Location: Kell Village
Time: 7 years after reincarnation, Midday
—
It was a warm summer day, birds flew through the air, and the sun's rays beamed down on Kell Village.
Everyone in the village knew each other, as it had a very small population. Everyone was happy with their current living situation, though it definitely could be improved.
The village sat near a river, close enough to collect water and cool off on hot days.
A considerable distance from the village stood a large, flat patch of field, perfect for training. The nearby trees had several dents in their trunks, seemingly caused by people being repeatedly flung into them.
Then–
An explosion appeared in the training ground, laughter and a loud groan could be heard coming from it.
Inside a small smoldering crater lay an ash-brown-haired 7-year-old boy, groaning in agony.
Standing near the edge of the crater was a blonde-haired boy, giggling at him.
"WHAT THE FUCK, BRO!?" Omari shouted from the crater. He clutched his left arm while groaning in pain.
"You good?" Jackson asked, a sly smirk forming on his face.
"Does it look like I'm good?! You threw a fucking grenade at me!" Omari screamed, anger plastered all over his face.
"It's a part of my power, what else do you want me to use?"
Omari looked away, frustration littered in his tone. "Yeah, yeah, whatever."
"It's not my fault you've been slacking on your training."
Omari turned his head sharply at Jackson. "I've just hit a bump in my development. You have to give me time to cook!"
Jackson smirked. "All I hear are excuses."
"Shut the fuck up!" Omari shouted.
"I see you guys are still training." A white-haired boy approached the two.
Jackson waved his arm at him. "How's it going, Savien? Where's Damian?"
The white-haired boy walked toward his two friends. A light breeze brushed through his long hair, swaying it lightly.
"The elders of the village asked to speak with him about something, so he'll be busy for a while."
He looked down at Omari, who lay at the bottom of the crater. Lost in thought. "Did he lose another sparring match with you?"
Jackson bent over, touching his feet as he stretched. "Yeah, but there seems to be something else wrong with him. I think it has something to do with his motivation. He's only willing to do things if they have an immediate reward."
He raised his arms in the air. "That's not exactly a healthy attitude."
Savien placed a hand on his chin. "Well, if that's the case, then all we can do is wait until he gets a mentality switch and gains more motivation. We'll have to help him improve his power."
"Well, his excuse was that he had hit a bump in the development of his power," Jackson said, stretching his arms to the side.
He continued. "Even if we wanted to help him in that aspect, we couldn't. He's the only one who understands how his power actually works."
"Yeah, I've never seen anything like it. The way he talks is also strange, although we are from different realities, so it's to be expected," Savien added, his hand no longer on his chin.
Omari finally snapped out of his deep thought, stood up, still inside the crater, and looked at both of his friends.
He then noticed Savien. "When did you get here?"
Jackson finished his stretches and turned to Omari. "Don't worry about that now, we still have to train some more." He lowered his hips and raised his arms, getting into a fighting stance.
Omari jumped out of the crater and put his hands in front of himself, shaking them frantically.
"Time out! I need a break!" Omari pleaded.
But it was too late. Jackson lunged forward and punched him.
"No time for breaks, we still have to help you get past that little bump you've hit," Jackson said as he threw another punch at Omari.
Savien sat down nearby and watched the two spar.
—
Some village children played tag together, chasing each other around with smiles on their faces and not a care in the world.
Small houses were scattered throughout the village, some made of wood and others partially from sketchy-looking concrete.
A cool breeze blew through the village, gently carrying away leaves. The wind blew the black hair of a 7-year-old boy as he walked towards an old-looking building made from withered wood.
A young boy lagged behind his friends, sweat pooling on his face as he struggled to catch his breath. He seemed to have forgotten to drink water because he had been having so much fun.
He suddenly sensed someone standing directly behind him. It felt as though he was being judged at that very moment. The person's gaze seemed to pierce through his body, observing his very soul.
"Are you okay? Do you need some water?" Damian asked, his tone carefully even. His lifeless eyes were fixed on the boy, assessing him as if he were a threat.
Fear suddenly took control, and the boy froze in place. He didn't know what to do.
"You should go drink some water, you look dehydrated," Damian said while pointing toward the nearby well in the center of the village.
The boy slowly turned around and locked eyes with Damian. His aura was very intimidating for someone so young.
The boy began stumbling over his words for a bit before he spoke. "I-I'm fine, t-thank you."
"If you say so," Damian said as he walked toward the old wooden building.
As he walked, one thought went through his mind, still in his normally flat tone.
'Why was I so awkward back there?'
Once there was some distance between the two, the boy let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. "He's so scary!"
...
Damian stood in front of an old wooden house situated near the centre of the village.
"The Elders' Hut" is what the locals called it.
He walked up to the door and knocked twice.
"Come in!" an older man's voice called from inside.
He opened the door and stepped inside the building.
'I wonder what they want from me?'
Inside the old house stood a large table. Two old men in white robes sat behind it, both looking closer to death than anything else. Each had a cup of tea in front of him, steam slowly rising from each.
"Please take a seat." One of the old men gestured toward an open seat deliberately left for Damian.
He closed the door and made his way toward the open seat.
One of the elders placed their hands on the table and spoke. "Alright, let's get down to business. We summoned you here because it's almost time for you and your friends to partake in the Kell Forest Trials."
"I already know this," Damian replied, his tone even.
"We know that, but it's tradition to inform you about the trial," the same elder replied.
He continued. "The trial involves you and your friends joining the hunting squad on an early morning hunt for food in the Kell Forest, which you will catch on your own. This is meant to help us see if you are developing well and aren't slacking on your training."
The other elder—with a long white beard—spoke up. "After the hunt, you will be allowed the option of either keeping your catch or giving it to the Hunting Squad to take back to the village. Regardless of your decision, the Hunting Squad will head back to the village, and you will be left to fend for yourselves in the forest for five weeks."
Damian raised an eyebrow. "So you're leaving children in a forest for a month?"
"We wouldn't do it if we thought you weren't ready for it," the elder replied.
"Have our parents agreed to this?" Damian asked, his tone still even.
"Yes, all your parents have been informed about the trials. Some of them even took part in the trials themselves when they were younger," The bearded elder said, his thoughts drifting back to the day Damian's mother came back to the village with four giant boars in her hands.
"Oh, okay... can I leave now?" Damian asked.
Both elders stared at each other, astonished by Damian's lack of interest.
One of them scratched their head, stumped. "You may leave." He gestured at the door.
Damian stood up from his chair and walked toward the door leading outside. His footsteps echoed through the room as he reached the door and opened it.
"We have high hopes for you guys!" The bearded elder shouted with enthusiasm.
Damian didn't reply as he walked out and closed the door behind him with a gentle click.
After a short silence, the bearded elder spoke up. "Doesn't he remind you of his father?"
"Yep, but... his father never acted as he does," The other replied.
"Did you see the look in his eyes? They were soulless, devoid of any human emotion."
The first elder placed his hand on his chin, pondering. "He has the look of someone who's experienced more trauma than anyone should. It could also just be something he inherited from his father."
"Well, whatever it is, it'd better help him pass the trials."
—
Jackson threw a right jab at Omari, which got blocked.
Omari used the opening to land a right hook on Jackson, causing him to stumble back slightly.
"It seems that you're finally getting your mojo back," Jackson said, wiping sweat off his forehead.
"As I said before, I hit a bump in the development of my power. I've been spending more time thinking about how to get past it. That's why I've been losing sparring matches against you lately!" Omari said, sweat running down the side of his head.
He curled his hand into a fist and slammed it on his chest. "You've enjoyed your win streak for far too long now." He lunged forward, fist curled back.
Omari aimed his punch at Jackson's head, but Jackson narrowly dodged it as he swayed slightly left, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.
Omari followed up with an elbow aimed at Jackson's head, which connected. Then he followed up with a left hook and a jab to his opponent's head and stomach.
Jackson slid back from the blows. Pain surged through his body.
He looked at Omari with a giant grin, manifested a grenade, and threw it at him.
Omari easily dodged the grenade and launched himself forward, his arm pulled back, ready to strike.
The grenade detonated behind him as he closed the distance between him and Jackson.
Jackson burst forward as well, hoping to meet his opponent halfway as he prepared a high kick aimed at his chest.
"No no square!"
An invisible cube suddenly surrounded Omari, which blocked Jackson's high kick.
"What the—"
Confusion plagued Jackson's mind as he tried to figure out how his kick was blocked.
While Jackson was distracted, Omari used the opening to land a gut punch.
Jackson staggered backwards, his breathing deep and labored.
Omari saw this and smirked. He opened up his palm, and the letter "E" manifested in it.
E-RADICATE
A beam of E's launched toward Jackson while he was disoriented.
The attack landed, its force sending Jackson flying. He slammed into the ground on his side and skidded across the dirt, kicking up a small cloud of dust. As he came to a stop, he felt his organs vibrating violently.
'What the hell was that?'
"It seems like Omari is improving!" Savien said as he stood up.
"FUCK YEAH! I AM THE GOAT!!!" Omari screamed and pumped both his fists in the air.
Jackson lay on the floor. Bruises covered most of his body as a smirk formed on his face.
'I'm starting to enjoy this!'
He stood up and brushed the dust off himself, a smirk still on his face. "Don't get too cocky now, Omari."
"Just stay down, lil bro. You don't want the smoke." Omari stated, a small teasing smirk appearing on his face.
They stared each other down, analyzing, waiting for their opponent's next move.
"What's happening here?" A familiar emotionless voice cut through all the tension.
"Oh, it's Damian," Savien said.
Damian walked over to Savien and stood beside him.
Jackson and Omari acknowledged Damian's arrival with a nod before going back to their stare-down.
"So who's currently winning?" Damian asked.
"Omari is. It seems like he's gotten more confident. Maybe he's got some new move that we don't know about?" Savien answered, his eyes fixed on the two fighters.
He then looked at Damian. "So what were the elders talking to you about?"
"The Kell Forest Trials."
"Don't we already know about the trials?"
"That's what I said."
BOOM
An explosion erupted on the battlefield as Omari slid back a considerable distance, arms crossed.
Savien pointed at the two fighters. "So do we tell them about it or…?"
"I'll tell them later. They seem to be having fun, and I don't want to ruin it," Damian replied.
"Biden blast!" Omari screamed as a bright blue light appeared in his palm and shot out toward Jackson.
Jackson manifested a riot shield and used it to protect himself from the beam.
The beam began penetrating the shield, but it gradually lost much of its power as it tried to break through completely. Eventually, it penetrated the shield and struck Jackson with its weakened force.
He flew back a fair bit and landed on his feet. His breath was deep and labored.
"Damn it! I thought I had you!" Omari cursed.
Jackson dusted himself off and smirked. "You're going to have to try harder than that if you want to win this."
Damian and Savien watched as the two continued their fight.
Savien sighed heavily. "So, what do we do while those two do their thing?"
Damian pointed a thumb back at the village. "I was hoping you could teach me more about algebra."
Savien's expression lit up as he spun on his heel and began walking toward the village. "Fine, I'll ask my dad for some spare paper, and we can get started."