The universe was breathing quietly, but Niral felt an internal turmoil that could not be ignored. The gigantic sun, which stood at the center of the sky above the vast world he lived in, seemed to be a silent witness to everything happening on this massive planet, seven times larger than Earth. In this world, ether was everything; it was the source of power and the means of survival. But Niral, unlike others, could not use it.
He lived in a small village on the edge of the Forbidden Forest, a place no one approached due to rumors of the terrifying monsters that dwelled there. Niral was just a seventeen-year-old boy, with dark skin, dark brown hair, and striking green eyes that set him apart from those around him. Despite his weakness and inability to harness the ether, there was something strange within him—a constant feeling that he was different, that he held a secret yet to be discovered.
On a stormy day, while Niral and his closest friend Rein were wandering in the forest, they felt something creeping in the air, something heavier than the winds. Suddenly, a massive creature resembling a wolf appeared before them, its body covered in tough black skin and its eyes glowing red like embers.
"Niral! Get back!" Rein shouted, holding his bow ready. He quickly nocked an arrow and shot it at the beast. But the arrow bounced off the creature's skin as if it were made of steel.
The beast attacked with ferocity. Niral, unaccustomed to fighting, slowly backed away, unable to make a quick decision. Then, in a moment of panic, he felt something stir within him, something he had never known before. But before he could comprehend it, he was struck hard and sent flying.
Rein jumped beside him, trying to protect his friend, but the beast was faster and stronger. Wounds began to appear on Rein's body, and pain was evident in his voice as he screamed, "I can't move, Niral... you have to run!"
But Niral couldn't bring himself to flee. Everything felt slow in that moment, as if time had stopped. Niral felt weakness creeping into his body. He trembled, and sweat poured from him, but he couldn't abandon his friend. He looked at Rein, who was bleeding profusely, realizing they were in a dire predicament. They could only survive this beast by some miracle.
"Niral..." Rein whispered weakly, "Don't leave me..."
But before Niral could respond, the beast lunged again, exposing its sharp claws like deadly daggers. Its glowing eyes were filled with violence and cruelty, and Niral had only seconds before the attack would reach him. He tried to raise his hands in defense, but his gesture was more akin to a desperate move of someone who knew there was no hope.
At the moment he was about to receive the fatal blow, he felt something explode within him. It was as if a flame ignited in his body, but not just any flame; it felt like a powerful pulse filling his veins, making everything around him clear. For the first time in his life, he felt something resembling ether flowing through him, but it was different from anything he had heard others describe.
With this new sensation, the beast suddenly veered away, as if sensing something that frightened it, giving Niral a moment to rise to his feet. His eyes were filled with astonishment, and Rein's blood still flowed from his wounds. The beast was more powerful than he had imagined, and its attack was not ordinary. But that moment of hesitation from the beast gave him a chance.
"I won't let you die!" Niral shouted, his heart filled with anger and fear simultaneously. This was the first time he felt that kind of power within him. The beast attacked again, but Niral dodged quickly and, in a strange way, managed to evade the blow.
The rest of the confrontation was harsher than he imagined. Niral barely evaded the beast's strikes, getting minor but painful wounds each time. Rein, on the other hand, struggled to stay conscious, unable to move. Everything seemed to be heading toward a catastrophic end.
In a moment, while the beast prepared to pounce on Niral with a final blow, a beam of light appeared from among the trees. The light was so bright that the beast hesitated for a moment, giving Niral a chance to pull Rein out of harm's way. A mysterious figure emerged from the shadows, cloaked in black, appearing to control the ether in a way Niral had never seen before.
The mysterious figure raised his hand, and an ethereal spirit appeared around him, ready to attack the beast. In moments, the beast turned to ash under the immense power unleashed by this stranger.
Niral watched in astonishment, unable to comprehend what had happened. The cloaked man stood before them and said in a calm voice, "You won't survive long if you continue like this, boy. You need to understand the ether and learn to control it... before it's too late."
Niral had no answers, but he felt that this man carried secrets that could change his life forever.