A series of shadow arts depicting a tale of the mysterious golden ticket that grants the bearer a wish humanity yearns for in life . "The golden ticket ... coated in what theoretically to be pure gold , a valuable metal to the society for its usage in currency and economics , carries more value and secrets than gold itself , hidden en plain sight to all but those who possesses them . No conclusive , logical answers was given as to how they had it in their possession in the first place , nor the heart and intention to rid of it . Whenever they fall into a deep slumber , they're struck with an ever growing dizzying , nauseating headache - forcing them to wake up ... only to find themselves in an unfamiliar environment . White like snow all around them stands a single large and heavily ornate , golden door right before them . Human curiosity entices them to open the door to know what's behind it . What welcomed them was a blast of sheer pleasure , happiness and tranquility - they're immediately drawn into it and the door behind them slowly closes . Whatever happens behind the door remains unexplained - no one had any recollection of it , not even a vague flashback , only the feeling of waking up to the real world , totally rejuvenated ... as if they've been reborn again . Such experiences are often dismissed by the public as hallucinations , fairy tales and preachings of an insane man spreading propaganda and chaos - they're ousted out of the society like plague and they're never heard of since ... along with the phenomenon .
But all that changes ... when mankind began pursuing the wealth and value of knowledge . More intellectual and self-aware of the differences between reality and fantasy , their perception evolves overtime , forsaking most superstitious beliefs they've once embraced in their society , replaced with science and mathematics .
In the nineteenth century , the rumor and legend of the fabled golden ticket began re-appearing again . No one would believe it at first but as more and more began experiencing it and began to speak out , it's difficult not to anymore - a spark in curiosity and interest was made . Personal experiences breeds rumors , rumors feeds on human curiosity and speculation - blooming like wildfire , eventually becoming international headlines , more and more experiencing the same thing start coming forth - conspiracy theory and paranoia ensues , a perfect recipe for pandemonium . But even before the inevitable were to begin , the phenomenon stopped - no one had experienced it anymore . It wasn't long before cracks begin developing within their credibility that only grows with the endless supply of false claims and ramblings of the "delirium" , slowly deteriorating in time . The final attempt at a hurrah amidst all of these madness came from a team of firm believers of the phenomenon - the Society of Truquility is born . Established in 1988 , almost a decade after the pandemonium , it dedicated itself in debunking myths and lies and exposing truths and facts behind this phenomenon , they've conducted countless research and surveys , going around the world looking for the 'First Generation' - a group of witnesses who sparked the whole thing to help shed light on this phenomenon once again . Consistent as it was , none had anything that would give them a step forward , all but one person , a retired historian with old documentations of this phenomenon . It became more intriguing to them that this phenomenon , that was once thought as a 'freak occurrence' , has happened before , on and off , for a long time . These old documents they had - accounts of experiences that happened to certain few philosophers who also had similar issues in life and encounter , speaks of :A golden scroll resting on my table ;
Out of place and had no use for me , I tried to dispose of it ;
I ... can't , I just can't ;
Why do I had that need to keep it ?
In a out-of-world experience , I was in heaven ;
Majestic , glorious and well-decorated was the portal that stands before me , things of fairy tale ;
Curiosity made me pry the door open with all my strength ;
Temptation drew me closer to the embrace of 'Breath of the Goddesses' ;
Apparitions that had very pure presence stood alongside the deep red carpet by the doorway ;
Greeting me like royalty ;
Everything starts to fade to white the further I traverse into an unfamiliar territory ;
Only to be woken up , feeling anew , feeling ... young , again .
Such breakthrough reinvigorates back a half-dead motivation ... but it was short-lived . A series of leads that lead to only dead-ends forced the abandonment for more answers , putting the myth to sleep for good once again . But one thing remains ... will the Golden Ticket make its reappearances among the society once again , like it had being doing ... all the while ?"In a black background , voices echoes within alongside sound of feet being dragged on the ground ...*Sound of something thick being closed*
Male voice : Hmm ... I wonder who might the golden ticket reach to next ...
In a rural village situated by a hillside , several hundreds of mud huts and wooden houses of an Oriental-architectural design are concentrated in groups in a sporadic manner , surrounded and divided by palisade walling and fencing . Few dozen nomads are seen outside doing daily chores - herding , farming and drying clothes , to name a few . On one particular hut , a woman was thrown outside to the ground of the hut by an angry guy .Angry man (Furious) : What kind of wife are you !? What's these ? *throws a plate filled with food at her* Pile of dung !? I want it boiled , not FRIED !
He then proceed in delivering several successive big swings across her face that were so strong , her face starts to swell and bloods starts dripping out of her mouth , before finishing it with a stomp to her back . She tried to hold back her tears and screams of pain during his torments with all her will and might but couldn't hold it back completely at the very end of it .Angry man's wife : For-*Cough* ... forgive me . I'll remember *cough* ... to serve it boiled for you ...
Angry man : Are you f***ing kidding me !? I've told you many times already AND YOU STILL DO THIS TO ME ! Are you deaf ? *Raises hand* Do you want me to-
Angry man's wife : *Crawls slowly to the angry man's feet* Please forgive me ! I beg of you , spare me ! Have mercy on me ! I promise I'll do exactly as you said !
Angry man : Tch ! What a waste of energy and now my hand's starting to hurt ! Get out of my way , useless trash ! I have to go somewhere else !
Strutting away to a meeting like a mad bull , leaving his battered and bloodied wife lying on the ground , cursing his way out of the scene . She staggers back on her feet and into her hut to tend to her wounds and get cleaned up before resuming her daily house chores . Sweeping the mess her husband had made and she felt responsible for , a few residents nearby watched her as they have near inaudible conversation among each other .Village man 1 : Again with his antics ...
Village man 2 : Barbaric as ever , the village chief's son , huh ? I wonder if his father did anything to stop all of this ...
Village man 1 : He's no longer the chief , remember ? His son greedily and arrogantly took over the title from him after he stepped down due to old age . You think even if he's still a chief , he'll be able to talk senses to him ? I doubt it ...
Village woman : I feel very sorry for the lady there . The only daughter of a power-crazed , fame-hungry family who is a complete opposite of what we thought ...
Village man 2 : Yeah , I couldn't agree with you more . She helped me with catching several sheep that got away from me in the middle of the rain . I was surprised by her actions and I just couldn't thank her enough for that but what aches me the most is that right after that , her horrible husband came and dragged and kick her back into his hut . All I can hear in there are her screams of pain ...
Village woman : That's horrible ! Why wouldn't she just escape and come to us ? She could've done it now , you know !
Village man 1 : Think of her situation and the current position in all that mess . For a kind and caring person if it weren't for the abuse , you think she could ? You think we're capable of it ?
Village man 2 and village woman (Solemn) : ...
She took a look at them and smiled back at them . They returned it while making a hasty dispersion . She noticed the expression worn on their face , the same expression she had seen all the time , all too familiar to her ever since she was engaged to the man she is a victim to constant and violent domestic abuse ..."Those sad and pitiful stares again ... do they pity me , or do they fear me , I can't tell myself - I can't understand . No , I have to keep a tight mouth and a bounded legs and arms on myself just to avoid anymore trouble . No more trouble , not for my husband , not for my family ... A series of past events from her perspective that starts from when she's at a coming-of-age to the current time .I ... I fear uncertain outcomes for taking steps that are outside of what I've been told and advised on . I just couldn't oppose anything my parents had made me do , say and act , just the same way I just couldn't oppose anything my husband had done for me , be it for the right or for the wrong things ... right ? wrong ? I don't even know what's right or wrong . All I know is that whatever my parents do , say and act on , it's for "my sake" and if it is for me , they're doing the right thing - that's the right thing , right ?
I've been obedient to my parents , willing to offer my life and soul to them - a 'puppet' for them to control , it's all for my sake - the right things to do . They fed me , dressed me , cleansed me , mannered me the way a women would to the society , I am , according to my parents , the 'destined' one - a role model , appease their needs for life for it will bring "happiness" and "prosperity" to me just as much to my parents and to all . This is my fate and I'm being told to not go against it .
What if ... what if I'm right ... am I right that they're wrong ? Are they ? I can't tell , I can't see - everything's so blurry - my head hurts ! No , please don't hurt me ! I'm sorry for questioning you ! I'm sorry !
It's all my fault , ALL MINE !"Flashbacks was interrupted by a loud sound of a breaking pottery in the background . In complete darkness , she was thrown out of the hut by her enraged husband wielding a piece of firewood . One hard swing had been made by the enraged husband , delivering an indirect blow to her back before glancing off , hitting the ground , snapping the wood .Angry man's wife : GAAHHAAHH ~~~ *Wails a loud cry of pain*
Angry man : Such insolence ! You broke my prized vase ! Are you mocking my position now !?
Angry man's wife : N-no ! I ju-
Angry man : SILENCE ! I had enough of your excuses ! I don't want you on my bed from today onward ! Sleep outside , like who you are right now to me !
Angry man's wife : ... yes .
Angry man : *Slams door behind him* F*** , if it weren't for the fact that your parents are close friends to me and of good ranking and wealth , I would've kill you off for that !
Groveling in pain , she gathered whatever belongings he had threw out and struggled her way to a nearest barn in a bone-chilling night to avoid catching cold . Upon reaching in the interior of a barn and sat on a pile of hay , she noticed something golden close to the surface of the pile of hay she's on . She picked it up and stuffed it into her tattered shirt and endured the frost-biting winds and pain for the rest of the night . Still believing that she had crossed their trust and goodwill , regret starts sinking into her mind , slowly converting into fear , permeating into her physical pain , intensifying it . She couldn't hold back the trembles and her will to live on ...Angry man's wife : S-so-sorry ... I'm s-s-sorry ... I'm ... s-so ... orr ...ry ...
Murmuring her final words , her visions became blurrier and darker - she falls into a deep sleep . A boundless darkness that seems to last for eternity , a feint sound can be heard from a distance . She drifted towards the sound , a glint of light , slowly expanding and becoming brighter can be seen - temporarily blinding her . Everything looks white initially , she starts seeing blurry apparition approaching her from a distance . She couldn't make out the apparition but noticed that it's directing her to a door , gesturing her to open it . Upon opening it , she was welcomed with a soothing wind , seemingly pleasant and comforting .By a seaside , sparkling fine sand stretches to an infinite distance along the teal , crystal clear sea . Few palm trees are strewn along the beach with corals , starfishes and few coconut fruits littered on the soft sand .The lady stands in the middle of the scene , adorned in a white dress , looking around aimlessly while a light , soothing breeze blows right at her , fluttering her dress and hair in a pure , delicate manner . A guy from a distance with a vibrant scarlet hair dressed in a black formal suit with a velvet tie and gloves is seen walking towards her .Angry man's wife : Where ... am I ? Where is this place ?
Scarlet-haired man : The place where souls seek temporary asylum from their current life .
Angry man's wife (Nervous): ... w-who are you ?
Scarlet-haired man : You don't need to fear me . I'm here to offer my services .
Angry man's wife : Services ?
Scarlet-haired man : *Sits next to standing angry man's wife* You seek closure to your doubts , hesitations and choices .
Angry man's wife : But ... how ...
Scarlet-haired man : *Gently picks up one of angry man's wife's hand , revealing scars made from the abuse inflicted onto her* Those wounds on your body is telling me that , wounds inflicted by people whom you couldn't go against - someone whom you still hold dear to your heart ... what's left of it .
The wound she had on her made her realized that she's wasn't feeling any pain like like she used to . Along with the fact that the scarlet-haired man knew of her abusive husband shook her in a state of silence and fear , unable to initially believe nor trust him . However , the divine , omnipotent presence emanating from him made her feel at ease and began trusting him enough to be open about her past .Scarlet-haired man : Have a seat with me ... open up to me about your troubles as I ease your burdens , both physically and spiritually .
She sat on the soft sand and began opening up her bottled-up troubles in her life to him . As he caress her arms and back in a gentle manner , she could feel all of the weight from what she felt throughout her life being lifted away and a build-up of warmth slowly filling up the gaps , a sensation so overwhelming , she felt in a state of trance , feeling light and born anew .Angry man's wife : I'm feeling so lost . I don't even know where to go ... what to do ... who to lean on to ... who , what and where's right and wrong ...
Scarlet-haired man : *Points towards a bright star at the horizon beyond the sea* Go towards that star . Make your way there and you'll find your answers .
Sinking to the bottom from the feet up slowly , she makes her way to the star as she increased her pacing at a steady pace . The drowning sensation slowly encased her vision in darkness where from within' , she could hear voices around her . Mustering her willpower to push through the darkness , she regained consciousness in an unfamiliar place .In a large room , she lays in the middle of straw mat flooring , red wood-framed , white plaster-walled room . Next to her , a monk watches over her .Angry man's wife : *Gets up* ... where am I ?
Monk : You're in a monastery located by a snowy hillside , in one of the public sleeping quarters .
Angry man's wife : A monastery ? How did I end up here ?
Monk : We brought you here . We found you in the plains at the base of the hillside not far from here . We were on a routine patrol around the area when we noticed you staggering towards the monastery all wounded , dirty and tattered before fainting . We have tended to your wounds , so you're fine now . May I know how you end up in such a remote area ?
Angry man's wife : ... I don't know myself . I only can recall an overwhelming determination and need to flee from the village I was from , away from all of it . All I can remember is repeating the phrase in my head "go towards the star" ...
The monk walks towards the quarter balcony and gazes towards the sky . She got up and walks towards the monk to see what he's looking at after he hinted her to come .Angry man's wife : Yes , that's the star ... it's right above the monastery ...
Monk : My intuition was right after all ... it reached out for you ...
Angry man's wife : *Stares at the monk momentarily before realizing something* ... I ... I shouldn't be here . I have to go back or my husband would get mad at me if I leave his side again and my family ... my parents , they ... they loved me , all of them ...
Monk : ... alright . But before that , come with me .
Angry man's wife : O ... okay .
He leads her to a large mirror on the other end of the room . In a kind and modest tone , he asked her to stand in front of the mirror and to look at her reflectionMonk : I'm going to ask you this question , is the lady in front of you , all bruised , covered in bloodied bandages and malnourished , a lady who's being loved and cared for by your husband , let alone by your family ?
Angry man's wife : ... I ... I don't know .
Monk : I was in a similar situation like yours . I can't understand why I had so much determination to listen to my own mind to go for the star like you did , but I don't care at time ... I just ran and ran until I fainted right in front of the monastery's main gate .
Angry man's wife : Then , you ...
Monk : Yes , I had a troubled past as well . I'm ousted by my own parents and being left walking on the streets , all the way to the otherside of the world . Then , how it ends is the same way as you . Curious though , do you have a golden ticket with you before you made your way here ?
Angry man's wife : I ... had it , but it's no longer with me . Strange ...
Monk : Don't worry about it . I just needed to know for sure that you were guided by a same , unexplained outside force the way I was before . Just knowing that you had it at one point is more than enough to confirm that .
Angry man's wife : I ... don't understand ...
A series of scenes showcasing the life of the inhabitants of the monastery , mainly comprising of monks doing their daily chores and having some light entertainment and conversation with each other in a happy and content state of mind .Monk : This monastery was built by a group of monks as an answer from the divine to establish a 'sanctuary for people who seeks a new life' . The residents who resides here all were guided by that same unknown force and all of them had troubled past as well , just like you and me . Now like me , we're all monks who had gained a new perspective of life and on a path of enlightenment . Thanks to the unknown force's initial guidance , we're able to start a new life , a life that is free from the past we sought to end it . When that unknown force guided you to this place , you're not wrong to follow it . Those who came here guided by the unknown force are often too lost spiritually and emotionally to fix it by themselves . You're here for a life-changing resolve and we're here to help you with that .
Angry man's wife (Hesitant) : Then , was I right to be ... here ? Do you have the answers to all of my doubts , hesitations and choices , if I was right or wrong about everything ?
Monk : You're right to heed the advice you've gotten to come here . *Picks up the angry man's wife's hand* These wounds are not an act of love . Even the toughest of love would not inflict wounds that will be harmful to your own life . So no , they're not loving you at all , as a doting wife and a daughter to your parents . Finally , you don't have to return back to where you belong anymore fearing that you will get into trouble , hoping that it'll get better sooner or later . Your life's invaluable , it cannot be bought back . If they love and care for you and values your life , care and loyalty , they wouldn't hurt you this much to begin with , right ?
Brought into tears after hearing it out , she can finally rest in peace knowing that she was doing the actual choices , decisions and actions that were genuinely right . She begins carving her path , a new path , the path where she had long believed that it's the right path for her .Monk : By the way , I'm Donnie Zhu . Nice to meet you , miss ...
Angry man's wife : Mu Ying Na ... umm ... Mr. Zhu , I know it's a bit too much to ask after all of this , but could you do me one more favor ?
Donnie Zhu : Sure . What would that be ?
Manga page count : 23
Online proofreading count : 1