Unseen Forces and the First test

The village of Alnwick was quiet, lying deep in the valley surrounded by towering mountains. Life here was basic: hard work and routine. But it would soon appear that the world was a great deal more complex than Caelum had imagined.

One afternoon, Caelum was out with his father chopping firewood near the treeline when a howl cut through the air. Toren paused, holding his axe in mid-air as the sound echoed across the valley: low, harsh, and chilling. A cold shiver ran down Caelum's spine.

"It's a troll," said Toren in a low voice, with no sign of panic, but wary nonetheless. "They've been seen around these parts lately. Nasty beasts. We have to be careful."

Caelum looked up at his father uncertainly. "A troll? What's that?"

Toren's gaze blackened. "A monster of legend," he explained. "Huge, strong, and almost invulnerable. They are attracted to human villages by the smell of food or. by anything that might be a source of trouble. I have dealt with them before, but I was younger then. More capable."

The air thickened with tension. Mira appeared at the doorway, her face hard, a small bunch of herbs clutched in her hands.

"They're coming," she said, her tone grim. "There are signs-footprints, broken trees. We need to prepare."

Toren's grip on his axe tightened. "Stay inside, Caelum. It's not safe for you out here."

But Caelum felt something stir inside him. A deep sense of responsibility, a sense that his life, his purpose, was not to stand back and wait. He had powers now, strange and mysterious, and he could feel them in the air around him. It wasn't just the wind. It was something more, something ancient, something he had yet to fully understand.

"I want to help," Caelum said, his voice lower than he intended, but resolute.

Mira's gaze gentled as she laid a hand on his shoulder. "I know you want to help, Caelum, but these creatures are dangerous. You're not ready."

Toren, however, did not budge, his keen eyes narrowing as if judging something deeper within his son. "I cannot stop you, can I?" he said, his tone resigned and proud. "Then, if you're going to be involved, you must learn to control yourself. Focus on the threads you've been feeling."

Caelum nodded, already feeling it-the connection to the earth beneath his feet, to the wind that whipped around the trees. He could feel it, the tension in the air, the ominous presence drawing closer. The troll-he could almost feel its approach, like an animal sensing imminent danger. The magic within his body hummed, itching to be set free.

"Alright," Toren said firmly. "Stick close, don't do anything stupid. We can't afford to lose you."