1 The Book

I was having a wonderful day in the year 2081. I was with my parents and two younger sisters going around Atlanta during the weekend. We were visiting various shops and fun places. The Georgia capital city has plenty to do and see. It was also a city with many heroes. The one thing I overlooked was it had many villains too. As well as having a blind faith that the heroes will let noting bad happen.

My happy day was shattered so fast I couldn't even registered what happened. My parents were blown apart by some sort of energy blast that went right through them. My sisters and I were shocked. Then some beefy guy was thrown our way skidding into and across the ground. He skidded right through my sisters as they stood there still in shock. There bodies were thrown up while their bones crunched and broke. They landed on the ground lifeless and twisted in horrible ways. My breathing quickened as I backed away step by step as I was not hit. Then a guy came flying past me and went towards the beefy guy.

I looked at them and could tell they were fighting. I even recognized the flying guy as a resident hero. So the beefy guy must be a villain. I came out of shock and realized just what happened. The villain's attack killed my parents and the hero's attack killed my sisters.

I was shaking in foreign fury, confusion and complete disbelief. I turned to look at the hero and villain to see that their fight had moved. I couldn't see them anymore, but I could hear them.

I said nothing as I've already determined what I want in my head. I internally screamed in my head, "I will make them suffer for this! Both of them! I will shred them down to the last atom and tear them apart!"

Afterwards, many people came to talk to me. The police, government agents and hero lawyers. They all wanted me to take some money and not speak about what happened to me. I took the money. That is because my vengeance will not be so simple as smearing reputation. The money would help me in the future as it was no small amount either. I wouldn't have access to it until I become a legal adult though.

I am a natural lucid dreamer. In the following nights in my empty house, I had nightmares of the fight. These nightmares even persisted to the time I entered the local orphanage. In each nightmare, the fight would happen and I would be unable to move my body until my family was killed. Every time immediately after I would go after the hero and villain. I would break their bodies. I would kill them. I would destroy their minds. When awake I would crave to do the same thing in reality.

I eventually went to an orphanage as I had no guardians or family to take me. The cycle of dreaming of vengeance kept on for weeks. I only wanted to do it more and more. I wanted my dream to become reality so bad, I even started thinking how I could I achieve realistically. No matter what I thought of though, nothing would work. I couldn't take on either of the powered people. Their bodies are resilient to conventual weapons and they are not fools. The hero is especially crafty. Capeman the hero is called. Super durability, strength, regeneration and flight. The villain Laser Blast who has super durability and blast energy.

I needed to be powered too. I have no powers and I took the magic aptitude test when I was 8. My sisters would've taken the test in another year.

"Dreams..."

That's right, I am a natural lucid dreamer. If I had powers it would definitely be something to do with dreams. Other kids get powers all the time. Not all of them have powers at birth. Some get them later in life or even after they are already adults. These situations are mostly because the powers needed a certain condition to activate father used to tell me. Perhaps I can activate some power within my dream. Mother used to say that among lucid dreamers, I am way more gifted in it than most.

After going to sleep at the end of the day, I tried to make my dreams real. I needed them to be real! I poured all my emotions into this desire, used every ounce of my will. I wanted to use my lucidity to give me a power within the dream and make it real with all my heart. I felt a guiding feeling. The thought of a book came into my mind. Which is weird as I am already in my mind. I latched onto that thought. I trusted my mind, so I tried to grasp the thought and make it in my dream. I was screaming, "Come on!" My dream started to fall apart and away. Now in a white space, a book faded into existence before my eyes.

"A book...", I muttered in awe.

I thought of a book and a book appeared to my great delight.

"What does it do? What does it do?", I asked myself.

The book was completely blank. Therefore, I surmised I could determine what it does. Which is what I did. I thought, "It should be able to allow me to bring my dreams into reality. Allow to traverse to the dreams of others. Harvest some kind of special energy from dreams to make me grow stronger permanently. Can only be used by me. I can never lose it. It can store the dreams of others and I can make those real too."

The regular looking book that was conjured became a little thicker and changed to look more like a grimoire from fantasy. It's title read, "Dreams and Nightmares".

Then it glowed and flew into my chest. I felt something change in me, for real. Then I awoke in the morning. I sat up and immediately tried to summon my book. It appeared and floated right in front of me.

I had a huge smile on my face and giggled happily.

"I have a superpower now.", I said in a low excited voice.

Now my revenge can be realized. As for registering my superpower, the government can go to hell. They denied me justice, so they don't need to know squat. My power can not be easily detected either, it is very easy to hide.

Now I have a say in this world of superpowers and magic.

"I will get my own justice, regardless of who stands in my way."

I walked out of my orphanage room with a smile and actually enjoyed my day for the first time in what felt like forever. I was now more eager than ever.