We all settled into the limo, the plush leather seats a stark contrast to the intensity of what we were about to do. The doors closed with a soft thud, and we were off, driving through the city towards whatever Narkul had planned for us next. As soon as we were moving, the tension in the air broke, and the usual back-and-forth between my brothers started up again.

“Alright, so who’s betting I can fry someone with lightning first?” I said, nudging Abel with my elbow. “Because, you know, electricity is kinda the coolest.”

Abel rolled his eyes. “Yeah, because frying people is really what we need to focus on right now, Haru.”

Isak leaned forward, grinning. “I mean, with my light and dark affinity, I could probably blind someone and then punch them out with a shadow fist. Just saying.”

Jiho chuckled, shaking his head. “Or you could trip over your own shadows. That’d be more likely, Isak.”

“Hey!” Isak shot back, pointing at Jiho. “At least I’ve got a natural range. You’re stuck with dark and earth. What’re you gonna do? Grow some evil plants?”

“Don’t underestimate the power of the ground beneath your feet,” Jiho said, smirking. “You’ll see.”

The banter continued as we all imagined what our newfound abilities could be. It was a weird mix of excitement and nerves, and it felt good to let loose a little. I couldn’t help but join in. “Honestly, I’m just waiting for Abel to summon a firestorm. We’ll all be standing there, and boom—he’ll melt the whole battlefield.”

Abel gave a rare smirk. “I’ll aim for not melting us, thanks.”

As the conversation carried on, I glanced at Narkul, who was sitting quietly, watching us with an amused expression. A thought crossed my mind, and I turned to him. “Hey, Narkul, what about you? What kind of affinities do you have?”

Narkul’s expression didn’t change much, but there was a brief pause before he answered. “I don’t have any, Haru. I wasn’t blessed with affinities like the rest of you.”

That threw me for a second. Narkul—this powerful, influential figure—didn’t have magic? “Really?” I asked, my voice a little softer. “That’s... I mean, doesn’t that suck?”

He gave a small shrug, his eyes focused out the window. “At one time, perhaps. But I’ve lived long enough to get over it. Lifetimes ago, in fact.”

I didn’t know how to respond to that. For someone like Narkul, who had clearly built an empire in this world, it must’ve been hard not having magic in a society where affinities were everything. But the way he said it—so calm, so matter-of-fact—it was like he had come to terms with it long ago.

“That’s... that’s tough, man,” I said, trying to sound supportive. “But you’ve done alright for yourself without it.”

Narkul turned to me with a small, knowing smile. “Indeed. Affinities aren’t the only measure of power in this world. You’ll learn that soon enough.”

I sat back in my seat, thinking about that. Narkul had built an empire, influenced people, and become someone important in this world without magic. It made me wonder how much more there was to learn—how much power didn’t come from the elements we were just starting to understand.

The limo continued to move, the soft hum of the engine a background to our conversation. We were all thinking about what was coming next, but for now, it was good to joke around, to talk about what could be.

But even with all the excitement, I couldn’t shake the feeling that this was just the beginning. We’d learned a lot today, but there was so much more we didn’t know yet. About magic, about this world, about our future here. And I had a feeling that whatever came next was going to change everything. Again.

Isak leaned forward with that signature grin of his. "So, Anastasia, what's your power? You know, since we’re all about sharing today."

She didn’t even blink, her face still set in that stoic, professional way. “Fire and Earth.”

Isak nodded, clearly impressed but unable to resist being his usual self. “Wow, so you can make an ashtray and then burn it to the ground. Convenient. Good thing I’m not made of dirt, right?”

There was a moment—just the briefest moment—where I swore I saw the tiniest twitch at the corner of her lips. She was clearly holding it together, but even I could tell she was fighting back a smile.

“I don’t find that amusing,” she said, her tone flat, but the way she was holding herself told me otherwise.

Isak leaned back, grinning wider. “Sure you don’t. But I’ve seen statues laugh harder.”

Abel groaned, but I caught Jiho covering his mouth, trying to hide a laugh. Even I had to admit, for once, Isak’s dumb jokes had hit the mark.

I decided to cut in. “So, Narkul, where exactly are we headed?” I asked, watching as the city’s skyline started to disappear behind us.

Narkul, always composed, looked over at me. “We’re going to the wilderness, outside the city. It’s a safer place to test your abilities without causing... unintentional damage.”

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I glanced out the window, seeing the tall buildings of Sanzu and the Sanzu River shrinking into the distance. The excitement was building up inside me, knowing we were headed somewhere where we could really stretch our legs and figure out what we could do.

Jiho nudged me with his elbow. “Hope you’re ready to go all Emperor Palpatine on us.”

I smirked, looking back at him. “I’ll try not to fry anyone… at least not yet.”

Isak, not one to be left out, leaned over. “And I’ll try not to blind anyone with my radiant charm. No promises though.”

We all laughed, even Abel cracking a small smile, and for a moment, the tension of what we were about to do melted away. But it didn’t last long—soon enough, we’d be facing the full extent of our new reality.

As we followed the winding path of the Sanzu River, it felt like we were stepping out of the familiar and into a completely different world. The cityscape of University City slowly vanished behind us, swallowed up by towering trees and the crisp smell of untouched wilderness. The river itself, which had been a constant presence, snaked through the landscape, glittering under the morning sun, but what really caught my breath was the clearing we had entered.

It was unlike anything I’d ever seen—no picture, no online video could do it justice. The landscape unfolded like a dream: steep, jagged mountains reached toward the sky, their sharp peaks covered in a light dusting of clouds. They rose like giants, ancient and untouched, framed by trees that seemed to go on forever. The dense green forests surrounding the mountains were punctuated by soft bursts of color from the cherry blossom trees in full bloom, their pink petals falling like snow onto the lush, vibrant grass below. It felt surreal, like we had just stumbled into a painting, the kind you only see in high-end galleries.

The Sanzu River, now far wider and more majestic than it had appeared in the city, coursed through the centre of the valley, a liquid mirror reflecting the towering mountains and the pink blossoms. It was the clearest, purest river I had ever laid eyes on—its waters so transparent that you could see the smooth stones lining the riverbed and even fish lazily swimming by. The river seemed to glow with its own soft, ethereal light, as if the water itself carried some sort of magic.

The air was crisp and cool, with a slight breeze that rustled the leaves in the trees and carried the scent of earth and cherry blossoms. The sun, still rising, cast a soft golden hue over everything, making the landscape look even more like a scene out of a storybook. It was breathtaking. The mountains, the trees, the flowers—they all seemed to exist in perfect harmony, untouched by the outside world.

I stood there for a moment, completely taken aback. My mind could barely process the sheer beauty in front of me. This was Sanzu. The island we were now calling home. I'd done enough research before we arrived to know that Sanzu was famous for its vast river, the lifeblood of the land. The island was small compared to some other parts of the world, but not so small that it felt limiting. It had three major cities, with the University City being the largest and most renowned. The island itself, though, was like a puzzle when viewed from above. The Sanzu River made it look fragmented, as if the land was divided into multiple islands, but that was just an illusion created by the sprawling waterways that threaded through it.

I could understand why people from all over the world came to visit this place. It wasn’t just about the cities or the schools. It was the nature, the serene beauty that seemed almost too perfect to be real. No wonder it was a tourist hotspot in the summer. People probably flocked here just to stand in awe of landscapes like this. And now… now it was our reality.

I looked at my brothers, each of them equally stunned by what lay before us. We were all trying to absorb it—the magnitude of it all. In a world filled with strange, magical forces, sometimes the simplest things, like the raw beauty of nature, could still take your breath away.

We drove deeper into the valley, and Narkul pointed out the landscape around us, his voice calm but proud. “This is Ryūmei National Park, one of the most renowned parks in all of Sanzu. The mountains here are the tallest on the island, revered for their beauty and importance. Many come here just to witness it firsthand.”

I couldn’t take my eyes off the peaks. They were massive, jagged spires piercing the sky, with a blanket of dense forests below. Pink cherry blossoms dotted the valley, their vibrant colors standing out against the deep greens of the trees. The Sanzu River cut through the center of the landscape, a crystal-clear stream that looked like it had never been touched by pollution. The air was fresher than anything I’d ever breathed before, and the sound of the river flowing through the park was like a peaceful melody.

As we drove along the makeshift road, I noticed a few travelers on the side. Fishermen, their faces weathered and tanned, stood by the river, casting their lines into the water. There were also a few hikers, clearly older than the students in University City, likely in their thirties or forties. Jiho, ever curious, leaned forward and asked Narkul who they were.

“Most likely locals from either Shingetsu Port in the north or Hikage Port in the south,” Narkul explained. “Or they could be tourists. Both cities are the primary gateways into Sanzu from the outside world. Many come here to experience the island’s natural beauty.”

Shingetsu Port and Hikage Port. I made a mental note of the names. It was interesting to know that while University City felt like its own bubble, there were entire parts of this island we hadn’t even thought about yet. I wondered what life was like in those places.

Eventually, the limo came to a stop at the base of one of the mountains. The door opened, and we all stepped out. The fresh air hit me immediately, crisp and clean. I took a deep breath, letting the scent of pine and earth fill my lungs. The sound of the Sanzu River was close, a steady, calming flow that blended perfectly with the rustling of the trees around us. For a moment, we just stood there, taking it all in.

The scenery was overwhelming. The mountains seemed to stretch forever, their peaks hidden in the clouds. The cherry blossoms were in full bloom, their petals drifting lazily in the wind. The water of the river was so clear I could see straight to the bottom, where smooth stones lay undisturbed. This place was something out of a dream, the kind of spot people would pay fortunes to visit. I couldn’t help but feel like we’d stumbled into paradise.

“We’re not leaving this island anytime soon, are we?” Jiho said, his voice filled with awe.

“Not if we want to see everything,” I replied, my gaze still fixed on the landscape. “I get why people would want to come here in the summer. It’s stunning.”

But before we could get too lost in the beauty of the place, Anastasia snapped us back to reality. “We’re heading into the forest for training,” she said, her tone all business as usual.

We exchanged looks, the word “training” hanging in the air like a dark cloud. I could see the unease on my brothers’ faces. Jiho’s carefree attitude faltered slightly, while Abel, always calm, was now watching the forest with a calculating gaze. Even Isak looked a little more serious than usual.

Narkul must’ve noticed because he quickly reassured us. “This area is cleared of any dangerous creatures. You’re safe here.”

That was a relief, but the mention of dangerous creatures had already stirred our imaginations. As we started walking toward the edge of the forest, our conversation shifted to what kinds of beasts might exist in this world.

“So, what do you think is out there?” Isak asked, grinning, though I could tell he wasn’t entirely joking.

“Monsters, obviously,” Jiho said with a smirk, his excitement returning. “Probably huge, magical beasts that can control the elements or something.”

Abel rolled his eyes, but I could see he was intrigued too. “More likely, there are some kind of dangerous animals—nothing too extreme. Maybe something like wolves or bears.”

“Bears with magic powers?” Isak grinned. “I can handle that.”

“I wouldn’t be surprised if we run into something crazier than that,” Jiho added, his eyes lighting up. “What if there are dragons? I mean, come on, it’s a world with magic. There’s gotta be a dragon somewhere.”

“Let’s hope not,” I said, shaking my head. “I’d prefer to avoid anything that breathes fire, thanks.”

But despite the joking, I couldn’t help but wonder. This world was so different from Earth—who knew what kind of creatures could exist here? We’d already seen demi-humans, elves, and magic. It wasn’t a stretch to think there might be monsters lurking in the wilds too.

“Do you think we’ll ever see any of them?” I asked, glancing at Narkul.

“Perhaps,” Narkul said, his voice calm but firm. “But for now, focus on your training. You’ll need to understand your abilities before you face anything more dangerous.”

That was a fair point. We were still figuring out what we could even do with our affinities. No need to rush into anything too risky just yet.

We continued walking, the beauty of the landscape making it hard to stay worried for long. The towering mountains, the vibrant cherry blossoms, the clear river—everything about this place was magical in its own right. And for the first time, I started to feel like we belonged here. Like maybe, just maybe, we could make this world our home.