Gentle waves lapped at my feet from the mirror pond. The tide carried water below the earth and up onto the island, causing this special pond of mine. I could see my face reflected in it, even as the water moved, licking and tickling my feet.

  A green-eyed, sun-kissed face stared back at me, practically gleaming bronze in the sunlight. A wide smile adorned my face, but I couldn’t help it! Today was going to finally be the day! I was finally going to really know what my power level was.

  I moved my arm up, the weight making it nearly impossible. My arm was already feeling numb just from putting the device on. I’d had to do something I hadn’t really wanted to do, but that I could no longer resist.

  I’d stolen the family’s Vambrace. I’d heard they called it something else in other parts of the world, but to me, it had always just been The Vambrace. It was a bit of an ugly thing, an early model. It went around the forearm, about the length of my hand, and weighed as much as a good-sized stone. On top of a thick leather strap that went around the arm, was a large screen. It felt otherwordly despite its age, like ancient technology. I knew there were things more advanced than I could imagine out there in the world but… we lived simply out here on the islands. I could practically hear my mother and father's words already.

  ‘And what point is all that technology, hmm? We have what we need. Our food is cooked, our water is clean, our bodies are healthy, and our family is whole. What more could you need? No. Excess technology is only meant for those who’ve lost sight of need and gone only into want. Keep your wants simple and you’ll never be unhappy a day in your life Mutai. Now eat your vegetables.’

  I laughed at the memory and then again at my father's words the next day.

  ‘Listen to your mother Mutai. Had a phone once, spent every day on it. Nearly missed my first date with your mother playing stupid games. Destroyed it the next day. Never again. Now come play in the sand with me.’

  I’d been seven at the time. And truly, they’d never been wrong. Technology corrupted, led to capitalism and money.

  The words alone made me shudder.

  No. Life was perfect with a good man or woman, some fruit and fish, the ocean by your side, and family that had your back.

  But The Vambrace was different. It revealed information more important than anything else in the world, the thing everyone wanted to know, the thing that had been hidden from me since birth. Your Power Level. How strong you were! The difference between a person who could barely pick up a bottle and someone who could (apparently) shatter mountains! Though, I’m not sure I believed that last claim…

  Still, it was important. I’d even heard that you couldn’t get a job with a Power Level less than 10 on the mainland. Some places even used it to decide if you were ready to be an adult. Considering the average adult Power Level was 5…

  I stared, hard, as I flipped the massive switch next to the screen. It flared to life, four green zeros staring back at me. I wasn’t really sure how to use it, but it was intuitive. A weird connection formed between me and The Vambrace. I angled it toward myself, and the numbers began to change. I watched, excited, as a new number appeared on the screen!

  [1]

  One.

  A power level of one.

  Weaker than a child.

  I stared, flabbergasted, shocked and horrified, my life flashing before my eyes, my total sense of being disconnecting as I was struck by a new reality that-

  Heh.

  I chuckled to myself, my joke too much. As if I felt any of those things. Had ever felt any of those things! But my laughter soon grew and grew, getting louder and louder. My stomach began to hurt and I could feel tears of amusement rolling down my face. It was all just too funny.

  My parents had tried to hide it, my friends, the elders, my whole village, and all the people I knew.

  As if I didn’t know.

  As if I didn’t see how easy my friends could run and swim and how I struggled so hard to do a fifth of what they could do. Or how easily even children could beat me in an arm wrestling competition. As if I didn’t see how my father suddenly acted like wood was the heaviest thing in the world while I was nearby or my mother ‘miraculously’ managed to help him do the work. How the villagers all moved slower and like they were barely able to do any labor nearby me even with the smallest of things.

  All my life, everyone had put on a silly little play, just for me.

  As if I didn’t know I was weak.

  But how could I not? And, more importantly, why should I care? I was blessed and happy. I had everything I needed, and my mother had been right. Did I want more strength? No… not really. Maybe once upon a time, I did. Who doesn’t dream of a bit of power? But what would it get me? What could it get me? All those stories of the strong, all those competitions, the strange world we lived in, the dedication to strength, the focus on martial arts… but what did it get those people?

  I’d heard so many stories about harems, wealth, and power. But where’s the kind family? The happy children? The loving parents? Why are all those stories always about taking and never about people giving willingly? What kind of person would be happy with that?

  No. I don’t care for power. But I had always been so curious. My power level was clearly below five but was it three? Two? But no, it was truly the lowest someone’s could possibly be. Well, a baby might be weaker, but that would depend on the baby. Not all children were born equal, after all.

  This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

  “Mutai! Mutai! Where are you?!”

  The smile on my face froze. Uh-oh.

  “Mutai! What are you-”

  I turned, a sheepish grin on my face. The Vambrace was on my arm, still ‘proudly’ displaying my weakness for the world to see. A giant glowing one. A woman stared at me in shock, bronze-skinned like me, with matching emerald eyes and silver hair cascading down her back.

  My mother.

  I was ten the last time I got a spanking, my ass beaten raw and red. I had a feeling I was walking a paper-thin line of having it happen again.

  “Sorry…”

  “Mutai, you… We…. I’m so sorry Mutai. We never wanted you to know. We… We’re…” My mother’s voice sounded so lost, so heavy, and I could see tears beginning to form in her eyes as her voice shook like a leaf in the wind.

  My heart cracked. No. No, this wasn’t okay. I could take angry but my mother about to cry? No. Never.

  “Mom.” My voice was sharp, different. Firm. My mother froze, tears still forming. “I don’t care.” I said, letting my happy smile return.

  “You…”

  “I have you and Dad. I have the water and the sea, the fruit and fish, the wind and the earth. My body is healthy, my food is good, my family loves me. All of my family loves me: Cranky Tuwa, Juak, Suma, Maui, the elders, the whole village. Who cares about power? I just wanted to know, but I have what I need and I have what I want. It’s okay Mom. Truly, really. It’s okay.”

  I smiled, my most genuine smile, and was caught off guard when my mother rushed to me and crushed me in a hug. Literally. I could feel my bones starting to crack.

  I hugged back, trying to keep the smile on my face. This was a good day, even if I got a little bruised. My mother’s words slipped into my ears. They were filled with so much joy and love and relief, that I almost didn’t hear the actual words themselves.

  “I am gonna beat your ass red for stealing the Vambrace.”

  My smile evaporated, and for just a moment, I really wished I had a far higher Power Level.

  ******

  A long, painful, embarrassing walk back home ensued. Every step hurt, and it felt like a dozen angry bees had stung my behind, but I hid it the best I could. I saw our house in the distance, in the middle of the village, waving at a few friends along the way. I moved away from the devil- I felt piercing, knowing eyes lock onto me. I moved away from my very kind and loving mother, letting her talk to father in the living room while I went to put away the Vambrace.

  “Wait.” His voice called out, and I was struck stupid for the second time in one day. My mother had almost cried, and now my father was giving me what sounded like a stern order. I’d never heard him sound anything like that. I was starting to feel like I’d really caused a mess this time.

  I turned back to my father, a large-chested, usually smiling man. There was no smile this time. He was stern-faced, whispering with my mother right in front of me. Their voices too low and too fast for me to catch. Finally, he stared at me, emotions I couldn’t read or understand buried and swimming in his dark eyes.

  “Mutai.”

  I expected more, and I waited for it, but the silence… just grew longer.

  “Power… we’ve taught you so little about power….”

  “It’s alright, Dad. I don’t need it.”

  Both my parents winced at that. They looked at each other, a silent conversation going between them.

  “Perhaps you are right. It’s… good that this didn’t break your spirit. You have what you need here on the island. Yes, our island, your island, will always be your welcoming home.”

  I could read between the lines.

  “Wait, is that what you were worried about? That I was going to leave?”

  Dad looked uncomfortable.

  “People… can get stronger. With training. Experience. Fighting. Being taught by a master. We don’t have that here.”

  “Dad, I don’t want to leave. I’m happy here. Everyone I know is here. I don’t want to go to the mainland to try and get stronger. I’d probably have to get a job. No way.”

  He sighed, like all the weight of the world had fallen off his shoulders.

  “We feared the worst. The world… the world can be so unkind, Mutai. You’ll be safe here.” His words were so, heavy. Knowing. Scared. And ended with such desperate conviction. Like he was begging the world for that last part to be true. I was caught off guard, choking on emotions I didn’t quite get.

  Why was father so scared?

  Mother shattered the tension.

  “And speaking of being safe, you can start by helping me with preparing today's lunch.”

  I groaned. Fish was great! Preparing fish, not so much.

  Before long, it felt like all the weirdness and seriousness was a bad dream. My dad talked about his carpentry, my mom showed off her newest carving, and I relaxed in my family home. Everything was perfect.

  This, this was a paradise. My paradise. And nothing could ever ruin it-

  Screams and yells split the air in our home, unlike anything else ever could. We turned, all three as one, towards the door before turning back to each other and then running out. I was the last one to leave.

  Outside, I saw our village, people outside who should’ve been happily going about their day. But they weren’t. They were staring, up into the sky, where a small black dot floated there. I stared in confusion, but my father screamed, his horrified voice painting the world in terror.

  “It’s King Vega!”

  Some villagers froze, some ran, and some screamed. It was like a tsunami had come. My own heart chilled, all of the stories and rumors coming back to me all at once. I turned to my mother-

  I turned-

  I turned to my-

  Flames. Dead. Dying. Fire. Bodies. Their bodies. A golden road.

  I turned-

  Beams, energy, glowing power, whispers, pain.

  I-

  My mother, my mother. A hole through her heart. A beam faster than light, her expression leaving her face, a frozen moment, a voice. So many voices.

  King Vega stands before me. His body is on fire. His skin has melted off. Only muscles and bones are left. His evil eyes melt, yet they still stare into mine. The golden road brightens. The whispers get louder, the voices clearer as power suffuses me. I glow. All is Gold and All is White as evil pours all around the world.

  The End Comes.

  “Your fault. Your family died for you. It was your fault.”

  Time fast forwards, time rewinds, a golden blue seeps out of me, I punch and the universe shatters.

  I wake up, bottle in hand, tears in my eyes, as the rain seeps into my bones.

  “S-Stupid dream. Curse. Curse you, King Vega.”

  A stranger passes me by.

  “Stupid drunk. You’re going to die cursing the King in his own city.”

  The tears flow freely as I remember all that I lost on that damned day…

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