Reo's obsession with his brother's newfound energy core consumed him. Every waking moment was spent devising ways to understand and ultimately take control of Kairos' power. He scoured the town for any scrap of knowledge, visiting elders, digging through old records, and questioning anyone who might hold the faintest inkling of information about energy cores.
The journey began in the dusty corners of the town library. Though small and neglected, the library housed ancient books, relics of a time when Orinthia's forgotten regions were vibrant. Reo combed through piles of tomes, his frustration mounting with each passing day.
One evening, as the last rays of sunlight spilled through the cracked windows, he stumbled upon a brittle manuscript titled The Essence Within: Understanding Energy Cores. His heart raced as he turned the fragile pages.
The text was both illuminating and maddening. It stated clearly that energy cores were rare and precious gifts. The majority of energy core holders were born to parents who possessed them. This ensured that their lineage carried the potential for power. Reo's jaw clenched as he read further.
'In the rarest of cases, a child may be born to ordinary parents and still possess an energy core. Such occurrences are considered divine blessings, bestowed directly by the Creator.'
The words burned into Reo's mind. A blessing? From the Creator? That made Kairos more than just lucky….. it made him chosen.
Reo slammed the book shut in anger. "Why him?" he muttered, his voice echoing in the empty library. "Why not me?"
His thoughts spiraled. Kairos, the younger brother, was now the chosen one, destined for greatness, while Reo was destined to remain an afterthought. But then, as he sat in the dim light, another thought struck him, a glimmer of hope.
'Gifted energy cores can be transferred.'
The manuscript mentioned this in a footnote, almost as an afterthought. It stated that under specific and forbidden rituals, an energy core could be forcibly removed and implanted into another. The process was dangerous, requiring immense precision, and failure would result in the destruction of the core and possibly death for both parties.
Reo's lips curled into a bitter smile. "If it can be stolen, then it will be mine."
Over the following weeks, Reo intensified his research. He sought out anyone in the town who might know more about energy cores. He approached the elders, respected figures who were rumored to have lived through Orinthia's last golden age.
Old Man Cedric, a hunched and weary figure, was among the most knowledgeable. Reo found him seated under the shade of an ancient tree.
"Cedric," Reo began, bowing respectfully, "I've heard tales of people with energy cores. Can you tell me about them?"
The elder's eyes gleamed with a mix of wisdom and suspicion. "Why does a boy like you seek such knowledge? Energy cores are gifts, not trifles to be studied for amusement."
Reo forced a smile. "It's just curiosity, sir. I heard someone in our town awakened one, and I want to understand."
Cedric studied him for a long moment before nodding. "Long ago, in the days of the Creator's favor, energy cores were abundant. But as the people grew greedy and corrupt, the Creator withdrew the blessing. Now, only a handful are born with such power. Those who are must be protected, for they are the Creator's chosen instruments."
Reo's fists tightened. "Protected? Why? Can't the power be shared?"
Cedric's face darkened. "Shared? No, boy. An energy core belongs solely to its bearer. To take it is an act against the Creator. Only the wicked dare such things."
Reo forced a laugh, masking his frustration. "Of course, sir. Thank you for your wisdom."
But Cedric's words did little to dissuade him. If anything, they solidified Reo's resolve. If the Creator had given this power to Kairos, then Reo would take it for himself—divine will be damned.
As his desperation grew, Reo turned to the darker corners of knowledge. He remembered whispers of an outcast healer, a woman named Malveira, who lived on the outskirts of town. She was rumored to dabble in forbidden practices, the kind of knowledge no ordinary person dared to pursue.
Reo found her in a crumbling shack surrounded by wilted trees. The air was thick with the stench of herbs and decay.
"You seek something forbidden," Malveira rasped as Reo stepped into her domain.
"I need to know how to take an energy core," Reo said, his voice steady despite the fear twisting in his gut.
Malveira cackled, her laugh sending shivers down his spine. "Ambitious, aren't you? Taking an energy core is no simple feat, boy. It requires strength, precision, and a willingness to embrace the darkness."
"I'll do whatever it takes," Reo said firmly.
Malveira studied him, her beady eyes gleaming. "Very well. The process is as follows: you must weaken the bearer, either physically or emotionally. The core can only be extracted when their will is broken. Then, using a ritual dagger, you must carve the core from their chest. The core is fragile, one mistake, and it will shatter, killing you both."
Reo nodded, his heart pounding. "And then?"
"You must implant it into your own body as soon as you get it. The pain will be unimaginable, but if you survive, the core will become yours."
Reo left Malveira's shack that night with a plan forming in his mind. The process was dangerous, yes, but it was his only chance to escape the shadow Kairos cast over him.
As he walked home, one thought repeated in his mind:
"If the Creator blessed him, then I will take that blessing for myself."
**********
Reo's behavior at home shifted drastically in the days following his encounter with Malveira. Once a lively and outspoken presence in the family, he grew distant, spending hours locked away in his room or wandering the outskirts of town in solitude. His mother, Lyra, noticed the change and often asked if something was bothering him, but Reo's responses were curt and evasive.
"I'm fine, Mother. Just tired," he would say, avoiding her concerned gaze.
Damien, his father, chalked it up to typical teenage moodiness, but Lyra wasn't convinced. She tried coaxing Reo back into family activities, but he found ways to slip away, always claiming he had something urgent to do.
One afternoon, Reo returned home from one of his "walks" to the sound of laughter and cheers coming from the backyard. Curious despite himself, he crept closer, peering through the open window. What he saw made his stomach churn.
Kairos stood in the center of the yard, his small frame illuminated by a soft, golden glow emanating from his hands. The energy pulsated, wrapping around him like a living aura. He grinned, his face lit with pure joy, as he effortlessly levitated a stack of firewood from one end of the yard to the other.
"Look, Father! Look, Mother!" Kairos exclaimed, his voice brimming with excitement.
Lyra clapped her hands in amazement, her face glowing with pride. "That's incredible, Kairos! You're truly gifted."
Damien nodded, his expression a mix of astonishment and admiration. "Our boy is going to achieve great things," he said, placing a hand on Lyra's shoulder.
Reo stood frozen, watching the scene unfold. On any other day, he would have joined them, clapping and laughing alongside his family. He would have ruffled Kairos' hair and praised him for his remarkable feat. But today, all he felt was a burning resentment that seared through his veins like molten fire.
"Seventeen," he muttered under his breath. "I'm seventeen, and he's just ten. And yet, the difference between us is like night and day."
The sight of his parents beaming with pride, their attention wholly focused on Kairos, was too much to bear. Reo clenched his fists, his nails digging into his palms, and stormed away from the house.
He didn't stop walking until he reached the edge of the woods, where he collapsed onto a fallen log, panting with anger. The memory of Kairos' glowing hands and his parents' adoration played over and over in his mind, each repetition stoking the flames of his hatred.
"It's not fair," he muttered, his voice trembling. "I've been here longer. I've worked harder. But none of that matters because he has something I'll never have. Something I'll never deserve in their eyes."
The image of Kairos' smiling face only deepened the wound. Reo thought back to all the times he had been proud of his younger brother, all the times he had stood by his side, defending him, encouraging him, loving him. But now, those memories felt like a cruel joke.
"No more," he whispered, his voice cold and resolute. "I've had enough of being second-best."
From that moment on, Reo's determination solidified. The plan he had been toying with in the back of his mind now became his sole focus. He would claim the energy core, no matter the cost. If Kairos was destined for greatness, then Reo would rewrite that destiny in his own favor.