school

Zandik was in the vast desert of Sumeru; the heat was scorching and the sun beat down relentlessly upon him. Animals stalked him from every direction—giant snakes and scorpions followed the boy's weak pace, while vultures circled overhead, waiting for the red-eyed youth to collapse from fatigue. Zandik wasn't faring well; he had recently been expelled from the academy and rejected in his homeland. He simply couldn't believe that all of Sumeru had abandoned him; even the Dendro Archon had turned her back on him. He simply couldn't go on; he was emotionally unstable, angry, yet at the same time, he wanted to break down in tears.

"Damn gods, damn academy, and damn pests! Stop following me!"

He turned quickly to the side to look at the creatures, falling over as he was far too weak. As his eyes began to close, the last thing he saw before falling unconscious was a strange humanoid creature.

already