"It's beautiful..." I whispered as we approached the city.

  I'd never seen anything like it. Ariel had mentioned before that you could learn to sense magic. Even as a novice, there was no doubt this city was brimming with it.

  "Neither of us have been here before," Ariel said, putting some hair behind her ear and glancing at Caelin, "but we've studied it plenty of times during our lessons. The four major elemental cities are rumored to be built above the ancient beasts that shaped Elemora. Supposedly, Elemyr rests above above the great Myrvalis, an enormous bird-like creature made of crystal. Locals say that crystals from its body can surface around the city from time to time."

  I didn't think my mouth could hang any lower, but it did. "It's absolutely gorgeous right now..." I breathed. "I can only imagine what it's like during the day..."

  "We can explore in the morning, for now we'd better hurry. Cities like this usually have a curfew. Any moment now, they'll ring a be—"

  *GONNNNGGG*

  A deep, heavy bell echoed across the planes, rolling over us like a toll of a cathedral tower.

  "...a bell," Ariel finished.

  "In case you couldn't guess—" Caelin chimed in with a laugh, "—that means we gotta go!"

  *GONNNNGGG*

  We took off running towards the entrance. As we neared the walls, I could feel the curtain of magical energy intensify. The city's outer walls weren't cut stone blocks like an ordinary castle might have. They looked grown from the earth- smooth in some places and jagged in others. Only magic could explain their shape. Scattered throughout the wall were little flecks of sparkle— tiny gems that gleamed in the dim light of the setting sun.

  Two guards stepped forward as we approached. Their armor almost appeared crystalline and looked harder than steel. They carried large spears with flags that flapped gently in the breeze. The symbol stitched on each flag looked like a pair of symmetrical crystal wings framed by spirals of green and blue.

  "Hail, travelers," the right guard called. "What brings you to Elemyr... minutes before curefew?"

  "We're students," Ariel replied, already flashing the crest on her back. "We're here to take the Terra Grix entrance exam."

  "Ah—you must be Lady Serelith," the left guard said with a respectful bow. He turned to Caelin. "And you must be Lord Sereith."

  I heard Ariel mumble 'thanks dad' under her breath as she rolled her eyes.

  "And that leaves you," the right guard continued, turning to me. "Who might you be?"

  "Mae Bell," I said, trying to stand a little taller. "I'm also here to take the entrance exam."

  The left guard frowned, "Your father did not send word of a third."

  "She's with us," Caelin cut in. "Mae's a...close friend we met in Talonholme."

  Caelin shot me a subtle wink.

  "She's been traveling with us, and boy, she's a hoot!"

  "Yeahh! Ha ha—" I let out an unconvincing laugh. "We sure go way back..."

  After a long minute of observing me from head to toe, the right guard nodded and said, "Very well then, Lord Serelith. Welcome to Elemyr."

  Both guards stood aside, allowing us to hurry through, just as the third bell tolled.

  *GONNNNGGG*

  Behind us, heavy doors groaned and slammed shut, sealing the city shut. Night had fully settled now. However, unlike the previous towns, Elemyr was well illuminated with earthen lanterns that glowed gently along the streets.

  A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  As we hurried along, I thought I kept hearing the sounds of a soft flute. I'd looked over my shoulder more than once, half-expecting to see a musician tucked away in a corner. The sounds would vanish before I could pinpoint the source. However, as we moved deeper into the city, the airy notes became more frequent and random.

  We slowed as the street opened into a wide plaza with empty stalls, fluttering flags, and a large fountain in the center. A small sign beside it read 'Whispering Plaza'. However, it was the symphony of sound that really caught my attention.

  Soft melodic notes drifting through the night. They were too melodic to be the wind, yet too unpredictable to be music. Gentle notes rose and fell with no pattern at all. I turned in a slow circle, searching for the source, until I finally realized it was coming from the city itself.

  Small carved pipes and hollowed stones were set into the buildings, archways, and even the bridges. Each time the breeze ruffled my dress, a new tone whispered somewhere through the streets like a living chorus. The notes would fade just as quickly as they appeared, as if the city itself was exhaling a calm, endless melody.

  Despite being in what seemed to be a busy area, it was rather quiet. Everyone must have turned in for the night.

  "This is amazing," Ariel breathed.

  I nodded silently, still mesmerized by the ethereal glow and the dancing chorus drifting through the air. Caelin stood silently beside us, looking around with wide, awestruck eyes. A light tickle on the side of my neck made me giggle. Rose peeked her head out from behind my hair, letting out a tiny gasp as she marveled at the view. I'd nearly forgotten she was there, but was relieved she decided to stay close this time.

  "Have you ever seen anything like this before, Rose?" I whispered.

  She shook her head quickly before slipping back into hiding. I figured she didn't want to be seen by anyone. She was very shy, after all.

  "Well," I said softly. "Maybe we should find a room or something. Today's been... a lot."

  "Agreed," Ariel said with a tired smile. "We did arrive a day early, so we should rest. Tomorrow we can get some supplies and prepare."

  Caelin brightened a little. "I can't wait! I've heard the tests are really hard, and if you're not prepared, you could totally die!"

  "That's...comforting..." I said with a nervous laugh.

  "Sadly, he's not wrong," Ariel sighed. "Terra Grix doesn't pull any punches. There's a reason only the strongest get to walk its halls."

  "Great," I muttered. "Something to look forward to..."

  We didn't linger long. The nearest inn was a two story building with smooth walls which were embedded with tiny, shimmering gemstones. After paying for our rooms, we quickly split off.

  Once I closed the door behind me, I let out a long breath and walked to the mirror as I untied my dress.

  "What a day..." I sighed, letting the dress fall to the floor. "This world is non-stop action."

  Rose finally wriggled free of my hair and fluttered toward the mirror, smiling as her tiny reflection blinked back at her. She drifted around the room, poking at everything with deep curiosity.

  "You must have never seen a room before, huh?" I asked.

  She looked at me and shook her head before continuing her exploration.

  I chuckled and turned back to the mirror. Those soft green eyes—my eyes—wavered with the warm glow of the lantern. I ran a hand through my long dark hair. It was soft, but definitely needed a wash after the events from this morning.

  Feeling grimy, I decided to take off the undergarments as well. Letting the last of my clothing fall to the floor, I stood bare for the second time since all this craziness had started. I hesitently cupped my breasts, watching as the girl in the mirror did the same. They were soft, shapely, and way too real for someone who was a guy, not even five days ago. I turned to the side, taking in the slender-yet curvy figure I now had. The girl in the mirror was me. Really me.

  * I wish the first pair of boobs I touched weren't my own... *

  Sighing, I finally tore my gaze away and froze after I noticed Rose had been staring the whole time.

  "W..what...?" I stammered. "Do I look bad or something?"

  She shook her head and flew over with a questionable look on her face. Her brows scrunched together, as if assessing me. With a thoughtful head tilt, she glanced down at her chest and then back to mine.

  Before I could react, she flew forward and gave my chest a mischievous squeeze.

  "Ahahh! Rose, what are you doing!?"

  She flew off with tinkling laughter as I turned to cover my chest. I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror, and realized the pose I was making was pretty hot. Or, at least I would have thought so if I was a still guy.

  * Great. I look like I'm posing for a magazine or something! *

  Officially embarrassed and equally self-concious, I decided it was time for sleep. With a heavy sigh, I walked over to my bag and pulled out the new clothes that Ariel had purchased for me in Lockeguard.

  Among other simple supplies, Ariel had bought me a couple sets of underwear, a nightgown, and a few dresses that I could cycle through. I reluctantly slipped into the panties, as if they would burn me at any moment. Conflicting emotions arose as I found that they were actually quite comfortable, and fit suprisingly well.

  "I better get used to wearing stuff like this..." I said with another sigh.

  I slipped the gown on next, noting the way its soft, silky fabric gently hugged the curves of my body. I quickly went and dimmed the lamp before curling into bed. Rose landed and settled on the pillow next to me.

  "You must have a devious side," I said to her with a grin.

  She feigned innocence and shrugged before snuggling up to me.

  "Well, that's okay. I still love you. Even if you're actually a booger."

  A few short minutes later, I drifted off to sleep.