The Strange Boy
Five years after his birth, Malik sat beside the small lake behind the cottage. His eyes carried a strange spark, as if he bore a wisdom beyond his years. The surrounding forest was alive with the sounds of birds chirping and leaves rustling in the wind.
Beside him sat Walid, the neighbor's son, who was three years older but acted as though he were the same age. Walid's wit and humor always brought laughter wherever he went.
"Malik, you know I'm going to become the greatest Lightning Archer in history, right?" Walid said with a wide grin as he tried to skip a stone across the lake, only to fail miserably.
Malik glanced at him out of the corner of his eye and calmly replied, "And I'll be the guardian protecting you from the lightning beasts you'll anger."
Walid burst into laughter, but he noticed something in Malik's voice—a strange determination that didn't match his age.
That night, while everyone slept, Malik woke up to a strange noise. The room he slept in was dark except for a faint light streaming in through the window. But it wasn't moonlight—it was a flickering glow coming from the forest.
Malik got up from his bed and sneaked outside the cottage. As he reached the edge of the forest, he saw a sight he would never forget.
There, a few meters away, stood a massive burnt tree. At its center was a stone talisman glowing with a golden, mysterious light. Malik slowly approached it, as if something was pulling him closer. When he reached out to touch the talisman, he heard a deep voice speak:
"Destiny waits for no one, Malik… Choose your path wisely."
Malik stumbled backward, overwhelmed, and lost consciousness immediately.
The next day, Fatimah sat with the old doctor, who visited them every few months. Worry was etched on her face as the doctor examined Malik, who was still unconscious.
"I always tell myself he's just a child, but everything around him says otherwise," Fatimah said, her voice trembling.
The doctor sighed and replied softly, "He has inherited more than just blood. There's a legacy greater than you can imagine. But you must be strong, for the enemies won't wait."
"Enemies?" Fatimah asked, her concern deepening. But the doctor didn't answer, only giving her a cryptic look.
The following day, Walid noticed something different about his younger friend. Malik was quieter, as if carrying a secret no one else could understand.
"Malik, do you ever have strange dreams?" Walid asked, trying to break the silence.
"Sometimes," Malik replied, not revealing much. After a moment, he added, "There are things in the forest… things that talk to me."
Despite his young age, Walid sensed the seriousness in Malik's words but chose to lighten the mood. "As long as the forest doesn't ask me to clean it, I don't care!"
The First Attack
At sunset, while Malik and Walid played near the lake, they heard a strange noise. It sounded like the roar of a beast, but it wasn't like any animal they knew.
Emerging from the trees were strange creatures—shadow-like figures walking on two legs, their red eyes glowing and sharp fangs bared.
Walid grabbed a stick to defend himself, but Malik was the first to act. Despite his young age, he picked up a stone and threw it with uncanny precision at one of the creatures, stopping it momentarily.
But the creatures didn't relent. Just as they closed in, the old doctor appeared. He held a wooden staff, but he wielded it like a magical weapon. With a single gesture, the creatures vanished into thin air.
"The darkness is stirring," the doctor said, his eyes fixed on Malik. "And you will be its first target."
The Missing Talisman
When they returned to the cottage, Malik asked the doctor about the creatures, but the doctor responded with a question of his own: "Did you see anything in the forest last night?"
Malik hesitated before nodding. "A glowing stone… it spoke to me."
"That stone," the doctor said gravely, "is the key to everything. Keep it safe, for it is both your shield and your curse."
Malik didn't fully understand the doctor's words, but he felt that his life would never be ordinary again after that night.
…