The Outcast's Rebirth

CHAPTER 5: Echoes of the past

Ten years later...

As the years passed, Kyzzu found himself growing into his new life, though the memories of his past remained etched in his mind. Now fifteen harvests, by ancient calculations, one year before initiation to adulthood. He had developed into a young man with a blend of grace and strength, his silver hair and blue eyes still setting him apart from the others.

He had retained some of the feminine softness in his features, making him appear ethereal compared to the ruggedness of his peers.

The village, despite the changes, remained peaceful. Life moved at its own rhythm, with the sun rising and setting over the sacred lake, where Kyzzu often found solace.

His brother, Renzi, now thirteen, had grown into a giant of a boy with dark skin, locks and eyes. towering over him with keen senses and an insatiable thirst for adventure. Where Kyzzu was calm and contemplative, Renzi was bold and eager, always ready to tackle the next challenge life presented.

Their father, Chief Khassuo, had begun preparing Renzi to take over his mantle. Kyzzu watched these preparations with a quiet satisfaction. Renzi was born for this, he thought, the village needs someone with his strength and spirit to lead them into the future.

Kyzzu felt no resentment toward his brother's path. In fact, he was relieved. Leadership had never been his ambition. He was content with his quiet existence, with the moments he could steal away to the sacred lake, where the waters seemed to resonate with him in ways that no one else could understand.

His sister, Asha, now ten years old, was blossoming into a beautiful young girl, a perfect blend of their parents. Smart and quick-witted, she had set her sights on becoming a Zahava Razi, an apprentice to the revered priestess Rashakh, just like her mother. But for now, she was still too young, though her determination was evident to everyone in the village.

As Kyzzu sat by the lake, watching the ripples dance across the surface, he couldn't help but feel a wave of nostalgia wash over him.

This place, these people... they've become my world now. But sometimes, I can't help but think about what I left behind. College, Ethan, the life that feels like it was centuries ago.

He sighed, the sound blending with the gentle breeze that caressed the water.

He reached out his hand, just barely brushing the surface of the lake. The water responded, swirling gently under his touch. This was a secret he had kept from everyone, a connection to the water that felt as natural as breathing. But it was also something he knew he had to keep hidden.

I wonder if these powers are a gift or a curse, Kyzzu thought, his gaze distant. They tie me to this place even more, making me part of this world in ways I never anticipated. But no matter how much I grow here, a part of me will always belong to the past-to that boy who loved books more than anything else, who was always hungry, who had only one friend in the world.

The sound of footsteps approaching broke his reverie. It was Renzi, his enormous frame casting a long shadow over Kyzzu as he sat by the lake.

"Brother, what are you doing out here?" Renzi's voice was deep, full of the energy and life that characterized him, but, he was still thirteen.

Kyzzu smiled up at him, his expression calm. "Just thinking, Renzi. Sometimes it's good to be alone with your thoughts."

Renzi grinned, his teeth gleaming in the fading light. "You're always thinking. That's why Father likes me better-he says I don't waste time on thinking!"

Kyzzu chuckled softly, shaking his head. "Someone has to do it, brother. Otherwise, who would make sense of the world?"

Renzi sat down beside him, the earth trembling slightly under his weight. "Maybe, but I'd rather explore it than make sense of it. Have you heard the latest? The hunters spotted tracks of a shadow beast near the northern woods."