Ascend

Tap, tap, tap!
Rai opened his eyes. He was sitting at a small table, a half-closed book resting in his hand. Hearing the knock, he quickly said, “Come in.”

A tall man with light brown hair, masculine features, and dark brown eyes entered the room. He bowed slightly and said, “We’ve found them, Your Majesty.”

Rai’s eyes darkened. He closed the book and said firmly, “It’s time to go. Prepare to leave the capital.”
“Yes, Your Majesty,” Irish replied and walked out.

Rai closed his eyes, falling deep into thought. He was in a small cabin at the back of the palace, about ten minutes away. Whenever he was tired or needed peace, he would come here. The cabin stood beside a garden, built from simple bricks, covered in flowering vines. Inside, it had shelves full of books, a table, and a couch. It was a quiet, soothing place — a perfect escape from the noise and duties of palace life.

After a while, Rai got up and returned to the palace. He went straight to visit his mother, and after their conversation, he left quietly.

The next morning, just before sunrise, Rai and Irish left the palace through a secret passage. They wore simple clothes like commoners. Soon, they reached the edge of the capital and entered a busy inn. From the outside, the inn looked ordinary and crowded.

At the reception, Irish showed the innkeeper a wooden token carved with half a sun and moon. The moment the staff saw it, they understood who the visitors were and guided them to the back.

There, several magnificent horses stood in the stable — strong, elegant, and well-trained. As Rai admired them, the inn’s manager approached respectfully, already aware of his identity.
“What can I do for you, young master?” he asked.
“We need the best horses for a long journey,” Irish replied. They could have used royal horses, but to avoid suspicion, they decided to take them from the inn instead.

The manager led them to a separate stable and showed them a black and a white horse — both strong, well-bred, and trained for battle. Rai was impressed and chose them for the journey.

This inn was secretly operated by the emperor’s Shadow Guards — an elite group loyal only to the Emperor himself. No other authority could command them.

After receiving the horses, Rai and Irish headed toward the eastern city gate. As the sun rose behind them, they rode out of the capital.

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The world they lived in was called Ascend, a vast kingdom divided into four major realms: Fire, Water, Wind, and Earth. Each realm had its own ruler and parliament. At the center of them all stood Asthe, the centric capital, ruled by the Emperor — the highest authority. His power was absolute.

Although the kingdom seemed peaceful, dark forces were beginning to grow in the shadows. To stop this evil before it could rise, Rai had decided to act — even if it meant risking everything.

Each realm was connected to the capital by two main routes: ground and water. Businessmen mostly used water routes, while commoners preferred the ground.

Rai and Irish chose the ground route to reach the Fire Realm.
“It’ll take us three days,” Irish said during the ride.

Rai and Irish shared a strong bond — best friends since childhood. After Rai’s coronation, Irish became his personal guard and assistant. He knew Rai enjoyed traveling freely, but his identity rarely allowed it. Now, both were finally on a journey without officials or guards.

After three days, they arrived at the Fire Realm’s border — a massive wall surrounded the realm, with a large symbol on the entry gate. A flag flew high above, showing a dragon and phoenix merging into one — symbols of the kingdom. The Fire Realm’s symbol was also there: a circle with flames around it.