Ancient legends, artifacts from worlds unknown, and long-kept secrets arent obstacles most first year college students have to deal with...however, the twelve newest faces at Shinbi University are anything but ordinary. In fact, no one on this campus, or on this island for that matter, is anything near normal. Secrets are uncovered, powers are discovered, and love and heartbreak flow freely in the fantasy science fiction drama that is From the Roots they Rise. Enjoy! ForewordNoksaek, a small island just off the southern tip of the Korean mainland, was home to three things: one of the oldest forests in the world, one of the most prestigious Universities in the world, and an overall air of tangible mystery. One did not simply apply to attend Shinbi University - the elite institute of higher learning enrolled less than two dozen students each year, and every single one was hand picked by the board of admissions. Nobody knew what it was that made students eligible for selection, but everyone knew that receiving a letter sealed with the Shinbi coat of arms was an immense honor.Kim Jongin was understandably confused when he came downstairs one morning to discover that one such envelope had been sent to him. He was a good student, sure, but he cared more for dancing than for his studies. However, his parents were so proud it was all they could do to hold back their tears as they handed him the letter - his sister said it was probably a hoax (but that whoever had tried to trick him would have to answer to her).Whatever the reason and whatever the outcome, all Jongin knew was that he now had to pack his bags and prepare as best he could for his first semester on Noksaek Island. However, the discoveries and trials that awaited him in the coming year was more than he could have ever imagined.