Revelation

Singapore, Ngee Ann Polytechnic, 2019

Ethan and Kenneth stepped through the door they came in from. As they stepped out, the portal instantly closes, leaving an empty classroom right behind them.

"I'll see you soon? Hopefully?" Ethan said. He was hoping that he hadn't scared Kenneth away with everything that happened today.

"Yeah, sure..." Kenneth replied. His mind was still on what Liam had said. How did the key pop out of his dreams? More importantly, what exactly was that dream? It sure wasn't just any ordinary one, the key is sure to bring more trouble to him as time passes.

Ethan and Kenneth bid each other goodbyes as they went their separate ways. While Kenneth rushed home, he thought about how anxious he father sounded, it was unlike him, his father is always so calm no matter what happened, something huge must be going on that made his father this anxious.

When he walked towards the lift to his home, the strangest incident occurred. Kenneth felt chills ran down his spine, the air around him got a little colder like it dropped a few degrees. His pocket where the key is contained starts to glow, gradually growing brighter.

Something weird is going on, Kenneth could sense it, he felt this intense unknown fear that he had never felt before. It frightened him. Kenneth took out and clutched the key in his hands. He still has no idea how to really use it, but at least it may be able to protect himself.

Kenneth stood in the spot, fear welling up from inside him, growing more and more. He was stuck on the spot, legs not able to move, it was like a sinister force was holding him in place. Kenneth turned his head, looking around, trying to identify what exactly is doing this to him.

Right in front of his eyes, the shadow beneath his feet grew, larger and larger, then the shadow rises, like a blanket, covering what's beneath. He knew this was something sinister, something evil, the only word that comes to his mind telling him what it is, is 'demon'.

"HEEEELP! PLEASE HEEELP!" Kenneth screamed. As loud as he could. There was no one around, no one to hear his cries, no one to help him. It was a familiar feeling, being lonely, all by himself.

A realisation came, no one is going to help him. This is something he can only deal with himself. The shadow slowly gained shape, the blanket of darkness starts to squeeze in around it, gradually squeezing in till its form could finally be seen.

The being was unlike anything Kenneth has seen before. It had sharp claws and fangs, black vines surround its body like a cocoon with holes around its limbs allowing it to move. It was now clear what was holding it in place, the same black vines that surrounded its body. The vines appeared out from the ground beneath his feet, entangling it, holding him in place.

Kenneth mustered up as much bravery as he could, holding the key in his hands, he lifted his other hand towards the demon. Then words appeared in his mind, it was like telling him what to say, and he did.

"Oh divine light, heed my call, guide me," Kenneth said, he knew instinctively that what he just said was a spell. He felt power pouring into him, it was a warm fuzzy feeling.

He continued chanting, "With the light of the sun, the moon and the stars, gather before me, as the arrow of light purifies all!" Light from everywhere gathered above his palms that is lifted towards the demon.

The demon knows something dreadful is going to happen and lunges towards Kenneth. However, he knew again, instinctively what to do, what to say. "Reothadh," Kenneth said, as he pointed the key towards the demon.

The demon instantly freezes in place, like it's petrified. Light continued to gather above Kenneth's palm, slowly taking the form of a huge arrow. When the light finished gathering, he said, "Go forth" and the arrow shoots forward towards the demon, instantly disintegrating it in a burst of light.

The vines entangling his feet disappeared too. Kenneth collapsed to the ground due to the exhaustion. He felt like the power just drained out of him the moment the arrow was shot.

Just as he was about to hit the ground, Yong Ming ran towards him and held onto him, wrapping him in his arms. "It's okay now, I'm here." Yong Ming said.

Yong Ming and Su Yi had sensed the demonic presence a moment ago and ran down to confront it, only to find Kenneth casting a powerful spell to vanquish the demon. Megan followed both of them downstairs to find her brother vanishing a demon. The sight amazes her, how can someone who's power be sealed cast such a powerful spell? It all comes down to the key.

"Did you see it? I wasn't imagining it right?" Kenneth asked his father, he wasn't sure that what he saw was real, maybe he's going crazy.

"Yes I saw it. You weren't imagining things. You did good crafting that spell." Yong Ming replied. After what Kenneth just encountered, how can he still shield him from the magical world?

Kenneth fainted shortly after from mana exhaustion, meanwhile, Megan, Su Yi and Yong Ming were watching over him while they discuss their next course of action.

"Dad, you need to tell him the truth, he deserves that." Megan persuaded.

"But, it will put him in danger, don't we need to keep him safe for as long as possible?" Yong Ming replied.

"How long will you be able to keep him safe? If he hadn't had the, he would have died! DIED DAD!" Megan was getting frustrated with her father.

Yong Ming understood fully how much danger Kenneth was in and could have really died. Just the thought of that gives him feelings of agony and pain.

"Will he be able to accept it? Everything that has happened in his past? And what's about to come?" Yong Ming already knew this was the right thing to do, what he needs to do, to keep him safe, as well the whole world.

"He will, he needs to. Kenneth isn't as fragile as you think." Megan said. But even she has her doubts, this is something that could change a person's whole life! If it was her in the situation, she definitely wouldn't be able to take it, she barely accepted the fact that her father's a spirit beast and she herself is one too.

Su Yi was standing with them listening to the conversation, something doesn't feel right, there was a missing piece, she could feel it, what exactly is going on with Kenneth?

Suddenly, Kenneth body starts to convulse and jump. Su Yi immediately notices it and ran to him.

"WHAT IS HAPPENING?!" Su Yi shouted.

"The power inside him, it's welling up, trying to escape, we need to release it." Yong Ming said, his face in a grey expression.

"But...is he ready? The surge of power....it might kill him..." Megan said. Although she's not awakened yet, she had been studying the books and grimoires to prepare herself. What is happening to Kenneth right now is rare, only experienced by those with a huge amount of suppressed magic. This shouldn't happen with the seal in place, however, with the usage of external magic, it stimulated his own magic, causing it to grow rapidly.

"We have no choice! Unless there's a host for his magic, to share it, use it on his behalf while the seal is in place." Su Yi replied.

"Then can I do it? Be the host?" Megan said. At this point, she's willing to do anything not to lose her beloved brother.

"ABSOLUTELY NOT! IT CAN KILL YOU!" Yong Ming replied. The risks are too huge.

"What should I do?" Megan asks Su Yi as she ignores her father.

The ritual to be a magic's host is specific, it needs to be an unawakened, strong enough to withstand the power surge and suitable with the magic, preferably a blood relative, but if one is not available, someone else who had close contact with the owner for years would work, albeit much more dangerous.

"Are you sure about this?" Su Yi asks.

"NO, YOU CAN'T DO TH-" Yong Ming was cut off when a portal suddenly appeared beneath him.

Su Yi had created a portal beneath him to send him somewhere else.

"PLEASE NO" Yong Ming screamed right before the portal closes.

Megan looked at her in shock.

"Don't worry, I just send him somewhere to cool down, I'll open the portal again once you're done."

"What do I need to do?" Megan asks.

"I'll sit him up, put your hands against his." Su Yi replied.

Su Yi proceeded to sit Kenneth up cross-legged on the couch, with both hands forward. Megan sat next to him, her arms against his.

"Now what?" Megan asks.

"Now, you chant with me. I'll ask again, are you sure about this? It will be the most excruciating thing you'll experience, becoming a host and awakening at the same time."

Megan hesitated for a while but knowing her brother's life is on the line, she made the decision. "I'm ready."

"Chant with me." Su Yi said as she stood straight up, hands out against them. "Imperium, Anima Mea, Vigor, Accipere." Su Yi chanted while pouring her magic to guide the flow of power between them.

Megan chanted with her and as she finished, she felt a warm light flowing into her. It felt comfortable, warm and powerful, but slowly, the comfort turns to pain, the warmth turns to boil and her body feels like it's about to explode, she felt like she could pass out at any moment.

"ENDURE IT, YOU CAN'T PASS OUT NOW, IF YOU DO, BOTH OF YOU DIES." Su Yi screamed, her magic was draining faster than she had thought.

The magic courses through her meridians, like a rushing river, painfully expanding it. Megan mustered all the strength she could not to scream and endure it, it was the most excruciating feeling she had ever felt in her life, it felt like her blood is literally boiling.

This went on for what seems like hours until it happened, Megan's magic awakens. Her magic bursts out in an explosion of lightning and thunder. Su Yi quickly raised a simple barrier between Megan and the two of them, preventing Kenneth and herself from getting hurt. She could feel Kenneth's magic drained out, it was stabilising.

Megan, on the other hand, collapsed immediately after her awakening. Su Yi starts to feel her magic flow within her, it was flowing very quickly but slowing down. It seems the ritual was a success. Su Yi opened up the portal to where Yong Ming was sent to.

Instantly after the portal opened, Yong Ming, in his spirit beast form walked in, about to attack. He was furious.

"Tell me they're okay." Yong Ming said sternly.

"They are, Megan's just exhausted from the awakening, Kenneth's about to wake up anytime soon." Su Yi replied. She knew that Yong Ming would definitely be furious, but this is the only way that will be able to keep Kenneth alive and she will do anything to ensure that.

"How dare you. Do you know what could have happened?!" Yong Ming's voiced turned rough and deep.

"Oh my god...dad?" Kenneth said. He was a little groggy and had just woken up to find a beast in his living room which is apparently his father.

Yong Ming turned and saw his son awake and immediately shifts back to his human form. He hugged Kenneth in his arms as tightly as he could.

"What's going on?" Kenneth asked, confused and shock. "What...what are you? Are you...the same as that monster?"

"NO, no nonono. I'm a spirit beast, not a demon. I know you don't understand what's going on, I'll tell you, please, just calm down and listen to me." Yong Ming replied.

Yong Ming sat down on the couch, Megan was lying down on the other side of it, unconscious.

"Is Megan okay?"

"She's fine, she just needs some rest." Su Yi answered.

"So what exactly is going on?" Kenneth now has an inkling that his family aren't normal either.

Yong Ming lifted his hands towards Kenneth's forehead and whispered, "Praefringo".

Instantly, memories flow back to Kenneth's head, memories he had lost. It is now a little clearer to him.

"You...you are that fox...this has happened before, hasn't it?" Kenneth asks.

"Yes. It has." Yong Ming replied.

Kenneth couldn't understand why his father hides all these from him. "What are you hiding from me dad?"

"I'm a spirit beast. I was entrusted by your parents to take care of you."

"Wait, so you're saying...you're not my dad?"

"I, I still am, I'm just not your biological one."

"Then mom? Megan?"

"I'm sorry."

It was like what was left of Kenneth's world shattered in an instant, what he had, the only ones he could rely on, his own family is really not his biological one.