon, half hell hound and can shift into both. Not only that but they have a magic that no other can possess no matter how strong.” Dad tells the young man. The man’s eyes light up in wonder. The young man looks at me for a moment, probably thinking through the stories of how hybrids are known to be capable of impossible things, before they are employed by other magical creatures, but feared by humans.

“I’ll buy this amulet and pass it down the generations, waiting for a time when we need such a warrior.” Says the man. He is in his late teens with a strong aura around him that his expensive rags have trouble hiding.

“Treat it with care, if the amulet breaks, no one will be able to get the warrior's help, if they are found.” Says father, gently picking up the amulet and handing it to the man. “I, honestly, hope that the need for this warrior never occurs, your majesty.” Says father bowing slightly with a sly smile on his face. The young man blushes and seems flustered. He is the prince in disguise, roaming his kingdom in disguise as a good royal should to grasp the state of their people through the people's eyes.

The man laughs after a moment and takes me from father’s hands, he subtly gives dad a gold piece which is worth more than his whole stand, before slipping me around his neck. Dad bows again and the man leaves, the market none the wiser that the prince visited them.