It's All Gone

Something's wrong.

I've had this feeling for around a month now but I can't seem to figure out it is. I've also asked around and it seems like the other villagers are feeling the same thing. Heck, even the wildlife are acting strange. Although there is something that thanks to my high magical affinity only I have noticed. The mana levels are rising. Everywhere I've been around this I have felt a small increase in the mana levels yet I have no idea why. Maybe I'll be able to find out when I finally leave this backwater village and barbaric and arrive at [insert name], the country of knowledge and magic, where i can finally put my talents to use. And it won't be long now because after my 15th birthday in just 3 days I'm heading out and never coming back.

XXX Months Later (you can include the story of his travels if you want, and of course more details)

I can see it. Finally, the border city of [Insert name]. I finally managed to make it here. I just need to cross the border and I'll be in [Insert name of magic country]. Huh? The mana levels are noticeably lower here, almost low as before they started rising. That's strange, it's been rising dramatically for the past month so I thought it was happening everywhere. Guess not. Well, I'm sure I'll find out more about it in [insert magic country]. Now, just a small walk across this plains and I'll be there. The wind at my back is getting stronger, as if pushing me forward, as if it's urging me. Hmm? Isn't this wind a little... too strong?

I look back to see if something is causing it and... what is... that light? How far out is that? How large is it that I can see it from here? And why is it getting bigger?

The wind keeps getting stronger and I struggle to keep it from pushing back. The light continues to expand as it's radiance threatens to blind me. The few trees scattered in this expanse bend against the onslaught, some even are uprooted and before I knew it, I too was off the ground, soaring over the grass carried by winds that cut at my skin but my flight was cut short as the ground came hurtling to me faster than I can correct myself and I fall headfirst and pass out.

When I came to I was greeted with a splitting headache and ringing ears. My body is sore all over as if I just finished a round of sparing with that ruthless old village guard. I take a few minutes to get my bearings and when I finally able to collect my all I saw was carnage, the ground ripped up, some trees scattered everywhere and strangely enough, I was closer to the border city than I remember. But that was nothing compared to what I saw when I finally stood up. I looked in the direction that I remember seeing the light from and everything as far as the eye can see was covered in white snow. No, that isn't snow. That couldn't possibly be snow, after all, snow can't burn. So is that... ash? White ash and white flames that was created my that white light? I can't understand.

As my mind raced trying to understand the unimaginable sight in front me, somewhere, deep inside of me I knew, that I was just distracting from the obvious reality that everything I ever knew, was gone. I mean that's the only logical explanation since that light came from beyond the horizon yet only a few kilometres away from me stood those white flames and white ash. Eventually, I succumb to my injuries and pass out once more.

When I woke up again, I saw an unfamiliar wooden ceiling. And my body hurts less than last time and it feels like something is wrap around it, like... bandages? I jolt awake and sat up and looked around and it seems like I'm in an infirmary of sorts? There are other injured people here too.

"Oh, you seem energetic" a voice called out. I turned out and found at that it came from a burly looking guy tending to the wounds of some unconscious guy. "You've been out for two whole days. Well I can't really blame you after being out there during that disaster."

"Where am I? What happened?" I asked.

"Well for starters you're in the border city," he said, finishing wrapping the bandages on his patient and turning his attention to me, "the guards found you outside the city walls and brought you here, like most of these other people here and as for what happened... your guess is as good as mine kid. But one thing that I know for certain is that, this entire country has been utterly destroyed. Ain't no way anybody that got caught up in that explosion survived that.

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So this is a starting setting. The MC grew up in a country with preferred might over magic while he himself had talent and more appreciation for magic. The kids in his village were thought how to hunt and handle different weapons from young and adulthood is at age 15. Also his entire country, well excluding the very edges has been utterly destroyed by some form of magic never before soon and the MC's goal is to find out what caused it, after all, even if he didn't like the country, his family was still there. They're dead now though. As for what caused it and how the story progresses from here, I'll leave that up to you. If you have any questions please ask in the comment section. I'll answer the best I can