My mouth is watering, pork, beef chicken, mixed vegetables, salad, it all looks and smells great. It has been a while since I got to eat nice food!

“Okay, let’s eat”

I can’t help but think that just the amazing food makes being reborn so much better. I only ate to sustain myself in the past, but I really missed having nice food when it was taken away from me. To begin with I always ate by myself for as long as I can remember.

“It still amazes me how much you eat”

I give my father a look and shrug. I’m still growing, why wouldn’t I eat. I’m about to grab another chicken leg when suddenly I feel a pinching pain in my cheek.

“It is a blessing to have a child that eats well”

I push my mothers hand away and give her an angry look.

“I’m not a child mother, and you hardly gave me anything to eat the last days”

“You are my child, although you never did call me just mamma or even mom like the other kids. As for the last days, you know why”

“That is because I’m better than most kids and you know it, don’t punish me for being amazing”

“You sure are something, I’ll give you that”

“You just don’t want to admit you feel the same”

As I’m talking I feel something on my cheek again, just that this time there is no pain. I look at my side and see Athena holding a piece of bread. She is looking up at me with her big bright eyes.

“Icarus, eat?”

“Okay I’ll eat it”

My brother is sitting next to her looking at his food like he doesn’t know what to do with it. It is nice to have siblings; I wish we could stay like this forever.

I lie on my bed, looking up at the ceiling. Family huh. I’ve gotten used to this lifestyle, haven’t I?

***

I’m drowsy. It is early morning. I really hate mornings, it is always hard to get up. Manoeuvring my way out of bed, I stand up and close my eyes. I take a deep breath, feeling the mana around me. I let it run through me and let my thoughts roam. After a while I open my eyes and stretch my body. I think my control got a little better.

Well, time to get ready for school. I haven’t seen Eirene since the day we met. She seemed like a girl with allot of secrets. How fun would it be trying to uncover all of them! Problem is, I wouldn’t know where to look for her.

On another note, the guys in my class have been leaving me alone. Well everyone except for one. He has been on my tail ever since I beat up those kids. It seems his father is a military man and he wants me to make him stronger to impress him.

Not that it is all bad. His mother seems to be some kind of engineer and he picked up a few things from her. Hearing about the technology I didn’t know existed, and a pretty good summarisation of how it works, is mighty satisfying.

“Come on Icarus, I told you about the mana accelerator and mana fusion projects. Now you have to teach me something too”

I give Ares a look; his desperate eyes make me want to keel over from laughter.

“Alright, but I’m only telling you once so listen well”

Although Ares is definitely a smart kid, his control over mana isn’t exactly great. The only thing he seems to excel at is physical strength and ignition of particles. The sheer amount of fire he can form through simply igniting the air around him surprised even me. Too bad he has no control and everything in range is set ablaze, him included.

I lift up my hand to show him what I’ doing while I explain.

“First you gather the mana. Absorbing as much mana as you can is a basic and very important. However, if you can gather the mana around you and use it, there is much more to use.”

I let the mana flow through me to strengthen every part of my body, while cladding the outside of my body with another layer of mana.

“The way to properly control mana is to understand that everything formed by mana already exists. You are simply bending it to your will through your understanding. The mana outside your body is no different from the mana inside; it is just harder to bend it to your will. All I’m doing right now is using the mana inside me to heighten my senses and reinforce my body. I use the mana outside my body to increase my speed, controlling everything directly with my mind rather than my nervous system”

I disappear and reappear right on his other side.

“The same goes for your fire. It is not like you are making it appear out of nowhere, it is already there. Just in the form of harmless gasses. You use your mana to change the composition and ignite it, creating flames”

It seems like he hasn’t completely understood what I just told him, but at least it will keep him busy for a while. You can’t really blame him; even the teachers have a very basic understanding. It probably has to do with the fact that there is no conflict and therefore no need to really use any of the powers they posses.

I look at Ares who is scribbling down things on a notepad. It is actually an enigma how they know as much as they do. From what I have seen, most people are perfectly content going about their boring lives. There are far too few people that have an actual interest in uncovering unknown truths and ideals.

It seems Ares has figured something out and is trying to move the mana around him. Maybe I was underestimating him, he could probably do it with a little more studying. I guess it won’t hurt to teach him a little more. He also said he’d help me to try and find clue’s on Eirene.

“Icarussss”

My thoughts get interrupted as someone hugs me from behind, their face seriously close to my own.

“Thalia, how many times did I tell you not to touch me”

“Awww, don’t be ashamed. I haven’t seen you for so long! It is like you are avoiding me”

That is because I have been avoiding you! Thalia is a girl from the class over. Her body is too developed for someone her age and her mentality isn’t much better. She is too clingy without showing any actual affection and something about her makes me feel uncomfortable. If I ever meet the person who raised her, I’m going to smack them!

“Thalia, you better get off me before I make you”

“Icarus, you’re no fun”

She is making a face as if I did something wrong.

“Then go away and bother someone else”

“But you are much smarter than all the older boys and I like you the best”

Of course I’m smarter than the rest. I was smarter than most of the people here 100 years ago.

“Thalia, just stop bothering him”

Thank you Ares, I knew it was the right choice to make you my friend.

“Icarus promised to train me and I made him a promise as well. Once we finish that, he is all yours”

Thalia moves over to Ares. They look at each other with serious expressions. Then she moves her hand and lightning speed.

“It is a promise”

They shake hands and Thalia strides off. I let my face fall on the table in front of me. This guy, sometimes he is too ignorant for his own good. My only friend just shoved me under the bus. Sold me off like a grade A piece of meat. Oh, how pitiful I am.