Mika's POV
"Come on, Mika! Uuggh, you're way too slow!" Luis shouted in complaint. Ahead of him was Nathan, running faster than anyone I know. And deep down, I know Nathan is hiding something from us, but he must have a good reason for that. He's a good friend, so in my heart I know that one day his secret won't last. Until that day, I will stay silent.
I finally reached them, and before I knew it, I was actually following them to the top of a mountain.
"Haaa… haaa." I tried to catch my breath, tired from running, yet when I saw the beautiful view, all that exhaustion disappeared. "Wow, such an amazing view." High mountains covered in beds of clouds, birds flying, and an orange sky. A beautiful sunset mirrored in my eyes. It left me speechless, my heart and my eyes watered with joy.
I sat down on the ground, breathing slowly. Then Luis shouted, "Hey! If you're hearing this, I just want you to know that I love you, Mika! And I will marry you!" I laughed and replied, "Never in your wildest dreams!" But he didn't stop.
Nathan sat beside me and asked, "Why? Do you not like Luis? He's a good person, you know."
"Nah, I've been with him since the beginning, and I want it that way until I die, but he's like a brother to me," I replied in a soft tone.
"You've always been like that since I've known you, always rejecting him, but he doesn't stop. That's one thing you should treasure. Loyalty isn't like a stone you can find anywhere—it's a diamond formed under great pressure." He smiled as he spoke.
How old are you really, Nathan Xavier? He speaks too mature for an eight-year-old boy. But I cannot deny he's right. Luis is a good friend and companion. Maybe I'm just not ready yet. Or maybe I like someone else. I found myself staring at Nathan.
We spent the rest of our time on that mountain, watching the beautiful sunset fade away. By the time we got home, it was already dark. Nathan separated from us since his house was in a different direction. When we arrived, Madam Lillia began scolding us again.
"Where did the two of you go?" Her white hair, a sign of age, glowed in the moonlight. She began her lecture once more. "I was worried about the two of you." She let out a heavy sigh.
"I'm sorry, Madam," Luis apologized.
"Go on! Wash yourselves and have dinner before going to bed." Her tone finally softened, though her gaze still lingered on us.
After Luis and I finished everything we had to do, I went to my room. I took something out of my locker—a mask. There was a time when Nathan was making something he called a kitsune mask. I asked him to teach me, but he refused.
"Tsk, that guy is really weird." I put the mask on. "I can't even see in here."
"It wasn't supposed to be worn like that." Luis suddenly spoke. Then he smiled playfully, as if teasing me.
"How long have you been there?" I asked, irritated by his sudden appearance.
"Oh, I was just passing by," he replied. "I know, he looks weird, acts weird, and sometimes he talks too mature. He even tells stories about other universes, life on the other side of the sun, and how he's from a different time and space. It doesn't even make sense." He paused to exhale. "But he's a good guy." After that, Luis left with a placid smile.
"Yeah, he really is a weird one," I whispered.
Nathan's POV
"The moon stayed the same even in a different world—it's still as beautiful as ever." It's been eight years since I was born here, but my memories never fade. I have met many people, and some of them became my friends. Yet I can't forget her. "Selene," I whispered her name, hoping that one day, in a different place, different time, or different universe, I might see her again, just one last time.
As I walked, I saw my dad seemingly talking to someone. I couldn't clearly see the man's face. I couldn't use even a single mana, because judging by the way they spoke, it was a private matter. That meant they were on high alert. Even the smallest trace of mana, as tiny as a needle, they could sense. Not to mention my father's special ability.
Then the guy left. My eyes widened when I saw the way he vanished—it looked familiar. "I think I've seen that somewhere… I can't remember. Damn!"
Then another man approached my father. It was Lieutenant Zack.
"I can't hear anything." I focused, yet still couldn't catch their conversation from this distance. Then suddenly, the two of them disappeared in an instant. "Whatever it is, I shouldn't interfere."
When I got home, my mother was already asleep. She looked tired.
"Sleeping on the couch again?" I smiled, then got her some blankets. "It's cold, you know. You've been waiting for us again." I kissed her on the forehead before going to my room. "Seems like Dad is about to come home. Good night, Mom." My dad was already at the back of the door—I could feel him watching us—but I pretended not to notice. Moreover, I knew she wasn't fully asleep.
I woke up early the next morning for training. Currently, I could use Spirit Dive for only thirteen seconds before it disappeared automatically. My mana control was getting better, but not enough to form a strong magic spell. Generally, my progress was too slow. I wanted to get stronger.
I'd been trying to reach my spiritual domain, but I hadn't seen that monster fox again. Whenever I used Spirit Dive, I gained some physical and mana enhancement. But thinking about it, I realized something was missing.
"Right, special abilities!" Think about it—my mother's animal spirit is an owl. When using her Spirit Dive, she gains special abilities like enhanced vision, able to see through any obstacle. She can even fly with her wings when she activates it. Likewise, my father's animal spirit is a dog.
"Mine is a fox. I can't think of anything related to a fox." I sat on the ground for a while, trying to find any clue about my animal spirit.
"Ahhhh, for god's sake!" My head spun just thinking about it. But I knew my animal spirit fox was connected to that monster I saw back when I first encountered it. The connection was clear—I was certain of it. The question was, "How?"
While lost in thought, I sat on our balcony, still trying to figure it out. Then suddenly, I saw my father running at high speed in the distance. He seemed in a rush. "That must be an emergency," I thought. He had been pretty busy lately.
Then as I turned my head the other way, I saw Luis waving at me, signaling. "Is he calling me? Ah, whatever."
I smiled and waved back. "Hold on!" I shouted.
I went directly to our meeting place, a giant tree. There I saw Mika and Luis talking about something important. "Why do these two look so on edge?" I asked myself.
As I approached them, their faces showed worry.
"Did something happen?" I asked.
To my surprise, both of them answered in unison: "Yes!"