For almost two years, the same dream has tormented me. It's always the same: a boy, running desperately with a bright, blinding light in the background, and an unrecognizable sound filling everything.

A high-pitched, metallic, and violent sound. The screech of a truck.

"AHHHHH!"

I shot out of bed, my heart hammering in my chest and cold sweat running down my forehead.

"Damn it," I muttered to myself, breathing heavily. "That dream is going to give me a heart attack someday."

My eyes adjusted to the dimness of my room, and then I saw it. Through the window, the first rays of sunlight tinged the sky orange. An instant later, my panic turned into explosive euphoria.

"Wait... it's daytime. It's... IT'S DAYTIME!"

I launched myself out of bed as if propelled by a spring. I shot out of my room, turned left into the hallway, slid down the banister with reckless agility, turned right at the bottom, and sprinted up the stone steps that led to the bell tower of the church that was also our home.

I grabbed the thick rope with both hands and pulled with all my might.

DONG! DONG!

The bell rang throughout Nalia Village, a thunderous wake-up call.

"Come on, everyone, wake up! Today's the day!" I shouted at the top of my lungs.

The bell tower door opened, and Nagi appeared. As always, he was already impeccably dressed, his calm expression a stark contrast to my chaos.

"Natsu, what have we told you about ringing the bell so early?" he said in his usual serene tone.

"Yes, but today is the Nalia festival!" I replied, unable to contain my excitement.

Nagi sighed, a small, almost invisible smile appearing on his lips. "Alright, do what you want. You can go down for breakfast."

"You got it!"

Instead of going down the stairs like a normal person, I vaulted over the edge of the bell tower and let myself fall. The wind whistled in my ears as I descended into the courtyard.

Down below, Sister Ren was hanging some colorful garlands, enjoying the morning.

"What a beautiful day for the festival," she said to herself.

"SISTER REN!" I shouted mid-fall. "GOOD MORNING!"

Ren turned, her eyes wide as she watched me fall straight toward her.

"Na... Na...! Natsuuuu! Kyaaaaaa!" she squealed, trying to run, but it was too late.

I landed right on top of her with a thud.

"Ouch... NATSUU, WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING!" she exclaimed, pained and furious, from the ground.

I jumped up, unscathed. "Nagi told me to come down for breakfast!"

"But not like this, you idiot!" she retorted, trying to get up. "Could you..."

But before she could finish, I had already run off toward the church door.

"And by the way, my dress is ripped!" she yelled after me.

"Wait, what? What?" I thought I heard her say.

I glanced back and saw Ren looking down at her shoulder, where a small tear was visible in the fabric of her dress. Her face turned red as a tomato.

"KYAAAAAAAAAA! Natsu, you pervert!"

I just kept running.

Inside the church, the smell of freshly cooked food filled the air.

"Good morning, Sister Kitsui, is breakfast ready?"

"Hello, Natsu. It's almost ready. In the meantime, would you please help Mr. Rei?"

"Yes, on my way!"

As Natsu ran off again, Kitsui stared out the window at the sky. Her friendly smile faded, replaced by a cold, empty expression.

"What a restless child," she murmured. "I will have to put up with him for much longer. There are four more years until this town ceases to exist and..." her lips barely moved as she spelled out the words in a hushed whisper, "...and everyone will... D... I... E."

Her eyes filled with pure, icy malice.

I ran into the courtyard, where my grandfather, Elder Rei, was trying to move some heavy crates.

"Elder!"

"Hey, Natsu. Will you help me, please?"

"Yes, what do you think I came for? And where are we taking them?"

"Follow me," Rei said, and together we carried the crates.

We walked through the crowd milling around the town square, everyone busy with festival preparations. The atmosphere was filled with laughter and excitement.

"Natsu, can I ask you something?" Rei said as we walked.

"Yes, tell me."

"What will you do when you turn twelve? Will you go on an adventure?"

I stopped. "Uh...? Adventure?"

"Yeah. I mean, all kids that age go on trips. I'd like you two to go on a trip. Though, to be honest, a part of me always wished you'd go to Norimoa School. It'd be a shame to waste your talent."

A brilliant idea crossed my mind. "What if we do both?"

Rei blinked. "What?"

"Yes. We could go to school, spend the two years we're supposed to be there, and then go on a trip."

Rei's eyes lit up. "Wow, that's a great idea. But... how do you know the school program is actually two years?"

"Ah..." I said, thinking quickly. "I heard it from Nagi and read it in a book by Sister Ren."

"Makes sense," Rei concluded, satisfied.

When we returned to the church, Nagi was there, leaning against a wall with his usual air of indifference.

"Hi, Nagi, where have you been?"

"Nowhere," he replied, without looking at me.

"Why are you so cold?"

Rei interrupted before I could start an argument. "Hey, how about a little practice sparring? I want to see something."

My eyes glittered. "Fine by me! How about you, Nagi?"

He shrugged. "Okay. First touch wins."

"Fine by me!"

We took up our positions in the center of the courtyard. Nagi drew his practice sword, while I concentrated mana in my hands, which began to glow with orange heat.

Nagi launched an attack, quick as lightning. I dodged at the last second, propelling myself upward with a burst of air magic. I landed softly and began running in circles around him, firing a barrage of fireballs.

He slashed at them one by one with his sword, the metal hissing as it cut through the hot air. But while he was distracted by my assault, I channeled my mana into the ground. A thin layer of ice formed beneath his feet, freezing his boots to the stone. He lost his balance for a split second, and that was all it took. I slid behind him and tapped him on the shoulder.

"YES, I WON!" I shouted, jumping for joy.

Nagi clicked his tongue, annoyed. "Tch."

Rei nodded, a look of pride and determination on his face. "Hmm... Determined. When you turn twelve, you'll both go to Norimoa High."

"Uh, well, I did promise," I said.

Nagi sheathed his sword. "Whatever. Me too. Can't leave Natsu by himself."

I looked up at the sky. The morning clouds had dissipated, leaving a perfect blue sky.

"Hey, look. It doesn't look like it's going to rain," I said.

"That's true," Nagi replied, his tone a little lighter. "Not like previous years."

"Let's go put on our yukatas and masks!" I exclaimed. "Let's get ready for the festival!"

Rei laughed. "Go on, Natsu."

Nagi just sighed, but I could tell he was excited too.

Hours later, night had fallen. In my room, I put on my yukata and carefully tied the fox mask to the side of my head. Festival lights shone through my window, and the sound of music and laughter filled the air.

"Time to go to the festival," I said to my reflection.

"LET'S GO!"

I ran out of the room, but as I looked out the hallway window, something stopped me. On the horizon, far away, above the mountains, a mass of black, ominous clouds swirled, growing at an unnatural speed. A silent lightning bolt flickered within, illuminating a storm that was gathering out of nowhere.