From The Heart

The rhythmic scrape of Azurine's carving tool echoed softly in the dimly lit corner of her quarters. The faint glow of the embedded life crystals in the metal beads cast an ethereal shimmer on her workbench. Her amethyst eyes narrowed in focus as she delicately etched the intricate patterns into the small bead cradled in her hand. Each movement was careful, deliberate—there was no room for error when dealing with something this personal.

The bead she worked on was smooth under her fingers, its surface carefully shaped to hold the crystal snugly at its center. She’d spent weeks gathering materials, hunting down the rare life crystals that made each sigil bead special. Each one would hum faintly with the presence of its intended recipient—personal, meaningful. But it wasn’t just about the materials. Each bead carried something deeper: time, thought, and care.

Azzie had planned for each design to reflect the essence of the person it was meant for—symbols etched into the surface, whites and shimmering opaque colors painted into the metal grain. The shapes were tailored to their personality with Iridonian patterning and an inclusion of a very specific rune she had found in the books she read about them. This one, for example, had to evoke strength and patience. Something steady, dependable. By the time this final bead was done, her muscles ached, and her eyes felt heavy, but a sense of satisfaction filled her. She tilted her head, assessing her work.

It had been so difficult to coordinate a moment when everyone she cared about would be in the same place at the same time. She had tried—reaching out, planning, hoping—but something always came up. A mission here, an emergency there. Such was life in the galaxy, chaotic and unpredictable. So, she’d decided to send them out instead. It wasn’t ideal; she loved seeing faces light up in real time. But at least this way, each bead would find its way to its owner, even if she couldn’t be there to place it in their hands.

Gathering the beads carefully, Azzie tied each of them to a bit of leather string (how they decided to wear them would be their decision and could easily be used as jewelry, hair accessories, or just charms) and placed them into small pouches. Each one marked with the recipient’s name. She held one pouch for a moment longer than the others, her thumb brushing over the soft fabric.

"Happy Life Day," she whispered, her voice soft and warm. "I hope these remind you that you’re never really alone, and there's always a bit of hope in the dark times."