The night air was cool and crisp as Salvus made his way to a small park near the edge of the town. He had not yet received his first paycheck and had spent the day on his feet at Café Lumen, carrying trays, wiping tables, and trying not to drop anything. Exhaustion weighed heavily on him, but he welcomed the quiet solitude. The lanterns lining the paths flickered, casting long shadows that danced over the cobblestones. For a moment, he allowed himself to relax, sitting on a worn wooden bench, the texture rough beneath his palms.
His eyes drifted to the darkened trees surrounding the park, the branches swaying gently in the evening breeze. The faint hum of the town seemed distant here, replaced by the whisper of leaves and the occasional hoot of an owl. Salvus leaned back, closing his eyes, letting the day's fatigue pull him toward sleep.
Then came the sound of movement—quiet, calculated. Two figures emerged from the shadows, their intent unmistakable. Thieves. Salvus's heart quickened, but exhaustion held him in place. They approached him cautiously, knives glinting faintly in the dim light.
"Easy pickings tonight," one whispered.
Salvus's mind raced. He had no weapons, no training, and nowhere to run. He opened his mouth, intending to plead or reason, but words failed him. Then, without warning, a strange warmth surged from deep within his chest. His hands tingled, a sudden current of energy pulsing along his arms. Before he could even think, blue sparks leapt from his fingertips, dancing in the night air like tiny arcs of lightning.
The thieves froze, startled by the sudden eruption of power. A bolt of electricity arced between Salvus's hands, striking the ground near their feet with a deafening crack. They screamed, stumbling backward and losing their balance, their knives clattering harmlessly to the cobblestones. Salvus's pulse pounded in his ears as he stared at his glowing palms, wide-eyed.
He couldn't believe what had just happened. His hands were humming, small currents of energy still crackling softly. The warmth from earlier, the strange touch of that old man—had it been a gift? A warning? Salvus did not know. All he could feel was the undeniable truth: he was no longer powerless.
The thieves scrambled to their feet and ran into the shadows, leaving him alone. Salvus took a deep breath, trying to calm the surge of adrenaline, but every part of him tingled with new life. He flexed his fingers again, sparks flaring briefly before subsiding. The park was silent once more, yet it no longer felt empty. Something had awakened inside him, something strong and unpredictable.
He sat back on the bench, trying to process it all. Electricity, energy, power—he had never imagined such things could exist, and yet here they were, coursing through him, responsive to his will even when he had no control. A mix of awe, fear, and excitement settled over him.
Salvus realized that his life had changed irrevocably. The world he had stumbled into was no ordinary one, and the powers he now held were a gift—and perhaps a responsibility. Somewhere deep in the shadows, beyond the flickering lanterns, the journey of his new life awaited, and with it, challenges that would test every ounce of courage and creativity he possessed.
For the first time since awakening, a smile tugged at his lips. He was no longer just a stranger in a strange land. He was a force in it.