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The biting wind whipped at Emil's thin clothes, a cruel caress against his skin. The jeers of the villagers echoed in his ears, a chorus of hate that had become a familiar, if unwelcome, symphony. He could feel the rough hands of the village enforcers, their grip like iron, as they dragged him towards the edge of the cliff.
"Abomination!" one of them spat, the word laced with venom. "You're a stain on this village, a curse!"
Emil, thirteen years old and blind, could only bow his head. He had long since learned to endure their scorn, their fear. He was the child without a blessing, the orphan whose parents had perished in the Snake Queen's raid a decade ago. A living reminder of their loss, their vulnerability.
"Chief says banishment," another enforcer grunted, "But the Head Enforcer has… other plans."
A chill ran down Emil's spine. Even in his blindness, he could sense the malice radiating from the men. He knew the forbidden forest was a death sentence.
The enforcers hauled him to the very edge of the precipice. He could hear the rush of the river far below, the roar of unseen rapids. The scent of damp earth and decaying vegetation filled his nostrils, a stark contrast to the familiar smells of the village.
"Here's your new home, freak," a voice sneered. "Enjoy your little fall."
Then, with a shove, they sent him tumbling into the abyss.
The world became a blur of wind and sound. He felt the sickening lurch in his stomach as he plummeted, the air whistling past his ears. He braced himself for the inevitable impact, the crushing blow that would end his miserable existence.
Splash!
The icy water engulfed him, stealing his breath. He thrashed instinctively, his limbs flailing, until he felt the solid ground of a riverbank beneath his feet. Coughing and sputtering, he dragged himself out of the water, shivering uncontrollably.
He was alive. But for how long?
He sat there, drenched and trembling, the sounds of the forest pressing in on him. The rustling of leaves, the chirping of insects, the distant calls of unseen creatures. He was blind, alone, and utterly helpless.
"Help…" he croaked, his voice barely a whisper. "Somebody… anyone…"
Silence was his only answer.
Two hours passed. The sun, hidden behind the dense canopy, began to set. The air grew colder, the shadows longer. Hunger gnawed at his stomach, a sharp, insistent pain.
"I can't just die here," he whispered, his voice gaining a sliver of defiance. "I won't."
He stood, his legs shaky, and took a hesitant step. The river was to his left, so he turned right, into the unknown. He would survive. He had to.
Ding! Ding! Ding!
A strange sound echoed in his mind, a metallic chime that seemed to vibrate through his very being.
"What… what is that?" he murmured, his heart pounding.
"Detecting host."
A voice, cold and mechanical, echoed in his mind.
"Host found."
"Integrating Sun God fragment."
A wave of heat washed over him, a burning sensation that spread through his body. He gasped, his muscles tensing, his mind reeling.
"1%… 5%… 50%… 98%… 100%."
"Integrating complete."
"Booting system."
"Loading system… 4%… 6%… 54%… 70%… 100%."
"The host has awakened."
The voice paused, then continued, its tone shifting, a hint of something… ancient… resonating within it.
"Welcome, Emil Myers. You have been chosen."