No one can hurt you more than the people you love. That is a lesson I learned very early, and I learned it well. I had the misfortune of being born a magic user. In our world people advanced, and gained levels by going about their daily lives, doing as they said natural things. Magic on the other hand was unnatural, and to be eradicated whenever possible. All people past their 10th birthday had what everyone called a "screen" that they could pull up when ever they wanted. The screen would tell people when they gained levels, earned classes, and skills. That screen sounded pretty magical to me, but they conveniently ignored that. I didn't have access to the screen yet, I would see it the first time I slept after the sun rose on my 10th birthday. People thought children didn't earn levels or skills because they didn't have the, so didn't start training til after their 10th birthday. I was proof that was not true. I didn't have a screen yet, but I had at least 1 skill, healing.

My mother started to suspect I was a magi I never go sick as a child. When I was 8 years old I overheard her talking to my aunt: she is a monster! you see what she does! the curse has reared its head once again in our family! she said. You are probably overreacting aunt Lily responded. I wanted to yell at them that I did not ask to be born and that if they knew magic ran in the family, then maybe they should stop making babies. I did not voice these thoughts though, that would only earn me a beating. Something that every member of my family was more than willing to provide for the slightest of offenses. Aunt Lily never beat me though, she just took to looking at me strangely when she thought I wasn't looking. that hurt more than all the beatings combined.

The day was almost here! my tenth birthday was tomorrow! I would be able to start learning skills and earning levels and also pick a name for myself. I had my doubts about children not having skills because I could heal right? But I had kept my suspicions to myself and very quietly made arrangements with people who at least tolerated my existence for training. I arranged for training in combat skills such as: archery, small blades and hand to hand combat. reading and sums lessons, as well as survival skills which included: foraging, tracking, and identify. My healing magic for their knowledge. No one ever started any kind of training until several years after their naming day. Let the children be children they said. I had never been allowed the luxury of being a child. For the past two years, my days had consisted of waking up before the sun and running to receive training from an old retired guard. I would cast my healing on him to improve his achy joints in the morning, and he taught me his skills. After training was over I would run home and complete my chores. I would then go to the local academy to exchange my magic for knowledge. I always picked places full of old people. Old people with their ever-present pains were more likely to be tolerant of me and my magic.

After dark, I would set myself up on a stump outside of town. Any who did not dare approach me during the day came at night under the cloak of darkness to be healed. The deal was you drop a copper into my jar, I heal you, and you move on. No coin, no healing. The only ones I made exceptions for were the orphans and beggars who lived in the streets, but they were never ashamed of asking for my help during the day, or in public, then I healed them for free. I had managed to fill a nice pouch over the years I had spent healing the ungrateful villagers. I was very protective of my coin pouch. Always kept it tied around my belly under my shirt. These coins were my future.

I'm here to pick up my dress I said to the woman behind the counter. I year ago I had picked a beautiful red fabric for her to make me a dress for my 10th birthday. She told me the fabric was a linen and silk blend. The missus has expensive tastes doesn't she, she said to one of her helpers in the shop when I pointed it out. Yes, I thought to myself, only the best that magic can buy for me. I told her what I wanted the dress to look like: it was to have pink wild roses embroidered around the hem, neck, and sleeves. We then went to the back and came to an arrangement. I had been making payments of 25 copper coins to her every week for the past year, as well as free healing for her and her family. After a year healing her, her entire family, anyone she cared to drag along, and even her cat once, I felt I had more than earned the beautiful dress, and it was a beautiful dress, the most beautiful dress I had. I hugged my package to myself and ran home. I did see her face soften into a sad smile as I ran away with my bounty.

I ran to the small hut the family had made me away from the main on their land and closed the door after me. I shifted my bed, lifted the planks underneath and stashed a wrapped bundle in there, then started to prepare dinner. I lit the fire and fed it, and cut root vegetables into the pot. I threw in a large bone for flavor and some herbs I had gathered earlier and left again to go do my nightly duties as secret town healer. I snacked on some bread fruit and cheese as I walked to the usual place. The night passed easily, people dropping their coins, being touched, and moving on, my mind dreaming of my beautiful dress, and what tomorrow would bring. When I returned after no one else turned up for healing, a delicious stew waited for me. The tough cheap meat had been tenderized by the hours and hours of gentle cooking. I ate my fill, and laid down on my small bed, dreaming of tomorrow.

I was not able to sleep at all, no matter how I tried. I guess I would not be able to see the famous screen until tonight. I got out of bed and got ready for my big day. I made my way to the plaza and lined up with all the other children and their families waiting for the ceremony to being. All the noise and activity made me shaky and jumpy. Some people looked at me in disgust, others in confusion. I ignored them all. I just wanted to wear my pretty dress and get my name on the book. To make the waiting more bearable, I swished my dress back and forth and focused on how wonderful the smooth fabric felt on me! Swish, swish! back and forth until my nerves settled down, and I could almost forget the crowd of people pressing in on me, and the children running and screaming around me.

When my turn came, the priest looked down at me, looked around me for a moment, and then I saw recognition enter his eyes, he twisted his mouth in a sour way and then said: it is a happy day! you have walked out of childhood and now prepare to become an adult, it is now the time to choose for yourself a name. what have you chosen to be called from now and for the rest of your days? I tried to speak loudly, and clearly, but my voice sounded thin and brittle in my ears. I have chosen to call myself Briar! He wrote it down and nodded for me to step aside. That was it? At least I got to wear my pretty dress.

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With nothing else to do, I went and grabbed my small bow and set out to practice in my glen. Not even my family was terrible enough to force me to do chores today, or if they tried they would not find me around to give them to me. I smiled as I ran to the woods outside of town where I had set up my small target, and dummy to practice the bow and fighting with my dagger. I practiced all day alternating between the bow, and my knife all day. I was very pleased with my skills. I could hit the target every time from 20 yards, 9 out of 10 from 30, and 8 out of 10. It was harder to judge my progress with the dagger, but the moves old man ghrelin had taught me felt smooth and natural to me. The sun was warm on my face. I smiled as I practiced. It was getting dark, so I unstrung my bow, and put away my dagger, and made my way to my stump to work as the town's secret healer. No days off when coppers were involved.

As soon as it was dark they started to come in, one by one. They dropped their coin, I would touch their arm and they would be healed. as much as they hated the idea of being touched by me that was how it worked. I had to touch them. Don't want me to touch you? no healing. While almost everyone from my village came to see me almost every night, healers were rare enough that others came from other places too. I didn't ask where they were from, and they didn't offer. I didn't care. just drop your coin, be healed, and move on your way. I lost count of how many people had stopped by. it was common knowledge that whatever magic you were born with received a major boost on your naming day. Apparently they were all waiting like vultures, because they were no longer trying to come one by one, it was a mob. They were all trying to hide their identities of course... but the entire town was there, and others outside of the town as well of course.

It became a rhythm, a coin would clink in my jar, I would raise my hand touch the person for a few moments, lower my hand and they would leave. I lost myself in the process until I noticed no one else was coming forward. I emptied my coins into the bag under my shirt. My bag felt twice as heavy tonight. As I made to leave a man came forward and said: Hello little girl. He smiled at me, his large white teeth flashing in the moonlight. I see have set yourself up very well. made a lot of coins tonight didn't you? I felt a pit of fear begins to form in my stomach. I just looked at him and didn't say anything my mouth suddenly dry. I tucked my bulging coin bag closer to me. Do you know what you need? I know what you need he said. What a small, weak defenseless girl like you needs is a protector. What if bad people wanted to take advantage of you, who would look out for you? Your family, those people who offered me money to take you off their hands? No, I don't think so. You need someone like me. I think I will be fine on my own I replied. Oh, you think so do you? Let me teach you a lesson.

I looked around me, desperate for help, but all the people just walked away, no one was going to help me. someone saw what was happening. why was no one helping? would they let this man take me and use me? I heard someone say, probably for the best. a strong man is needed to keep the monster under control, others around nodded as they walked away.

He rushed and grabbed my arm. I pulled out my dagger and swiped it across his face. He yelled in pain, as a line of red bloomed on his cheek. you little bitch!!!. I'm going to teach you your place, I'm going to break you, and then you will never challenge me again. He bent my arm painfully behind my back and ripped my tunic down to my waist. He grabbed my coin purse. Oh look, her little breasts are budding! exactly how I like them! he tweaked my nipples painfully. Pain, feelings of hopelessness, and above all rage coursed through me. NOOOOOO I screamed! he bent down to bite my small breasts until they bled. I screamed in pain, and no one, not a single person turned back to help. not a single one. They saw this man hurting me for no reason, and were going to let him do it, but they called me the monster. I was so fucking tired. Tired of trying to be good, to show everyone that I was a good girl. I was tired of trying to prove myself to people only to be hurt, pushed away, spat on. For what? for daring to be born? Fuck them. Do you want me to be a monster? I will be a monster. I slapped my other hand on his chest. I knew that I healed people by manipulating the energy in their bodies. Something told me that what could heal could also hurt. I wanted to hurt him, I wanted to hurt him, and every one who had hurt me before without reason. I willed with the savage rage burning me for his heart to beat faster, to pump harder. I visualized his blood vessels exploding under the pressure of his own blood. I focused on this with unbreakable focus. at first, nothing happened, but then something shifted. He yelled what are you doing to me!!! he tried to push me away. The time to walk away was long gone. I wrapped my arms and legs around him and dug my teeth into his neck. I needed to keep contact to end this bastard. He might kill me, but he is coming with me. He tried pushing me, but I was too slick with my blood and his, and he could not dislodge me.

I could feel his heart beating faster and faster, to an impossible beat. Suddenly he gave one last cry and fell to the ground unmoving. I spit out a chunk of his neck and looked at the faces around me, and the horror on them. It made me want to laugh, and I threw back my head and laughed. I stopped laughing and looked at them. Are you scared? You should fear me your animals. any one of you comes near me again and I will kill you all. and then I will hunt down your families and kill them too! you all wanted me to be a monster! I will be your monster! I made it as if to run at them, and they all broke and ran. I looked at the man at my feet. He looked so much smaller now. Never had I felt so at peace as I did at that moment.

No time for gloating though. I knew I had to run too. they would come for me as a mob. Hopefully, the shock would linger for a couple of hours before they decided to come for me. I ran to my little hut and grabbed my backpack. I shoved all my clothes, and all my dry goods into it. I already had my bow and knife. On top of the food I shoved my two small cooking pans, a cooking knife, a cup, a paddle, and my spices--not leaving them-- a small rope and my fire starter. I closed the bag and tied a sleeping roll on top. Good thing I didn't have much, only took me 20 minutes to pack. I snuck out of my hut, looking to see if I saw any people coming for me, but everything was eerily silent. I made for the woods. I started to run, and I kept running and running. Children don't improve before their naming day they said! All that physical training I have been doing for years was finally paying off. I made it to the forest and climbed the hill overlooking the village. I could see the small village spread below me. On the surface It looked so wholesome, but it truth it was full of monsters. I could see a group of lights moving toward the place I used to live and smiled. I turned around and ran. I ran until I thought my legs were going to fall off and then I ran some more. I did not dare to stop running. I knew that if I ran far enough they would give up eventually. I ran until the burning rage inside me had burned itself to cinders.

The first hints of dawn were starting to tinge the horizon. I knew I had to stop. I could not run anymore. I took my backpack off, tied a rope to it, and climbed a tree. I then pulled my bag up after me. I picked a sturdy branch on the tree, and then tied myself and my backpack to the trunk. I closed my eyes and immediately saw a strange mirage in front of me, and heard a deep voice say, Briar! Welcome to the system!