Godan and his two friends spent nearly three hours rummaging through piles of trash. The scorching midday heat had begun to subside as the evening approached.
They packed up their sacks filled with the day's finds and began the journey to Boss Rocko's place. It wasn't far, only about a kilometer from where they stood.
Upon arrival, they were greeted warmly at the entrance by Mr. Shoga, an older worker who had grown familiar with them.
"What do you have for me this time?" he asked with a faint smile, carefully opening their sacks and inspecting the contents. Pieces of plastic, old cables, and bits of metal—each item was assessed, weighed, and recorded with precision.
Once the inspection was done, Boss Rocko emerged from his office. His bulky frame and perpetually stern expression made him an intimidating figure. Known for being tough but fair, Godan, Jomie, and Marta had never heard of him cheating anyone.
He reviewed the report handed to him by Mr. Shoga, his sharp eyes scanning the details before turning to the three scavengers.
"Not bad," he said curtly, handing over a black package. Inside were a few bottles of clean water, some pieces of stale bread, and a modest amount of Delas—the currency still used in Somara. "You're getting better at finding valuable stuff."
Godan nodded respectfully. "Thank you, sir. It's all thanks to our— Eagle Eyes here," he said, ruffling Jomie's hair. The boy grinned widely.
Boss Rocko eyed them with a furrowed brow. "But you stink—badly. Your smell could drive rats away," he said with a sigh, reaching into his pocket and tossing a few extra Delas at them.
"Thanks, Boss."
"Go to Madam Zauli's. If you stay this smelly, people will start thinking you're part of the trash piles."
Madam Zauli's Cleansing House was a well-known spot in Somara, located on the edge of the market district. Often called the "Cleansing House," it was one of the few places in the city where people could rid themselves of the stench of garbage.
Despite being in the middle of a rundown neighborhood, Madam Zauli's building stood tall and polished, with gleaming metal walls. It was considered a place of luxury—almost magical.
On their way to the Cleansing House, Jomie sniffed his own shirt and grimaced. "Are we really that smelly?"
Marta snorted. "You've always smelled bad. This just made it worse."
Godan chuckled. "Come on, let's clean up. We've worked hard enough for today."
When they arrived at Madam Zauli's, the staff immediately directed them to private cleansing rooms. Within minutes, the foul stench clinging to their bodies and clothes vanished, thanks to the power of magic.
They left the Cleansing House feeling fresh, their bodies clean—a rare luxury in their daily lives. Unfortunately, the magic could only clean their bodies and clothes, leaving the harshness of their reality unchanged.
As they walked away with their hard-earned supplies, Godan glanced at his sack. The old journal he had found earlier was still safely tucked inside.
Its mysterious title echoed in his mind, as though calling out to him to uncover the secrets hidden within its pages. For now, though, survival remained his top priority.
***
The sky began to dim as the three of them finally arrived at their home—a rickety shack on the outskirts of Somara City.
Its walls were made of rotting wooden planks, with some sections covered by tattered cloth to keep out the night wind. The roof, mostly patched with sheets of corrugated metal, often leaked when it rained.
Yet, for Godan, Marta, and Jomie, this was the only place they could call home.
Jomie sprawled on the wooden floor, cushioned by a worn-out mat, letting out a long sigh. "Today was exhausting," he said, staring up at the ceiling. "I can hear my bones complaining."
Marta, always the practical one, unpacked the food and water they had received from Bos Rocko. She divided them evenly: a small piece of stale bread and half a bottle of water for each of them.
"Don't drink too much. We need to make this last until our next scavenging trip," she said firmly, glancing at them both.
After distributing the food, Marta took the Delas coins from her small pouch and placed them into a wooden box tucked in the corner of the room.
The box was their only valuable possession, holding the small savings they had painstakingly collected. Though the amount was modest, they guarded it carefully, hoping to one day use it for something greater.
They had two plans: stay in Somara and repair their shack, or migrate to a neighboring city and try their luck there.
After finishing his portion, Godan sat in the corner of the room, took a deep breath, and rummaged through his sack. He pulled out an old journal with a leather cover that was nearly falling apart.
The dim candlelight in the room cast faint shadows on his face as he opened the book.
"What's that?" Jomie asked, sitting up and moving closer for a better look. "You found it in the piles earlier?"
Godan nodded as he turned to the first page. "It's a journal I found near the old clothing store. Look at this!" He pointed to the handwritten title on the front page: The Secrets and Power of the Water Goddess Stone.
Marta, who had been tidying up the sacks, paused and walked over. "The Water Goddess Stone?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. "Isn't that just a legend?"
"Maybe," Godan replied, flipping through the journal's pages. "But look at this." He showed them several sketches inside.
The drawings depicted a large gemstone, deep blue like the ocean, glowing with radiant light, surrounded by strange symbols.
Jomie tilted his head, trying to make sense of the images. "It looks like… a map? Or maybe a set of clues?"
"I'm not sure. But there's some text here," Godan said, pointing to a section filled with small handwritten notes.
He began reading slowly, translating the words. "This stone, according to legend, can purify polluted water. It can restore life to dying lands."
Marta leaned against the wall, her face showing skepticism. "Godan, this is just a myth. Even if the stone is real, we have no idea where to start looking, or whether this isn't just the ramblings of a crazy person?"
"But what if it's true?" Godan countered, his eyes shining with determination. "Imagine if we could find it. Somara could go back to what it used to be. Our rivers could be clean again. We wouldn't have to fight over clean water every day."
Jomie stared at the journal, his curiosity growing. "So, what's the plan? We don't understand these symbols, and we don't even know where to begin."
Godan sighed, closing the journal and clutching it tightly. "I don't know yet. But this is the first clue we've ever had. I'll try to read more. Maybe we'll find something we can use."
"And if this is all a waste of time?" Marta asked, her tone softer now.
Godan looked at his two friends with a serious expression. "If we don't try, we'll never know. This city needs hope, no matter how small. And I… I want to do something that matters."
For a moment, silence enveloped them. Only the sound of the night wind rustling the cloth-covered walls could be heard.
Marta finally gave a faint smile. "Alright. But we need to be careful. Don't let anyone else know about this. You know how crazy people can get with superstition and myths."
Jomie grinned. "A new adventure? Count me in."
Godan nodded and carefully put the journal back into his sack. Deep down, he knew this journey wouldn't be easy. But in the darkness of Somara City, a glimmer of hope had appeared—and he was determined to follow it as far as he could.