Rise of Lihas Dravex
Author: Grandmaster Wolf 🐺
Chapter 1: The Boy of ElderootThe sun dipped low over Elderoot Village, casting golden rays across the patchwork of thatched roofs and muddy paths. The air hummed faintly with mana, a subtle pulse that danced through the wildflowers and whispered in the leaves of the ancient forest encircling the hamlet. Lihas Dravex, a lanky boy of fifteen, trudged along the main trail, a woven basket slung over his shoulder, brimming with freshly picked herbs. His amber eyes, sharp and restless, flicked toward the distant Redveil Mountains, their jagged peaks cloaked in mist, as if guarding secrets older than time itself.His tattered cloak, patched from years of wear, fluttered in the evening breeze, revealing streaks of silver in his messy black hair—an oddity that drew whispers from the villagers. Lihas paid them no mind. He had long grown used to their stares, their murmurs of "that Dravex boy" tinged with pity or scorn. Poverty clung to him like dust, but he carried himself with a quiet defiance, his jaw set, his steps deliberate."Oi, Dravex!" a coarse voice barked, shattering the stillness. Lihas's shoulders tensed as three figures stepped into his path, their shadows stretching long across the dirt. Gorran, the stocky leader, grinned, his crooked teeth glinting. Flanked by two sneering cronies, he loomed over Lihas, his bulk a stark contrast to the smaller boy's lean frame. "Still picking weeds for your mummy? Pathetic."Lihas's grip tightened on the basket's handle, his knuckles whitening. "Move, Gorran," he said evenly, his voice low but steady. "I've got no time for you."Gorran's grin widened, predatory. "No time, eh? Too busy being a nobody?" He shoved Lihas hard, sending the basket tumbling. Herbs scattered across the mud—valerian, moonwort, starleaf—each sprig a precious coin for Lihas and his mother, Mira. The cronies laughed, kicking at the spilled greenery.Anger surged in Lihas's chest, hot and sharp, urging him to swing a fist, to wipe that smug look off Gorran's face. But he bit it back, swallowing the fire. A fight would only bring trouble home, and Mira had enough burdens without him adding more. Kneeling, he began salvaging what he could, his fingers swift but trembling. Gorran snorted, delivering a final kick to the dirt before sauntering off with his lackeys, their laughter echoing down the path.Lihas stayed there a moment, staring at the ruined herbs, his breath uneven. One day, he thought, I'll be more than this. The vow, silent but fierce, had been his anchor for years, a spark that refused to die no matter how hard the world tried to snuff it out.As dusk deepened, painting the sky in hues of violet and crimson, Lihas strayed from the village, drawn to the forest's edge. The Redveil Woods were forbidden to most, whispered to house beasts and ancient relics, but they had always felt like a refuge to him—a place where the weight of Elderoot's judgment couldn't follow. Tonight, though, something tugged at him, a faint pull he couldn't name, guiding his steps deeper than he'd ever ventured.The trees grew denser, their gnarled branches weaving a canopy that dimmed the moonlight. Lihas's boots crunched on moss and fallen leaves, the air thick with the scent of earth and mana. He paused at a rocky outcrop, his gaze catching on a narrow crevice half-hidden by vines. A faint silver glow pulsed within, soft but insistent, like a heartbeat.Curiosity overrode caution. Squeezing through the gap, Lihas found himself in a small cave, its walls etched with faded runes that seemed to shimmer faintly. At the center, resting on a rough stone pedestal, was a fist-sized crystal, its surface swirling with silver light. The Aetherial Shard, though Lihas didn't know its name, radiated a warmth that made his skin tingle, his silver-streaked hair stirring as if caught in a breeze.He reached out, hesitating only a moment before his fingers brushed the Shard's surface. A jolt shot through him, like lightning coursing through his veins, and a voice—clear, resonant, neither male nor female—echoed in his mind.[System of Infinite Paths activated. Host: Lihas Dravex. Begin your journey to rule the universes.]Lihas staggered back, his heart pounding. Before his eyes, a translucent blue screen materialized, its text glowing faintly in the dim cave.[Quest: Survive the Night. Reward: Skill – Mana Sense.]"What in the—" Lihas muttered, his voice trembling. The words hung in the air, unanswered, as the Shard's light pulsed brighter, then dimmed, sinking into his palm. A faint warmth lingered where it had been, and the crystal was gone, as if it had never existed.A low growl rumbled through the cave, snapping Lihas from his daze. His head whipped toward the entrance, where a pair of crimson eyes gleamed in the shadows. A Shadowfang Wolf, its fur black as midnight, bared its teeth, its massive form blocking the only exit. Its claws scraped the stone, each step a promise of violence.Lihas's pulse raced, his mind scrambling. He had no weapons, no training, nothing but the jagged rock he snatched from the cave floor. The wolf lunged, jaws wide, and Lihas dove aside, the beast's claws raking the air where he'd stood. He scrambled to his feet, gripping the rock tighter, his amber eyes locked on the creature."Come on, then," he growled, his voice raw with defiance. The system's words echoed in his head—Survive the Night—and something stirred within him, a spark of resolve that burned brighter than fear. This was no ordinary night. This was the beginning of something vast, something he couldn't yet grasp.As the wolf charged again, Lihas braced himself, ready to fight for his life, unaware that the Aetherial Shard had already begun to weave his destiny into the tapestry of the cosmos.
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