Maximus

“Damn stu...pidly strooo...ng baby, aaaargh! Just go already!”“N...nah uh!”

Damn it! What kind of baby has such a powerful unsurfaced orb? I’m probably the only fourteen-year-old who has to fight their two-year-old sister using an embarrassingly large amount of strength. How did she even get her chubby little hands on my hunting knife? I could’ve sworn I locked my room. I grunt, using just a bit more force, and finally pry the knife out of her cute but freakishly strong grip.

Quickly, I toss the knife onto the kitchen table, my eyes darting around the room. Where’s the sheath? And where’s Danny? Oh no... if she gets her hands on the leather sheath, she’ll either bite it or tear it apart—she’s strong enough now to do that. Replacing it would be such a pain.

I scan the kitchen and spot her. There she is, all the way on the other side, already trying to tear the sheath apart. Of course, she’s got a head start! How did she get over there so fast?

No way I can make it in time unless... unless I tap into my orb. I’ll have to use just enough power to leap across the kitchen, but not so much that I break Mom’s wooden floors. Last time I used my orb indoors, I shattered three planks, and Mom nearly took my head off. Dad made me replace the planks myself—without using my orb—which took forever since I had to chop down that thick oak tree by hand.

I jump, and in a blink, I’m next to Danny. Got her! I snatch the sheath from her tiny hands. She looks shocked, her big eyes wide and angry. Smirking, I stick my tongue out at her, earning a very adorable death stare in return. I laugh and head back to the table to sheath the knife.

Note to self: always lock my room when I leave it.

As I sheath the knife, pain shoots through my foot.“Oww!” I yell, snapping my head down. It’s Danny, of course, the little menace. I give her my own death stare and scoop her up by the ankle, dangling her upside down—she hates it when I do that.

Unfortunately, that’s exactly when Mom walks in, carrying a basket overflowing with potatoes, carrots, pumpkins, broccoli, and other vegetables buried beneath the pile.“Hey! Didn’t I tell you to stop bullying your little sister?” she says, shaking her head slightly.

“But Mom! She almost destroyed my foot, and she’s the one bullying me, not the other way around!” I whine in my best little-boy voice, hoping it might soften her up. It used to work, but ever since Danny showed up, all their love and attention have been focused on her. Not that I crave attention or anything, but a little fairness would be nice.

“I don’t care. She’s twelve years younger than you! You should be teaching her how to be a good person, not picking fights with her,” Mom says firmly, setting down the basket. She gestures for me to take it. “Help me with these, would you? They’re heavier than they look.”

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

I sigh and take the basket from her. It’s heavy, sure, but I know she’s just pretending it’s a struggle to make me more of a gentleman. My mom is one of the strongest warriors in the village. She’s of royal blood, which makes her surfaced orb stronger than most people’s, even in the kingdom. She married my dad against her family’s wishes, and they stripped her of her royal titles. Now we live here, in this small village, working my grandparents’ farm.

“Please take a knife and help me peel these vegetables,” Mom says as she moves back toward the kitchen counter.

“Sure, Mom.”

I grab a knife and start peeling. As I do, my thoughts drift again. I’ve lived here my whole life. This house—well, more of a cave, really—was built by my great-grandparents, dug into the side of a hill made of hard rock. From the outside, it looks like someone carved out a piece of the hill and gave it a giant rectangular mouth. The cave keeps us safe from the earthquakes, hurricanes, and tornadoes that plague this part of the Tribal Kingdom.

Despite the harshness of this place, I love it here. I’ll miss it when I’m at the Academy—if I make it in. The Academy only accepts people my age who show great talent with their orbs. I’ve trained with my parents since I was seven, so I’m not too worried about being accepted into the warrior studies. But what really scares me is tomorrow’s power test. I’ve never used my stone’s full potential before. What if I lose control?

The power stone is tied to anger. The more I use it, the angrier I get. My parents have always warned me not to let anger rule me. But I’m afraid that if I unleash my full power tomorrow, I’ll lose my mind. And once that happens, there’s no coming back. They either kill you or surgically remove your stone. I don’t want to lose everything, forget who I am—become an empty shell.

“Max, honey, are you okay?” Mom’s voice pulls me out of my thoughts. “I’ve asked you three times if you’re done peeling those potatoes. You’ve been standing there in a trance.”

“Huh? Oh, yeah, sorry, Mom. Here they are,” I say, handing her the peeled potatoes.

She takes them and puts them in the pot, then turns around, giving me a worried look. “Max, honey, what’s really bothering you?” she asks, wiping her hands on a towel.

I take a deep breath and spill everything—the Academy, the power test, my fears of going crazy, and how much I’ll miss home if I get accepted. There’s a moment of silence as she collects her thoughts, then she takes my hands in hers.

“Max, it’s normal to be scared. Everyone worries that their stone might take control one day. But that’s why the Academy exists—to teach you how to use your stone properly and gain full control. And I understand you’ll miss home. Your father and I don’t want to let go of our only son, but we know you want to follow in our footsteps. It’s been your dream to become a knight since you could barely walk. We love you and will support you all the way.”

“Thanks, Mom. I feel a lot better now,” I say, smiling as she pulls me into a hug.

“You better hurry and get to the fields, though. You’ve still got chores to do before sunset, and you don’t want to keep your father waiting for your sparring session.”

I grin, give her one last hug, and dash out to finish my work. The sun is sinking fast, and I’ve got a lot to do before my sparring match with Father.