Potential

Prologue

Two events marked the day that changed our world forever.

The first occurred towards the edges of the Ardevian province of Valanco, where a girl with red hair and golden-yellow eyes stood. She was on time to meet a man who was often late, but the importance of their meeting assured her that he'd be on time for this one.

"Oliver," she whispered to the forest in front of her. She heard some rustling behind her and turned.

"Hi," he said with a smile, and they embraced, her arms encircling his large brown backpack. 

"Do you have it?" He asked quickly when they parted. She nodded and motioned to her closed palm. 

Their eyes locked.

"I'm fine," she said. "I'm not going to change my mind. I have it but don't want it. You don't have it and you want it. It's meant to be."

He shook his tan head. "Nothing about this is meant to be." 

She opened her palm to reveal a citrine pendant that glowed as if lit from within, haloing a bright yellow against its silver chain. He gulped and reached down to take it. In his hands, the yellow stone quickly turned an ivy shade of green.

"It worked," the girl breathed, as the gem had taken on the man's own ivy-green eye colour instead of her deep yellow one. "My potential has been fettered. It's yours now."

"Magic," he said, staring at the green gem in his palm that now housed her potential in a form he controlled. He lifted his other arm up and tried to push some near-hanging branches away with his new-found abilities. They scooted ever so slightly.

"Hmm," he said. She laughed.

"Three seconds with magic, and you already think you're a potential," she clucked her teeth.

He grinned, revealing a dimple on his left cheek. "Sudden power shifts have always been my style."

"That and brown relic bags."

"This shaggy hair-over-my-eyes look."

"Being fashionably late."

"And strolling in with a dazzling smile," he said as he demonstrated. He lifted his arm again, and managed to push the branches a little further this time.

"Today a tree branch, tomorrow the world," She said.

"I'll settle for just Valanco," he said, now serious. "Gather up all the relics I can find, so we can arm all the orphans, retaliate, and take back what is ours."

"Stick to the plan, Oliver" she warned. "First find and collect Earthen relics using the map. Come back every month for an update. Then when we have enough relics, we'll make our strike. But not until every last orphan is armed."

"That'll take years," he said, sighing.

"It's the only way," she said.

He nodded. He knew that. And he'd search everyday, for years. As long as it would take.

"Alright, off with you then." She said. "Be back before the next full moon. And be careful."

He clutched the pendant closer to his chest. "Be safe, Mya," he said, kissing her forehead before turning around and disappearing into the trees.

Much further into the Valancen province, past the borders decorated with slums  and orphanages, lay the town of Talia. It was a larger town than most, boasting of intricate design and historical longevity, as well as an atele King, Queen and Princess.