Oroz awoke again in the village, his small hands gripping the dirt beneath him. He had become accustomed to this world—its sights, sounds, and the odd warmth of magic weaving through the very air he breathed. As he grew, so did his understanding of the land, but the mysteries that surrounded him only deepened with each passing year.
By the age of three, Oroz had already developed a keen sense of the magic that ran beneath the surface. His connection to water, once only a whisper, was becoming louder. It was as though the rivers spoke to him, their voices carried on the wind, calling him to something greater. The elders spoke of an ancient prophecy, one that foretold the rise of a being who would awaken the dormant power of the Water Beasts and restore balance to the world. Oroz's name was often mentioned in hushed conversations—his destiny slowly unfurling before his eyes.
But not all were pleased with this prophecy. There were whispers of dark forces, hidden from the world, that sought to control the power Oroz was destined to unlock. Those who were loyal to the old ways of magic were skeptical of the prophecy, afraid that the power of the Mana Beasts could lead to destruction. And so, Oroz grew up in a world filled with not only magic but tension. He was watched by many, some with hope, others with fear.
At the age of four, Oroz could feel the magic within him stirring. He had not yet fully understood how to control it, but there was no mistaking the way the water around him reacted. The small creek by his village had become his playground. It was there that he first tamed a creature of the water—a Mana Beast, though he didn't know its name at the time.
It had started with a simple thought, a desire to communicate. The small creature—a watery, serpentine being, shimmering like the morning dew—had come to him without warning. It was a curious thing, with eyes like glowing orbs, and a body that shifted with the current, ever-changing, ever-alive. Oroz reached out to it, and without understanding, he called it to him.
The water creature, initially wary, hesitated but soon circled around Oroz, drawn to his quiet power. He didn't know how he did it, but in that moment, as he whispered to the beast, he could feel the bond forming. The creature swirled around him, forming a protective barrier of water, and Oroz knew then that something had changed inside him.
His parents—Alina and Darian—watched from a distance, both awestruck and fearful. They had known from the beginning that Oroz was destined for something greater, but they had never anticipated this moment so soon. The elders had spoken of the trials he would face, the struggles ahead, but they had never mentioned the bond with the Mana Beasts being so immediate.
As the creature vanished into the creek, its body dissolving into the water, Oroz's heart pounded. He had no idea what this meant, but he knew it was only the beginning.
The elders, hearing of the event, summoned Oroz and his parents to the village square. There, before a gathering of villagers and other magic users, the prophecy was spoken aloud, confirming what they all feared: Oroz was the child of the prophecy, the one chosen to unlock the magic of the Mana Beasts.
But not all were happy with the prophecy's fulfillment. A shadowy figure, dressed in dark robes, stood at the edge of the crowd, watching Oroz with narrowed eyes. No one noticed him at first, but as the meeting ended and the villagers dispersed, he approached Oroz, his voice low and filled with malice.
"Be careful, child," the figure warned, his words carrying a weight that Oroz couldn't ignore. "Not all who claim to serve the ancient ways are trustworthy. Your destiny is both a gift and a curse."
Before Oroz could ask him anything, the figure vanished into the shadows, leaving only a lingering sense of dread.
As the days passed, Oroz continued to grow and learn, the bond with the Mana Beasts strengthening. But he couldn't shake the feeling that something darker was waiting for him, just beyond the horizon. The world he had come to know—so full of magic and beauty—was also filled with unseen dangers.
His adventure was just beginning.