The Birth of a Monster

The mana cores of most mages tend to become active at the age of 10. For talented mages, their awakening could come at an earlier age. A year after, their magical ability would surface. The nature of these abilities would often be communicated to them by their souls. They appear to them in the form of dreams or visions.

Kai awakened his mana core at the age of 12. He was not talented, but he was gifted. For Kai's ability was a rare one which could put him leagues above many mages. Most individuals would view a powerful ability as a blessing, however, for Kai, his was a curse. A curse which brought about a life of strife, hatred, and suffering.

His ordeal started the day he awakened his ability. At this point, even Kai was not aware that his ability had already manifested. As a result, he did not know what he was capable of. He was paying attention to a billboard advertising a toothpaste when he felt his body collide with someone.

He looked up and saw the faces of the three individuals in front of him. They were students—his classmates—from the same prestigious school he attended. One, a boy named Sai. He was slightly taller than him. He had short white hair and a look of contempt on his face.

The second boy was named Ryan. He was standing on Kai's right side. He was a bit shorter than Kai. He had a low cut hair. The last boy standing on Kai's left was named Andre. He was short and chubby. He had a black hair with a bowl cut.

Unlike them, Kai's parents were too poor to send him to an expensive school. But Kai was intelligent and skilled in utilizing mana despite his lack of talent. This earned him a scholarship to one of Astrovia's best schools for sentinels.

"Are you blind?" Sai said, looking at Kai with disgust.

"If it isn't average Joe..." Ryan laughed.

"You can't even walk properly and pay attention to your surroundings. I wonder how you got into our school," Andre backed Ryan up.

Kai looked at them and remained silent. He shifted his gaze to the floor and walked past them. "I'm sorry, I don't want any trouble," he whispered as he walked by them.

Sai grabbed his shirt and pulled him back, making Kai lose his balance and fall.

"I recognize you now..." Sai said.

"You're that kid who joined us last session."

"The one who got a scholarship..."

"Who do you think you're talking to?" Sai asked.

"Unlike you, I'm not some poor kid who got to where he currently is by luck."

"So show some respect when you're talking to me."

"You tell him, Sai," Ryan yelled, raising his fist.

"Now apologize properly," Andre ordered.

Kai got up and wiped the dust off his clothes with his hands.

"I already apologized. You guys obviously saw me coming, so why didn't you just avoid me?"

"That didn't sound like an apology!" Ryan grabbed Kai's collar, delivering a punch that sent him back to the ground.

Sai placed his hand on Ryan's shoulder, ordering him to stop. He looked at Kai who was sitting on the floor with his nose bleeding from Ryan's punch.

He smirked and walked towards him, "so that's how you want to be, huh?"

"I'll teach you some manners."

He raised Kai to his feet, and delivered a knee to his mid section, making Kai struggle to breathe while grabbing his stomach in pain. He sat on top Kai and began to rush him with a barrage of punches

The fight was brutal, and Kai felt his anger rising. He seized Sai by the collar and delivered a crushing uppercut that sent him flying back. He dashed towards Sai, ignoring the blood dripping from his knuckles. Ryan and Andre tried to block him, but he leaped over them with a snarl.

He pinned Sai to the ground and rained punches on his face. He gripped Sai's wrists, immobilizing them.

"I said I didn't want any trouble," Kai shouted, his voice hoarse.

He heard Sai scream in agony, but he didn't care. He thought Sai was faking it, trying to get help. But he didn't realize that his ability was active.

Kai had the power to steal the abilities of other mages. A mage's ability was embedded in their mana core, the source of their magic. If a mage lost their mana core, they lost their ability. And if a mage lost their ability, their mana core shattered.

A mage's mana core was connected to their soul. Stealing one's ability was like ripping their mana core from their soul. The victim felt unbearable pain. If their soul was too weak, they could die.

Sai was young and inexperienced, and his soul couldn't handle the strain. Kai saw Sai's eyes lose their light, his body go limp. He felt a surge of pain in his chest, as if something had torn inside him. He felt his consciousness fading.

Sai's friends ran to get help, panic in their voices. Kai staggered to his feet, barely able to stand. He dragged himself to his house, leaving a trail of blood behind him. His two brothers, Leo and Zack, were outside playing. They had red and black hair, respectively, like Kai. They saw him and rushed to his aid, just before he collapsed.

When Kai woke up, he heard two men talking to his parents outside. They were sentinels, the elite mages who enforced the law. They had been alerted by Sai's friends, who had found them nearby. They were looking for Kai.

Kai heard his mother scream, "He's still a child, you can't take him!"

"He murdered his classmate!" one of them snapped.

"He doesn't need to be confined, he needs help!" his father pleaded.

"Take him and run," his father yelled, breaking into the room.

Kai's vision was blurry, his mind foggy. He felt someone lift him up, carrying him away. As they ran past the sentinels, who were held back by his mother and father, he saw the look on their faces. They looked at him with fear and disgust, as if he was a monster.

That was the beginning of Kai's life of hardship and misery. They moved to Metreona, a city of poverty and crime. They had no home, no food, no security. But his brothers were always there for him. They cared for him, protected him, worked for him. They did odd jobs and errands to earn some money.

Eventually, Leo and Zack got scholarships to study and train as sentinels. Kai admired them, and wanted to be like them. He had a deep respect for sentinels, and dreamed of becoming one. His brothers promised to rise up the ranks and make enough money to send him to school.

Along the way, Kai developed a fascination for a powerful fire mage. He was about the same age as his elder brothers, Leo and Zack. He often watched the news and gazed in awe as they reported on Reinhart's victories and achievements.

"I want to be just like you guys and Reinhart," Kai would often say to his brothers.

"If you behave well, I'll make sure you meet Reinhart, as a birthday gift. He's my best friend, so it'll be easy to get him to come," Leo would often promise Kai.

"I know him too, you know," Zack would often add.

One day, Leo went on an A-ranked mission and never came back. Zack and Kai received news of his death. He had gone on a mission with Reinhart, and they had been ambushed. Leo had died, but Reinhart had survived.

Kai was devastated for months. He refused to come out of his room. Zack tried to cheer him up whenever he could. Eventually, Kai opened up and became cheerful again. "Leo wouldn't want me to sulk around like a loser," he said to Zack, with a bright smile.

Zack raised his rank and became an A Ranked Sentinel. A year after his promotion, a dark lord, who had gathered a vast army of evil creatures and curses, launched attacks on different planets, intending to destroy them and create a new world order. Three of the most powerful planets, Cynerion, Nebulon, and Vigora, formed an allied force to stop him.

Zack was chosen to be part of this force, along with other elite mages. They were given the option to decline, but Zack refused to back down. He wanted to protect the galaxy, and his family.

On the day of his departure, as he was about to leave the house, he felt someone tug on his shirt from behind. It was Kai, his younger brother.

"Please, Zack. Let the others handle it," Kai pleaded, his voice trembling.

Zack turned around and put his hand on Kai's shoulder, trying to reassure him. "It's okay, Kai. I'll be fine. Besides, Reinhart is one of our leaders. He's the strongest fire mage in the galaxy. With him there, our safety and victory are guaranteed."

"Then let me come with you," Kai suggested, his eyes hopeful.

Zack chuckled, shaking his head. "I don't think so, buddy. You're not even on the list, and you're only a C-ranked mage. You wouldn't stand a chance."

He ruffled Kai's hair, smiling. "Don't worry, Kai. I'll be back before you know it. And then we'll go see that movie you've always wanted to see. And we'll be filthy rich."

But Kai's face still showed worry. Zack noticed and sighed.

"Listen, Kai. If that maniac gets here, he'll destroy everything we love. I'm not just going to fight to save the world, but also my brother. You're the only family I have left, Kai. I won't let anything happen to you."

He hugged Kai, then let go. He walked out the door, without looking back. He knew if he saw Kai's face again, he would lose his courage to go.

Kai waited, but Zack never came back. Everyone who went on the mission died. Everyone except the man who ended the war and defeated the dark lord. Reinhart.

Kai was plunged into despair. Everyone celebrated Reinhart's achievement, but no one mourned the fallen heroes. A funeral was held for the warriors who died, but that didn't heal the wound in Kai's heart.

One day, Kai received a letter that revealed the details of Leo and Zack's last mission. Leo was his other brother, who had died on a mission with Reinhart a year ago. The letter said that Leo had sacrificed himself to let Reinhart escape. Zack and the others had been caught in a massive blast unleashed by Reinhart. Kai hated Reinhart. He hated sentinels. He blamed them for ruining his life and taking his family away from him.

As his mind was consumed by hatred and anger, he heard a voice in his head. He saw himself surrounded by darkness. Pure darkness that felt sinister, yet not corrupt.

"Do you hate them?" the voice asked.

"Yes," Kai answered.

"Do you resent them?" the voice asked.

"Yes," Kai replied, tears streaming down his face.

"Do you want to take everything from them?" the voice asked.

The expression on Kai's face changed to a deep frown. The tone of his voice became more sinister.

"Yes..."