The morning sunlight filtered through the dense canopy of the Whisperwood Forest, dappling the ground in golden patches. The air was crisp, carrying the faint scent of pine and damp earth, as Kael stood outside his modest home sharpening his hunting knife. Each scrape of metal against the whetstone echoed faintly in the stillness, a rhythmic counterpoint to the distant calls of birds and the soft rustle of the forest.
Inside, Erynn bustled about, tidying the small home with quiet efficiency. Rynar sat at the wooden table, his hands busy threading a length of twine through a small bundle of snares. Though the task required nimble fingers, he worked with a focus beyond his years, his small hands deftly tying the loops.
"Good," Erynn said as she passed by, glancing at his progress. "But don't pull too tight, or you'll snap it."
"I know, Mama," Rynar replied, his voice steady. He tugged lightly, testing the tension, and nodded to himself.
Kael stepped inside, wiping his knife on a cloth. "We'll need those snares ready by tomorrow," he said. "The traps up north have been empty for days. If we don't catch something soon, we'll need to go farther out."
Rynar looked up at his father, his eyes bright. "Can I come with you this time?"
Kael hesitated, his gaze flicking to Erynn. She arched a brow but said nothing, her silence leaving the decision to him. Finally, Kael shook his head. "Not yet. When you're older."
Rynar's shoulders slumped slightly, but he didn't argue. He turned back to his snares, his fingers moving a little faster.
A sudden knock at the door broke the quiet. Kael exchanged a glance with Erynn before crossing the room and pulling it open. A young boy stood on the threshold, his cheeks flushed from the cold morning air.
"Chief Aldric sent me," the boy said, his breath puffing in the chill. "He wants to see you. All of you."
Kael's jaw tightened. "Did he say why?"
The boy shook his head. "Just said it was important."
Kael nodded, ruffling the boy's hair before sending him off. As he closed the door, he turned to Erynn. "What do you think this is about?"
Erynn wiped her hands on her apron, her brow furrowing. "Aldric doesn't call for us unless it's serious. We'd better go."
The family walked through the village, the dirt path winding between modest homes and scattered gardens. Villagers paused in their morning routines to nod or wave, though their gazes lingered on Rynar a little too long. Whispers followed them like shadows, faint but unmistakable.
"Why do they always look at me like that?" Rynar asked, glancing up at his mother.
Erynn smiled gently. "Because you're growing into someone special, my love. People notice."
Kael grunted in agreement. "Let them look. Doesn't mean anything."
Rynar didn't look convinced, but he fell silent as they approached Aldric's home. The chief was waiting outside, his staff planted firmly in the ground beside him. He greeted them with a small nod, his sharp eyes scanning the family before settling on Rynar.
"Kael, Erynn, Rynar," Aldric said, his tone warm but measured. "Thank you for coming."
"What's this about, Aldric?" Kael asked, his voice steady but laced with curiosity.
Aldric motioned for them to follow him. "There's something I'd like your help with. It's best if I show you."
The hunting path near the edge of the village was eerily quiet, save for the faint murmur of villagers gathered around a massive fallen tree. The trunk stretched across the trail, its roots torn from the earth, leaving a jagged hole behind. Bark splinters and scattered leaves littered the ground, evidence of its sudden collapse.
Kael's brows furrowed as he approached. "What happened?"
"Storm last night," Aldric explained. "The tree came down and blocked the path. We've been waiting for the hunters to arrive with aura, but…" He trailed off, gesturing toward the villagers.
Some of the men had already tried to move the tree, judging by the sweat on their brows and the dirt on their hands. One of them, a burly farmer, threw up his hands in frustration. "It's not budging. Even with five of us, it's too heavy."
Kael stepped forward, rolling his shoulders. "Let me try."
Kael's aura shimmered faintly as he braced himself against the tree. He dug his boots into the earth, his muscles taut as he pushed with all his strength. The trunk shifted slightly, the bark groaning under the pressure, but it refused to move more than a few inches.
Kael exhaled sharply, stepping back and shaking his head. "It's not happening. Even with aura, it's too much."
The villagers murmured among themselves, some casting skeptical glances toward the fallen tree. "Guess we'll have to wait," one said, earning a nod of agreement from the others.
Rynar, who had been watching intently, stepped forward. "Can I try?"
The laughter was immediate. "What's the boy going to do?" someone scoffed. "Pick it up with one hand?"
Kael turned, his expression stern. "Rynar, this isn't—"
"Let him try," Erynn interjected, her voice calm but firm. She placed a hand on Kael's arm. "He just wants to help."
Kael hesitated, his jaw tightening. Finally, he sighed. "Alright. But go slow. And if it's too much, you stop immediately. Understood?"
Rynar nodded, his small face set with determination and happiness.
Rynar approached the tree, placing his hands on the rough bark. The laughter died down as the villagers watched, their amusement giving way to curiosity, there is no chance he could it, right?
He braced himself, planting his feet firmly. His small hands gripped the bark tightly, his fingers finding purchase in the grooves. Taking a deep breath, he began to lift.
The tree shifted. Slowly, steadily, it rose off the ground, dirt and debris cascading from its roots. Gasps rippled through the crowd as Rynar lifted the entire trunk, his body trembling slightly under the weight. Faint cracking sounds emanated from his joints, tendons and bones, but he didn't falter.
With a determined grunt, Rynar carried the tree to the side of the path and planted it firmly in the dirt. He exhaled sharply, his breath visible in the cold air, and wiped his hands on his trousers. "There. Now it's out of the way."
The silence was deafening. The villagers stared, wide-eyed and slack-jawed, their disbelief palpable.
Kael rushed to his son, kneeling beside him. "Rynar, are you alright?"
Rynar nodded, his cheeks flushed but his breathing steady. "I'm fine, Papa. I just wanted to help."
Kael placed a firm hand on Rynar's shoulder, drawing him closer. "And you did, son. You helped more than anyone else could." His voice was proud but tinged with concern, his mind racing with questions he couldn't yet voice.
The villagers began to murmur again, their shock giving way to a mix of awe and unease. One man shook his head, muttering, "That's not normal… not even for a hunter, let alone a kid."
Aldric raised his staff, signaling for silence. "Enough!" he said, his tone sharp but calm. "Rynar's strength is a gift, but it's one we need to protect—for his sake and the village's." His gaze swept over the gathered villagers, his eyes narrowing. "What you've seen here stays here. Do you all understand?"
There were nods of agreement, though a few faces still bore looks of lingering doubt. Kael's jaw tightened as he scanned the crowd, his protective instincts flaring. Erynn, meanwhile, placed a hand on Rynar's back, guiding him gently away from the tree.
---
Back at Aldric's home, the chief invited the family inside. The warmth of the fire contrasted sharply with the tension in the room as Kael, Erynn, and Rynar took seats around the worn wooden table.
Aldric sat across from them, his staff resting against the wall. He leaned forward, his sharp eyes fixed on Rynar. "Your son," he began, his voice measured, "is unlike anyone I've ever seen."
Kael frowned, his arms crossed. "We've known he's different. But what exactly do you mean?"
Aldric took a slow breath. "I mean that Rynar's strength defies logic—even the logic of the system itself. I've seen hunters with aura move trees half that size, but even you, Kael, couldn't lift this one. Rynar, without any visible aura or mana, did what no adult in this village could."
He paused, letting the weight of his words sink in. "I've been watching Rynar since he was born. I've even tried using mana-infused tools to assess him. Do you know what I found?"
Kael and Erynn exchanged a glance. "What?" Erynn asked, her voice tight.
"Nothing," Aldric said simply. "Mana doesn't touch him. It's as though, somehow, mana doesn't exist in his body."
Erynn stiffened, her hands clasping tightly in her lap. "But… everyone has mana. Even animals and plants."
"Exactly," Aldric said, his voice grave. "The system governs all life, Kael, Erynn. It ensures balance by tying mana to every living being. Without it, creatures die. But your son… your son is a living contradiction."
Kael leaned forward, his expression hard. "What are you saying, Aldric? That he's some kind of mistake?"
Aldric's lips pressed into a thin line. "I don't know if I'd call it a mistake, but it's clear the system intervened during his birth. Maybe stripped him of mana, likely to prevent an imbalance. But in doing so, it created something else—a body so strong it doesn't need mana to thrive. That is what I think anyways."
Rynar, sitting quietly between his parents, looked up at Aldric. "Does that mean I'm not normal?"
Aldric's expression softened. "It means you're special, Rynar. But it also means you'll need to be careful. The world won't understand what you are."
---
On the walk home, the family remained silent for a time, the weight of Aldric's words hanging over them. Finally, Erynn broke the quiet.
"Kael," she said, her voice firm, "we can't keep this a secret forever. People will find out, whether we want them to or not."
Kael's brow furrowed. "We don't have to tell anyone. The fewer people who know, the safer he'll be."
Erynn stopped in her tracks, forcing him to face her. "And what happens when someone stronger than him notices? Or when he grows too big for this village? We can't shelter him forever."
Kael's fists clenched at his sides. "I'm not sheltering him, Erynn. I'm protecting him. There's a difference."
Rynar, who had been walking ahead, turned back to them. "Are you mad at me?" he asked quietly, his voice small.
Erynn knelt, pulling him into a gentle hug. "No, my love. We're just worried about how to keep you safe."
Kael sighed, his expression softening. He crouched beside Rynar, resting a hand on his shoulder. "You didn't do anything wrong, son. We're proud of you. Always remember that."
---
That evening, as the fire crackled softly in the hearth, Kael sat sharpening his knife, his expression distant. Erynn folded linens at the table, her movements slow and deliberate. Rynar sat by the window, his gaze fixed on the dark forest outside.
"Papa," Rynar said suddenly, his voice breaking the silence. "Why do I have to be different?"
Kael set down his knife, crossing the room to kneel beside his son. He placed a hand on Rynar's back, his tone gentle but firm. "Because the world needed someone like you, Rynar. Someone strong enough to protect the people they care about."
Rynar turned to his father, his wide eyes shining in the firelight. "Will I be strong enough to protect you and Mama?"
Kael smiled faintly, brushing a hand through his son's hair. "You already are, son. You just don't know it yet."
Erynn joined them, placing a hand on Kael's shoulder. Together, they sat in the quiet warmth of their home, a family united in their determination to face whatever challenges lay ahead.