OUTLAWS: Who Am I?

S⁴

In the dimly lit room of his grandmother's old estate in Calder City, Seb stood before an antique mirror, his reflection bathed in the warm glow of a single candle flickering on the nearby table. The room was filled with relics from another time—ornate furniture, heavy drapes, and walls lined with faded family portraits. The air was thick with the scent of aged wood and the faint, musty smell of books long forgotten. Seb's heart raced as he prepared to test the artifacts he had inherited, the dagger, necklace, and ring resting on the table before him, each one pulsing with a faint, otherworldly energy. The weight of his family's legacy bore down on him, but he was determined to understand the power these objects held and how to wield it.

Seb started with the dagger, its blade gleaming under the candlelight as he picked it up. The cool metal felt strangely alive in his hand, as if it were attuned to his very thoughts. He focused on a spot across the room, a small crack in the plaster wall, and willed himself to teleport there. A surge of energy shot through him, the world around him blurring for a split second before snapping back into focus. He gasped as he found himself standing by the wall, the dagger still clutched tightly in his hand. The sensation was disorienting but exhilarating, like stepping between two different realities. Seb took a deep breath, trying to steady himself as the rush of adrenaline subsided. The dagger had worked, but the strain it put on his mind and body was evident. He realized he would need to practice more to fully master the teleportation ability.

Next, Seb turned his attention to the necklace, a delicate silver chain with an intricate pendant that seemed to hum with its own energy. He slipped it over his head, the pendant resting against his chest. The moment it touched his skin, he felt a strange tingling sensation, like static electricity coursing through his body. Seb closed his eyes, focusing on the idea of becoming intangible, of passing through solid objects like a ghost. At first, nothing happened, but as he concentrated harder, he felt his body begin to lose its solidity. He opened his eyes to see his hand fading, becoming translucent. Panicking slightly, he stepped forward, his foot passing through the leg of the heavy wooden table. The feeling was unsettling, as if he were no longer fully connected to the physical world. Seb quickly focused on becoming solid again, the sense of disconnection fading as he returned to normal. He exhaled deeply, the experience leaving him both awed and uneasy.

Finally, Seb picked up the ring, its smooth surface catching the candlelight as he turned it over in his hand. Unlike the dagger and necklace, the ring didn't immediately respond to his touch. He slipped it onto his finger, expecting to feel the same surge of power or energy as before, but nothing happened. Frowning, Seb concentrated, trying to will the ring to activate, to reveal whatever ability it held. Minutes passed, and still, the ring remained inert, a simple band of metal with no apparent function. Frustrated, Seb clenched his fist, willing the ring to do something—anything—but it remained stubbornly silent. He removed it, staring at it in confusion and frustration. Of all the artifacts, this one was the most mysterious, and yet it refused to give up its secrets. Seb knew he would have to dig deeper into his family's history to unlock its power.

Exhausted from the effort of testing the artifacts, Seb sat down heavily in a worn leather armchair by the window. The night outside was quiet, the city's usual bustle muted under the blanket of darkness. He stared at the artifacts laid out on the table, feeling a mixture of pride and fear. He had made progress, but the strain of using the dagger and necklace had been intense, and the ring's stubborn silence was a constant reminder that there was still so much he didn't understand. Seb rubbed his temples, trying to ease the dull headache that had formed from the mental exertion. He knew he couldn't afford to push himself too hard, but the need to master these relics was growing more urgent by the day.