Elites' Nature Park Dojo – 2022 (Present Day)
The dojo of the Elites, where every season felt like spring, was a place where peace and tranquility reigned, deeply connected with nature. The time for the first lesson had come, and all the students had spread out across the vast garden, each trying to follow Kai's instructions: "Find the point of serenity and uncover the deep secrets of your mind."
Though this lesson seemed simple in theory, it was quite difficult for beginners. They would spend almost half the year just trying to understand and succeed at this exercise. Becoming one with nature, silencing the chaos of the mind, and reaching the secrets hidden deep within the soul were fundamental skills every student needed to master.
No matter how hard Alex tried to focus, he had failed on the first day. The only thing he had gained were the new friendships he had just formed.
"Hey, Alex, we're over here!" Sofia had approached where Alex was sitting. Beside her stood the blonde boy Alex had seen earlier. Without standing up, Alex spoke while still in his meditation posture.
"Oh, hey Sofia. I hope Kai didn't force you to come talk to me."
"Do you really think you'll find your Point of Serenity with that kind of anger?" Sofia asked with a faint smile on her lips.
"I'm just tired of sitting here for hours waiting for something to happen. Don't take it personally, my anger's not at you — it's at the situation."
Sofia nodded slightly, then gestured toward the boy beside her and continued. "Don't worry, we went through the same thing. Meet Edward. Edward's an Earth Ender. He's one of the rare few who've survived here long enough to get close to graduating from this school."
Alex looked at Edward and replied with a hint of sarcasm. "Ah, one of the rare ones. How much more motivation could I need? Nice to meet you, Edward."But Edward was silently studying Alex with his deep navy-blue eyes. From the very beginning, Alex had felt uneasy around this boy; he could see the darkness of someone hiding something in Edward's gaze.
Edward spoke in a cold tone. "I heard you're important to Kai. The fact that you're here already proves it. First the girl in the library, and now you… But I'm done meddling in that man's business. So, it's better if we don't cross paths."Without waiting for a response, he turned and walked off quickly with Arter, leaving the weight of his words behind.
Alex stared after him in surprise, then turned to Sofia. "You two are so alike. But… wait, did he say the girl in the library?"
Sofia nodded gently. "Yes, recently they took a new girl to the library. But I should tell you — no student in this school has ever set foot inside that library."
Suddenly, Kai's words about Jessy echoed in Alex's mind. It had to be her… who else could it be?Something stirred inside him — a feeling he couldn't name. He couldn't admit that he missed Jessy, but he felt her absence deeply. No one could replace her presence; it only made the emptiness within him grow. At the same time, he was angry with himself — how could he have forgotten Jessy for so long?How could Kai expect him to pass this cursed exam while in such emotional turmoil? All he could do was mutter silent curses toward Kai.
"Did you say something?" Sofia asked, watching him closely.
"I need to go to the library, Sofia. Help me."Alex knew that if he stuck with the lessons and Kai's training, he would stray from the path he truly wanted — and if it meant breaking the rules, then so be it.
"I'm sorry, Alex. That library is like Kai's secret sanctuary. He doesn't want anyone to enter — or even see — that place. But... I can open a special route for you through Arter. I may not be able to come with you, but I can get you in." she said with a determined look on her face.
"And how exactly are you going to do that?" Alex asked, curious.
Sofia turned her hands into a liquid-like substance and showed him. It was the same material found in Arter. "I'm a Shifter, Alex. Unlike other Shifters, I can transform into anything I want. That makes me an Ender. Kai chose me for the Elites because of this."
Sofia's readiness about the library meant she had a request of her own. "You were already looking for someone to get in there for you, weren't you?"
"There's a book you need to get from the library — about Kai," she said, her eyes lighting up.
"Why do you even want a book like that?"
Sofia sat down beside him and began speaking carefully. At that moment, seeing Sofia's features this closely made Alex realize something. He wondered for the first time how old this Ender — who still carried the beauty of her twenties — really was.
"Look, Alex, the first thing I want you to know is this," Sofia said seriously. "I don't know why, but I trust you. Now listen carefully to what I'm about to tell you. I'm doing this for Edward."
Alex fixed his green eyes on Sofia, listening. Her calm and solution-focused demeanor gave her the courage to continue.
"From the outside, Edward may seem like someone you'd misunderstand. But he's not like that. Centuries ago, he was classified as an Ender who couldn't control his immense power, and was put on the execution list. Kai stopped the execution and took him under his protection — at least until the Rebellion against the Authority broke out."
Sofia paused for a moment to gauge Alex's reaction. Seeing no sign of emotion on his face, she continued.
"During the rebellion, Edward was one of the first students to join Kai's side. When the rebellion ended, many were sentenced by the new administration. Edward was exiled."
Alex tilted his head slightly. "Edward joined the rebellion?" he asked, his voice gentler than Sofia had expected.
"Yes, but the real problem isn't Edward. It's Kai. After the rebellion, he became a completely different person. Instead of defending those who joined the fight, he shut himself away in that mysterious library and built the academy. It's like he became someone else entirely. We need to find out why he changed."
Alex looked into Sofia's eyes. He could feel the conviction and determination inside her.
"Edward may have lost faith in him, but I still believe in Kai," Sofia said, her voice filled with hope. "There must be a reason for everything he's done..."
Alex was deeply moved by the story he had just heard. He had always sensed there was something different about Edward, but this was more than he had imagined. Even though he barely knew him, he felt sorry for Edward.And then there was Kai — the man behind the veil of mystery, growing more intriguing by the second."I may not believe in Kai, but I believe in you, Sofia."As Sofia hugged him in gratitude, Alex felt both joy at going after Jessy, and relief for postponing the "Finding the Point of Serenity" lesson.