The Power of Blood

"M-Mum? D-Dad?" I mutter the two words that mean dear to me.

Right now, my parents' house is ablaze with hot, sweltering fire and the only thing that's lingering in the air is the smell of blood – rotten, sticky, red blood – that is splattered artistically all over the floor, making my stomach fold up inside and make a tight knot.

I know that I should be getting out of here, but I can't. If I don't find something from my parents, then what's the point in moving forward? What's the point of being out there if I can't show my parents evidence of the things they've spend their time to teach me? No. I have to find something. No matter what.

Running shakily away from the bushes around the house, I scan my eyes over the ground, over every little detail, in search of anything that I could salvage that my parents left for me or got shot out of the flames before the fire engulfed it.

The West side of the house only has ashes, the East side has books and furniture, the South side has broken picture frames and half burned photo albums, which I were able to save three, as well as some clothes and the last side of the house, the North, which has...a single box.

I've never seen it before, maybe it's something connected to Mum and Dad, which means it must be important. I open the broken lock and lift the lid to find a gold, petal-patterned ring with a black circle orb on top and a note beside it. I open the note and read the 3 words carefully: "Master this Power."

Power? What does it mean by power? Does it let anyone become more powerful? And what IS the Power anyway? So many questions but no answers to fulfil them. Closing the note, I look at the back and find the words ' To Rikari' in capitals.

This is for me. My parents kept it to give me this gift at a special time but now...now they're gone. They're never coming back. I'm all alone. I'm scared. Mum, Dad, I love you.

- 9 years later -

It's my favourite day today. Steal-and-run-from-guards day.

After finding the box left to me by my parents, I realized at that moment that I had become an orphan as well as a homeless boy. I had to hide in the woods by night, and steal food and accessories by day.

At first, it wasn't easy as I've never been a thief before (except a kitchen food thief in my home) so I made mistakes, almost got caught a million times and found hunger to be my new frenemy. Such a life of an 11 year old.

To be honest, a lot of times, I wanted to move towns because of how hard life was getting. Daily pick pocketers, some kidnapping cases and the odd night nutter case was bound to make anyone rethink their current lifestyle choice. However, I stayed because I couldn't bear to leave the town which my parents raised me in. I was afraid to forget their names or their faces if I left. Losing the only 2 family I knew of again was a total nightmare I didn't want to relive.

Back to the present, I'm now living life as a professional pick pocketer/thief that hasn't yet received the 'official' badge because guards still manage to find out my deeds, but trust me, I'm almost there.

Currently, I have my eyes set on a juicy, round watermelon. I've been meaning to get my hands on one for 4 years now, because each year they only appear in the market for one day only, but the wait is over, I'm going to succeed and nothing will stop me.

Jumping down off the roof onto an empty balcony, I eye the market place for potential buyers. Every year, there's always been a different person who bought the watermelon but today I'm going to be the customer, the one that doesn't pay.

Flying over the balcony, I land on the ground and take a piece of hay from the hanging flower pot. Walking forward, I swipe a top hat from a gentleman who's browsing the book stand and slip a monocle from the jewellery stand. Then, using the things I've taken, I transform myself from a 20 year old pick pocketer to a 30 year old gentleman, and with a final finish, I swiftly take a table cloth from the material stand and place it over my shoulders to make me look mysterious, noble and like a magician.

"Excuse me ma'am. This watermelon is the only one, right?" I speak in a dignified manner.

The middle aged woman of the stall turns around and smiles.

"Yes. It's the only one we've got. It's a bit of a surprise no one has come to buy it yet, since it's already almost noon but nevertheless, here you are." She speaks in a kind manner, which almost makes me not want to steal from her, but time waits for no man, if I'm to get my prize I must do it now.

"May I examine it for a bit? I haven't had watermelon in a while."

"Oh, sure. Take all the time that you need." She says and turns around.

Looking at the watermelon with hunger, I pick it up to find that it's really heavy. I never knew they could be this heavy before. Quickly glancing around, I step to the right and speed walk away. Peeking back, I see the stall lady still hasn't turned her back which makes my heart jump in celebration.

"That was really easy." I say. Maybe today really is the most luckiest-

A sword comes between my face and the air. I try to turn my head to the person but instead, the sword nears closer to my face.

"Come with me and don't look back." The mysterious stranger tells me while hiding their face with a large hat. Like a dog, I obediently follow their orders and follow the, through a narrow alley way.

We walk a considerable way in secrecy with many twists and turns until we reach a wall, made of brick, meaning that this is our dead end. The stranger with the sword moves their foot over one of the cobblestones on the floor and a small clanking noise emits from somewhere underneath the ground. I look questionably at the stranger and then at the floor.

"Um..." I begin to speak but is interrupted by the ground swallowing us down and our fall into nothingness.

"You can open your eyes." The stranger taps my shoulder. I do as I'm told and look at my surroundings.

"Woah." I take a breath out.

Above me is a bright blue and red ornament made entirely out of glass, whilst on the sides, there are chairs lined up in a neat and organized fashion, a bit like an auditorium but much more fancier and vibrant. The floor is the coolest part, it has special glass which changes colour depending which direction you are looking at it from.

"What is this place?" I ask with utter amazement and awe.

"This? This is our meeting room but if you're asking what this place is as a whole, the answer would be HOTS."

"HOTS?" I repeat.

"Yep. HOTS, or the Helpful Organization of the Trustee Society. Has a little ring to it, doesn't it?"

"Yeah..." I answer, still doubting that I am even in this place at all.

"I'm Maia, by the way." The stranger puts their hand forward and I proceed to take it but pause when I find out how the stranger looks like.

"W-Who are you?" I ask.

"Oh. As you may have guessed from my looks, I'm your younger sister. Maia Amatsuri at your service." She smiles.

What? A sister? How is this even possible? I thought I was the only one my parents had. I WAS the only one they had...or so I thought.

"How-" I start.

"You know," The woman, my sister, interrupts me.

"It was really difficult to find you. I only found out I had an older brother 6 years ago. As soon as I heard the news, I set out to find you. I first tried where Mum and Dad lived but found that the house was all burned down and nothing was left.

To be honest, at that moment, I thought that you had perished with the fire but then I discovered that you didn't die, you were still alive because there were only 2 bodies left in the accident, Mum's and Dad's.

Knowing this, I sought after you in every area of Pentile as I could, but it wasn't so much as a walk in the park. Pentile is easily the largest city of the Northern region and to find anyone you really have to have stealth, determination and guts, which, lucky for you, I have. I kept on looking for you until I finally found you today...with a horrible disguise, no offense." She looks at my make do of an aristocratic gentleman.

"Much offense taken actually." I say, holding my prized goods fondly towards me.

She chuckles.

"Come on. I want to show my brother what he was missing on all these years."

* * *

After spending one hour with my new-found sister looking at the place where she goes to school, all I have in mind are the 3 letters WOE - What On Earth??

"Your Academy is massive. I can't believe that this place has existed before even we where born. I thought life was old fashioned and dull, but you proved me wrong otherwise." I take in the sight.

"Ha Ha. Yeah, I was as surprised as you when I found out such a place exists. At first, I had to wash my eyes with water 5 times to make sure that I wasn't dreaming." We both laugh at her response.

"But it's good to have you brother." Maia punches my arm lightly.

"It's good to be here." I say then look at her neck to see a dull blue necklace.

Maia discovers what caught my attention and picks up the necklace.

"You like my necklace?"

"Yeah. It looks strangely beautiful and awfully familiar."

"Maybe it's because it's the same make as your ring." Maia points to my trouser pocket.

I glance to my pocket. How did she know I had a ring? And what does she mean by 'the same make'? Taking out the ring, I show it to Maia.

"How did you know-"

"That you had a ring? I felt it. You see, this necklace, I got it from Mum and Das. It's actually the only thing I have of them and no matter how many times someone tries to take it or steal it I still manage to keep it safe. I don't know if you know this or not but these are very important and only Mum and Dad would entrust us with them, because they contain a strong power only we can wield."

Power? That's what's written on the note I found along with the ring.

"So what is your power?" I ask.

"Water Magic. To use it, I have to give 10 percent of my water supplies in my body."

"10 percent?!" I shout out.

"Yes, 10. To replace the water that's being used, I have to drink more water than is normally required of me as an 18 year old. I don't use my Power often so I don't have to drink a waterfall to stay alive, but I only unleash my Power once a week, trying to train myself as best as I can in case I need it for a serious situation which entitles me to use my full strength. However, until that happens, I've decide to take it one step at a time." Maia looks admiringly at the necklace, handling it gently.

"Now what about you? Do you know what your power is?"

I shake my head. Until now, I've had a million ideas on what the ring's power could be. Wind control, speed increaser, skin hardening where some of the very few ideas I've come up with but I couldn't find out what my Power was no matter what age I was.

"I'm not sure. I've tried putting the ring on but nothing has happened so far." I tell her honestly.

"Hmm. Maybe you're not of age yet. I too, at first, was not able to do anything when I had the necklace but then, on my 16th birthday, I put the necklace on for the very first day of turning of age and the black orbs turned to bright cyan and eventually settled to a cool shade of azul thunder, which is blue, as you can see it now." She points to the dull blue colour of the necklace.

"Since you haven't found out your power yet, we'll need to estimate it. When's your next birthday?"

"In one year."

"How old are you now?"

"20."

"When did you turn 20?"

I scratch the side of my face.

"Today."

There's an uncomfortable silence after this, then Maia explodes.

"What?! You turned 20 today and in all of the time that we've been together, you don't think to mention that it's your birthday?!"

She seems angry.

"Yeah, sorry. I don't usually celebrate my birthday so I forget every time that I'm one year older." I answer with a bit of embarrassment.

"Liar." She throws a slipper at me, missing my face.

"You secretly sing 'Happy Birthday' to yourself every time you become a year older and you clearly remember your birthday since you know it's today. I may have met you today but I can tell when a person is lying, they be strangers or no strangers. We're going to celebrate your special day whether you like it or not." Maia decides.

Yep, she's definitely angry.

"Thank you." I smile, holding back nostalgic tears from remembering my Mum talk to me like that when I was 8 years old.

"Anyway, before we go, have you tried to put the ring on yet today?" She asks.

"No. Not yet. I was busy planning on getting my watermelon." I look at my arms to find no watermelon.

"Uh...Watermelon?"

"Oh. Banner! Bring the watermelon you took from my brother."

A guy with a black overall and mask concealing everything but his eyes comes in with my watermelon.

"Thank you." I bow slightly.

The man bows strongly and runs off the way he came.

I look at the watermelon and find a slight cut.

"Hey! They cut this watermelon! Come back here!" I shout to the man, who's not in the room right now.

"It's okay, leave it. If need be I'll get another one. Now, the ring." Maia says.

Looking at the ring, I inhale and pick it up carefully. I slide it down my index finger and wait. Maia comes closer to look at the black orb at the top of the ring.

"All we have to wait for is the change of the colour of the orb. The colour determines which Power you get to master. Blue is Water, Green is Elemental, Yellow is Light, Orange is Fire and Red is..." She looks at the ring as it changes to a bright magenta then to a deep and hypnotic red, a bit like a cherry.

She smiles.

"And red is Blood."