The sky was gray, but it didn't threaten rain. Just that kind of suspended melancholy that seemed to perfectly reflect Yuri's soul.
Sitting on the rooftop of the school building, legs dangling into the void, she watched the city as the wind tousled her dark hair. It was the last day of school, but she felt no excitement. The others giggled, running down the stairs shouting "vacation," as if it were the most important thing in the world.
She, on the other hand, felt... out of place.
"Why do I always feel like something is waiting for me somewhere else?" she thought, clutching the pendant around her neck. An old talisman her grandmother had given her before she passed away.
"Never forget who you are, Yuri," she had said with a trembling voice. "Kindness is true strength. And you... you are destined for something great."
Words that once sounded like the affectionate ramblings of an old woman now, for some reason, weighed like suspended truth.
The sky suddenly darkened. An unexpected eclipse. No alarms, no forecasts. Just darkness. And silence.
The wind stopped. The city seemed to freeze.
Yuri stood up slowly, her gaze fixed on the sun devoured by shadow.
And then... it happened.
Her body was wrapped in an intense violet light, the pendant began to shine wildly, and time seemed to break apart. She fell into the void, but felt no fear. Only a deep calling, as if something—or someone—had been waiting for her all along.
---
Darkness.
Then... a new light. Cold. Pale.
Yuri opened her eyes. She was lying on a pitch-black field, beneath a starless night sky. The air was freezing, and shadows moved all around her. Not trees, not animals. Shadows.
"...Where... am I?" she murmured, her voice trembling.
A whisper answered her. Not from someone. From the world itself.
Welcome, daughter of Light. The World of Shadows awaits you.
Yuri struggled to her feet, her heart pounding in her chest. All around her stretched a silent, gloomy, almost unreal landscape. The sky was a static gray, as if time had stopped flowing. The branches of skeletal trees seemed to point toward her, like judging fingers.
Then, from the shadows, a figure emerged.
Tall, elegant, in a black gown laced with amethyst veins. Her long dark hair swayed as if moved by a wind Yuri could not feel. And the eyes... those violet eyes seemed to look right through her, digging into her fears and memories.
Yuri took a step back.
"Who are you?" she asked, trying to sound braver than she felt.
The woman smiled, a tone blending charm and danger.
"My name is Kayla. And you, little stranger, have just entered the World of Shadows."
"What...? Shadows? Is this a dream?"
"No. It's much more real than the world you've left behind."
Yuri looked around with wide eyes. Every detail—the cold she felt on her arms, the acrid smell of the earth—was vivid, tangible.
"Why am I here? Why me?"
Kayla stepped closer, her steps as silent as snow.
"You were chosen. By whom, or by what, you don't yet understand. But the fact that you're here... means you have a role to play."
"A role? In what, exactly?"
The witch raised her gaze to the horizon. A dark tower loomed in the distance, shrouded in black clouds.
"What remains of this world is under the yoke of the Dark King. His power grows, corrupting everything. The kingdoms fall one by one. If no one stops him... everything will end."
"And you think I can do that? I... I'm just a normal girl!"
"Perhaps. Or perhaps you are what we need. A stranger, free from the constraints of this world. Someone who can change fate."
Kayla extended her hand toward Yuri.
"Come. I will teach you to survive here. To fight. To become what you are destined to be."
Yuri stared at that hand for a moment. A thousand questions flooded her mind, but none had an answer.
Finally, she took a deep breath and grasped the witch's hand.
A dark warmth ran through her arm. But for the first time... she didn't feel alone.
Part 2: Fire and Fangs
Yuri walked uncertainly, following Kayla through the gray, desolate wasteland. The hand she had held just moments ago now hung limply at her side, stiff. She still didn't trust her. Not the woman, not this world.
"You're strangely calm for someone who's just been catapulted into another reality," Kayla commented, glancing at her sideways, enigmatic.
"Maybe I'm still hoping to wake up. Or maybe you're the result of a bad dinner."
Kayla smiled, but didn't reply.
A howl shattered the silence.
Yuri froze, shivering. A second howl, closer now. Then a growl.
From the blackened rocks ahead of them emerged three creatures: dogs with scaly skin, eyes as red as embers, and jaws dripping with saliva. Their fangs seemed carved from solidified lava.
"What... what are those things?!" Yuri exclaimed, instinctively stepping back.
"Infernal dogs," Kayla answered calmly. "Common predators in these lands. They react to the scent of mana... and you, stranger, are emitting quite a lot of it."
"Great. So not only am I in some crazy dream, but I'm also a buffet for these things."
One of the dogs lunged forward. Yuri screamed, but before the beast could reach her, Kayla made a simple gesture with two fingers.
A blue flame formed in front of her, concentrated and precise. She hurled the sphere at the flying dog, which exploded in a silent burst, dissolving into black smoke.
"What was that?!" Yuri's eyes went wide.
"Second-degree elemental magic. Controlled fire. One of the simplest."
"Simple? You just disintegrated a nightmare version of a rottweiler with a mental lighter!"
The other two dogs charged at Kayla. This time, she snapped her fingers and the ground rose in sharp little spikes, impaling one of the creatures. The other was swept away by a gust of wind, flung dozens of meters away.
"How... how do you do that? Who are you really?" Yuri asked, unable to tear her gaze from the residual flames.
"I told you. I'm a witch. And this world... works by rules different from yours."
Yuri watched the ashes slowly fall to the ground.
For a moment, her cynicism wavered. This was no longer just a dream.
It was something much bigger. And much more dangerous.
"So... if I want to stay alive..."
"You'll have to learn. And quickly," Kayla concluded, walking ahead without turning back.
Yuri paused for a second, then followed. Her steps, this time, were a little more determined.
Part 3: Shadows and Secrets
Silence returned after the attack, broken only by the footsteps of the two girls on the barren ground. Kayla walked calmly, while Yuri, still visibly shaken, tried to keep up.
"What you did earlier... it was incredible," Yuri said, breaking the silence.
Kayla raised an eyebrow slightly. "It was nothing extraordinary. In this world, even a child can summon flames, if trained."
"In my world, children worry about passing math, not summoning supernatural fireworks."
Kayla gave a faint smile, as if that response amused her.
"Everything here runs on mana energy. It's the lifeblood of this world: magic, creatures, even the laws of nature. Your body is full of it, even if you don't know how to use it yet."
"And how do I learn? I don't see any magic schools around."
"Learning to control mana is like learning to breathe underwater. At first, it's impossible. Then... it becomes natural. But it takes discipline, focus... and a guide."
Yuri stared at her. "You mean... you?"
"Only if you're willing to trust me," Kayla replied, without stopping.
Yuri lowered her gaze. She still didn't know if she could truly trust her. But the only alternative seemed to be getting torn apart or burned alive.
"And this world... does it have a name?"
"We call it the World of Shadows. It used to be a place of harmony, divided into kingdoms, each ruled by a king or queen tied to an element or power. But over the centuries, something corrupted the balance."
Yuri paused for a moment. "The Demon King. That's what you said earlier, right?"
Kayla didn't answer immediately. Her gaze drifted toward the distant black mountains on the horizon.
"Yes. He broke what once held our world together. And now the shadows are spreading across every kingdom."
"And you want me to... stop him?" Yuri asked, uncertain.
Kayla finally turned to her. "It's not what I want. It's what destiny wants."
Yuri huffed. "Classic. Always the 'chosen one' story. Have you guys ever considered solving your problems yourselves?"
"We tried. And we failed. The world needs something new... someone from outside. And you're here for a reason."
The path finally opened onto a hilltop, where a ruined old tower stood alone among the mist.
"This will be your first shelter. Here, you'll begin to understand."
"Understand what?"
Kayla looked at her, serious.
"That even shadows, sometimes, can shine."
The tower was cold and dusty, but at least it offered shelter from the cutting wind. Yuri sat next to an old, dead fireplace, knees drawn to her chest, eyes lost beyond the cracked beams of the ceiling.
Everything felt unreal. The ash-colored sky. The lifeless earth. The monsters. The magic. And that woman… Kayla.
Yuri ran her hands over her face, trying to shake off the unease. But it was impossible.
In the silence, her heart drifted back. To home.
To the times she sat on the tatami in the living room, and her grandmother gently stroked her hair while preparing tea.
"One day, Yuri, you'll face difficult choices. Always remember that your strength doesn't come from what you can do, but from what you choose to do for others."
She hadn't understood those words back then. They just sounded like wise old sayings.
But now… they burned in her chest.
"Help others, even when you're alone."
"Even when you're afraid."
"Because you were born with something special inside you, even if you can't see it yet."
Tears began to stream down her face without her realizing it.
She had left everything behind. No goodbyes. No chance to return.
But those words… they were still there. Alive.
As if her grandmother were speaking to her even now.
She was about to clench her fists, ready to make a choice… perhaps the most important of her life… when a voice broke the silence.
"How touching. But you haven't seen anything yet."
Yuri spun around. Kayla had entered the room, hands clasped behind her back and a sly expression on her face.
"You cried," she observed.
Yuri quickly wiped her face. "Just a bit of dust."
Kayla stepped closer and, without another word, made a gesture with her hand. A blue glow floated in the air, forming a small magical circle.
Out of nowhere, a red spark ignited in the center, dancing like a living flame.
"Fire," she said. Then she blew gently, and the flame vanished, leaving a drop of water suspended.
"Water." Another gesture, and the drop fell onto a small pile of dust, solidifying into a lump of earth.
"Earth."
Finally, she waved her fingers, and a tiny whirlwind of air lifted the lump, making it hover.
"And wind."
Yuri watched in silence, in disbelief. That dance of the elements felt like a dream.
Kayla released the spell, and everything faded like mist in the sun. Then she turned to Yuri.
"These are the four basic elements. Every being in this world has an affinity with one or more of them. And all magic is based on them… even the most powerful kinds."
"Most powerful?" Yuri finally spoke.
"Yes. There are eleven levels of magic. From the simplest…"
She snapped her fingers, and a small spark flicked at the tip. "…level one. Tavern tricks."
Then she grew serious. "Up to level eleven: apocalyptic magic. The kind that can destroy entire cities, bend time, or alter reality."
Yuri's eyes widened. "And what level are you?"
Kayla looked at her, amused. "You'll find out. But not yet."
She turned, walking toward another room. "Tomorrow we'll start with the basics. If you truly want to understand where you are… and who you can become."
Yuri stayed there for a moment longer, alone. Her heart torn between the memory of her grandmother and the fear of what lay ahead.
But a thought, subtle and persistent, began to grow inside her:
"What if it's true? What if I really could… make a difference?"