While their clothes were mismatched in the sense of what they were actually wearing, they all looked similar. They tried to follow the theme of black. Each of them had a similar size, save for one. Whenever they wore face coverings, the only true thing that could be distinguished were the voices of the thirteen, and the horses.

Currently all of them are inside their temporary headquarters. One of them, the smallest and sneakiest, had accompanied the fake mail man towards the homestead. He did so just to see if the man had taken the bait. Which he did. Two days later, after he got the fake letter, the “Auditamor” left. Now all that there was left to do was raid.

He had to walk a two-mile trek to the camp. The scout might’ve used his wind magic, but he didn’t want any chance of getting caught. So he took the grueling walk. The camp was in a buzz. With this homestead out of the way, and it’s inhabitants, their next and final target was the village.

The scout slipped his way to the leader's tent. “Sir, may I come in.” The scout asked.

“Yeah.” Came a rough and grouchy voice. A large man, standing well over 7 feet, maybe even 8 tall. Broad shoulders with just as broad a body. Large, corded muscles wrapped all over him. He was the only person that big in the traveling group. He never wore a mask, It would do little to cover the two large tusks protruding from his lower lip. “Give me good news.” The man said.

“He took the bait, all we need to do is strike.” The scout said.

“Haha!” The man bellowed. “Good news!” The man smiled, which was somewhat ugly and closer to a frown. He then pushed the scout out of the way and went out of the tent. “Listen, Hear!” The buzz around the camp stopped. “Sharpen your weapons, prepare your magics, ready your minds, saddle your horses. We ride in ten minutes. With-in an hour… We raid!”

“AHHH!” The men erupted in cheer. The buzz now became hurried and quick. The scout had already left to tend to his duties. The tusked-man picked up a large battle axe resting on the ground, then slung it on his shoulder.

He, along with the weapon, thirsted for blood.

***

Kenan felt the same itch all day. Yet every time he looked behind him, nothing was there. He was also annoyed and worried that he hadn’t seen Dion all day. Kenan forced himself to put faith that the fox was simply out hunting

He had finished his daily chores remarkably early. At noon-time he had trained himself. Putting the same, if not more strain on his body then he did with Doco. When he was done, shirtless in the horse pen, he crossed his legs and closed his eyes. Besides training his muscles, he had also been experimenting with the mana in his system.

As far as he knew, he was different from anyone in his family and the majority of people. Generally, people of one “System” or “storage” of mana. As in, people would get mana from a gate, push it down to their dantian. Then it either stayed there, be used, or passively transferred to the body. He had his regular dantian, but the mana didn’t leak, it just stayed there. That was his first storage. His second was the body itself. It seemed as though his blood, muscles and even bones just held mana naturally, and were used when needed.

When he realized that, he came upon his most recent discovery. He didn’t actually have a dantian. Or at least when he focused solely on his physical body, it, and the gates seemed to be missing. Yet when he focused on his dantian, it seemed he didn’t have a physical body either. As for why this was, he didn’t know.

Now, he turned his inner-eye to his current channel. The rest were still thick with impurities. As of right now, he hadn’t actually any actual magic to use. However, he could still theorize and experiment. What did he need to use magic? Mana. Oftentimes people needed more of it. Maybe, like putting mana in the physical body, there was more than one way to increase inflow. Kenan to a large chunk of power and clogged his channel with usable mana. Then pushed on the walls.

Almost immediately he was filled with pain, and sweat recovered him. But he did not stop. Kenan, the son of Tyris, conqueror of pigs, and friend of the foxes, was not afraid of pain. Anguish started at his spine then continued out from there, reaching to his toes and fingers. It was a mix of burning and cold. All at once his muscles retracted, yet he kept pushing.

Eventually, the pain was too much and he released the hold on his mana. He took a few minutes to calm himself down and see if there was any damage to his system. After the rush of blood settled and he confirmed nothing was wrong with his body he checked his channel.

He smiled. While it was hard to notice, the width of the channel did increase. A huge victory, even if it was a thousandth of an inch.

Some time later, he was sitting at the dinner table. Waiting for the meal to come. He licked his lips eagerly. He wasn’t just hungry, no, he was starving. The smell didn’t make it any better. Recently they had to kill one of the pigs. It had accidentally broken its leg and there was no fixing it, so they just put it down. Now, Kenan was basking in its unfortunate accident as the smell of freshly cooked pork permeated the air.

“Kenan. Keeeenan. Kenan!” Lucy yelled. Kenan snapped out of his smell induced coma. “Wow, pig brain got you that happy?” She smiled.

“Can you blame the boy, look how big he has gotten. Stronger than ten men! Not as much as me, though. I’m as strong as a hundred!” Tyris said. He too was waiting for food. Ava didn’t allow anybody in the kitchen. Not even her beloved.

“You got the smarts as a half of one.” Kenan said.

Lucy started to laugh. Tyris gasped. “Unfilial!” They bantered a bit more. Eventually a large pig leg came in the middle of the table, along with vegetables and other sides. Kenan could barely keep his hunger at bay and use utensils. If it was just him, he probably would’ve just used his hands.

Somewhere during the dinner. Kenan asked a question. “How many gates were cleared for you guys?”

“4.” Tyris said in between a large bite of ham.

“7.” Lucy said, doing the same thing as her father.

“7. Why dear?” Ava responded, the only one not stuffing their face full of food.

“Um. Because I only have one.” Tyris stopped his food frenzy. Lucy, didn’t. Ava dropped her fork.

“Only one. Are you sure?” Kenan’s father asked, his tone serious.

“Yeah, is that bad?” There was a quick glance between Kenan’s mother and father.

“Nope, it’s actually pretty fuckin good.” Lucy said, mumbling her words.

“Lucy! Ahh whatever. It is incredibly good. The body only opens as many Gates as it needs, then it leaves the rest. The gates that aren't opened are filled with impurities. Do you know what that means?” Tyris asked. Kenan shook his head. “For a long time it was thought that It was better to have all thirteen gates open at birth, when in fact, that is false. Only noble born, or some extremely lucky people can be born with one. It means that what some people need thirteen gates to do, they only need one.”

“Wait, so does that mean..” Kenan's question was interrupted by a sudden rumble. The plates, cups, and table vibrated.

“Earthquake?” Ana asked.

“No.” Tyris said. He looked out the window. “Shit.” He and Ana quickly shared a look. “Bandits.”

Quickly Tyris ran into a different room. Ana stood up too. “Lucy, Kenan, get your travel gear ready as fast as possible. Leave through the back door. Do as I say.” Her face got incredibly serious. Kenan could, however, see beneath the mask and watch the sudden realization upon her. She quickly hugged the two.

“Wait Mom!” Lucy said. “I can help you.”

“No..”

“I am an adult now. We let Kenan escape. He knows the way to the village by himself and he can warn uncle. I can help!”

“No… you cannot.” Tears now rolled down Ana’s face.

“I will.”

There was a brief moment of silence. Before two large vibrations shook the entirety of the house. Even the bones of the people inside. From the outside, two bright orange balls hit the building. Now flame etched inside. “Fine! But if you can, run!” The two then were set in motion as they ran outside.

Kenan, not letting shock get to him, ran towards his room. He grabbed his pack, but clothes in it, a firestarter, compass and some other essentials. He quickly checked under his bed for his tomes. A minute later he couldn’t find them, he forgot them. He would rather have his life than magic.

He exited his room. Fire was now burning the core of his home. He was met with his father. “Son, I need you to be quiet, make no noise. Travel to the village, warn Doco.” He hugged the boy. “I love you.” Kenan hugged back. Tyris held out a long object, then shoved it in Kenan's hands. “Give it to your uncle, use it if you need to. Remember. Your soul is the strongest part about you.” Suddenly there were screams. Not of women, but men. He gave the boy one more squeeze. Then left.

Kenan breathed in, and out. Then coughed. The smoke was getting bad. He held back a flood of tears. Right now, he needed to think without emotion. He ran towards the back. The fire was starting to make the house creek. As he got to the back door, his blood froze. Standing in the doorway was a man in black clothes and a face covering.

The two made eye contact.

The man laughed, as he unsheathed his sword. Kenan tried to think of the best way around him. Right now, he had to defend. Kenan looked at the object in his hands. On instinct he grabbed the handle and unsheathed it. A long, black blade was now resting in his hands. It curved to a point with only one edged side.

“Haha you poor kid.” The man said. As he lazily swung his blade. Kenan blocked it with his own. He felt his skeleton shake at the pure force this man exuded. Again the man swung, again Kenan deflected. Each time it seemed Kenan got a bit slower and the man faster.

Eventually he was too late. Kenan watched as his enemy's blade headed towards his throat. Before it could reach, he watched as a black and white blur block the path of the edge. Dion had taken the hit for him. Red blood exploded from the small figure.

Confusion, sadness, instinct, and even the will of survival all got replaced. By this eroding, corrupting, insatiable, Rage!

“NOOO!” Kenan yelled. His subconscious pulled mana from his dantian into the black blade. In turn, it started to light in a thousand different white dots. The saved mana in his muscles was used in an instant. He lunged at the man.

The man delved into a hysterical laughter fit. He brought his blade to deflect. He stopped laughing as he watched the black blade cut cleanly through his own. The blade traveled in the air, slicing through the entire upper half of the bandit.

The man died in an instant. Kenan fell unconscious, and seconds later was buried under a burning house.