Griffin the frog told William, "I think you should have another fighter. That might make it easier to deal with that drone fighter." He then used the computer map to point William to a refitting factory where Rebecca could be fitted with plasma cannons and laser missiles. "However, you will need to pass through two other places before you go to the refitting factory, for you will get something."

"Oh? What would that be?" Ranran asked curiously.

"It wouldn't be interesting if I told you now. Only when you find it out for yourself will you regard it interesting." The frog smiled mysteriously.

The party was a little tired, but when they knew that they were going to get something, they did not want to rest. So they quickly swallowed a few sleep capsules and continued on their way. William had no time to look at the scene around him, nor would he, for he knew that the longer he looked, the more frightened he became, especially when he looked at those dreadful woods.

At last they stopped in front of a huge skeleton, a little frightened. Surprisingly, the compass did not warn them of the danger. "Why is that?" William thought doubtfully. He did not see a skeleton coming toward him.

"Aargh!" Screamed Ranran, frightened.

Yet the compass still did not warn them.

The skeleton smiled a little, trying to make him look as friendly as possible. After a few seconds' silence, he said, "Hello, friends. Come in; it's safe here."

The party did not dare to let down their guard, but they had no choice but to enter the skeleton. So William clenched his laser gun.

The skeleton flipped a switch and the lights around it glowed a warm yellowish glow. Then they could see that there were all kinds of organs everywhere: melodicas, accordions, and mini-organs. In one corner stood a tall wooden cabinet, in which were some spare parts, such as keys, bellows, and so on. In addition, from a small speaker came the pleasant sounds of an organ. It was like a cup of mellow wine, making everyone intoxicated. It turned out that it wasn't scary at all here.

But even so, William couldn't understand why the skeleton had designed the outside of the room in the shape of a skeleton. So the skeleton replied,

"It all starts with why I became an organist.

"I love mechanics quite much, and so does my son. It's just that I'm good at the organ and he's extremely good at clocks and watches. The saying 'Like father, like son' is perfectly true for both of us.

"I decided very early on to be a good organist. In order to fulfill my dream, I traveled to the other side of the planet and found a conservatory of music. There I met the greatest teacher of my life, Mr Handel. He was very fond of music and very strict, but he was also a quite kind music teacher. I remember when I was first learning the organ he asked me to play a note 100 times until he was satisfied. I didn't show it, but I knew he could tell that I was impatient. Then he came to me afterward and explained why he was so strict with me. His words are still etched in my mind.

" 'With a rock-solid foundation, you can soar into the sky that seems unreachable. But if you feel tired, rest immediately and don't think about practice. If there is anything, please let me know at once.'

"Also, upon graduation I was required to submit an original work of unlimited length. As I had never composed music before, I found the task so difficult that I had no mood to eat for days on end. When Mr Handel heard about it, he made one of my favourite dishes himself and delivered it at night to my house that is here. In addition to the dish, he gave me a notebook in which he wrote some hints about the styles of music, the harmonies of the pitches and some common techniques. Finally, I submitted a piece of music according to his tips, but to my surprise, this piece of music was unanimously praised by many teachers in the conservatory. Really, everything he did to me made me really like him. Being able to meet a teacher like him is the happiest thing in my life."

William and his party listened to him carefully. "I wish I had such a teacher." William thought.

"You must be a master with such a teacher teaching you." Ranran said with admiration.

"Oh, I really don't deserve this. You must have heard that piece of music on the speaker just now. I played it when I was at my worst. I hope it's not polluting your ears."

"Don't say that, Sir. We do think it is very beautiful, and we admire your skill." Photon said.

"But you don't seem to have told us why skeletons play organs." Said Rebecca.

"Oh, sorry, I forgot to tell you. Later, unfortunately, I died in a car accident. My son was so sorrowful that at one point he even thought about going to heaven with me. But when he heard about a technology that could 'restore the dead', he began to learn more about it. He later discovered that it was a matter of replacing a man with a robot, but you could choose the shape of the robot. It would ease my son's sorrow, so he chose this way to soothe his aching heart. So I'm actually a robot, and what I remember now is from when I was alive. If I want to play as well as I did in life, I have to let these programs control the bones. So that piece is very precious to my son because I played it when I was alive."

William understood. "No wonder the compass didn't warn us," He said to himself.

"It's amazing. I would have thought I was dreaming if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes." Ranran smiled, "I have to say this technology is really good, but it can't fully make up for the loss of a loved one."

"Yes," Said the skeleton, "my son still grieves when he thinks of me, but not so obviously. To tell you the truth, I'm a little sorry for him. If I hadn't been in that car, I'd still be able to lead a normal life with him..."

"Please don't blame yourself, Sir. Let bygones be bygones. There's nothing we can do. However, it also proves that the technique of 'restoring the dead' is very powerful. It's a blessing in disguise, and maybe it's the best thing that can happen." Aria comforted him.

The skeleton's mood calmed down a lot. "You're the only alien friends I've seen this year." He said, "And no alien has ever known of my existence before. And you guys are really really considerate. Therefore, I feel it necessary to present you with a gift to commemorate your visit."

William was still trying to decline, but the skeleton already took out the gift. He explained, "This is a kit full of all the parts and instructions needed to assemble a mini-organ. I've tested it before, so I guarantee you'll be able to put it together and enjoy its near-perfect sound."

Natalie watched carefully. Inside, the black and white keys seemed to glow in the warm light. At the same time, the sound of a real mini-organ was ringing in her ears.

"Wow, that's amazing." She said.

"It's because the kit contains a mind detector." Explained the skeleton, "It can know when you want to listen to music and play it for you right away. You can choose the style you like and it will play that style to you in preference."

William's last encounter with the mind detector was when they met the star angel. He even began to like the idea of a device that could tell what a person was thinking. "If I can, I must take one back and show it to the earthmen. We haven't invented it yet, but I'm sure we'll love it." He thought.

"I do wish you would come often, but you have to go back to your own planet." Said the skeleton, a little sadly, "If you ever get a chance, you can always visit. I won't keep you on your way. Next time you're here, I'll play you a piece of music live."

"Well, we're looking forward to your performance!" Ranran bowed and said.

They walked out of the room. The air was still almost frozen, and the cries of the crows were still clear. However, the organ sounded in all their ears, yet they did not want to hear it now.

William was puzzled. Before he could think it over, a note fell on his head. He took it down and read the writing,

As long as you do not lose hope, you will hear that sound. I hope it will cheer you up.

Come on! Victory is at hand!

Anonymous

"It is strange. I've seen countless anonymous notes. Do they come from the same person or different people? Who will all they be? Why do they all know me?" A series of questions floated through his mind.

"Well, this is not a good time to think about it." As he thought, he heard the organ again. For once, he felt no fear at all. In fact, it was the skeleton organist playing in the room. Right now, he was playing for his alien friends as he watched them.

"I've changed my mind. I'm going to play now." He thought, "I'll encourage them with notes that infuse my own emotions. I will use my meager power to let them overcome the unknown difficulties and obstacles on the road ahead, so that they would embrace victory."