"My aspect is... Fire. It's fire. But I can only use a very small portion of it, so I am actually not that useful with it."
A nervous expression came over Kean. He was scared that the others would find his secret out. If they did, it would mean trouble for him.
—They can't find out. If they do, I would surely become a laughing stock. I don't want to go back.
A cold sweat ran down Kean's forehead all the way down to his chin. He looked down at the ground and he had the desire to just close his eyes. His face couldn't hide the truth as well as he had hoped. If someone had seen it, they would surely notice the cowardice in his expression.
Jhon had noticed something while he had his attention set on Kean. He could see it in his face— the truth was hidden by a wall of pain. He didn't want to ask him further about it, so he just stayed silent and listened.
"Wait, you two said something about E-M. What is that? Also, what about the aspect thing?"
"What? You don't know? I thought everyone knew about that. Didn't someone in your village teach you about it?"
"Oh... yeah. Well my village was very poor and we didn't really have many people to teach us about things like that."
Levyn looked at Kean with a worried expression. He thought to himself that if no one has told him about all these important things, then the village must have been poor beyond imagination.
"Well, the aspect is the ability you are born with, or the one you obtain. About eight years after your birth, the body changes and your soul releases a new flow of energy. It then connects with your whole body. Your brain and nerves are synchronized with that aspect. As for E-M. It comes from the very first time when the aspects appeared. People gained the ability to control elements, such as fire, earth water wind and so on. It basically means elemental and mental strength. Humans discovered that it didn't only depend on your physical strength, but also on your mental strength— hence the mental part of it."
Kean was confused by the new knowledge that was thrown at him. These were things that he had never heard of ever before in the village.
I don't understand a single damn thing. What the hell are they saying?
Both Levyn and Jhon had gained that knowledge in their hometowns. It had been taught and explained to them since the day they learned to read and write. Those two were considered to be the fortunate ones. People with enough money lived in great villages with wide walls made out of many materials such as stone and iron.
"That isn't even the best part of it! You surely know about the Great War of Two Kinds, right?! Well, it has been said for centuries now. That the humans gained their power by consuming their enemies and the strange core that they possessed. But nowadays no creature has a core anymore— only a pure blood, and those are mostly dead."
There was a bright glow inside of Levyn's eyes as he told both about the story of humankind. He was the guy who just loved to share all the information that he had stored in his head.
Kean responded to him in an affirmative tone:
"I do know that much. It was the most told story in my village. Also one of my favorites."
---
"I forgot to ask, but... Who are these people and why are we in cages?"
"You don't know? These men are flesh hunters. They take some people as slaves and others for food, the lucky ones get selled on the black market."
After Levyn finished talking, Jhon added more information from his side of knowledge.
"Slaves mostly do labor work and eat the leftovers. Those who get worked to the bone are unfortunate enough to go completely insane and start consuming other slaves at night. So if I were you, I would sleep with one eye open. You know."
All the things that Jhon told Kean about the slaves made him feel much more uncomfortable than he already was.
"What do we do about food now? While we're on the wagon?"
"If we're fortunate enough, then we get to eat about every four days. If not, then we probably starve all the way to the lair. You know."
Kean didn't like what he heard at all. He was sure that he wouldn't survive that long without food. The longest time he had ever gone without eating was one day, when his father punished him for skipping training.
Levyn licked his dry lips and looked at Kean with a somewhat serious and joking manner.
"Well, I got so hungry once that I just started licking on the bars. The taste is awful and makes me feel sick, but it takes the concentration away from the hunger. You should try it."
As if I'd do that!
"Don't come at me with such ideas! You don't know what kind of diseases are on that."
"Alright then, forgive me for wanting to help."
---
When it was late at night and everyone in the cages was fast asleep, Kean remained the only one awake. He was restlessly deep in thought, worried about the yesterday and the tomorrow.
He sat with his back leaned against the cage bars, watching the road and the passing trees.
He had one knee up with his right arm rested on it, and the other leg was on the ground. He looked down at his hand palm, he thought about everything that Jhon and Levyn had told him. He clutched his hand tight, closed his eyes and concentrated all his strength into releasing a power that didn't exist.
I'm probably just a late bloomer. Just like mother told me, it just takes more time with me. If I try hard enough I can probably awaken it. I can make it appear.
In the deepest, darkest corner of Kean's mind, he hoped and wished for something to happen— something he had wanted for a long time.
If he had that one thing, then the other's in the Village would surely accept him, and he could finally feel comfortable.
After a while Kean opened his eyes again.
Nothing had happened.
It had been just like every other time before that.
A tear ran down his cheek. He wanted to cry, to shout in frustration and anger. He was devastated and furious. He had reached the point where he wished it hadn't been him— where it should have been just anyone else.
Why did you have to make me like this!? Why did you take everything away from me!? Why! Why! Why! Why!
It was bad enough when everyone detested me for being worthless, but now I really have nothing! No aspect, no E-M, no family!
Kean complained and threw insults at someone— or something— inside of his mind. He let out all the emotions he had kept buried inside. He wanted someone to hear him, to read his thoughts and feel bad for how his life had turned out.
"... Why did I survive."