Erek and the Forbidden Crystal
Far out in the universe, cocooned within galaxies and nebulas, lived a brilliant young boy named Erek. He was a Terra in the planet Zilath. A Terra, in Zilath, was someone who could manipulate earth particles according to their will. Given Zilath was rich in minerals, Terras were one of the most revered beings. They controlled the economy of Zilath. Erek, on the other hand, came from a poor household. His immense potential barely reflected his lowly stature.
From an early age, Erek displayed his abilities, crafting toys from raw ore, sculpting intricate designs in courtyard walls—a trait that both amazed and terrified the elders of the community. They feared the power an untaught Terra could yield, the instinctual, unregulated manipulation of earth particles. It was fear paired with awe, but above all, a fear that suppressed his potential.
Despite the ongoing ridicule, Erek continued practicing his skills. The boy was stubborn. Seeing his determination, Erek's parents found him a mentor, Gias, an old Terra retired from active soil shaping. With Gias began Erek's journey, the path of knowing his capabilities, understanding Zilath's subsurface, and the art of ethical earth particle manipulation.
However, one day Erek made a grave mistake. His eyes gleaming with wonder, he decided to touch the Forbidden Crystal—a quartz so powerful that it could disrupt the balance of parts of Zilath's subsurface. Not knowing the extent of its effect, he made an elemental sculpture. A quake followed. The entire neighborhood trembled under the impact. Houses crashed, and chaos ensued. The senior Terras drilled down to the core issue - Erek.
The decision was swift. Erek was banished with a promise of capital punishment if he ever returned.
Bitter and wounded, Erek had no choice but to leave Zilath. Months passed in isolation, on an uninhabitable planet. But Erek held on, kept alive by his immovable spirit and his ability to manipulate soil. With time, he learned to adapt, grow food from barren soil, build a shelter, and extract drinking water. Erek, in his solitude, understood the essence of being a Terra - to bring life, to shape and sustain, not act on whims.
Meanwhile, back on Zilath, an unprecedented crisis emerged. A giant asteroid was on a head-on collision course with the planet. The Terras tried to deflect the asteroid, but it was sheathed with a metal that resisted the Terras' abilities.
In their desperation, they remembered the banished boy and his forbidden feat. Erek was their last hope. Letting the past be, they called upon him, and to their relief, he agreed.
As the asteroid approached closer, Erek, standing tall, deep-rooted himself in Zilath's heart. He moved the Forbidden Crystal, for the first time ethically, to shift particles at an enormous scale. Slowly, yet steadily, the asteroid began to dissolve, the particles scattering into space, creating a glittering spectacle. The crisis was averted. In the sighs of relief that ensued, one air held an apology, the other, gratitude.
Erek was welcomed back as a hero. He had not just saved Zilath but proved that the real essence of being a Terra was to cultivate life, not induce fear. He helped his fellow Terras understand the Forbidden Crystal, and it was no longer forbidden, and not fear-inducing, but a source of greater control and responsibility.
Erek's tale is much remembered in Zilath, not as an account of evasion and survival, but as a narrative of understanding, growth, and forgiveness.