Lightning Strikes Twice

Chapter 1: The Cataclyst

"Damn brat!, you worthless piece of shit, I should kill you where you stand!"

I wake up in a cold sweat gasping "That was... an unpleasant dream." I can feel myself starting to cry, I rub my eyes to prevent that from happening.

My name is Marsh Adow, I'm 19 years old living on my own, as far as I'm concerned I have no family and not a single friend. I was born powerless and without magic and in this kingdom hell, this world that makes me worth less than sliced bread.

I pull open my blinds to let the sun in as I get out bed. I stretch and yawn at the same time making a weird groaning noise as I then go to make some food "Hopefully there's some jobs waiting for me today or else I'll be out of food by the middle of the week." I say as I run my hand through my spiky brown hair. After I finish my food I slip on a green short sleeved shirt over my white undershirt and slip into some shoes; I walk outside and lock my door and before I go by the job bulletin board I frequent I walk over to the neighboring house and peek through the window. I glance around everywhere I can see in and let out a heavy sigh "Still missing..." I finally make my way down to the board by the man who runs the post of giving out jobs for quick money; after seeing the board my face turns pale "No jobs?!, hey what gives sir?!" the man looks as me and sighs "I took em all down because you're the only one who comes 'round here at this day in the week." looking puzzled and frustrated I press him on the matter "Took them down?!, for what reason?!" the man looks remorseful as his looks me in the eye. "Kid, all these jobs want a merc, someone with some strength, powers or magic and everyone around this block knows you don't have either of those last two and I know your family went up and missing which is why I keep letting you come back and take these jobs." I look down at my feet as he makes that comment "Missing... right." the man sighs as he looks me dead serious in my eyes "I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I let you get yourself killed with one of these jobs, I'm real sorry but I can't help you." I nod my head and begin heading towards one of the town's gates. "If I can't get some work to do, I might as well go for a walk in the fields."

As I get to the gates I'm greeted by the guards on duty as they wish me safe travel as I go past the gates to wherever I end up wandering off to. As I get farther in the fields being alone, I let my worst thoughts get the best of me "My brother is gone, my family... is gone as well, I have no other friends and Kron...." I sigh and then stop to look up at the sky when I finally notice the dark clouds and the loud rumbling. I continue on walking as I keep my head low, it begins to rain and lightning can be heard far off; as I continue walking, and the thunderstorm keeps coming down I slow my pace to eventually stopping entirely as I listen to the sound of the thunder. "Is... is the lightning getting closer?" as I listen intently for awhile I hear nothing but rain pouring down until suddenly a bolt strikes now only a mile and a half away from me "W-was that coincidence or is it really getting clo-" without warning I am struck by a massive lightning bolt; my few thoughts begin to swirl around as my sight begins to fade. "Is this... how I go?... Kron, my only friend I'm sorry... I couldn't find you.." as my final thought comes in I collapse and my sight fades to black.

As the rain continues to pour down and the thunder continues to rumble while Marsh's body lie alone in the soggy, damp fields; suddenly a massive, larger than the last lightning bolt strikes his body once again, charing the grass around it.

I wake up gasping, my senses are moving faster than what my brain can process, slowly I am able to see and hear everything clearly; I feel overwhelmingly energetic as I sit on the damp grass. I look around me and I take a moment to think "Wasn't I struck by lightning... didn't I... die..?" I look at my hands and I see sparks of electricity on hands, out of instinct and panic I thrust my right hand forward trying to get it off as if it were stuck on. A small bolt of electricity was fired into the direction I thrust my hand in "Did... did I do that?" I concentrate on my hand as I take a deep breath in and let it out, I then thrust my arm forward once again and another bolt of electricity is thrown from my hand out into the distance. "I... I have powers?.... I HAVE POWERS!!" excited now that I actually have some worth to this kingdom I begin firing bolts testing my new powers for about an hour I begin to grow weary "Why do I... feel so... tired..." as my thoughts pass and I collapse once again.

"Marsh."

I hear a voice call out to me in my sleep.

"Marsh I am a force that has deemed you worthy of the power that I am to exist as, I will never come to help you like this ever. However I will guide you this once, the power that resides within you is the same force that is keeping you alive; overuse it and you will perish."

I am forced awake by what feels like the voice that was calling out to me, I look up to see that is no longer midday, rather it has become evening "Yeesh, how long was I asleep for?" I get up and start my way heading back for the town's gates and out of its fields "Man, I know I just got up from sleeping but I feel tired as hell."

As Marsh begins to leave the spot where lightning struck him and make his way home, a camera hidden in nearby bushes making a whirring sound zooming in on him.

-Earlier, far off in a facility nearby the city and castle of Ultia-

A woman with light cerulean blue hair purple stripes in her bangs sitting at a desk with multiple screens show video feed from cameras. "Tch, today been so boring and my cameras aren't picking up a damn thing." The woman lets out a sharp sigh putting a sleeve covered hand on her face, her sleeve loose from her lazily worn lab coat slouched down to her shoulders. The woman leans back in her chair groaning of boredom, she then loudly snaps her fingers "Weapon!, get me some tea!" the woman adjusts the goggles on her head as she notices something out of the corner of her eye on one of her screens. "Well, well, well... who might you be hm?" she sees a young man walking in the fields in view of one of her cameras; she is able to make out his whole appearance as she sees him "What is he doing out here?" as she asks that footsteps make their way to her side as they stop and a distorted voice speaks "I've done as you asked master." says a helmeted figure placing its master's tea on the desk. The woman smiles at her machine at appearance "Thank you, go back to watching the perimeter now would you?" the figure compliantly nods and leaves the room; the woman picks up her tea and as she goes to drink it she thinks to herself "I wonder... who exactly is this?, I mean he looks cu-" her train of thought is cut off when a lightning bolt loudly strikes down on the young man on the video feed, as it happens the woman spits out her drink out of shock. "I- wha- what just happened!?" she then downs the rest of her drink to try to collect herself and process what just happened "H-he just died... right infront of me..." she let's out a sharp sigh before pouting "That's a shame, he could've been a great t-" once again she is cut off, this time by a larger lightning bolt striking the young man's body; after a few minutes the young man wakes up. The woman seeing this grins widely and begins rubbing her chin as she giggles

"Now, this could get interesting."

-Present moment-

As I return to the town gates exhausted I drag myself through the town I think to myself "Now that I have these powers, I could actually make a living, the man mentioned people needing a merc." as i get through the town I finally make it back to my home. Before entering I look to my right to see the vacant neighboring house to mine as I think to myself "And now... I finally have the power to find you... Kron." as I finish my thoughts I head inside and lock the door behind me; I walk over and toss myself into bed as a look out the window and let out a heavy sigh.

"Man, what a day."

As I say that I think of what tomorrow may hold in store for me; I shut my eyes seeing only darkness as I drift off into sleep.