The sun climbed higher into the sky, casting soft warmth over the Kaze Clan village. The wind flowed gently through the trees, rustling the white banners that hung from rooftops. It was a quiet, peaceful morning—one of many that the villagers had taken for granted.
Kaito sat on a smooth boulder near the stream that ran through the village, his legs swinging back and forth. With his head tilted to the sky, he watched the clouds drift lazily above. The open sky stretched endlessly, and the wind tousled his white hair as if playing with him. He grinned up at it, feeling as though the breeze was talking only to him.
Just a few feet away, Rize stood barefoot in the shallow stream, his blue hair gleaming as he used his water technique to float droplets into playful shapes. Some villagers watched fondly as the visiting Water Clan boy shaped animals from water—a leaping fish, a tiny deer, a bird that burst in a gentle splash.
"Kaito!" Rize called, waving. "Are you just going to stare at clouds all day?"
Kaito hopped down from the boulder, his feet landing lightly on the grass. The breeze swirled around him as if guiding his steps. He jogged over to the edge of the stream, stopping just a few feet from where Rize was playing.
"I'm not just staring—I was training my focus," he said with a grin.
"Sure you were," Rize chuckled, flicking a stream of water at him.
Kaito dodged, laughing. The two boys took off running through the village, weaving between white-clad villagers and merchant stalls. The village felt alive—full of smiles, flowing robes, and the ever-present breeze that whispered of tradition and harmony.
Later that afternoon, the two boys found themselves lying on the grass near the training grounds, catching their breath after a series of playful chases and clumsy duels. The wind cooled their skin while the sun warmed their faces.
The two boys lay side by side on the soft grass, the afternoon sun warm on their faces. Above, fluffy clouds drifted lazily across the endless blue, and a lone bird soared high, wings spread wide, effortless and free.
Rize's voice broke the silence, quiet and distant, as if carried by the wind itself.
"Look at that bird, Kaito. It flies anywhere it wants… no borders, no chains. I wonder if we'll ever be that free."
Kaito turned his head slowly to look at him, confused by the sudden heaviness in Rize's voice.
For a moment, Rize didn't say anything.
His eyes stayed on the sky, but something in his expression had changed — his usual carefree grin replaced by a quiet, almost distant sadness. The kind of look that didn't belong on an eight-year-old's face.
The wind moved gently around them.
Then, without looking at Kaito, Rize spoke again — softer this time.
"Hey, Kaito… what do you want to do when you grow up?"
Kaito thought for a moment, eyes bright with hope.
"I want to leave the village. See the world. Make friends everywhere."
He didn't understand the deeper truths yet—the tensions between clans, the dangerous politics that made such dreams risky. But the wind stirred within him—a quiet pulse, as if the ancient power within his core whispered promises of things to come.
Rize stared at him quietly, studying the earnestness in Kaito's eyes. Then he slowly sat up, a soft smile spreading across his face.
"I see."
"That's a nice dream."
For a moment, the weight of the world seemed far away, and all that mattered was the friendship between two boys dreaming beneath the open sky.