Elberia, England, 1470 AD
The afternoon slowly covered the village of Monates, a quiet land in the west of Elberia, England. The sky turned golden orange, while the warm sunlight danced softly over the grass. The evening air was cool, yet still carried the warmth of late summer.
In the backyard of a simple stone house near the cliff, a man was practicing magic. His black hair was wet with sweat, and his eyes focused on a magic circle glowing on the ground a few meters away.
"Aesthra!" he shouted.
At once, a sharp ice pillar rose from the circle with a loud impact. The ground shook lightly. Dust lifted into the air, then fell back with the wind.
"Haaah… haaah…" Adam, a magician of Asian descent, panted softly. Sweat dripped down his temples. He wiped his forehead with the back of his hand. Suddenly, someone handed him a clean towel.
"You are always so serious when you train," said Isna, his wife, with a gentle voice.
Adam smiled. He took the towel, pulled Isna into his arms, and kissed her forehead softly, warmly, full of gratitude.
"Thank you, my love," Adam whispered.
Isna smiled back, gazing at her husband's face. "There is a letter from Elberia Palace," she said, giving him a scroll sealed with golden blue wax. Adam carefully opened the seal and read the letter. His eyes lit up at the final words.
"They invited me to the palace tonight!" he shouted. "The magic I created two years ago… finally accepted and used by the royal magicians!"
Excited, Adam lifted Isna into the air and spun her around in the wide yard. His laughter was free, and Isna joined his joy.
"So you are happy not because of me, huh?" teased Isna, pinching his cheek.
Adam chuckled and looked into her eyes. "You are always my reason to be happy."
Without another word, Isna pulled his face and kissed him softly. Their lips met in the quiet evening of Monates. Time seemed to stop only for them. After a moment, she let go, cheeks blushing.
"What will you wear tonight?" she asked.
Adam shrugged. "The white robe, as always. I'm a white magician."
Isna tapped her forehead and laughed. "Right, I forgot on purpose."
Adam grinned playfully. "Don't forget it again!" he said, tickling her stomach.
Isna screamed softly while laughing, pushing him away. "Enough! I'll prepare your clothes. Go take a bath first!"
Adam nodded and walked to a small bathroom at the side of the house, where fresh water from Mount Mondor flowed through stone pipes. The water was cool, pure, and refreshing. As he splashed his face, Adam looked at his reflection.
"I am blessed with a beautiful wife… honor as a royal magician… and strong magic from Goddess Hestia's blessing," he whispered. "The magic I created can even summon a hero from another world."
He paused, lifted his chin, and laughed.
"I'm so amazing!" he said proudly.
A giggle came from outside.
"All of that is from your hard work, dear," Isna replied warmly.
Los Angeles, United States, 2024
The morning in Los Angeles felt hot, even though the clock showed only ten. Dry air stuck to the skin, making every step heavy. The busy street was full of people and cars, the smell of hot asphalt mixed with the aroma of coffee from nearby cafés.
Two men walked side by side on the sidewalk. One of them, Julian, was a tall and strong Latin American man, wearing a gray T-shirt and old jeans. Beside him, Nathan looked smaller and thinner, his face showing nervousness.
"Be strong, you will do well in your new place, Nathan!" Julian said with cheer.
Nathan gave a shy smile. "Julian, I feel…"
Before he finished, Julian leaned forward and kissed Nathan's forehead softly. The scent of Julian's aftershave lingered.
"You are amazing, love. Remember, after this I'll take you to the local library, okay?" Julian smiled.
Then he started his big red motorbike, its engine roaring before he drove away, leaving Nathan standing in front of the tall building marked Comcast NBC Universal.
The lobby was wide and grand. White marble floors reflected the chandelier lights above. Large plants stood in corners. The receptionist at the black desk smiled politely as Nathan gave his ID.
"Excuse me, this is my ID card," he said nervously.
The receptionist checked it and smiled. "Welcome to NBC Universal, Nathan. Please go to Mrs. Diana's office. Tenth floor, room five."
Nathan nodded. "Alright, thank you!" He put his old ID back on his lanyard, then went to the elevator.
When he arrived, Diana Brown greeted him with a warm handshake. "Nice to meet you, Nathan."
"Thank you," Nathan replied as he sat down.
"Tell me about your work as a journalist in Vietnam."
Nathan started, "I wrote many news stories, from social conflict to public health. I always made sure the facts in the field were…"
Diana raised her hand, cutting him off. Her voice was calm but firm. "We don't accept truth."
Nathan froze. "Excuse me?"
She repeated, sharper. "We don't accept pure truth in the news. Reports must fit the field, but adding spice is necessary. Drama is normal here."
Nathan nodded slowly, trying to understand this new newsroom. Then Diana gave him a new NBC Universal ID card. He replaced his Vietnam card with pride.
Diana started talking about the latest news in Los Angeles, an August shooting. "A mass shooting at a warehouse afterparty in downtown LA, early August. Two dead, six injured, around one in the morning. Police said the motive is unclear. Mayor Karen Bass strongly condemned it and promised action with gang intervention programs. Witnesses reported nearly one hundred shots that night."
Nathan carefully noted the time, place, victims, and reactions in his notebook.
Later, he walked through the office hall. On the way, Sophia, his apartment neighbor, appeared.
"Sophia!" Nathan smiled in relief. "I thought I wouldn't see anyone I knew here."
She shook his hand warmly. "So you're a journalist! I'm happy to see you here."
Nathan laughed gently and placed his bag on his new desk, where a computer was ready. Quietly, but full of spirit, he whispered, "Finally, my hard work in Vietnam paid off. Now I am here. My life can be perfect." He clenched his fist with new energy.
He opened his computer, browser, and Diana's notes, ready for his first day at NBC Universal.
Back to Elberia.
Adam wore shining black shoes and straightened his long white robe. He took a black wizard hat, placed it on his head, and looked at Isna standing at the door.
"I will be back on time," he said with a warm smile. "And I'll bring delicious dinner from the palace kitchen."
Isna laughed softly. "I can't wait for that, love."
Adam nodded, went to the carriage waiting outside, and waved as it carried him to the palace.
The trip took almost three hours. At 8:20 p.m., Adam stepped down, thanking the driver. The Elberia Palace stood tall, its dark blue walls glowing under torchlight. Inside, the bright cream walls shone with silver curtains, white marble floors, and candlelight from high ceilings.
In the hall, three familiar figures waited.
"Adam!" Oswald waved. He was tall, strong, in a gray robe full of star patterns.
Next to him stood Ernold, serious as always, wearing a silver-white robe and glasses. And Marigold, the only woman, wore a daring red dress showing her shoulders and chest with confidence.
Adam smiled as he approached. "Feels like seeing street bandits who became magicians," he teased.
Ernold frowned, staring at Adam's white robe. "All white… too flashy. Like a lost peacock in winter."
Oswald laughed, patting Adam's back so hard he almost fell. "Even lost, you'd be a lighthouse for the army! No one could miss you!"
"I can see you from two miles away, Adam," Marigold teased, playing with her hair. "And I think white looks very tempting on you."
Adam smirked. "But your dress, Marigold, looks unfinished. A little wind and nobles will faint."
Marigold only smiled. Adam then looked at Oswald. "But your robe is great, Oswald. The stars look real."
Oswald bowed dramatically. "I didn't know, Sir All-White."
Adam turned to Ernold. "But those glasses make you look… old."
"You dare…" Ernold growled, pulling Adam's ear.
"Ouch! Too serious!" Adam cried.
They almost fought until Marigold hit their heads with a chicken leg.
"Enough! You are not children!" she shouted.
Oswald fell laughing, holding his stomach. "So a chicken leg can save the world from your stupidity!"
They laughed together.
"We grew up together," Oswald said softly.
"And now we are royal magicians," Marigold added.
They raised glasses of red wine and toasted. Music filled the hall—until a clap silenced it.
Emperor Johanes Elberia stood on the stage, wearing a golden robe and crown. His voice was loud and powerful.
"Honored guests! Let me call to the center—the four magicians who gave great service to this kingdom!"
Adam, Oswald, Ernold, and Marigold walked forward as nobles clapped. The Emperor gave each of them a golden badge.
"Oswald O'Neill, for defeating the Red Dragon Grodon in the east.""Marigold Hilda, for breaking the dark barrier in the north.""Ernold Sawyer, for sending troops to stop conflict in Mistolin, west of Elberia."
Finally, he looked at Adam.
"Adam Velcroft. For your great discovery. You created the Hero Summoning magic, to help us defeat the Dark God, Ash."
The hall shook with applause. Nobles stood, cheering and raising their wine. Adam bowed deeply.
Back to Nathan.
He sat across from Diana Brown, who looked cold in her blue blazer. She dropped a pile of reports on the glass table.
"Nathan, this is the second time you ignore 'spice' in your reports. Too plain. Too true."
Nathan frowned. "I follow journalistic ethics. I can't invent things that never happened. That is lying to society."
Diana crossed her legs, eyes sharp. "Here, I control the news. NBC Universal needs drama. People don't read for pure truth. They want emotions. Sensation. If you can't give it, you'd better return to Vietnam."
Nathan's chest tightened. He glanced at his watch. Five o'clock. He had worked eight hours on a report called "tasteless."
Without a word, he stood, bowed, and left the room.
The office hallway felt long and quiet. Lights dimmed above him. At his desk, he packed his black backpack, turned off the computer and AC, cleaned the table, and switched off the light.
The elevator bell rang softly. He rode down, head bowed. The receptionist was gone. He placed his ID card in the return box and walked to the exit.
The night air was warm. The wind of Los Angeles carried gasoline and smoke. A big red motorbike waited outside. Julian stepped down and smiled brightly.
"Nathan!"
Before Nathan could answer, Julian pulled him into a tight embrace. His broad chest became Nathan's shelter.
"What's wrong? You look so tired," Julian asked softly.
Nathan shook his head with a weak smile. "It's fine. I'll tell you at home, love." He kissed Julian's cheek.
Inside, he whispered to himself, If only I had magic, I would show the world the truth. Without any lies.
To be continued…