Wind.
It howled like thunder but whispered like a dream.
The four students—Shane, Luna, Rio, and Xin—floated in a weightless spiral through silver clouds. None of them could move. None of them could scream. The world was spinning, colors bleeding into light.
And then—impact.
Thud!
Shane hit the ground first, hard—but she rolled up in a flash, body tense, eyes sharp. Years of martial arts instinct kicked in.
"Luna?! Rio?! Xin?!" she shouted.
A forest surrounded her—glowing trees, silver leaves, air thick with a faint blue mist. Strange fireflies hovered in silence.
"Here!" Rio grouned, dragging himself out of a bed of glowing moss.
Luna dropped from the sky like a falling petal, landing straight into Shane's arms.
"Did we… die?" Luna whispered.
Xin landed with perfect balance, crouched low. "No. We're breathing."
"Where the hell are we?" Rio muttered, brushing dirt off his uniform.
Shane looked around, chest rising and falling fast. "This isn't Earth."
Their surroundings pulsed with energy—too real, too magical. Every step echoed softly like they were walking in a dream painted by gods.
Shane's hand touched a tree. "It's alive… like it's watching us."
Suddenly, from her palm—a spark. Crimson energy flickered, dancing like flame before fading.
Rio's eyes widened. "Your power—it reacted."
Xin closed his eyes, placing his hand on a nearby stone. A faint ring of light bloomed under his fingers.
"We're not just in another place," he murmured. "We've entered another realm. And it's… calling to us."
Luna clutched her head, overwhelmed. "I—I can hear thoughts… voices… but they're not ours."
Rio reached for her. "You're okay, Luna. Stay close."
Shane stood tall. "Wherever this is, whatever it wants… we stay together. We find out what's going on—and we get back."
Rio nodded. "As a team."
They stepped forward—deeper into the mystical forest.
But they didn't know… they were being watched.
Far above, behind the veil of mist—eyes glowing with gold, silver, and blue marked their arrival.
To be continued…