Twelve years ago...

"Poor little girl, do you think she's alive?"

Alana heard soft murmuring and it woke her up. She had been walking for days in this mountainous place without any directions or destination. After she successfully escaped the orphanage and reached the foot of the mountain, she waited and looked for her friends to arrive. She waited, but it seemed like she drifted far away from them a little too much.

The mountain in their region was composed of several mountains aligned and close to each other. After two days of wandering around the foot of the forest, she decided to walk away from her position and traveled back up again along with the mountain range, hoping to see at least one of them.

She traveled alone, faced cold and darkness at night, she would cry every night because she was scared. She considered going down to the city, but it scares her, she had never been to the city. Up from where she is now, she can see the lights, busy people and all. Being young and naive, she thought she can survive more if she stays to where she is more knowledgeable-- here within the mountains.

She spent weeks walking alone, Alana was able to cross three mountains by this time. All she does in the day was to look for anything to eat. It was always not enough, if she can spot a tree with fruit, then she gets to survive for the day. She is also dehydrated, there's barely enough water resource she can find except small mountain streams or tree vines. She entertains herself by humming songs she learned in the orphanage, or talking to squirrels and birds... or even with herself.

Until one time, she was quietly walking in the forest when she unconsciously walked right in front of a big grizzly bear.

Her eyes couldn't get any wider, she froze from her place as her heart gets wild inside her. She heard about bears. There's no way she will outrun it. This is definitely her death. The bear was about five meters away from her, but it was looking straight at her. She wanted to scream and run like crazy when the bear started walking in her direction. But instead, she instantly dropped dead on the ground. The volunteers in the orphanage told them that it is a useful method if you wanted to stay alive after facing a bear. She laid on the ground, but she can't help but to still be scared. She hopes the bear leaves her alone soon.

Her breathing was still shaky and terrified. Her eyes are tightly shut. She felt the bear's nose run over her, sniffing her, she immediately stopped breathing. She thought the bear was about to leave her when it stopped sniffing her, but then she almost cried in pain when she felt the bear bit her left leg and shake her. Still, she remained acting dead, although tears escaped from her eyes. She pursed her lips so she won't make a sound and even breathed a little. Thankfully, after that, the bear left her alone. But she still remained in her position. Silently crying, knowing that her leg is bleeding. Eventually, she lost consciousness.

But here she is, awake, a man and a woman both staring at her. "She's alive!" the man uttered. The woman then immediately approached her leg and tended her wound while the man helped her to sit up. She groaned in pain as she takes a look at her wounded leg. The woman immediately covers it, "What happened to you? What is your name?"

"Alana." She met the eyes of the couple and both of them were frightened when they saw her red glimmering eyes. "Alana, your eyes... is lighting up red," the man told her. She got worried as she saw the fear in them, "Please don't be frightened, it's because of my ability." she told them, "I can see emotions, something like if they are telling the truth, or a lie." she simply explained with her head laying low.

The couple looked at each other, unconvinced. "Why are you here? How old are you?"

"I was attacked by a bear just earlier. I am six years old. I escaped from an orphanage and I have nowhere to go right now." They looked at this poor girl sternly, she was thin, dirty, and injured, she is definitely not gonna last long if left in the forest.

Instinctively, the woman looked at her husband as if saying that 'we should take her' when the man understood it, he was a bit hesitant, "Wait are you sure?" the man asked his wife. "We can't leave her here." the woman replied. The man looked once more at Alana's fiery red eyes, "I am a chief of a small village just nearby here, do you want to come with us?" Alana is too weak and desperate not to accept the offer. The chief then took her to ride on their wagon filled with several firewoods. She was given a blanket, she tries to deactivate her ability but it was oddly not happening. She covered her face fully in a blanket so the couple would not be scared of her.

They reached the gate of the village a few minutes after. They saw several strangers standing out on their huge gate. Some of the village men are there to accompany the visitors.

"Chief" one of the village men approached them, "We have visitors who wish to enter our village." The chief walked towards three strangers who are all men, based on their clothing and composure, they are probably wealthy persons from the city. "Gentlemen, in what way can we assist you with?"

"Are you the village chief?"

The chief nodded, "Yes, my wife and I were just casually taking a stroll in the forest." One of the men who was wearing big round glasses offered his hand, "We are very pleased to meet you." the chief accepted and shook hands with him. "We came to discuss our discovery, we found out that a rare gemstone can possibly be found inside your village." the chief furrowed his eyebrows, "And what gemstone could it be?"

"Benitoite." the other man said. "a blue gem rarer than diamond. I assume you are familiar with it since it was on your wife's necklace." They all glanced at the woman who was standing beside the wagon where Alana was in. The woman held her necklace by instinct. The conversation continued, "It would cost us a good fortune if we mine it in your land, we are offering a trading business with your village. May we enter?" The chief took a minute to think before he gestured to open the gates but then Alana, still covered in the blanket spoke up, "Don't!"

The chief, including the three men, looked at her. The three men looked at each other and wondered, although they cannot see the person beneath the blanket, it was surely a young girl's voice. The three men shrugged Alana's words, but the chief, who remembered that Alana told them about her ability, started to wonder, "Why not Alana?"

The girl softly replied, "They have... dark intentions." she said, the strangers looked at each other. The man wearing glasses adjusted his glasses, "You're wrong. We really mean to have a trading business with the village."

"At least that is what it is for you, but for the two others, it's not." she can see them through the thin blanket, but since she's pretty far from them, she is certain that she can't be seen. The man with glasses looked at his two other fellows, one of them gritted his teeth and whispered unto him, "You aren't going to believe this bullshit, are you?"

"But come to think of it, you insisted on claiming this land before you suddenly changed your mind and agree with me at the last minute." the two other men had to agree with him because he is the only one who can tell the location of the benitoite. Now he starts being skeptical. The other man stood between them, "Listen, we are supposed to be together here let's not fight over."

"I think that's enough." the chief finally said. The three of them got surprised and wondered if the chief was able to hear their arguments with each other. "I think you should all leave." The ill-tempered guy sarcastically shook his head and walked towards the chief, who was not moving an inch and his head held high. "Now what do you think you're doing? We will not leave unless we get the benitoite," he says until he suddenly draws out a gun from his back and pointed it to the chief.

His wife exclaimed and tried to run towards him but Alana quickly grabbed her hand. "Open the gate!" the man commanded as he points out the gun from everyone, even to the man with the glasses.

"Hey, you have to calm down!" The guy reprimanded, his glasses were falling from the bridge of his nose.

"Shut up Bolton! We take the lead now, so if you're not gonna help then stay out!" the other man, who was an accomplice, to him. The guards in the village were ready but hesitant to instantly take action for they only have swords and spears. Alana saw that and decided to do something. "Stop this now!" Alana bravely shouted, she stood upon the wagon, now the gun was pointed towards her. But she knows better than to be afraid of it, after all, she just managed to miraculously survive a bear. She removed the blanket around her and looked straight into the eyes of the person holding the gun.

The three men were visibly surprised as they immediately took a step back. "What the hell..."

"You will not enter the village!" she shouted. It was enough distraction for the village guards to take over and stab the person holding the gun. In an instant, the man with the gun fell to the ground. As soon as the accomplice saw it, he chose to fight back but was unfortunate. The woman covered Alana's eyes as the blood of the men spill on the ground.

"I will not fight please spare me!" the man with glasses, who was earlier called Bolton knelt on them. The guards pointed out their swords at him. "These city people are always up to no good." one of the guards muttered.

"Wait, he has pure intentions." Alana ran towards them in defense of the man, "Not all the city people are always up to no good, but most of them are." she then looked at the chief, "Allow me to help you, let me be the gatekeeper and I will only let the good people in." The chief was amazed at the young girl talking to him, its eyes are firing with determination, since she has proven her capabilities, he figured maybe he can give it a try.

=======

Alana fixed her long black hair, braided at one side. The sun has not been entirely up but the village people are starting with their daily morning routines.

She can smell her mother's cooking from outside her room. She has been completely adopted by the chief and his wife, she later found out that they have a newborn son back then, and he is now a young boy whom she considers as a younger brother. She looked out of her window and saw the chief, teaching his brother to chop firewood using an ax. She called them to joke around, "Father, why would you teach a twelve-year-old to use an ax already?"

"Hush Alana, I asked father to let me do this!"

"Aww, but look at your fragile arms smaller than the firewood you are chopping." His brother shrunk his eyes at her and gave her a mean look, she giggled and stuck out her tongue before she moved out of her room and find her mother. She greeted her and instinctively prepared the table for the four of them.

"Set the table for five, Bolton's going to have his visit." her mother told her while still focusing on cooking. Not too long after, the expected visitor arrived in their hut. "Good morning fellas!" Bolton greeted as soon as he enters. "Mr. Bolton! You are getting older each time you come and visit." she teased. "What a sweet little girl you have become Alana." he sarcastically told her which made both of them laugh.

He took out a red silk coat from his bag, "This one is for you, you outgrew your red coat." Alana ran her fingers through the cloth, she gasped, "This is so beautiful!" she thanked him and the man was delighted.

For years, the trading business about the benitoite had been a success. People had jobs in the village, and they were able to buy whatever things they need in the city. But the chief only transact with Bolton, since he was proven a good person. By this time, he is also aware that there is no way of cheating the village people as long as Alana is on their side. He does not exactly know Alana's capabilities. All he knows is that she is peculiar. But Bolton was indeed a peaceful businessman, which eventually became a friend of the villagers from the city. He is the only connection of the villagers to the city. He only comes here every once a month for trading. Whenever he comes back, he brings whatever the villagers request from the city, of course, with their payments.

"One more thing" Bolton took out a small box and gave it to Alana, "I found this at my doorstep before I come here, There's just a paper that says it's for you."

Alana looked at the box, there was no other note except the small paper which writes 'for Alana'. She opened it and saw a medium-sized pendant. she opened it and saw a red and green light that is almost at the opposite end of the pendant. Both dots are just stationary. "What is this? It doesn't seem like a clock to me" she wondered.

"Well, I have no idea as well, but one thing I know, I'm starving," Bolton said and they all sat around the table and have their breakfast. She dismissively left the small box on their dining table as she wore the new red coat Bolton had given her. She uses a coat with a large hood enough to cover her eyes so that the villagers won't be terrified.

Her eyes are still glimmering in red. She was not able to turn it down ever since. Eventually, she just grew to accept it, so only her family members knew about it. She was always the mysterious girl in the village because no one have completely seen her face. She reached the big entrance gate of their village where several guards were at the watch. She greeted them with a nod as she sat down at the side.

The chief appointed her as the gatekeeper, but he had also appointed guards to be with her. For years she was able to examine different kinds of people. From people who are intentionally after their treasure, to lost travelers in the mountain. She managed to help the village maintain its safety and security. Not only the strangers, but she also examined the leaders in the village, she was able to sense their innermost emotions and motifs. They all got screened out.

That afternoon, she left her post for a bit to take a quick walk with Bolton as he goes down the mountain. "You always leave when it's almost dark, it worries me," she told him.

"What for? There are people waiting for me in the middle of this mountain, we have a car..."

"I know, but still, you would have to walk half of it." She stopped walking, "This is the farthest I can accompany you, I should go back to my post." He nodded, "Right."

"Be careful!" as she goes back up. She sees a hint of fear in him, he wanted his crew not to go further towards the village because he believes it's the best thing to do, to keep the location of the villagers unknown to others so that they will be safe.

Alana almost reached the gate, she raised one of her brows as she sees two strangers hesitating to knock on the gate. One boy and a girl, about the same as her age. "Oh well, here we go again," she uttered to herself as she adjusted her hood to cover her face better.