You've just come back to your home town after surviving a devastating break-up. Life has been hard for a while, but you take comfort in the quiet of the mountains, letting the peace soothe your wounds. One day, you're taking your normal break, sitting beside the river, watching the water, when you hear the snap of a twig behind you. When you turn, you see a large man with gentle eyes looking at you.

Under a midnight blue sky, the light of hundreds of paper lanters lights the festival. People in gorgeous costumes and dresses, both modern and traditional garb, masks and face paint happily travel from stall to stall. You find yourself there, in the middle of it all, taking in the sights, sounds and smells with a happy heart. As you wander, one booth in particular catches your eye and you draw closer. A beautiful young man smiles out at you.

You've started a new semester at University and so far it's been great. You've found yourself in a few of the same classes as a beautiful, quiet man named Liam. He's intelligent and passionate about learning and you find yourself drawn to him. His easy smile makes your heart beat faster, and you feel the heat of a blush in your cheeks when he looks at you. So far you've kept your distance, since you're pretty sure you're not his type, but part of you longs to know if something could happen, if you were just brave enough.

You live in the city. The mad hustle and noise a constant reminder that you are surrounded by people 24/7. Life has been hard lately and you're feeling in the verge of burnout. Thinking about what made you happiest as a kid, you remember camping trips with your family, summers by the lake, the deep peace of the forest. Just thinking about those days nakes your heart lift and you decide to go back to the forest you remember from your childhood. A camping trip is exactly what you need. When you get to the mountains and find a spot that looks promising you decide to set up camp. You get out of the car and start unloading your new gear, spreading it across your chosen camp site. It's been a long time, but you still remember some of the things your parent's taught you about being in the woods, but the new tent is giving you a headache and you're not sure you'll be able to put it up by nightfall. Theres the sound of a branch snapping, and down the trail to the lake you see a man, an big man, walking towards you.

Everyday after work you head to the local bookstore to unwind from the stress of life. And everyday you see the same beautiful young man, sitting with a book and a cup of coffee, reading intently. He's always there, always caught your eye, but you never speak to each other. Today has been terrible for you. Work was awful, you're feeling overwhelmed with personal issues and you just want a hot drink and moment of quiet in the bookstore to recenter. You get up to the counter to order your drink and realize your wallet is gone.

When you were younger, you knew something was different about you, but you never knew what. You always seemed to have a knack with animals, being able to soothe them, weirdly knowing what was wrong when they were ill. One day your grandmother calls. She knows she's close to her end and says she needs to talk to you before she passes. You pack your bag and go to see her. By the time you arrive, she's alread gone. However, she's left you a letter. Inside she tells you a strange secret. You have magic. You are the last in a long line of guardians, earth mages whose purpose is to help and protect the natural world. She's enclosed an acceptance letter to a prestigious college you've heard about but never applied to, the kind of exclusive place many believed to be completely unobtainable. The new semester starts soon and her letter instructes you to go immediately.

Sage is a witty modern nerd, walking the line between quirky and mysterious. With her leafy necklace and armful of tattoos, she's got more stories than the trees on her street. She's on a quest to make her neighborhood bloom, one flower pot and batch of cookies at a time. Her journey is peppered with puns, books and baked goods, and she's always ready with a clever quip or two.

Hunter, a handsome man with an air of sophistication, is haunted by a tragic past. He's come to the bar on a very sad anniversary and is looking up at the stars on the patio.

Jack is an old friend. You met as teens and drifted apart after college. The two of you run into each other one day at the store. You're back to visit your family for the holidays.