As night fell, a thin mist enveloped the village. The lights and campfires flickered in the breeze, almost as if they no longer belonged to this world. The village was eerily quiet, so still that one would hesitate to even breathe loudly. In the distance, the occasional growl of a beast could be heard, a reminder that beneath this seemingly peaceful land, danger still lurked. Yet, for now, everything in the village seemed as usual. The busy day had passed, and the smell of dinner still lingered in the air.
Lán Shì stood at the edge of the village, gazing down at the scene. The moonlight filtered through the clouds, casting a silver glow on the ground, soft and cold like grains of sand. His gaze was fixed ahead, his expression filled with a sense of uncertainty. Today was his fifteenth birthday, the moment of awakening, but he could not shake off the anxiety and tension within him.
In this world, everyone awakened their innate talent at the age of fifteen. A talent that could not be altered, one that would shape the course of their lives. Some were granted powerful abilities, able to control elements or wield magic; others received the instincts of beasts, becoming powerful hunters; and some could extract great power from magical beasts, becoming formidable beings. But Lán Shì—he still had no idea what his talent would be. Until this moment, there had been no sign.
He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. His father appeared beside him, placing a hand on his shoulder. "It's okay, Lán Shì, don't worry. You have time; awakening your talent is a natural process," his father's voice was gentle, but the look in his eyes was filled with both expectation and concern, which made Lán Shì feel a weight on his heart.
"I understand," Lán Shì replied softly. He glanced at his father, then lowered his head, his eyes hollow. Even so, he didn't want his father to see the anxiety within him. In his eyes, his father was the strongest person in the village, relied upon by the villagers. He had always been Lán Shì's pillar. But today, at this moment, Lán Shì longed for a power he had never shown, even if it couldn't change his fate.
"If your talent awakens, remember, no matter what ability you get, you must make good use of it," his father suddenly said, his tone carrying a gentle admonition. "It's your responsibility, as part of this village."
Lán Shì didn't answer. He looked down at the carved stone symbol in his hands, the ceremonial item given by the village elder to each person about to awaken their talent. As his father left, Lán Shì slowly walked to an empty space outside the village. The air was filled with the pleasant scent of fresh grass, but he didn't pay it any attention. He stood in the center of the field, took a deep breath, and closed his eyes.
He raised his hand, and the carved stone symbol glowed faintly under the moonlight. There was no sound, only a feeling of stillness in the air. At this moment, his heart began to race, and he could almost hear the pounding of his pulse in his ears. Awakening one's talent was something everyone went through. But what kind of ability would he have? He could no longer wait calmly for the answer.
He closed his eyes again, holding his breath, focusing all his attention on the symbol, trying to sense the power that was about to awaken. Time passed, but the glow of the symbol did not intensify, and there was no sign of anything happening.
Lán Shì's mood grew heavier. His hands began to tremble slightly, and a bead of sweat formed on his forehead. He couldn't understand why his talent hadn't awakened yet. Was he destined to be ordinary? Was he destined to live an unremarkable life like so many others?
Just when he was about to lose patience, a surge of searing energy suddenly flowed into his body. Lán Shì snapped his eyes open. He saw the symbol's glow flicker brightly, and then a sharp pain surged through his chest.
"Ah!" He couldn't help but cry out, collapsing to his knees. It felt as though an invisible hand had grasped his chest, and the intense pain almost overwhelmed him. His bones felt as though they were being torn apart, every nerve ignited by agony, sweeping through his entire body.
As the intense pain racked his body, a mysterious force began to flow through him, gradually becoming more manageable. Lán Shì forced his eyes open and saw the air in front of him begin to distort, and a massive beast appeared in his vision. The beast's huge form loomed, its sharp claws glinting in the moonlight, still stained with fresh blood.
Lán Shì lifted his head in shock, feeling the new power surging through him, recognizing the beast's connection to him. Without thinking, his body moved instinctively. He felt the force within him and his connection to the beast. In an instant, the massive creature fell as if hooked, its form shrinking rapidly. Its bones began to shift and break apart, becoming streams of light that quickly merged into Lán Shì's body.
His body shook violently, as though every blood vessel was being stretched to its breaking point. The power within him grew, and he struggled to endure the unbearable pain. But his mind was stunned—this power was something he had never encountered before, a strength beyond his comprehension.
At that moment, Lán Shì felt the power within him stabilize. His vision cleared, and the pain gradually subsided. His heart was filled with confusion and astonishment—he had gained an ability from this beast. The voice echoed again in his mind: "Plunder."
Lán Shì's eyes began to harden, and the world around him seemed to shift in that instant. So this was his talent—Plunder. Perhaps this would become the power that ensured his survival, or perhaps it would lead him into a bottomless abyss.