THE FOREST OF GLOWING LIGHT

Kane waved goodbye to his sister, Merylene, and watched as she disappeared into the distance, her form soon swallowed by the glowing trees ahead. With a deep breath, he turned his gaze towards the enchanted forest before him, known as the Forest of Glowing Light.

As he walked into the glowing expanse, Kane couldn't help but be awestruck by his surroundings. The trees shimmered softly, their leaves glowing in a gentle, ethereal light. Small birds with luminous wings flitted among the branches, their soft chirps filling the air. "Wow," Kane muttered to himself, pausing to take it all in. "This feels like a dream."

The air was cool and pleasant, and the ground beneath his feet was covered in soft, lush grass. The atmosphere was so calming that a sudden drowsiness washed over him. Glancing around and seeing no one in sight, he shrugged, “A quick nap won’t hurt.” With that, he lay down on the grass, folding his arms behind his head, and closed his eyes. In no time, he was fast asleep.

“Hey... hey! Wake up!”

Kane groaned as a voice echoed in his head, feeling something gently shaking him. “Huh...?” Slowly opening his eyes, he was met by the sight of a face hovering mere inches from his own. He stared into bright green eyes, so close that he could see his reflection in them.

"AAAAHHHH!" Kane bolted upright with a yell, scrambling backward until he bumped into the rough bark of a tree. His heart raced as he tried to process what had just happened. The stranger blinked at him, tilting her head curiously.

“Oh! I’m sorry!” she said quickly, her tone genuinely apologetic. “I didn’t mean to startle you... I just thought you might be a mage.”

Kane blinked, still catching his breath. “Who else would I be?” he asked cautiously, peering at the girl who now stood in front of him. She seemed young, with soft, shoulder-length hair and a face that was framed with delicate features. Her green eyes sparkled brightly under the light of the glowing trees.

“Well... there are all kinds of people in this place,” she replied, offering a small smile. “I really am sorry for waking you up.”

“It’s... fine, I guess,” Kane muttered, standing up and dusting himself off. His eyes met hers again, and he frowned. “Who even are you?”

“I’m Aldine,” she said, her voice polite and soft. “Nolida Aldine. And you, little boy?”

“Little boy?” Kane scowled slightly. “I’m Kane. Kane Mathews.”

Aldine raised an eyebrow, a mischievous glint in her eye. “I see. So you’re a mixed descendant.”

“A what?”

“Never mind,” she said quickly, brushing off the question.

“Wait... what’s that supposed to mean?” Kane pressed, but Aldine simply shrugged and looked around.

"So, you're a mage?" she asked, trying to change the subject.

"Yeah, I guess so," Kane responded, still wary of her sudden shift in conversation.

“Do you have a partner?” Aldine asked nonchalantly.

“A partner? No... Wait a second!” Kane’s eyes widened as it clicked. “You’re the other person sent into this part of the forest, aren’t you?”

Aldine grinned and gave a small nod. “Looks like it.”

“Cool.” Kane relaxed, letting out a breath of relief. “I guess we’re supposed to work together then.”

“Sounds good to me!” Aldine beamed, clearly excited. She plopped down onto the grass, reaching for a fruit hanging from a nearby glowing tree.

Kane followed suit, grabbing one of the glowing fruits. The two of them sat side by side, enjoying the sweet taste of the fruit in the warm forest air.

"So... are you from Earth?" Kane asked after taking a bite.

Aldine took a small nibble from her fruit before replying. "No."

"I see."

There was a moment of silence as they both continued to eat. Kane glanced over at her, noticing her casual posture. She sat with her legs tucked to one side, dressed in a bright yellow shirt, a green skirt, and white sneakers. A red sling bag rested beside her, adding a vibrant splash of color to the scene.

“You seem to know a lot about this place,” Kane said, his curiosity piqued.

“I guess you could say that,” Aldine replied with a small smile. She held up the glowing fruit. “This forest is full of wonders. It’s one of the many miracles in this realm.”

Kane looked around at the glowing trees, the way the leaves seemed to pulse gently with light. “It really is beautiful. But... why is it called the ‘Forest of Glowing Light’? I mean, light already glows, doesn’t it?”

Aldine laughed lightly. “It’s not the kind of glow you’re thinking of. The light here is infused with magic. That’s what makes this place special.”

Kane nodded thoughtfully. “Magic, huh?” He looked back at her. “What kind of wizard are you?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean... like, what type? Is there a type?”

Aldine nodded. “Yes, every mage has a certain type based on the attributes they use to create magic. Some use fire, some water, others wind or earth. That’s how you can classify the type of mage someone is.”

“Okay... so how many types are there?”

“Well, a mage who can use one attribute is called a ‘one-type mage,’ but there are mages who can use two, three, or even more types. The strongest one we know of so far is a four-type mage.”

“Wow.” Kane’s eyes widened in amazement. “And you? What type are you?”

Aldine grinned, clearly proud. “I’m a two-type mage.”

Kane’s jaw dropped. “That’s amazing!”

“Thank you, Kane-san,” Aldine replied, looking pleased.

As they finished their meal, the sky began to darken, and the forest around them transformed. The trees began to sway gently, their glowing leaves illuminating the darkness. Small strings of light drifted down from the branches, casting a soft, warm glow over everything. One of the leaves landed on Kane’s head, and he picked it up, marveling at its bright light.

“Wow... even dried up, it’s still glowing,” he whispered in awe.

“This forest,” Aldine said quietly, her voice reverent, “is the heart of magic. Its light holds the essence of magic itself.”

Kane could only stare, mesmerized by the beauty around him. “Incredible,” he breathed.

“Kane-san,” Aldine said, snapping him out of his daze, “our first destination is Eortes City. We should rest up here for the night.”

“Eortes City, huh?” Kane muttered to himself as he leaned against a tree. “So this is just the beginning.”

The two of them settled down under the glowing trees, the soft sounds of the forest lulling them to sleep.

Elsewhere in the forest, Merylene was also preparing to rest. She bowed respectfully to her companion, Uzui, before finding a spot under a nearby tree.

“Good night, Uzui-sama,” she said quietly, lying down on the soft grass.

Uzui nodded, leaning back against the trunk of his own tree. “Good night, Merylene-san.”

Before long, the forest was quiet, the only sound being the gentle rustling of leaves and the distant chirping of night birds.

“Kane-san! Kane-san! Wake up!” Aldine’s voice shook Kane from his dreams. He blinked awake, the morning light filtering through the trees above.

“Is it morning already?” he yawned, stretching his arms.

“Yes! Let’s go!” Aldine said enthusiastically, already on her feet and ready to move.

Kane grabbed his side bag, tied it around his waist, and gave her a nod. “Alright, let’s do this.”