07-07-XX04, 001, 01
"The stars are beautiful," I whispered, gazing up at the night sky.
I've always been captivated by the stars - their beauty and mystery are a constant source of wonder. I love to lie in the grass and gaze up at them, imagining what secrets they hold.
"Laurent, come to dinner!" my mother called from the dining room.
"I'll be there in a minute," I replied, tearing my gaze away from the sky.
But just as I was about to turn away, something caught my eye. A star shone brighter than the rest - a bright, ruby red.
"Wait, it's moving. Is that a falling star?" I wondered aloud.
I couldn't resist the temptation to follow it. "I'm going outside to look at the stars!" I called back to my mother, grabbing my jacket as I rushed out the door.
Heart pounding with excitement, I ran as fast as I could towards the forest. The star seemed to be falling in that direction.
After what felt like an eternity, I finally reached the forest. There, in a clearing, lay the star - a radiant crystal glowing with a pulsing red light.
"This is incredible," I murmured, stepping closer to examine it.
As my fingers brushed against the surface of the crystal, a jolt of energy coursed through my body. The star pulsed brighter and brighter until it seemed to be absorbed into my skin.
For a moment, I was terrified. But then, a strange sensation spread through my body - a feeling of warmth and power that I had never experienced before.
"I feel weird," I murmured
Suddenly, I collapsed onto the ground. My body convulsed with the intensity of the energy coursing through my veins. I felt as though I was on fire, burning from the inside out.
I opened my eyes and found myself lying on my bed. My head was pounding, and my body felt weak and sore. It was as if I had been hit by a truck.
"What happened to me?" I groaned, rubbing my temples.
I tried to sit up, but a wave of dizziness washed over me, and I fell back onto my pillow. I felt as if all my energy had been drained out of my body.
Suddenly, a knock came from the door. It was my mom, who had been worried sick about me since I hadn't come home for hours.
"Laurent, are you okay?" she asked as she entered the room.
"I don't know, Mom. I feel so weak," I replied, struggling to sit up.
She came over and sat next to me, placing a hand on my forehead.
"You're burning up," she said, concern etched on her face.
"I'm sorry, Mom. I think I might have caught something while I was out," I said weakly.
She looked at me skeptically, but I could tell she didn't want to push me too hard.
"Okay, honey. You just rest for now. I'll bring you some medicine and food," she said, getting up to leave.
As she walked out of the room, I couldn't help but wonder what had happened to me. Had it all been a dream? Had I imagined everything? Or had I really found a magical star that had given me incredible powers?
But as I drifted off to sleep, my mind still racing with questions, I knew one thing for sure - something had definitely happened to me out there in the woods, and I wasn't sure if I would ever be the same again.
For the rest of the night, I was plagued by strange dreams. In one, I was soaring through the sky, surrounded by a sea of stars. In another, I was trapped in a dark void, with nothing but the sound of my own breathing for company.
The next thing I knew, sunlight was streaming through my bedroom window, and I felt like I had barely slept at all. I got up and rubbed my eyes, trying to shake off the grogginess.
Just then, there was a knock on my door. It was my father, looking concerned.
"Hey, Are you feeling okay?" he asked.
I looked up at him, surprised. "Yeah, Dad, everything's fine. Why do you ask?"
"But you collapsed out there, what happened?" he pressed.
I hesitated for a moment, then decided to lie. "I don't know, Dad. I just got a bit dizzy and fell down. It was nothing."
My father looked at me skeptically, but he didn't push the issue. "Alright, if you say so. Just make sure you don't push yourself too hard, okay?"
I nodded, relieved that I had managed to convince him.
"Okay, well, you should rest for a bit," he said. "I'll bring you some water."
As he left the room, I breathed a sigh of relief. I knew I couldn't tell anyone the truth about the star - not yet, anyway. I needed to figure out what had happened to me first.
Suddenly the door opened with a bang, and I was surprised. Turns out my friends came, running to me. Mica and Jean.
"Laurent, how are you? Are you all right?" said Mica while holding my hands.
"It's okay, I'm fine," I said smiling.
"Why did you go stargazing without inviting us?" said Jean
"I want to, but I don't know if you guys will come," I said while looking away.
"Hey, didn't we promise to always be together?" Jean said while holding my shoulder.
"Yeah, sorry about that. I'll take you guys too later," I said while looking at both of them.
Jean smiled. "Okay, I trust you. We'll be back later, make sure you get enough rest!"
"Okay, thanks for coming you two!" I said with a smile
The rest of the day passed by in a blur. I tried my best to focus on work and keep my mind off the strange occurrence in the forest. But every now and then, my thoughts would drift to the glowing star and the strange, otherworldly feeling it had given me.
"Alright, I guess I should check it out," I said, gazing up at the sky. "I know I promised, but... I guess I'll keep this from them for a while. Now I have to get ready."
As soon as the clock struck five, I rushed out of the office and headed straight for the forest. "I'm going to go outside for a while Mom!" I said as I went running into the woods.
The sun was high in the sky and the trees were bathed in golden light. It was a beautiful day, but I couldn't appreciate it. All I could think about was the star.
"I think the star is somewhere around here," I said while looking for the star.
When I reached the clearing where I had seen the star, everything looked normal. There was no trace of any extraterrestrial object or strange energy field. I walked around the area, trying to find any clues, but I came up empty-handed.
"This is strange, shouldn't the star be here?" I said in astonishment.
Feeling frustrated and disappointed, I sat down on a fallen tree trunk and buried my face in my hands. That's when I heard a rustling sound coming from behind me.
"Huh, who's there?!" I said, slightly surprised.
I turned around and saw a man standing a few feet away. He was tall and thin, with piercing blue eyes and a shock of silver hair. He was wearing a long robe.
"Hello," he said, his voice soft and musical. "I couldn't help but notice you looking around. Are you searching for something?"
I hesitated for a moment, unsure of how much to reveal to a stranger. But something about the man's kind eyes and soothing voice put me at ease. I decided to take a chance and tell him the truth.
"I saw something strange here last night," I said. "It was a glowing star, and it gave me this weird feeling. I don't know what to make of it."
The man nodded thoughtfully. "Ah, yes. I think I know what you're talking about."
I stared at him in disbelief. "You know about it?
The man smiled enigmatically. "Let's just say that I have some experience with these things. But tell me, what kind of feeling did the star give you?"
I hesitated, unsure of how to put the sensation into words. "It was like...like I was connected to something bigger than myself. Like I was a part of something vast and powerful. I can't really describe it."
The man nodded again, his eyes gleaming with understanding. "So you can feel the energy from that star?"
I was starting to feel overwhelmed by the strangeness of the situation. "What does it all mean?" I asked. "Why did it give me this feeling?"
The man's expression turned serious. "I can't answer that question for now. However, you will be fine."
With that, the man turned and walked away, disappearing into the forest as mysteriously as he had appeared. I sat there for a long time, lost in thought. The encounter left me with more questions than answers.
"Well, that's weird..." I said while looking toward the forest. "I guess I should ask more about it the next time I see him."
As I stood up, I heard Jean's voice calling me from a distance. "Laurent! Where are you!". I shouted back, "Jean! I'm here!"
Jean came and asked me, "What are you doing here? Earlier, I came to your house. But your mother said you went out."
A bit nervous, I replied, "Well, I think I left something here."
"I see, how about we look for it together?" said Jean.
I replied, "No need, I can look for it later." While looking up at the sky, "It's getting late now, we better go back." I said.
"Alright, let's go back," Jean replied. "Oh yeah, did you know that some knights are coming to our village?"
"Wait what? Knight?!" I was surprised
"Yes, maybe something is going on," Jean replied. "Therefore, let's go home immediately."
As I approached my village, I could see a group of knights gathered in front of my house. As I drew closer, one of them stepped forward and addressed me.
"Excuse me, young man," the knight said, his armor clanking as he dismounted his horse. "Have you or your family seen a red ruby star falling near your house?"
I looked up at the knight, trying to keep my nerves in check. "No, sir," I said, my voice a little shaky. "I haven't seen anything like that."
The knight frowned, looking at me skeptically. "Are you sure? It's of great importance to the kingdom."
I nodded, hoping he wouldn't press the issue. "Yes, I'm sure. I haven't seen anything."
The other knights looked at each other, but the lead knight seemed to accept my answer. "Very well, we'll move on. Thank you for your time."
I let out a sigh of relief as the knights mounted their horses and rode away. But as I stepped into my house, my parents rushed to me, eager to know what had happened.
"Laurent, did you see a ruby star?" my mother asked. "They looking for a red ruby star. "
I hesitated for a moment, unsure of what to say. But I knew I couldn't risk involving my family in this matter. "No, I didn't see anything," I lied, hoping my parents would believe me.
My father looked at me skeptically. "Are you sure about that, son?" he asked.
I nodded, trying to sound as confident as possible. "Yes, I'm sure. I didn't see anything."
My parents exchanged a glance with each other, seemingly satisfied with my answer. But I knew I had to be more careful from now on. I couldn't risk getting myself or my family in trouble with the knights or the royal nobles.
Days passed, and I tried to go about my life as usual, but I couldn't shake the feeling that something was about to happen. Then, one afternoon, I heard the sound of horses approaching my house. I looked outside and saw the knights riding towards me again.
"They're back?" I said while surprised
As they got closer, I could see that there was something different about them. They looked more aggressive and dangerous than before. And then I saw him - the knight with a fire on his hand. He was riding in the front, his eyes fixed on me with a look of pure hatred.
Before I could react, a blast of fire shot towards my house. I managed to dive out of the way just in time as the flames engulfed my home, reducing it to ashes.
As I emerged from the ruins, I watched in horror as the knights began to lay waste to my village, burning everything in their path. The screams of the innocent filled the air as the knights showed no mercy or compassion.
"What happened?" I was shocked by the situation, and my thoughts were interrupted.
Panic took over as I ran, trying to escape the destruction. But I was soon cornered by the knights, surrounded by their imposing figures as they grabbed me and threw me to the ground.
A knight with a strange power of fire came to me "This was the true power of that star! A commoner like you doesn't need this kind of power!" he started emitting fire from his hands.
I was so shocked and confused, I saw my parents being captured by the knights, people were screaming for help, and the village was burning, it all felt so wrong and I felt so guilty.
I could see the rage in the knight's eyes as he raised his hand, ready to unleash a deadly blast of flames at my parents. I couldn't let that happen.
A wave of anger and determination surged within me, and I felt a warmth spreading throughout my body. It was as if a flame was being lit inside my chest, and its heat and power grew with every passing moment.
Without thinking, I raised my hand towards the fire knight, and a burst of violet flames erupted from my fingertips. It was unlike anything I had ever seen before - the flames danced with intense energy, crackling with a fierce violet hue that enveloped my entire body. I was very surprised, my whole body felt warm.
The fire knight's expression turned from one of malice to one of utter shock. "I-Impossible!" he stuttered, taking a step back.
As the flames continued to blaze, I knew that something within me had awakened. A newfound power that was both terrifying and exhilarating. And I knew that I was not going to let the knights get away with what they had done to my village and family. "Everything will end now," I said.
With the power of the hell flames, I fought back against the knights, sending them flying with each blast. The fire knight was taken aback, clearly not expecting me to have such power.
But as I continued to fight, I felt my body begin to weaken. The flames were too powerful, and my body couldn't handle the strain. "Ugh, my body feels heavy," I said.
I felt myself losing control as the violet flames grew more intense, spreading rapidly and threatening to consume everything in their path. I stumbled, trying to stay upright, but my legs gave out beneath me, and I collapsed onto the ground.
As I lay on the ground, my body exhausted and my mind reeling from the surge of power, I heard footsteps approaching. I tried to open my eyes, but they felt heavy and I couldn't lift them. I passed out...
When I came to, I found myself in a small, humble house. I was lying on a bed, covered in blankets, and my body was sore all over. As I tried to sit up, I noticed a figure sitting in a chair next to me. The man was the same mysterious figure from the forest that I had encountered before.
"Welcome back, Laurent," the man said with a wry smile. "You put up quite a fight out there."
I looked at him, confused. "How do you know? Where are my parents? Who are you!"
The man looked at me with a calm expression. "My name is Aria," he said. "I found you unconscious in the forest and brought you here. Your parents... I'm sorry, Laurent. They didn't make it."
I felt a pang of grief in my heart at the news. My parents, are gone forever. I couldn't believe it.
"How could this happen?" I asked, "Where's my friends?"
"They took the children away, I don't know where. I lost track of them as they came out the side of the mountain, they just kind of disappeared," said Aria.
Feeling tears welling up in my eyes. "Why did those knights attack us?" I said.
Aria sighed heavily and leaned back in his chair. "It's a long and complicated story, Laurent. But in short, there are those in this world who hunger for mystical power from the stars. They will stop at nothing to obtain it."
He continued, "There are those among them who believe that the stars hold the key to ultimate power and eternal life. They will go to any lengths to achieve it, even if it means destroying entire villages in the process."
I listened intently, trying to make sense of everything. "But what does this have to do with my village?" I asked.
Aria looked at me gravely. "Your village was unfortunate enough to be in the path of a falling star. The nobles knew of its trajectory and saw an opportunity to seize its power for themselves. That's why they attacked your village, Laurent."
Aria sighed and shook his head. "The nobles of this land are hungry for power, Laurent. But not just any power. They are obsessed with the mystical power of the stars."
"The stars?" I asked, puzzled.
"Yes, the stars," Aria replied. "You see, every few years, a star falls from the sky and crashes into the earth. These stars contain an incredible amount of magical energy that the nobles covet. They believe that by harnessing this power, they can become invincible and rule over the land with an iron fist."
My mind reeled at the thought of such power. But it didn't excuse the fact that they had attacked and killed innocent people.
I felt a surge of anger and frustration welling up inside me. "They killed my parents just to get to the star?" I asked incredulously.
Aria nodded solemnly. "I'm afraid so. But now that you have the power of the hell flames, they will come after you as well."
I looked at Aria, determination in my eyes. "Then what should I do?"
Aria smiled at me. "Don't worry Laurent. For now, you need to rest and recover. Your body and mind need time to adjust to the power within you. I'll stay here and watch over you until you're ready to face the world again."
Aria stood up from his chair and walked over to a nearby shelf. He picked up a small, glowing orb and held it out to me. "Laurent, put your hand on the orb. I need to check the extent of your power."
I hesitated for a moment, unsure of what Aria had in mind. But I trusted him, and I knew that he was the only one who could help me make sense of my newfound abilities. So, I placed my hand on the orb, and immediately, I felt a surge of energy flow through me.
Aria closed his eyes and focused, his hands hovering over the orb. After a few moments, he opened his eyes and looked at me with a mix of surprise and awe. "Your power is truly remarkable, Laurent. I have never seen anything like it before."
"What do you mean?" I asked, my curiosity piqued.
Aria sighed heavily, his expression serious. "Your power Total Mimicry, you have the potential to become one of the most powerful beings in the world."
"Total Mimicry?" I repeated, unsure of what it meant.
"Yes," Aria confirmed. "Your power allows you to mimic and replicate the abilities of others. You can observe someone using their power and then use it as your own."
I was amazed by the revelation. "So, I can use any power that I see?"
Aria leaned back in his chair, lost in thought. "There's something else you should know, Laurent. The power of Total Mimicry is rare and highly sought after by those who seek to control others."
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"Be wary of those who approach you, Laurent," Aria cautioned. "Use your powers wisely and don't reveal them to anyone who you don't trust completely."
I nodded, determined to protect myself and others from those who would seek to use my power for their own gain. "I understand, Aria. I'll be careful."
"Good," Aria said, giving me a small smile. "Now, let's get some rest. You need to recover your strength and hone your abilities. The journey ahead won't be easy, but I know you're up to the challenge."
He continued, "Tomorrow morning, go to the field in front of the house. I will train you."
As Aria left the room, I closed my eyes and focused on the power within me. The energy flowed through my veins like a river, and I felt it growing stronger with each passing moment.
Excitement and fear coursed through me in equal measure. I was afraid of the unknown, but at the same time, I was eager to learn what I was capable of.
I spent the rest of the night in a state of restless anticipation, my mind racing with thoughts of what the future might hold. Finally, morning arrived, and I set out to the field in front of the house.
As I arrived, I saw Aria standing in the center of the field, surrounded
by a circle of glowing runes. He turned to me and beckoned me forward.
"Are you ready, Laurent?" he asked.
I nodded, feeling the energy within me surge to the surface.
Aria smiled, a glint of excitement in his eyes. He began to chant in a language I didn't recognize. "Then let's begin!"