Jett looked at the teenager in front of him with confusion, "Is this some kind of stupid joke?" he asked, irritated.

The teenager looked at Jett from head to toe, then snorted, "You sure are feeble-looking. I wonder how you've managed to survive this long."

Jett began to get annoyed, but he quickly squashed it down. Insults were nothing new to him, after all.

"What do you want?" Jett demanded. "And what's with the 'ready to die' comment? How do you even know my name?"

The teenager introduced himself as Eric and asked if he could come in. Jett hesitated.

Without waiting for a response, Eric strolled into the apartment and sat down comfortably on one of Jett's worn-out chairs.

Jett locked the door behind him. Jett then shot Eric a piercing look.

"Alright, spill it," Jett said, crossing his arms over his chest. "Are you here to capture me or something because of this?" He held up his ring.

"You watch too many movies. This isn't some heroic tale where the underdog suddenly triumphs against all odds," he said sarcastically.

Jett's eye twitched in annoyance at the arrogant tone.

Eric showed Jett his own ring. It was a metallic posie ring with golden digital patterns around it.

"I'm a ring wielder too," he stated, holding up his hand to display the ring. "You think that ring makes you special? Newsflash, there are plenty of others out there just like you."

Jett's annoyance flared at Eric's dismissive attitude. He resisted the urge to lash out at Eric physically. Jett knew deep down that he stood no chance in a fight with someone like Eric. Eric’s well-defined muscles and athletically toned body showed a vast difference between their physical strength.

"What do you mean by 'ready to die' then?" Jett demanded in frustration.

Eric paused, his gaze distant, as if lost in thought. "You'll die in a few days if you're not careful," he stated bluntly.

Jett's confusion deepened, "Shouldn’t you explain further?"

With an exasperated sigh, Eric began, "I hate explaining things. Look, I don't know much about these rings, but they've been around for centuries. People who have them are called 'Wielders'."

"Wielders? Like wielding power?" Jett wondered.

Eric nodded, then continued, "And most of them use it like any other human with powers would. Some become influential, rich, feared, treated like gods, you name it."

Jett then asked, "And how do these wielders get their rings?"

"Mostly just stumble upon them by chance. It's all pretty random, really," Eric explained.

Jett nodded.

"About two centuries ago, the wielders started getting hunted down," Eric continued, his voice growing colder. "No one knows why, but they were wiped out pretty quickly."

He fixed Jett with a cold stare. "Even now, more wielders keep popping up, only to disappear just as fast. And if you're not careful, you'll follow suit."

Jett's expression darkened at the warning. Then he asked, "Who was hunting the wielders?"

"I don't know. But two of my friends who found rings also disappeared."

"Really?" Jett asked.

"Yeah, two of them. One of them I found dead just a week ago," he said in a neutral tone. "It was ruled as a suicide, but I know better."

Jett had many questions, but before he could voice them, Eric continued.

Eric continued. "I've made sure not to use my powers recklessly. That's why I'm still here."

"Why did you tell me all this?" Jett asked.

Eric leaned back in his chair. "Oh, you know, just felt like being a good Samaritan," he quipped. "I've been doing my own investigations, and my research led me to you."

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"Why me?" Jett interjected. He was eager for answers.

Eric's response was blunt. "It was just a probability. You were most likely to become a wielder," he stated matter-of-factly. "But if you want to live, lie low and stay out of trouble."

After saying everything, Eric stood up and turned to walk away.

Jett watched Eric walk away, and he suddenly felt frustrated. "So we're just supposed to do nothing with this power?" he blurted out.

Eric sighed heavily, rolling his eyes in exasperation. "Just lie low. If it's too much for you to handle, then get rid of the ring. It's that simple," he replied dismissively.

Jett felt anger rising within him, though he couldn't quite pinpoint why. Maybe he was tired of always being the one on the receiving end, tired of passively accepting everything that came his way. He took a deep breath, trying to steady his emotions.

"Why can't we go after the ones hunting us down? We could find out who they are," Jett pressed.

Eric's response was blunt and dismissive, "Because it is suicide. Even a fool like you ought to know that."

Eric’s response only added to Jett's growing irritation.

"Then why did this ring suddenly appear on my finger if I'm supposed to just lie low?" Jett demanded.

Eric's expression turned to that of surprise. "Repeat that," he said sharply.

Confused, Jett repeated his question. Eric's sudden command caught him off guard.

Without hesitation, Eric asked, "Do you know any of your parents?"

Jett thought Eric had lost his mind, but he decided to answer, anyway.

"Never knew my dad. Probably just some irresponsible, drunk, homeless bum who abandoned my mom," he said bitterly. "My mom... she passed away from a deadly illness about a year ago."

Jett stared at Eric's face, searching for any hint of sympathy or understanding, but all he found was a cold, emotionless stare. It was like looking into the eyes of a statue – unmoving and devoid of feeling.

‘Just what sort of emotionless jerk is he?’ Jett thought.

"Are you done?" Eric interrupted Jett’s thoughts, his tone as icy as ever.

With a frustrated sigh, Jett tore his gaze away from Eric. Jett began to feel a surge of envy inside of him. It was infuriating that someone with such an irritating personality could also possess a body and looks that turned heads.

Ignoring the jealousy he felt, Jett nodded in response to Eric's question, signaling that he was finished.

Eric's next question caught Jett off guard. "Did you know your mother well?"

Jett felt a twinge of annoyance. Of course he knew his mother well. He wanted to retort, but he bit back the words.

Instead, he simply replied, "Yeah, I knew her pretty well."

But Eric's inquiry about his father struck a nerve. "Did your mum ever mention anything about your dad?"

Jett's jaw tensed slightly as he responded curtly, "No, she never talked about him."

"Dad, huh?" Eric muttered.

Before Jett could question Eric, Eric shifted into the conversation.

"Do you have any siblings?" Eric asked.

Jett shook his head in response.

As Eric fell silent, lost in thought, Jett felt uneasy. What was Eric getting at with all these questions?

Then, without warning, Eric issued a command that sent a chill down Jett’s spine.

"Remove your ring."

Jett shook his head. "I’m not taking off my ring. Why should I?"

"Oh, so you're stubborn as well as feeble-minded," Eric said in an insulting tone.

Jett felt annoyed once more.

"Look, you can always put it back on whenever you want."

Jett then replied, "Fine, I'll take it off..."

As Jett tried to pry the ring from his finger, it was as if some unseen force were holding it in place. In response, Jett began to exert all his strength to try to remove the ring.

However, instead of the ring slipping off, a sudden burst of power exploded from it, enveloping Jett in a blinding light. Instinctively, he shut his eyes against the brightness, only to open them moments later to find himself covered in an advanced tech bubble.

The advanced tech bubble helped prevent the force emitted from the ring from damaging anything. Jett glanced at Eric, him to be surprised or concerned, but Eric remained impassive. He looked as if everything happening was completely normal.

Eric's own ring glowed with a faint gray light. After that, the tech bubble dissipated, leaving behind nothing but scattered scraps of useless technology.

"What just happened?" Jett asked.

With ease, Eric removed his own ring, and then easily slid it back into place.

"You might not be so ordinary after all," Eric replied tersely.

Jett felt somewhat excited when Eric said that he might not be so ordinary after all. He tried to play it cool, masking his excitement. "So how am I special?"

"As I just showed you... most wielders can remove their rings no problem, but you can't," Eric explained.

"But why can't I remove mine?" Jett asked, still in the dark.

Eric sighed then said, "I know what you’re thinking Jett and no, you're not some chosen one or special being. Don't go down that road. It'll just lead to disappointment for you and frustration for me."

Jett's eye twitched in frustration. "I wasn't even thinking that."

Eric ignored Jett, then continued his explanation. "The ring only acts that way when the wielder has a potent bloodline. There's also the possibility that your ring is just defective, but I doubt it."

Jett thought to himself, ‘It doesn't matter how Eric puts it. I am still somewhat special.’

Eric seemed to read his mind. "Once again, this doesn't make you special or chosen. It just means you're a bigger target."

Jett responded, "You sure have a way of making others feel less than."

Eric pointed out, "It's called being straightforward. People need a reality check now and then."

Jett said, "Well, I am different... this is different. Because I know that me chancing upon the ring is not just dumb luck."

Eric sardonically responded, "Having a potent bloodline doesn't automatically make you special, Jett. It just means you might have inherited some random power. Nothing more, nothing less."

"It does not matter what you say. I am not just going to sit by and be hunted down. I am ready to face them," Jett stood his ground.

Eric rolled his eyes. "Brave words from someone who couldn't punch their way out of a paper bag."

"Like I said. Nothing you say matters. My mind is made up."

Eric shrugged then walked towards the door. "You’d be dead before tomorrow’s sunset."

"Do you know what it feels like to be powerless? To not even have the power to control your own life?"

Eric responded, "Powerless? Oh, you have no idea. But perhaps you'll find out soon enough," before closing the door behind him.