The road stretched ahead, kissed by the morning sun, its warmth brushing the fields awake. Birds fluttered from branch to branch, as if eager to herald the beginning of something new.
"Ready for our first day at Silver Heaven Academy?" Natasha asked, adjusting the strap of her leather sack with a sparkle in her grey eyes.
Shaun tightened his grip on his own sack, his chest rising with a mix of nerves and anticipation. "Yeah… I guess so."
Natasha's lips curved into a cheerful grin. She spun lightly on her heel, her yellow hanfu catching the breeze. "Well then—let's go!"
She dashed ahead, the tassels of her hanfu swaying like dancing flames in the morning light. Shaun blinked, then smiled despite himself, his steps quickening as he followed.
**********
Natasha Ikazuchi — daughter of Nathan Ikazuchi, the famed High Arcane Commander of the Silver Heaven Imperial Army. Her father was a man of strategy and steel, sworn to protect the Emperor and the borders of the realm. Her mother, Martha, balanced that harsh life with warmth, keeping their home full of light and laughter.
From them, Natasha inherited both fire and grace. She had her father's courage, a warrior's resolve burning in her chest, and her mother's radiant kindness that softened the edges of her strength.
A spirited girl, she trained rigorously in her father's dojo, fists and feet moving with an unshakable rhythm. Yet, when not honing her skills, she could be found helping her mother, humming happily as she worked. But her story with Shaun? That began long before their first day at the academy.
Six years ago, when Natasha's aristocratic family first relocated to Nuzzle Village, she carried herself like a little princess carved from pride. And Shaun… he was simply a Commoner boy curious enough to ask her to play.
"Go away, you Commoner! You'll ruin my dress," she had snapped, her grey eyes sharp with disdain.
"B-but I just wanted to ask if you wanted to play…" Shaun's voice wavered, small and uncertain.
"Ew, no! As if I'd play with someone like you. Go back to the dirt you came from!"
Her words stung, but fate had its own plans. A group of older village boys, notorious troublemakers, had cornered Natasha near the riverbank later that week.
"Look who it is, the arrogant little Aristocrat!" one sneered. "Let's see how pretty you are with a few bruises."
Fear flickered in Natasha's eyes for the first time. Then—Shaun appeared. Though smaller and trembling, he stood between her and the bullies.
"Leave her alone!" His voice cracked, but his stance held.
They descended on him with fists and kicks. He didn't win. He couldn't. But through every strike, Shaun shielded Natasha with his own body, refusing to move aside.
When it ended, Shaun lay bruised, gasping, but his eyes still searched hers—not with accusations, but with a silent vow: You're safe.
Something shattered in Natasha that day. Her arrogance, her prejudice—it all crumbled against the sight of a boy who had nothing, yet gave everything. For her.
From then on, Natasha's disdain melted into respect, then into friendship. The little princess thawed, replaced by a fiery, loyal companion who laughed and fought at Shaun's side.
Six years passed. Together they shared secrets, squabbles, and dreams beneath the amber skies of Nuzzle Village. Their bond grew unshakable—though whether destiny had woven a thread deeper than friendship, neither dared to say aloud.
*************
Present Day
As Natasha walked beside Shaun now, her yellow hanfu tassels swaying in the morning breeze, she caught herself sneaking a glance at him. His expression was calm, determined, though she could still imagine that smaller boy from years ago, standing bloodied yet unyielding in front of her.
She smiled faintly, a warmth blooming in her chest. That day by the riverbank… you were my shield. And ever since, you've been my truest friend.
"Come on, Shaun," she said, her voice light as she quickened her pace. "Silver Heaven won't wait for us!"
An hour past dawn, yet the sun still clung stubbornly to the mountain's embrace. Its first light spilled across the horizon, painting the heavens in shades of crimson and gold, as if the sky itself heralded the beginning of something momentous.
Long shadows stretched over the quaint roofs of Nuzzle Village, where morning bells chimed faintly in the distance. Beneath this fiery canvas, Shaun and Natasha walked side by side along the dusty road.
The smell of damp earth and morning dew rose around them, the air alive with the songs of early birds. On either side, rice paddies mirrored the glowing sky, and farmers already bent to their work, their silhouettes framed by the promise of a new day.
The dusty track soon gave way to cobbled stone, the sound of their footsteps changing as the outskirts of Nuzzle came into view.
"Shaun, look! I see a carriage!" Natasha's voice carried a bright lilt, her hand shooting forward.
Ahead stood a sturdy wooden carriage, its rectangular body worn yet reliable. A white horse, old but proud, pawed lightly at the earth, its mane brushed with the morning's glow. At its reins stood a coachman, weathered with years yet smiling warmly as though he had seen countless beginnings like this before.
"Excuse me, Grandpa? Silver Heaven Town, please. We're going to Silver Heaven Academy," Natasha greeted with a cheerful bow.
"Silver Heaven, eh?" The old man's eyes crinkled with amusement. "Aye, indeed, young squirrels. Hop in—it's a long ride ahead." He gestured with a nod, his voice carrying the tone of a blessing.
"Thank you! Come on, Shaun!" Natasha said, hopping lightly into the carriage.
Shaun followed, clutching his sack a little tighter, a mix of nerves and excitement dancing in his chest.
"Giddy up, Becky!" The reins snapped gently, and the horse moved forward with a steady clip-clop.
As the carriage rumbled to life, Nuzzle Village slowly drifted into the distance, its familiar sights shrinking behind them. Ahead, the road curved into the horizon, leading them toward Silver Heaven—and the beginning of a journey that would change their lives forever.
**********
"Shaun, look!" Natasha pressed her face against the carriage window, her voice bubbling with excitement. "The sun's finally peeking out. Isn't it beautiful?"
Shaun glanced outside. The orange light spilled across the fields, painting everything gold. He smiled faintly. "Yeah. Beautiful."
Natasha spun back, eyes sparkling. "Can you believe it? We're actually on our way to Silver Heaven Academy! Spells, duels, mysteries — it's like stepping into one of those stories we used to dream about."
"Or a story where we'll be buried in books and sleepless nights," Shaun teased.
She swatted his arm. "You always ruin the moment." But her grin lingered.
The carriage rattled on, the hooves beating a steady rhythm. Natasha tilted her head, noticing the faraway look in his eyes. "You've been awfully quiet. What's wrong?"
Shaun hesitated. "…I had a nightmare last night. A bad one."
Natasha's smile softened. She shifted closer. "What kind of nightmare?"
He lowered his gaze. "I saw… us. Together. But then everything fell apart. The Silver Heaven Region crumbled into ash. A shadow… destroyed everything. You, me, everyone." His voice cracked slightly. "It felt so real, Natasha. Like a warning."
Natasha reached out, gently covering his trembling hand with hers. "Shaun…"
"I know it's silly." He forced a smile, but it didn't reach his eyes. "But what if I can't protect you? What if I'm not strong enough?"
Natasha squeezed his hand firmly. Her eyes shone with quiet determination. "Listen to me. It was just a dream. Nothing more. And even if shadows come, we'll face them together. You won't ever be alone, Shaun."
Her words wrapped around him like a shield. Shaun looked up, and their eyes locked. For a heartbeat, the world outside seemed to fall away — the clatter of hooves, the creak of wood, even the dawn light — leaving only the two of them.
Shaun's chest tightened, not with fear this time, but something warmer, steadier. Natasha smiled, soft and radiant, as if she had brushed away his doubts with nothing but her gaze.
He found himself smiling back, a genuine one this time. "…Thanks, Natasha."
"Always," she whispered.
They lingered there for a moment longer, hands still clasped, eyes still locked, until Natasha leaned her head on his shoulder with a grin to lighten the mood. "Now, tell me — when you become the World's Strongest Magus, you'll still remember me, right?"
Shaun chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. "How could I forget? You'd never let me."
"Good." She winked.
Shaun blinked, caught off guard, and Natasha grinned wider. "And that promise you made back then? The thing you'll do once you become the World's Strongest Magus?" She stopped herself, the mischief in her eyes hiding something deeper. "Well, don't think you're off the hook. I fully expect you to keep that promise."
Shaun flushed crimson. "W-what promise? I don't recall—"
"You don't need to recall. I do," Natasha cut in, her playful tone masking the tenderness beneath. She poked his cheek. "So you better get stronger, Thunderhawk, or I'll never let you live it down."
For a moment, Shaun forgot his nightmare. Their laughter mingled with the rhythmic clatter of hooves, and as he looked at her, something warm and steady grew in his chest.
He smiled, more genuine this time. "Alright. I'll get stronger. Strong enough to protect you… and everyone."
"That's more like it." Natasha leaned back, satisfied, though her eyes lingered on him a second longer. "Just don't keep me waiting too long, Shaun."
The carriage rolled on toward Silver Heaven Academy, carrying both their dreams — and one secret promise — into the unknown. The road stretched endlessly before them, bathed in the morning glow, and Natasha's laughter and steady presence lit that path ahead.
**********
Moments later, the rhythmic thumping of hooves slowed, then ceased. The carriage gave a final jolt before settling.
"We've arrived, young squirrels. Welcome to Silver Heaven Academy!" the coachman's gravelly but kind voice called through the small window.
Natasha perked up, lifting her head from Shaun's shoulder. "Finally! Come on, Shaun!" she chirped, her excitement bubbling over.
She pushed open the carriage door and hopped down lightly, her yellow hanfu fluttering in the breeze like sunlight made cloth. Shaun followed, blinking against the sudden brilliance of the morning.
"Woah…" The word slipped from his lips as his jaw slackened in awe.
Before them rose the Academy. Its grand golden gates, engraved with celestial beings, shimmered under the light of dawn. Beyond them stretched a sweeping campus: towering vermilion halls with timber walls, their sweeping yellow-glazed roofs catching the sun and gleaming like crowns. At the heart of it all, a magnificent fountain erupted, its crystal waters arcing high before cascading down, the spray forming rainbows that danced in the air.
"Magnificent, isn't it?" Natasha's voice was softer now, reverent, her grey eyes reflecting the brilliance of the Academy.
Shaun could only nod, his heart pounding with excitement and nerves. The dream he carried since childhood stood before him, real and breath-taking. This was it — the place where his journey would truly begin.
And as the golden gates of Silver Heaven Academy loomed before him, Shaun felt the first spark of destiny ignite in his heart.
**********