Guys, my name is Lee. I am telling this story myself, because this is not just a story, it is my truth. What I am about to tell you happened almost four hundred years ago, in my previous life. In that life, my name was Jack.
Four hundred years ago, I lived in the United States, in a very small and forgotten village called Jamu. It was not a place people talked about. No roads led to it properly, and no rich people ever came there. It was a poor village, surrounded by thick forests and dangerous mountains.
I was born poor… no, poorer than poor.
I had no parents.
No mother to hug me, no father to guide me.
The only family I had was my grandfather.
He raised me.
He was old, weak, and tired, but he loved me more than anything in this world. When I was small, I once asked him,
"Dada, where are my parents?"
He went silent for a long time. His eyes filled with pain, and then he said softly,
"Jack… your parents died in an accident while traveling somewhere far away. I was told later. Fate was cruel to you, my child."
I never asked again.
Years passed, and life became harder. When I was still young, my grandfather also passed away. His death left me completely alone in this world. I remember sitting beside his body, shaking him and crying,
"Dada… please wake up. Don't leave me alone."
But he never opened his eyes again.
From that day, I lived alone.
When I turned eighteen, I was already a broken young man. I had no house worth calling a home, no land, no money, and sometimes… not even food. Many days passed when I slept hungry. Sometimes I ate only once a day, and sometimes not even that.
To survive, I went into the forest every day.
I cut wood.
That was the only work I knew.
I would wake up early in the morning, take my old axe, and walk deep into the jungle. I cut trees, tied the wood together, and sold it in the village. The money was very little, but it was enough to keep me alive.
That forest was dangerous.
Wild animals lived there. Wolves, bears, and things people whispered about but never named. Still, hunger was more terrifying than death, so I went there every day without fear.
One day, everything changed.
That morning, I felt something strange in my heart. As I walked into the forest, I thought to myself,
"Why don't I go a little deeper today? I've heard that the trees deeper inside are thicker and more expensive."
Greed… or maybe fate.
I walked further than ever before. The forest became darker. Sunlight barely reached the ground. The air felt heavy, and every sound made my heart beat faster.
"This place is dangerous," I whispered to myself.
"But I need better wood," I said again, trying to convince myself.
I started cutting the thick trees there. The wood was hard, heavy, and valuable. My body became tired very quickly. Sweat covered my face, and my hands started shaking.
"I need to rest," I said, breathing heavily.
That's when I noticed it.
A cave.
It was not very far from where I was standing. The cave looked old, dark, and silent. A cold wind came from inside it, making my spine shiver.
I hesitated.
"Should I go inside?" I thought.
"What if something lives there?"
But my legs were already weak, and my body needed rest.
"I'll just sit for a while," I said.
I walked inside the cave slowly. The darkness swallowed me, but my eyes slowly adjusted. The cave was empty… or so it seemed.
I sat down and leaned against the cold stone wall.
As I moved my hand on the ground, my fingers touched something strange.
"What is this?" I muttered.
I picked it up.
It was a book.
An old, dirty, and torn book.
Its cover was covered with dust, and some pages were almost falling apart. I cleaned it with my hands, blowing dust away. Strange symbols were carved on the cover.
"A book… here?" I whispered.
Curiosity filled my heart.
I opened it.
The pages were written in Spanish.
Normally, anyone else would have closed it immediately. But I didn't. Because my grandfather had taught me English and Spanish when I was a child. He always said,
"Knowledge is the only wealth that cannot be stolen, Jack."
As I started reading, something shocking happened.
The words felt… familiar.
As if I already knew them.
"This is strange," I said softly. "Why is it so easy to read?"
The book talked about powers.
Not normal powers.
Powers of wild beasts.
It described abilities that could be gained by humans—strength of wolves, speed of panthers, senses of eagles, and rage of ancient beasts. The words were dangerous, tempting, and powerful.
My heart started beating fast.
"Is this real?" I asked myself.
The book explained methods… rituals… ways to awaken these powers.
I laughed nervously.
"This must be nonsense," I said. "Just an old fantasy book."
But deep inside, something pulled me toward it.
"What if…" I whispered.
"What if it's real?"
I looked around the cave.
No one was there.
I was alone.
I turned the page and saw the words written clearly:
"Chapter One – The Awakening."
I swallowed hard.
"Why not try?" I said slowly. "I have nothing to lose."
That moment…
That decision…
Changed everything.