Chapter 1 of Act 1

* * *

Hansol was on her way to her university's freshmen orientation.

The winter in February was rather warm even though the last cold breeze was just around the corner.

“Gosh, it's cold...”

Being sensitive to the cold, Hansol put on layers with an extra padded jacket. She even put on a muffler.

“I'm headed out.”

She yelled while putting her shoes on.

“Hansol Kim, what time will you be back?”

As she was heading out, Hansol's older brother poked his disheveled head out of the bedroom. Her brother, a university student that had to go to the military soon, had just woken up after enjoying a night out.

Annoyed, Hansol glared at her brother.

“... I'm going to be out late with friends.”

“Then bring ice cream on your way back.”

“Come on! Why do you want ice cream in the middle of the winter?!”

“I'm going to go to the military soon.”

That jerk, she made a fist and raised it as if she was going to punch him.

“Then give me money! You're trying to take advantage of me aren't you?”

“I'll pay you back when you come home, and also a lunch box set from the convenient store.”

“There's food at home. You're not going to eat until I come back?”

“I'm too lazy to cook anything. I'll starve I guess.”

“How is waiting until I bring you food any better?”

Actually, he knew when she was going to be back. Hansol hurried out of the house before her brother asked for anything else.

All he learned from university was drinking, and if all he learns from the military is smoking, she was ready to let him have it.

'Hmm, wonder If I can make it.' Hansol hurried towards the subway station. The subway was empty because it was past rush hour.

'This feels strange.'

Maybe it was because she always rode on the subway when it was packed, but it felt strange, even intriguing, being on a quiet one.

But the peace didn't last long. “... Huh?”

There was a ruckus coming from the exit stairs. Hansol craned her neck trying to see what was going on.

Some woman was arguing with a public service worker and an elderly guide.

“What's the big deal? I'm just trying to go two more stops!”

“I'm telling you that it's illegal. You need to buy a ticket if you want to board the subway.”

“Then why did that old grandpa come down here so freely?”

“Because he volunteered to be a guide. He is not trying to board the subway.”

Judging from the conversation, the woman picked a fight for no reason while trying to board the subway for free.

'Ugh... ...'

They say the world is vast and filled with all sorts of people, but Hansol never imagined such a person could be living in her neighborhood.

'Why is she being so rude?'

The woman was telling them that she doesn't have any money and she just wanted to ride the subway for two more stations, but the public service worker and elderly guide were firmly refusing. It's obvious that the public service worker and the elderly guide are right but nothing is getting through to the woman who is making a scene.

The faces of everyone around, including Hansol and even the people on the opposite platform, were filled with disgust. It was painful to watch.

But no one seemed to put a stop to it.

‘... nothing good can come out of trying to solve the situation.’

Even though Hansol swore under her breath, she didn't intervene. She turned up the volume on her earphones because she didn't want to hear the commotion. It will be someone else’s problem once the subway departs.

[ The subway is approaching.]

The subway arrived just on time. Hansol stood in front of the yellow line with her bag on her shoulder.

'What a way to start the morning.'

Even with that little scene, it was not that much different from any other day.

Until this very moment. “...Ow!”

As Hansol was trying to board the subway, someone pulled her back by the neck. As she turned around surprised, the woman who was causing the ruckus was angrily staring at her.

“Hey, you also think I'm at fault here. Huh?”

“What? What are you talking about? Let me go!”

“I'm just trying to go two stops and they are trying to give me a fine 50 times the ticket price...!”

The woman's eyes lost focus, almost like she was out of her mind. She looked inhuman, as if she was trying to eat Hansol alive.

“Are you crazy? Let go!”

Angered, Hansol tried to take her hand off, but it wasn't easy due to her firm grip.

The public service worker and the elderly guide came and tore her off, but she kept grasping at Hansol.

“Over there!”

A bystander had called the station employees. A couple of well-built employees came down the stairs.

Meanwhile, the subway heartlessly left me behind.

“A-are you insane?”

Hansol furiously yelled, straight in the woman’s face.

“They are trying to give you a ticket because you're trying to take the subway without paying, you crazy woman!”

“Crazy? Did you say crazy? I am old enough to be your mother!”

“My mother would never act out like you! Why are you even talking with me?”

It was right when Hansol angrily took a step toward the woman.

Right as she was trying to yell at her about how she dared to compare herself to her mom, Hansol's eyes went straight up and she heard a sudden noise at the back of her head.

A loud thud. “Ahh!”

This was not Hansol's scream. The scream was from a woman who was standing on the platform across the tracks.

‘What? Why is she screaming?’

Hansol didn't realize that her body had fallen backward. But she felt a sharp pain run through the back of her head and realized that it was soaked with something warm and wet.

The lady had pushed her.

She fell back and hit her head on the sharp edge of a bench.

“Hey, hey!”

“This woman is insane! Hold her still!”

“Call an ambulance! Hurry!”

All of the sudden, people started to gather around Hansol. Everyone was extremely surprised.

“What's going on? Huh? Why is everyone standing over me…looking at me?”

Hansol had no idea that she fell or that her head was bleeding. She didn't realize that all of her belongings had spilled out all over the floor just beyond her fingers.

“I have to get up and go to the freshmen orientation...”

She had to go to the orientation and listen to what her first year was going to be like, meet new friends, buy her brother some ice cream and a lunch box from the convenience store and get the money back.

Even as she was losing consciousness, she thought of all the normal daily stuff she had to do. She had to clean her room, go grocery shopping with her mom, and next week she had plans to eat out with her dad.

[Ding ding ding]

The subway was approaching the other platform.

“...”

Hansol looked across as her vision began to blur. The train came rapidly.

It approached with bright lights and Hansol's consciousness went dark.

* * *

The land of mystery, Etito

It was a holy place that no one dared to set foot in.

It was an unknown and mysterious territory that had existed since the beginning of time without any information on its location or how to get there.

But according to legend, it was the place where the golden dragon, who was sent by the almighty God of heaven as his representative, lived and where all the spirits called home.

It was filled with an ancient forest so tall that it looked like it would reach the sky.

Deep in that ancient forest, there was a calm and pure lake.

In front of the lake was a vast plain that was very different from the forest.

The plain was full of grass and flowers, and tiny lights of all different colors flew around.

The lights took the flowers and grass to weave a crown and placed it onatop the golden boulder that was resting beside the lake.

[...]

The golden boulder with its crown of flowers twitched and started to crack.

The golden cracks soon turned to wings, claws, and a long neck.

The golden figure twinkled in the sunlight and it became as tall as the forest itself when it stood on its four legs that were thick as trees.

It was 'Crisos', the golden dragon that was given unto this land by the almighty God of heavens long ago.

[...]

The long neck of Crisos stretched sky high. Crisos closed his eyes and adopted a noble expression, almost as if he were listening to something.

Soon his jaws opened showing his massive and sharp teeth.

All the spirits and creatures of the forest stopped and looked upon Crisos.

Crisos delivered the message from the heavens.

[... An extraordinary spirit will appear in the Drafolks Empire.]

The Drafolks Empire was built by the heroes who assisted Crisos in defeating the ancient evil forces long ago.

The blessings of Crisos were bestowed upon it and it became a mighty and flourishing empire over a long period.

[The extraordinary spirit isn't evil. It shall stay close to everyone.]

After hearing the second message, the spirits began to whisper.

'Everyone' that Crisos referred to included not only the 4 major spirits but also the light and dark spirits as well.

The whispers of the spirits became louder. No human was able to get along with all six spirits until now.

[The extraordinary spirit took a deep breath of Drafolks' air.]

Crisos erected his body by straightening all four of his gigantic legs.

By spreading his wings, a massive gust of wind blew through the forest and waves began to form in the calm lake.

[Bless the extraordinary spirit. It will become our precious ally.]

As soon as Crisos finished his speech, the spirits rejoiced.

* * *

“... It was such an enchanting dream.” Late into the night, Monia who had just gotten comfortable looked at her husband with her drowsy eyes.

“What kind of dream was it?”

Caleb gently brushed Monia's forehead. He even lowered his voice for Monia who seemed to fall asleep any minute.

Monia continued the story with enchanted eyes and voice as if she were back in her dream.

“There was an enormous and thick forest. I've never seen it before but it felt like it was Etito.”

“It must have been a magnificent and beautiful dream.”

“Someone wearing a cape gave me a golden branch.”

Even though she had no idea who that person was, in her dream, Monia looked at the person with the utmost respect.

The person wearing a cape placed the golden pine tree branch in Monia's hands.

There was a warmth to the thick and sturdy golden branch with its pointed leaves that embraced Monia's body.

“... I want to name our child after it.”

Pinea, which means Pine Tree.

Monia did not doubt that the pine tree branch in the dream was a message foretelling the name of the child.