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In a small village nestled in the quiet hills of Drisway, lived a boy named Elian. He wasn't the strongest or the fastest, but he had something rare—a heart that listened. People said he had a way with animals, but Elian never thought much of it. He was just… different.
One ordinary afternoon, Elian wandered into the village market, aimlessly kicking pebbles until something strange drew him into an old bookstore he had never noticed before. Dust floated like mist in the air. In the farthest corner, beneath piles of forgotten tomes, lay a book bound in dark leather, its surface etched with glowing symbols that shimmered like starlight.
The moment his fingers touched it, a current of energy surged through him. His heart skipped. The air around him shifted, as if the world had taken a breath.
Elian stood frozen, wide-eyed.
"What is this?"
He opened the book. The pages flipped on their own, releasing a whisper—like a voice just out of hearing. He wanted to stop, but something held him still.
The glow grew brighter. Strange symbols danced across the pages, rearranging themselves like a living script. A sudden gust blew the door open, and Lyra, Elian's best friend, rushed in.
"Elian?" she called out—then froze.
Elian hovered inches above the ground, light curling around his body. The book lay open before him, its pages moving without wind.
Lyra gasped, stepping back in alarm. "Elian! What… what is going on?"
He turned slowly toward her, eyes glowing faintly, face pale with fear. "I don't know," he whispered. "It just started when I opened it."
Her eyes widened, mouth slightly open. "You're… floating," she said, barely believing her own words.
Elian dropped to the floor with a thud. The light vanished. The book closed on its own.
Elian looked at Lyra with panic. "Please... don't tell anyone. I didn't mean for this to happen. I was just curious."
Lyra took a step forward. "Elian, this isn't normal. That book—it's dangerous."
"I know," he said, voice shaking. "But it also feels like it's calling to me. Like… like I was meant to find it."
She knelt beside him. "That may be true," she said softly, "but you can't go through this alone."
Elian grabbed her hand. "Swear you won't tell."
Lyra paused, then nodded. "I swear. But if this gets worse, you'll let me help. Deal?"
"Deal," he whispered.
Just then, the book fluttered open again, its pages rustling like whispers in a storm. Both of them turned to it. A single word shimmered across the page:
"Fleet."
Lyra frowned. "What is… Fleet?"
Elian didn't answer. But in his heart, he knew this was just the beginning.
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