Chereads / The Mana Beast of Oroz Kimberg / Chapter 3 - beginning of something much greater

Chapter 3 - beginning of something much greater

Oroz spent the next few years training with more focus, refining his abilities under the watchful eye of his parents and Zai. Though magic flowed through him like a river, it was a river he struggled to control. Each element seemed to have its own voice, its own will. Fire, air, and earth obeyed him in ways he couldn't have imagined. Water, however, remained as elusive as a dream slipping through his fingers.

As he approached his seventh birthday, his thoughts often turned to the mysterious figure from the Heart Pool's vision. Every time he closed his eyes, the image of the man with regal eyes seemed to stare back at him. But it wasn't just the vision that haunted him. A strange feeling gnawed at him, a sense of being watched, though no one was ever there.

It was on one particular night, under the silver gaze of a full moon, that his magic finally did something unexpected. Oroz was sitting at the edge of the Heart Pool again, his fingers just above the surface, willing himself to feel the pull of the water.

And then, it happened.

The water responded.

It began as a whisper, a ripple beneath his fingertips. At first, Oroz thought it was just his imagination, his desire to control the element finally coming to fruition. But the ripples grew stronger, more deliberate. The moonlight caught on the water, shimmering in a way that felt... different. Alive.

"Oroz," Zai's voice interrupted his concentration, but he couldn't tear his eyes away from the pool. The water shifted, ripples spreading outward, dancing like living creatures beneath the surface. It was the first time he had felt this. The water was responding to him—not in obedience, but in connection.

Zai stepped closer, its eyes wide with recognition. "This is what I've been waiting for," it murmured. "You've done it, Oroz. You've found your connection to the water."

Oroz didn't speak, not yet understanding the full extent of what had just transpired. His hand dipped into the pool once more, and as his fingers brushed against the surface, something amazing happened. The water curled up around his hand, rising in graceful arcs like serpents of liquid, dancing to his will.

But it didn't stop there. The world around him shifted, a soft hum filled the air, and before his eyes, the water in the pool began to rise, swirling in a vortex. For the first time, Oroz felt it—a deep, primal connection to something greater. The water was no longer just an element; it was a part of him. He could feel its energy thrumming, ancient and powerful, pulsing through his veins.

The moment stretched out into eternity. His mind raced as visions flooded his senses once more. This time, the figure from the vision wasn't distant—he was here. A man, standing just beyond the water, eyes glowing with an intensity that mirrored his own. His gaze locked with Oroz's, and for the briefest of moments, the world seemed to fade away, leaving only the man and Oroz.

Then, just as suddenly as it had begun, the vision shattered. The water dropped back into the pool with a soft splash, and Oroz was left breathless, his heart pounding.

"That was not just water, Oroz," Zai said, its voice grave. "What you've tapped into is far older than you can imagine. The waters of this world are alive, and they are waiting for someone to awaken them. It seems that someone... is you."

Oroz stood in silence, trying to digest the enormity of the situation. His connection to water had been awakened, but what did that mean? Why did it feel like this was only the beginning?

He glanced up at Zai, whose glowing eyes had become unusually solemn. "What do I do now?" Oroz asked, unsure of what was expected of him next.

Zai didn't answer immediately. The creature turned toward the horizon, where the first hints of dawn were beginning to touch the sky. "For now, you will continue your training. But know this, Oroz: what you've tapped into is only a fraction of the power that lies dormant in this world. The journey ahead will be long, and you will face trials that will test you in ways you cannot yet comprehend."

Oroz nodded, though uncertainty lingered in his mind. Zai was right. This was only the beginning. And yet, there was something else gnawing at him—a feeling that the man from his vision was far more than just a passing image.

He glanced back at the Heart Pool, where the water was once again calm, its surface a mirror reflecting the sky. But there was something off, something hidden beneath the surface, like a secret waiting to be uncovered.

The questions multiplied in Oroz's mind: Who was that figure? Why was his presence tied to the water? And most of all—what did it all mean for his future?

As he turned to leave the clearing, Zai's voice echoed behind him, its tone serious. "You are not alone in this, Oroz. Others will come, and they will be part of your journey. But beware—the world is full of shadows, and not all of them can be trusted."

Oroz's footsteps slowed. Shadows. He had never considered them before, but now, with the weight of Zai's words, they seemed to loom larger than ever. What did Zai mean? What dangers lay ahead?

As Oroz made his way back to his home, the first rays of sunlight broke through the trees, casting the world in a soft golden light. It was the start of a new day. But for Oroz Kimberg, it was the beginning of something much greater. The water had answered his call, and the world was about to change.