In the realm of reality, Minerva yearns for something more. Fate offers her a chance to escape as she stumbles upon a magical world brimming with wonder. Within a hidden library lies the history of this enchanting realm. With each page she reads, Mi...
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Minerva smoothed her long, obsidian-black hair as she stepped out of the Winds of Knowledge library in Windstorm, the Air school. Her destination: the magnificent structures of Neptulius, the Water school. She studied the construction from one end to the other, noticing, at the point where both schools converged, a distinct third structure—a castle that seemed to beckon her. It exuded an unusual kind of magic, something distinct from what Minerva had experienced at Windstorm and Neptulius.
Her bright blue eyes fixated on the parts of the castle not overshadowed by the other schools' buildings. She realized that all she needed to do was take a short walk to reach it, to examine this wondrous place up close. The audacity that had emboldened her to take a book from the Winds of Knowledge library without permission, and the words of praise that followed, now confused her. Minerva began to think that she could make her own choices without reproach. Thus, she decided to embark on a brief exploration before returning to Neptulius.
The new structure Minerva found stood at the center of it all, the focal point where the four magic schools that made up Elysium converged. As she drew nearer, she marveled at the floating towers and the castle's form amidst it all. It was fascinating. Giant doors welcomed visitors, and a long fountain greeted her first. Next came the steps leading to the main entrance and the castle's pristine white walls.
Minerva yearned to discover more about this magical place. As she spotted a couple of uniformed men, they struck her as different from the mages she was accustomed to observing—perhaps military personnel. Minerva hid among the columns that separated Neptulius from the other schools, realizing that all the schools ended before reaching the castle.
Her curiosity surged. While she knew Irraria, the Earth school, lay at the opposite end of Neptulius, she now had the opportunity to wander around the castle and see if there were even more magic schools. She continued down Neptulius's hallway to circumnavigate the castle and soon caught sight of the plant-covered structures that were part of Irraria. She hurried to avoid being seen and found refuge behind the columns and beneath hanging plants adorned with beautiful flowers. Then, she continued her journey through the perfectly manicured gardens of Irraria, proceeding around the castle to see what lay beyond.
After a short walk, Minerva first glimpsed the structures of White Flame, the Fire school. Their construction bore the scars of fire, with blackened walls that appeared to have melted from the flames. Emerging from the main entrance of the remarkable structure was an unusual figure.
The man resembled the mages Minerva was familiar with, except for the red runes adorning his wizard coat. He must be one of the fire mages. Minerva silently approached for a better view. The mage crossed the garden surrounding the castle and ascended the marble steps to approach one of the castle's doors.
Minerva noticed there were no other guards, so she darted towards the castle, attempting to follow the footsteps of the unknown mage. She wasn't sure of her reasons for wanting to see the red runes on the wizard's coat. Minerva simply followed her instincts and climbed the stairs to pursue him. It was the first time she saw Lumbra, the dean of Elysium, whose beauty was breathtaking. She wore a white dress that hovered just inches above the ground. Minerva halted to avoid being noticed. The sight of the woman, floating out of the castle, left her in awe.
Lumbra drifted towards Furko, the dean of White Flame, as Minerva kept her head down to witness what was about to transpire. That's when she saw them meet in the middle and, as if their lives depended on it, watched them kiss. Minerva couldn't make sense of the moment, couldn't understand what was happening when Furko was engulfed by light and began to float alongside Lumbra. The two kissed and floated, slowly spinning as if guided by a breeze.
Minerva lowered her head to keep watching. She found the scene particularly beautiful. It was as though all her dreams of someday finding love were telling her that this was real. As if the butterflies she felt when she saw Caleb approaching in the dark caves were a sign she should pursue. Minerva understood that continuing to observe was not right and began to descend slowly. She recalled that she had been summoned back to Neptulius, the Water school, so she decided to slip away unnoticed and find her way.
