Circle Of Twelve

Chapter 1: "The Awakening of the Zodiacs" (1/4)

No One's POV

The final whistle blew, signaling the end of soccer practice at Ridgeway High. Ethan Davis wiped the sweat from his brow, his heart still pounding from the intense scrimmage. The sky above was streaked with shades of orange and pink as the sun began to set, casting a warm, golden glow over the field. He loved these moments—the feeling of exhaustion after pushing himself to the limit, the thrill of the game, and the camaraderie with his teammates. It was his escape.

"Great hustle out there, Ethan," Coach Thompson called out, clapping him on the back as he passed. "You’ve been playing like a beast lately. Keep it up."

Ethan managed a tired smile, nodding as he grabbed his water bottle and walked toward the bench. He had always been a bit of a natural athlete, but lately, something felt... different. It wasn’t just the way he was playing on the field; it was the energy inside him, a fire he couldn’t quite explain, burning brighter every day. Sometimes, it felt like his body was humming with energy, like he could do more than just kick a ball.

But he couldn’t make sense of it.

Ethan packed his gear into his bag and turned to leave, when he noticed something strange. At the edge of the field, near the woods that bordered the school’s property, there was a faint glow, barely noticeable at first, but unmistakable once it caught his eye.

His curiosity piqued, Ethan began to walk toward it. As he approached the trees, the glow grew stronger, a flickering orange light that seemed to pulse in time with his heartbeat. He stepped closer, the leaves crunching underfoot as he moved deeper into the forest. The air around him was still, the only sound the whisper of the wind in the branches.

And then he saw it.

A massive rock, nestled in the center of a small clearing, glowed with an otherworldly light. It was almost as if the rock was breathing, shifting in the fading twilight. And embedded in the rock’s center was a sword—a sword made of flame.

Ethan’s breath caught in his throat. He blinked, certain his eyes were playing tricks on him. The sword looked almost... alive, its blade made of shimmering fire, crackling softly, as though it had just been forged in a furnace.

Without thinking, he stepped closer. The moment his hand hovered near the hilt, the air around him seemed to snap, the glow intensifying, casting long shadows through the trees. He could feel the heat, the fire in the sword calling to him, wrapping around his very soul.

"Is this... is this real?" Ethan whispered to himself.

As if in response, the sword shuddered, and the flame on its blade flickered once before shooting up, forming a long arc of fire that lit up the clearing. The energy around him crackled, and the sword hummed, as though it recognized him.

He reached out instinctively, his fingers wrapping around the hilt.

Instantly, a surge of heat and power shot through his body, and the sword leaped from the rock, settling perfectly in his grasp. The flame on the blade roared to life, its light swallowing the shadows around him. Ethan gasped, feeling the rush of heat course through him like lightning. His pulse quickened, the fire merging with his own energy, almost as if the two were one.

The flames did not burn him.

Instead, they felt like an extension of himself, a part of his very being. He could feel the fire inside him—wild, untamed, yet controlled, just waiting to be unleashed.

"Who... what is this?" Ethan gasped, staring down at the sword. The heat didn’t burn his skin, and it didn’t even leave a scorch mark. It was as if he had always known how to wield it.