Chapter One

As the carriage rattled past rolling farms and expansive fields, three boys sat at the back, weary from their journey. The driver called out over his shoulder, "Division 4 base is up ahead, kids."

Kenji 16, with disheveled crimson hair and sharp orange eyes, stirred from his sleep. He gazed out at the large building in the distance, its side aglow with the sinking sunlight's golden hue.

"Hey, Taka, wake up! We're here," Kenji said, shaking Takahiro's shoulder.

Takahiro, 16 with golden blond hair and gentle emerald eyes, blinked away sleep. "Are we there, Kenji?" he asked, rubbing the fatigue from his eyes.

Kenji pointed excitedly, his orange eyes shining. "Yeah, look! And Yushiro, do you see that?"

Yushiro, 15, with silver hair and androgynous features, glanced up from his book. Violet's eyes met the building, expressionless, before returning to his reading.

Undeterred, Kenji and Takahiro shared a grin, relishing the view.

"We made it, guys!" Kenji beamed.

The carriage halted before the Division 4 base, surrounded by empty fields and a distant green forest. The base, three times the size of a large house and eight stories tall loomed before them.

Grabbing their luggage, the trio approached the large wooden doors. With no one to greet them, they knocked several times before entering.

As darkness enveloped the surroundings, the sun dipped below the horizon.