'Evil, villain, troublemaker, problem child, plague.' Names I had been given by the lovely townspeople of Arion.
Arion, a cultivator world consisting of elementals, having knowledge that people believed was only known among anybody that had been reincarnated. When I was born however, the peaceful village plunged themselves into a state of chaos.
'A child has been born with the lightning ability.' the news that painted targets on my family's back.
"Jake, come down for breakfast."
"Yes mother." I replied, bolting down the stairs as quickly as I could.
There, perfectly spread out on the wooden table, my usual birthday breakfast consisting of multiple varieties of meat and pastries. I sat down on a chair barely able to contain the drool as I piled different varieties of meat on my plate or tray to put it.
"Perfect birthday breakfast." I mumbled, earning a chuckle from my parents, their laughter was the best thing in the world to me.
"You really like meat." I replied my father with a quick nod and toothy grin before taking a bite.
This was how every birthday was and every time, I was grateful especially knowing how much my birth cost them. We were more than fine financially but we all knew my parents could have had much more if they had executed me like the town wanted. I was after all the last lightning user, the very last of the clan of rogue ability users.
My mother pushed a box towards me and I paused my eating, looking at the box and then my parents before smiling at them both.
"We know how much trouble the townspeople has been causing you which is why we will make this the best birthday before you leave for Brishon tomorrow. You'll be getting into more trouble with the people now that you're legally an adult." I sighed, looking at the best people anyone could call parents.
"Thank you." I said with teary eyes.
Brishon was the only school that still thought how to use lightning abilities despite the extinction of the users, I would be leaving in a week to this prestigious school to be experimented on. I didn't want to go, I knew the extents of my abilities since I had to learn every skill I could the hard way.
I tore apart the wrapping paper, opening the box to reveal a necklace with a silver chain and our family crest as the pendent.
"Thank you." I muttered and my mother put her soft hands on my mine, squeezing it reassuringly.
"Of course you have other gifts, so don't pretend this is the best thing ever." I looked at my parents, with a smile and put it on.
"This alone is the best." They laughed again and I looked back at my meal, ready to devour it all.
A wet feeling on my sock covered feet brought mine and my parents' attention to the ground, which was completely covered in water that was rising dangerously fast. The room had been flooded halfway around the time we made it to the door – or at least where the door was meant to be.
I swam up, to where the water was yet to reach and looked at my parents, still struggling to break the wall for our escape.
This would have been an easy task if this wasn't to make sure I perished, I would be leaving tomorrow to gain knowledge about my ability, to become stronger and no one in our town would be especially happy to see it happen. I was being ambushed, they knew my parents could survive as water users but I on the other hand, was a lost cause in terms of breathing under water.
The water had filled the room and my parents still struggled with the wall, I had never seen my peppy parents so distraught before. The pain from suffocation hit me and for once I realised I was so close to death, my vision had long gone blurry from the water, my parents distraught faces permanently engraved in my brain.
My lungs were at its peak, begging me to breath and I involuntarily did, filling my nostrils with water. My lungs burned more, it felt like they were on the verge of exploding since my body had refused to stop breathing in the water. A surge of pain came in and lasted tenfold, and I saw the splotches of red that filled the water and disintegrated, I knew I couldn't survive this.
My father probably knew this when he dragged my body through the hole they had successfully made. My eyes burned from the exposure to sunlight and I quickly shut them, so tight it hurt and I wished my body would just go numb.
"Jay – Jake," My mum mumbled, her warm tears falling on my cheeks as she pulled my limp body into her embrace, "D-don't leave me, just breathe."
We were all in a state of denial, my parents denying the fact I would die and me denying the fact I would never see them again. If only breathing would save me, a few minutes ago, yes, but it was only now a reflex action my body did, trying to survive. I should be dead by now, but the pain had somehow prolonged my death.
I forced a smile at my parents and they cried harder.
"I… I'll see you soon," those words were so hard to say. My body had gone numb and death started to seep in. I closed my eyes, waiting for the pain to stop, "I promise…"
"Mark, Mark!" A hard smack on my left cheek forced my eyes open and I looked at the people circling me, looking at me with – compassion.
I stood up from the hardwood floor and pushed past the crowd, "Where am I? And who are you idiots?" They looked surprised and an elderly woman in the group slowly approached like I was a rampaging dragon they were trying to calm down.
"I'm your mother Mark." Mark? "This is your home and these people are friends you invited to your birthday." She made to put her hand on my shoulder and I moved back, causing her to stumble.
I eyed the woman, she had ginger red hair mixed with grey strands and dark blue eyes, she looked more elderly than my mother – my real mother and had on the strangest clothes I had ever seen, everybody here did.
"You're not my mother." I said blankly and she maintained her calm face, but I could feel her rage, "And this isn't my house." She inhaled deeply and left to the door, opening it and leading the people out.
"What was the meaning of that outburst Mark?" I raised a brow.
"Mark!? Mark!? My name isn't Mark."
"Go to your room Mark." I glared at her, not moving, this idiot had just attempted to tell me what to do.
"Are you going to stand there or go to your room?" I intensified and she shuddered, there was fear radiating from her, I smirked, there must have been an advantage I had over this woman.
"Much better," I walked to the door, making to open it.
"W-where are you going?"
"Not so high and mighty are we now?" I turned the door knob, "Anywhere with no idiots." I left, not waiting for a response – I couldn't care less if she had one.
I looked my new environment in awe and wonder, everybody back in Arion had knowledge on reincarnation, from the people who were reincarnated themselves, they were always from a more advanced world, one like this but my case was different.
Another dimension with the same technology would have been just fine but I had to readjust without the slightest idea of this world. I would have to live with that woman being my new parent.
"I promise…" I clenched my fists, trying to stop my tears, I needed to find a way back home.
Most importantly, I needed revenge on the person who killed me, Rogue Witch, my ability was second to none and I was practically indestructible but I could be killed.
By either my parents or the rogue witch, a powerful water user, third to my parents in terms of being a water user although more respected.
I spotted a lake not too far into my walk, with water reflecting the starry night star and surrounded by a field of grass. I plopped down on the grass and sighed, putting my feet in the running water, I wasn't fond of sights like this but this lake reminded me of Vallow Lake. I used hang out there all the time just to escape the hate.
I took in a deep breath and started my thoughts, this world seemed void of abilities from what I knew in the last fifteen minutes which meant I was hopefully wrong. The reborn cultivators in Arion had always chosen the path of heroes and would become one, growing into the role with regret and a sense of loneliness till they were driven to the path of suicide.
If I wanted to see my parents I needed to choose a different path, not as an onlooker or a hero, but someone who could still grow in strength. I always wanted to stir up trouble in my village but my tag as a rouge wouldn't help my case when determining a punishment so I pushed the urges to myself. I was a nobody now, free to do whatever I liked, to cause chaos as I pleased and get revenge on the Rogue Witch, by not just becoming a villain, but the greatest one who ever roamed any dimension.
"I want to be a villain." I mumbled.
'The villain path has been chosen.' I stood up swiftly from the grass and scanned the area.
The voice I heard sounded feminine, robotic and so close but I sighted nothing, not even a screen like systems usually had. Exhausted, I laid on the grass, my feet in the water kicking it.