1 Chapter One: The Choosing

The Choosing Ceremony. That was today, one of the grandest days ever known to all the six Power Houses. It was a day for celebration, as two of the young adults from each family would be chosen to partake in the most celebrated occasion ever known. Those who were Chosen were sent to Algatir: a large state that stretched on for thousands of kilometers. It was there that the Chosen were sent to battle to the death. There was no time limit, no due date to win by. It was simply kill or be killed. The House that stood last, whether it be one or two of the young adults, was declared the Victor. After that, the Victor or Victors would be celebrated and cherished in the Capitol, where they would live the remainder of their however long lives in royalty. They never did seem to live long, though. There were always jealous and angry Houses who decided to assassinate the Victors.

The Six Houses were all in Opposition of one another, fighting for a Victor to bring their House to glory. This benefited the House that won, as gold would increase for their lands and the stocks would rise. Rising gold and stock meant the House could either buy more land or easily by more to suit their People, although most chosen expansion. For the Houses, expansion was a large part of what made them great. In this day and age of Powers, Superpowers that is, the Chosen seemed to have a reasonable way of winning. However, when all the competing Chosen have Powers, the results are chaotic and deadly. The People of each House were often Powerless, as to gain the Power of the House involved undertaking in a strict and painful ritual where only the strongest could survive and live with the Power.

The first House was named the Tech House, where the members of the Prime Family, or family in charge of the House, had complete and total control over Technology. They could create Tech to build armor or weapons, making them strong in a battlefield. The second House was the Speed House, each person having extraordinary speed. This helped House skirmishes against one another, considering some of them moved so fast they were practically invisible. The third House was Hardening, where their skin, cloth and anything touching their body suddenly hardens, as thick as rock and almost impenetrable. The fourth House was called Hope. The Hope House held Strength, Speed and another Power that was unknown, all rolled into one. The legends said that it was a Power that was created only for the correct wielder to use properly. So far, everyone who had managed to use this Power in the Hunt was killed from the sheer will of the Power.

The fifth House was called Flame, where the members held incredible fire-based Powers, such as manipulation toward fire. The final House was the most feared, by far. It was the House that turned out the most villains and terrible people. This was the House of Rage. The members gave way to certain banned rituals to fuel their anger and rage, giving them strength in battle and also giving them abilities that were frowned on in the Hunt, but not illegal. Even now, as the younger brother Exodus of the Hope House stared at his walls, trying to remember every last detail of the Houses to find some kind of weakness, knew it was pointless. There was in way he would be the one Chosen. He had a younger sister still, who was Old enough now, at fourteen, to compete in the Hunt. As much as he hated to admit it, Exodus prayed it was her and his brother that were Chosen.

Ah, yes, his brother. Exodus loved his brother, but he hated being cast in his brother's shadow. He knew his brother loved him back deeply, but he was now the Hope, the name other Houses had given him due to the fact he could successfully wield the Hope Power without perishing. He used it on brief battles against other villains, and even Exodus admitted that his brother, Nathaniel, was amazing. The way he used his Power was simply incredible, managing to change the direction of the wind with a single flick. Their parents were proud, Exodus knew that, but they were prouder of him than anything. He was just a shadow, invisible in the dark of night and worthless. "Exodus, you're going to be late!" came the voice of his younger sister, Lilly, from downstairs. Exodus nodded to himself and then left his room, swiftly headed down the stairs and into the main living area of the medium-sized Hope Household.

Lilly had been waiting at the bottom of the stairs, and she turned towards her mother and father when Exodus arrived. They were already by the front door, waiting anxiously, and when Exodus joined them, they all stepped out into the cool air of their land. Exodus took a moment to admire the view, with its pristine forest beside their small town and the river that ran through the town, sparkling blue and pristine. He heard rumor's that, long ago, when the last holder of the Hope had been lost during a war and stumbling around a forest, he had looked into a river, and the Hope allowed him to find himself. Of course, these were just rumoring and folktale, passed on from generation to generation, much like the Power of Hope. They strode quickly down the stony path along the dirt and turned towards the large rectangular-like building made from the rocks, wood and hay that they had managed to collect to build the sacred place.

This place was opened only once every ten years. This was the Choosing Hall. Lilly stared at it, and Exodus already noticed her arms quivering slightly in fear. He stepped forwards and grasped her hand firmly before whispering into her ear, "It'll be ok." She nodded, and Exodus felt her relax against him. She trusted him. That was something Exodus thanked the God's above for. The way his sister felt relaxed and safe around him. It was something not many others had. Their mother and father stepped forwards, both placing a hand onto the door and murmuring under their breath. The crowd that had grown held their breath as one in anticipation. Exodus scarcely breathed, and then the doors swung open upon command of the Spirits. Everyone stared, and no one moved until their father turned to Exodus and Lilly. Someone slightly buffer and taller moved through the crowd and stood beside his brother and sister.

Exodus grinned up at his brother Nathaniel, who flashed a warm smile in return. Then the three stepped inside, accompanied by their parents, and the doors swung shut behind them. Inside, they were led to a large circle of stones, inside the circle filled with sand or light gunpowder. Exodus could not tell. They stood side-by-side, and then their father, a great buff man, threw something into the circle. Instantly, the purple flames erupted, making Exodus shrink back and wince. The grip on his arm tightened, and he realized it was Nathaniel, holding onto his arm with his hand. "This is Soul-Fire," he breathed, "You have to look." Exodus nodded and then refocused his eyes upon the great Flame, the purple staining the back of Exodus' eyelids with white color. Then, even as Exodus watching in disbelief, several trails of fire rose and snaked through the air.

He did not move, determined to stay still, and then it looped around him. Exodus winced as he felt the heat bear upon his skin, and then it looped around his brother too. Lilly remained separate, no fire ring around her. The purple flames disappeared, and they all stood together, sweating and panting. "Our Victors have been chosen," declared their mother proudly, and the three glanced at each other. "Exodus and Nathaniel," agreed their father, and the two spun to Lilly, who looked, if anything, relieved. Then Exodus slowly turned to his brother, "I'm Chosen?" he whispered, disbelief settling into the pits of his stomach, and Nathaniel nodded slowly, his eyes slightly wide. "I am too."