Purity

Chapter Two

After a long 3 hours of pushing the egg cart through town, I’ve finally gotten every family their rations for the day and made it back home. Now my own daily routine can start. First, I’ll shower. Then, ill brush my hair so it isn’t knotted up worse than a bird’s nest. Put my hair up to keep it out of my face and then grab my books for mana studies. Obviously, I won’t be needing them, but I can’t be caught leaving the house without them. My father would kill me, bring me back to life, and kill me again. So, I grab my books and head for the door.

“Ready for studies James?” asks my father.

“Yes sir, I figured I would leave early to get a seat closer to the front so I can focus easier today.” I explain.

“You aren’t leaving this house with it being this messy. Clean the house before you leave. Maybe it’ll spark some mana up in you for a change. Then you might be able to float a pebble and stop disgracing the Clearborn name.” he angrily rasps.

“Yes sir,” I reply, “I’ll clean the house and then head to mana studies.”

“Good. Make it quick, and no running off to screw around with your little lover friend.” He spits.

“Yes sir. I mutter.

Yea I know what you’re thinking. Why would you let him talk to you that way? You’re 17 stand up for yourself. Grow some balls! Yea that makes sense, if you father isn’t the High Priest. This man’s word is literally law. I can’t lash back at him. He’ll either beat me or throw me into a pit for the rest of my days. I’m NOT messing around with that idea. Everyone leaves for mana studies, and I begin with the dishes. Make everyone’s bed, clean the floors, organize the bookshelf by alphabetical order. As I am sweeping the living room, Lei walks in the front door.

“Pops got you doing the b***h work again today huh?” asks Lei

“Well, I have no powers, so what else am I good for?” I reply upsettingly.

“Hey! Who ever said that you had to be a cleric?” She angrily exclaims, “Just because you were born a Clearborn son of the High Priest of Elvios doesn’t mean you’re required to be a cleric, Jaimie. Maybe you can be the change that we all need to stop losing all of our people to these useless wars against the ghouls!”

Short explanation of what she means by, “wars against the ghouls,” we are the human race, obviously. The ghoul race is constantly trying to invade our lands with their armies of atrocious monsters. They have goblins, wraiths, boar-men, giants, gargoyles and God knows what else. We are from the cleric legion. There are also Knight, Swordsmen, Archer, Sheildsmen, and engineer legions. Knights’ legion is the rare select few from all other legions who can use more than one legion ability. There haven’t been any new knights in over 2 decades. The war never ends so we all must do our parts to commit to the armies we have left so we don’t lose our land to the pillaging monsters we call the ghouls.

“Exactly what you said just now Lei,” I yelled, “I’m the son of the High Priest Clearborn of Elvion! No magical power to even fill my little toe! What good am I to my family other than being the b***h?”

“You always have to be so negative about yourself and hide behind that annoyingly long hair!” screams Lei, “Maybe try not to be an asshole to someone who’s trying to make you- “

Just then I had a gut-wrenching feeling. Like fight or flight. I didn’t notice Lei rushing me with her hand ready to slap me across the face because my back was turned to her, but I could feel every move she made as if I saw her in front of me. As she came down with her arms, everything began to move in slow motion and my body moved on its own as if something else took control over me. My hands moved more rapidly than I’d ever seen them move before and I chopped Lei in the side with my hand flat and grabbed her by the arm. Then, she flew up into the air and came crashing down onto the table of the living room. Suddenly everything was back to real time. There was a moment of silence for a few seconds because I’ve never done that before. Lei always hits me, and my reflexes are so horrible I wouldn’t jump until after she’d already hit me.

“Lei I’m so sorry! I don’t know how I did that, are you ok? You’re not hurt, are you?” I panic.

“Ow, My shoulder. I’m ok, but that hurt asshole. I was just trying to help you get out of your shitty mood and you hit me and throw me,” she exasperates, “And how DID you even do that? I weigh at least 25 pounds more than you and you’ve never been able to dodge me slapping you, much less defend yourself!”

“That’s what I’m saying!” I excitedly remark, “I don’t even know how it happened. It just. Hap-, happened!”

We both knew that was unlike me, which got me a little excited. I had no clue how to explain what I felt because it was still fresh and new to me. The leg of the table even broke in half from the impact.

“Anyways, what’s our plan Jaimie, or are you going to throw me for asking a question now?” Lei teases.

“Well,” I reply, “I have to fix the table before I can do anything now.”

“I’ll get the glue out of your dads’ workshop,” Lei says, “Top Drawer on th- “

“On the left.” I cut in.