YEAR 5002, Southern Continent, BlackWater City, January 21st.
EVENING TIME.
Matt served his sister her food, his face more mature than his age, his handsome face shining, his black eyes only on his sister.
As for Mia, she's growing into a beauty too, devouring the food gently. "Won't you eat, big bro?" She raised her eyebrows, looking at Matt.
"Don't worry, just eat your food; my own is in the pot. It's just that I have no appetite." Matt sighed, his eyes wandering, seeing the pictures of his parents hanging on the wall.
It's exactly four years since their parents had left the house, and it was this day he had clocked twelve years.
They buried them even though there was no corpse to bury. During the burial, he cried himself out, and later, Mia found out, as she wasn't that dumb.
She was the same as Matt, fainting, almost close to death, but didn't have that bleak, lost eye of Matt. Both brother and sister had been depending on each other, taking care of their house needs themselves.
As for issues of food clothing, it was Uncle Ben who was sorting that out. Once in a while, the family would come, and Eira would play with them.
"Are you thinking about Mum and Dad again, big brother?" Mia raised her eyebrow when she saw Matt's lost expression in thought.
Her words woke Matt up, who coughed, his eyes sad, "I wonder if Mum and Dad are still alive; how would we be?"
Mia looked at her brother, who was grieving their parents. She stood up, walking towards him, patting him on the head.
"Don't you still have me?" She smiled.
Matt also smiled when he heard this: "Thank you, Mia.""Hmph, what are you thanking me for?" She pouted, going back to eat her food.
JINGLE! JINGLE!
The doorbell rang, and Matt stood up, walking towards the door. His height, and stature were like that of a fifteen-year-old man.
When he opened the door, he saw a familiar face. "Uncle Ben, welcome," he smiled, allowing Uncle Ben to enter.
Mia also greeted him as he entered.
"Are you ready?" Uncle Ben looked at Matt. The boy has changed from what he was four years ago.
Matt nodded; he had been preparing this for four years. Now that he's twelve years old, he can awaken his talent and proceed to investigate his parents death.
Uncle Ben contacted him a few days ago to say that he was coming to pick him up for the awakening ceremony. And also, they might not return to the house in the following years.
Matt and Mia went to the room, carrying a traveling bag that they had packed with their belongings.
Matt took a last look at the house; it was as if he could see his parents shadows wishing him success.
He sighed, his face determined. He would make sure by the time he's back, his name would have circulated, and he would have found out the cause of his parents death.
Getting out of the house, there was a red Ferrari car parked by the road.
Mia's eyes glowed; drawn by the beauty of the car, she rushed towards it, behaving like a baby seeing a candy sweet.
Matt shook his head, locking the house. He wasn't that surprised by this even though Ferrari is used by rich and wealthy people; the house he visited last time says it all.
They entered the Ferrari car. Matt sat in the front seat while Mia sat in the back seat, playing there.
Uncle Ben started the engine of the car; it roared as it accelerated downtown of the city.
Not long after, they got to Uncle Ben's house in the estate, seeing Aunt Sylvia and Eira were already waiting for them outside.
"The awakening ceremony wouldn't take place in Blackwater City, but in some high city; the closest to us is the Sunset City, which is where we are going to participate," Uncle Ben told Matt as they entered the house.
Low-level cities like Blackwater City don't have places where talent awakening can take place due to resources and level. So cities that don't have it converge to cities that have to undergo the awakening ceremony.
A week passed in the blink of an eye. Uncle Matt, Matt, Mia, Eira, and Aunt Sylvia all gathered, packed their luggage, and headed towards their destination in the Ferrari.
Both husband and wife sat down at the front, the children at the back.
Throughout the journey, Matt looked outside at the window; he felt nervous about which talent he would awaken and determined that regardless of what talent, he would make sure he got stronger and found out how his parents died.
The journey took six hours before they entered the domain of the Sunset City. The image, building, and pedestrian of the city were grander than those of Blackwater City.
Mia's eyes kept wandering, her eyes shining like stars, seeing the Sunset City Even Matt was shocked; compared to Sunset City, Blackwater was like mud in the water. Technology is used more here than there As for Eira, she wasn't surprised; her eyes wandered the city as if she was already familiar with it.
The car headed to a deep part of the city. Matt and Mia's mouths were agape; they looked like country bumpkins.
They reached their destination, and it was a house estate. Uncle Ben looked familiar with the estate, entering the estate heading to the deepest part of the estate.
When they reached their location, both Mia and Matt kept looking at each other, their eyes not leaving what stood before them.
From where they stood, their eyes fell upon a gigantic golden mansion that was before them. From this little distance, its grandeur overwhelmed them. The walls of the mansion shimmered faintly beneath the sunlight, as though the entire building had been dipped in molten gold.
Tall pillars rose proudly at the entrance, holding up a balcony lined with gleaming railings. The wide glass windows reflected the light like mirrors, while marble fountains sparkled at the front, sending arcs of crystal-clear water into the air.
Everything about the mansion spoke of wealth and power, from the golden gates guarding its entrance to the neatly trimmed gardens that surrounded it. Even the surrounding air seemed richer, carrying a quiet sense of majesty that made anyone who looked at it pause in awe.
"Welcome to our house," Uncle Ben grinned.
"Uncle, this is your house. Does that mean you are rich?" Mia couldn't keep her curiosity, asking Uncle Ben.
"Yes, it's one of my houses." Uncle Ben scratched his head.
Matt was shocked when he heard the confirmation, and Uncle Ben still said that it's one of his houses.
"Uncle Ben, if you are this rich, then what are you looking for in Blackwater City?" Mia asked.
Matt coughed when he heard this, trying to stop his sister from asking, as it doesn't concern them. When Mia felt her brother tugging her clothes, she pouted; she understood what her big brother meant, but she was just curious about it.
Uncle Ben coughed, "That's for personal reasons; I can't say."
"Why are we all standing here? Let's enter. I'm sure you are all famished," Aunt Sylvia intervened, stopping the conversation.
Matt and Mia nodded, and everyone moved, carrying their luggage and entering the mansion.