A small village can be located near the foot of Ursula Mountain. The village has at least seventy families in it, and it relies heavily on fields and the nearby river for food and water. The crops of the village are good and plenty all year round, but once the winter comes the village would need to stock and buy large ratios of food so the whole village could survive through the winter. Merchants would visit the village at least trice a year(Summer, Sring, and Autumn) to buy and exchange herbs and other materials from the village. The denizens of the village are happy and content with the life they live in.

The wind billows unto to the trees as their leaves fall down to the earth, splashes of the nearby river can be heard clearly as the denizens of the village bathe in fresh running water, others are fishing, and others are fetching water for their household. The chirping birds gather on top the branches of the trees. It is a normal and peaceful sunny day, just like always. A young boy with a body similar to that of a teenager can be seen sitting under the shade of the trees. The boy has a bright orange curly and messy hair, with his eyes tightly shut seemingly meditating. But contrary to his appearance, his age speaks wonders as he is only a 10 year old boy.

He sat crossed-legged as he murmurs something to himself akin to that of a chant. He is in a state of trance, his thought has separated to the reality as the runic symbols on his stone necklace glows, but something interrupted his meditation.

[What are you doing little Laile?]

A soft and feminine voice made way to his ears. This made Laile leave the trance state he was in, he quickly open his eyes and got up. His eyes are sharp and glowed with an emerald shine as the rays of the sun reflected upon it.

He turned around to face the unknown voice.

Laile assumed a stance but he soon relaxes as he sees who the person is.

A tall woman appeared in his sight. A beautiful woman with long brown silky hair, dark colored eyes, smooth brownish skin, and a curvy figure. It was his sister Hailey.

[Sister Hailey why do you always do that?]

Laile sighs in his head as his sister would always surprise or interrupt him when he is meditating alone.

[My my… little Laile is getting angry now.]

She said in a playfull tone as she chuckles.

(Well, this is my sister Hailey she is one of the people who took care of me when I was still a child, she is seventeen by the way, and also extremely beautiful as well, she is also one of the girls in the village that is adored by many men.

I've been living peacefully in the village and I live with grandpa Gen and big brother Rei. I also know the fact that I’m adopted, well grandpa told me when I turned five. They said that they found me alone when they are gathering herbs in the Ursula mountain, they said I just appeared out of nowhere, they tried to find my parents but they didn’t see anyone in the mountains, so I don’t know who and where my parents and real family are. The only thing that I have from them is my stone necklace, Grandpa said that it has been with me since they found me. From there on Grandpa Gen, Big brother Rei, Big sister Hailey and the whole village took care of me, and I’m extremely thankful for that.)

[Laile huff you’re here huff huff… ]

A red haired teenage boy arrived at the scene while panting and breathing heavily. It was Rei, he was running around the village trying to find Laile.

[Rei are you fine? catch your breath first]

Hailey attended the sweating boy.

[Yeah I’m fine don’t worry huff..]

Hailey worryingly asks Rei. Then Rei and Hailey's gaze met, they shifted their gaze away from each other then their face blushed at the same time, Laile is blankly staring at the scene in the corner feeling left out.

(So, you know, big brother Rei and big sister Hailey have that kind of relationship. Hahhh I don’t know why but somehow it hurts my eye.)

Stolen story; please report.

*Cough Cough*

Laile did a fake cough to brake the moment between the two.

Laile shook his head. He looked at his big brother, pretending that he saw nothing, he asked.

[So big brother why are you looking for me?]

[Oh yeah yeah, forgot bout that.]

Rei quickly regains his posture and proceeded to his cause.

[Grandpa said that he wants you to go with us in the capital]

[HUH? REALLY??]

Laile's eye sparkled at the news. Never has he been in a city let alone the capital. There are only two places that he has gone to. Their village and the Ursula Mountain Range. That’s why he is very excited to go to the capital. He always thought of how beautiful and marvelous the capital was so he was eager to go now.

[Yeah, quick let’s go to grandpa so we can depart sooner.]

[Okay okay.]

[Later sister Hailey]

[Later Hailey]

They gave their farewell to Hailey as they ran towards the entrance of the village.

A medium size wooden carriage without a roof and packed with baggages is being pulled by a jet black stallion, you could see an old man with white hair and spiky beard, contrary to his age he has a well build body. The old man is sitting in front of the carriage. Then he notices the two boys running towards him.

[[GRANPA]]

The two merrily called out to their grandfather as they rushes besides him.

[Oh Rei, Laile, you’re finally here.]

The old man laughed towards the two and told them to come ride the carriage so they could depart. It would normally take about 4 days to go to the capital by carriage and 10 days by foot from the village. Well, that is if you take the safe road. There are two paths you can take from the village to the capital.

The first one is the route at the foot of the Ursula Mountain this route is much more efficient because you would only need to travel around 4 days in a carriage to reach the capital. But such convenience is accompanied by high risks of death. Yes, its so dangerous that the instant you meet a low class demon beast you are likely to die, the only way to pass through this route is if you are accompanied by 10 apprentice class knights or 3 spellsword class knight. The second route is a much more safer path, It is near the Mystical Cloud Forest, although the Mystical Cloud Forest itself is a dangerous place it is not a home to demon beasts unlike the Ursula Mountain. The forest is covered by a mysterious thick cloud of fog, this fog can mess with people’s sense of direction misleading them inside the forest and making them unable to return from where they came from. Many speculate that Mystical creatures lies in the heart of the forest and controls the fog to capture humans and eat their souls hence it’s name.

[Grandpa what are we going to do in the capital?]

Laile curiously asked. It is his first time going out the village so he can’t hide his excitement.

[Just visiting an old friend of mine.]

Seeing the bright smile of his grandchild, he quietly snickered to himself.

[How is the capital like Grandpa?]

With a spark on his eyes, he asked.

[Well the capital is at the center of Ranella Kingdom and located not far off to Ursula Mountain. Many visits this place, variety of stores and establishments like Restaurants, an Inn, Blacksmith shop, Jewelry store, Beast Hunter’s Guild, Adventurers Guild, and many others are built here. Numerous kinds of attraction can be seen here like Ella’s falls, The Circus, Auction house and many more others. It is specially packed with people when they celebrate the establishment of the kingdom. At this time, the capital is bustling and is decorated with different kinds of ornaments. The kingdom is also hosting a Fighting Competition so many fighters and knights would come and participate. It is also the trading capital of the continent that we reside in.]

Laile's eyes widened to what he just heard. It seems that the capital really is a beautiful and exciting place.

[But what is Ranella Kingdom?]

Gen paused for a while before he continued.

[Ranella is one of the prominent kingdoms in the Arcania Continent besides Edan And Boreas. Well, there are many more kingdoms besides these three but we’ll talk about them more at another time.

Many kinds of people would reside in this place because of the stable work here. Mercenaries, Knights, Adventurers, Traders, And Beast Hunters are mostly the professions of the people here because the salary is much more higher at those jobs than the normal jobs like a Cook, Blacksmith, Tailor, etc. But of course, those jobs contain a certain risk. And the Ranella Kingdom also possessed a magic stone mine in the Ursula mountain where it gets it’s main income.]

[Ohhhh, so what’s the Arcania continent?? And what is Edan and Boreas?? Ohh also what is a magic stone??]

Grandpa Gen is overwhelmed by the barrage of questions Laile asked, he simply scratch his head and think how should he explained it.

Uhmmm... I’ll tell you what those are next time okay?? Right now we are off to the capital.]

He let out an awkward smile.

With that said, Laile shut off his mouth. But he was still eager to go in the capital now.

The capital is bustling with waves of people. Street vendors could be seen near the road. Stores such as restaurants are full to the brim with people.

Somewhere in a dark alleyway of the capital, four mysterious masks shadows conversed with each other while they are waiting for someone. Then a man with a large build and around 2 meters in height emerges from nowhere. The man’s left arm is a bit strange, it seems to be similar to that of a mechanical arm as it releases creaking sounds.

[Leader, the plan is proceeding smoothly.]

The first shadow reported as he bowed to their leader.

[Good Good , we will proceed as ordered.]

The voice of the man is weird and out of norm its deep like a well. The mans voice still creeps the shadows even now, even though they have been with him for quite a while. They can’t do anything as they have received orders form the higher-ups. For now they can only follow the man

[Just monitor the capital and report back if anything occurs. Go!!.]

[Yes.]

The shadows dispersed one by one until the only one left is the man as he stares in the darkness. He whispered something to himself as he grins.

[I will have my hands on you soon.]

[HAHAHAHA.]

The hysterical laugh of the man echoed throughout the darkness. Soon the man also left, and the alleyway was once again silent, like nothing happened.