Alchemy

A year has passed and now I am finally six years of age. My mother had promised to teach me alchemy when I turned six and now my excitement could not be put into words.

"Damian, the first step to being an alchemist is figuring out your affinity. There are many types of alchemists, but the most common are metal alchemists followed by water and bio-alchemists. Your affinity is mostly decided through your bloodline. Since my bloodline is full of water alchemists. If you have the skill of alchemy it would probably be water alchemy.", my mother said.

"Or maybe he can't even do alchemy.",my sister retorted with a snicker.

I ignored her and asked my mother what I had to do.

"First you must learn to draw transmutation circles. Only through these circles could one transmute objects. Each type of alchemy has a different circle. You can draw these circles anywhere or stitch a glove with the circle or even have tattoo of it on your hand like me."

My mother showed me her hands and on both of her palms there were tattoos of the transmutation circle. This was very convenient as she would not have to draw a circle every time. I took the chalk she gave me and drew the circle on the wooden floor by looking at my mother's hand.

"What next?",I asked.

"Now, always remember that the object you want to transmute must be in contact with the circle. So place a glass of water inside the circle you drew."

I took a glass of water and placed it inside the circle but nothing happened and I had a confused look on my face.

"Haha.. not yet Damian. You have to look at the circle and think of what you want to transmute the water into. You have two options either ice or gas.", my mother said.

Since ice was easier to visualise I decided to go with that first. I did exactly as my mother told me but ,to my disappointment ,nothing happened at all. My sister who was watching burst out laughing and said,"Looks like my loser brother can't do alchemy."

"Shut up!", I screamed to my sister and ran to my room. It wasn't like me to scream at anybody especially at a ten year old girl. But what saddened me more than my failure was her laugh and her mocking words because it reminded me of my old life, of what a failure I was. Perhaps I should not have screamed in the first place, even if I can't do alchemy I still was lucky enough to get a second chance at life. I should be grateful rather than angry.

I heard a knock at my door.

"Can I come in, Damian.", it was my mother's voice.

"Yeah."I replied quietly.

My mother came inside, sat beside and hugged me. It felt rather comforting to be hugged.

"You know Damian, your sister did not mean it when she said those things. She is just a bit jealous of you."

"What why would she be jealous, she can do alchemy and I can't."

"She is jealous because you are a boy."

"Huh? What does that have to do with anything?"

"Well, men have a lot of advantages women don't. For one, your father did not train your sister to fight with a sword but he is training you. Also after your father you will be the next head of the Armstrong family despite your sister being older. Men generally have more freedom compared to women in a lot of things. Your sister has started to recognize this hence she is jealous of you."

I had not thought of it in that way. Of course women would have less rights than men in a medieval world like this. Now I felt even more embarrassed that I screamed at a ten year old.

"Damian, have I told you about the founder of my family?"

"Huh. No you have not."

"My family name before I married your father was Brightburn. The Brightburn family ruled over the small nation of Cronia before the Empress defeated my grandfather and annexed his kingdom. Now my father, who was my grandfather's successor, rules Cronia as a vassal duke."

"Wait, so you are a princess?", I asked.

"No. But I would have been if the Empress had not defeated us. Anyway don't you find it weird that our family name is Brightburn even though we are a family full of water alchemists?"

"Yeah, that is weird.",I replied.

"Well that is because the founder of our family was a commoner, also named Damian, who had no surname. He also did not have any powers of alchemy and yet managed to create a kingdom for himself and also gave himself the surname Brightburn."

"You named me after the founder of your family?"

"Yes Damian because I know you will do great things even without the power of alchemy. Now I need you to make up with your sister."

"I will.", I replied.My mother's belief in me had rejuvenated me.

I was heading towards the living room when my sister suddenly came up to me and said,"Uh.. I.. Mother told me that you were upset cuz I laughed at you. Uh.. I didn't mean it in a bad way. I was just teasing you... So I guess..."

"I am sorry for screaming at you.",I said while interrupting her.

"Huh.. Well then I am sorry too.", she said with a blush and then hugged me. Her hug was an awkward one but it was still sweet.

At night after eating dinner, I went to my room to sleep. While on my bed I kept thinking about my mother's family name. I also thought that the guy who found her family was also a badass. 'Brightburn.. huh.. maybe the founder wanted his family to shine to shine as bright as fire.', I thought while rubbing my hands together since it was winter and it was getting cold.

But then I began to smell something, was that smoke? I got up and looked around. Oh shit.. the side of my room had caught fire. I screamed at the top of my lungs and ran outside my room.