Chapter 1: The Strength of the Flesh and the Rice Fields (កម្លាំងកាយ និងវាលស្រែ)
🌳 The Scent of Earth and Sweat in Tuol Rolok (ក្លិនដីលាយញើសនៅទួលរលក)
The sun rises over Tuol Rolok Village (ភូមិ ទួលរលក), casting golden rays through the lush, emerald foliage. This village is an area teeming with endless rice paddies (វាលស្រែ) mixed with vibrant green rice seedlings (ដំណាំស្រូវ) in this month. The scent of damp earth, blended with the smell of leaves and the smoky whiff of morning kitchen fires, is the sign that rural life has begun.
Beneath the increasingly intense heat, a young man named Sok (ស័ក្តិ) is working on his family's rice field. Sok is 20 years old, solidly built—the physique of a young farmer (កម្លោះស្រែ) who has endured heavy labor since childhood. His skin is slightly tanned (ស្រអាប់បន្តិច) from the sun, but his eyes are sharp, bright, and possess a striking calmness. Sok habitually wears a slightly faded white krama (ក្រមា)—a traditional Khmer scarf—around his neck, a custom he has kept since childhood. This krama is not just an accessory; it serves as a sweat rag and a memory of his late mother.
Today, Sok is clearing the thick brush (ព្រៃស្មៅ) at the edge of the field to prepare for the expansion of more crops. A large iron axe (ពូថៅដែក) descends upon the dense weeds with great efficiency. Every motion of Sok's arms is filled with Innate Physical Power (កម្លាំងកាយពីកំណើត) that seems inexhaustible. The villagers of Tuol Rolok know Sok as a man strong in labor (ពលកម្ម), but none realize that this physical strength is the unconscious manifestation of Khong Vong Spell (មន្តគង់វង្ស), his supreme protective power.
"Sok! Haven't you taken a break yet?" The voice of his grandfather, Grand Run (តារុន)—a thin, older man whose bright eyes are full of life experience—calls out.
Grand Run brings a small jug of palm wine (ទឹកត្នោតជូរ) and some hot steamed sticky rice and banana cakes, called ansorm chek (អន្សមចេក), for Sok.
"I'm not tired yet, Grandpa. I want to make sure this land is clean, because I want to plant more crops to sell at our village market," Sok replies calmly, sweat streaming down his cheeks.
Grand Run sits under the shade of a large mango tree and looks at his grandson with warmth mixed with worry. He has seen Sok fall from high trees or sustain injuries from heavy work many times, but those scars seem to heal faster than for ordinary people. He knows his grandson has something special, but he is not sure exactly what it is.
🌳 The Sacred Canopy of the Divine Bodhi (ម្លប់បារមីពោធិ៍ទេព)
The most important sight dominating Tuol Rolok Village is the ancient pagoda (វត្តបុរាណ) near Chisor Mountain (ភ្នំជីសូរ). There, stands a massive Divine Bodhi Tree (ដើមពោធិ៍ទេព)—a Sacred Bodhi Tree—whose roots are deeply entrenched in the soil, resembling a natural temple.
In the early afternoon, Sok decides to leave his axe near the Bodhi Tree before heading home. This tree is the place of worship for the entire village. Every time he approaches it, Sok feels a peculiar sensation:
Sensation 1: A deep warmth and security, as if a colossal force is protecting him.
Sensation 2: A trembling of the soul, as if a pair of large eyes belonging to the Golden Naga King (នាគរាជមាស) is gazing at him from the depths of the earth.
"This Bodhi Tree is older than anything I've ever known," Sok mutters to himself. He touches the thick bark, which is damp and covered in soil.
Around the Bodhi Tree, there are always offerings (គ្រឿងសក្ការៈបូជា) and flower garlands (កម្រងផ្កា) brought by the villagers. Sok feels hesitant to go too deep, but he knows this place is the Home (ផ្ទះ) of a power that he must protect.
🐉 The Forgotten Legend (រឿងព្រេងដែលគេបំភ្លេច)
That evening, after dinner, Sok and Grand Run sit on the cool porch. A gentle breeze carries the scent of jasmine flowers.
Sok begins to share his strange feelings near the Bodhi Tree. Upon hearing this, Grand Run takes a deep breath and begins to recount the Forgotten Legend (រឿងព្រេងដែលគេបំភ្លេច), a story that only the oldest people in Tuol Rolok still remember.
"Do you know, Sok? That Bodhi Tree is not just a tree, but a Gateway (ច្រកទ្វារ) between our world and the Divine Magic Spell Realm (ពិភពមន្ដរាជ), the magical domain of humans. In ancient times, both worlds were protected by the Seven Heroes (វីរបុរសទាំង ៧ រូប) who possessed special powers from the Seven Elements... and each hero was linked to a magnificent Divine Beast (សត្វទេព)."
Grand Run describes the glorious past of the Divine Magic Spell Realm, a land full of magic and peace. But that glory was destroyed by a dark force:
"That force is Maha Asura (មហាអសុរា), the Demon King who has the power to control Dark Destiny (ជោគវាសនា ងងឹត). He has the ability to dictate the fate of all people to fall into suffering and war. The Ancient Heroes were defeated, but before their defeat, they sealed the Gateway using the power of the Golden Naga King (នាគរាជមាស), the supreme Divine Beast of protection."
Grand Run speaks quietly: "The Golden Naga King sacrificed himself to become the Protective Barami Magic (បារមីការពារ) within the Divine Bodhi Tree and prophesied that one day, a 'Person of Purpose' (មនុស្សនៃបុព្វហេតុ) would emerge from our world to continue that role—to gather all the Heroes to sever this Dark Destiny."
🌑 Dark Dream and Threatening Breath (សុបិនងងឹត និងដង្ហើមគំរាមកំហែង)
That night, Sok goes to sleep with his grandfather's ancient legend in his mind. He doesn't fully believe it, but the words Maha Asura and Dark Destiny still haunt him.
As he sleeps, the nightmare begins again. But this time, it is clearer than before:
Location: Not a place he recognizes, but a Dark Black Temple (ប្រាសាទខ្មៅងងឹត) filled with demonic statues.
Sound: A huge roar that makes the earth and sky tremble. "Darkness cannot be escaped! Failure is your Destiny (ជោគវាសនា)!"
Vision: Images of fire power and black monsters destroying everything, and a golden light force tries to resist but is swallowed by the darkness.
Sok wakes up drenched in sweat. He knows this dream is not mere fantasy, but a distinct Warning Sign (សញ្ញាព្រមាន).
🌪️ First Suspicion and the Drought (ការសង្ស័យដំបូង និងគ្រោះរាំងស្ងួត)
The next day, an unprecedented drought (គ្រោះរាំងស្ងួត) strikes Tuol Rolok Village.
Heat: Rises so intensely that the crops begin to die.
Water: Water in the wells and streams is almost completely dry.
The villagers are afraid and believe it is a punishment from nature. But Sok does not believe that.
"Could this drought be connected to my dream and Maha Asura?" he wonders.
At that moment, bad news arrives: several villagers' livestock were brutally attacked by small, strange creatures emerging from the edge of the forest.
Sok grips his axe and heads toward the forest edge near the Divine Bodhi Tree. He knows this is not a normal wild animal disturbance, but a Cross-Boundary Breach (ការឆ្លងដែន) of a dark force.