At the same time, in a land far to the east

  He woke up with a start.

  Before he knew it, he was sitting upright in his bed.

  What was this strange feeling?

  For years, his dreams had been peaceful.

  He had never experienced a nightmare, and now...

  ...he had been jolted awake by what felt like a foreboding sense of doom.

  When was the last time he had felt this?

  He thought for a moment but immediately knew the answer.

  So why was he even questioning it?

  Was he afraid?

  He, of all people?

  The feeling, the one he hadn’t experienced in 15 years, was unmistakable.

  It was danger—imminent danger.

  And not just any danger.

  In the very moment he stood up abruptly, he knew what he had to do.

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  Without hesitation, he got dressed and left his room, resolute.

  He knew his task.

  Within moments, he arrived at his destination—a small living room with an attached kitchenette.

  Inside were two people.

  One sat on a couch reading a magazine.

  The other was making coffee, even though they didn’t own a coffee machine.

  When he entered the room, the person with the coffee turned around.

  They now held a steaming hot cup in hand.

  “What’s going on? Up so early today?” they greeted him, sipping their coffee casually.

  “I had...

  ...that feeling.”

  The person gave him a puzzled look.

  “That feeling of danger!

  It woke me up!

  It was the same feeling I had 15 years ago, right before we met!”

  “What are you talking about? Are you not fully awake yet?”

  “Oh, I’m wide awake!

  And I’m telling you right now what I’m going to do.

  I’m going back to the mainland to make sure this feeling doesn’t come true, just like last time!”

  The person suddenly grew quiet and serious.

  “Do you even know what you’re saying?

  Going back to the mainland?

  To the place where they both despise and revere us?

  And for what?

  A feeling you had a few minutes ago?”

  “We swore an oath!

  To ensure that it doesn’t happen again!”

  “But to risk everything we’ve built over the past 15 years...

  ...for a feeling?”

  “Yes!

  For this feeling!

  For this premonition!

  To protect the peace we gave everything—sacrificed everything—to achieve!”

  With that, he turned and left the room.

  The person watched him leave with a scowl.

  “Don’t expect us to help you if you screw things up,” they muttered under their breath.

  The person on the couch hadn’t looked up from the magazine the entire time, sitting still as a statue.

  Without wasting any more time, he grabbed his Nyd—a silver pendant in the shape of a small sword—slung it around his neck, and left the house.

  He glanced back briefly before looking westward, where the mainland lay.

  And with a deafening boom, he launched himself into the air, flying west.

  Toward his premonition.