Dear Hong Tang Seira, Brave of the Hong Clan,

I know you don’t know me, but I hope that this note finds you well. I cannot disclose much in this letter, but I would be delighted if you could meet me to talk more. I will be waiting for you tomorrow at dusk, at the silver tree in the middle of the forest.

Best,

Aeripha, Saint of Wind and Storms.

Seira put the note back in her pocket, feeling the slight pressure that still emanated from it. She already had it memorized by now, but every few minutes she took it back out, rereading it just to make sure that it was real. Yesterday, it had blown to her in the wind, and despite being just a slip of paper, it had an aura that far surpassed even the strongest mystics she knew.

She couldn’t wait to meet its owner.

Getting assigned a task from the heavens was something straight out of myths and legends, and Seira eagerly awaited the challenge.

She jogged out of the Suns’ district and into the center of the clan, guiding mana through her body in the sharp curves described by the Hong Clan's channeling technique. A slight burning built in her muscles, but she welcomed the discomfort. The Elders said that that was just because she was using a lot more mana than everyone else, as expected of a Brave.

A distant tower glimmered with bright flames, and she grinned. That meant a trial was going on.

In the Hong Clan, it was custom for clansmen to have their mana awakened at birth. As soon as a newborn got their mark, an Elder would use a special technique to channel fire into them, ensuring that all members of the clan safely achieved the First Level of Purification, the bare minimum needed to practice the mystic arts.

She had tried to ask the Elders about the technique countless times, but no matter how much she begged, this was the one thing they wouldn’t budge on. But that was fine, because Kiro had found his own way forwards!

She opened her mana sense, feeling the various sources of fire around her. It permeated everything, gathering in the air, the ground, and even in her. As she got to the tower, though, her eyes widened. From the immense amount of fire mana being channeled, she was pretty sure that baby would grow up to be a top Warrior.

Not a Brave, though. She hardly remembered her own trial, but her mother always told her how her flames had glowed so hot that the entire clan could see. That was usually accompanied by a lecture on how she needed to train harder, or demands as to why she had made the slightest error in her techniques…

Ugh. She shook her head, rubbing a bruise on her neck. Why was she thinking about that now? She should be focusing on how cool it would be to meet a Saint.

Before she knew it, she was at the meeting point. Just like the note had said, a majestic tree with bright silver leaves sprouted out in the distance, dwarfing its neighbors in both height and girth. The brush thinned out as she approached, but as she stepped fully into the clearing, nobody was there.

A faint thump sounded behind her, making her jump. What was that? Was this the Saint? She conjured a brief flash of fire, illuminating her surroundings.

Just a fallen branch. She shook herself — she couldn’t be getting spooked by every little thing. But if that wasn’t the Saint, then where was she?

She took a deep breath. “Aeripha?”

No response.

Well, that was fine. It made sense that Saints were busy. She waited on a toppled log, occasionally illuminating the forest with more fire.

“Is anybody there?”

“Honored Saint?”

The night grew darker and darker, and as the moons of Paradise rose to their place in the sky, doubt started worming its way into her heart.

Was this all some elaborate scheme set up by the Huang Clan to kill her or take her for ransom? It would certainly make sense for their rival clan to try and trick her into giving herself up. But no, as a clan of lightning users they would have had much more direct ways of doing that. Still, she couldn't help but feel a little nervous. It was a good half hour past dusk, and nobody had come. Maybe she should have just —

Another thump, this time accompanied by some pressure. She turned, stalking towards the source with all the grace of a Seventh-Level mystic. Mana concentrated in her palm, ready to form a myriad of techniques at a moment's notice, but then the aura disappeared.

She turned around, eyes darting in every direction. “Hello?”

A twig snapped behind her, and without thinking, she pivoted. A lance of bright orange fire crashed into the foreign figure, and she was so tense she didn't even consider who it was.

Another technique started to flare in her hand, but the next thing she knew, she had collapsed onto her knees.

She couldn’t breathe!

Her body felt a suffocating pressure, as if the very air was trying to restrain her. She sparked her mana, forming a strengthening cloak of fire around her in a desperate attempt to escape the hold, but it was like trying to break the grip of a giant.

Slowly, very slowly, the stranger stepped forward, examining her. Bright silver eyes blinked, and after a moment, the pressure around her released. Instantly, she collapsed onto the forest floor, chest heaving.

The woman reached down to give her a hand, shaking a head of similarly silver hair. “Hello there! I’m very sorry about the aura, I’m not used to being on such a low world yet. Oh, and you must be Hong Tang Seira! It’s a pleasure to meet you."

Seira stayed on the ground, eyes widening in fear. That aura… the pressure she had felt from the slip didn’t even compare to the woman’s actual spirit. And to have such a powerful aura… Had she just attacked the Saint?

Without thinking, she prostrated herself before the woman, quivering in terror. "Honored Saint… p-please forgive this insolent, incompetent mortal. I beseech you, please, please spare my life!"

“What? No, no, that’s not what I was going to do at all.”

She felt a breeze on her face, and then suddenly she was upright once more.

The woman grabbed her hands, concern evident on her face. “And please, none of that formal stuff. I promise I'm not going to hurt you, okay?”

Seira flinched away from her, barely registering the woman's words over her own trembling. “I’m-sorry-I’m-sorry-I’m-sorry-I’m-sorry!”

"No! Seira, it's okay. Really! I'm —"

The woman pulled her into a gentle hug, patting her back.

"It's okay, Seira. I promise. You're such a lovely young woman — why would I want to hurt you? I totally understand why you attacked me. You were spooked, and I’m way later than you expected, right? This must all be so new to you…"

Seira blinked. "You're not going to hurt me?"

The woman smiled. "I give my word as a Saint."

She slowly relaxed. “Well… I’m sorry for overreacting, uh...

The Saint pulled away, slapping herself on the forehead. “Ah, let me introduce myself fully. I am Aeripha, Saint of Wind and Storms, Savior of Din, Caller of Lightning, Tamer of Dragons, and finally awake after a five thousand year slumber. That’s a mouthful, though, so just call me Aer.”

The corners of Seira’s mouth twitched, and she let out a small giggle. “Yeah, that is a mouthful, huh? So why did you want to talk to me? Is there some will of the heavens I must fulfill or a sacred treasure I need to find?”

Aer grinned. “I’m looking for apprentices.”

Seira’s jaw dropped. She was already having a hard time believing that a Saint had descended from the heavens just for her, but to take her on as apprentice? That was something that didn’t even happen in the legends. This had to be a dream, right?

“U-um honored Saint, uh, why would you choose me? Yes, I’m a Brave, but —”

The woman shushed her. “Don’t worry, Seira. I’ve been watching you for a few years now, and I like what I see. Come with me, and you’ll be able to grow to your full potential, far beyond this little pen of a world.”

“I — uh, I’m honored to serve you.”

She pinched herself, still trying to figure out if she was dreaming. Her? A Saint’s apprentice? But this woman seemed nice enough. Maybe she really was looking for disciples. Still...

“Not to doubt you, honored Saint, but where else would we go? The rest of the world is sea. The Hong and Huang are the only civilizations on Paradise.”

Aer nodded, reaching into the bag at her side. “You’re not wrong, not at all.”

Her voice grew hushed, and she pulled out a carved piece of jade. “But before I can explain where we’re going to go, I need to show you the truth behind your clans…”