“Did you know that where we live is the Lorscall continent? ” My dad says while opening his hands to show me how big it is.

I nod no since I honestly don't.

“Well, Lorscall is wayyyy up North. The place where our ancestors live is called Azauk. Right now we have a small little community here, but Lorscall has at least two nations that live on it. Anyways, the point is that this story comes from Azauk.” He widens his hands out greatly to show that Lorscall is much smaller than Azauk.

“In times long past people with ‘power’ were much more easily found. Great heroes would become inscribed in tales because of how they used their power to destroy an invading army, or to assassinate a corrupt king, but the truth is...The hero would almost always become the villain...You see the old tales of people with the power always end with them turning on their country, or going crazy. The reason is because using the power drives you to insanity...Now think Nox. Why would someone use a power that would make them crazy?” He lowers his voice to add to his suspenseful aura.

“They valued something more than their own mind? Or had something they’d be willing to die for?” I conjecture.

“Exactly right Nox, but that was usually the character's fatal flaw in these stories. You see they ended up using there power maybe ten too many times...That is when the tale becomes the horror story. Apparently it is so serious that some kingdoms on the mainland will kill you for even having the power...”

I gulp down while the story starts to pull me in. Every time my dad pauses he adds in a dramatic pose, and despite myself, I start to lean forward to listen more closely.

“The story today revolves around one such kingdom. In this kingdom anybody who showed any sign of power would be executed on the spot. That is when a small boy named Anyelm was born. Most people do not show signs of the power until they are older, and this means that if you are young then you are talented” He pauses to poke me in the chest.

“But being talented with something like this can quickly backfire...Anyelm was actually born with the power, and he accidentally killed his mother as a baby. His father was so stricken with grief after time that he tried to kill Anyelm when he was 7, but at that point Anyelm was far too powerful...Anyelm wandered the land acquiring strength and madness until he was 14. At this point Anyelm was the most wanted person in the mainland, and everybody wanted him dead.”

“Why? Did he hurt anybody besides for his parents?” I ask.

He smiles before continuing, “Droves of people! Most were killed, but he had no choice! The kingdom’s guards were coming after him. It was at this time that Anyelm finally went stark mad! People do not know if the madness comes from the increase in the power or if madness increases the power, but one thing was certain...Anyelm had slowly gotten stronger and stronger over his bloody rampage...So the kingdom tried one last huge battle to try and kill him before he destroyed anything else, but it was far too late. The man had just enough wit about him to defend himself from the army by destroying droves of people. After a long time of using the power, it becomes unstable. You can no longer use it as telekinesis, but instead a greater and darker power awakens...”

He reaches over and grabs a bit of flour-like material from the corner of the room. He then drops it slowly from his hand and says, “You turn everything to sand...”

I start to sweat coldly at what I had done to the large swath of land south of the village. If they found it will they go on a witch hunt to kill me?

“Haha, don’t worry son. It’s just a story, but Anyelm had gained this power halfway through the battle...He started turning swaths of soldiers to sand in the blink of an eye...With each passing second he would gain in power, and his mouth would start to froth from his insanity...After that he roamed the land...Never dying or aging, and slowly gaining in strength. Eventually people started to call the horror that used to be a man...THE SANDMAN”

He grabs me up off his lap and shakes me from side to side while he yells the phrase. The spooky ghost story vibes I get from him make the story incredibly entertaining, and besides that it helps me understand my power a lot better.

“So I could become a Sandman?” I say.

“Of course not son! That is a tale. Meant to scare bad children. Think about it this way though...Tales are told for a reason. If everybody in a village says there are demons to the north, do you believe them?”

I shake my head no.

“Well, would you take a trail to the North?” He asks the question with more emphasis on North, and again I shake my head no.

“Exactly son. Tales are told for a reason. Maybe it’s bandits, maybe it’s some poisonous plants people eat along the way, or maybe it’s just a story...but the story is always told for a reason.”He says with the continued flare of a ghost story, but this time while keeping eye contact and leaning in closer.

“I see...So don’t use my powers unless I have to?” I say trying to sum up what the story meant.

“Exactly. It is not a play thing, or even a tool for labor, and don’t let anybody know either. Lot’s of people would value your power far more than your mind, but I’ve spent enough time here. If you want to go and get a job then you better go now. Most people from Terk are going to start looking for a job soon.” He says warmly while lifting me up encouragingly.

“I will, and thank you for the story. Would you mind telling me more about the continent, the nations, and everything else later?”

“Of course.” He says as I walk away.

It's all starting to make sense. Some people are born with the power, and some have it 'gifted' to them by an...Eldritch. The end result is the same. If you use the power...You go insane. It also increases in power as you use it more and more...Which made me wonder if the regeneration is because of the power...What if the regeneration becomes stronger with the power?

I start to get chills as I imagine how terrifying an actual Sandman would be.

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Massive editing session going on right now! SO if you see ANY errors PLEASSSE leave a comment. I will notice it quickly and fix the problem.