**
Renji had always lived a quiet life in the outskirts of the bustling city of Nakanada, far from the reach of the world's conflicts. He had no knowledge of the strange and powerful abilities that certain sounds could possess, nor did he care. His days were spent in silence, working at the local bookstore, enjoying the peaceful hum of routine. That was, until the incident—the moment that would forever change his life.
It began with a strange encounter in the forest near his home, where Renji often went to clear his mind. He had always been drawn to the deep, almost spiritual silence of the woods, but on that particular day, something felt different. As he wandered deeper, a sudden, overwhelming sound rippled through the air—a noise that was not of this world. It wasn't a sound from any animal, nor the wind rustling the leaves. It was… a pulse, a vibration that seemed to echo through his bones.
Renji froze, feeling an intense pressure in the air. His heart raced as the pulse intensified, and then, with a sudden rush of energy, it stopped. In the silence that followed, he felt something in his chest shift. It was as if the sound had entered him, leaving behind a strange sensation, as though his very being had become attuned to a new frequency. The ground beneath his feet trembled briefly, but Renji dismissed it as an aftereffect of his imagination.
The next day, things took a turn he couldn't explain. Renji found himself humming unintentionally as he went about his day, but this time, the sound was different. It wasn't just a hum—it had a weight, a vibration that seemed to reverberate around him. When he accidentally knocked over a stack of books in the bookstore, the sound of the falling books didn't just hit the ground. Instead, it ricocheted, amplified, and sent the books soaring back into the air. A shock ran through his body as he realized what had just happened.
He was able to recreate the incident a few moments later, sending a glass vase flying across the room with a mere thought, a single hum. Renji's pulse quickened. He had never heard of such a thing. Could it be that the strange pulse he had felt in the forest was connected to his newfound abilities?
Renji's confusion turned to fear when a deep voice spoke from the shadows of the store.
"You shouldn't be playing with that power, boy."
Renji spun around, his heart pounding. Standing in the doorway was a man cloaked in dark robes, his presence commanding and unsettling. His face was obscured, but his voice carried a chilling authority that sent a shiver down Renji's spine.
"You're not the only one who's been touched by the Echo Sound," the man continued, stepping forward with slow, deliberate movements. "And you've just made a grave mistake. You've drawn their attention."
"Who… who are you?" Renji stammered, backing away as the man's footsteps seemed to vibrate through the air itself.
"You'll find out soon enough," the stranger said cryptically. "But for now, know this: You are being hunted by the Echo Kings. They are the masters of the Echo Sound, and they will stop at nothing to control it."
Renji's mind raced as the man's words settled in. Echo Kings? Masters of sound? What was this strange world he had unknowingly entered?
"Why me?" Renji asked, his voice trembling.
The man's lips curled into a thin smile. "Because you're the one who can truly control the Echo Sound. You have the power to either destroy or create, and that power has been lying dormant for centuries, waiting for someone worthy—or foolish—enough to awaken it."
Suddenly, a loud crash echoed from outside the bookstore, followed by the distinct sound of something massive moving through the streets. Renji's heart skipped a beat as the air seemed to hum with energy.
The stranger's eyes darkened. "It's them. They've come for you."
Before Renji could react, the man raised his hand, and the very walls of the bookstore shook as if they were about to collapse. The sound was deafening, a wave of pressure that slammed against Renji's chest. He felt the power of it surge through him, and suddenly, everything went silent.
"Listen carefully," the stranger said, his voice cutting through the stillness like a knife. "The Echo Kings will come for you. They will stop at nothing to make you one of their own, and once you're in their grasp, you won't be able to escape. But you must not let them control you. You are the only one who can stop them."
With those final words, the man vanished, leaving Renji standing in the wreckage of the bookstore, his mind spinning with questions. The world outside had gone quiet, but Renji knew that silence wouldn't last. The Echo Kings were coming, and with them, the battle for control of the most powerful force the world had ever known.
Renji stood alone in the rubble, the weight of his newfound abilities heavy on his shoulders. He had no idea how to fight back, or even how to begin to understand what was happening to him. But one thing was clear—his life would never be the same again.
And as the sound of distant footsteps grew louder, Renji made his first decision: he would not allow the Echo Kings to control him. No matter what it took, he would fight to understand his power—and to stop the ones who sought to wield it for their own dark purposes.
But as he took his first steps into the unknown, Renji couldn't shake the feeling that his battle had only just begun.
..........................
"Don't miss the chance to get advanced chapters of my novel for FREE! Just copy the link now and start reading!"
https://shorturl.at/3DZhG