The sun remained high above in the sky, casting its golden light over the small village of Feren's Hollow. Tucked away in a secluded valley surrounded by dense forests, the village had long been forgotten by the outside world.
Life here was simple. Farmers toiled in the fields, children ran through the streets, and elders shared stories by the hearth at dusk.
It was in this peaceful setting that a young man named Ryuu had grown up. At the age of sixteen, he was still unsure of his place in the world.
His short, dark hair fell messily around his face, and his eyes, the color of storm clouds, held a quiet intensity.
Ryuu wasn't like the other boys in the village. He didn't have the same natural charm or strength. He spent most of his time working the fields, carrying out the mundane tasks that kept the village running, all while yearning for something more.
Ryuu had always felt like there was something inside him—a power or energy he couldn't quite reach. It was as if a door had been locked deep within his soul, and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't find the key.
The day began like any other. The village was alive with activity as the villagers prepared for the upcoming harvest festival.
Ryuu was working in the fields, digging into the earth, his hands sore and covered in dirt. As he worked, his mind wandered, as it often did, to the strange dreams he had been having lately.
Dreams filled with bright lights, distant lands, and a voice calling his name. "Ryuu," the voice whispered in his dreams, always faint but insistent.
"It's time to awaken." But when he awoke, all that remained was the feeling of emptiness. Today, however, would be different.
Brrrrrrrrr...
A sudden tremor shook the earth, knocking Ryuu off his feet. The sound of cracking earth echoed through the village, and the sky darkened, as if a storm was brewing in the heavens themselves.
Kreeeee!!
Birds took flight, screeching in panic. The ground cracked open, and from the depths of the earth, a swirling vortex of energy erupted, ripping through the very fabric of the world.
"Ahh!!"
"Run!!"
"Don't look back!"
The villagers screamed in terror and scrambled to safety as the air itself seemed to bend and warp.
"Mother! Wait for me!" A child of barelh four years called out to his mother who'd decided to bolt off, leaving him behind.
Ryuu with his heart pounding inside of his ribcage, stared at the strange phenomenon.
He had no idea what was happening, but something deep inside him began to stir. The voice from his dreams returned, louder this time. "Ryuu," it called again, but this time, it was more than just a whisper. "Awaken."
'What the hell's happening right now?' Without thinking, Ryuu stepped forward, his feet moving of their own accord, drawn toward the vortex. As he approached, the world around him seemed to blur.
Vwooooom...
His body shook, and a force like nothing he had ever felt surged through his veins. His hands trembled, and the ground beneath him seemed to shift with every step.
As Ryuu reached the center of the vortex, something incredible happened. A brilliant light exploded from within him, a burst of energy that sent shockwaves through the village.
"Stop waiting and run!"
The villagers screamed in terror, but Ryuu felt an odd sense of calm wash over him. For the first time in his life, he felt whole—complete.
The light faded, and the vortex collapsed into nothingness, leaving Ryuu standing alone in the center of the now-silent field.
His body was still trembling, but it wasn't fear that gripped him now. It was something else—something powerful, like a sleeping dragon had been awakened within him.
As Ryuu looked at his hands, he felt a strange energy coursing through him. The air around him crackled with electricity, and for a brief moment, it seemed as though time itself had stopped.
His senses heightened, and he could hear every whisper of the wind, every flutter of a leaf in the trees, every heartbeat of the villagers standing in awe of him.
He didn't know what was happening, but it was clear that his life had changed forever.
A voice broke through his thoughts, snapping him back to reality. "Ryuu!"
It was the voice of Elder Kaelen, the wise old man who had raised him after his parents' mysterious disappearance years ago.
He stood at the edge of the field, his wrinkled face a mask of concern. "Ryuu!" Elder Kaelen called out, his voice shaking with a mixture of fear and awe. "What have you done?"
Ryuu looked at him, his mind racing. He had no answer. He didn't understand what had happened, only that something inside him had been awakened—something that felt far too powerful to be his own.
"I—I don't know," Ryuu stammered, his voice barely a whisper. "I didn't mean to do this."
The villagers, still frozen in place, stared at him with a mix of wonder and fear. Some backed away slowly, while others seemed drawn to the energy emanating from him.
Elder Kaelen took a step forward, his eyes narrowing. "This… power you've unleashed, it's no ordinary magic. You must control it before it consumes you." Ryuu's heart raced. "What… what is this? What happened to me?"
Elder Kaelen's expression softened, and he sighed heavily. "This is no accident, my boy. You are the heir to an ancient bloodline, one long thought lost to time. Your awakening today is no coincidence. Your powers are tied to the very fabric of this world."
Ryuu's mind spun. What did this mean? He had always felt out of place in the village, but now he understood that his true identity was far more complicated than he could ever have imagined.
Elder Kaelen placed a hand on Ryuu's shoulder, his voice steady but urgent. "You must leave this village, Ryuu. There are forces in this world that will stop at nothing to control your power.
The longer you stay, the more danger you will bring to those around you." Ryuu glanced around at the villagers, their faces a mix of fear and uncertainty. His thoughts swirled.
Could he really leave everything he had ever known? Could he walk away from the only life he had ever understood? But deep down, Ryuu knew there was no other choice.
He couldn't ignore the call within him any longer. He had to understand what had awakened inside him, and to do that, he would have to leave Feren's Hollow behind.
The elder's words were clear: "Your journey is just beginning, and there is much you must learn. You are not alone, but the path ahead will not be easy." With one last look at the village, Ryuu turned and stepped into the unknown.