RISE OF THE ELEMENTAL HERO

THE AWAKENING

The first punch landed hard on Shiro’s stomach, knocking the wind out of him. He staggered back, breathless, the laughter of his classmates filling the air. Before he could react, a second punch caught across his jaw, sending him falling to the ground. The familiar wave of shame twisted in his chest, but beneath it, something darker stirred.

“Come on, freak!” one of the bullies sneered. “Show us your powers! Do something!” Shiro clenched his fists, his breath coming in ragged gasps.

They didn’t understand him so did he. He had always known he was different—Since childhood, strange things had happened to him and around him. A cup shattering when he was angry, the air going cold when he was scared, his classroom becoming so hot when he's sad…even having dreams that seemed a little too real and familiar. And lately, it had grown stronger, harder to control.

He felt it now, bubbling just beneath the surface. Heat prickled at his skin, and the earth beneath him trembled ever so slightly, responding to the storm inside him.

“Stop!” Shiro shouted, his voice raw, tears in his eyes. But they kept taunting, circling closer. One of them shoved him hard in the chest, and he stumbled, his body scratching across the rough pavement.

And that’s when it happened.

The ground beneath his feet rumbled, harder this time. Stones and bits of pebbles began to rise into the air, swirling around him. The bullies froze so did everyone, their faces twisting in confusion and fear. They had wanted to see his power, and now they were.

Shiro could feel the energy building inside him, it was getting out of control. He had never felt it like this—so wild, so powerful. He couldn’t stop it. His heart raced as the ground beneath him split, a crack shooting across the concrete, towards where the bullies stood.

The air crackled with electricity, and his skin buzzed with an otherworldly charge.

His mind screamed at him to get control, but the power surged beyond him.

“Run!” one of the bullies yelled, stumbling backward as they ran away

Shiro' instincts took over, and he turned, his feet pounding against the concrete. He had to get away too —away from them, away from the chaos he had unleashed.

He sprinted down the school gate, his heart racing, sweat pouring down his back. His mind swayed, trying to make sense of what had just happened. He knew he had this power—he had known for years. But never like this. Never this powerful.

Buildings blurred past him as he ran, his breath ragged in his throat. He could still feel the energy crackling under his skin, surging through him like some electric current. He had to calm down, had to find a way to stop it before it got worse.

But the panic was too strong. His legs felt heavy, his vision dizzy and blurry. He ran through alleyways, past rows of buildings and streetlights, but no matter how far he went, the power inside him wouldn’t quiet.

Then, it all hit him at once as he fell to the floor. His legs buckled beneath him, the strength in his limbs vanishing. He collapsed onto the cold ground, gasping for breath, his mind racing.

The world spun around him, and darkness crept in at the edges of his vision. The last thing he felt before losing consciousness was the gentle patter of rain on his skin and the distant rumble of thunder, echoing in the sky.

**********************

Shiro woke up with a start. His body ached, and his clothes clung to him, soaked from the rain. The alley was empty, silent except for the occasional drip of water from the rooftops. Slowly, he pushed himself up, every muscle protesting in exhaustion. He had no idea how long he had been lying there, but it was dark now, and the streetlights cast long.He needed to get home.

When he reached his front door, he hesitated. He knew what was waiting for him inside—questions, accusations, more disappointment.

He pushed the door open, and his mother’s eyes widened as soon as she saw him.

“Shiro, what happened to you? ” she asked, rushing over. “Your school called and they said……you ran off” she held his hands looking sad.

Before he could answer, his father appeared, his expression a mix of concern and frustration. Behind them, the usual voices of his relatives echoed from the living room. They never missed a chance to judge.

“I’m fine,” Shiro muttered, his voice low. “Just got caught in the rain.”

His mom helped him to the couch, her hands gentle, but her eyes were worried. “You don’t look fine. You’re drenched, and you look like you’ve seen a ghost. What happened in school???”

“I’m good,really and nothing happened,” he insisted, avoiding her gaze. He wasn’t ready to explain the chaos that happened earlier—or the fact that he wasn’t sure how he’d stopped it. It's not like they would believe him or anything.

“People are talking, Shiro,” his father said, arms crossed, voice hard. “You’re drawing attention again.”

Shiro clenched his jaw, biting back a retort. What did they expect? He couldn’t control what was happening to him. He hadn’t asked for this power, this… curse, as they liked to call it.

“He’s cursed,” one of his aunts muttered from the back. “That’s the only explanation.”

Shiro felt his anger bubbling up again, but he pushed it down. There was no point arguing. They wouldn’t understand. They never did.

His mother touched his arm gently. “Just get some rest, Shiro. We’ll talk tomorrow.”

Nodding, he stood and dragged himself up to his room.

As soon as he hit the bed, his mind started racing again. He thought about the crack in the ground, the way the power had surged through him like it had a mind of its own.

What the hell was happening to him?