Chapter 1. The Invitation

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Teal Lake, China

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Teal Lake, China.

It's a pleasant morning in Teal Forest. Soraya woke up at 7 am as usual to get ready for her daily routines. Seated at the pavilion next to Teal Lake, she ponders her thoughts through her morning journal entry.

"I dreamt so intensely last night. What could it have possibly meant?" she thinks to herself, always trying to find signs and meaning behind every little thing to improve in life.

"Tea! My jasmine tea. I didn't drink any of it last night. That must be it," she speaks to herself, thoroughly convinced.

As she holds the ink brush ready to jot her thoughts down in her journal covered in jasmine tea stains, she feels a sudden breeze coming from inside Teal Forest. The unknown force becomes stronger and closer, shaking the steady bamboo trees.

Soraya's hanfu consisting of a teal coloured undergarment and a white chiffon layered fabric with details of bamboo leaves flutters as the air flows through. She takes a broad stance, frowns as she closes her eyes and tries to capture any movement within the earth.

"Nothing. It must be a flying creature," she speculates. Hesitant to wield her sword, the moment she opens her eyes they meet with a white majestic creature. A homing pigeon the size of an ostrich found its way before Soraya and it lands in front of her a shiny golden letter. Her eyes widen while they capture the golden dragon seal.

"The seal of Dragon mountain?!" she gasps. Soraya shudders and quickly bows. "Thank you for your invitation, Dragon king," she says loudly as she continues to bow out of courtesy. " I will obey your order." The pigeon leaves. Following it is a trace of bamboo leaves. Soraya watched as the leaves fall down, shocked about the letter that she firmly holds between her fingers.

"To miss Soraya, hereby I invite you to come to Dragon mountain and showcase your highly skilled cultivation through a confidential mission. I depend on you and your future companions.." she stops reading and starts to tremble in her steps. "But last time when Aurora went..." A tear starts to form in her eye. She sinks into her cushion and stares at  the lake that has now become completely still.
...

"Miss Aysu! Miss Aysu, please wake up!"

One of the housemaids desperately tries to get the night owl out of bed, which contrary to Soraya proves to be a hefty task. The girl spent her night redecorating her room and diving into various books on magic and elemental powers, finishing it off with a large amount of daydreaming about what she would be like with all three other kinds of elements under her control. Again.

She squints one eye open to see if the maid left but is quickly wide awake when she sees her stare into her eyes from just a few centimetres away. "Jeez, you scared me," she pants. "Excuse me, miss, but there is important news for you," the maid says hastily and slightly concerned.

Aysu gets up by using her air forces to throw off her blanket and swiftly glide her wide and flowy purple garment over her slim physique, having a passionate dislike for any form fitted clothes. "What is it?" She asks curiously.

"I- I think it's best if you go to the living room and find out," her maid answers. Aysu thereby leaves her room to find her parents with sunken faces. "Aysu, we have always feared this day would come..." her mother sighs. Judging from her face she must have left a tear or two. Her father then forcefully stands up and says "You're not going!" with a stern voice. "Why? What is it?" Aysu grows concerned.

"You received a golden letter from Dragon mountain. You have to go on a deadly mission with three other highly skilled cultivators," her mother answers. "A mission?" Aysu thinks to herself.

"That's great news! I've always wanted to explore the unknown. I will finally be able to put my knowledge to the test. And Dragon mountain is full of ancient books I've read." she starts walking around the living room, excitedly. "Finally," she smiles to herself, "I can start a new chapter in my life."

Question: How would you react?

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