“Unfortunately you will be staying in a foster home until you become a legal adult and earn your own living, finally to put it simply all property in your parent’s name will be handed over to the government”

“Please this can’t be legal, is there really nothing I can do, what about my lawyer,” I begged clasping the phone tightly against my ear.

“This isn’t a court case thus you aren’t entitled to a lawyer, either way I hardly think you would be able to build much of a case. No relatives, no legal guardians no nothing.”

“What if I sue them?”

“Good luck with that.” A beep followed.

I buried my face in my hands. Not the house, anything but the house.

I looked around my room. The action figures in the corner of the room, from my childhood, my PC my books I had borrowed from the school but hadn’t gotten around to returning or reading for that matter. Who would’ve known that in a couple days this would all be gone.

I hardly slept that night.

It wasn’t a type of restlessness where I twisted and turned in my bed trying to find a comfortable position. I simply woke up and couldn’t sleep, I didn’t feel the urge to move. At some point, my alarm went off. I checked the red digital numbers. 06:00. I got out of bed, took a shower, changed, ate a banana, brushed my teeth, and left. My parents were usually never awake at this time. It was almost as if life was normal.

“Sebastian!”

I reckon I’ll have to fit all my belongings as well as any mementos that I have in my suitcase I used when we traveled out of the country.

“Sebastian Streton!”

I stood up. “Here!”

Snickering traveled through the classroom. Looks like I spaced out again.

Professor Lenstein looked sternly at me, his mushy eyebrows peeking over his thick-rimmed glasses.

“If you don’t intend to be present during my lessons then you are welcome to leave.”

“Sorry sir, it won’t happen again,” I mumbled before hurriedly sitting down.

I felt a prick on my back.

I turned around to Tom.

“Mr Lenstein is an asshole, don’t pay attention to him, he doesn’t know what’s going on in your life,” Tom whispered.

Tom paused for a moment.

“If you ever need someone to talk to remember that you have me?”

He smiled holding up his thumb.

“Thanks,” I nodded. For some reason, I couldn’t bear to meet his gaze. His words rang hollow, or maybe I was just unwilling to receive any kindness.

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

I glanced at the clock. We ended in 3 minutes, did Mr Lenstein really have to humiliate me right instead of waiting 3 minutes. I got up last after most of the students had left. I carried my books to my locker putting them away. How was I supposed to think about school now? School is the last of my worries. This won’t help improve my life, not going to lessons I don’t like learning things that I will never use. I opened my locker again. I can’t just give up, at least not yet. I slung my bag over my shoulder and walked down the stairs and out of the school. Most of everyone was at lunch at this time, so the chances of me getting caught were low. I could always say I was eating lunch outside of school. I walked to the local library.

There’s got to be something here. I scanned the bookshelves.

“On Legal Writing,” “Lawyers manual,” “Legal Systems.””Property Law”

That seemed promising. I picked Property law. I flicked through the thick pages. Everything I tried to read but it all went in one ear and out the other.

I sighed, wiping away tears. Of course it wouldn’t be that easy. A caught my eye. It didn’t seem to be a legal book. It had a golden-laced spine. It was different, older. I reached up onto my toes and unshelved it. My sleep deprivation combined with my stress made me hallucinate that it pulsed in my hand. The gold lacing seemed to glow and flow like a serpent or coursing river. I looked around. The book was casting a shadow on the shelves, Several faces turned in my direction. This wasn’t a hallucination. I couldn’t let go of the book. It stopped pulsing. Then it pulsed once softly and once strongly. Light enveloped my entire world.

“Oh, no you don’t,” said the hero gripping me by the collar. He stared fiercely into my eyes.”You will be spending the rest of your days serving the empire!”

My hands shook in fear.

I turned my face blank.

“I understand,” I said dully.

“Good, it seems your programming is back.” Said the hero cheerfully.

“Yes,” I responded. I raised my hand towards the houses below and charged a shot. I turned my hand arm and fired at the hero.

“What the -” were the only words he was able to get out before I blasted him into the ground.

My bluff had paid off. As for now, I wanted nothing to do with him. Where is she? I needed the priestess. She must have done something, probably had to do with some spell she had to work on. I knew it sounded fishy. Of course, she probably had something to do with this. I detected her magical signature behind a nearby mountain. So he did know how to fly. I zoomed towards her, the wind ripping at my clothes.

She was hidden in a small cove on the side of the mountain. Her eyes were

“What are you doing here.!” She burst out when she saw me, her face red.

I grabbed her.

“Why are you running away, what did you do to me!”

“My concentration.” She begged before her orb cracked. I felt a lightness overcome me. My headache dissipated as if it had never been there.

“I’m just following orders, “ she begged. “I set the spell on you and was maintaining it, all effects have stopped, not that I really had a choice with you breaking my concentration, It takes immense mana and concentration to do this, especially on an Otherworlder.”

I wildly looked around me before grabbing her staff. The blast probably wouldn’t be able to hold him for long it would only be moments before –.

“Hello there, Otherworlder!” said a familiar voice. Just my luck. He smiled through gritted teeth.

“Dammit!” I faced him. Holding the staff.

“Oh, the otherworlder is gonna fight me head-on.” He said.

Of course, I wasn’t planning on fighting him head-on. It was just a distraction, as to what it was a distraction for I hadn’t gotten to that part yet.

I looked at the orb in the staff. Maybe that would work.

I braced channeling mana into my left foot.

“Stop resisting,” growled the hero.

I twisted it, smashing it against my heel. My magic channeled with the physical force shattered it. The entire staff turned white. I let go and flew in the opposite direction.

If only I could get past these mountains there was a forest I could maybe lay low in.

The hero raced for the staff without stretched hands. “No!” He roared.

I felt the blast before it hit me. White hot then pain. I reached the forest drifting on the energy trails left by the blast. My energy was quickly leaving me. I made out small red dots way in the horizon. I landed in the river missing the bank. My body refused to listen to me any longer and everything turned black.