Uhm... so, let me get this straight," Orion started, rubbing his temples. "We were saved by three adventurers after being attacked by a beast made of solid white stone?"

  "The beast is called a golem," Layla corrected, her voice flat. "But yes."

  "And that 'golem' was... what, the size of a small church?"

  "Perhaps a bit larger than a small church," she replied, her feet dangling while she sat on the bed.

  "And those three managed to kill it?" Orion’s voice rose an octave. "Are you making fun of me again? There is no way something like that exists. And even if it did, how in God’s name did three people kill it? Three of the King’s most famed court mages wouldn't be able to achieve a feat like that."

  Layla finally looked at him, her expression stern and unyielding. "I do not care whether you believe me or not, Orion. This is what happened."

  Orion sank back into his chair, stunned. A beast made of stone sounded like a creature from a nursery rhyme, something so deeply rooted in myth that claiming to have seen one was usually considered a sign of lunacy. But Layla wasn't a liar, and she certainly didn't have the imagination for such an elaborate joke. Then there was Kall. The bird-man’s existence was evidence enough that something from myths could exist.

  A beast made of stone, adventurers who make our strongest mages look like children, and a man with wings, Orion thought. Am I dreaming? Are the gods messing with us? What's happening?

  "Anyway," Layla continued, "I collapsed shortly after the golem fell. When I finally woke up, we had already arrived here, in this village. They forced me to stay in bed for a few days, doctor's orders, so I complied. Once I could walk, I started asking around to find out where we are."

  "Wait, you managed to communicate with the locals?" Orion interrupted, leaning forward.

  Layla’s eyes flashed with warning. "Don't interrupt me, or I’ll leave you to find everything out on your own." Orion quickly nodded, shutting his mouth. He couldn't afford to be left in the dark.

  "The villagers told me we are in Goldhaven, a small settlement in the north-eastern reaches of Solnyra. I know you’ve never heard of Solnyra, let alone Goldhaven. Neither had I. So, I did some digging. Solnyra is the name of this continent, and it appears to be massive, perhaps triple the size of Eldera, Jura and Bolton combined."

  Orion opened his mouth to ask how that was possible, but remembered her threat and clamped it shut.

  "I originally thought the locals simply used different names for their continent, so I checked their maps," Layla said, her focus shifting to the wall behind him. "The only maps they have are of their own cities, their kingdoms, and the continent of Solnyra. There is nothing showing other lands. No oceans leading to Eldera, no trade routes to jura, not even a small mention of Bolton. It’s as if they’ve never ventured past their own borders, the whole world still hidden behind the sea. Now after thinking it through, I came up with three theories."

  She held up three fingers.

  "First, we discovered a new continent."

  "Second, Our King has been hiding the existence of Solnyra from us for centuries, which is the most believable option."

  "And the third..." She trailed off, her eyes narrowing.

  "What’s the third?" Orion prompted.

  "That we’ve been sent to another plane of existence entirely," Layla said softly. "Banished by the Gods to a place like the ones from the Age of Heroes. It sounds like the craziest theory, but it’s the only one that explains the... curiosities... we’ve seen so far."

  Layla stood up from the bed and pointed toward the door. "One of those 'curiosities' is waiting right outside. He’s likely been waiting for us to finish, so let’s try to greet him properly this time."

  Orion looked confused. "Wait... can he talk? Does he speak Jurarian?"

  Layla walked to the door, then turned back with a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Uhm, no. Kall doesn't speak a word of Jurarian. I can't really explain it, so it’s better to just show you.

  Layla noticed Orion hesitating to come with her, creating a smile that emitted ′got you′.

  "Kall is supposed to be the bird-person, why are you acting like a chicken?′′

  Orion ignored the jab, though Layla’s smirk held firm.

  They stepped into a small hallway lined with portraits, all painted in a similar style. At the end of the hall, a spiral staircase led down to a large common room. Orion heard strange, melodic clicking noises coming from below. At the bottom of the stairs, he found a room dominated by a massive square table covered in scrolls and piles of parchment. A large map of Solnyra, he assumed, hung on the far wall.

  Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

  Kall was sitting at the table, his towering frame making the sturdy chair look like a toy. Orion felt a flush of embarrassment as he remembered his screaming fit earlier. He walked closer, rubbing the back of his neck.

  "I... I am very sorry for what happened before," Orion blurted out, bowing his head.

  Kall jerked his head to the side, looking bothered.

  "Don't scream, you idiot!" Layla snapped, heading toward a bookshelf behind the bird-man. "Why are you apologizing if you're just going to annoy him by shouting in his face?"

  Orion went to repeat himself more quietly, but Kall stood up. The bird-man was immense; he was taller than the doorframe. Orion wondered how he even moved through the house without giving himself a concussion.

  "CAWWW!" Kall barked.

  "Kall, he hasn't adjusted yet," Layla said, pulling a green book from the shelf. "He doesn't understand you."

  "CAW-CAW!"

  "Yes, I was planning to explain it while you were here," she replied to the bird. "Otherwise, he has nothing to practice on."

  Orion watched them, his jaw dropping. "You understand him? How? Did you learn a whole new language in just a few weeks?"

  "Yes, I understand him. And you can too, if you listen to what I’m about to teach you." Layla tossed the green book toward him. It landed perfectly on the table. The cover was decorated with intricate carvings of bees and flowers, titled in a language Orion couldn't read.

  "Solnyra has many spoken languages," Layla began, her 'teacher' voice taking over. "This is because of the diversity of the people here. Thousands of years ago, this caused constant war and havoc. So..."

  Orion sighed and sat down. Layla was over-explaining again. Usually, he tried to pay attention, but his mind began to wander. He looked at the furniture, the hardwood was polished to a mirror finish, the joinery was flawless.

  I wonder what kind of tools the carpenter used for this masterpiece...

  He glanced at Kall. The bird-man had his head propped up on one feathered arm, looking remarkably bored. Sorry, birdy, Orion thought. I can’t stop her when she gets like this. Just power through it.

  "...and so the four Ancient Dragons came together," Layla was saying, "and they wove a spell that influenced the entire continent."

  Dragons? Orion’s focus snapped back. They’re real?

  "The spell gave spoken words a magical property," she continued. "This is vital, Orion. When you begin to circulate your mana within yourself—"

  "Layla, I can't use magic. You know that."

  "But that’s the thing, here you can," she said, her eyes bright. "The spell didn't just change speech, it changed how living creatures produce mana. Everyone here has it, not just a lucky few. The 'Universal Speech' won't work if you don't have mana to fuel it. Once you circulate it through your ears, you will understand every word spoken, regardless of the language."

  Orion stopped listening. He closed his eyes and searched his own body for a spark he had given up on finding years ago. In their old village, only Layla and her mother had the gift. Orion had spent his youth trying to manifest even a tiny spark of light, failing every time until he’d given up in bitterness.

  Me, having mana? What a joke.

  He focused on his breathing. He shut out Layla’s voice and the sound of the wind outside until he could only hear his own heart. Thump-thump. Thump-thump.

  And then, he felt it. A strange, fuzzy sensation almost in the center of his chest. He’d felt it before when he was with the old man on the beach, but he’d been too overwhelmed to notice it.

  It’s in my heart.

  He concentrated on that "fuzziness." With a mental push, he forced the sensation to move. And it moved, it dispersed. He felt a warmth spreading through his chest, flowing into his shoulders, up his neck, and finally into his ears.

  "could you just explain it without the history and biology class?" a new voice said. It was a strange, rasping sound like a predatory bird trying to speak, but the words were clear as day. "I don't have time for this. I have better things to do than entertain you and that weirdo."

  Orion’s eyes snapped open. The voice had come from Kall.

  "Well then," Layla huffed, clearly annoyed. "Orion isn't going to be able to do this in one go anyway. I’ll ask someone else to help."

  Kall stood up, his massive wings rustling as he moved toward the door. He had to duck low to clear the frame. He looked back over his shoulder.

  "Make sure he eats small rations four times a day," Kall said, his amber eyes fixed on Layla. "We don't want him getting stomach issues. Also be clearer with your instructions next time. And I expect that apology from him later this week, okay?"

  "Yes, yes, just go if you're so busy!" Layla waved him off.

  With a final sigh, Kall stepped outside. The sound of powerful wings beating the air followed, and a gust of wind slammed the door shut.

  "That busybody at least has the manners to close the door," Layla muttered sarcastically.

  "I... I think I did it," Orion whispered.

  Layla scoffed. "Already? Please, don't joke around. It's fine, I wasn't finished explaining anyway, so it’s understandable that you couldn't."

  "He said I need to eat small portions four times a day," Orion interrupted, looking at her. "He told you to be clearer with your instructions. He wants an apology later this week... and he called me a weirdo."

  Layla’s jaw actually dropped. "You... you actually did it? Unbelievable."

  "Why are you so surprised?" Orion allowed a small, triumphant smile to cross his face. "I'm a quick learner."

  "Since when?" she retorted, recovering her sass. "It took you three years to learn how to read. My mother had to neglect the other kids just to help you catch up!"

  The smile vanished instantly.

  "Anyway," Layla said, picking up the green book again. "I wasn't done explaining the secondary effects of mana circulation on the nervous system..."

  Here we go again. Orion thought, staring at the ceiling.