On this chilly night, a young boy named Eric sat on the village's edge, gazing at the stars above. His face emerged faintly in the dim background, a portrait of solitude and bewilderment. His eyes shone like stars, bright and eager, resembling isolated celestial bodies in the vast universe, yearning to stand out and find his own path.
Eric had lived his whole life in Wendyl Village, this forsaken town. However, from as far back as he could remember, he'd always felt different from the other village children. He seemed to possess a unique intuition, always foreseeing developments at crucial moments, which both intrigued and terrified the townsfolk.
Strange occurrences had begun in the town since the day of his birth. People claimed that after his first cry, an eerie light had emanated from the summit of the snow-capped mountains, bathing the entire village in an otherworldly glow.
As Eric grew, these oddities increased. Once, he dreamt of an impending snowstorm, giving the villagers enough time to prepare. Another time, he seemingly sensed danger deep within the forest and promptly warned a child not to venture into the perilous woods.
Rumors about Eric saturated the town, often intertwining with ancient legends. Some said he was a child from the stars, destined for a great mission. Others believed he was the descendant of a forgotten sorcerer, carrying the power of magic. These tales had seeped into the hearts of every villager, making Wendyl Village increasingly tense and divided.
Adults consistently advised their children against mingling with Eric, fearing his peculiar abilities would bring them misfortune. This life of isolation gradually made Eric more reclusive, and as he aged, he became increasingly solitary. Nevertheless, his curiosity and longing remained unabated. He knew his existence held a special purpose; he needed to find answers and unravel the mysteries between himself and the village.
On this night, as Eric stood at the village's edge, gazing at the shooting stars, a gentle breeze brushed against him, as if nature responded to his call.
Suddenly, an intense impulse washed over him, as if a shining star guided him through the night sky. Eric stood up, irresistibly compelled to move toward the village's edge. The village's shadows gradually receded.
As Eric's feet touched the outskirts of the village, the night deepened, and the starlight dimmed. Suddenly, the earth trembled as if a sleeping giant had awakened. The villagers of Wendyl panicked and rushed out of their homes, searching for the source of the unusual phenomenon, their eyes filled with fear and unease.
Eric also unconsciously took a few steps back, his heart racing, his gaze fixed on the distant snow-capped mountains. In those dark ranges, a massive crack appeared, like a scar on the earth, emitting a mysterious magical light, as if countless stars were blooming together. A deep rumble echoed through the night, like the roar of a dragon, shaking the very souls of everyone present.
The appearance of the crack sparked terror among the residents of Wendyl Village. The trembling of the earth seemed akin to the awakening of a giant, leaving people in a state of sheer panic. Eric was startled by this abrupt event, standing at the village's edge, witnessing the quaking of the earth, while the starlight grew dimmer. It was as though the ancient land itself had been stirred from its slumber.
The emotions of the crowd grew increasingly agitated, and they began to shove Eric, attempting to expel him from the village. Eric's eyes held innocence and confusion as he tried to explain, but his words were drowned out by the roars of the people. The fate of Wendyl Village seemed to descend into chaos and division, with Eric as its focal point, teetering on the edge of destiny.
Amidst the chaos, a respected elder stepped forward, her gaze deep, her voice firm. "Wait a moment; we mustn't jump to conclusions. Eric may be innocent; this could be a warning."
Her words injected a touch of reason, causing some to hesitate, pondering whether all of this was truly connected to Eric. The turmoil in the village slightly subsided, yet it remained fraught with tension and conflict.
At that very moment, peculiar sounds emanated from the crack, eerie and haunting, like the call of something ancient, sending shivers down spines. Eric and the villagers looked up, their eyes fixed on the crack, attempting to comprehend the strange noises.
Gradually, the sounds from the crack became clearer, as if some language resided within them. The villagers began to sense a mysterious force, an ancient magic radiating from the crack.
One villager murmured, "This is ancient magic, a long-lost language. What is it calling for?"
The sounds from the crack took on a rhythm, resembling a mysterious chant filled with riddles and enigmas. Eric felt a connection between his inner self and these sounds, as if he could grasp a fragment of their meaning.
Suddenly, the sounds from the crack intensified, and a powerful burst of energy erupted, scattering Eric and the villagers.
People fell to the ground, and Wendyl Village, in the dark of night, descended into chaos. The energy emanating from the crack left the villagers in a state of disconcerting fear. As they struggled to rise, their anxious eyes remained fixed on the crack.
At this moment, Eric stood before the crack, his eyes locked onto what lay ahead. He felt an inexplicable force enveloping him, guiding him step by step into the crack. It was as if his body floated in mid-air, and he sensed the ancient magical power permeating his soul.
The space within the crack seemed like another world, with stars flickering, and mysterious runes floating in the air. Eric's heart raced as he ventured into the unknown. Perhaps this was his destiny; he had to step into this enigmatic realm and unravel ancient mysteries.
However, at the moment he entered the crack, the elderly woman who had raised him for years found herself inexplicably cut off by an unseen force, unable to follow Eric. Her eyes filled with worry and helplessness as she struggled to reach him but could only see her hand extending into nothingness.
Amid the woman's calls, Eric briefly awakened to reality and turned to try to reach his grandmother. His voice was filled with pleading, "Grandma, I will come back!"
However, his voice became inaudible, and she could only watch as he disappeared on the other side of the crack. Her tears, like glistening jewels, rolled down her cheeks. As Eric departed, the grandmother felt as though she had been separated from time itself, her destiny diverging from Eric's.
She fell to the ground, her tears mingling with the silence of the night. She gazed at the vanishing crack and then at the distant snow-capped mountains, which, under the night's starlight, appeared even more desolate and mysterious.
"All of this is the hand of fate," the grandmother said
, her eyes filled with deep reflection and concern. She sighed softly, her voice light yet heavy, "Eric is destined to face his future, and even if I hid him here, he would never escape the sway of destiny. Perhaps, it's time."
The strange phenomena of the night gradually dissipated, and Wendyl Village's night sky regained its former tranquility and beauty. The stars adorned the deep blue canvas like diamonds, bright and clear, resembling mysterious gems. On this windless night, the village's houses emitted wisps of faint smoke from their hearths.
The villagers gazed at the starry sky, the past chaos and unease now resembling a distant nightmare.
Everything dissipated with Eric's disappearance.