After the great explosion birthed the universe, The universe needed balance. From the remnants of matter, the Eighteen Elements of Life were formed. Yet among them, only one was known as the Exalted Element—the power most coveted by all living beings: the Noble Element of Earth.

The world sought it from every corner. They were willing to burn the earth and sacrifice souls just to obtain it. But fate, with all its irony and mystery, chose me. This is where the great chaos that will occur begins.

But, behind all this story, I just need peace, Soulpeace.

My name is Hiro. I was just a child who grew up in the shadows, hidden from a world thirsty for power.

With my mother, we lived deep in the forest, where time moved slowly and the whispers of trees replaced human voices.

But everything fell apart when I turned ten.

The illness that devoured my mother finally took her. She left this world—and with her, a part of my soul was buried too.

I lived, but I did not breathe.

I walked, but without direction.

I looked up to the sky, asking in silence:

"Why me? What is the purpose of this gift... if I can't even live as a free human being?"

For years I hid, drowned in silence, running from a world that longed to seize me.

But the world would not stay quiet. The moment I stepped outside, the eyes of the universe turned to me.

I wanted to run again, like I always did.

But that day was different.

Someone stood in my path—a figure with fire blazing in both palms, eyes burning with rage and pain.

"WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN DOING ALL THIS TIME?!"

he shouted, right before his fist crashed into my face.

I stayed silent. What was the point of answering?

What was the point of fighting back?

There was nothing left to fight for.

But he didn't stop. A punch to the stomach bent my body in pain.

"All you know is how to hide! Running from a world you haven't even faced yet! Pathetic!"

Blood began to drip from my lips. My eyes trembled, my stance weakened.

But he kept speaking, like an ember that refused to die.

"You were given a fate no one else has ever had! And you're wasting it! What are you going to do, huh? Cry?! Die in vain?! You weakling!"

At last, I collapsed to my knees—not out of respect, but because my body could no longer stand.

"I... always wondered... why I was even born into this world,"

I said, blood and tears spilling from my voice.

"I have no home... I have no one. I've only watched others live from a distance. I wanted to be like them... but I couldn't. I wanted to be loved. But no one ever loved me. I wanted to be free, free from this curse..."

Silence.

But not the peaceful kind—

A silence that echoed with pain.

"You don't know what it feels like! You've never understood! My life wasn't a choice—it's a curse! You think it's easy to keep standing? I... I want to die."

Suddenly, a fierce kick slammed into my body and silenced everything.

"BASTARD!" he roared, his eyes flaring like fire.

"You think this is all about you? You think you're the only one who's suffered?! Get up! If you truly want to die, then show you're worthy of it! If not—GET UP AND LIVE!"

Darkness.

My body lay broken.

But my mind was not entirely lost.

His words, his fury... pierced deep into my most hidden wounds.

And for the first time, I felt... maybe I'm not finished yet.

When I lost consciousness, my body lay helpless in the middle of an empty field, beneath a starless sky that hung heavy above me. Then, emerging from the fading light of dusk, came a girl my age—her name was Carla. With a gentleness I didn't expect, she lifted me from the ground and carried me back to where I lived, as if I weighed nothing at all—or perhaps, she had long grown used to carrying the pain of others.

As the bruises and wounds across my body opened, she tended to each one. Her fingers wrapped me in bandages and silent compassion, as though every strip of cloth was a whispered prayer.

Slowly, I awoke. My eyes fluttered open, and the first thing I saw was her—Carla—sitting beside me, eyes filled with determination, holding a promise yet to be spoken.

"Come with me… to a place," she said softly but firmly. "A place where the answers you seek are waiting."

I said nothing. I only nodded, slowly. Without a single word, Carla took my hand and led me toward a realm she believed held all the truths I had been searching for—The Hidden Realm, the world of the Elves.

Our journey felt bewildering. The path we took was neither straight nor winding—it felt like we were drifting between reality and a dream. Yet Carla, with a spirit that never faded, made the journey far from dull. She kept talking, telling me strange things I struggled to comprehend—about singing stars and whispering rivers. I just listened, or pretended to understand.

After a long journey that seemed to transcend space and time, we finally arrived at a place that appeared silent and empty. There were no magical gates or grand castles—only a towering tree, its roots sprawling like sleeping dragons, and its branches touching the darkened sky. On the map we carried, this place was marked as the final point.

Carla looked uncertain. "This... is just a tree?" she murmured. But I... I saw something different.

Inside the dark trunk of that tree, there was light. A soft glow, shimmering like stardust—and strangely, only I could see it. Carla showed no reaction at all.

With slow steps, I approached the light. My fingers touched the glowing dust that floated in the air. There was no sound. No wind. Only silence... and a warmth that gradually enveloped my body. Then, suddenly—I was pulled into it.

Everything changed.

What had once been dark and silent was now bright and full of life. I lay on a shimmering ground, then slowly rose, confused. Above me, a vaulted ceiling like living crystal stretched out, and thousands of tiny elves flew through the air, leaving trails of light as they soared. They looked at me—surprised, confused, even frightened… as if they couldn't believe a human stood among them.

Suddenly, a gentle light descended from the sky. From behind the glow, a graceful figure emerged—floating slowly, as if lowered by the starlight itself. Her form shimmered like a full moon dancing on the surface of a lake. Their queen.

But unlike what I had imagined, her face wasn't cold or intimidating—it was joyful, full of soft laughter that rang like tiny bells. Her eyes sparkled as she looked at me, as if she couldn't believe what she saw before her.

"A human… in our land?" she said, her voice clear and bright, almost like a song. "Not just any human… I can feel it—an ancient power flows within your soul."

I was silent. I didn't know what to say. Everything was happening so fast. All I could do was stand there and let it unfold. Was I dreaming?

The queen drew closer, and without hesitation, she extended her hand. "Come, wielder of elements. You have entered the Gate of the Stars, and so we welcome you with honor."

Slowly, I reached out and took her hand.

And in that moment, thousands of tiny elves around us cheered and flew around my body. They welcomed me with a breathtaking aerial dance—some perched on my shoulders, touched my hair, even playfully poked my face, making me almost laugh without thinking. They were so light, so alive, so… peaceful.

I was led by the Queen, walking along paths of crystal and light. On either side of me, floating buildings with unimaginable architecture curved and glowed, as if they had grown straight from the earth. Bridges made of rainbow light connected tower to tower, and glowing flowers bloomed as we passed.

My eyes widened in awe. "This place…" I whispered softly, "it can't be real."

But here I was—walking among living stars.

As we neared the heart of their city, my gaze fell upon a grand palace rising in the middle of that forest of light. Its architecture looked as though it had been crafted from the night sky: its walls shimmered like galaxies, and its roof reflected colors I had never seen before. Its beauty stirred my soul.

Queen Victoria turned to me and smiled. "Welcome, Hiro. The universe has been waiting for you."

Queen Victoria gazed at me for a long time, as if weighing something unseen. Then, she turned and began walking slowly, leaving a trail of light among the glowing grass. "Come with me," she said softly, "you must see it with your own eyes."

I stood and followed her without many questions. My steps felt light, but my thoughts remained heavy. I still didn't fully understand what was happening—everything felt like a dream, yet far too vivid to be an illusion.

We walked through natural corridors formed by the roots of colossal trees, intertwined to shape walls and archways. Along the path, the tiny elves reappeared, this time with curious faces. They flew beside me—some laughing joyfully, others dancing in the air, and a few perched on my shoulders, brushing my hair. It felt like being welcomed by a family I never knew I had.

Queen Victoria glanced back from time to time, smiling as she watched their interactions with me. "They sense something in you," she said gently. "A soul that is foreign… yet not threatening. You are a mystery waiting to be unraveled."

Soon, the path opened into a vast field encircled by pillars of light. At its center stood a palace—magnificent, breathtakingly beautiful, and seemingly alive. Its walls shimmered like frozen nebulae, its roofs towering like crowns of stars, and every corner adorned with glowing plants that swayed with the breeze.

I stood at the edge of the field, frozen in disbelief.

"This… is your home?" I asked, my voice barely audible.

Queen Victoria nodded. "The place where the elemental guardians gather. And now, your place too."

We stepped into the palace. As we passed through its gates, the air shifted—warmer, deeper. Each of my footsteps echoed softly against the crystal floor. Inside, the palace was no less stunning: the ceiling stretched endlessly above, adorned with moving murals of light—telling the story of the universe, the elements, and the great destruction that once occurred.

At the center of the main hall stood a circular altar, surrounded by blue flames that did not burn. Queen Victoria stood there, then turned to face me.

"You want to know what happens next, Hiro?" she asked. "That depends on you."

I swallowed. "What do you mean?"

"Your choice today will shape tomorrow's fate. But remember… your power is not just a gift—it is also a responsibility. Your element is waiting to be discovered, mastered, and protected."

I nodded slowly, though confusion still clouded my mind. Yet in my heart, something had begun to grow—a resolve I had not yet realized.

Queen Victoria walked slowly around the glowing altar, her long cloak glittering every time it brushed against the light from the ancient symbols encircling the room.

"Eighteen elements, Hiro," she said, her voice soft yet echoing, "not mere powers. They are the lifeblood of the universe. Each one has its own will… and not all wish to be found."

I watched the tiny lights swirling in the air. Their shapes were now clearer—some looked like small flames, ripples of water, shards of stone, whirlwinds, even dueling shadows and light.

"The ones that fell to Earth... the seven primary elements," she continued. "Earth, Water, Fire, Wind, Lightning, Ice, and Love. They merged with the human world. The other eleven remain in the cosmos."

"They are the essence of cosmic harmony—Time, Space, Soul, Light, Darkness, Sound, Gravity, Poison, Shadow, Metal, and Telekinesis."

I said nothing. The words felt enormous. Too vast to grasp in an instant.

"And… I was granted one of them?" I asked quietly.

"Yes," Queen Victoria said with pride in her voice, "among them, only one is noble—the Noble Element of Earth. And you are the one destined to wield it."

I stared at my hands, as if hoping to see something hidden within them.

"Then… who chose me? Why me?" I whispered, sadness returning to my chest.

She stepped closer and placed one hand over my heart.

"The universe does not choose randomly, Hiro. When the world needs balance, it calls upon those who are broken—those who have been shattered, so they may rebuild. You were once broken, Hiro. But from brokenness, the purest strength is born."

My heart pounded. My eyes burned. I didn't know how to respond.

"And this… is only the beginning," Queen Victoria said, slowly withdrawing her hand. "You must be ready. For when one element awakens, the others will seek each other—either to unite or to challenge."

I took a deep breath. For the first time, the word "destiny" felt real. Not a fairytale... but a reality waiting for me to shape.