*San's POV
There are still six hours until 9 a.m. That should be enough time to prepare. Maybe get some sleep so I won't be too exhausted. But after everything that's happened, it's hard to even close my eyes.
Actually, it's not that hard—I guess it's impossible to fall asleep. Too many things are bothering my mind. Too many emotions are surfacing. Even if I force myself to shut my eyes, all I'll get is a sore body.
After leaving Seon's room, none of us spoke. Layla walked ahead with her head down, and Kevin followed behind me. Outside the Main House, when we reached the road to the tent area, Kevin grabbed my shoulder, yanked me roughly, and punched me in the face.
The punch wasn't that hard, but it was enough to knock me down and make me taste blood in my mouth. He then glared coldly at me with clenched fists. I figured it was only a matter of time before another blow landed.
"So, are you going to kill me now?"
"Yeah, I really want to." He crouched in front of me. "You think I don't know what's going on?"
"What do you mean?"
"Oh, don't play dumb. I know more about protective magic than you do."
That statement made the taste of blood in my mouth go bland. I already had a feeling Kevin wouldn't let what happened in Seon's room slide. But I never imagined there was another reason behind his anger. A reason I had hoped no one in Calmora would ever know.
"You're afraid," Kevin said softly. "I can see it. The reason you're going to Minerva is because you no longer belong here."
I glanced toward Layla. She had vanished. She had just kept walking, not even turning around when Kevin punched me.
Kevin touched my shoulder gently, but I felt like he could electrocute me at any moment. "Look, I don't care about Minerva. War is going to happen whether that kingdom stands or not. But I'm not going to kill you now. I won't wait for the next Enigma bearer to be born."
I frowned and wiped the remaining blood from my mouth. "Then what do you want?"
"I trust Layla. If she says you need to go to Minerva, you're going. If you change your mind and run, I'll find you and drag you there—even if it's already too late."
Kevin stood up, his gentle touch turning into a harsh grip. He was still glaring at me.
"You already disappointed Layla. The next time you make her cry… you're dead."
***
The warmth of sunlight burned my face along with a soft touch on my cheek. Then a blurry vision came into view as my eyes slowly opened.
Layla was crouching beside me. Her expression was serious and unreadable. She wore a dark green jacket over her Calmora's shirt. A medium-sized brown backpack was slung over her back, looking full. Her white hair was tied back with a blue ribbon that matched her eyes.
"We have to go," she said briefly. "Kevin and the Director are already waiting."
It took me a while to gather my consciousness. I couldn't really remember what happened after Kevin left. I think I just lay on the grass, staring blankly at the sky like some of the other Weavers there, and then I blacked out and unintentionally fell asleep.
I sat up and rubbed my face to fully shake off the drowsiness. "I'm not ready yet."
"I know." Layla shifted another brown rucksack that resting against her leg and pushed it toward me. "I already packed everything. Water, a blanket, a change of clothes, and a desert cloak."
The bag looked the same as Layla's. When I picked it up, it felt almost weightless.
"And two pieces of bread for two days," she added. "Hopefully we'll find more food along the way."
"Thank you," I said as I stood and slung the bag over my back.
Layla stood too, but she didn't walk away immediately. She stared at me with a worried face before turning away. "Let's go."
I walked beside her, passing several Weavers still asleep on the grass. Even though the sky that morning was bright and cloudy, the air still carried the scent of firewood.
As we entered the southern forest, the ground was still slightly damp, but I managed to avoid the jutting roots. The southern vegetation was dense with thick-trunked trees towering above, their leaves forming a lush canopy.
We walked at a steady pace. Not hurried, even though Layla had said they were already waiting. There was no conversation during the journey. But it wasn't silent either. The rumble of the sky and distant birdsong filled the void.
Eventually, we came across a large fallen trunk, and we had no choice but to climb over it. Layla went first and helped me up. With each tree nearly as wide and tall as a portal, the trunk blocked the only path forward.
I hadn't taken this route before—I had just run south. Apparently, there was a better way. One without moss or slippery stones. When I thought the awkward silence would continue until we arrived, Layla spoke.
"Are you okay?"
I looked at her. Even though she avoided my gaze, I realized something—the meaning behind the worry in her eyes.
"You didn't leave last night. You saw everything."
Layla didn't look surprised. "Sorry. I was afraid I'd only make things worse."
Somehow, I understood. "I think Kevin's right. I'm just a loser who happened to get this power. Maybe Solaris would be better off with someone else as the Enigma bearer."
"Maybe Solaris would've fallen even faster if you're not."
At the end of the path, the giant banyan tree came into view. The dim lights glowing from the cracks in its trunk pulsed in and out like it was breathing. On the ground beneath it, the strange patterns were more clearly visible, carved deeper into the wet earth. The four stone braziers around it looked cleaner too. No moss or dead leaves filled their bowls.
Seon and Kevin stood outside the circular pattern. Seon was still wearing his white shirt. Kevin wore a gray coat over a long-sleeved white shirt. He also had on black shorts and tall brown boots that covered his ankles. He carried a shoulder bag strapped tightly to his back.
"Everything's ready, Layla," said the Director as he welcomed us. Kept trying to sound calm, though his face said otherwise.
Layla walked forward and stopped right in front of the circle. She pulled a magic dagger from beneath her jacket.
Then she unwrapped the bandage on her left hand and made a new cut. Blood started to flow. Layla crouched down and pressed her hand to the ground. As the blood soaked into the soil, a blue glow began to appear. Not with floating particles in the air, but light flowing through the pattern lines like water rushing down a hill. At the same time, glowing orbs appeared above each brazier, igniting with bright blue flames. As soon as the entire carved pattern was filled with light, the roots of the banyan tree began to react. The glow from the cracks in its trunk resonated with Layla's magic, shining brighter as a strong wind blew.
I raised my hand to shield my face from the wind and the brightness. The light pulsed more intensely, enveloping the entire tree. When I thought it would explode, the banyan had already transformed into a white pillar of light. It hummed gently, with a steadier gust of wind around it.
Layla woke up with ragged breaths and a sweaty face. She rewrapped the bandage on her left hand and grinned at me. "You won't see something like this anywhere else."
Kevin approached and helped Layla tend to the wound on her hand. I was still stunned, staring at the portal that had just formed. Unlike those at the research facility, this pillar of light didn't stretch into the sky. It rose only a few meters from the ground—I could still see the treetops above it.
"Opening a portal usually requires aspects from all four elements," said the Director beside me. "But Layla has a unique kind of magic. Even so, the pattern I carved and these four braziers represent those elements. It reduces the amount of blood she needs to use."
Despite all of the Director's explanations, Layla still looked quite pale.
"Now it's your turn," said the Director.
I had almost forgotten the most important part. The dagger was still in my pocket. Even though I had no idea how it would reveal the location of the First Star, I took it out anyway. I did the same thing Layla did—pressing it to the palm of my hand. As my blood soaked the thin blade, information magically entered my mind. I could see the place clearly in my head.
Following Seon's instructions, I walked slowly toward the portal, stepped carefully over the magic pattern, and then stood before the portal. I raised my wounded hand and touched the surface of the white light. I thought it would feel solid at first, but my hand passed right through it as if the massive trunk that once stood there had completely vanished. The portal felt cold, like plunging my hand into freezing water. I began to close my eyes and focus on that place in my vision.
A vast desert. Sand dunes scattered far and wide. A sky with no clouds. And a man with long tied-back hair. Then the portal before me began to hum louder. The light changed colors—not white, but glowing gold, like sunlight bouncing off the sand.
I stepped back a few paces in awe. My left hand, which I had dipped in, wasn't even wet. The cold lingered, but it wasn't uncomfortable.
The Director cleared his throat, prompting us to turn to him. He smiled this time. The owner of Calmora looked at us one by one. His face carried something faint—perhaps nostalgia, or guilt. Then he lowered his head, his smile now looking more like irony. "It may be too late, but … I'm sorry for putting all this on your shoulders. I'll do everything I can to find allies. Until that time comes…" The Director paused. "Don't die. At least don't die when you're in despair. Do it without any regrets."
Don't die. Two words that sounded like a prayer. A hope for our safety during the journey. But also a reminder that the chances of success were slim. A warning that the worst might not be avoidable. A reminder that even with the power of the Elements, Weavers are no different from humans. Death always waits—anywhere, and in ways we can't predict.
"I'm putting Kevin in command," said the Director. "He'll make all the decisions, including whether or not you continue the mission. But remember, the main goal is to save the people of Minerva. If you succeed in finding the three Stars and breaking the protective magic, they can escape before Orion destroys the kingdom."
Layla hugged the Director and said something only they could hear, perhaps another farewell, or maybe just an apology. Not long after, she and Kevin stepped into the portal.
They vanished within seconds, transported to the place I had envisioned earlier. Leaving me alone with my thoughts.
"If you make it in four days, we'll meet again."
There was one thing still nagging at me. Something I'd keep thinking about if I didn't get a clear answer. "Once I leave, will the protective magic return?"
Seon raised an eyebrow. Clearly, he understood what I was really asking. Even though he had denied it many times. Even though I had firmly denied it to everyone. But deep in my heart, the feeling still lingered. Guilt. It wasn't something new, honestly.
Beyond Seon's tall figure, I tried to see far into the distance. Even though the fields and views of Calmora were no longer visible, the atmosphere remained etched in my heart. The fleeting warmth I had felt here. And the hope I never had before.
I won't come back here. Even if we succeed. My presence only puts them in danger.
Seon stepped closer and placed a hand on my shoulder. "Everything will be fine."
Though in truth, his words brought me no comfort. I shook my head. "What if I fail? What if we don't make it?"
"You know, fate doesn't flow like a river. It waits at a specific place and time. It won't happen until we trigger it ourselves. That's why, if Minerva really is your fate—no matter what—you'll reach it."
Even so, I was still unsure.
"But you will get there."
I looked up, a little startled. This time, the Director seemed unable to hold it in any longer. A single tear slid down his cheek. "After all, you already made a promise to me," he said firmly, gently pushing me into the portal.
Just before the outside view disappeared, I caught his lips forming an apology. But not the rest of what he was trying to say.
At that moment, surrounded by golden-white light, the visions of the desert spun all around me. But just as my body felt pulled to a destination, a sharp pain stabbed through my head. The desert visions began to shift. The portal's light turned dark.
Amid the pain and the swirling visions, I saw a ruined kingdom, thousands of royal soldiers with banners bearing a raven emblem, and someone who destroyed them all.
Then, the ground beneath me vanished. In a wink, the portal had thrown me into a world I didn't recognize.[]