The capital glowed like a dream in the night but for Navi it had turned into a nightmare.
"Let me go!" she screamed, her voice cracking as one of them grabbed her arm and pushed her inside an alley.
The two drunk men reeked of alcohol and trouble, They walked slowly towards her, Navi backed but hit a wall behind. Her breath hitched as panic gripped her chest. Her legs were shaking, her fists clenched, but her body wouldn't move.
She swung once, her fist connecting weakly with one of their shoulders.
He laughed. "Such a wild cat."
"Don't touch me!" she cried again, louder this time, but no one around seemed to notice or maybe they did—and looked away.
"C'mon, just relax a little—"
Before his hand could reach her face, a force struck the man clean across the face, sending him tumbling across the stone path like a ragdoll. He hit the wall and fell with a groan.
The second man turned, startled, only to find another figure stepping out from the shadows.
A young man, not much older around 20.
His black hair was short and cleanly groomed, his expression calm. A soft smile played on his lips like he was always ready to reassure a child. He wore a dark, travel-worn coat that swayed gently as he stepped forward like the breeze itself followed him.
"Two grown men harassing a girl in my city," he said quietly. "Shameful."
The second drunk snarled, pulling out a rusty knife. "You'll regret that, kid!"
The boy's expression didn't change. Instead, he lifted one hand. "You should've run. I'm the hero who protects the capital."
The ground beneath them shook.
Cracks formed on the cobblestone. From them, roots and vines erupted like serpents. Green tendrils thick with life like snakes coiled around the drunk man's legs, raising him off the ground in seconds.
"What the—?!" he shrieked.
The vines twisted tighter, forcing the knife from his grip. More vines rose and slammed into his gut, launching him against the wall. He hit it hard, slumping to the floor before being lifted again.
The first drunk, trying to crawl away, found his leg suddenly yanked by a thinner vine. Then another wrapped around his wrist and another on his waist skidding him back.
The boy walked forward slowly, one step at a time, his hand raised like a conductor guiding a violent orchestra.
"You've done enough," he said gently.
Then a new vine split off, hardened into a whip of bark and fiber. With a flick of his wrist—CRACK!
The whip lashed across the back of the drunk men, who howled in agony.
Another strike. CRACK!
Then a third. CRACK—CRACK!
"Please, please we beg you, we won't do that again." the two men cried.
Blood seeped from shallow cuts. Their screams echoed through the alley.
"Do you mean it?" the boy asked, his tone still calm.
"Y-Yes! We're sorry! Please!" the man cried, tears mixing with sweat and blood.
"Good."
The vines loosened instantly, dropping both of them to the cobblestones like garbage. They scrambled to their feet and ran limping into each other, not daring to look back.
Silence returned. The vines melted back into the earth.
Navi remained frozen where she'd fallen, heart pounding in her chest.
The boy turned and walked toward her with quiet steps, crouching down beside her like a knight.
"Are you hurt Miss?" he asked gently.
She looked up at him, his eyes soft, gentle like the morning sun through leaves. Her lips parted. "... thank you," she said, voice barely a whisper.
She tried to stand up but pain shot through her ankle, and she winced, taking the wall as a support.
The boy noticed instantly. "You've twisted it," he said.
"I'll be fine," she muttered, taking a step—but stumbled.
Without another word, he stepped forward and gently scooped her into his arms, lifting her with raw strength. Her face flushed red.
"W-What are you doing?!" she mumbled.
"Where do you want to go Miss? I'll leave you to your place." he said walking effortlessly out of the alley.
Navi pointed her hand towards the alley she came from, "Just take me that alley" she mumbled eyes darting everywhere but his face. The soft golden lights highlighted the pink hue on her face. "I...I can walk the rest."
He smiled, "As you wish, but remember miss, Capital is not a place to be wandering alone at night."
When they reached the alley entrance, he gently lowered her onto her feet.
Navi looked at him again, her face still burning. "Thank...thank you… for everything."
He tilted his head slightly. "Are you sure you'll be okay? Want me to leave you at the door."
She nodded quickly. "Yes. I'll be fine."
"Alright," he said, straightening his coat. "If fate's kind, we'll meet again."
Then he turned and vanished into the city's light just like that.
Navi watched him go, her heart still racing. "The hero who protects the capital." she whispered, smiling.
She limped back to the wall, each step a quiet ache through her leg. The city's glow softened behind her. As she pressed her hand through the tunnel's illusion and stepped beyond the veil, into the academy's garden, as she walked back towards the dorms she paused.
Turning back, she looked once more at the wall that separated the academy from the world beyond.
"Sei… where are you? Please be safe." she whispered, a saddened look on her features.
Meanwhile, through the crippled and twisted roads of the capital, Sei chased the mysterious man. The farther they went, the quitter and darker it got. Sei could feel the lights and humming of capital fading behind him.
The city's golden lightning faded into darkness of the cloudy night, the stone below turned to dusty roads and the surroundings turned coldly silent.
Suddenly the man halted at a distance beneath a mountain. As the clouds allowed the moonlight to filter through, he saw it.
The man stood in front of a jagged cave opening, its uneven rocks formed the cave's opening.
Sei slowed, his breath heavy and uneven because of the chase. "Who are you?" he asked.
The figure turned slightly but said nothing. Then, without a word, he vanished into the cave.
Sei stood at the entrance, the wind brushing past him. Cold. Whispering.
The cave yawned like a mouth about to devour him.
He stared into the darkness, uncertain. He stared at it for a moment gulping hard. He felt fear, it was normal because he was not able to channel nature energy and whatever the reason was, the answers were inside.
With a determined look in his eyes, Sei stepped forward.