'Where Everything Started'

  Day 1, 14:27

  The sun stood high in the sky, its golden rays filtering through the canopy of slender birch trees, casting dappled shadows on the forest floor. In the heart of the birch forest, where the trees gave way to a small, open clearing, an old wooden house stood. Weathered and quaint, it looked like it had witnessed countless seasons, its wooden planks darkened by time and elements.

  Outside the house, in the middle of the clearing, a young adult girl in worn, light green clothes was deep in concentration, practicing her magic skills. She was not an ordinary girl, but a Gorgineh—an anthropomorphic wolf with an air of both mystery and power, (as all inhabitants of these lands were the same kind of creature). Her fur, pristine and white, glimmered softly in the sunlight. Tall and lithe, she moved with the grace of a predator, every motion fluid and precise.

  Her ears, pointed and alert, twitched at the slightest sound, while her eyes, a mesmerizing shade of powder blue, remained closed, focused on her task. A long, bushy tail, covered in the same white fur, swayed gently behind her. As she raised her hands, delicate but strong, a blue aura of light began to form around her. The light pulsated gently, enveloping her in a serene glow that contrasted with the earthy tones of the forest.

  She stood there, in the magical cocoon of light, embodying a perfect blend of human and wolf-like features. The blue aura flickered and danced around her, casting an otherworldly glow over the clearing, as if the very air was charged with her magical energy.

  As she was in deep focus, another Gorgineh with light gray fur emerged from the woods. His name was ülven. At twenty years old, he wore a sky blue T-shirt and black shorts, and his eyes gleamed with a mix of worry and determination. In his hand, he clutched a freshly hunted rabbit.

  As he approached the girl, he kept a safe distance from the shimmering blue aura that enveloped her. He called out, his voice urgent, but filled with an underlying warmth.

  "Sefidan. Sefidan!"

  Sefidan had closed her eyes the whole time, her focus entirely on her magical practice. The noise from the aura drowned out ülven's voice, rendering it inaudible. Growing more concerned, ülven moved closer, reaching out to touch her shoulder.

  The moment of contact was explosive. A sharp electric shock surged through his hand, disrupting the aura and sending both of them flying back. They landed on the forest floor, coughing and disoriented.

  Sefidan's eyes blazed with a mix of surprise and anger as she struggled to catch her breath.

  "What the hell were you thinking?!"

  ülven's frustration was palpable as he retorted, trying to steady himself.

  "You were blind and deaf! How did you expect me to get your attention?!"

  Her voice was sharp, tinged with irritation.

  "I've told you to not interfere when I'm practicing magic!"

  ülven's eyes narrowed, his voice rising with exasperation.

  "What if Revia was in my place, Hm? Do you intend to kill us?!"

  Sefidan glared at him, her annoyance bubbling over.

  "You siblings always interrupt my works!"

  With a look of sheer aggravation, ülven's voice dropped to a stern whisper.

  "Shut up, Sefidan. Just shut up."

  Sefidan stood up, brushing the dust off her clothes before extending a hand to help ülven to his feet. As she pulled him up, her expression softened slightly, but her voice remained firm.

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  "By the way, you don't have the right to talk to me like that. I'm five years older than you."

  ülven looked away, his ears flattening slightly in submission. "Sorry. Cousin."

  Sefidan stood directly in front of him, placing her hands on his shoulders, her eyes locking onto his with a mix of authority and concern.

  "You and your sister are your mother's entrusted to me."

  ülven's frustration bubbled to the surface as he responded, his voice rising. "But I'm right. I do everything for us three in order to survive, while you do nothing."

  Sefidan's gaze hardened. "I take care of you."

  ülven shook his head, his voice thick with defiance. "I don't need your protection."

  Her expression softened, but her tone was resolute. "Maybe you don't, but she does. Even you, yeah, you too. You need me in order to survive. You don't have the skills to even light a candle."

  ülven's eyes flashed with irritation. "There is no need for magic while there is science. It's dangerous, and what happened just now is a good example of that. Besides, the furless ones track down all mages and terminate them. I... I'm worried."

  Sefidan's expression softened slightly as she placed a hand on his cheek. "Don't. It all happens on the east coast. There's no such a thing that they would just attack a thousand farsakhs inside the holy lands."

  ülven sighed, his shoulders sagging slightly. "I hope so."

  Sefidan pointed at the rabbit hanging from ülven's hand. "Now, take that home and prepare it. I'll bring firewood once I'm done with practicing."

  ülven nodded and began to walk towards the house. At that moment, Revia, his four-year-old sister, burst out of the house, running towards him with joy. She hugged him tightly and then pulled back, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

  "Brother, look what I can do!"

  Revia opened the palm of her hand and began to focus intently. For several seconds, she stared at her palm with unwavering concentration. ülven and Sefidan watched her with a mix of confusion and curiosity. Suddenly, a tiny spark of flame ignited in her palm, flickering briefly before extinguishing.

  Both ülven and Sefidan exchanged looks of surprise. ülven looked at Sefidan as his expression turned into a frown. Sefidan immediately interjected.

  "I swear I didn't teach her."

  ülven sighed and gently took Revia's hand. "Come on, let's go inside."

  They went in. As Sefidan was left alone, she resumed her magic practice. Suddenly, a sense of unease washed over her. She looked up quickly, scanning the sky. A formation of large and smaller aircraft was approaching the airspace, unlike anything she had ever seen. She stared at them with wonder and confusion for several seconds. Birds? But they didn't flap their wings. And they were so loud.

  Realization dawned on her, and a surge of fear coursed through her veins. They were here! What she had feared was now happening. Knowing their intent, she quickly dissipated the magic aura. But it was too late. The humans had already detected the supernatural activity. One of the aircraft, an attack plane, separated from the formation and dived towards her.

  Sefidan had cheated death on several occasions, but this time it felt different. The chances of surviving an encounter with a plane armed with a 28mm autocannon seemed slim. She froze, her feet glued to the ground out of terror, as the black, bird-like machine approached.

  Inside the house, ülven sat at the table, expertly skinning the rabbit. Unaware of the impending disaster, he spoke calmly to Revia, who sat on the table, swinging her legs.

  "Look, Revia. Magic is dangerous. It has the power to harm and destroy. I don't want to lose you."

  "But I just..."

  "Never do magic again, okay? Promise me."

  "It's called 'performing', not doing."

  "That's not important. I need you to promise me."

  Revia remained silent, her eyes downcast. ülven repeated softly but firmly.

  "Promise me."

  Suddenly, a deafening noise erupted from outside. The rapid, explosive shells of the attack plane's autocannon hit the ground with a terrifying rhythm, each impact sending shockwaves through the air. The ground shook violently, and the sound of the shells tearing through the earth was like a monstrous roar. After the barrage, the plane roared away, its engines screaming as it ascended back into the sky.

  Revia uttered a yelp, her small body trembling with fear. ülven, though equally frightened, tried to remain calm for her sake. "W-wait here," he said, his voice steady despite the chaos. He ran to the door, flinging it open and stepping outside.

  The scene before him was a nightmare. The once peaceful clearing was now a landscape of devastation. The ground was torn apart, craters and debris scattered everywhere, mixed with the dark stain of blood. But it was the sight of Sefidan's body, torn apart by the blast, that made ülven's stomach churn. He fell to his knees, retching, his mind a whirlwind of horror and disbelief.

  As he struggled to regain his composure, he heard the aircraft again. He looked up just in time to see it fly over the house and drop an incendiary bomb. There was no time to react, no chance to save his little sister. The house exploded in a fiery inferno, the force of the blast throwing ülven backwards.

  Lying on the ground, he watched in helpless despair as the house burned, flames consuming the last remnants of his family. The possessions, the memories, and Revia—all turned to ash and dust, carried away by the wind. The flames reflected in ülven's eyes, a haunting image of his loss.

  Weakly, he stood up, his body trembling. He looked up at the sky, watching the aircraft that had taken everything from him fly away to rejoin the formation. Rage and grief welled up inside him, and he screamed at the planes, his voice raw with pain and fury...

  To Be Continued…