Chapter 4
(The Hunt)
On the planet Tryzo, Eric was deep in the woods with his elder foster brother, Oscar, hunting. Suddenly, the sky turned an eerie shade of blue. Without warning, blocks of ice began falling like rain. The temperature dropped drastically. Oscar shivered violently, his body freezing under the sudden cold, while Eric remained unaffected—his body strangely warm and comfortable.
Eric's POV
That evening, something felt different. I couldn't quite explain it, but it wasn't a bad feeling. In fact, I felt more alive than ever—like something inside me was awakening, rising to the surface.
Oh, I haven't told you yet, have I? I have magic. I can produce water—clean, cold water. Ever since I turned ten, I stopped going to the river. Want to know how and why? I'll get to that.
Besides my water ability, I'm also incredibly strong. I can carry what ten full-grown men together wouldn't be able to lift. Because of that, I avoid fights and challenges with my peers. I don't want them to know how powerful I really am.
I first discovered my abilities one fateful morning while following Oscar on a hunting trip. We had been tracking a deer and wounded it with our arrows. We thought we had it, but when we approached, we saw the deer wasn't running anymore—it was caught in a trap. The trap wasn't ours, but since our arrow had hit it, we figured it was ours to claim.
Just as we moved in, the grass around us sprang to life, twisting tightly around our legs. We were trapped, struggling against vines that held us down. Then, she appeared.
A girl. Strikingly beautiful.
She smiled calmly as we lay helpless. Without a word, she bent down, picked up the deer, and started walking away.
Oscar, furious, leaped up and grabbed her by the ear.
Big mistake.
Without effort, she lifted him and threw him aside like a feather. I was shocked—but strangely excited. At last, someone like me. My match.
Anger surged through me. I charged at her.
She dodged and sent me flying too. I landed on my feet, thrilled by the challenge. I went again, but before I could reach her, the grass coiled around me once more, tying me down. She stepped closer, staring with a knowing look.
"You look familiar," she said, "but you're weak. Very weak."
Weak? Me? Impossible.
Something deep inside me snapped. A warmth surged through my veins, growing hotter every second. Suddenly, the vines around me froze, turning to ice and shattering into glittering shards. Her eyes widened, and she stepped back instinctively.
I moved—fast. Almost too fast to be seen. I tackled her to the ground and pinned her, then picked up the deer she'd taken and handed it back to her.
"Am I weak?" I asked, locking eyes with her.
For a moment, she looked afraid. Then, just as quickly, she masked it, dusted herself off, and stood.
"No thanks," she muttered, ignoring my question. But before walking away, she gave me another glance. One filled with curiosity.
"What's your name?"
"Eric," I replied. "And you?"
She hesitated. "Cynthia."
I later learned she lived with an old widow at the edge of the woods. But from that moment, I knew meeting her was just the beginning of something far bigger than either of us imagined.
When I got home, I tried to summon ice again, but nothing happened—only water flowed from my hands. Oscar, still recovering from his knock-out, didn't remember much, but he was amazed when I told him.
That was the last time I fetched water from the river
er. And the beginning... of something new with Cynthia.