July 3, 491 U.C.

The sun blazed down on the city of Valta on the planet Vuln. It glinted off of windows and steel. A ray pierced through a window, causing me to squint. Turning to avoid it, I continued cooking with an eager smile. It was my twelfth birthday. Yes, we’d spent the past two years training. I’m skipping it. I was bored being there and certainly don’t want to write about it. I can’t imagine that you want to read it. Being home-schooled is dreadfully boring. So, we’re going to do some time skips, hitting the important notes. To that end, we’re jumping to my exciting birthday.

I flipped the eggs and bacon with a growing grin. The smell of the bacon grew as Dad came walking inside.

“No peeking,” he called from the door.

Turning, I sneaked a peek. Sadly, he was prepared, covering whatever it was in with his big, black coat. I scowled at him and pushed my brown hair behind my ears.

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Dad chuckled. “Nice try.” He walked towards his room.

Turning back, I pulled out the toast and added butter. The bacon crackled as I removed the eggs, carefully placing them on the toast so the yolk would soak into it. Finally, I removed the bacon and patted off the grease.

Setting the plates on the table, I took a seat and waited. Footsteps hit my ears along with the typical sirens, of course. Dad strode into the room, taking a seat at the table.

Dad sighed and quirked a brow. “What did you forget?”

“Oh, fork!” I swore using my approved list, which was quite lacking. Standing, I spun to the coffeemaker and found it empty. Rookie move, Casey. I rapidly grabbed a cartridge, shoved it in, put the greatest dad mug under it, and hit go. Then I waited.

“Go ahead,” Dad said while shaking his head. “And don’t use that one around your grandmother.”

“What? I said fork!” I protested as I sat on the wooden chair.

“Let’s remove it from the list,” Dad said, while taking a bite.

“That’s not fair. It’s complete bull shirt, darn it!” I replied and reached for my toast.

Dad sighed. “That sounds ridiculous. No more cursing.”

“You curse all the time!” I said with my mouth full. My words were mumbled. Crumbs shot onto the table. Rapidly chewing, I swallowed.

“Do as I say, not as I do,” Dad replied. “And don’t talk with your mouth full. I’ll let it slide for today.”

I let out a breath of relief and ate more delicately, enjoying the gooey toast that had absorbed the yolk. The bacon tasted amazing too. There is nothing like real bacon after two years of fiery Vuln food. Yes, I was a bit numb to it at this point, but the point still stands.

Enjoying my breakfast, I looked out and saw the sun get engulfed by the storm. The dark clouds were moving fast. And they were dumping, creating an amazing rainbow. I enjoyed it and the smell while I ate.

Dad grabbed his mug, walked back, and sipped while he walked. The smell of coffee mingled with the rest of the food.

I looked up at the coffee with wide eyes. “Since I’m twelve now, does that -”

“Next year,” Dad said as he took a seat, sipping the steaming beverage.

That wasn’t fair in the slightest. I was ready for coffee, but I refrained from yelling as I enjoyed my birthday breakfast. The beat of the rain grew as I did. Finishing, I stood, rinsed my plate, and put it away. Then I walked back and took a seat.

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With a deep breath, I prepared myself. Today’s the day. Today, I ask him again. “Dad? I was thinking that since I’m twelve now, I could -”

“God, no,” Dad interjected.

Rude! I didn’t even finish. With a scowl plastered on my face, I tried again. “I’m ready to go to school this year.”

“No. Maybe when you’re older.” Dad took another sip of his black coffee.

I huffed. I was already devoid of friends. Whatever. I’ll just make some when I go fishing! With that thought, my mood improved drastically. I had a new quest. But it would have to wait. It was my birthday, and I planned to relax and play games for most of it.

As Dad finished, I took his plate, rinsed it, and placed it into the sleek dishwasher to handle the rest. Then I took a seat. My smile grew as I thought of presents.

Dad took a sip. “Give me a minute.”

I nodded, half bouncing on my chair. Who could blame me? Birthdays were a nice reprieve from studying and training. I looked back at my dad with excitement plastered across my face.

“Don’t get too excited. I have plans for today,” Dad said, sipping more of his coffee.

That just made me more excited. Dad never made plans. So I sat there, fidgeting while he finished. Then I leaned over to watch him walk down the hall.

Dad walked back with his coat. A large smile sat on his face. Even he seemed excited, which pretty much pushed me over the top. I was tempted to jump up on my chair. Instead, I stood up.

“Happy Birthday,” Dad said with a grin as he mussed my hair.

“Thanks.” I smiled at him.

Dad smiled back. “I have a few gifts for you today.”

Reaching under the coat, Dad pulled out his first gift. Two short swords appeared. They gleamed in the light. Disappointment flitted through me as I saw they weren’t wrapped. I forced it aside. Wrapping-paper didn’t change the sentiment.

“Thanks, Dad,” I said, taking one. It was lightweight. With my finger, I tested the edge, finding it very sharp. Then he took it back.

“You are welcome. You’ll need them,” Dad said as he placed it back in the sheath. Then he set them all on his chair.

“How hot are they?” I asked.

Dad frowned. “They can’t be traced, but they are swords. So, be a little cautious. The fae are still looking for you. You cannot let them find you either. You know that.”

“I know, Dad. I know. You’ve told me over and over.”

“Because you forget things, and it’s important.” Dad walked forward and picked me up, carrying me in his arms.

I smiled happily. “Dad?”

“You need to eat more,” Dad said as he hefted me. “It’s time for your second gift.”

I looked at his face as he carried me. It was nice getting all the attention. I’ll admit that. I enjoyed it.

Dad smiled back. Eagerness glinted in his eyes. “It’s finally time. Do you remember the gift? The first gift?”

“The potion?” I asked. “Is it still good? I thought that they went bad.”

“That’s a lie,” Dad replied. “You shouldn’t even need it. This will just help ensure things for you. It should push you forward.”

A lump grew in my throat. I tried to swallow it. “Are you sure? I don’t know if I have it.”

Dad sighed. “You do.”

“What if I don’t?” I swallowed nervously. There was a chance that I didn’t have magic. That worried me. It was our only chance.

“You’ll be fine. I’m certain of that,” Dad said, walking into my room and heading towards a large cylinder on wheels.

“How? How do you know that?” I asked as he set me in my chair.

“Your mother had magic,” Dad said tersely. “Eluna, the fae, killed her. She is hunting for you for that reason. We’ve discussed this over and over. Please don’t start this again.”

“Sorry,” I said softly while looking up. “I’m just worried. I don’t know what we’ll do if this doesn’t work.”

Dad gave me a sympathetic look. “I apologize for losing my patience. It was a horrible time for me. You are all that I have left of her. And I understand your concern. But don’t worry, it will work.” He patted me on the head.

“Can you tell me more about her?” I probed with a nervous smile. My mom is a mystery. The fae wiped out all her records.

“Maybe some other time,” Dad replied, refusing my request yet again. “Now, I need you to get in the medpod. Don’t worry, Casey. I’ll be here for it all. Strip.” He turned and walked out.

I watched him leave and shut the door. After stripping, I climbed into the cylinder nearby, lying on the strange mix of plastic and goo. Ensuring I was comfortable, I shivered and covered myself. “Medpod, privacy mode on,” I stated loudly.

A canopy of opaque glass rotated over everything but my head. Turning, I aimed towards the door. “I’m ready, dad.”

He walked back inside and removed the amulet from my neck, causing my appearance to change. My brown hair became platinum. My face shifted and my ears grew as I looked at the necklace, the only possession I had from Mom.

After setting it aside, he grabbed a glowing vial. Then he removed the stopper and carefully helped me drink it. “Sleep well, Casey.”

Pain showed on my face. I did my best not to scream as the potion hit. It felt like drinking pure mana. The burning fire spread through me, then it seemed to bind to every cell in my body. The pain then grew quickly as every cell exploded in fire. It felt like I was burning from the inside out. The ticking clock betrayed me again. A scream ripped from my mouth as the horrible pain seemed to grow further and further. My vision tunneled, and then everything went dark.