August 30th had passed, and the 31st had finally arrived. This was the day they were scheduled to reach Willowgate, yet there was still no sign of land. Given the ship's current pace, they weren't expected to arrive until the twilight hours. They spent the entire day restless, keeping themselves busy to pass the time. As evening began to fall, the ship's horn let out a thunderous blast—a signal that they had finally reached their destination. Simon and Kai dashed onto the deck to get their first look. What they saw before them left them utterly speechless, their eyes widening in pure awe.
Their ship glided toward a small harbor village, which was built in the elegant curve of a crescent moon. As twilight deepened, the village lanterns began to glow, looking like a swarm of floating orange embers from a distance. But that wasn't what left Simon and Kai awestruck. Looming majestically behind the village were two gargantuan stone dragon statues. Facing each other, their massive stone bodies emitted a soft, ethereal blue light that shimmered in the evening air. This wasn't just another island in the sea; they had finally reached the mainland. Beyond the harbor and the dragons, a vast landscape of ancient forests and towering mountain ranges stretched out as far as the eye could see.
"Wicked!" Kai exclaimed, a wide grin spreading across his face. "Those dragons are legendary! We should definitely take a selfie."
He looked at Simon, who gave an enthusiastic nod in agreement. But before they could act, Jack appeared beside them, his voice stern.
"Stop being so disrespectful," Jack cautioned. "Those are the Dragon Siblings, the ancient guardians who protect Willowgate from monsters. They do not take kindly to insolent words."
Having said his piece, Jack faced the distant statues, pressed his palms together, and closed his eyes in a silent prayer of respect. Startled, Kai and Simon scrambled to follow his lead.
"Sorry! So sorry! We're new here, we didn't know!" Kai stammered, bowing repeatedly with his hands clasped, while Simon nodded solemnly beside him, showing his sincere regret.
Simon looked past Kai to Jack, a curious expression on his face. "So, that means Lady Morotha Tulip isn't allowed to go near them?"
Jack nodded gravely. "That's right. Because the Lady used to be a sea monster, the Dragon Siblings still harbor a grudge. No matter how much she assists the Chosens now, they refuse to break their ancient oath...no sea monster is permitted to pass through their gate."
"Ah... those dragons sure know how to hold a grudge. Horrible," Kai muttered.
"Shut up," Jack snapped, shooting him a dark look that made Kai instantly cover his mouth with his hands. The ship finally glided to a halt at the harbor. As Simon and Kai moved to grab their heavy bags, Jack stopped them again.
"There's no need. They'll be delivered straight to the academy."
"Really? Simon, we're total VIPs!" Kai said, a smug grin plastered on his face. Jack simply rolled his eyes at Kai's antics and started walking toward the gangway to disembark.
They prepared to disembark from the ship. Since there were so many other students, the deck was crowded and bustling. Jostling through the throng, they finally made it to the gangway. Jack was already standing on the harbor below. Kai headed down the stairs first, but just as Simon was about to follow, someone else stepped forward to descend at the same time. Colliding at the exit, Simon instinctively stepped back to give the other person the right of way.
"Oh, please... go ahead," he said politely.
But when he looked up to see who it was, Simon's eyes widened in recognition. It was him—the boy with the piercing green eyes he had encountered back at Bo's Bookie.
The boy's green eyes remained unreadable, showing no flicker of emotion as he gave Simon a brief, passing glance before heading down. As he brushed past, that same faint scent of night-blooming jasmine lingered in the air once more. Simon stood there for a moment, eyes fixed on the back of the boy's head, but just as he prepared to follow, he was abruptly shoved aside. The culprit glared at him. He had brilliant golden hair and piercing blue eyes that radiated both sharp intelligence and an overwhelming sense of arrogance. He looked at Simon with sheer disdain.
"Move it," he spat, shoving past him to descend first. Not only was this newcomer taller than Simon, but his build was also significantly broader and more imposing.
Simon stood there, dazed and momentarily frozen in place. Two other boys, who appeared to be the golden-haired boy's lackeys, shot him mocking smirks before following closely behind their leader.
It was only then that Simon noticed a stark difference. Unlike him and Kai, who were dressed in simple sweaters and ordinary shirts, the green-eyed boy, the blue-eyed boy, and his friends were all dressed in sophisticated Old Money attire. Their clothing spoke volumes, radiating an air of wealth, status, and ancient lineage that set them apart from the rest.
Kai, watching the whole scene unfold from below, scowled deeply. As the golden-haired boy stepped off the gangway, Kai began to stride toward him to demand an explanation, but Jack quickly grabbed the back of his shirt and pulled him back.
"What?" Kai snapped, glaring at Jack.
"Look at their appearance. Don't go looking for trouble," Jack whispered urgently.
"Why should I care? He shoved Simon on purpose!" Kai growled.
"In this place, you have to care. Now shut up," Jack hissed.
As Simon finished descending and reached them, Kai immediately confronted him.
"Hey! Why did that blond brat push you like that? And why did you just stand there and take it? You should have shoved him right off the ship!"
Simon looked at Kai, who was practically vibrating with secondhand rage. He knew Kai was only this angry because he cared.
"Solving everything with violence only leads to bad places," Simon said calmly. "I appreciate you being angry for me, but honestly... some people aren't even worth the effort of a fight."
"See? Why can't you think logically like Simon?" Jack chimed in. Kai let out a frustrated huff and crossed his arms over his chest.
"I'm not a saint like you guys. If someone messes with me, I'm knocking their teeth out. I don't care who they are."
Jack shot Kai another eye-roll and shook his head in exasperation. He leaned in closer to Simon and muttered under his breath,
"That guy is definitely going to be a massive headache."
Simon caught his remark and offered a soft, knowing smile. Seeing them whispering, Kai immediately suspected he was the subject of their conversation and cut in loudly.
"Hey, hey, hey! Don't you dare go gossiping about me right to my face!"
Simon let out a soft chuckle, while Jack rolled his eyes, throwing a sarcastic remark back at Kai. In that brief moment of levity, Simon's gaze drifted toward the crowd of students gathered on the dock. Subconsciously, he found himself searching for the boy with the green eyes. It didn't take long to spot him. The mysterious boy was standing right next to the arrogant blond youth from earlier, listening calmly as the other spoke with animated energy.
Simon stood there, transfixed. No matter who stood beside that boy, Simon's gaze remained locked onto the one with the chocolate-brown hair and those haunting green eyes.
Suddenly, a piercing whistle blast ripped through the air, startling everyone into immediate silence. Simon looked toward the sound and saw a woman standing with a wide, beaming smile. She had short, spiky hair that seemed to defy gravity. She wore a brown dress that fell just below her knees, layered with a poncho draped over her shoulders. Her belt was laden with various pouches and tiny vials, and around her neck hung a simple brown whistle. With her hands on her hips, she radiated an infectious, restless energy.
She beamed at the crowd, her voice carrying a vibrant warmth as she addressed them.
"Welcome! A very warm welcome to the harbor village of Willowgate. I'm Miss Lora, the Groundskeeper of the academy. I assume all of you here are the new first-year students. The upperclassmen have already made their way to the academy grounds, so... what are we waiting for? Let's head out!"
They followed Miss Lora through the village. Because of its crescent-moon shape, they could see from one end of the village to the other, making it feel more like a coastal village. The houses were all built on high stilts.
When they passed through a gate in the dead center of village, they emerged at a dock on the backside of the village. But instead of boats, they were greeted by the sight of carriages floating on the water. These carriages were hitched to creatures that resembled giant tortoises, but instead of green, their bodies were a vibrant shade of purple. Long, powerful tails extended from their rears, coiled securely around the front beams of the carriages. Each creature was roughly the size of a car.
"What the... what is that?" Kai asked, eyes wide. Simon was equally mesmerized.
"Totitans. A type of aquatic creature," Jack explained.
"Aren't those monsters?"
"No, they're harmless herbivores that live in the water. Do you seriously not know the difference between a monster and a creature?" Jack said, his patience wearing thin.
"Why are you getting so annoyed? I just got to this world!" Kai shot back. Jack simply responded with a dismissive roll of his eyes.
"Alright, kids! Get into the carriages!" Miss Lora's voice boomed.
Kai was the first to dash toward the nearest carriage, followed closely by Jack, with Simon bringing up the rear. Before stepping inside, Simon cast a quick glance toward the other carriages. He spotted the green-eyed boy boarding a nearby carriage along with the arrogant blond youth and his entourage. Seeing them settled, Simon finally climbed into his own seat.
Once every student was safely aboard, Miss Lora mounted her lead carriage and blew a sharp blast on her whistle. Her carriage surged forward first, and the rest followed in a steady, rhythmic procession, gliding smoothly across the water's surface behind the powerful Totitans.
The carriages slowly glided into the space between the two towering dragons. As twilight deepened into night, the stone bodies of the statues began to glow with an even more intense, ethereal blue light. Both Kai and Simon leaned out of the carriage windows, their heads tilted back as they stared up in awe. The sight was breathtakingly beautiful.
"Beautiful, isn't it?" Jack said from inside the carriage, his eyes fixed on the guardians. "They've turned their physical forms into stone to protect this land, but they can't hide their true power. It's because of this blue radiance that sea monsters don't dare come anywhere near the harbor or these waters."
As they passed directly beneath the two dragons, Simon felt a strange sensation—as if the gargantuan beasts were looking down at him. They felt eerily alive.
"They protect Willowgate from sea monsters. In a way, they are known as the Eastern Guardians," Jack explained. "As for the monsters on land and in the sky, they are kept at bay by their older brother and sister..another pair of Dragon Siblings stationed at the Western gate."
"Whoa, so basically a whole family is babysitting us?" Kai grinned. "I told you we were VIPs!"
The softness that had briefly touched Jack's face vanished instantly, replaced by a scowl.
"I think someone needs to sew your mouth shut."
Kai immediately clamped his hands over his lips, and Simon couldn't help but let out a soft, genuine laugh at the exchange.
Simon lingered by the window, a soft smile on his face as he watched the dragon statues fade into the distance. His gaze then shifted down to the crystalline water below. The surface was so clear that he could see bioluminescent fish darting to and fro in the depths. The Totitans pulling their carriage seemed to glow even more intensely now, their violet bodies shimmering beneath the water like submerged jewels. The procession began to funnel into a narrow waterway that wound through the dense forest—a path so tight that the carriages had to proceed in a single-file line.
The forest had plunged into near-total darkness. As the sun disappeared completely, the shadows deepened until there was no natural light left to guide them. The only radiance in that pitch-black void came from the Totitans, their bodies glowing with a faint, steady violet hue that shimmered through the dark water. Simon peered out from the safety of the carriage, watching the black silhouettes of the trees glide by on either side.
"This is the Eastern Forest," Jack explained, volunteering the information before Simon could even ask. "Its most unique feature is how its trees grow—the trunks are so incredibly long that they remain sturdy and upright even in deep water."
The carriages glided effortlessly across the water, their wheels spinning over the surface as smoothly as if they were on solid ground. The Totitans swam with a rhythmic grace, their steady movements barely disturbing the calm.
Simon leaned against the window frame, mesmerized by the water. Tiny, glowing fish swam alongside the carriage, keeping pace with them. Driven by a sudden impulse, Simon leaned out further and trailed his fingers across the water's surface. A sharp, refreshing chill prickled at his fingertips. As the carriage surged forward, his hand carved a delicate path through the water, leaving small, rippling wakes behind. To his delight, the little fish darted toward his fingers, swimming in tandem with his touch.
In that fleeting moment, Simon's attention caught something shifting through the thicket of trees. He caught glimpses of a castle, glowing with a thousand lights, partially hidden behind the dense canopy. As the carriage surged forward, the full view finally unveiled itself, leaving him utterly breathless.
A massive stone wall stood before them, weathered and aged with a thick coat of moss that spoke of centuries past, yet it remained imposing and unshakably strong. Enormous roots clung to both sides of the pointed arch gateway, spiraling upward. When he looked up, he saw the Great Willow itself, presiding over the gate with majestic grandeur. Its long, emerald leaves swayed in the breeze, flowing like emerald curtains draped from the sky.
"This is it... the legendary Willowgate Academy,"
Jack murmured, his voice filled with a mix of reverence and awe. Simon could only stare at the fortress ahead. The silhouette of the massive castle, glowing with a thousand lights, was perfectly reflected in the depths of his dark eyes.
"Willowgate," he whispered under his breath.
He knew right then—this was where his extraordinary new life was truly meant to begin.