The journey to the Veridian Province was like traveling into a different world. The military transport flew them over the rocky landscapes surrounding the Academy and into a sea of green so vibrant it almost hurt to look at.
Full forests grew on rolling hills. Rivers went like snakes through fields with glowing flowers.
"Incredible," Lira whispered from her seat by the window, her face pressed against the reinforced glass like a child seeing the ocean for the first time. "The mana here is so… pure. So full of life."
"It's also full of pollen that will make your sinuses explode if you're not careful," Master Fen grumbled from his seat across the aisle. He was tinkering with a strange device of brass and glass that seemed to be a portable, self-heating tea kettle. "Nature is beautiful, yes, but let's not forget it's also trying to kill you in a thousand inconvenient ways. Like allergies."
