'To my parents,
To my sister, Rebecca,
To Ben and Joe, my twin brothers,
To my cat, Roxy,
Goodbye.
Since I was young, I've always had this gift. I could have whatever I wanted with a simple snap of a finger. I guess you weren't wrong when you said I was the golden one, the one our parents always doted on.
I know I'm young, but this world doesn't offer me anything new anymore. Nothing exciting. Getting money is easy, as is being liked by everyone.
I intend to transport myself into another world, one with new challenges to overcome. One where I can't use this power.
I could stay and just lose the power, but I can't do that. It has to be this way, for myself.
I'm sorry.
I love you all forever.
Marcus.'
He pushed the letter away from himself, set the pen on his desk, and raised his hand in front of him.
He closed his eyes in a pointless effort to trap the water that threatened to race out as he snapped, and the world around him changed.
"Why would you do that?"
"Huh?"
"Why would you throw away everything?"
"Because my life got boring."
"Is that true?"
"No. Partially. But it's not the full truth. I felt like I hadn't done anything of substance in my life, and I want to, but I can't do that in that world. This power has already given people, and myself, expectations of me. Expectations I might fail to meet."
"There's also this thing, a feeling in my gut. Something that's pushing me from my world, and pulling me to this new one."
The being he spoke with smiled. "Finally. We have spoke like this many times, yet only now are you truly honest with me, with yourself."
"Do you know what you want to achieve there?"
"On some level. However I feel like that goal is found in my self, not my mind."
"Is there any difference. Are we not just what we experience? Is your entire being not your mind, the object that controls your body?"
The being put a hand to the side of Marcus's face.
Millenia of memories flooded into his mind, locked from him by a divine power that promised to reveal them when the time came, a process he felt deep inside.
"Were those memories? My memories?"
The being nodded.
"Then no, we aren't just our experiences. If I have experienced those things before, and I'm doomed to experience them once more, then experience means very little for who we are. It seems fate would deny us the pleasure of forging ourselves."
The being stepped back and smiled at his answer, before it raised it's arms up. "Now go forth, Marcus Grant, and achieve your destiny. Grow strong, strong enough to protect those you care about, and strong enough to vanquish the great Evil!"
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The woman's screams could be heard through the entire building.
Childbirth was never good for business in a brothel, so the business was closed that day.
She lay on a bed surrounded by three others. The first stood in front of her and guided her through the birthing process. The second stood by her side, offering her comfort and support. The third, a child at least a decade and a half younger than the others, stood in the corner of the room.
"Come on, you're almost there. Just one more big push. Three, two, one, push."
The woman in front of her, an older woman with greying hair and a wrinkling face, picked the child up and wrapped it in blankets.
"It's a boy! A healthy little boy. Do you want to hold him?" she asked the mother.
Noticing something was wrong, she passed the baby to the child. "Go outside with him."
"Wait," the mother said. "Theresa, protect Marcus. Protect your brother."
The child nodded.
"Promise me."
"I promise, mother."
The older woman hurried her out of the room, a worried look painted onto her face.
As the door closed behind her, the child Theresa held began crying.
In an attempt to quieten the child, she began gently rocking him back and forth. "Shhh. Shhh. It's okay, it's okay." Understanding what was happening inside the room, a single tear fell from her eye.
Suddenly, the baby's cries fell silent. In his head, a being spoke to him.
"I am Angelina. I have been assigned to you by the God to assist you in your missions in this world."
"Primary mission: Destruction of Yar-Anar. Status: Incomplete"
"Secondary mission: Protection of loved ones. Status: One of six encountered. (Note: more may be generated)."
"Secondary mission: Destruction of the Dark Cults. Status: Incomplete."
"Secondary mission: Purification of the Guard. Status: Incomplete."
"Tertiary mission: Accomplishment. Status: Immeasurable."
"Tertiary mission: Destruction of the insurgents of Kerrun. Status: Not Applicable."
"Tertiary mission: Security of Rovinia. Status: Incomplete."
"Tertiary mission: Destruction of Merthin. Status: Incomplete."
"Additional missions may be generated to assist with your primary mission."
Theresa looked up as the door opened.
"I am sorry, child. Your mother is gone." She placed a hand on her shoulder. "There is room aplenty for both you and the boy at Cranbrow."
She shook her head. "Take him, please. I can't look after him. But I'll watch over him. I'll train and get stronger, and I will always keep him from harm. Rasha, you're the best person to care for him," she said, handing her the baby.
"I understand. If you ever need anything, or wish to visit him, just let me know."
"Thank you."
The old woman left with Marcus, and now that the messy business of childbirth was finished the brothel reopened.
Unable to move, the girl broke down in tears. In that short amount of time, her family had both doubled in size and been completely destroyed.
She felt a large, gauntleted hand on her shoulder.
"Are you okay child?" a soft, masculine voice asked her.
She shook her head. "I have to fight. I have to get stronger. I won't lose him."
"I won't ask you what you mean. You wish to become stronger? Well, do you believe in fate?"
She looked at him and furrowed her eyebrows.
"You wish to get stronger, and I have recently been thinking about establishing a special, elite task force for this nation. Interested?" he asked, holding out a hand.
After a moment, she took his hand. "I have to watch over my brother," she said, giving her condition.
"You can, when there's time. Is that acceptable?"
She nodded her head. "My name is Theresa Grant. Call me Tess."
"Vice-Commander Marth Garnell," he responded. "I hope you'll be a good investment."
"And I hope you'll be a good mentor," Tess responded, making him laugh.