Before taking flight, the bird's voice echoed once again in Millie's ears,"Where do you three think you're going?"
Hearing about the event, the bird burst into laughter. Flapping its wings, it let out a sharp cry and surged forward through the air, spreading its wings wide. Millie held tightly to its long blue hair as they soared high into the sky. The sunlight was soft, falling gently across Millie's face. The wind was strong and cold. Far below them, the city looked tiny.
After some time, they were far from the city. Millie noticed colorful pieces of cloth fluttering at a great height in the cold air. As they drew closer, she realized they were flags. Looking carefully, she saw that there were four flags. They were enormous and wide, each bearing a distinct emblem that represented the identity of its institution.
Seeing the flags, Millie's mind filled with thoughts. The institutions they represented were places everyone longed to go. Once, it had been her dream as well. She looked down and realized they had reached the venue of the event. Millie saw that the flags were placed outside the circular boundary of the grounds. They were mounted on massive stones positioned in all four directions.
A voice filled with excitement reached Millie's ears,"Neon, look! These pillars are so beautiful. The place where wielders gather has a glory of its own."
It was Tessa's voice—her curiosity so strong that she had even forgotten her argument with Neon. Neon said nothing. Millie also noticed that the boundary was not made of stones or earthen ridges, but of numerous pillars colored like yellow clay.
Millie heard the bird's extremely thin voice,"We're about to descend into Starverse now!"
Joy and excitement were woven into its tone. Hearing this, Millie tightly curled her fingers around the bird's long blue hair. Ignite moved around the circular boundary in a graceful arc, swirling through the air like rolling waves. Millie felt as if currents of water were pushing her outward. Suddenly, she sensed a resistance. She had reached Starverse.
Far from the pillars, Ignite came to a halt in an open, empty space.
Millie stepped down with her friends. She took out ten platinum coins and handed them to the bird. Ignite's blue eyes fluttered in surprise. Flapping her wings, she said,"Enjoy yourselves, kids! I don't want money."
Millie had taken a ride from her; she couldn't let her leave without payment. She said firmly,"We used your service. It's our duty to pay you back."
Just then, a voice came from nearby,"Millie, you should take part in the play."
A mocking smile rested on the Neon's face. Millie ignored the comment.
The bird's wings fluttered again. Chirping cheerfully, she said,"I had fun with you. I have one rule—if I have fun with someone, I charge no money."
Before Millie could reply, the bird soared high into the sky and disappeared into the clouds.
Tessa's voice echoed,"How beautiful and kind Ignite was! …and her soft hair was so—"
Tessa spoke half the words to herself and the rest to Millie and Neon. Neon said,"Forget the bird and move inside."
A faint scratch of disappointment crossed Tessa's joy-filled face. Millie began to walk forward. A wide road made of pale yellow stone stretched toward the center of the venue.
There were many people around them, all heading toward the center as well. Millie noticed that everyone carried a white pass. Only those who possessed this white pass were allowed to watch the event; no one was permitted entry otherwise.
In the city, the white papers began selling several days before the event. The event organizers sold them in exchange for money.
Standing beside Millie in the crowd, Tessa said anxiously,"How will we get inside through this line? By the time our turn comes, they'll shut the gates!"
Millie was not worried about it at all. She already had a way to watch the event. With a faint smile, she said to Tessa,"We won't go from here. We'll take another route. Follow me."
From Tessa's expression, it was clear she understood nothing. Still, trusting Millie's words without question, she nodded in agreement.
Neon, who had been silent until now, snapped irritably,"Where are you going?"
Before Millie could respond, Tessa answered,"Just keep walking!"
With a pout, she moved ahead.
Millie slipped out of the crowd and stepped off the straight yellow-stone road onto a circular gravel path running along both sides. The road curved around the boundary. The venue had been built in a vast open field far from the city. There were only stretches of green grass here. The black road was completely empty, with guards stationed around it.
Seeing Millie approach, the guards' eyes widened. Before they could react, Millie revealed the yellow pass clenched between her fingers. The guards immediately stood down.
Behind her, Tessa and Neon walked in silence. Tessa said nothing, but her chest swelled with excitement and a quiet joy. Neon's irritated expression, however, was enough to make even the guards uneasy.
After a few more steps, there were no guards left on the black gravel road. Suddenly, Neon's sharp voice hit Millie's ears,"You could have told us earlier that you had a yellow pass."
Millie's lips parted to reply, but Neon cut in again,"Unless, of course, you wanted to show off."
Tessa, walking beside Millie, was about to say something with mild irritation when Millie caught her hand. Tessa understood Millie's expression and decided there was no need to give Neon any attention.
Millie spoke herself,"I wasn't trying to show off. I just didn't say anything because I wanted to surprise Tessa."
None of Neon's words reached Millie. She said nothing. From the side came Tessa's muttering voice,"She's always half-crazy… ."
Millie looked at Tessa. Catching Millie's gaze, Tessa laughed and said,"You don't need to give a lecture now."
Millie remained silent.
The road was empty because only those with yellow passes were allowed through. They were given special privileges. Such passes were mostly held by wielders or wealthy individuals.
Passing the flags mounted on large stone blocks, they reached an exit. The atmosphere here was calm. A sense of prestige drifted through the air. Everything felt refined and disciplined. There were fewer people, but far more order.
Millie stood at a different exit, completely opposite to the main one. Only those with yellow passes were permitted to use it.
The exit lay between towering pillars. Two massive doors of deep red stood there—already open.