Amestricy, Valonia

  It was already night when Hitory finished cleaning his father’s workshop. The magical street lamps dimly illuminated Amestricy, reflecting the contrast between the simplicity of the city and the great magical centers of Valonia. Hitory watched a group of young people practicing spells in the central square from afar. It was a common scene, but each display of magic was a cruel reminder of his reality.

  Despite the teasing he endured, Hitory always forced himself to look beyond the surface. He firmly believed he had something to offer, even if the world around him insisted otherwise. However, that faith was beginning to waver.

  While studying magic under the oak tree on the hill, he pondered the meaning of it all. Why had Zelia, his mother, a talented mage, sacrificed her life defending a kingdom that would never know someone like him?

  — “Mother... Why did you sacrifice yourself for them?” — he murmured, looking at the sky.

  It was a question that repeated itself like an echo in the silence, but no answer ever came.

  One morning, Hitory decided to explore part of the forest beyond the hill. He carried his wooden sword, more out of habit than necessity, as the area was known to be safe. However, something felt different that day. The air was heavier, almost as if it carried a secret waiting to be revealed.

  After walking for a while, he found a strange structure among the trees. It was an ancient ruin, almost completely overgrown with vegetation. Its stones were covered with inscriptions in a language he vaguely recognized from his magic books.

  As he approached, he felt a strange chill, something he had never experienced before. Curious, he reached out to touch one of the inscriptions. Instantly, a faint glow appeared on the stones, radiating an energy that seemed to connect directly with his soul.

  — “What was that?” — he murmured, looking around as if expecting an answer.

  There was no one there. Yet something inside him told him that place held an important secret—something he needed to uncover.

  Returning to the city, Hitory noticed something was wrong. A group of bandits had invaded the central square, causing panic among the townspeople. They demanded gold and supplies, threatening the merchants with weapons and magic.

  Hitory knew he couldn’t compete with their magic, but he also couldn’t stand by and watch his city being looted. He grabbed a simple sword from the workshop and ran toward the square.

  The bandits underestimated him, laughing at his audacity.

  — “What can a boy like you do against us?” — one of them mocked, conjuring a small fireball.

  Hitory didn’t have time to dodge. The fireball hit his chest hard, knocking him to the ground. Pain shot through his body as the heat of the impact spread across his skin.

  — “It’s the kid with no mana! He came just to get beaten... loser!” — someone from the crowd shouted.

  Those words pierced his mind like sharp blades, making the pain even more intense. Then, voices began echoing in the silence of his mind, disconnected and distorted. He didn’t understand, but something inside him was awakening.

  A mysterious figure enveloped his body, and for the first time, he felt something different—something new.

  — “What... are you?” — he whispered, his voice tense.

  The voices continued, ignoring his question. Filled with rage, Hitory rose from the ground, surprising everyone around him. His eyes glowed with a wild, red intensity.

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  — “Want to get beaten again, loser?” — one of the bandits taunted.

  Hitory raised his head, his voice full of determination:

  — “Shut up.”

  He started walking slowly toward the bandits, his head lowered and his shoulders heavy, as if carrying a silent fury. His breathing was deep and uneven, and a shadowy figure was faintly visible behind him, making the onlookers hold their breath.

  One of the bandits at the front of the group laughed as Hitory approached.

  — “Let’s see if you can dodge this time, loser,” — he said with a sadistic grin, conjuring a fireball in his palm.

  Without hesitation, the bandit launched the flaming sphere at Hitory. However, before it could hit him, Hitory vanished from sight. In the blink of an eye, he was right in front of the bandit. His eyes, now deep and tinged with a crimson glow, seemed to pierce the man’s soul, freezing him in place.

  — “What... are you?” — the bandit murmured, trembling. But before he could react, Hitory drove his sword into the man’s stomach. The sound of flesh being pierced echoed through the square, silencing even the terrified whispers of the spectators.

  The other bandits froze for a moment, unable to comprehend what had happened. But then, in a frenzy of screams, they all rushed at Hitory.

  Moving with supernatural speed, he attacked one by one. Every strike of his sword was precise, every movement lethal. But what terrified the crowd most was how he stopped, after each kill, to stare into his opponents’ eyes. His gaze seemed to consume the essence of those men, as if he could see every fear, every buried regret in their souls.

  The townspeople watched in horror. The square, once filled with panic, was now enveloped in a heavy silence. Every blow from Hitory echoed like a funeral bell, and soon the ground was stained with the bandits’ blood.

  When the last one fell, Hitory stopped. His breathing was ragged, and he seemed to stagger, but his eyes still glowed with that sinister light. Then, slowly, he collapsed to the ground, his body heavy and exhausted, falling face-first onto the cobblestones of the square.

  Around him, no one moved. The air felt colder, laden with what had just happened. The silence was cutting, and everyone knew they had witnessed something far beyond comprehension.

  While unconscious, Hitory had a strange dream. He was in an empty space, alone, surrounded by dense darkness. Suddenly, a mysterious voice echoed in his mind:

  — “Look at that... he could be the Vessel.”

  — “But he’s already carrying it.”

  The words echoed in his mind, but he didn’t understand their meaning. He felt a presence, but there was no one around him.

  The dream vanished as abruptly as it had appeared, leaving Hitory with a feeling of emptiness.

  When Hitory finally woke up, he found himself in his bed, his body aching and his head heavy. He tried to get up, confused.

  — “What... happened?” — he murmured to himself.

  He stumbled out of his bed and went to his father’s room, where Dwalgik was waiting. Seeing Hitory on his feet, Dwalgik’s face lit up with surprise, but soon concern overtook him.

  — “Son... you’re finally awake,” — he said, relieved.

  — “Finally? How long was I out?” — Hitory asked, still dizzy.

  Dwalgik looked at him with a serious expression.

  — “It’s been a month since that bandit attack in the city center. You... were in a coma the whole time.”

  Hitory remained silent for a moment, trying to process it.

  — “A month? But I... I killed them... didn’t I?” — he murmured, confused.

  — “Yes, son,” — Dwalgik replied. — “You killed the bandits, but then you collapsed. No one knows what really happened, but everyone is terrified of what you did.”

  Later, while resting under the oak tree on the hill, Hitory was surprised by an unexpected visitor. It was an older man, simply dressed but with a sharp gaze. He introduced himself as édros, a retired knight passing through Amestricy.

  — “I saw what you did that day,” — said édros, sitting beside Hitory.

  — “You may not have mana, but you have something many of those arrogant mages don’t — courage and determination.”

  Hitory listened silently, absorbing every word.

  — “You have potential, kid,” — édros continued.

  — “Don’t let what they say about you define who you are. Sometimes, the greatest powers come from the most unexpected places.”

  Those words stayed with Hitory. He decided that, even without mana, he would find a way to stand out. Above all, he would never give up on his promise. With a new mystery in his life and an unknown power awakening within him, Hitory had much to discover about his destiny. What really happened during that fight? And what does “Vessel” mean? His future is full of questions and challenges.

  End of EP 2: Shadow and Hope