Next Day
The sun couldn't be seen in the sky due to a thick mist covering everything, creating a cold sensation against their bodies. As they braved the foggy breeze, Seraphina shivered; the natural chill was beyond what magic could combat. Even though time indicated it was morning, it was difficult for anyone to tell if dawn had truly arrived.
Shivering in the cold, Seraphina glanced at her three companions, who were protecting themselves with an anti-magic spell that helped shield them from the freezing temperatures. Though snow wasn't falling yet, she gazed up at the sky, certain that it would soon arrive. As she struggled to resist the natural cold, Jane's voice broke through.
"Sera, take this." Jane tossed a thick coat toward her. As the coat flew through the air, Seraphina focused on it and managed to catch it as it came near.
Examining the coat closely, Seraphina sensed something extraordinary about it—it seemed to block the chill of the breeze. She couldn't believe her eyes; something like this shouldn't exist in a world where only pure-blooded fire magic users could produce fire, and even then, their flames only provided heat to another person. There were so few of them, which is why they could earn millions of gold for their unique abilities.
But this coat could fetch a fortune, possibly millions for just a single sale. "What is this?" Seraphina asked, bewildered. She struggled to accept the reality of what she was seeing. How could such a thing exist without anyone knowing about it? Surely there would be those willing to fight—and even die—for it.
Her astonished expression caught the attention of her three companions.
"Oh, it's just a coat," Samarth said casually, glancing at her. He spoke as if it were no big deal, unfazed by her reaction. He could guess what she was thinking, though he felt somewhat disappointed by the foggy weather. He had expected a sunny day, not this gloomy, overcast one that made visibility difficult.
"What does that mean?" Seraphina's eyes widened as she stared at him in disbelief. She thought to herself, 'If this coat were normal, then everyone would have one, but no one has this coat at the capital or anywhere she could remember. That means it's not normal, which means it must be special. This is basic logic.' That is why she found it hard to trust his words, which he seemed to dismiss so casually.
"Yeah, it's just that all the villagers have this type of coat," Emily chimed in, noticing Seraphina's uncertainty toward her master. Emily's confirmation seemed to overshadow Seraphina's doubts. As Emily explained, Seraphina turned her head to look at her for a moment, observing how the three of them busily prepared the carriage, fitting their bags and belongings. It felt to her that she was the only one reacting strongly to the coat.
"Am I the weird one?" Seraphina wondered to herself, reflecting on their actions. "I still have a long way to go." She reminded herself, lowering her gaze to the ground, letting out a heavy sigh. "I'm too far behind them. I can dream big, but without self-awareness, I won't get anywhere," she whispered in her mind, feeling an awakening within her.
As Seraphina wore the coat, that new awareness began to settle in. The black-brown coat fit her perfectly, as if it were made specifically for her.
"All set! We're ready to go," Emily shouted excitedly, albeit slightly exhausted after completing her tasks with the carriage. She had been eagerly anticipating this moment since yesterday and barely slept the night before; morning had arrived before she could catch any rest or even see the sunrise.
Her enthusiastic voice echoed around them, catching the attention of those nearby. Seraphina, Jane, and Emily climbed into the carriage after finishing their preparations, while Samarth stood outside, waiting for the others to complete their tasks as well. Two more carriages were parked behind Emily's.
"Master, we are all done. We can go now," one man addressed Samarth, who was overseeing the group and preparing to lead them forward.
Samarth nodded, confirming the readiness of all the carriages. "Good. Follow closely behind us, and remain vigilant," he reminded them, emphasising the importance of staying alert.
"Yes, master," the man replied proudly.
Just as they finished speaking, a fluffy white snowball landed on Samarth's head, surprising him. He looked up at the sky, captivated by the beauty of the white snow resembling a heavenly blanket. He yearned to take in this beauty as he marvelled at the snow's brilliance, shining brightly on the earth, infused with the magic of nature.
Samarth locked his gaze on the sky for a while until he heard a voice calling from a carriage. "Master, let's go! I don't want to stay here," Emily shouted to Samarth. His attention shifted to her, and he noticed the carriage and the horses, which were shivering in the snow. While the cold wasn't severe enough to harm the horses, they still trembled as the snow fell around them.
"Coming!" Samarth shouted, taking one last look at the white expanse above, an enchanting sight that he longed to claim for himself. This thought consumed him, especially as he recalled the green heaven he had once nurtured on earth, now lost to him.
He moved to take the place of the carriage driver and announced to all the passengers, "We are leaving." With a signal, the horses began to walk forward.
As Samarth steered the carriage, the image of the white heaven reminded him of the green heaven he had lost. He thought, 'I wouldn't have left my village if I still had that green heaven. It might have vanished, or perhaps it broke the illusion. I had seen the world through the lens of my green heaven, and now I have lost it. If I want to see the world again, I need a new heaven, or I'll have to traverse it on foot.' The snow continued to fall, and his longing for this new heaven persisted. 'Yet, this white heaven is harder to grasp, as it is an illusion itself. If I want to claim it, I must consider others. I don't think this heavenly realm even acknowledges my existence.'
White heaven—renowned for its beauty, elegance, and authority, something that holds little interest for those who possess it. Its splendor brings honor to earth, and no comparison can truly capture its essence, except for the cosmic ocean. White heaven—coldness is as proud as its beauty, disdainful of the so-called "earthly parasites"—humans, monsters, animals, and all other living beings.
Samarth realized that the white heaven and the green heaven were as contrasting as heaven and earth, but both were heavens in their own way. He contemplated this for a moment and decided to give up on the idea of capturing the white heaven for himself, wanting instead to see the world through its eyes.
"I'll search for another heaven," Samarth told himself as the horses continued forward and night began to envelop the surrounding sky.
As night fell, the sky looked down upon the earth, basking in its role as the guardian of darkness. The moon began to shine, casting a soft light over the landscape. Though it wasn't bright enough to illuminate all of Earth's beauty, its glow mingled with the magic that enhanced nature. A struggle between darkness and light emerged, each fighting for dominance in the realm of magic. While their battle unfolded in the heavens, no one could see it; instead, the air around them trembled, and a chill slowly settled over the sky.
Watching from above, the Cosmic Ocean laughed, observing the celestial struggle as if two children were playfully squabbling over a toy. The scene struck it as amusing, akin to a child's fight over possession.
Meanwhile, Samarth and his companions halted, noticing that night had arrived completely. "Let's camp here!" he shouted as he brought the carriage to a stop. He glanced at a nearby lake, and the surroundings appeared safe and free from immediate danger.
At his call, everyone began to emerge from their carriages.