I dressed up quickly and got out of my room, yawning. I would give everything to stay all day in bed, but I have an important day ahead of me.

I looked up at the sky and saw Skyriders flying everywhere. That's what we called them.

After two years of taming these beasts, we now used them as rides to fly around and do our chores.

Everyone had their personal ride, and there was plenty more to spare. However, not everyone was qualified to handle them.

To begin with, each type of beast was specifically suited for a particular kind of person. This conclusion was based on the extensive research I have conducted.

Yes, I do research now, at age seventeen. Me, Devi, a fledgling martial artist. I'm now responsible for many of the classes and discoveries in our village. Most importantly, I taught the spirit arts under the supervision of my master Sylas, with the help of Jane.

With both of them by my side supporting me, I managed to unravel the secrets of taming these wild creatures. Consequently, I successfully shattered the shackles of the conventional village system.

Even though a lot of the Elders were against it all, they had no choice but to go with the new wave.

The best part was that I had access to all kinds of books; forbidden, ancient, you name it.

That was how I was capable of doing my research and eventually sharing it with the village.

The worst part was, I was buried in work. I barely had time for myself. The bags under my eyes were witnesses to that.

I walked a few steps and Sylas was standing a few meters away. I recognized him from his large lightning-like scar on the left side of his face. It went down to his hand and chest, reaching the right side of his abdomen. A well-made big tattoo, that’s what it looked like. With his training robe open, revealing his ripped body and the rest of the scar,It made him seem like a badass. 

He crossed his hands while he was waiting for me.

“Up late I see,” he accused me.

I yawned. Guilty as charged.

“Well, if you hadn't buried me in work, I wouldn't be late."

He smirked and said,

“Well, speaking of work, we should run through the things that need to be done for the day.”

I rolled my eyes.

“Can we do this while I have my breakfast? I also need to put food down my throat, so I can function. Sleep alone isn't enough.”

“Well, Jane noticed that you woke up late, so she got this ready for you.”

He gave me a small box and a large mug.

I snatched them from his hand and had a look;

Orange juice, two half-boiled eggs, a jam bun, and a small sandwich.

“My favorite, she's the best,” I said, drooling.

During our walk, Sylas kept yapping about today's schedule. It was the same old nonsense. Meanwhile, I kept sipping my drink. I enjoyed its bitter, sour taste and refreshing aroma.

I took a few bites from the sandwich, then the jam bun, pure bliss.

We walked through the village; the jam leaked out of the bun and some of my drink spilled on the ground. It was the damn uneven cobblestone paths. I licked my fingers and continued. 

We passed the market. Everyone seemed busy selling their best stuff. Others were walking by, heading to their destination.

Even though we were on a sky island, we had everything. You name it. From freshly picked fruits from the forest or the orchards to green vegetables from the fields. 

Meat hanged and displayed outside drawing buyers in. It was the flesh of wild Skyriders that we couldn't tame, or what we call a Queen Skyrider. Similar to the one I fought that day two years ago, the one that gave Sylas his iconic scar.

Their meat weirdly tasted like chicken, even better. And their eggs were large enough to feed a family.

One of the vendors waved at me and threw a freshly picked apple. I thanked him with a full mouth and continued walking, listening to Sylas give the same speech that I heard every day.

Don't get me wrong, I liked listening to him. I always enjoyed his company even we he switched to his father/master mode.

We even got closer after the incident. But lately, other thoughts occupied my mind.

Our village has become even more isolated since we became a sky island. We prided ourselves on being a self-sufficient community, and it has always been our way of life.

Being in total isolation, we had to adapt to the lack of resources. But frankly, we never needed the rest of the world. We never did.

It was all a big hindrance to me. I wanted to discover new things, see the world, and experience it firsthand. Not just read about them in some old books. I didn't want to spend the rest of my life here.

That was one of the thoughts that occupied my mind, along with how delicious this sandwich was. But honestly, I wasn't feeling this place for the long haul.

Villagers waved at us and greeted us as we passed by. Once was an outcast, now beloved by most of the villagers.

We reached the training grounds and saw students learning how to use their weapons. Others were manipulating the elements: fire, earth, wind, water, and wood. They were learning how to control them.

Yes, everyone awakened some latent power after the accident, as I did. I think it was the catalyst for all of this.

Thanks to my research, we could guide the students and villagers to control and use their new powers efficiently.

Each person possessed a dominant element and a corresponding weaker one. The dominant element played a crucial role in helping to tame a Skyrider of the same element. This was because the tamer had a greater natural resistance to the same element they both shared. That made them compatible.

Mine was Thunder - an offshoot of wind. As for my weak attribute, I had metal, both were rare elements on their own. Having them together was super rare.

And let us not forget to mention the fact that I can ride any Skyrider with no problem whatsoever. I was the one that tamed most of them after all. Not everyone could do that. I was one in a million.

The books did not mention any of this, so we had to learn them the hard way, through trial and error. But the books taught us the basics of how each element operates;

The Five Elements show us how the structures and systems in our bodies are connected to one another, how we are connected to our environment and the natural world, and how our world is part of the greater universe.

A thousand years ago, we lost this deep connection to nature. We were no longer able to feel this truth resonate into our being, until that day, two years ago.

I taught this in one of my classes; The Four Elements are four fundamental energies in nature. They are in motion, and there is a dynamism between them.

Let's take earth, for example, earth can generate metal from the minerals contained in it and metal is weak to Fire because it can melt it. There's a logic behind nature, but it's not all black and white. Opposites can create something, like a combination of water and fire can create vapor, as an attack or mist for camouflage.

The limit is your imagination.

“You're not listening, are you?”

Sylas interrupted my daydreaming, dragging me back to my boring reality.

“I've learned the schedule by heart by now. You don't have to repeat it every time,” I objected.

“Just don't forget that today there's a Skyrider's taming event at noon. The second-graders will have to ride their first elemental beast as a final test. You have to be there.”

“Elemental theory class, practical training, taming event, lunch, and one-on-one training with you at the end of the day.”

“So, you were listening after all!”

Honestly, I wasn't, but I let him have the satisfaction of thinking that I was.

After he made sure I got everything, Master left for his martial arts class while I continued to mine.