Chapter 1
The luxuriant spark emanated from my fingertips. It brought forth a lavish smile that effortlessly brightened my face.
“The meat doesn’t broil by itself,” said Henderson with a twinkle in his eye, leaning against the door.
The voice startled me.
“You see that?”
“What I see is no meat,” chuckled Henderson, “Yeah, and that magic of yours too.”
I smiled.
The floor tile is half-cracked, like the sizzling sound of the half-cooked meat in the skillet.
A pitter-patter raindrop landed on my head. I slowly tiltled my head towards the ceiling. Not again, I thought to myself. When the rain pours in, a leak on the ceiling creates a tornado inside. Except the fact that Henderson will walk in and fix it with his fingertip.
Henderson strolled up to the entrance, and asked, “Need a little help, Mister?”
“Please,” I remarked sarcastically.
Henderson flipped his finger up around and summoned a thick verdant branch of a nearby 50 years old tree and covered the the leak.
“Dad wants you to join us. He can activate your new power.” Henderson mentioned before leaving.
Henderson Eerise is the only descendant for the Eerise’s family, the protector of Forest tribe. He likes to wander around the kitchen. We were practically friends since birth. He learnt to read and write at the age of 9, while the others took 3 more years to develop. Henderson is always the top of the class, he loves reading and studying.
That evening, I arrived to the front poarch of a beautifully structured forest house, a heavy wooden beams has five strings attached to its center as silk curtains and a wide entrance with a warm amber light on the inside.
I see Henderson, his mother “Joannah”, and his father “Christler”, or sometimes called, “the Mighty warrior of the east”.
The lengthy wooden table stretches to the end of the feasting chamber. Everyone gathered around. On the table presented Mushroom Meat Brew, Centaur Herb Roast, Honey nectar Bread, and Seaweed Stone’s cake.
“This way,” Henderson says.
I walked with Henderson along the long hall to the very end.
A young women about 15-17 years glanced at me and turns back to whisper something to her friend. They chuckled and looked at me again.
I gave them a slight smile and quickly walk away.
I sat between Henderson and his mother. Christler Eeries stood up and spoke in a loud voice,
“Now that everyone is here. Let’s this evening begin.”
Everyone started chattering, laughing, and eating. The plates are served in a line on the table, people can pick and choose as they prefer.
I respected the Mr. and Mrs. Eeries a lot, they are like a family figure to me.
I picked a bread from the cart on the table and soaked it with honeylime.
“Dad,” Henderson started, “My friend over here got his power today.”
“Great, I will order a subornate for you tommorow,” Mr. Eerie said in a low voice after using a cloth to wipe his mouth.
“Thankyou,” I replied.
The next day
“When’s the meeting?” I ask Henderson,
“Five in the afternoon beside the water tribe training camp,”
“That’s in ten minutes,” I said.
“Yep, you should hurry,”
I looked at Henderson annoyed. I will take my revenge later. I took a leather sack and stormed off. The water tribe shelter are structured weirdly, without a map, no one can get around. I blame it all on annoying Henry.
“Yeah? More important than your friends?” A young woman’s voice shouted loudly echoing through the hallways.
My arms shiver and I quickly hide behind a big golden vase. I did not want any trouble. But also to join the burning drama. I peeked through the hole of the vase and saw a beautiful white dress woman. She is very beautiful, her face is smooth like water and her eyes are wooden brown. Her rose headband had a small golden hairpin on top, she should be the daughter of the water tribe leader. She looks young, 17-18 at most. She is mesmerized. That long curly brown hair along her back is soft and glowing. A beautiful princess must be a match for a charming prince.
“Of course you’re more important,” the young man beside her answered,
The man looks 20 or so. A charming young man indeed, a red and black clothing soldier cloth. Long black pants with also a golden stain attached, another water tribe member. The way the man talks to the woman hints at his love for her. Two lovebirds fighting, I thought.
“It’s not about my friends, it’s about you being insecure.”
Oh, That hurts.
“But you said I was more important,” the girl said in a soft crying voice.
“I can’t do this right now, I’m sorry,” the man said before walking away, leaving the woman alone.
The woman cried softly, she looked around to check if anyone was there. I leaned in closer towards the vase, I extended my body upwards to go out. The vase almost fell but I caught it right on time. The princess looked at me, looking scared and worried. She hurriedly walked towards the hallway. I clumsily put the vase steady and followed her. I tapped on her shoulder slightly.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to-” I did not get to finish the sentence, she cut me off.
“Please leave,” she sobbed.
Her hand covering her mouth. Teary brown eyes, like the leaves in autumn. I stared at her for longer than 5 seconds, I definitely saw her somewhere before. She looks confused, raising her eyebrows, she seems to notice something too.
“Do I know you?,” I asked seemingly, grabbing one of her shoulders softly, pulling her one inch closer to me.
“I’m sorry, I,I don’t think so,” she said before lifting an inch of her cotton white dress and stormed out of the hallway door.
