Chapter 1

I am heading to the Institute of War to become a champion, currently traversing through the Ionian forests. My parents disappeared, and all traces of my belongings

were gone except for the clothes on my back and my gauntlet.

My gauntlet.

My lifeline.

Without it, I would either be dead from starvation or from a pack of wolves. I sit down, resting on a tree and take out my brown backpack. In it is several water

bottles, a small bottle of iodine, and what little food rations I have left. I take out the rabbit I hunted earlier and start eating it, finishing all the food I have

left and gulp down some water. Then, I get up and keep walking. One foot in front of the other, I tell myself repeatedly to prevent me from collapsing.

I've been walking for a week, so I can't be that far...right? As night falls, I set down my backpack and fall asleep next to a tree.

Then, a twig snaps.

I jerk awake, frantically looking around to see what caused the sound.

*It's just your imagination*, I repeatedly tell myself. I slowly calmed down and was about to drift back to sleep when I heard another twig snap.

Then another.

I nearly fainted, but I managed to stay awake and peek behind the tree I was resting on. Then, I see a shadow. Then, a girl emerges and I start sweating.

From what I could see, she was a kitsune and was dressed in a red kimono and had a blue orb hovering above her hand.

Never in my lifetime have I experienced fear like this. I awkwardly raise my hand and fire a bolt of energy at her. She conjures up a blue flame which disintegrates

my bolt of energy and smirks at me. We then look into each other eyes for what seems like a lifetime. On her face holds a grin so unnerving my hands start shaking.

She is probably a much more potent with magic then I am. She's way out of my league. She probably has a significant other as well. She's also really cu-

Stop thinking about that.

I quickly grab my backpack and blink to the other side of the tree. Then, I frantically run away, tripping over huge roots and breathing heavily. She giggles and

chases me in successive dashes. I throw behind an Essence Flux which slows her down for a bit but doesn't do much. Everything has become a blur to me, and I don't know

what's going on.

I turn to see how far away she is from me, about 30 feet awa-

Slam.

I slam into the tree without even knowing. The pain stings, but there is more yet to come.

I'm caught.