In a small wooden cabin in the village of Carowa, a fourteen-year-old boy named Hiro lived with his grandmother. With his black-obsidian eyes and curiosity about the outside world, Hiro was a child unlike any other.
Every day, Hiro would read the adventures of his ancestors, tales of rocky mountains and ravaging seas, fueling his curiosity even more.
One day, Hiro called his grandmother. He asked her to read his favorite story – The Genesis of Time.
Hiro sat cross-legged on the woven rug of his grandmother's quaint cottage, the air thick with the scent of wisdom and the flickering warmth of a hearth fire. Around him, shelves sagged under the weight of old artifacts and weathered books, their bindings whispering tales of ages long past.
Hiro looked up at his grandmother with wide, eager eyes, clutching a weathered leather-bound book in his hands.
"Grandma, please, read me a story," Hiro pleaded, his voice barely containing his excitement.
Grandma smiled, her weathered face creasing with fondness for her curious grandson. Her voice, soft yet carrying the weight of countless tales, filled the cozy room. "Of course, my dear Hiro. But not just any story. Let me tell you of a world beyond ours, a realm where gods and goddesses reign."
She began, her voice a melodic cadence that transported Hiro far beyond the confines of their humble cottage. She spoke of a time when darkness shrouded all existence until a cataclysmic explosion birthed stars and planets.
She told Hiro that from that cosmic chaos emerged divine beings, led by four sisters of unparalleled power - Akasha, Vayu, Agni, and Prithvi.
"These sisters," Hiro's grandmother continued, her words weaving a tapestry of wonder, "crafted a world of breathtaking beauty, where mythical creatures roamed and elemental magic danced in every breeze. But their creation needed guardians."
Hiro listened intently as his grandma unraveled the tale of the world tree, an ancient sentinel that spanned realms and sustained life. He envisioned dragons soaring through celestial skies and spirits embodying the very essence of earth, fire, air, and water.
As the story unfolded, Hiro's imagination soared. He envisioned himself as a hero in this fantastical world, exploring its hidden corners, unraveling its mysteries, and facing its challenges.
"And thus," Grandma concluded, her voice tinged with a hint of mystery, "the sisters entrusted their creation to a species they called humans, or should I say 'us,' hoping we would honor and protect the world they had forged."
Silence fell over the room as Hiro absorbed the tale, his mind racing with possibilities. "Grandma, do you think I'll ever see this world?" he asked, his eyes sparkling with wonder.
Grandma chuckled softly, a twinkle of mischief in her gaze. "Who's to say, Hiro? Perhaps one day you'll discover a path that leads beyond the stars."
The next morning, Hiro awoke to the sound of his grandmother singing.
"Rise and shine, my dear Hiro. It is already morning," Hiro's grandmother announced, her warm tone echoing in Hiro's mind.
"Good morning, Grandma," Hiro happily said, greeting his caring grandmother as he woke up.
Laura, his grandma, responded, "Good morning, dear. Go and wash your face first, but before that, let me kiss the birthday boy."
"Grandma!!" Hiro exclaimed as his grandma gave him kisses.
...
A deer with a majestic mane and colorful horns as white as expensive ivory stole Hiro's attention. He was washing his face when he saw the deer galloping through the woods. Hiro, a child full of curiosity, jumped out of their house excitedly.
"Grandma, I'm going out for a bit," Hiro playfully said.
His grandma replied, "Just don't go far and come back before noon," she said casually.
"Oh, I forgot to give him his breakfast. My bad, ohohohoho," Laura sighed.
Running as fast as he could, Hiro arrived at the outskirts of the woods before he knew it. He cautiously entered the woods, which were filled with creatures that meant no harm. At the center, he saw the deer with the white majestic horns. Hiro approached the deer slowly, mesmerized by its grandeur.
The deer, sensing Hiro's presence, turned its head and locked eyes with him. Hiro felt a strange connection, as if the deer was beckoning him to follow. Its eyes were deep and knowing, almost human in their expressiveness. As Hiro stepped closer, he noticed intricate patterns glowing faintly on the deer's coat, pulsing with an otherworldly light.
Hiro extended his hand, and the deer didn't flinch. Instead, it lowered its head slightly, allowing Hiro to touch its soft fur. The moment their connection was made, Hiro felt a surge of energy, a brief glimpse of a world where magic and reality intertwined.
Hiro spent his morning in the woods, playing around and enjoying its beauty – to him, it was a paradise packed with lots and lots of adventure. He and the deer played a game of hide and seek, the deer always staying just out of reach but never completely leaving Hiro's sight. As Hiro played in the woods, he forgot his grandmother's words. It was past noon when he returned home.
"Hiro! Where have you been?" Laura said to her grandson. "Didn't I tell you to come home before noon?"
"I'm sorry," Hiro said apologetically.
"Anyway, have you eaten?" she asked.
"Not yet, Grandma – I'm quite starving," Hiro said.
"Then go and eat. There's a meal I prepared for you on the table," Laura said with a smile on her face.
Later that night, while Hiro was out, Laura hurriedly prepared a lavish feast and scrumptious meal for Hiro as it was his birthday. She also invited some of their neighbors and Hiro's playmates to celebrate with them. When Hiro returned home, he was overwhelmed by his grandmother's effort, tears filling his eyes as his grandmother Laura greeted him with a happy birthday.
"Surprise! Happy Birthday, dear," Laura cheerfully said.
The guests also greeted Hiro, "Happy 15th Birthday, Hiro."
"Thank you, everyone! Thank you, Grandma!" Hiro exclaimed.
"Hiro, I have prepared a gift for you," Laura whispered. "Do you mind opening it now?"
Following his grandmother's instructions, Hiro, with great anticipation, slowly opened his grandmother's gift. As the wrapping covering the gift disappeared, apprehension and excitement took over Hiro.
"What could be inside, hmm?" Hiro asked himself.
Finally, when he unwrapped the gift box, he saw a beautiful black fang-like dagger.
"Do you like it, my dear?" Laura asked.
"Yes, I like it... no, I love it," Hiro said happily. "Thank you very much for the gift, Grandma."
The night continued with laughter and celebration filling the air around Hiro's house.
At the same time, in the woods, under the moon's mystical glow, shadows danced eerily among the trees. The air grew still, and an unnatural hush fell over the forest. Suddenly, a voice, low and resonant, echoed from the depths of the woods, sending a chill down the spine.
"It's about time," it whispered, the words seeming to swirl around like a sinister enchantment.