3 Submission

"Hey Sage tell me what you did the other day? How did you so good? I never had a chance to talk to you about it"

"I just did what's natural, I just controlled the air inside the bubble nothing fancy about that"

"But to control it that much? Looks like you're not useless after all"

Sage remembered his past, a man told him the exact same thing. Sage went silent, but Garlove continued her questioning.

"Are you one of those rare one in a million genius?"

"I'm useless your father told me that"

The last day of their community service they chatted away they become closer by the day. Although Garlove is still dumbfounded by Sage's display of air wielding proficiency he still thinks he's a genius. They did their usual task with Garlove always resting half way and Sage doing all the work. The both of them are packing up the materials to end their village services when a slice in the air was heard. A certain someone is standing where Sage had stood moments ago it was Geng-je's brother, sage dodged his surprise attack. Garlove quickly distanced herself to the man holding the wooden club.

"You are fast, as expected"

Geng-je's brother arrogantly spoke as Garlove ran to a safer distance.

"So you came out of hiding? Are you finally tired of stalking me? Did you find anything useful when you're off stalking me?"

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! I did, you waste of force, it turns out you are a complete trash"

'Why is everyone out to get me, It would be easier to just kill him'

"You stupid puffer this is where I'll get my revenge from last time. I'll discipline you for making my brother out as the bad kid and also mocking me"

After the boy spit condescending words he lunges himself towards Sage poised with his bat, Sage placed his arms behind him making a signal of provocation. Gengje's brother saw this and raised his club and swung it as he got close.

"Block him!"

Garlove cried out, Sage moved only one hand flowing like a praying mantis diverting the blow of the club to the side with only two fingers leaving the brother stupified. Sage poised again like a master training his pupil, his hands behind his back inviting another hit. Every swing from the club the brother makes, made him more and more frustrated. The brother's eyes are getting bloodshot from his mockery heavy breathing is easily hear from him. The brother now furious he distanced himself and held out his palm facing up. Moments later his open palm is collecting water from the endless drizzling weather around him. His palm was attracting small falling droplets making a ball of water, just like what the kids were doing back at the hill, but the way he accumulates water is faster than the kids.

When the ball of water took shape he threw it up in the air and swung his bat at it. Sage thinking it will be just like the kids that attempted to attack him, but for a split second Sage realized that it was a legitimate swing, a swing that has every intention of hurting him. Last second he dodged it leaving his clothes and face with multiple cuts but not deep enough to be considered fatal. The swing of the bat moved the ball of water at high a speeds that's why it had cut Sage's clothes and face. After he had missed immediately GengJe's brother condensed another ball of water preparing for another swing the speed of water condensation is much faster than before it seemed influenced by his frustrations.

He threw the quickly formed ball into the air and hit it once again, but Sage firmed his ground instead of preparing to dodge, he placed his hands behind his back again. The ball shot out like a bullet but just before making contact Sage's lightning fast move formed a circle with his arms suspending the ball in mid-air between his arms catching the ball of water like a football goalkeeper. He spun the ball into complete nothing evaporating it into a spray of mist. Sage's unnatural actions left Gengje's brother shocked the brother started to complain.

"What did you do? You are just an air wielder, not a water wielder I've observed you for days now, I even asked the old man about your ability"

"That's the genius Sage for yah, you thug"

Garlove declared proudly grabbing the brothers attention. Garlove's remark was like throwing the brother an egg in the face, shifting his frustration into blinding fury. The mere thought of being mocked by a kid who not only humiliated him but also made his brother cry, the love for his family made him furious. The brother positioned himself to take a stance and gather another ball of water, he threw it up immediately it was a rushed ball of water the brother then preparing to hit it. Sage shouted to stop the attack he had already telegraphed the movements of the brother, the trajectory of the swinging boy was not aiming at him but at Garlove. Sage hurried to Garlove hoping to block the attack at sonic speed, but just before the wooden club made contact with the ball of water, a floor of mud formed into a mouth clasping Gengje's brother. The two kids were stunned as the mud quickly dried and hardened cocooning the brother.

"How dare you Bigura!"

A powerful voice was heard throughout the village, the birds from the nearby forest flew away from the explosion of the voice.

"Chief? No please I can explain, this is not what it looks like I-"

"Silence!"

The ground shook from his shout and the slam of his cane to the ground, he looks like a judge bringing order to the court. Some villagers felt what was happening and hurried towards the source of the commotion. A crowd quickly formed and in the crowd is Bigura's parents but the parents can't do anything, the chief's authority is overwhelming that the parents have no power to do anything but watch.

"Do you think you can get away with anything? just because you'll soon go to Roar Academy? On top of that attempted to hurt my granddaughter?"

"Please let me explain I was only playing with the kids teaching them how to fight hehehe"

The chief flashed towards Bigura giving him the slap that would be felt by his later generations.

"You think you can lie to me? I was inside the whole time watching everything that had happened here."

The chief fiercely pointed at his house that was just nearby his thin old arms shown popping with veins.

"Do you think I didn't know you were following Sage, and asking me questions about him. Even using a silly makeshift Armata."

The chief kicked the wooden club that is sticking out from the hardened mud snapping it in half from the hands of the cocooned Bigura.

"You want a real Armata so badly? I'll show you a real Armata"

Out of his calm rage, the chief raised his arms displaying a single gem-decorated cane he's been holding he then slammed it onto the ground creating an intense earthquake. The ground opened up, creating a fissure below Bigura dropped inside with only his head exposed, the fissure then closed on his neck. The chief showed off his earth wielding prowess.

"Hey, I thought the chief has a water element how can he use earth?"

"Oh most of our family are earth blessed, I thought you would've realized by now"

"How could I have known that?"

"The fact that Gramps gave us both wands to use, It should've been a water wielder's job because they can easily make bubbles from the fertilizer without em"

"I thought all the people in this village were water-blessed cause back at the ritual all of them were water blessed"

"No, no, it depends on your lineage but in some cases like you, they get a different element. You are surprisingly odd because gramps told me most people like you who diverted had weaker aptitudes when it comes to your element, but you are far weaker back at the ritual"

The two casually talked to each other while the chief is stating his punishment.

"Bigura you are to be under soils for 3 days you are to be fed by your parents during these days while you reflect on your actions, and the both of you I'll have a talk with you after this"

The two stood still while the chief disperses the crowd of people and talked with the parents of Bigura. The short discussion ended quickly and the chief signaled the two to go inside. The two scurried inside the house while carrying the tools followed behind by the chief, inside the living room the chief plopped on his chair nonchalantly as if all the built-up tension was for show.

"You Sonny are really something, never thought I'd witness something like that, at that age anyone would've already wet their pants"

"Grampa he only stood his ground because he tried to protect me"

Garlove's brazen remark popped a vein on Sage's forehead.

"Garlove, don't get me wrong, I didn't stand my ground because of you. I stayed and fought because I wish to fix my own problem, you just got in the way"

Garlove's short blonde hair curled from Sage's rebuke. Garlove playfully grabbed Sage's head into a headlock, Sage's tiny body can't compete against a headlock from an athletically built girl 2 years above his age, while they playfully tease each other the chief sat there laughing hysterically, this is the first time he saw his grandchild be happy after her mom died when she was just conceived.

"Garlove go get us some tea"

"Alright"

Garlove headed merrily towards the kitchen.

"Sage, I know you're not normal you are more than what meets the eye, you possess something that no one else have I've seen it"

"What do you mean?"

"This village is too small for you, a small shell for a boy full of potential as you. That's why I made a proposal to your mother about sending you to a school"

"But chief I want to be an adventurer, not a student"

"Non-sense sonny you must learn that to become an adventurer one must be strong and wise, you are still young and have many questions about life. This is a great opportunity to learn them and become stronger and wiser"

Sage earnestly reflected on the chief's words as they ate the snacks and drank the tea Garlove has prepared.

"Sonny you are too young to be worrying about these decisions"

"Yeah act like your age you're making me look bad, I didn't even have second thoughts when they told me about it"

Garlove interjected making Sage think about it more seriously, his 28-year-old stubborn soul thinks he doesn't need to be taught, but he immediately realized that there is more to this world and not learning about it before diving into it is dangerous. He thought that to be closer to finding out his true purpose of being reincarnated in this world is to become an adventurer immediately and travel around the world learning everything he could from his travels.

"Alright I'll let mom know of my thoughts on this"

The next day came the father had already left for his job and the mother and the son were eating at the table, Sanda looks restless these days she hasn't touched her porridge since they've sat down.

"Mom I think I should go to the school the chief was talking about"

Sanda was slightly surprised because the restless was not, in fact coming from a mothers separation anxiety, but it was because she thought Sage would not want to leave the village.

"Really? You would go to school? Yes, yes, yes"

Sanda shamelessly celebrated giving Sage an inkling to his mother's thoughts. Sanda's true aim was for Sage to go out in the world and become strong, to learn more about the world, and especially find friends or better yet a girlfriend.

"So that settles it then? 3 years from now I'll head to the academy"

"Sage don't be so carefree, going to roar academy is already a test, the vicinity near roar academy are teeming with young beasts, so you would be really tested of your skills. Someone is always observing along the vicinity."

"What if I encounter stronger enemies on my way to the trials?"

"Don't worry you will be escorted by your father on your way there he is a guardian of the village after all, but when you've reached the point where the trial starts you're on your own to enter"

The guardians are the elites they are the vanguard of the village, they patrol the outskirts of the village they are outside most of the times. That's why Sage's father is already out the moment Sage wakes up. Sage has become more curious about the trials and the beast they will encounter along his way to the academy, even though it will be 3 years before his departure. He has no worries in being in the academy, what worries him more is what lies outside the village what are beasts, what will he do when he encounters one, what is there to discover of this world. He has yet to fully understand how this world works and how the ecosystem and humans tie together as a whole.

That night the medieval European-esque village are wetter, foggier, and the frogs are croaking a little louder than usual. Sage is lying in bed highly satisfied with the extra punishment Bigura will be having along with the tiny hut above his head that's set up by his parents to protect him from the environment.