If Only Zann Was Like Leonel

~FLASHBACK~

"Wow! Leonel, that's amazing!"

"How can you control your water magic so quickly?"

"They say you can resonate your element with your weapon at an older age!"

"And Leonel is just 9 years old to be able to use a spear along with his magic."

"He's an exception! People say Leonel would be a great asset to his Summoner someday!"

From afar, Zann heard the murmurs of the people in their realm. He watched from where he stood—near a tree, as Leonel continued to show the people the moves he mastered with his spear, his water magic resonating as it danced along with its blade.

Anyone who watched Leonel would tell him that he was fit to be the Water Familiar as his magic completely resonated with his. He could control his magic well with ease—as if the magic chose him—giving him no difficulty to control it.

With that in mind, the nine-year-old red-haired little boy sighed as his eyebrows knitted together, his insecurities surging in his body as he gritted his teeth, annoyed at himself.

'How can I control my magic like how Leonel does? How can I not burn everything while I try?'

With his determination and motivation, Zann decided to improve himself even after training with their master just for him to learn how to control his magic.

When Zann started walking away to go towards an empty space which is far from their town, he began to hear murmurs again, but this time, it was talking about him.

"Look at that!"

"Hey, isn't that the Fire Familiar?"

"Hmph. The Fire Familiar is notorious for them not being able to control their powers."

"The only person who could control his power was the first Fire Familiar, correct?"

"Yeah. And the others were just allowed to make their powers run amok."

"How can they allow such a thing?"

"Well, because of that, they are considered great fighters."

"Great fighters? Ha! Great in losing control, that's what!"

"So, this little boy is the same, then?"

"Do you even have to ask? I heard when he was born, his mother died giving birth to him."

"Yeah… soon after, his father committed suicide."

"So, who's raising him?"

"The old hermit outside of the town."

"Aaah… I pity him."

The little boy's eyes started to water. Even in his rage, he felt insulted and he felt that he was looked down upon just because he came from the same family—being the Fire Familiar for their chosen Summoner.

Gathering his courage, Zann glared at everyone as he looked back, his small but sonorous voice heard by everyone as he shouted his frustrations.

"I'm not the same as them! I am different!"

"Oh?"

One man then bent down, laughing as he mocked Zann with his words.

"How could you be different, child? You couldn't control your powers like the previous Fire Familiars!"

The man even cocked his head to the side, his eyes looking at young Zann condescendingly as he intentionally said hurtful words to ignite the wrath the young boy already has.

"Just admit it. You are the same as them—and your actions will not make any difference."

The eyes of the man then suddenly turned into a disgusted stare, making Zann want to puke and cry at the same time with what he called him.

"You're a beast."

As everyone laughed while they were walking away, Zann's tiny body started to tremble in anger as frustrated tears started escaping his eyes, his face flushed red as he felt flustered and uneasy.

He then started to run away going towards his home outside of town, on his way to go home to the old hermit.

'I'm not a beast! I'm not!'

But what happened next surprised everyone. Zann caught his foot inside the crack of the pavement, making him fall on the ground. The moment it happened, other civilians of the town saw him, not bothering to even help him.

"It's that boy again…"

"Why can't he just stay outside of town and train there?"

"He can't… we have no choice but to have him here."

"Just because he is the chosen Fire Familiar?"

"Yeah. He trains here with the other Familiars."

"Pffft! He's just wasting his time! How could he train when he can't even control his powers?"

"He should just give up."

Zann was too embarrassed to even stand up. He didn't care that everyone was laughing at him—he didn't care that everyone was looking down on him. He just continued to cry on the pavement, everyone's look of mockery on him.

'Stop! Just stop!'

Making Zann's body stiffen, he felt someone touch his shoulder, the young Fire Familiar instinctively turning his body to look at the person who touched him.

His eyes landed on that familiar blue hair, blue eyes. A nonchalant expression appeared on his face as he knelt in front of Zann, extending his hand towards him as if to help Zann stand up from the ground.

"Ah, what a scene…"

"The famous Water Familiar, helping the infamous Fire Familiar?"

"If I were young Leonel, I would have left that useless guy alone and move on."

"Why bother helping a beast like him?"

"Jeez… if only Zann was like Leonel, this wouldn't be a problem."

The last sentence that Zann heard snapped a branch within him—making him lose his control. Feeling insulted, the Fire Familiar harshly brushed Leonel's hand away, surprising him as he stood up. Zann then looked down on Leonel, his words loud, everyone around him hearing what was said.

"I don't need your help! You think you could be friends with me? Forget it!"

Leonel did not react. He just stood up, his face nonchalant as he continued to stare right back at Zann, his words further igniting the fiery rage the Fire Familiar was feeling.

"If you don't want this to continue on further, why not try your best to improve yourself?"

Zann could no longer control his patience with the way people started to show him—even his fellow familiar.

With that, flames started appearing on both of his palms, intentionally thrown at Leonel, his clothes burning to smithereens as everyone panicked to come to Leonel's rescue.

"Leonel!"

"Leonel! Damn that fire beast! Where is he!?"

Before the civilians could even spot where Zann is, the Fire Familiar had already run away from their sight, making his escape successful as the civilians pushed this issue aside to help Leonel.