The morning sun warmed the sky, painting the land in soft gold. A cool breeze drifted gently through the trees.
Then...
It changed.
Ichiha and Chella had only just begun their journey when they stopped walking. The wind had suddenly shifted direction. The trees that had been swaying east were now bending west. Both of them looked around.
Chella brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. "Did you feel that?"
Ichiha narrowed his eyes. "Yeah... something's wrong. That's not normal."
They continued walking toward the beach behind the academy grounds. The forest around them was thick and alive, or so it seemed. Then something strange happened. Green leaves began falling. Not old leaves. Not dried ones. Fresh, healthy green leaves that should never have fallen this early.
Chella slowed her pace.
"What... why is this happening?"
They watched the leaves drift through the air like snow. Dozens. Then hundreds. Ichiha frowned. He stepped ahead of her and picked up a handful of the fallen leaves. Closing them gently inside his palm, he squeezed before opening his hand again. The leaves crumbled into dust.
Chella's eyes widened.
"That's not supposed to happen."
"No," Ichiha muttered as the dust drifted away with the wind. "Something's wrong."
He looked toward the horizon.
"Something big just happened. An unknown God just used Reality Hypnosis."
The two continued in silence until the forest gradually thinned. A hill stood before them. Beyond it stretched the endless ocean, its surface shimmering beneath the morning sun. Ichiha reached the top first and inhaled deeply. Palm trees lined the shore. Golden sand sparkled beneath the sunlight. Shells reflected brilliant flashes of light.
"Ah... That's refreshing."
Chella hurried up beside him. Her jaw dropped. Her eyes sparkled.
"Wow... It's huge. I've never seen the ocean before."
A smile spread across her face as she stepped closer to the hill's edge, resting both hands on her hips.
"Yeah," Ichiha replied with a small grin. "And they say it never ends. They also say there's a place called the River of Doom."
Chella looked at him curiously.
"What's that?"
As they descended toward the beach, Ichiha answered,
"From what I've heard... it's like a river, only much larger."
She frowned.
"So... it isn't an ocean or a lake?"
"No. There isn't any proper explanation for it. But it's said to rest on top of a mountain... and the water flows upward instead of down."
Chella gasped, placing both hands on her cheeks.
"A river that flows upward?! I want to see that!"
Ichiha laughed.
"So do I. That's exactly where we're going."
A mischievous smile spread across Chella's face. Before he could react, She shoved him.
"Wha—HEY!"
Ichiha lost his footing and rolled down the hill, tumbling over rocks and patches of grass.
"Oof!"
He landed at the bottom and lay there for a moment with his arms spread out. Laughing, Chella stomped lightly. The earth beneath her rose into a smooth, polished slab. She jumped onto it. The stone lifted off the ground and carried her down the hill like a surfboard. She balanced herself with both arms stretched out.
"WOOOH!"
Her joyful scream echoed across the beach. When she reached the bottom, the stone dissolved back into the earth. She walked over to Ichiha, who was brushing dirt from his clothes.
"What a cute fall," she teased.
Ichiha smirked. Then lightly pushed her onto the sand.
"Now we're even."
"Hahaha!"
The two burst into laughter. They ran along the shoreline. The soft sand sank beneath their feet. They chased each other through the surf, splashing seawater back and forth.
Chella lifted small waves with her Divine Energy and tossed them toward Ichiha. He dodged the first. Slipped on the second. And fell laughing. The morning sun cast long shadows across the beach. For a little while... They forgot about the strange wind. They forgot about the falling leaves.
---
At that same moment, far across the coastline, Yamato and his companions arrived at another beach... Another edge of the continent. There was no laughter here. No games.
Yamato stood at the shore with his arms folded, staring across the endless ocean. Behind him, Sora and Lumei sat on the cool sand, catching their breath. There wasn't a single boat in sight.
That part of the continent was still underdeveloped. Only Kehi maintained regular ship routes. The beach was completely empty.
Yamato crouched, resting an elbow on his knee while supporting his chin.
"How are we supposed to get across? I don't know if you two can swim that far."
He glanced toward Sora. An idea struck him.
"Sora's a water user..." he whispered.
He quickly stood and walked over.
"Hey. How do we cross the ocean?"
Lumei leaned back.
"We wait for a boat."
He shrugged. Yamato sighed dramatically.
"If it weren't for all this mystery-solving, I wouldn't have brought you two."
Lumei rolled his eyes.
"Gee. Thanks."
"Boats don't dock here," Yamato replied. "So we need another option."
He pointed directly at Sora.
"We have a water user."
"Oh..."
Lumei finally understood. He turned toward her. Sora blinked.
"What?"
Yamato leaned closer, excitement filling his voice.
"You're not just a water user. You're the Water God's Vessel. Can't you... do something?"
He rubbed the back of his head.
"Damn... Water Arrow already drains her... And now I'm asking for something like this."
His voice became barely more than a mumble. Sora brushed the sand from her leg before standing.
"Well... I honestly don't know what to do. But if you have a plan... I'm all ears."
A grin spread across his face.
"That's what I'm talking about!"
He turned back toward the sea.
"Lumei... It's happening."
Lumei scratched his head.
"What exactly is happening?"
"I don't know yet," Yamato admitted, squinting at the waves. "But I'm trying to think of something that consumes less Magic... sorry, less Divine Energy."
A gentle breeze swept through their hair and clothes. Sora stared across the endless sea. Lumei folded his arms. Yamato remained fixed on the horizon.
Their next obstacle... Was the ocean itself. But with Yamato's near-perfect ability to adapt to his surroundings... He believed they would find a way.
---
Far behind them... Leaves continued falling from the trees. Fresh. Green. Healthy. Yamato understood immediately.
The unfamiliar energy he had sensed earlier... Belonged to a God. And not just any God. A powerful one.
Sora and Lumei noticed the falling leaves as well. Concern flashed across their faces. But neither of them spoke. They knew Yamato well enough. Once he had chosen a path... Nothing else could distract him.
None of the three realized... That beneath the vast ocean stretching before them... Something was already waiting. Watching. Sleeping. For whichever choice they made to cross it.