"Hey, Zi!"
Ken's cheerful voice cut through the bustling schoolyard.
"Yup! Why?" Zi replied, curiosity lighting his eyes.
"Doing something after school?" Ken asked. "Wanna come with us?"
Zi grinned, shrugging. "Sure, why not? Don't know what you're up to this time, but I guess it'll be fun."
Dan, who had been quietly packing his things, perked up. "I'm coming too, right?"
"Of course," Ken said. "The more, the merrier."
As soon as the bell rang, signaling the end of classes, the three friends bolted out of the classroom. Their laughter echoed through the hallways as they ran, skipping past other students still lingering in the corridors.
"You sure you're coming, Zi?" Ken called over his shoulder as they raced toward the village outskirts.
"Why not?" Zi replied, his voice full of excitement.
As they ran along the dusty path, they talked and joked about school, their friends, and the strange dreams that sometimes haunted Zi. Then Ken finally revealed their plan.
"We're heading to the river. Gonna fish, maybe swim a little," he said, his eyes sparkling with mischief.
Zi's grin widened. "Sounds perfect. I haven't done that in a while."
By the time they reached the river, the sun had begun its descent, painting the sky in warm hues of orange and gold.
The boys kicked off their shoes and waded into the cool, clear water. Fish darted between the rocks and reeds, and they laughed as Dan tried, unsuccessfully, to catch one with his bare hands.
Ken found a quiet spot along the bank and cast his line, while Zi and Dan splashed in the shallows, racing each other to a fallen tree trunk in the middle of the river.
Hours passed like this—carefree and bright, filled with laughter and playful teasing. They talked about everything and nothing, their voices blending with the gentle sounds of the river and rustling leaves.
As darkness crept in, Dan's voice cut through the air. "Uh… shouldn't we head home now? We'll be scolded if we stay out too late."
Ken shook his head, a mischievous smile curling on his lips. "Nah, we can stay a little longer. There's that empty house nearby. We can sleep there tonight. It's the weekend tomorrow anyways."
Zi hesitated, then shrugged. "Yeah… why not? Sounds like an adventure."
Dan sighed but nodded in agreement. "Fine… but I'm not falling asleep first."
The three friends made their way to the old abandoned house, settling in for the night, the sounds of the river slowly fading into the darkness.
That night, Zi's dreams returned—but darker, more vivid than ever.
He found himself on a battlefield that stretched endlessly, drenched in blood. Millions upon millions of bodies lay scattered across the ground—humans, elves, orcs, and other unknown species. The air was thick with smoke, the stench of death hanging heavy.
Above the carnage, a figure floated in the sky, radiant in white. Her aura shone like sunlight through storm clouds. The human princess.
Below her, three leaders surveyed the scene: the Orc Lord, his ally—the elf leader—and a human covered in blood.
The princess raised her hands, glowing magic cascading from the sky to the ground. Light poured over the fallen, restoring the dead and healing the wounded.
Her voice rang out, soft yet cutting, echoing across the battlefield:
"Why can't any of you… just look around? See what you've done… just for a moment… just look."
The human prince shouted in desperation, "No! Don't do it!"
"Nooo! Please don't do it!" Zi cried out suddenly, his voice raw with emotion.
"Zi! Zi! Zi!"
Ken and Dan shook him violently, their voices panicked.
"Wake up! You're shouting like you're possessed or something!" Ken yelled.
Zi's eyes snapped open. Sunlight peeked through the cracked windows of the abandoned house. His body was trembling, his chest rising and falling rapidly.
He sat up slowly, still dazed. "I… I don't know… I was just dreaming…" he murmured, his voice distant.
Dan placed a hand on his shoulder, concern etched across his face. "Come on, Zi… let's get going. You don't look so good."
Zi nodded faintly, rubbing his eyes, still shaken. The images of the battlefield and the princess's magic lingered in his mind, fading slowly but refusing to leave completely.
The three of them gathered their things and stepped out into the fresh morning air. The sun had fully risen now, casting golden light across the village. Birds chirped, smoke drifted from chimneys, and the world seemed calm once more.
Yet Zi couldn't shake the feeling that what he had seen in his dream… was more than just a vision.
As they walked home, Dan and Ken chatted casually, unaware of the thoughts racing through Zi's mind. But deep inside, he sensed the weight of something greater—something tied to the dreams that had haunted him since that first battlefield.
And he knew… the story was far from over.
The walk home that morning felt strangely quiet.
Ken and Dan talked about random things—schoolwork, the fish they failed to catch, and the old abandoned house they had slept in—but Zi barely listened. His mind was still trapped in the dream.
The battlefield.
The princess in white.
The human prince shouting in desperation.
For some reason, the dream felt painfully real.
But eventually, time did what it always did.
It moved forward.
Ten Years Later
Ten years had passed since that strange night.
The once carefree boy had grown into a young man.
Zi Ichii was now twenty years old and studying at a university far from his quiet village. The busy city life was vastly different from the peaceful fields he had grown up in. Tall buildings replaced farmland, crowded streets replaced dusty paths, and the constant noise of traffic filled the air where birds once sang.
Yet despite the change in scenery, one thing never changed.
The dreams.
They still came.
Sometimes they were distant and blurry.
Sometimes they were so vivid that Zi would wake up drenched in sweat, just like when he was a child.
Battlefields.
Kings.
War.
And always… the mysterious figures in the sky.
Zi had learned to keep these dreams to himself.
People would only think he was crazy.
Inside a bright classroom at the university, students sat quietly while the professor leaned casually against the desk.
"Since this is the first day of class," the professor said, "we'll start with introductions. Just tell everyone your name and something about yourself."
One by one, students stood up and introduced themselves.
"My name is Adrian—I'm from the Northern City."
"I'm Lila, I like photography."
"I'm Marcus. I plan to study engineering."
Zi leaned back slightly in his chair, half-listening as the introductions continued.
Then the student beside him finished speaking and sat down.
The professor glanced at the list in his hand.
"Alright… next."
His eyes lifted toward Zi.
"You."
Zi blinked once, realizing it was finally his turn.
Several students turned to look at him.
Zi slowly stood from his seat.
For a moment, the classroom felt strangely quiet.
He scratched the back of his head awkwardly before giving a small, relaxed smile.
"Hi guys," he said casually.
"I'm Zi Ichii."