A young boy, flanked by two slender guards with elegant pointed ears, crossed a majestic corridor. This was no ordinary passageway, but one crafted by nature's own hand. Towering trees, ancient and wise, stretched skyward, their branches weaving to form a living canopy. Vines draped the spaces in between, adorned with rare blossoms that added bursts of color to this verdant tunnel.

As they reached its end, a gate of golden, thorny vines unfurled, revealing a garden that seemed plucked from the higher realms. The boy, awestruck by the splendor before him, hardly noticed the heated conversation unfolding within.

"It’s insulting! They sent a child to represent them..." an elf complained, barely concealing his disdain.

"He is not a common child. Cease your foolishness! Oh..." another elf quickly interjected, his tone shifting abruptly as his eyes caught sight of the boy, "Welcome, ambassador!"

Rather than adhere to formalities, the boy, wide-eyed with curiosity behind eyeglasses, blurted out, "Are those the ancient Fehrair symbols? What..."

Before anyone could reprimand his impudence, the earth trembled violently. Cracks snaked across the ground, expanding rapidly. Wooden statues and tree-like structures began to crumble amidst a chorus of terrified screams.

A thin, translucent blue shield enveloped the boy, forming a perfect sphere that elevated him just in time as the earth beneath him fractured. The previously irate elf sprang into action, emerald energy flowing from his hands, commanding the roots to form a stable platform beneath them.

'Master, should we activate the emergency transport back to the Capital?' the boy inquired telepathically.

'-- Negative. Central is unresponsive. Judging by the magnitude of these seismic events, this is a worldwide incident. --'

Then, a rain of fiery debris descended from the sky. However, before chaos could ensue, the forest's roots and branches sprung upward, forming protective barriers over the Sacred Forest, shielding it from the sky's wrath. Despite their efforts, some debris slipped through, creating explosions that claimed lives throughout the Forest.

But amidst this destruction, life persevered. Swirls of colored lights danced through the devastation, rejuvenating plants, healing the wounded, and quelling the flames.

Before long, the air filled with Blessings, whispers of life that permeated every corner, infusing the forest with a renewed sense of hope and strength.

The calamity raged on, a fierce battle between life and death that spanned days without end. Tragically, the boy couldn't withstand the relentless onslaught. His protective sphere journeyed tirelessly in search of sanctuary, only to be greeted by more ruin. Glowing runes flickered above it, warding off debris, but as the days wore on, their light dimmed, eventually failing to shield him from harm.

'-- I am sorry. Activate transition protocols, parameter search… --'

Ages swept past, just a blink in the vast fabric of time...

***

Within the Serion Kingdom, a magical Path trailed through the wildlands, linking every city and village. Simple in its appearance and unguarded by any physical force, the Path was protected by enchantments against wild beasts, ensuring safe passage for travelers.

On the stretch of the Path that meandered from Wind Castle to the second section's villages, a group of desolate commoners trudged. Clad in shabby garments, they carried nothing but scraps of stale bread. They seemed less to walk than to be pulled along by the very wind beneath their feet.

Among them, Karl, barefoot, famished, and utterly spent, strained his eyes for any sign of a resting point. They had been on the move since noon, and if his weary memory served right, a refuge should be near.

Two days prior, as they made their way toward Wind Castle, Karl's heart had been alight with excitement and hope. It was his first venture beyond his village and his final chance at being something more than just ordinary. But, as many had predicted, his aspirations were crushed to dust. He was, after all, just a commoner.

Karl hailed from the farming village of Caiset. In appearance, he was unremarkable: brown hair, and tanned skin – traits shared by many in his community. The ravages of hunger and hard labor left little room for physical growth or distinction.

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Like most born to the lower classes, Karl failed to awaken any elemental affinity during his registration ceremony. Serion Kingdom's law mandated that every citizen be tested for such affinities upon reaching the age of 15. Thus, each year, those of age from the villages would embark on a journey to the nearest city for the testing.

Beside Karl trudged a tall man, his hair and skin a shade darker, weariness engraved into his features. Yet, even in his fatigue, he diligently cared for the children in the group. This year, it was Karl’s father, Kanin, who was tasked with escorting the village teens to the fateful test.

Kanin bore no sorrow or surprise at Karl’s lack of affinity. After all, the sons and daughters of commoners rarely rose above their station. Gloom clouded the group, each child grappling with their unfulfilled dreams. Envious glances were cast towards a middle-aged man walking alone at a distance. Rumors that spread like wildfire claimed that his son had displayed magical affinity and been taken in by a prominent family in Wind Castle.

As dusk painted the sky in hues of orange and purple, the weary procession arrived at the resting point, a modest cave offering shelter for the night.

That night, inside the cave, Karl lay restless, a storm of frustration raging within him. Since his earliest memories, he had nurtured dreams of power, of a life beyond the fields. Still, the harsh truth stood unbreakable; magic was a realm unattainable, leaving him destined to follow in his parents' footsteps.

In the deep darkness, a sharp, piercing sound sliced through the silence, growing in intensity until it felt as though his head might split open. Karl rose, a silent plea to the Origin to deliver him from this torment. He quickly realized he was alone in his agony; the others slept undisturbed.

For a fleeting moment, he toyed with the notion of it being magic, a thought that drew a bitter, self-mocking laugh from him. Nevertheless, in his eyes glimmered a sliver of hope. Perhaps, just maybe...

Despite knowing the sound could be anything, Karl couldn't suppress his expectations. Drawn outside, he noted the sound grew louder near a clump of trees. Prudence warred with curiosity. Tales of beasts lurking beyond the Path were well-known, but the lure of something potentially magical was irresistible.

Karl was usually the perfect example of caution, steering clear of risks. But now, an inexplicable force attracted him. There was a call, a mysterious summon that he felt compelled to answer, driven by an overwhelming desire to uncover the source of this enigmatic sound.

Guided by the soft glow of the moon, Karl ventured through the trees for several minutes until a faint, luminescent form caught his eye. The source of the mysterious sound was a radiant entity, seemingly crafted from magic itself. Despite his hesitation, curiosity demanded he move forward. This might be his only shot at something extraordinary.

As he neared, the details of the shimmering form crystallized into a sphere pulsating with energy.

The urge to touch it was overwhelming, yet Karl halted just inches away. The orb's beauty screamed potential danger. He stepped back, seeking a safer distance, but the sphere, as if sentient, surged towards his head. Karl cursed as the blinding light engulfed him, the sphere's dense, warm energy obscuring all else.

Questions cascaded through his mind, but a deep, internal voice cut through the chaos:

‘-- Are you the inheritor? --’

The voice seemed to emanate from within, not heard but felt. Was it a Mage? Or perhaps, he fleetingly wondered, the Origin itself?

As the initial shock receded, Karl pondered the question. Inheritor? His life had been a legacy of ordinariness. Still, what did he have to lose? With a mixture of defiance and hope, he shouted his response into the void.

‘-- So, it will be. --’

But then, nothing. The sphere vanished, leaving Karl alone amidst the trees, the enchanting encounter dissolving like a dream. He retraced his steps, his mind drowning in confusion and disappointment.

Unbeknownst to Karl, he wasn't alone. Lurking in the shadows, a creature with glowing red eyes observed him with predatory interest. It had been tracking Karl, drawn by his scent on the wind. The beast knew Karl was no formidable opponent, and with its pack nearby, escape was unlikely. Though small, the boy's scent was enticing, eliciting a primal hunger. However, it hesitated, wary of the strange energy that had encircled its prey. Instinctively, it knew better than to approach such power.

As the mysterious energy dissipated, the creature in the shadows hesitated. But when Karl began to move back towards the cave, its primal instincts overpowered its caution.

Karl's heart raced as he navigated his way back, the eerie stillness of the night shattered by a rustling sound that set his nerves on edge. Panic surged through him at the thought of the beasts known to roam beyond the Path. Though not accustomed to physical exertion, fear lent speed to his feet, adrenaline fueling his flight.

A grey wolf lunged from the left, its fangs glinting menacingly in the moonlight. Under normal circumstances, Karl would have stood no chance, but a sudden, instinctive urge propelled him to dive to the right, narrowly evading the beast's jaws.

His escape, however, was short-lived. As he stumbled forward, off-balance, a second wolf pounced from behind. In a split-second decision, Karl rolled beneath a gap in a fallen tree trunk, dodging the second attacker.

His mind raced as he bolted towards the safety of the Path. Outrunning an unknown number of wolves seemed an impossible feat. But then, a surge of warmth emanated from his back, giving him an inexplicable boost. With a final leap, Karl flung himself onto the Path, the mysterious energy creating a barrier just in time to thwart the wolves' pursuit.

Exhausted and battered, Karl watched the red eyes of the wolves vanish into the darkness. The realization of the danger he had narrowly escaped hit him like a tidal wave, mustering the last vestiges of his strength. He stumbled back to the cave, his body yearning for rest yet unable to find true sleep.

In the depths of his heart, amidst the turmoil and fear, a flicker of hope for magic had been reignited.