Project MANA: Chapter 1, The Beginning of a legend, Part 1 of 2
Greetings, and allow me to introduce you to the world of Terra Asteria, a world of magic and wonder, of great beasts and mages alike, but I digress, for this is the story of most likely, the most powerful Pyromancer (Fire Mage) to ever live, a young lad by the name of Byaku Yakate, the latest in a long line of Pyromancers, hailing from the large metropolis, Death City, named so after a very famous and powerful Mage known as Grimm, and some unique Magic he possessed.
Byaku lived a simple life, without a father in his life since he was very young, and an elder brother who left to join 'some fancy academy'. It was just him and his mother, who he had to look after instead of the other way around, you see, Byaku's mother has fallen ill and has been for some time now, but as you will see in a moment, she may not be for much longer…
Fade into a small house in the suburbs of Death City, down the street a young man is walking toward the house with many bags of groceries' so he can feed his mother, he walks with an unusual spring in his step and a large, unmovable grin on his face, he's wearing a Red hoodie with white sleeves, paired with a pair of blue jeans with two black patches sewn on to the knees to cover up holes, his white sneakers with red shoe laces are quite worn and should have been replaced by now, his blonde, spikey hair and unusual purple eyes stand out in a crowd, especially the crowd of Death City, the glasses that frame his eyes are oddly grey, like the paint had been scratched or burnt off of them.
Byaku: Hey mum! I'm home! I got the things you wanted from the shop.
Byaku's mother: Hey sweetie, I hope it wasn't too much trouble for you *hugs Byaku*
Byaku: It wasn't a problem at all mum, I swear! *grins* Have you taken your medicine today? The doctors say that you need to take it or you won't get better.
Byaku's mother: Bah! I don't need that poxy Geomancers' (Earth Mage) herbal remedies, I'll be fine, don't worry about lil' old me!
Byaku: No mum, you need to take the medicine. Ugh! I'll heat it up for you.
Byaku may be the latest in a long line of Pyromancers, but his fire magic isn't all that crash hot and is often the butt of other people's jokes. You see, despite Byaku being 17, only being able to create small flames from his hand or fingers, and they don't last all that long, just long enough to bring water to the boil for basic things like tea and coffee, which is convenient, because he regularly needs to heat up water to boil the herbal remedies that his mother needs for her sickness, which she calls 'poxy plant juice' and often doesn't take or throws out due to her pride of not wanting to rely on something someone else made.
Byaku snaps his fingers under a kettle full of water to bring it to boiling point so he can put the various herbs he got from the local chemist into the boiling water to bring out their medicinal effects.
Byaku: You really should take your medicine more often! It's not just some eastern herbal tea, its proper Geomancer-grown herbs; it'll make you better, ONLY if you swallow your pride, as well as this medicine.
Byaku's mother: Bah! I don't need that poxy plant juice to get healthy again! Look at me, fit as a fiddle! *stands up and goes to flex her muscles but falls over in the process* Oh dear! *crash!*
Byaku: MUM! Are you ok!? Let me help you up.
Byaku's mother: Oh dear, I guess I'm not as healthy as I thought! Fine, I'll drink the poxy plant juice.
Byaku helps his mother up and back into her chair, a chair she seldom leaves for the basic things like to go to the toilet and to sleep, sometimes she even sleeps in the chair, but unfortunately she has definitely seen better days, mainly due to her refusal to take her medicine.
Byaku: Mum? Are you sure you're ok? You look a lot more pale then usual *as he pours a mug of the herbal drink and hands it to his mother*
Byaku's mother: I'm fine, kinda *giggles* You know this ol' bird won't have much in her for long, you know that right Bya-kun? *takes the mug and starts sipping*
Byaku: Don't talk like that! I know you'll be healthy again, I can just tell! *bumps his fist up against his heart to show what he means*
Byaku's mother: Oh, the ol' 'Yakate-Gut-Feeling' eh? Well then, I'd best start preaching my health to the street then! *sarcasm* Bya-kun, you know that gut feeling is all that is, a gut feeling, and look where that got your father, runs off without so much as an explanation to be some big-wig at that "Hope's Pillar Academy" your brother Vincent attends, doesn't write, doesn't call, doesn't even send any little things like souvenirs for lil' old me to enjoy while I stay at home looking after you.
Byaku: Excuse me? YOU looking after ME? I think your sight needs checking along with your health *giggles*
Byaku's mother: Oh, looky here, a smart-alick! You know what we do to smart-alicks in the Yakate family don't you boy? *giggles as she shoots a fire ball at Byaku's hair*
Byaku: Hey! I was only joking mum, jeez! *laughs*
Byaku's mother: I know Bya-kun *laughs followed by A LOT of coughing as she falls out of her chair*
Byaku: Mum? Are you ok?
Byaku's mother: *loud coughing* No, call the hospital, now! *more coughing*
Byaku: Crap!
After calling the hospital for an ambulance and getting his mother to the hospital post-haste, Byaku was left in the waiting area of the ER, beside himself with worry for his mother's health. When…
Doctor #1: Byaku Yakate? Your mother will see you now.
Byaku: Thank you.
Byaku walks into his mother's cubical to find that she was rigged up to multiple machines measuring her heart beat and such, you know, medical stuff.
Byaku: Mum? Is everything alright? What's with all this machinery and junk? *sits beside his mother and holds her hand*
Byaku's mother: I'm afraid not Bya-kun, it appears I didn't drink enough of that poxy plant juice, who knew? *giggles followed by coughing* Oh dear, I guess this ol' bird DOESN'T have much left in her. I'm so sorry to do this to you Byaku sweetie.
Byaku: It's alright mum, I'm sure this place can fix whatever's wrong with you., are our aunts and uncles going to be coming? *he asks one of the doctors*
Doctor #1: Your aunt pyra and Uncle Ventus have been notified and are on their way as we speak.
Doctor #2: I've tried to get into contact with your Uncle Volcanis, but to no avail, I'm sorry son.
Byaku: It's ok; you did your best. What about Vince? Has he been notified?
?: Already here lil' bro.
A voice comes from seemingly everywhere as a mysterious young man enters the room, he is 3 years older than Byaku and is technically a Graduate of the Hope's Pillar Academy, he wears a black shirt with an orange Flack-Jacket over the top, with a symbol of the back that represents Pyromancers, he has grey, stone-washed jeans with biker boots on, as well as a pair of aviators that he's taken off and put in his pocket, revealing his also Purple eyes, a staple of the Yakate Family, and the scare going through his left eye, his white hair is tied back into a pony tail with one large bang hanging down in front of his face, his un-shaven appearance seems to suggest he's been training recently and hasn't had time to properly look after his personal hygiene.
Byaku: Vince! You made it! *runs and hugs his older brother*
Vincent: Of course I came, squirt. My mum is in hospital, of course I'm going to come and see her. Did you forget to drink your medicine? It may be poxy plant juice but now look at you, hanging on to the few threads of life you have left. Why?
Mother Yakate: I'm sorry Vince, You know how prideful we Pyromancers can be, furious as flame, and stubborn as stone, Ironic really, seeing as we aren't earth mages, HA!
Byaku: …
Vincent: …
Mother Yakate: I'm sorry boys, come 'ere will ya, I doubt I have much time left so I want my boys to be here with me *calls Byaku and Vincent over to give them a motherly hug*
Byaku: Mum, why are you saying that you aren't going to have much time left, you guys can save her can't you? *he asks the doctors*
Vincent: Byaku…
Doctor #1: I'm sorry son, because your mother has let her condition get her this bad…
Doctor #2: Unfortunately, she's gone terminal, she's got days at the most, I'm so sorry.
Byaku: …
Vincent: Byaku…we knew this was going to happen, she refuses to take her medicine and look where it got her.
Byaku: …THAT'S NOT GOOD ENOUGH! *slams his fist down on the table* How can these people call themselves medical mages if they can't cure EVERY disease out there!
Mother Yakate: Byaku! That's enough, this isn't the doctors fault, I'm the one who couldn't swallow my pride, I'm the one who's gotten myself killed, please calm down.
Byaku: …I'm sorry…so sorry *sobs into his mother's hand*
Mother Yakate: Hey, baby, sh, it'll be alright, I promise. *pats her youngest sons head to comfort him* they said I have A FEW days left, so you can stay by my side until I bite it ok? *blissfully smiles at her son*
Byaku: …Ok…*sniff* *sob*
Vincent: I'm really sorry about this, but the academy really needs me, so I need to hit-n-run, don't worry squirt, everything will be alright, even if it ends up you need to live with Uncle Volcanis… Ugh. *shivers*
Byaku: What!? You're leaving already!?
Mother Yakate: Goodbye Vince baby, when you see your father, give him a thumpin' for not seeing me off will ya!
Vincent: Will do mum, I love you.
Vincent puts on his aviators, hiding his tears, as he walks out of the room to the Hope's Pillar Academy.
Byaku: …I wish he could have stayed, but don't worry mum, I'm not leaving your side, I promise!
Mother Yakate: I know baby *pats her son's hand*
Over the next few days, Byaku's aunts and uncles visited from far and wide to see their sister/sister-in-law off, but on one fateful day.
Byaku: Hey mum, they said you had a few days left, but it's been almost a week, and you look fine.
Mother Yakate: I know baby, but I can feel it, it's coming in close now.
Byaku: What? What's coming in close?
Mother Yakate: In other words, boy, my time's almost up.
Byaku: …Right…
Mother Yakate: Bya-kun…can you do me a favour?
Byaku: Of course, anything!
Mother Yakate: When I finally kick the bucket, I want you to enrol in Hope's Pillar Academy, train your magic to the best it can be, make as much friends as possible, and graduate at the top of your class, can you do that for me sweetie?
Byaku: Of course I can! I'll do it for you mum.
Mother Yakate: Capital! Can you also take this with you, it was your fathers, he cherished this above all else before he left it to me when he left, and I want you to have it, to show that your parents are always with you.
She hands Byaku a necklace with the Pyrus School's symbol on it, an upside down red pentagon with a crimson out-line with orange flames in the centre
Byaku: …I will mum, I'll never let it go, I promise...mum? Mum you there!?
Giving Byaku the necklace was her last action before she passed on to become one with magic, but not before uttering one last sentence, "I love you more than anything in this world Bya-kun".
To Be Continued in Part 2 of 2