1 Chapter 1: Memories of Love

Saturday, March 13th, 1998: Canada

"Lithuila, get back up and continue fighting. I know you can do better than this."

"Mum, stop lecturing me will you! Taking a five-second rest will not kill me. I..."

"If this were a real jujutsu fight, you would be dead. People are looking to harm you. Why do you think your father and I train you to the bone?"

"Why do you keep babying me! From day one you and dad remind me over and over how I need to take my training seriously! Guess what mother, I take my training seriously and I am aware of the dangers lurking outside our house!"

My mother and I lock eyes, each knowing the other is correct in her statement. Both of my parents have made it abundantly clear how precarious the Jujutsu Sorcery community is. Granted, they are comparing the sorcery community in Canada with the community in Japan. I am not fully aware of the ins and outs of either community: my assumption is the sorcerers in Japan are more cut-throat than the sorcerers in Canada.

Heck, the few times I have asked my parents why we moved from Japan, I get responses like "Your father was offered a mission that required us to move abroad for a few years". "Your mother wanted to live in a new country", Or my favorite answer to date, "Lithuila, kindly stop asking us why we moved and just accept the fact that we are in Canada. Your mouth will get you into hot water someday!"

We have been living in Canada for two years now. My older brothers are adjusting well to being in Canada. I find our move unsettling.

"Earth to Lithuila. Where has your mind gone to now?"

"Mother, I hear you loud and clear."

Ignoring the feelings of being watched, I focus my eyes on my target. A loud crash brings Zyler running into the training room.

"What the heck Lithuila? Why are you staring at our mother?"

"Zyler, butt out of my training session! Unless you want to wind up like her, leave."

Zyler walks over to me, but I don't break eye contact with my target. My mum does not get up immediately, which is unusual for her. I get to her first and realize she is unconscious.

"Lithuila! You killed our mother oh god, oh god! What are we going to do?" Zyler is beside himself and on the verge of tears. I have to remove the cursed energy from my mother's body before it engulfs her.

"Zyler, pull yourself together! Our mother is not dead, look how her chest is still moving up and down. What does this mean? She is breathing. Now leave."

"Cool your jets kid." Great, now Zink has made an entrance.

Zink is the eldest child. Both my brothers have light green eyes, mocha-colored skin, thick black eyebrows, and curly black hair. Their voices are identical, their behaviors mirror each other, and an untrained eye can't distinguish Zink from Zyler or Zyler from Zink.

"Zink and Zyler both of you leave. There is no need to call an ambulance, so stop panicking Zyler. Mum and I were training, and I let out more cursed energy than intended. Besides, both of you have your Karate belt tests today. How about you go prepare for it?"

The rising sun illuminates my lilac eyes. They look at each other, then they look at me, and shrug. Once the door closes, I place my hands on my mother's chest and concentrate. Five minutes later, most of the cursed energy clears her body as she bats her eyelids open.

"Lithuila. What, was that?"

"Cursed energy! Stop moving, I have almost deactivated my Reverse-Curse."

My mother forces her eyes closed. Confusion, uncertainty, and fear radiate from her expression. Her tone of voice is serious.

"Lithuila Balzertina Santa-Clara. What did you just do? You let out more than just cursed energy."

My eyebrows knit together, and my stomach drops to the floor. I let my arms fall to the floor as my mother picks herself up. She is fully healed but, scars will form where her chest once bled. I sit down on the floor and look at my hands.

They are calloused from six years of push-ups, exorcising curses, and learning to heal. And now these hands have let out something other than cursed energy. What the heck?

"This is ridiculous!" I cover my face and feel the warmth radiating from my cheeks.

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"Lithuila. Are you alright? Kid!"

My eyes jolt open and Zyler's face comes into view. We make direct eye contact as the last drop of water hits the floor.

"Zyler, I am fine." His eyes shift to the room's corner as he runs a hand over his face.

After a minute, he sits down and gives me a bear hug. Despite our argument earlier on, Zyler and I are close. Zink and my parents are inseparable too.

After our sister-brother moment, we head to the kitchen for a snack. Our mother and Zink are sitting at the table. Zyler and I shrug at each other and ask mum what is going on. She gets up from the table, without saying a word, ushering us out the front door.

Within twenty minutes, my family and I arrive at the Karate studio. Zink and Zyler head inside but, my mother and I stay in place. A pregnant silence falls between us.

"What I did this morning...I am sorry. I was not aware of how much-cursed energy I released and take full responsibility for your injuries."

I notice the small bruise forming above my mum's left eye. It compliments her pale grey eyes and ebony skin tone. She gets on my level and hugs me.

"There is no need to say you are sorry. I did not expect my eight-year-old to take me down that easily. I am proud of your growth."

While my mother praises me, an unsettling feeling grows in my stomach. I scan our surroundings and spot a 187cm tall figure. Their cursed energy flows within their body like a calm river, unlike a civilian whose cursed energy rushes about like a kid high on sugar.

"What is wrong Lithuila?" She turns her head towards the direction I am pointing. The figure is gone. She goes silent, squinting her eyes, and slowly shifts them towards the door.

The two of us grab our seats with five minutes to spare. I spread my lips apart, cheering for my brothers as they take center stage. My stomach churns a mile a minute while my mind goes back to the figure outside.

Whoever the sorcerer is, they are highly skilled and have been watching my family for some time.