“If you can help me, then I’ll accept.” He giggled and smiled. “Welcome to the team, Nirandi! You won’t regret it!” I nodded. How could I pass up the opportunity to know who, what, and where my family are? It would be ridiculous to refuse. After all, he does know me already. I looked around and people started coming out of their rooms. They stared at me for a while, then they cheered. I know it will take a while to adjust, but I’m willing to take that period of time to learn. I didn’t feel left out at all. We all talked and celebrated. All except Tanoris. He left and he turned to Demaris. He asked him something, but I was too far away to hear it. He pointed at me and left. Demaris nodded and came towards me. “Make sure you don’t get into any trouble, alright?” He ruffled my hair and walked away. I had to use stealth. I knew something was up. I used my hidden prowess,

Reflector, to refract the light and protons around me making me invisible. I crept slowly towards Tanoris’s room. I heard grunts and sobbing, then a crash. If i wasn’t next to the door, I wouldn’t have heard it because of the music blasting in the background. I wasn’t much of a party person, so snooping around was my best option. I couldn’t open the door, he was in there. I looked through the keyhole and saw that there’s a window right outside that peers into his bedroom. I had to hurry because using my prowess could internally and permanently damage me; instead of using my cells, i’m rearranging protons and atoms in my body and outside of me. I made sure to not bump into any tables or anyone there. I went outside and found the window, but the blinds were closed. I cursed under my breath and continued to search, until the window opened. Tanoris had came out through the window. “I know you’re here, Nirandi. I know your powers as well. Like I said, you are my favorite. Funny thing to, I’m not that much older than you. I can teach you how to use some of your powers, but some of them are past my level.” I stopped using reflector and stayed put. I didn’t move, he obviously knew where i was. He looked over in my direction; his once yellowish-grey eyes, a mirror-like reflection shone. His eyes were chrome, as if he could see far beyond just me.

“It seems as if I’ve heightened your interest, no? It’s called Opticity, nothing can go blind to my eyes. It increases my ability to see things that are invisible, hidden or in the spirit realm. I’ve only been to that realm once, and it took so much out of me, I was close to death. That’s when I realized my purpose on this earth. It’s to stay in your own lane. Not to go beyond what you see, not building a holy temple to the heavens. No, just simply live.” I didn’t agree with him at all, but I didn’t want to argue right now. I was curious as to what he was doing in his room. His unruly swift hair was an absolute mess. Most of the people

here, I found out, had more than one power, but that gave them more weaknesses to work on. Demaris has three. His are Hydraimperium, Ventus habitat, and Seeker. The power to control the wind, water, and can find anyone he needs. Pretty useful. I have yet to know what Taioris’s powers are beside Opacity. I heard from people here that his eyes are very powerful, almost as powerful as the legend Ragosha, the mother of demon eyes. Legend says that her eyes alone could enhance a blind man to all-knowing, but the cost is sentiment. You lose all hope in the world; you become a demon of sorts, knowing all is lost. Some have tried to obtain her eye and killed themselves because of the intensity. I wonder how he can cope with all of that pressure. “So you’d rather die a hermit than explore new worlds and realms?” I asked. He laughed and walked towards me. “I’ve already explored most things to know that it’s not worth all of the hype it’s given. More so, someone I loved dearly died to try to explore new worlds and realms. He was young and killed for no absolute reason...Though nothing can go blind to my eyes, sometimes, I have to make things become non-existent to me.” He says in sorrow. I didn’t want to make him relive that awful memory, so I let it be. “So you fear to know what’s beyond your reach, but it’s right at your fingertips? You fear the injustice that comes with the knowledge you have.” He simply nods his head. “Well, spread that knowledge to me. I’m not afraid of injustice because I’ll bring justice to it. I want to firmly grasp the beyond in my arms and keep it close to me.” He simply looks at me. He smiles a blinding smile, one that could lift all from depression. “If you so wish it happen, may it be to you. Come with me!” He takes my hand and drags me to the back of the outward worn house. His eyes turn chrome again and he goes to a certain spot in the middle of the yard and hits the ground with full force. In the center of a majestic garden, a hole opens up from the ground only showing the nothingness

under it. “Do you truly want to know what lies in my mind? What knowledge almost did to me?” he asked with a serious tone. I chuckled and said, “Let it be.” He nodded and grabbed my waist, pulling me to him, and jumped down into the void.

We fell quickly and the silence was all that was heard. Though the whistle of wind whipping past us was loud as well. I looked at his shirt. It was lifted up so I could see his torso pretty well. I saw scars and marks all over his chest. They looked old, but some were purple and red and it scared me. When I looked up he was staring at me, very creepily. He pulled down his shirt and kept it down. “Stop it,” he stated plainly, “You’re being weird.” I looked him dead in the eye with an annoyed look. “Says the guy who LITERALLY gave me the creepiest stare in the world. It scared me….what’s with the scars. I see you have a lot.” He looked at me, most possibly my neck due to the redness of it, and looked away. “Tangles with near-death. What about you? Why is your neck red?” He didn’t really answer my question, but I answered all the way. “My mother tried selling me to random men for money. I always got out without being touched, sexually anyway. They always grabbed me by my neck and once someone almost killed me, but I always got out. No matter what.” He hummed in response and soon we saw the ground. “Stand up.”

“What?”

“Stand up, you’ll see why.” I stood up and when we were close to the ground, we started to float. We gently landed on the ground. Then Taoiris came up to me and grabbed my neck. I grabbed his arm and tugged at it, but it wouldn't budge. “WHAT ARE YOU DOING?” He stared at me with soft eyes and said, “Did they hold you like this? How did you get out of it?”

“Like this!” I scratched his eye making him reel back and I grabbed his neck, forced him onto the ground, and pulled out a dagger. This dagger was not much, but my cousin gave it to me as a gift. “I see,” he said blandly, “You must have a hard time finding peace. I'm sorry for the sudden attack. I was curious.” I'm scared. If that's what happens when he's curious, what else would he do? That thought made me shiver. He was always so playful or impulsive, so him doing that made me take note that I should probably not tell him anything that will make him a question. He grabbed my hand, but gently, and tugged me towards a dark hallway. It was pitch black and I couldn't see, but I knew he could. All of a sudden a disgusting purple light shined. It had a horrible feel to it like demons filled the room. A door with a stone face appeared in front of us. On it, there were two faces. One of happiness and one of sorrow. “Tell me what these faces mean to you about the situation before we go in, so I can make sure you're ready.” I looked at the faces, they held no emotion, but they were emotion itself. “The happiness and joy you get from knowing all is soon cloaked with sadness and sorrow at some point of learning.” He grunted and nodded slightly. “So you understand, something could happen to you at any moment? I can’t go in there with you…” he trailed off and looked at his feet. Something swelled up inside me; it felt like a tie was around my stomach and tied tightly. “I can do this. This isn’t my first man vs self fight.” He smiled gently and he opened the doors for me. “Well I want you to know something. This room is based on your powers. There are three parts of your individuality. One, the power you’re born with, two, the power based on your personality, and three, your development. However you develop, this room can detect it and base it on what you need to develop.” I nodded and he smiled gently, opening the doors for me. I walked in chin up and head first.