The Last Keeper of Magic

Chapter 3 — The First Awakening

The forest had changed.

Arin could feel it the moment he opened his eyes.

The strange blue light that had surrounded him the previous night was gone, but the mark on his palm was still there. It pulsed softly, as if something beneath his skin was breathing.

He slowly stood up.

“Who are you?” he whispered.

No answer came.

Then the ancient voice returned.

“I am not who you think I am.”

Arin froze.

The voice was no longer coming from the forest.

It was coming from inside him.

Suddenly, the ground beneath his feet began to shake.

Trees bent in every direction. Birds escaped from the branches, and a circle of glowing symbols appeared around Arin.

He tried to run.

But his body would not move.

A powerful wind surrounded him.

Then—

BOOM!

A wave of blue energy exploded from his body.

Arin fell to his knees.

When he looked at his hands, blue flames were dancing between his fingers.

He stared in disbelief.

“I... have magic?”

The voice answered.

“No. Magic has chosen you.”

Before Arin could understand what that meant, a dark shadow appeared between the trees.

Two red eyes stared at him.

A creature stepped into the moonlight.

It looked like a giant wolf, but its body was covered with black smoke. Strange silver symbols glowed across its face.

Arin tried to move backward.

The creature growled.

Then it attacked.

Arin raised his hand instinctively.

A wall of blue fire appeared before him.

The creature crashed into it and was thrown several meters away.

Arin stared at the flames.

For the first time, he understood that the power inside him was real.

But the creature stood again.

And this time, three more pairs of red eyes appeared behind it.

Arin's heart began to race.

The voice whispered one final warning:

“Run, Arin. They are not hunting you because you are weak.”

A pause.

“They are hunting you because you are the last one.”

Arin looked toward the dark forest.

“Last one of what?”

The answer never came.

Instead, the creatures charged.

Arin clenched his glowing fist.

And something inside him awakened.