Simon spent the entire night struggling to sleep. It was a mix of pure excitement and the thunderous snoring coming from Kai on the next bed. A small, nagging fear kept him awake, the thought that the bar, the docks, this magnificent ship, and the bioluminescent sea creatures might all just be a vivid dream. He was terrified that if he closed his eyes, he'd wake up back in his old, ordinary life. However, exhaustion eventually took over, and without even realizing it, he drifted into a deep, heavy slumber.
When morning came, Simon's eyes snapped open. The sight that greeted him was his cramped attic room back at the orphanage. Panic surged through him as he bolted upright, scanning his surroundings only to see the same old, decaying walls of his previous life. His heart did a somersault. Was it all just a dream? Had the magic been a cruel trick of his mind?
Simon felt as if his entire world had just collapsed. The familiar scent of dust and mildew in the cramped attic, along with the low-hanging ceiling, seemed to mock him. Had the sea monsters he'd seen last night, Kai's vibrant red hair, and the sharp glint of Jack's glasses all just drifted away into nothingness?
"No... it can't be..."
Like someone waking from a nightmare, he reached out with trembling hands to feel his surroundings. His fingers brushed against only the cold, tattered blanket of the orphanage. He searched for the Bleach manga Kai had lent him, but his hands found nothing. Tears streamed uncontrollably down Simon's face. Could it be that everything he had believed—the first true friend he thought he'd finally found, the hope of uncovering his family's secrets was all just a figment of his imagination?
Suddenly, the harsh voice of Mrs. Grabby shouting for everyone to wake up echoed from behind the door, making the reality of the situation feel painfully real. Everything was too vivid, too familiar. But just as Simon was about to stand up, he felt a firm grip on his arm.
"Simon! Simon!"
It wasn't Mrs. Grabby's voice. It was a voice he knew well—Kai's. When Simon's eyes finally snapped open, he found Kai hovering over him. He looked like he had been in the middle of his morning routine; he was still holding a toothbrush, and white toothpaste foam was smeared around his mouth.
"You were crying in your sleep... are you okay?" Kai asked, his eyes filled with genuine concern.
Simon stared at Kai and then frantically scanned the room. It was their cabin on the ship, not the attic at the orphanage. Everything felt tangibly real, yet because the dream had felt just as vivid, he couldn't help but ask for confirmation once more.
"This is... this is real, right?"
"Yes, it's real. You want to punch me to find out?" Kai teased, his mouth still foamy with toothpaste.
"No... I believe you," Simon replied, letting out a long, heavy sigh of relief. The crushing weight on his chest finally lifted as he watched his goofy friend, feeling a wave of peace wash over him.
They made their way into the hall, where breakfast was already in full swing. Jack didn't cast so much as a glance in their direction, occupied with eating alongside his cousins. It seemed that now that he had no more information to impart, he felt no need to even offer a greeting.
"Look at Mr. Jerk over there," Kai whispered, leaning in toward Simon. "Now that he's done playing teacher, he won't even look our way."
Simon glanced over at Jack's table. "Well, he did tell us all about the ship when we were clueless. Maybe he's just an introvert..."
"Hmph," Kai grunted, clearly unconvinced.
"We've reached Kolavanti Island!" At the sound of a boy's excited shout, Simon and Kai exchanged a quick glance and bolted from their seats, racing toward the deck. Jack, however, maintained his composure, walking through the swarm of running children with a calm, adult-like demeanor.
When they reached the deck, they gripped the railing and stared out into the mist-covered sea. Their destination was so shrouded in fog that they couldn't see anything clearly at first. Simon peered intently into the haze, his eyes searching for any sign of land. As they drifted closer, the mist finally began to peel away, revealing the sight they had all been waiting for.
Kolavanti Island.
The island was shaped like the head of a massive hawk emerging from the depths of the ocean. At its highest peak sat a majestic white castle, from which a cascade of colorful buildings descended toward the shoreline in a staircase-like formation. Although it was surrounded by water, it felt more like a towering mountain than a mere island, with lush, emerald greenery enveloping the structures in a vibrant embrace.
Simon stared, utterly mesmerized. His breath caught in his throat as he took in the sheer scale and beauty of the place. To him, it wasn't just an island; it was like a living painting, a world of color and wonder that far surpassed anything he had ever imagined in his lonely attic room. For the first time, the "magic" felt truly real, and he felt a surging sense of belonging as he realized this was the world he was meant to explore.
The ship gradually pulled into the harbor. As they drew closer, they could see various other vessels and even small canoes from the deck. The ship came to a halt, its sails furling themselves automatically as the anchor was dropped. A large gangway extended from the side, touching the island's ground and transforming into a staircase.
Before the students could disembark, the voice they had grown accustomed to hearing from the bell, the voice of Lady Morotha boomed through the ship's speakers.
"The ship departs at 11 sharp! I will wait for no one who is late!"
Kai checked his cartoon-themed wristwatch. It was 8:30 AM.
"Eight-thirty. We've got plenty of time," he said confidently.
Simon nodded in agreement. The two of them sprinted back to their cabin to grab their money. Kai buckled his fanny pack securely around his waist, while Simon carefully tightened the drawstring on the pouch of money Mr. Grabby had given him before tucking it deep into his trouser pocket.
As they disembarked and entered the marketplace, Kai nearly had a heart attack from the very first thing he saw. Standing only about as high as his knees were small, ugly creatures with a single eye, bloated bellies, and vibrant purple skin.
"What's that?" Kai asked, gripping Simon's arm so hard it left a mark. Simon, his own eyes wide with shock, could only shake his head in silence.
It wasn't just those little creatures; the market was teeming with more than just humans. Magical beings moved about just like ordinary people—stocky dwarves, towering orcs, and gnarled little goblins were everywhere.
"Wow..." Simon breathed out.
"Wicked," Kai added, his fear quickly being replaced by pure, unadulterated excitement.
"Kai, where are we supposed to exchange our money?" Simon asked.
"I have no idea," Kai replied, his neck craned back as he stared up at a towering Orc whose thigh was as thick as Kai's entire torso. He finally looked back at Simon. "I guess we'll have to ask someone."
Simon nodded, but then his eyes caught a small, solitary stall tucked away from the crowd. It looked remarkably like an ice cream stand you'd find at an amusement park, but the sign displayed a different name: "Mr. Ox's Maps of Kolavanti." Below the name, a catchy motto was written:
Don't want to get lost? Just grab one of Mr. Ox's maps!
"Kai, let's go check out that map shop."
"Uh... sure."
They walked over to the quiet stall. Looking inside, they saw a man sitting there, his entire face hidden behind a newspaper. However, Simon noticed tips of two horns peeking out from the top.
"Umm... we'd like to buy a map, please."
As soon as Simon spoke, the man lowered his paper. Both Simon and Kai stared in disbelief at what they saw. True to his name, "Ox" literally had the head of an ox. Yet, he was wearing a pair of spectacles, and his burly body was clad in a red striped shirt tucked into denim jeans.
Closing his newspaper, he stood up and pulled open a drawer, retrieving a map. His expression was grim and somewhat intimidating, but the map in his hand was surprisingly delicate, made of soft paper and tinted a gentle shade of pink.
"Two Sevan discs," he croaked out.
Kai and Simon exchanged a confused look. Finally, Kai spoke up.
"We don't have any of those discs yet. Could we just pay with regular money instead?"
Mr. Ox's eyes narrowed as he scrutinized them.
"New-Bloods?"
"Huh?" they both blurted out in unison, completely lost. Mr. Ox let out a heavy sigh, looking a bit more sympathetic.
"You're from the Ordinary world outside of this realm, aren't you? This is your first time here."
The two boys nodded quickly.
"Just take it. It's free," Mr. Ox said bluntly. Without waiting for a thank you, he turned his back on them and headed back to his chair. The two boys exchanged another glance. Simon looked at Mr. Ox, who was already buried behind his newspaper again.
"Thank you so much," Simon said. Kai chimed in with a quick thank you before they both hurried away from the stall. Since the map was a delicate shade of pink, Kai couldn't resist taking a sniff—it smelled faintly of strawberries.
"Simon, do you think guys who are big and scary-looking usually like soft stuff like this?" Kai asked, genuinely curious. Simon took the map, unfolding it with a small smile.
"Everyone has their own preferences, Kai. You shouldn't judge what someone likes just by how they look."
When they unfolded the map, a small red dot appeared, marking their exact location.
"So, if we're here... where is the exchange center?" Simon muttered to himself. As soon as the words left his lips, a voice suddenly drifted up from the map.
"Proceed straight ahead."
Their eyes went wide, and they stared at each other in shock. Then, a massive grin spread across Kai's face.
"Wicked! It's like a paper GPS. I'm gonna call you 'Pinkie'!"
Simon couldn't help but beam, his teeth showing in a wide smile. "Come on, Kai... let's move."
They followed Pinkie's directions, navigating through the bustling crowd. Along the way, they passed stalls selling items that defied all logic. There were soap bubbles tethered together like balloons that refused to pop, and trays filled with shimmering, wobbly neon-green jellies. They even saw tiny birds cloaked in harmless, flickering flames being sold as pets. Every few steps, Simon found something new to marvel at, his head spinning from the sheer wonder of it all.
Pinkie gave the final direction: "Turn right. You have arrived at your destination: The Exchange Center, also known as the Bank of Kolavanti."
They were greeted by a long, windowless building that looked more like a massive wall hugging the street. However, there was a single door. They approached it, pulled the heavy iron ring handle, and stepped inside into a whirlwind of noise.
Dwarves dressed in sharp Western suits were scurrying everywhere. The ceiling was incredibly high, and when they looked up, they saw a labyrinth of staircases intertwining and stretching in every direction. As they stood there taking it all in, a dwarf woman with a full beard but wearing a flowy gown approached them with a warm smile.
"How can I help you, boys?" she asked.
"We'd like to exchange some money," Simon replied.
"Oh! In that case, follow me, please."
They followed the dwarf woman up the dark wooden stairs, leaving the cool white marble floors behind. Once they reached the top, they turned left onto a long, balcony-like corridor. To their left was a railing overlooking the bustling hall below, while the right side was lined with several doors. They eventually stopped in front of a room marked: Currency Exchange Department
The woman swung the door open for them, revealing a small group of children already waiting in line.
"Go ahead and join the queue," she said with a nod.
Simon and Kai thanked her and took their places at the back of the line, waiting for their turn to step into the world of magical finance.
The dwarf sitting behind the high desk had a stern face and a thick, bushy beard. He weighed the cash on a pair of silver scales before tapping away at a mechanical device that clicked and clattered. Then, he reached for a long silver cord hanging beside him and gave it a firm tug. Suddenly, a small hatch in the ceiling opened, and a little pouch dropped down, landing on the desk with a soft thud. The dwarf handed the pouch to the boy in front of them, who hurried off with his new collection of glass discs.
Finally, it was their turn. When Kai stepped up to the counter, he unbuckled his fanny pack and placed it onto the desk with a look of eager anticipation.
The dwarf placed Kai's bag onto the scales and proceeded with the usual routine. When he pulled the cord, a noticeably heavy pouch dropped down with a solid thud. He handed it over to Kai, who could immediately tell by the weight that it was filled with a good number of discs.
"Oh, if you don't mind... could I have my bag back?" Kai asked boldly.
The dwarf scowled but remained silent. He unzipped the fanny pack, dumped the British pounds into a large pneumatic tube nearby, and tossed the empty bag back to its owner.
"Thanks!" Kai said with a cheeky grin as he reclaimed his pack.
When it was Simon's turn, he pulled the small pouch from his pocket and placed it on the counter. The pouch was so tiny that the dwarf raised an eyebrow in surprise, but he remained silent as he weighed it and typed into his machine. He pulled the silver cord, and a small, light pouch dropped down.
As the dwarf handed it over, Simon felt its weight or rather, the lack of it. It was clear there weren't many discs inside. Compared to Kai's heavy bag, it was a world of difference, but Simon felt a wave of gratitude toward Mr. Grabby just for giving him anything at all to exchange.
Once they stepped outside, they opened their pouches to inspect their new currency. They were coin-sized glass discs, just like the ones they had seen at the bar. They were perfectly translucent—Simon could see his own palm through the glass, and the word 'Sevan' was etched deep inside the core in a vibrant deep purple.
"This is freaking cool!" Kai exclaimed, holding a disc up against the sunlight and squinting through it with one eye.
"Yeah, let's go get what we need," Simon said, and Kai nodded in eager agreement.
With Pinkie's voice guiding the way, they stepped out into the marketplace with newfound confidence.
The once-intimidating crowd of towering orcs and bustling dwarves now felt like the backdrop of an grand adventure. Clutching their pouches of shimmering Sevan discs, the two boys began their shopping spree, ready to see what treasures the magical stalls of Kolavanti had in store for them.