Morning arrived on the streets of Rustalia. Sunlight fell upon the stalls, shops, and taverns where people stood. Adventurers moved in and out of their guilds; some were bulky, wearing only trousers and boots, while magicians—mostly girls in purple or green gowns—walked in parties. Leo walked straight ahead, his hair falling to his shoulders. He was wearing a white shirt, grey pants, and brown shoes.

  Suddenly, someone bumped into him from the right.

  BUMP!

  Leo didn't fall, nor did he get angry. He turned to see who had hit him. It was a young girl; thankfully, she hadn't fallen either. Her hair was black and short, reaching only to her shoulders, and her eyes were green. She wore a white shirt and a long black skirt. As she saw Leo, she raised her index finger and said, "Wait, you're—"

  But before she could complete her sentence, her father came from behind and grabbed her wrist.

  "Huh?"

  Leo didn't understand what was happening. The girl’s father had black hair, black eyes, and a black mustache. He wore a brown waistcoat over a white shirt and black pants. He seemed angry—no, he was angry at Leo. The girl didn't turn back; perhaps because of her father, she kept her eyes on the ground.

  Leo didn't understand why the man was angry until he remembered the defeat of Kael. Many people had lost their homes and relatives, leaving as refugees for other empires. This man was one of those who had come to Rustalia as a refugee. Leo realized he recognized them because, on the night they fled, everyone had been wearing white shawls, including this man and his daughter.

  Thinking about his past, Leo scratched the back of his head and closed his eyes.

  'I guess the past cannot be changed, anyways...'

  He opened his eyes and looked ahead. "...Seems like they are already here."

  In front of him were the giant gates of Rustalia. Large red banners hung from the walls, featuring the golden eagle sigil of the empire. Noah and Mira were standing there by the gate, talking to each other.

  Noah wore a black long-sleeved shirt with grey pants, black shoes, and his glasses. Mira wore a long white skirt and a blue cardigan. As Leo drew close, Mira and Noah stopped chattering and turned toward him with bright smiles on their faces.

  As Leo reached them, Noah and Mira stood tall, watching him walk up the stone path. Leo finally stopped in front of them, his shadow falling on the grass. He looked at Mira and asked, "Hey, do you want to be my advisor?"

  Mira’s face lit up. She smiled and nodded her head fast.

  Leo let out a long sigh. "There will be many obstacles. If you come with me, you’ll face even more danger than usual."

  The smile on her face stayed perfectly still. "Yes, I still want to be your advisor."

  Leo reached out and placed his hand on her shoulder for a second. "Okay, you're in."

  Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  She grinned, but she looked confused as Leo began to walk past her toward the open fields. "Wait! I'm your advisor now—don't we need to do some paperwork?"

  Leo looked back over his shoulder. A tiny smile appeared on his face. "We need trust; that’s all. Now, follow me."

  Mira smiled and turned to Noah. The wind blew her hair slightly. "Seems like it’s time to say goodbye, Noah."

  Noah tried to look tough, but he was smiling behind his glasses. "Nah, your dream is finally real. You'd better go with him. I’ll be heading back to open the library."

  He turned around and started walking away. Mira began to follow Leo, but then Leo stopped. He turned his whole body back and shouted, "Hey! Where the hell are you going, Noah?!"

  Noah stopped. He looked back, blinking. "I'm going back to the library."

  Leo narrowed his eyes. "Huh? Don't you want to come with us?"

  Noah’s mouth dropped open. "Mira is coming with you, isn't she? She’s the one you picked... right, Mira?" Noah looked at her. Mira’s eyes were wide. Suddenly, she ran to Noah and gave him a big hug.

  "Hey! What’s happening?" Noah asked, nearly falling over.

  She pulled back, her eyes sparkling. "I read his mind."

  "So?"

  "He picked both of us."

  Noah looked at Leo, totally stunned. "Huh?"

  Leo nodded his head. "Yeah, you’re both coming. I choose both of you."

  Noah’s eyebrows went up high above his glasses. He was shocked. Leo waved his hand in the air. "Are you coming or not?"

  Noah and Mira both smiled bright. They said together, "Yes, Lord Leo!"

  The knights standing near the gate started staring at them. They were surprised to hear someone call Leo "Lord." Mira and Noah followed as Leo led them away from the city walls.

  They walked until they were on a giant green plain. The grass was long, and the land was so flat that they could see for miles. Leo stopped and raised his right hand into the air.

  Mira stepped forward to ask a question, but she stopped. In front of Leo’s hand, the space itself was ripped. A glowing portal opened up in the middle of the empty field. It was purple color from inside and it's border multiple different colors were swirling.

  Noah’s jaw dropped. "Wait, Leo—"

  Mira cut him off. "No, call him Lord Leo."

  "I get it," Noah said, adjusting his glasses.

  Leo looked at them. "Nah, just call me Leo. It’s better that way."

  "We can't, Lord Leo," Mira said firmly. "It’s a tradition. It’s disrespectful to a king if we don't give him the right title."

  Leo scratched his head and closed his eyes. "Ahh, I see."

  "Lord Leo," Noah asked, looking at the glowing hole in the air. "Can you use portal magic?"

  Leo nodded. "Yes, I can."

  Mira looked curious. "Is it your primary or secondary skill?"

  Leo gave a nervous smile and a little sweat drop ran down his face. "Neither."

  Both Noah and Mira stood with their mouths wide open. Mira shouted, "Wait! You can use magic that isn't your main skill? You are so gifted!"

  Leo looked up at the blue sky and put a finger on his chin. "Yeah, that's what others say. But I think everyone can learn to use magic like this."

  "Wait," Noah asked, his eyes wide. "Does that mean you can teach us magic that we don't already know?"

  Leo nodded. "Yes, I can. But anyway, let’s not talk about that now. Follow me into this portal."

  Without saying another word, he stepped into the glowing light and disappeared.

  "Hey! At least tell us how to walk through it!" Mira shouted.

  Noah shook his head and put his hand on his forehead. Mira was too scared to move, so Noah stepped behind her and gave her a big push.

  "N—no! Wait!" she screamed as she tumbled into the portal.

  Noah watched her disappear. 'It’s not even that dangerous, you dummy...' he thought. Then, he stepped into the portal himself.