003 Legendary Talent

Early in the morning, a crowd of children had filled the square, crowding in front of the magnificent, architecturally sturdy building. Among them, Bellios stood at the forefront, his eyes gleaming with anticipation. Today was the day of the annual awakening test, the moment that would determine their fate.

A well-dressed man opened the building's large doors. Before entering, he turned, surveying the crowd with a straight face. "Today you will awaken your talents," his voice was loud but bland. "Remember, these results are eternal. Even a thousand tests will not change them. So, accept whatever the outcome is with an open heart."

"Come in."

The children entered one by one. Candles on the walls lit magically as they approached, illuminating the spacious room dominated by a stone altar. On the altar, the examiner, the well-dressed man from earlier, placed a clear, head-sized crystal ball.

One by one, the children stepped forward. They placed their hands on the crystal as instructed. Psshh... Colorful smoke curled inside the ball.

"Yellow..." the examiner muttered, shaking his head in disappointment.

The stone wall behind the altar glowed, revealing writing.

[Talent: Fruit Master]

[Rank: F]

[Skill: Passive > Provides a positive effect on self-grown fruit.]

[Description: Affinity for fruit. Accelerates fruit growth by 5%.]

"Next..."

The examiner's flat expression remained unchanged. One by one, the children advanced, but none of the talents they revealed were promising. Most were low-rank F or E. Talents that, even with hard training, yielded minimal results.

"Another waste," the examiner thought wearily.

Finally, it was Bellios' turn to step forward. The examiner frowned as he watched the little boy approach. Six years old? he thought, puzzled. Bellios reached out his tiny hand, but he was too short.

"Just reach from here," the examiner said, lifting Bellios and placing him on the altar, right in front of the crystal ball.

"Thank you, Uncle," Bellios whispered innocently, his cold hand pressed against the crystal.

The first second... silence.

The second second... still blank.

Confusion enveloped the room. Bellios began to pull his hand away, desperate.

Suddenly!

Thick black smoke rolled like a storm inside a crystal ball!

BRRROOMM!

The room shook violently. The inscriptions on the stone wall lit up brightly, emitting a golden light. The examiner gasped, his eyes widening.

[Talent: The Caretaker]

[Rank: LEGENDARY]

[Skill: Passive > ???]

[Description: ???]

KRAAAK! PYARR!

The sound of shattering was deafening. The crystal ball shattered into pieces before their eyes!

"I'm sorry, Uncle! I... I didn't mean to!" Bellios exclaimed in panic, his face pale.

The examiner didn't answer. With a stiff movement, he put Bellios down. His eyes were still fixated on the slowly fading 'LEGENDARY' word, followed by a mysterious question mark. He took a deep breath. Luckily, he was the last participant...

After all the children had left, the examiner held Bellios. "Wait a minute, son." His eyes scanned the empty room. "Your parents? Where are they?"

Bellios smiled slightly. "I don't have parents, Uncle. I live with Grandpa. But he's old, so I came alone."

The examiner's face twisted in a complex frown. He bent down, level with Bellios. "Listen, kid. Your results... are very rare. Legendary rank is extraordinary. But..." He pointed to the now-blank stone wall. "Your talent... is ambiguous. The skills and descriptions are unreadable. They're just question marks. I must report this strange occurrence to my superiors."

Bellios nodded slowly, though his eyes remained confused. "It's okay, Uncle. I'll go home."

He turned and walked out, leaving the examiner still frozen in front of the altar, his gaze blankly staring at the crystal shards and the remnants of mysterious energy in the air. The examiner's mind was filled with questions. What exactly is that boy's power? And why was the resurrection orb destroyed?

.

.

.

That afternoon, when Bellios arrived in the village, the sky was already red. He immediately jumped out of the horse-drawn carriage.

"Thank you, Uncle!" he called to the driver before dashing off down the path into the forest. The further he ran, the darker the sky turned, a deep purple. The trees loomed like giant shadows lurking. Bellios quickened his pace, but night fell even faster.

In the silent forest, lit only by the dim light of the small oil lamp in his hand, Bellios continued walking. The night wind rustled through the leaves, making his small body shiver. He tightened his cloak. Then, from behind the thick trees, an old hut appeared, where he and his grandfather lived.

With the last of his strength, Bellios pushed open the door.

Creak...

"Grandpa! I'm home!" he shouted cheerfully, his voice echoing in the empty room. Wasting no time, he headed straight for his grandfather's room at the end of the hall. "Grandpa, listen! Today..." He opened the door, but his voice choked.

The room was empty.

His grandfather's bed was neat and cold. There was no sign of any human presence. The air felt frozen and silent. "Grandpa?" he called again, more quietly. His eyes scanned the dark room. Something was wrong. Usually, Grandpa would be waiting in front of the fireplace with warm tea.

"Grandpa?" he called again, his small voice sounding fragile in the silence. His eyes scanned the dark room, lit only by the dim light of his oil lamp.

Heart pounding, Bellios walked over to the small table in the corner. His cold hands fumbled, finding his grandfather's oil lamp. After a few tries, swoosh... a small flame appeared, dispelling some of the shadows. "Grandpa...?" he whispered once more, his hope fading.

Then, in the center of the table, his eyes caught something: a simple wooden box with a letter pressed against it. His heart skipped a beat.

Trembling, he picked up the paper. The familiar letters of his grandfather's handwriting were faintly legible in the dim light.

Bellios, my grandson,

Grandpa is proud of you. After your awakening test, go to the academy. Trust me, your talent is extraordinary. We will meet again soon. For now, grow well and become strong.

This is a gift for you.

Bellios slowly opened the wooden box. Underneath the cotton lining, a silver necklace hung, its pendant a drop of water from an aquamarine stone that shimmered softly in the lamplight. Bellios lifted it, and the light of the oil lamp reflected off its surface like ice crystals.

"So... Grandpa's gone..." he hissed, his voice breaking. His legs gave out. He slowly sank down onto the worn woven mat on the floor, the mat where his grandfather used to tell him stories about the stars while stroking his head. The blue necklace clutched tightly in his small palm, cold as the night air. The first tears fell, wetting the worn fabric of the mat.

Outside, the night wind howled louder, as if singing a farewell song to the little boy who suddenly felt the world had become vast and lonely.

.

.

.

Bellios jolted awake, his eyes wide in the darkness. His breath hitched, he had fallen asleep on the floor of his grandfather's room, on a mat still wet with his tears. The cold wood seeped through his clothes.

Krrk…

That sound. Faint, but distinct. Footsteps. Stepping on dry twigs outside the hut.

Bellios's heart pounded, shattering the silence of the room. Grandpa? Hope arose for a moment, but was quickly dashed. Grandpa was gone. The farewell letter still lingered in his memory.

Thuk… Scratch…

The steps faltered. Careful. Too careful for a good man. Bellios crept slowly toward the gap in the loose wooden wall, his eyes squinting through the darkness of the night. Nothing could be seen but the shadows of swaying trees.

Then, the voice broke. A harsh, angry whisper. A dirty, foreign curse, words never heard from the mouths of the villagers or from his gentle grandfather. His voice was hoarse, like a polished stone.

"...that cunning old thing! I never thought he'd been hiding here all this time. He must have gone to pack his things..."

Bellios took a deep breath, his body stiffening. Them. The bad guys looking for Grandpa... and surely for him too. But why?

Instantly, his instincts kicked in. Not a thought, but a wave of pure panic that pushed through his entire body.

RUN.

Now. Away from here. As far as his tiny legs could carry him, before the shadows found an opening and pounced.