Chapter 1: A Strange Wind

Maxim wandered deep into the forest, his favorite place to escape from everything. The world felt quieter here, calmer. Towering trees swayed gently with the breeze, the leaves creating a soothing rustle. The scent of pine and fresh earth filled the air as the late afternoon sun filtered through the canopy. This place was a refuge from the endless noise of school, family, and everything else that weighed on him.

He sat on a large rock overlooking the small stream that trickled nearby. Normally, Maxim would toss pebbles into the water, watching the ripples they made. But today, his thoughts were elsewhere. His mind raced with frustration. Life felt... stagnant, he thought. School was dull, his friendships seemed superficial, and no one really understood the sense of restlessness that gnawed at him.

Without thinking much of it, he picked up a smooth, round stone and tried to hurl it across the stream, aiming for the opposite bank. He wound up his arm and threw it with all the strength he had. But something strange happened.

The stone didn't leave his hand. It stuck, almost like it was glued to his palm. Maxim froze, looking at the rock with confusion. His fingers tingled, a strange warmth spreading through them, and suddenly, the wind picked up. The gentle breeze turned into a gust, swirling around him.

Maxim's heart raced. The leaves in the trees shook violently, the sky above darkened, and the world seemed to hold its breath. He tried to let go of the stone, but it wouldn't budge. It was as if it had a mind of its own, refusing to leave his grip. His frustration flared. Why wasn't it working?

Then, just as suddenly as it started, the wind died down. The stone finally dropped from his hand, falling to the ground with a soft thud. Maxim stared at it, his breath quick and shallow. What had just happened?

For a moment, everything around him seemed eerily still, like the forest itself had been watching. Was that real? he wondered, feeling the faint tingling in his fingers slowly fade. He glanced at the trees, half-expecting the wind to start again, but the calm had returned.

Maxim stood there, rooted to the spot. His mind raced through what had just happened, trying to make sense of it. Maybe he had imagined it, maybe it was just a strange fluke. But no, it felt too real. He had felt the wind, the tension in the air, the pull of the stone. Something had changed, but he didn't know what.

---

That night, lying in bed, Maxim couldn't shake the feeling that something inside him had awakened. He replayed the moment in his mind again and again, searching for clues. Could it have been his imagination? Or was there something more?

His thoughts kept returning to the sensation in his hand—the way the stone had clung to his palm, the warmth that spread through his fingers. It was like something was stirring inside him, something he had never felt before.

---

The next day at school, Maxim's mind was elsewhere. As he sat in class, the teacher's voice faded into the background. He kept thinking about the rock, the wind, the strange energy that had coursed through him. Every time he recalled the moment, a chill ran down his spine.

When the final bell rang, Maxim made a beeline for the forest. He had to try again. Whatever had happened yesterday, he needed to know if it was real. He needed to see if he could do it again.

The same spot, the same quiet stream. The rock still lay where he had dropped it the day before. He picked it up, feeling a faint flicker of excitement mixed with nervousness. He wound up his arm and threw it with all his might.

But this time, the stone flew from his hand effortlessly. It skipped across the water and landed on the far bank with a soft plop. No strange wind, no tingling in his hand, nothing out of the ordinary.

Maxim felt a surge of disappointment. What had changed? Why didn't it happen again? He tried another rock, and another, but each time the result was the same. Normal.

He sighed, tossing the last rock back into the stream. Maybe it really had just been a weird coincidence, nothing more. But deep down, he knew it wasn't that simple. Something had happened yesterday, something he couldn't explain.

What was it?