It was the last day of high school on a distant, forested island. Chimes drifted through the air, rattling softly as a cool breeze passed through the midday sun. Ember ran down the hallway as fast as she could, never slowing, never looking back. She was following blue-lit flames—flames only she could see.
No one knew about them except her best friend, Kamy.
Kamy knew Ember had been adopted at birth, raised by two adults who were unable to conceive and had pretended she was their biological child. She also knew Ember carried the lineage of the Whisperers—those born with powers that opposed the World Authority. If Ember followed the flames, they would lead her toward fortune… or at least survival.
"I can't believe Kamy would let that information out!" Ember cried as she sprinted down the halls.
The World Knights had recently received word that rumors of a Whisperer descendant were spreading on the island of Unip. Weeks earlier, during history class, Kamy had slipped and spoken Ember's name. She caught herself quickly, convinced no one had noticed—but the teacher had squinted from across the room, sensing that something was wrong.
As Ember followed the flames, she burst into an empty classroom and leapt through an open window. It was only one story high, but she didn't hesitate. She hit the ground perfectly and kept running. Behind her, Pegasuses galloped across the stone paths, their wings beating thunderously as the Knights closed in.
They cornered her at the island's edge.
Thick fog swallowed everything beyond the cliff, making it impossible to tell whether water—or a deadly drop—waited below. Travel between islands was only possible by Pegasus, airboat, or sky whale.
"You've got to be kidding me," Ember muttered as the flames urged her forward—straight into the fog.
She trusted them. She bolted.
Then, just before she reached the edge, the flames vanished.
"Halt!" one of the Knights commanded. "By order of the World Authority, you are charged with opposing the world itself. You will be arrested and face trial for the sin that flows through your veins. Resist, and my sprite and I will end your life here and now."
Long ago, mythical creatures had come into existence. No one knew how or why, only that it coincided with the moment the world became shrouded in fog and clouds. Rumor spoke of an Original Fairy—one who, when the world neared destruction, created these beings to preserve life.
These creatures could be bonded through trust, granting extraordinary power to both sides.
Sprites were transparent and colorful, bestowing elemental abilities.
Fairies resembled glowing butterflies, patterned with light, granting a person their most deeply desired power.
Pixies were darker reflections of fairies, born once a fairy trust pact was formed, capable of countering the power originally given.
Ember's confusion deepened as the flames returned—this time urging her to surrender.
I have no choice, she thought.
The Knight smirked. He wanted her dead, but with so many Knights present, protocol bound his hand.
"Emergency. Emergency."
The voice crackled from a shell communicator in the Knight's grip.
"Immediate orders. A noble family's child who escaped years ago has been sighted entering the forests of Unip. All units are to retrieve the boy alive at all costs—even at the risk of your lives."
The Knight sneered. "Looks like your execution's been delayed."
Ember was thrown into a metal cage, which was then lifted by a white Pegasus. They flew toward the forest—the heart of Unip's survival. The towering trees rose over a hundred feet tall, their dense canopies blocking out nearly all light. Knights with sprites illuminated the darkness using glowing magic as they searched the undergrowth.
Then Ember saw him.
A man stood in the distance, his teal hair catching the light.
"I've told you already," the young man said, smiling with reckless confidence. "I have no memory of my past, and I don't care what family you think I belong to. I'm just an adventurer who wants to explore this world."
"I've never seen him on this island before," Ember whispered to herself. "And adventurers never come here—there's nothing but wood production."
Her cheeks warmed despite herself. His hair was perfectly swept to the side, his smile effortless, his confidence magnetic, his jawline sharp and strong.
Then, in a single blur of motion, the man struck one of the Knights—dropping him instantly.
"There's no way," Ember thought, her heart racing. "No normal man that young could take out a World Knight…"
How is he so strong?