In a serene village nestled deep within a lush valley, lived a humble young man whose heart yearned to serve his community. One quiet morning, filled with devotion, he journeyed to the village temple to offer a sincere prayer. He sought guidance from the gods, desiring nothing more than to be of profound service to those he cherished.
As his prayer concluded, he was suddenly enveloped by a flash of radiant light. Within this moment, a vivid vision unveiled itself before him. High atop the nearby mountain rested a hidden water basin, secretly channeling water to the village river through underground tunnels. Yet, the vision warned clearly: a storm was coming. In two weeks, the basin would overflow, sending a catastrophic flood surging toward the village, threatening the lives of everyone he knew and loved.
Guided by the vision, he learned his mission was to venture into an ancient cave system and remove rocks obstructing an alternate passageway, redirecting the overflow safely away from the village. However, doubt clouded his heart. Despite the clarity of his vision, uncertainty gripped him.
Days passed, and storm clouds began to gather ominously over the mountains. The young man, compelled by worry, approached the village headmaster. But his urgent pleas were dismissed as fanciful fears. The headmaster, rooted firmly in tradition, refused his request, deeming the caves too perilous and doubting the very existence of such impending danger. His friends and family members, fearful for his safety, also implored him not to risk his life.
Yet, in the quiet depth of night, another divine warning came to him, insisting that only through brave action could he fulfill his purpose. With resolve renewed, he awoke before dawn and journeyed alone into the dark cave system. As he strained against the rocks to unblock the tunnel, danger struck fiercely: a ferocious bear lunged at him, and falling debris nearly crushed his limbs. Despite suffering deep injuries, his determination prevailed, and he succeeded in opening the passage.
The following day, just as foretold, the storm unleashed its fury. Torrential rains swelled the mountain basin, but instead of devastation, the village remained untouched, the overflow safely diverted by his courageous act. Yet when he sought acknowledgment from the villagers, disbelief met him again. The headmaster ridiculed his claims, and even his beloved friends and family members turned away, calling him deceitful.
Disgraced and shunned by those he saved, the young man packed his modest belongings and left the village behind. Entering the solitude of the forest, he embraced a life of communion with spirits and gods, awaiting new guidance. Though misunderstood and cast away, his journey had truly begun.
Thus was born the path of the wizard—a guardian whose sacrifices, though unseen, protect the world.
