Prologue

“Happy birthday to you… happy birthday to you…”

The soft, lilting melody of children’s voices filled the room, their faces lit by the flickering glow of a single candle. At the center of it all stood Limstella Andrienne, her eyes wide with excitement as she watched the tiny flame atop her birthday cake. She was seven today, surrounded by her friends—Jayde, Ren, Rex, and other children of their age whose families shared deep ties with her own.

“…Happy birthday, dear Stella… happy birthday to you.”

As the final note faded, Stella leaned forward, closed her eyes tightly, and blew out the candle. The room erupted into applause, her friends cheering as she opened her eyes with a wide, toothy smile.

Jayde was the first to press a gift into her hands, a large, carefully wrapped box that seemed almost too big for her to carry. “Andie! Here’s my present. Open it!” she exclaimed, her face alight with anticipation.

Stella opened the box, revealing a soft white teddy bear, adorned with a pink ribbon neatly tied around its neck. Her eyes sparkled as she pulled it from the box, hugging it tightly.

“Thank you, Jaydie! I love it!” she exclaimed, giving her friend a warm embrace. “I’ll take care of her, I promise.”

Moments later, Ren and Rex stepped forward, each carrying a small package wrapped in shiny paper. “Happy birthday, Ella,” Ren said with a shy grin, his gaze meeting hers as he handed her the gift. “This one’s from both of us.”

Stella’s fingers worked quickly to unwrap the package, revealing a delicate music box adorned with small, shimmering stones. She opened it carefully, and the soft, familiar melody of a song the twins had composed together began to play. Her face lit up with joy, and she threw her arms around both boys, pulling them close.

“Thank you, Ren, Rich. I’ll treasure this forever!” she whispered, her voice brimming with happiness

The two boys grinned back, returning her embrace before pulling apart to bump their fists in celebration. Around them, the room buzzed with laughter and warmth, their friends and family beaming at the sight of the children’s innocent delight.

None of them understood yet what this night would cost.

The fire would be remembered as an ending—because that was the only version anyone was ever allowed to keep.

***

The park was alive with the laughter of children, their voices echoing across the playground. But she sat alone in the sandbox, quietly shaping a small castle with her hands. Her teddy bear lay beside her, watching as she molded towers and walls, lost in her own world. She didn’t mind being alone—not really. The other kids always seemed so far away, their games loud and chaotic. She preferred the peace of the sand, the quiet rhythm of building something all her own.

“Anak?”

She looked up to see her mother, a warm smile on her face, standing just a few feet away. Her voice was soft, gentle, like it always was when she found her here.

“‘Lika na,” her mother said, stretching her arms out. “Uwi na tayo.”

The girl brushed the sand from her hands, carefully lifted her teddy bear, and walked to her mother, her small fingers slipping naturally into the older hand offered to her.

As they started their walk home, her mother’s voice broke the comfortable silence between them. “Darating ang araw, mag-iiba ang lahat sa buhay mo—lahat ng ng nakasanayan mo.” she said, her tone both gentle and serious. “Pero, anak, hindi ka dapat mawala sa gitna nu’n.”

The little girl frowned, trying to understand what her mother meant. She listened carefully, her gaze fixed on her mother’s face.

“Kahit na anong mangyari, dapat manatiling nakatapak sa lupa ang mga paa mo,” her mother continued, her voice calm but full of something important, something the girl didn’t quite understand yet.

Her mother stopped, bending down to meet her eyes. She placed a hand over the little girl’s heart. “Higit sa lahat,” she said softly, “hindi dapat magbago ang laman nito.”

The girl looked at her mother’s hand, then back into her eyes, trying to absorb the meaning of these words. She nodded, though the words felt like a puzzle, like a picture she couldn’t quite see yet.

Her mother’s smile returned, and she took her daughter’s hand once more, leading her down the familiar path toward home. The girl’s mind lingered on her mother’s words, sensing their importance even if she couldn’t fully grasp them.

And as she grew older, those words would often echo in her mind. She began to feel their weight, even if she didn’t fully understand why they mattered so much—until, one day, she would realize that they were not just words of wisdom.