11 Tests

Curtis woke up with a start. Feeling around himself, he found that there wasn't any of the dizziness that he experienced yesterday, his vision is back to normal, no it's even better than before. His room was still dark but he could make out where his things are, the pitcher of water on the table, the comb and ties on his dresser, he could even somehow see the layer of dust under the dresser.

He felt stronger, no sign of the fatigue he felt yesterday. Looking outside the window he saw that the moon was still out. He changed into something better to move in, a sleeveless white shirt and shorts. He went moved around slowly in the manor.

Arriving near the exit, he could see the guards standing by, he could even vaguely hear their conversation.

"Hey Tom, what do you think about what happened today?" The guard asked.

"What do you mean what I think? I think the young master was just sick." The guard named Tom replied.

"You shouldn't think about it too much. Let's just do our jobs and keep the estate safe." he said.

"With *Eagle-eyed Johnson* here, nothing's gonna happen." the other guard boasted.

"Yeah yeah, shut it, Keep watch will ya, I'm gonna take a leak." Tom ignored him.

Seeing the guard walk away, Curtis avoided the area the guards were watching and exited through the servant's area. He navigated through the garden until he got to the tree he liked to stay under.

"I feel so much better." Curtis thought and then tried to see what else changed.

He got on his knee and picked up a big rock, which he did so with ease. "Hmmm, I got stronger?"

Looking at his lean arms, he knew it was something fundamental to his body. "Maybe something magical?" he contemplated. He recalled what the people in his father's stories can do, breathe fire, fly, move objects with their minds. "What if I could do those?"

He tried to imagine himself, or try moving the rock with his mind. "Move!" He shouted out in his mind. To his disappointment, nothing happened. He tried to jump up high to see if he could fly and still, nothing happened.

Thinking back to the events yesterday, his right hand could emit heat, while his left could emit cold.

"I guess those are my abilities huh" Curtis thought out loud, disappointed that he couldn't fly.

Touching his hands, he couldn't feel any heat or cold. "Why isn't anything happening?" He tried to punch out, still nothing. He sat under the tree and started thinking.

How can I do what I did yesterday? I didn't even do it on purpose. It just happened.

He tried to do what those monks did in his past life. He sat under the tree, cross legged, closed his eyes and started to clear his mind.

Curtis controlled his breathing, emptied his mind, and started to think up of ways he can use his power.

"A special action to make it come out? Maybe."

"Will it to happen with my mind? I could try it."

"Imagination? Hmmmm, interesting but I doubt it."

"Something that has to do with emotions? Like in those movies before? I'll give it a shot."

Curtis thought out aloud, listing things he could try to see if any of it worked in invoking his new found power.

He decided, he would try it all, he had time. he wanted to see if any of it worked, then he'll show his father.

Curtis got up and stood like a martial artist. He swung his right arm, coming from his side and out in front.

"Ha!" he shouted. Still, nothing happened.

He imagined his arm shooting out fire, but still nil.

Curtis tried out all the ideas he had but he still came out with nothing. By the time he finished, the sun was just came up. He returned to the house, tried to sneak into it but Sherry found him.

"Well well well. What are you doing up young master?" Sherry said with a slight smile. Like a fox waiting for his prey.

"I-I was just taking an early walk." Curtis dutifully answered.

"You fainted yesterday, what do you mean an early walk. You should still be in bed." She said, her eyes giving off a suspicious glint.

"I-I was just coming back from the restroom." Hearing Sherry's voice Curtis froze, trying to think up of an excuse he botched it.

"You have a restroom upstairs." Sherry exposed him.

Sweat started to form on his back, with Sherry coming close to seal his fate, he caught sight of Millie.

"Millie! I need you to prepare a hot bath, please and thank you!" Curtis ran away. heading in the direction of the dining hall.

"Uhhh Yes young master." Millie looked to Sherry who only nodded her head.

"Go on." Sherry said coolly.

...

Entering the dining room he found Ava sitting meekly on a chair wearing similar clothes to what she wore yesterday, only in pink. With a man at her side who was talking to his father.

Jacob quickly noticed Curtis who just entered the dining room.

"Ahh Curtis you're up. Meet Alexis, he's my close friend. They arrived yesterday but you fell ill." Jacob introduced.

Alexis was a red head, having features no where close to Ava other than the eyes and hair. He had thick eyebrows, green emerald like eyes, a pointed nose, a mustache that ended with a slight swirl, a thick red beard like those of dwarfs in the movies.

"Hello young man." Alexis smiled.

"Good morning sir." Curtis greeted, trying to make his father look good.

"Such a cute young man you've raised Jacob." came a woman's voice from behind him.

Curtis turned around to see a woman looking like a grown up version of Ava, red burning hair, cool blue eyes, a round face, thin eyebrows, thin lips, freckles on her face and a pointed nose. A perfect red head, Curtis thought.

"Good morning ma'm, I am Curtis De Leon." Curtis introduced himself.

"Good mannered too." The woman evaluated.

"Stop teasing the boy, Come have breakfast Eunice." Alexis chimed, to which the woman sighed. "Stop ruining my fun dear."

"Come sit son, greet Ava, they'll be leaving soon as Alexis has business to attend to." Jacob ordered.

"All right." Curtis echoed.

Sitting by Ava he saw her looking at him, wondering what he did wrong he asked. "What's wrong?"

"Are you ok now? What happened, you suddenly just ran off." She asked. "Also you didn't come back, you said you would give me a tour."

"I'm sorry, I wasn't feeling well. When I got to the house I just went straight to sleep." Curtis excused.

"Fine, but next time I come here, You better give me a tour." Ava pouted.

"Alright, I'll give you a tour next time." He promised.

Their talk was cut short as Martha, and his siblings came into the dining room, provoking another round of questioning of what happened to him yesterday. He only got a break once they started eating, in which he was already feeling tired.

The Sargeras family, which Curtis only found out to be their family name as he just asked Ava, was leaving today. Curtis actually did give Ava that tour, but only around the house as his father was in a rush, prompting Ava to ask for a tour in the Courtyard when they return.

...

By lunch, his early waking up already reached the ears of his father, who questioned him about what he was doing.

"I was just taking a walk, I wasn't feeling dizzy so I wanted to see if I was back to normal." Curtis tried to think of an excuse as his tests didn't really yield any result.

"Are you sure you're alright now dear?" Martha asked, worried that his son will faint again.

"Yes mom, I'm alright now." Curtis smiled.

Curtis saw that his father was looking at him suspiciously, he just tried to smile it off when he saw him staring, but he could tell that his father knew something.

After finishing lunch when Curtis tried to get back into his room, Sherry was waiting from him by the stairs.

"You're father asked me to tell you to go into his study." Sherry relayed.

"Thank you Sherry." Curtis smiled to the suspicious glare of the head maid.

Walking up the stairs he still couldn't shake off the weird feeling that Sherry gave him.

Arriving at his father's study, he entered to see his father already waiting for him.

"We got a lot to talk about son."