The river sparkled under the morning sun, it's water rushing with a rhythm that seemed almost alive. I knelt on the wet grass, hands hovering over the page of the spellbook that my parents---well, technically left for my uncle to give me. Today, like every day, was training day.
After running circles for 5 miles and punching rocks and trees I grabbed the spellbook from my leather bag and continued by opening the page with the first spell. I started reading the words out loudly.
''Heavenly blessed!''
Now i had to focus and channel the mana to my soul and make a connection in order to cast the spell. Nothing,... again. My mouth twisted into a half smile.'Great. Another morning wasted'.
Just when i was about to give up a light feeling flowwed trough my veins. I felt a wave of heat. My fingers started to tingle. My heart started to beat faster. I felt like something awakened in me what had been missing. It felt,... alive?
Before I could figure out what had just happened, a familiar voice cut through the morning air.
"Daiki! Breakfast!"
I sighed and closed the spellbook, The strange feeling started to fade. The forest around me hummed quietly, as if it had noticed too. I put the spellbook back in my bag and walked towards the small house. The morning sun had a bright shine catching my red and green eyes.
I sat on the wooden chair and looked at the table. 'ugh soup.'
''When can we eat something good like the neighbours instead of eating soup every day?''
"Sorry, Daiki. I didn't get paid this time."
"Those bastards!" Daiki said. "When I can cast magic, I swear I—"
"That's enough, Daiki.''
I listened to my uncle and took a sip of my soup. He gets angry easily, but he's got a big heart. He'd never hurt anyone. It just isn't fair how people keep taking advantage of him, working him hard and barely paying him anything.
I thanked my uncle for the soup and helped him with the dishes. After we finished, I stepped outside to get some fresh air.
"Daiki!"
A sharp voice called from behind me.
I turned around—it was Bento. He was a year younger than me and lived in the house next door.
"What?!" I shouted back.
"I just got home after playing outside and found the door open—my dad and mom are unconscious! Please, I need your help!"
Together they ran to Bento's house. Like Bento said his dad and mom were on the ground unconsious. A glimpse of a light catched Daiki's eye.
'Footsteps?'
Daiki looked down at the wooden planks and noticed a faint glow—shaped like a footprint."Do you see that?" he asked, his voice filled with excitement.
"See what?" Bento replied, frowning.
That strange energy surged through Daiki again, the same thrilling flow he'd felt earlier by the river. Without thinking, he followed the glowing trail towards the back door. Daiki peeked through the small gap and spotted someone dressed in assassin-like clothes, moving silently toward the forest.
"Bento, get the town chief. I'll handle this on my own," Daiki whispered.
"You got it," Bento replied.
When Daiki looked back, the assassin was already gone. He carefully stepped out of the building and into the dark forest. The glowing footprints he followed began to spread farther apart.
'I guess he knows I'm here,' Daiki thought.
Daiki started running, his feet pounding against the ground. A moment later, he noticed something unusual---he was moving fast, much faster than before.
''Why am i suddenly so fast?'' he wondered.