Empire of Ignis, Stonehelm,
Ardentis Barony— Dagan Village,
5026 Dragon Year.
Birds sang, flowers bloomed, animals gathered, all around a 12-year-old boy. He wore an almost annoyed expression as he tried to shoo away the animals that rubbed their heads on his body. Or animals that tried to lick him like a dog licking their owner's face.
Then there were the dozens of peacock-like small birds, with rainbow-colored feathers and long, sharp beaks, the damn birds gathering on his head and messing up his shiny black hair, which his mother had neatly combed. And the constantly buzzing of bees and other friendly insects near his ears made him thoroughly annoyed.
He was sitting in a lotus position, with his eyes closed. Trying to meditate and connect to nature. To dive deeper into this ability that made him have a complete harmony with almost all wild beasts. He could understand their intentions on a fundamental level.
It was not a two-way communication but a simple, effective understanding. He could feel it all, what these small animals were all trying to convey through these annoying gestures. And they loved him unilaterally for seemingly no reason at all. It was almost as if they did not see him as a human, which was quite strange.
Just as he was about to dive deeper into this connection with the animals, he felt something approaching. He frowned in annoyance at the sound of footsteps even smaller than his own.
She approached, barely able to run without stumbling. She shouted, "Big brotha...."
The toddler's cute scream reached him like a siren blaring in his ears. With no warning whatsoever, she crashed onto his chest, like a rhino hitting a stone wall, and she fell to his lap. Then punched him again and again, barely able to make fists.
All the wild animals and birds around him scurried away in fear as if they had seen the biggest devil. The boy let out a tired sigh as he opened his bright green eyes and looked at his chubby, impossibly adorable little sister. He couldn't even muster the strength to be upset at her once he looked at her face.
With a deep inhale, he picked her up into his arms and started walking towards home. His five-year-old little sister, Iria, grabbed his face, both of her hands, and sulked, "Bad brotha bad… You play with th.e animals and not.. not me…"
Her speech wasn't clear yet, but that only made her more lovable. He asked, "So what did you do?"
She showed a naughty smile, "That's, that's why I scared the.m away…hehe."
He could not help but smile seeing such an expression on her face and gave her a small peck on the cheek, and the little thing laughed sheepishly as she snuggled deeper into his embrace. It did not take long for him to reach in front of his little wooden house.
Even though he was a 12-year-old himself, his constitution was larger than most of his peers'. So, carrying his little sister all the way to his house didn't feel like a daunting task. However, the little things seem to grow bigger and heavier every day.
So, maybe it might not be long until he is unable to carry this cute little sister of his anymore in his arms. The thought of it made him somewhat sad. Considering who he truly was inside this kid's body, it was truly strange. He knocked gently on the door, and a loud woman's voice came from within: "Wait…."
Not long after, a beautiful woman with his same Green eyes and black hair opened the door. She spoke with a beautiful smile, "Good job, Iria, you have brought your disobedient older brother back home."
Iria jumped into Selene's embrace like a lost puppy and started spewing endless complaints about her older brother, who did not play with her. Selene pretended to rebuke him in a harsh tone, "Kale, you brat…"
He ignored the antics of the mother-daughter duo and went straight to the table to start eating; his father, Darius Ardentis, was sitting right opposite him. Unlike his mother, his father was much calmer and more composed; at the same time, he was easygoing and understanding towards him.
Kale appreciated Darius much more than his so-called overprotective and loud mother.
His father asked, "So, tomorrow's the big day, right, son?"
A small smile crossed Kale's lip, "Yes, it is…."
But at the mention of that, Selene, playing with Iria, seemed to grow strangely quiet.
Darius sighed as he looked towards the wooden kitchen, "Your mother is still worried. It is precisely because of your overwhelming talent. She is anxious that you will leave home in pursuit of the adventure and power that you have always longed for. She doesn't want to let you go…."
Kale wore an almost annoyed expression, but remained quiet. He had conversations about this with Selene so many times, even small arguments. Yet, she remained bitter about this even till now.
Even though he had to reluctantly admit that he loved this family dearly, that didn't mean he was willing to forgo the only chance to fulfill his impossible wish. This wish was nearly impossible in his previous life. And the special talent he possessed in this body only made him more hopeful about it.
Darius read through his array of thoughts and smiled, "Don't worry. I will take care of her. Just be careful about everything tomorrow, and get back safely. We still haven't seen what happens after all. Then you can decide on the path forward."
***
The next day, at the first light of dawn.
Kale stood at the edge of his village, the only roadway connecting this barren countryside to the viscounty, where the awakening ceremony would be held. By his side stood two other 12-year-olds, twin brothers from the village, Josh and Jared.
Only the three of them were deemed to have the chance of awakening amongst the many 12-year-olds of the Dagan village. Kale kissed his little sister's forehead, Iria. Then hugged his mother. The woman seemed to have come to terms with the situation, so she smiled and wished him good luck.
Something that he very much appreciated. As for Darius, the man ruffled his hair, wearing a smile. He seemed almost excited rather than worried, like Selene.
Behind his family stood hundreds of people from his village, all of them wearing hopeful smiles, bright anticipation on their faces as they looked at him. Many of the elders came and blessed him,
"May the Dragons bless you."
"You are the blessed child of Dagan."
"You are the one blessed by the Dragons."
"You are the chosen one of nature."
"May you, Kale Ardentis, prevail…on your path."
"And shine brighter than anyone else."
Though he found it all so annoying, it was a unique tradition of his village. So, it can't be helped, and since everyone in the village loved him dearly, he had to endure it.
Thus, he forced a smile, gazing at everyone, and spoke sincerely, "May the Dragons bless us all."
As he departed through a caravan being pulled by a strong-horned beast that looked similar to a rhino. It wasn't fast enough, so it would take much time to reach the viscounty, which is why they had to leave so early in the morning.
It couldn't be helped. His village was extremely underdeveloped. Though his father was technically a Baron, it was just an empty title. His sonorous grandfather had lost his land, money, and prestige to gambling. So, they had nothing but the title itself and were delegated by the higher nobility to govern this Dagan village when Darius was but a teenager.
He noticed that the twin brothers who were going with him seemed to be sulking.
Josh snorted at him, "I know you can talk to animals and all, but it still pisses me off that everyone treats you like some prince."
Jared added, "Even without that, you're stronger and faster than even most of the adults in our village. And you're pretty much good at everything. They rarely think of us as anything, compared to you."
Kale shook his head and pacified the two kids, "That's not really the truth, even if the villagers don't think of you two as much. I know very well that both of you are talented in your own ways. Don't let anyone say otherwise, not even me."
Kale added in a serious tone, "Everyone has their own speciality. No matter how big or small it may be. We are born to be different from one another in every possible way. We are all meant to be unique. Yet society always draws the comparison ladder no matter the place or time, and that truly is unfortunate."
Kale sighed, "You think that I'm special in this village, but in the viscounty, or maybe in cities. I may not even be notable enough."
Jared frowned, "But the elders said?"
Kale cut him off, "They are but senile old men who know nothing but worshipping the Dragons day and night. Not that it is a bad thing for them. But most of them never even visited the cities even once. So, don't take their words seriously. Just believe in yourselves. Only the future will tell what happens."
After that, time passed in silence, though the twins were pacified; they were still overwhelmed with hopeful expectation and the equal weight of failure if they failed to awaken. But unlike the twins, even with an adult mind. Kale was more anxious than anything.
The calm front he put on for the two kids was nothing but a facade to hide his overwhelming excitement at finally taking the possible first real step towards his impossible dream.
It was a dream no one knew, nor could he ever speak of it to anyone. Especially, in this world that worships the dragons as deities. And perhaps they were deities, not just merely powerful beasts.
Even his reincarnation was probably due to the Dragon's blessing, the very reason why everyone in his village called him the blessed one.
After five long hours of travel, they reached the Ebon viscounty—the place where the awakening ceremony will be held. As the three walked down from the caravan, many others who had travelled alongside them followed. All around, Kale saw similar scenarios.
In total, perhaps more than 200 twelve-year-old kids had come for the ceremony, walking towards a field gateway where all participants for the awakening ceremony were being divided into multiple batches, one after another.
Kale finally couldn't hold in his excitement and grinned widely. His impossible dream was to awaken as a Tamer and to make those deific dragons into his obedient mounts. To soar through the endless heavens, looking down on the world.
But alas, only if Kale knew. That this dream of his would never come true. for it was never meant to be.