"Fate's Unraveling: A Tale Beyond the Stars"

Chapter 1: A Journey Begins

The day was typical for Isuna Hoshizora, Yui Hongo, and Miaka Yuki—busy with classes, mundane assignments, and the looming threat of exams. The three friends had been inseparable since childhood, each with their own quirks that made their bond so special. Isuna, the eldest and calmest, often acted as the peacemaker between the trio. Yui, intelligent and determined, always kept them focused, especially with the exams coming up. Miaka, the wild card of the group, was scatterbrained, always hungry, and often the source of the group’s laughter.

During their lunch break, the three girls found themselves sitting in the school's courtyard, trying to prepare for their exams, but Miaka’s stomach growled louder than the rustling of their textbooks.

"Isuna, Yui, I swear I'm starving!" Miaka complained, poking at her lunch with no real interest.

Isuna sighed, offering her a few crackers. "Here, Miaka, eat these so you can focus for a while."

Yui, who was studying intently, shot a quick glance at Miaka, then sighed. "We really should hit the library to go over some notes. These exams are coming up fast."

Miaka’s face lit up at the mention of the library. "Library?" she repeated, as if she hadn’t been listening. "Does that mean I can stop studying for a bit? Maybe they’ll have some snacks in the vending machine!"

"Focus, Miaka," Yui warned, shaking her head with a small smile. "We need to get this done."

With a shared look, they all packed up and made their way to the school’s modern library. The building itself was sleek and well-lit, a perfect place for students to study. The three girls often found refuge there, the calm atmosphere helping them concentrate. But there was one area, tucked away behind a velvet rope, that always caught Isuna’s attention—the restricted section.

The restricted area was off-limits to students and civilians, only accessible to the library staff. Isuna had always wondered what lay beyond that barrier. It was said that the area contained ancient, rare books, books that didn’t belong in the hands of regular people. Despite the modern setting of the library, those books seemed to hold an air of mystery, like something otherworldly was waiting just behind that velvet rope.

Miaka, as usual, was distracted the moment they entered the library. Her eyes flickered toward the vending machine near the entrance. “Snacks!” she squealed. “I’ll be right back! Stay here, okay?”

"Don't get distracted," Yui warned, but Miaka was already rushing toward the vending machine.

Isuna sat down at a table near the windows, but her gaze was drawn, once again, to the restricted area. As she stared, she saw a flash of red outside the corner of her eye. It was quick, almost like a flash of light, but it made her look up. A vermillion bird flew past the window, its vibrant red feathers glinting in the sunlight.

“Isuna! Did you see that?” Miaka’s voice broke through her thoughts. "It’s a vermillion bird! I've got to follow it!"

Before either Isuna or Yui could stop her, Miaka bolted off toward the restricted area, her eyes locked on the bird as it swooped into the shadows, vanishing beyond the velvet rope. Miaka, caught up in the excitement, rushed past the staff-only sign.

“Miaka! Wait!” Yui called, but Miaka was already slipping past the barrier and into the restricted section, her footsteps echoing in the otherwise silent library.

Isuna and Yui exchanged worried glances before they both stood up and hurried after Miaka. They couldn’t let her get in trouble, especially not for something as silly as chasing a bird.

Inside the restricted section, the atmosphere was different. The air was cooler, and the shelves held books that seemed to whisper with an ancient, forgotten knowledge. Miaka, completely oblivious to the situation, was standing in front of a bookshelf, staring wide-eyed at the strange tomes.

“Miaka! What are you doing here?” Yui scolded, rushing to catch up.

“I... I just had to see the bird!” Miaka grinned, looking around the shelves as if expecting something magical to jump out at her. "It flew right in here, you know?"

Isuna, always the more composed one, stepped forward and let her fingers brush the spines of the books. There was something about the books here—something that felt… different. As she ran her hand along the shelves, a particular book caught her attention.

It was an old, worn book titled The Universe of the Four Gods. The cover was deep red, almost shimmering in the low light. Without thinking, Isuna reached out and pulled it from the shelf.

The moment her fingers touched the book, a strange energy pulsed through her. The pages inside fluttered open by themselves, and the words seemed to shift and change in a language she couldn’t understand, yet somehow, she felt a strange connection to them. A faint hum filled the air, and before she could react, a gust of wind swept through the room, scattering the papers and making the lights flicker.

“What’s happening?” Miaka asked, startled by the sudden shift in atmosphere.

Before any of them could move, the ground seemed to shift beneath their feet. The library around them began to distort, twisting and warping, until all they could see was a blinding light. Miaka let out a startled gasp as she grabbed Isuna’s arm.

"Isuna!" Yui shouted, but her voice was quickly drowned out by the growing hum.

And then, as quickly as it had started, everything went silent.

When the light finally faded, Isuna, Yui, and Miaka found themselves standing on unfamiliar land—vast plains stretched out before them, under a sky unlike anything they had ever seen. In the distance, the towering peaks of mountains loomed, and a strange energy filled the air. The familiar modern world was gone, replaced by a realm that felt ancient and powerful.

They had no idea what had just happened—or where they were.

But one thing was clear: their lives had just taken a drastic turn, and their adventure was only just beginning.