Near a house in the mountains, a boy is doing meditation and that boy is none other than Aaron. After completing his daily chores, Aaron meditates daily in this way to calm his mind, sitting cross-legged on a cushion, his eyes closed, and his hands placed gently on his knees, focusing on his breath as the warm sunlight peeks through the window, casting a gentle glow on his peaceful face. By the time he woke up, his mother had gone to get some goods from the market, leaving behind a note on the kitchen counter, reminding him to water the plants and feed their pet rabbit, Snowball.
"Tomorrow I will start my new journey but before that I need to know more about the deaf world and their dangers so that I can be prepared for every trouble. Mother's collection of books will give me the necessary information, and I'll need to pour over the pages, studying the maps, learning about the geography, and understanding the behaviors of the creatures that inhabit that world, so that I can be well-equipped to handle any unexpected challenges that come my way. And by tomorrow morning, I have to know as much information as possible, specially about the animals in there, their habitats, their patterns, and their weaknesses, so that I can plan my route and avoid any potential threats."
Aron was still thinking about all this when he heard a voice from behind, a friendly and excited voice, a voice that he had heard many times before, but this time it sounded different, littel sad, as he slowly opened his eyes, his heart pounding with anticipation, and turned around to face the speaker.
"Happy birthday, Aaron!"
Aaron turned around and grinned at his cousin Arthur. "Thanks, buddy! Just trying to gauge how my brother managed to forget such an important day—did he fall into a black hole?"
Arthur is my cousin, the son of my aunt, who has been like a mother to me since I was a kid. We are known each other since childhood, sharing countless memories of laughter, adventure, and mischief, and always have fun around, whether we're playing pranks on our family members, exploring the outdoors, or just hanging out at home, watching our favorite movies and sharing our deepest secrets.
Arthur chuckled, "Well, when it's your birthday, it's the perfect excuse to see that fabulous face of yours! But enough about the jokes—so you're turning 16 and I've heard from Auntie that you're embarking on a grand adventure tomorrow. What's on your mind?"
"Yep, your ears are functioning like a top-notch radar! Tomorrow, I'm setting off on a quest—learning my way through this crazy world and maybe even hunting down my long-lost father! So, what's your big plan? Sleep and chill?!"
"I still don't fancy the idea of becoming a ghost just yet, and seeing as my knowledge of magic is about as deep as a kiddie pool, I'm thinking university is my best bet for now! I mean, they do say education is key, right? So I'll hit the books for a hot 10-11 months, soak up some knowledge, and then I'll embark on my epic quest—if I don't get lost in the library first, stuck in the endless shelves, buried under a pile of dusty tomes, or worse, mistaken for a bookworm by the overly enthusiastic library staff." Arthur replyed with chuckle.
"Oh, so you're off on a grand adventure soon? Well, let's just hope we cross paths before you become bear chow or something! Seriously though, before you venture into the wild, maybe take a crash course in 'How to Not Get Eaten by a Wild Animal 101.' Might save you a few close shaves! You know, it's always a good idea to learn the difference between a gentle woodland creature and a fierce predator, or how to tell if a plant is poisonous or just really bitter." Aaron said in amusement.
"Sure, I'll keep my wits about me, but just so you know, I won't be on my journey for ages, while you're off tomorrow! So please, take it easy and for the love of all that is magical, don't trip over a rock and end up as a cautionary tale! Don't forget to pack your common sense, and if you happen to stumble upon a hidden treasure, try not to get too distracted by the shiny objects and forget about the whole 'not getting eaten' thing."
Arthur waved goodbye, ready to brave the world—or at least the snack aisle at the nearby store. He grabbed his shopping list, double-checked it for any forgotten items, and set off into the unknown, armed with a sturdy cart and a vague sense of direction. The wind in his hair, the sun on his face, and the faint hope of finding a decent loaf of bread on sale, he marched forth into the fray.
After Arthur left, Aaron also got up and went inside the house and waited for his mother to come back, after about an hour when she came back home, Aaron went to her and asked "Mom, I want some of your books, I want to read them before tomorrow."
"Don't worry, tell me what books you want," his mother asked, curiosity in her voice, wondering what had sparked her son's sudden interest in reading.
"I want to know about the animals living in the forest, and at the same time I want to know about the history of technology," Aaron replied, his eyes wide with excitement.
"I have all the books about these subjects," his mother said with a smile, "You can wait a while, I'm bringing them now." She got up from the couch and headed to the bookshelf in the living room, her hands moving quickly as she searched for the right books.
After a few minutes, she came back, she had four books in her hand and they were not very big to look at, there would be about 220 pages in them. The covers were colorful and had interesting pictures, making Aaron even more eager to start reading.
"Here are the books that you said, three of these are about animals that will tell you about their strengths, characteristics, and their weaknesses, and one of these will tell you about the devices made from the beginning of technology till now," she said while giving the books to Aaron, who couldn't wait to dive into the world of animals and technology.
"Thank you mother, now I have to read and understand all these books well till evening, so now I go to my room. It's going to be a long day, but I'm hoping to learn a lot from these books."
"ok but come back on time in the evening, today is your birthday, don't forget. We have a special cake and some guests coming over to celebrate," his mother reminded him with a warm smile.
"ok mother, I will not forget about that," he replied and he went to his room, feeling a mix of excitement and anxiety about the birthday celebration.
Aaron looked at those books one after the other, his eyes widening with wonder as he scanned the titles and covers. After a few minutes of browsing, he picked up a book related to land animals and started reading it. In the book, along with pictures of animals, their information was also given. That's when he saw a strange animal that caught his attention.
This is a Colossal-red lizard, they usually live underground. Thus, they're experts in digging holes and particularly enjoy the muddy area. Their eyes can release a piercing red light beam, a defense mechanism that can paralyze their predators. This thing is like a mixed lizard and spider, capable of high-speed reproduction. Their survival abilities are high, and they can adapt to different environments easily. Normally, they eat animal leftovers or some small animals, but if their hunger reaches a certain degree, they will eat humans, making them a terrifying but common magical beast. According to the book, these creatures were mostly found in dark caves and dungeons, and some brave adventurers even hunted them for their precious scales. Aaron's imagination ran wild as he read about this incredible creature, and he couldn't help but wonder if he would happen whenever he encounter one in his travel.
Aaron kept reading those books for a long time, he collected information about many animals from those books, such as the one-eyed stone rhino. It looked like a rhino but it has only one eye and its whole body is of stone, which is much stronger. Even after its weight is much heavier than an elephant, it is very agile. The stone rhino's skin was a greyish-brown color and had moss growing on it, giving it a ancient, weathered look. It had a distinctive hump on its back, and its one eye glowed with an inner light, as if it were powered by an internal lantern.
When he started reading about the animals in the sky, he found that the animals in the sky are more dangerous than the animals living on the ground. He paid special attention to two of those animals. The sky was filled with creatures that defied explanation, and Aaron was both terrified and fascinated by them.
The first of them was a 10 meter long bird whose wingspan was 7 meters long. Its claws were like a bent sword which was very sharp and sharp. The name of that bird was Stone Eater. The name was given to him for his sharp teeth, which could easily chew even a stone of a meter diameter. The Stone Eater's feathers were a deep, iridescent blue and seemed to shift and shimmer in the light. Its eyes glowed like hot coals, and its sharp beak was always open, as if waiting to strike.
The other was a white colored bird which was one meter long. Its claws were not sharp, but the most frightening in that bird was its feathers which were so sharp that it could cut stones. This bird was called the Razorwing, and its feathers were like tiny knives, honed to a deadly edge. Its eyes were a cold, calculating grey.
Both of these birds were remarkably strong, endowed with sharp talons and piercing eyes. However, what truly captivated me was their elemental powers, intricately tied to their surroundings. If they hatched in a snowy environment, they would wield the power of ice, conjuring icy storms and turning landscapes into frozen wonderlands with just a flick of their wings. Interestingly, these avian creatures could only absorb the elements of ice, fire, and air, making their abilities not just mesmerizing but uniquely fascinating.
After finishing the books about beasts, I moved on to explore the volumes detailing world landscapes and history.