As the entire sky gradually brightened with the first light of dawn, the sun's rays crept over the eastern horizon, unveiling the dense, dark forest below. The morning light revealed the rich ecosystem of flora and fauna, bringing the world back to life in its usual rhythm.
The sun's warmth reached deeper into the forest, where a lone figure stood, welcoming the light as it touched his skin. His body bore the marks of blood and grime, evidence of a desperate struggle for survival. Around him lay the dismembered and lifeless bodies of wolves, their forms unrecognizable, scattered across the ground. Yet, despite having narrowly escaped death, his expression was not one of relief. Instead, his face wore a look of confusion.
He gazed upward toward the sky, squinting against the brightness of the sun. Raising a hand to shield his eyes, he half-closed them, trying to make sense of what had just transpired.
Aldir
I never thought, not even once in my entire life, that I'd end up in a fantasy world. But here I am, and the first thing I get is being hunted by a pack of wolves! And not just that, these strange memories and the sensations from last night still haunt me every time I try to recall them, as if they're blocking me from uncovering something deeper.
"What kind of place is this?" I muttered, searching my surroundings left and right, only to find towering trees, dense bushes, and strange-looking plants all over. The forest was unlike anything I'd seen back on Earth; everything felt foreign and alive with an eerie pulse. I took a cautious step forward, the ground crunching under my feet, and shivered at the thought of how I massacred those wolves last night. The memory sent chills down my spine, The way I unleashed a force that seemed ripped from a fantasy novel, the kind where people could shatter mountains with a single strike.
Suddenly, I froze in my tracks, gripped by the realization of what I had just thought.
"That power…is it real?" I murmured, rubbing my chin slowly, focusing on the sensation. It felt like there was another version of me, one capable of wielding such terrifying strength. "If that wasn't a dream—no, it had to be real. I can use this power too. But…how?"
I scanned the dense forest again, my eyes darting from shadow to shadow. I wasn't looking for anything specific, just making sure I was truly alone, that no wolves or other unseen dangers were lurking in the underbrush.
Satisfied by the complete silence, I sat down on the ground, crossing my legs. I took a deep breath, letting the memory of that power wash over me. The sensation was vivid yet elusive, as if it belonged to someone else. Closing my eyes, I reached inward, tracing the feeling to its source. It felt like a current running just beneath the surface, waiting to be tapped into. I reached out to it with my mind…but nothing happened. Frustration tightened in my chest as I tried again, pushing harder, digging deeper.
"Come on, just like before…" I whispered, clenching my fists. I could almost grasp it, almost feel that same surge of energy.
It wouldn't come out. It felt like I was missing something, a trigger. Yet, I refused to give up. I took a deep breath and refocused, delving deeper into myself.
As I sank into my thoughts, a sudden warmth filled my core, an unfamiliar sensation that instantly caught my attention. It was smooth and gentle, flowing like a thick mist through my body. I focused on it, pouring all my concentration into this feeling.
Then, there was a faint flicker, a warmth spreading from my core, flowing outward. The air around me seemed to shift, a ripple passing through the fabric of reality. It was subtle but unmistakable, proof that the power was real. I wasn't imagining it.
But just as quickly as it had appeared, the sensation faded, slipping away like sand through my fingers. I opened my eyes, a mixture of excitement and frustration burning within me. The power was there, just out of reach.
"Alright," I said, exhaling slowly. "If I could do it once, I can do it again." I stood, my resolve hardening. There had to be a way to fully awaken this power. I just needed to figure out how.
I glanced at the forest surrounding me. If this place was as dangerous as it seemed, then mastering this power might be my only hope for survival.
Once more, I closed my eyes, letting my consciousness dive deep within my body. I traced the flow of my breath, the steady beat of my heart, and the surge of blood through my veins. The warmth returned, stronger this time, filling my core like a rising tide. It pulsed with an intensity I could almost touch, radiating from deep within. With each heartbeat, the sensation grew, spreading outward in rhythmic waves.
The air around me began to thrum with a low, resonant hum. I felt the ground quiver beneath me, the leaves rustling as if in anticipation. The once gentle warmth now burned hot, coursing through my body like liquid fire. I focused everything I had on guiding this power, letting it flow naturally rather than forcing it. It obeyed my will, surging through my veins as if seeking release.
Suddenly, the air shifted violently. The wind spiraled around me, gaining speed, lifting dust and debris into a whirlwind. The maelstrom of energy coiled tighter and tighter, and I felt myself rise from the ground as if gravity no longer held sway over me. The power inside me clawed for freedom, and the pressure built to an unbearable crescendo.
I hovered several meters above the earth, the very air crackling with electricity as the swirling storm of energy grew denser and more chaotic. The trees surrounding me bent and splintered under the force, groaning in protest. The pressure reached a breaking point, and then it happened.
The energy inside me burst forth like a dam collapsing under a flood. The explosion was soundless, yet it reverberated through the air with a force that felt like reality itself shattering. A shockwave rippled outward from me, distorting the world as it spread, bending the very light and air around it. The impact tore through the forest, uprooting trees, shattering rocks, and stripping the earth bare. It was as if a primal force had been unleashed upon the world, a power beyond human comprehension.
As I descended slowly to the ground, the last echoes of the explosion faded, leaving behind an eerie silence. The translucent white aura that enveloped me began to fade, revealing my transformed body beneath. The muscles that had once been lean and wiry now bulged with newfound strength. My clothes hung in tatters, unable to withstand the sheer force of the transformation.
I swept a hand through the air, dispersing the lingering dust, and gazed at the wasteland around me. The devastation stretched as far as I could see, a testament to the raw power I had just unleashed. "So this…is what I'm capable of," I whispered, awe and disbelief mingling in my voice. It felt surreal, as if I had crossed a threshold between what was real and what was impossible.
The power had been real. It wasn't a figment of my imagination or some fleeting hallucination. I could control it, no, I needed to master it. Whatever this energy was, I would make it my own.
"This energy…I'll call it mana," I declared, my voice steady despite the chaos around me. "But just knowing I have it isn't enough. I need to learn how to wield it, to truly understand what it means to harness this power."
I clenched my fists, my gaze hardening with determination as I looked out at the fractured forest. "I may not know where I am or why I was brought here, but I will survive. I'll grow stronger, and I'll master this power…whatever it takes."