When I lost consciousness, my body lay helpless in the middle of an empty field, beneath a starless sky that hung heavy above me. Then, emerging from the fading light of dusk, came a girl my age—her name was Carla. With a gentleness I didn't expect, she lifted me from the ground and carried me back to where I lived, as if I weighed nothing at all—or perhaps, she had long grown used to carrying the pain of others.
As the bruises and wounds across my body opened, she tended to each one. Her fingers wrapped me in bandages and silent compassion, as though every strip of cloth was a whispered prayer.
Slowly, I awoke. My eyes fluttered open, and the first thing I saw was her—Carla—sitting beside me, eyes filled with determination, holding a promise yet to be spoken.
"Come with me… to a place," she said softly but firmly. "A place where the answers you seek are waiting."
I said nothing. I only nodded, slowly. Without a single word, Carla took my hand and led me toward a realm she believed held all the truths I had been searching for—The Hidden Realm, the world of the Elves.
Our journey felt bewildering. The path we took was neither straight nor winding—it felt like we were drifting between reality and a dream. Yet Carla, with a spirit that never faded, made the journey far from dull. She kept talking, telling me strange things I struggled to comprehend—about singing stars and whispering rivers. I just listened, or pretended to understand.
After a long journey that seemed to transcend space and time, we finally arrived at a place that appeared silent and empty. There were no magical gates or grand castles—only a towering tree, its roots sprawling like sleeping dragons, and its branches touching the darkened sky. On the map we carried, this place was marked as the final point.
Carla looked uncertain. "This... is just a tree?" she murmured. But I... I saw something different.
Inside the dark trunk of that tree, there was light. A soft glow, shimmering like stardust—and strangely, only I could see it. Carla showed no reaction at all.
With slow steps, I approached the light. My fingers touched the glowing dust that floated in the air. There was no sound. No wind. Only silence... and a warmth that gradually enveloped my body. Then, suddenly—I was pulled into it.
Everything changed.
What had once been dark and silent was now bright and full of life. I lay on a shimmering ground, then slowly rose, confused. Above me, a vaulted ceiling like living crystal stretched out, and thousands of tiny elves flew through the air, leaving trails of light as they soared. They looked at me—surprised, confused, even frightened… as if they couldn't believe a human stood among them.
Suddenly, a gentle light descended from the sky. From behind the glow, a graceful figure emerged—floating slowly, as if lowered by the starlight itself. Her form shimmered like a full moon dancing on the surface of a lake. Their queen.
But unlike what I had imagined, her face wasn't cold or intimidating—it was joyful, full of soft laughter that rang like tiny bells. Her eyes sparkled as she looked at me, as if she couldn't believe what she saw before her.
"A human… in our land?" she said, her voice clear and bright, almost like a song. "Not just any human… I can feel it—an ancient power flows within your soul."
I was silent. I didn't know what to say. Everything was happening so fast. All I could do was stand there and let it unfold. Was I dreaming?
The queen drew closer, and without hesitation, she extended her hand. "Come, wielder of elements. You have entered the Gate of the Stars, and so we welcome you with honor."
Slowly, I reached out and took her hand.
And in that moment, thousands of tiny elves around us cheered and flew around my body. They welcomed me with a breathtaking aerial dance—some perched on my shoulders, touched my hair, even playfully poked my face, making me almost laugh without thinking. They were so light, so alive, so… peaceful.
I was led by the Queen, walking along paths of crystal and light. On either side of me, floating buildings with unimaginable architecture curved and glowed, as if they had grown straight from the earth. Bridges made of rainbow light connected tower to tower, and glowing flowers bloomed as we passed.
My eyes widened in awe. "This place…" I whispered softly, "it can't be real."
But here I was—walking among living stars.
As we neared the heart of their city, my gaze fell upon a grand palace rising in the middle of that forest of light. Its architecture looked as though it had been crafted from the night sky: its walls shimmered like galaxies, and its roof reflected colors I had never seen before. Its beauty stirred my soul.
Queen Victoria turned to me and smiled. "Welcome, Hiro. The universe has been waiting for you."