Ten years ago, Harriot managed to attain the Dragon Potion and heal Aoi Quin. Soon after he headed home in Psychoses where his two children and wife were ill. The three of them shared the same disease known as cardiomyopathy. A heart disease that makes it hard for the heart to pump blood into the body. It ultimately leads to heart failure. There is no way to cure this disease but there are ways to prolong the lives of those with the illness. Harriot's family was unfortunate enough to suffer from this illness since birth. It is a miracle how they survived so long.
Harriot arrived home with a bottle half full of the Dragon's Potion. His wife, Olivia Fong was quick to ask "Why is the bottle half-empty? This amount can only heal one person".
"Someone poisoned one of my colleagues and there wasn't enough time to save her. I ended up giving her half of the potion to save her life" Harriot answered.
Those were the words that caused Olivia and Harriot's divorce. She found it hard to forgive his actions. "Saving a colleague over his own family. No sane person would have done that in his shoes" she thought to herself. Before Harriot left the family to pursue his dreams of starting a business, he had an important decision to make. "Who should I heal? Fei or Sue?" he asked himself. Olivia did not help him in his decision-making. At that point, she did not care which one got cured of the disease because she herself was soon to be deceased. "Sue is a strong girl. She will hold out for as long as her mother did but what about Fei? Will he make it? He had to visit the hospital more often than Sue does. Best to choose him for now, next to Dragon Hunt I'll be sure to save Sue then" he said making up his mind. With his decision, he left the family for good. Fei and Sue were 6 years old at the time when their parents divorced. Harriot was hardly home, to begin with so the siblings hardly saw their father much. Before too long they ended up forgetting all about him.
Sue did not suffer from her illness during her childhood. She behaved like any normal girl would despite her illness. Sue was not afraid to play games with her friends or socialize with other people. Olivia was very proud to see her sick daughter living a carefree life. It's what she wanted to see before passing away. Olivia could feel her body getting weaker by the day so she decided to teach her children the way to live before she loses the chance.
"Fei, Sue, things might look good now but later on in your lives, you are going to see that this world is harsh and does not care about you or what you do. It will make you want to cry and scream out for help"
"What should we do mom?" Fei asked.
"Smile" Olivia replied.
"Smile even when we're sad. That is the same as lying to yourself" Sue stated.
"I know that sweety but it must be done. Negative emotion is a sign of weakness. It shows that you are affected by what's happening around you and people are going to take advantage of that. Promise me, even when you're at your lowest point. Don't let others know" said Olivia strongly.
"What about us siblings? We should hide our true feelings from each other too?" asked Sue.
"Sometimes you should. This is how I was brought up and it worked out fine for me" smiled Olivia. Sue was clearly in disagreement with her mother's words while Fei was taking all that she said to heart. A month later Olivia's heart stopped beating in the middle of making breakfast for her kids.
On the present day when Fei and Sue were on the phone, Sue asked "Do you remember how we lived after our mother died? How did you feel? Who gave you comfort? Was life with Aunt Mina bad enough for you to run away?"
"No, you always seem to cheer me up back in those days I'll admit. That's a part of the reason why I'm doing all of this for you. So what's the attitude for?" Fei replied annoyed. The siblings went silent while remembering the past.
Her death was already foreseen so Fei and Sue were sent to live with their Aunt Mina. Aunt Mina was a strict lady who does not tolerate disobedience from Fei or Sue. She had a son their age named Akujini.
Their life in Aunt Mina's house was drastically different compared to living with their mother. In the mornings, Aunt Mina made Sue clean the house while Fei does laundry. She made the siblings skip school on multiple occasions for selfish reasons such as keeping Akujini company at home. Akujini was a prodigy that was stated to be too smart for elementary school. One day when Fei was washing the bedsheets Akujini decided to cause trouble for him. Whenever Fei finished one sheet, Akujini would throw it in the garbage can. Fei confronted Akujini about his rotten behavior. "What's your deal dude? You're causing more work for me" Fei complained.
"Hehehe, guess you'll have to wash the sheets again" Akujini giggled. Fei had the right mind to punch the boy in the face but Sue held him back. "If you punch him it won't end well. Calm down, Fei. I'll help you wash them over again. Let's hurry before Aunt Mina comes back" Sue advised. Akujini laughed at the two siblings. "You two are pathetic. I wouldn't be caught dead doing these chores as if I were some slave. Can't you see that my mother is using you" the boy laughed out loud?
"We aren't blind. I am only waiting for the right moment to take my brother and leave this place" Sue said staring at the floor. Akujini picked on Fei every chance he had. He especially loves to tease him when Aunt Mina is around. Cutting holes in his clothes, throwing away his dinner, turning the water off while in the middle of a bath. After a whole year, Fei was at his breaking point. Sue could feel the killing intent radiating from Fei's glares around the dinner table. Even Aunt Mina realized the mood the boy was in so he told Akujini to ease the teasing for a bit. The warning fell on deaf ears because Akujini continued to patronize Fei.
One night while Fei was asleep, Akujini entered his room with two frogs in hand. He placed the frogs on Fei's face then quickly left the room before anyone noticed him. The next morning everyone woke up hearing Fei's scream.
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!
Waking up to see a frog on your face is not ideal for anybody. It was natural for him to scream. Sue charged inside her brother's room and threw the frogs through the window with little effort. "Akujini did this. I swear I'm gonna kill-"
Fei suddenly remembered his mother's words. "People take advantage of negative emotions. He wants me to get mad, he wants me to kill him. That's why he's provoking me all the time. So all I have to do is smile just like what mom told us" said Fei. He had the look of a man who finally found the answer to a math problem he spent weeks on.
From that day onwards Fei tried his best to keep a smile on his face no matter what the situation may be. Once he realized that his life has gotten easier and that Akujini began to provoke him less he never stopped smiling. Sue even went out of her way to help Fei with his laundry work while still doing her own chores. Fei's burden felt lighter than ever before thanks to his new lifestyle and his sister.
Back to the present day Fei sighed and apologized to Sue. "Fine, I know what you mean. You were very supportive back then. I was going down a dark path and you did your best not to let it happen. You ease my burden while adding more weight on yours" said Fei.
"Thanks, that's why I'm so disappointed in you. When it was your turn to support me you failed miserably" said Sue.
"I failed? I am sorry for the things I said. If they hurt you that much you should have said something about it. I would have stopped" said Fei.
"No, I couldn't stop you. I know deep down the words you said were the truth. It's true that my time here is limited. I'm so mad damn it. I wanted you to find a way for me. A way to make me feel happy. You haven't noticed but I've been copying your fake smiling ever since I became hospitalized" said Sue. Fei could hear the sadness in his sister's voice. He had no idea he was making Sue feel this way.
"Here I thought I was making you happy," Fei said depressed. The siblings stopped talking once again. Fei looked back to when Akujini told him the terrible news.
Fei was on his way to school when he heard from Akujini that Sue collapsed during her chore duties. Fei wasted no time heading to the hospital to check on Sue. When he arrived Sue was reading a manga she found inside the room. "Sue! How are you feeling?" he asked worriedly.
"Tired, very tired. The doctor says I don't have much time left. Give it like three more years at most" Sue sighed.
"That's not good. Isn't there any way to cure your disease?" asked Fei.
"None that I'm aware of. The most I can do is do what the doctors say to prolong my life a little further" said Sue.
"What now?" she asked scared.
"Guess it can't be helped. For the three years, you have left I am going to let you enjoy it" Fei smiled.
Back to the present day, Fei slammed his head on the wall close to him. "I'm such an idiot. No one wants to just die like that. Who would accept their demise so easily? What was I thinking!?" Fei said disappointed with himself. He remembered the many times he said things like living the best life, being there when you die, and so forth. "Putting myself in your shoes is all I need to see that I could have done better. I know that's not what you wanted to hear back then but even now I still don't know what to say. It's not like I can cure your illness" said Fei.
"Which is why you have to win the Dragon Hunt and save my life," said Sue.
"Stop giving me attitude then" replied Fei.
"No way, I'm going to speak my mind today. I'm through pretending like I'm happy. How the hell can I live happily like this. Knowing that I am going to perish soon" Coughs! Coughs! Coughs!
"Settle down Sue. I'll win the Dragon Hunt and save your life. After that we can finally live freely without pretending" said Fei.
"I know I will but you're different. I won't ever be able to read what you're thinking. You always put on a false persona like if someone read you like a book you'd drop dead" Sue said harshly.
"Anyways, I'm glad this is off my chest now. You now know that I hated your method for comforting me during my low time. Winning the Dragon Hunt is your redemption. You hear, you better not lose" Sue said seriously.
"Yeah, I hear ya. Could you give dad the phone for a minute?" Fei asked.
"He's not here. Call back later" she said before hanging up. That call caught Fei by surprise. He couldn't express the feeling he had after the call was finished. "It's good to hear her voice so loud after all this time. Man, I miss those days. Guess she still has couple of days left judging by how she was behaving. But damn, I had no idea she could be so cold to me. I did what I could. I didn't know she could be so unreasonable" sighed Fei.
Knock! Knock!
Someone knocked on Fei's door and shouted "It's Cj. I need to talk to you!"
Fei opened the door and greeted "What's up Cj".
"Tomorrow is the final round. What are you planning on doing after this round is over?" asked Cj curiously. He forced himself inside Fei's room and sat on his chair. Fei gave it some thought and replied "Hang out with my twin after I heal her".
Cj nodded no in reply and showed Fei a list of names. "I have something better for you to do with your time. A storm is coming and I'm gonna need your help to stop it" said Cj. Fei looked at the list of names and saw that he knew a few of them.
Victor Cruez
Alisa Matar
Cj Coley
Stephano Jupiter
Fei Fong
Lethal Lady
Miya Almon
Fei knew all of those names. He asked Cj "What are these names for?"
Cj took a deep breath and replied "It is a long story. Just know that they are targeted by a certain man known as King Almon. I want you to guard one of these people with your life"
"Eh?"
Fei cleaned his ears and asked Cj to repeat himself. "I want you to guard one of these people after the Dragon Hunt is over. Guard for them a week, that's all I'm asking from you" said Cj.
"No way, I have too much on my plate to do that," said Fei.
"Fine, I'll cut a deal with you. Protect one of these people and I'll save your sister. It is clear that I am going to win this competition so it's the best offer you could ask for" said Cj. Fei started to seriously consider Cj's request. He already has a vague idea of what's happening around him. People he knows are being targeted for whatever reason and Cj wants his help to stop that person. "The people who are targeting this list of people. Are they the same ones who killed Ronald, Malcolm, and Gordon?" asked Fei.
"Yeah, pretty much the same guy responsible. King Almon" said Cj.
"Fine, I'll guard Alisa Matar. It just occurred to me that her father died today. I wonder how she's taking it" said Fei.
"I just had a chat with her. Don't worry about her right now. She's focusing on the final round. Good choice, picking Alisa. She's the only one who can't use her power to its fullest yet. The same is true for me" said Cj.
Fei looked at the list of names again and gasped at something he noticed. "Every single person on this list has a broken gift. That can't be a coincidence" he blurted out loud. SOR lit up on Fei's watch and greeted Cj.
"Cj, it's been a while. Good to see you" he greeted.
"Sor! You're with Fei? Since when? How did that even happen? What about your duties?" asked Cj surprised. "Relax, I'm on vacation right now. Anyways, I would like you to explain everything to Fei. I see no point keeping secrets from him If you're going to involve him in the situation" said Sor.
"I see, if you know everything then it's safe to assume Aoi Quin knows too. Is she a foe or an ally?"
"Can't say, she isn't planning on stopping King Almon's schemes as long as he doesn't touch Fei" Sor answered. And with that Cj explained the whole situation to Fei. He told him about the eight Xs and their immense power. Those who wield the same gift as the Xs are their reincarnations and King Almon wants their bodies. "The King has the gift to control gift. If someone dies then he has the option to steal their gift away from them. This is what the Professor determined" said Cj. He even went on to talk about how the Professor is dead without many people's knowledge. "If King Almon attains the power of the Xs then he is going to be a godly figure" Cj added.
Fei processed most of what Cj said and finally understood what Lethal was talking about. "By storm, she meant King Almon's scheme. Does my dad know about this?" Fei wondered.
"So after this Dragon Hunt is finished, I expect you to be by Alisa's side at all times got it. Your life will be in danger but with your speed and SOR's guidance, I don't see you losing to anybody" Cj assured.
Fei pointed at his watch and laughed "SOR hasn't done anything useful since he got here so I'm pretty sure I only have my speed to depend on"
"Rude"