(Road to Element District)

Before heading out for the Element District, I thought I should grab a bite to eat. The journey ahead was long and my stomach was empty. A short distance away, I spotted a small shop where the incredible aroma of frying lobsters was wafting through the air. My stomach instantly made the executive decision: we were stopping here.

​I had a few coins left, so I headed straight for the shop. As soon as I entered, a boy—roughly my age—approached me, looking panicked.

​"Brother... do you have a few coins?" he asked softly, glancing around before stepping closer. "Please, save my dignity. Someone stole my wallet."

​He gestured slightly with his right hand toward a girl who was sitting quietly, staring at the food.

​"I told her I’d cover the bill," he whispered, "and now I don't have a single cent..."

​I smiled at his predicament. "My name is Purav," he said.

​Thinking I had enough to spare, I gave him some of my coins. His face lit up instantly, as if I had just saved his life.

​"Brother, you are a god!" he nearly shouted.

​A few moments later, the three of us were sitting together, eating. Both the aroma and the taste of the lobster were divine. The boy kept pestering the girl with questions:

​"Do you want anything else?"

"Eat a little more..."

"Try this, it's great!"

​The girl just kept eating in silence, offering no reaction whatsoever.

​Suddenly, a massive shadow loomed over us. We thought it might be another customer. But then, he spoke.

​"Darling..."

​Both of us froze mid-bite.

​He was a large, powerfully built man, standing directly behind the girl. He leaned down slightly and asked, "What are you doing here right now? Let's go home. And do you know these two?"

​"No..." the girl replied with a calm, indifferent demeanor and walked away with him.

​In that moment, Purav’s face was a sight to behold. His eyes were wide, his mouth agape... it was as if someone had shattered his entire world in a single second.

​I couldn't help myself. As soon as the girl left, I burst into loud laughter.

​Purav slumped into his chair and muttered, "Brother... the money is gone... and so are my dreams."

​I laughed even harder.

​While still eating, he looked at me and asked with a small smile, "By the way, what’s your name?"

​I took a sip of water and answered directly. "Dhruv..."

​"Good name," he chuckled. Then, leaning in, he whispered, "I’m on my way to participate in the upcoming competition. I’ve heard that select students from every district are coming... are you going there too?"

​Hearing his words, I felt a slight sense of relief. I had to go there as well, but to be honest, I didn't even know the way properly. It seemed fate had handed me a traveling companion.

​I nodded slightly and said, "Yeah... I’m headed there too."

​His face brightened immediately.

​"Great!" he said, slapping the table. "Then let's go together. Anyway, I get a bit... bored traveling alone."

​I smiled. "Alright, let's go together."

​"Come on, let's fill our stomachs first, then we’ll head out. It's a long journey... and who knows what we might find on the way," he said dramatically, then winked. "Maybe even a beautiful girl."

​I laughed.

​The decision to travel with him suddenly felt both right and strange. There was a peculiar excitement in my heart; this journey wasn't just about the competition... perhaps it would lead me to that mysterious girl whose jade I still had tucked safely in my pocket.

​Once we finished eating, we stepped out of the shop and set off toward the Element District. The bustle of the market slowly faded behind us, and a long road stretched out ahead—a path where not only the route was unknown, but the destination as well.

​Purav was clearly born for the road. As soon as we started walking, he began talking without pause.

​"I'm from a small village," he said proudly. "Right by the sea. Everyone there works as fishermen. We've lived in the water since we were kids."

​I listened to his stories in silence.

​Gradually, the stony road ended, and a dense forest began. The canopy of tall trees blocked the sunlight from reaching the ground. The air grew cool, and a strange silence settled around us, broken only by the rustling of leaves and the distant cry of a bird.

​"We have to cross this forest," Purav said softly. "After this, there's a mountain. The path to the Element District starts on the other side of it."

​We moved ahead cautiously, pushing through bushes and weaving between trees. A few hours later, the forest began to thin, and a towering mountain appeared before us. Its peak touched the clouds. The path was winding and rocky, but it was the only way to reach our destination.

​I took a deep breath and looked toward the mountain. The journey had only just begun... and there was no telling what else was in store. Standing before the mountain, I exhaled slowly.

​"Looks like the real journey starts now..." I said quietly.

​Purav tightened the straps on his bag and smiled.

​"Hey Dhruv, why are you scared? It's just a mountain... if this were my village, I’d have made two rounds of it by now," he joked.

​"Oh really? Then you lead the way," I retorted instantly.

​"Well... I was just providing motivation," Purav said, scratching his head, and we both laughed.

​We began our ascent slowly. The path was narrow and slippery. In many places, the rocks were loose, forcing us to watch every step. Below us lay the deep darkness of the forest, and a cold wind whipped down from above.

​Midway through the climb, Purav drifted back into his stories.

​"One time, I went fishing on a mountain..."

​I stopped in my tracks. "Fishing on a mountain?"

​"Oh, yeah!" he laughed. "Water is everywhere. You just have to find the fish."

​His bizarre tales kept the mood light. But as we climbed higher, the air became colder and heavier. Clouds began to swirl around us, and the path slowly vanished into the mist.

​Suddenly...

​I heard a strange sound. It sounded like someone stepping on a stone.

​I immediately grabbed Purav’s hand to stop him.

​"Shhh... did you hear that?"

​Purav went dead silent. Amidst the whistling wind, there was definitely the faint sound of footsteps. We both looked around cautiously... but we could see nothing through the fog.

​"Maybe it's another traveler," Purav whispered, though his voice held more fear than conviction.

​I was about to say something when a shadow shifted within the mist...

​For some reason, it felt like our first test had begun before we even reached the Element District.

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