In a two-story house, on the second floor, a seventeen-year-old youth sat with his sister, father, and mother around a table. On a sofa beside the table sat a girl with golden hair that cascaded down her back with grace and beauty.
The youth sat restlessly in his chair, lazily biting his nails as he stared—or more accurately, turned his head toward—the girl. In truth, he didn't "turn," nor did he stare at anyone. If he were capable of sight, he would have been stunned by the girl's beauty.
His father leaned on the table and tried to speak to the girl, but he could not understand her language. In the Old World, this was called "English." If his father earned more, he would have bought a spatial translator to understand her, and this conversation would have been over.
To the youth's left sat his sister, quiet and idle, stroking her cat, Annabella. Even his father and mother were smiling; even the girl wore a gentle smile on her face. Except for him. He was cold, isolated, doing nothing but giving brief replies and biting his nails.
"My son, do something. Speak to her. She mentioned your name before we brought her to the living room," his father said suddenly in his deep voice.
"Hmm," the youth grunted. He raised his head and "stared" toward the girl.
A/N: I will place the translated sentences between asterisks because I won't write every language on Earth. I basically only know Arabic, English, Esperanto, and a tiny bit of Chinese, Japanese, and Greek. Kekeke.
"What is your name?" the youth asked with icy coldness.
The girl raised her head and said in a trembling voice, "Maya. Maya Kira."
His sister whispered, "You idiot, I told you not to speak that way! You're about to make the girl cry."
The youth replied in his cold, ice-like voice, "Be quiet. You don't decide whom I frighten and whom I don't." Then, he continued in the same tone, "Why are you here?"
"I... I am looking for Leo Carmos," the girl said, visibly shaking.
The youth replied, "Maya Kira, I am Leo Carmos. What do you want now—"
BOOM.
BOOM.
BOOOOOOM!
An explosion.
"Leo, run! Run, Leo!" Karim Carmos shouted quickly, standing up. "An attack! The enemy!"
Suddenly, a giant bear appeared from behind the house and charged toward the girl. But Lia Carmos stood in its path. "Run, children! We will take care of them!" she said quickly, moving her hands. "Thunder Strike!"
From her fingertips, a small bolt of lightning formed and struck the bear, freezing it in place. Karim moved his hands rapidly and roared, "Fire Dragon's Breath, First Movement: Fireball!"
From his palms, a red fireball appeared and he hurled it directly at the bear immediately after its movements were paralyzed.
Roar!
The bear suddenly roared and lunged at Lia.
"Mother, noooo!" Leo screamed for the first time in terror.
Move, you damn body! Move even one step!
"Maya, come with me!" Tala Carmos cried out, clutching her cat. She lifted Maya with a movement of her hands and screamed, "Flight!"
Leo was stunned. I am the only one who hasn't awakened any trait, nor any element. My parents are on the verge of death, and I—what am I? Paralyzed by fear? Desperate? Having nothing in my life? What the hell am I? Do I even deserve to live?
"Run, or I'll kill you myself!" Karim screamed at Leo, but Leo didn't move.
Huh? The first time I've ever heard my father say that.
Leo tried to move, but it was useless. Suddenly, he lost consciousness. He heard the voices of his father and mother, but he understood nothing. Then, he heard the sound of the bear brutally devouring their corpses.
He did not know that these corpses would be his path to dominance. He did not know that his coldness would be the foundation for the fall of every demon in the world. He also did not know that Maya would be very important in his life.
And, he could not hear that vital notification ringing in his head:
[System Initializing...]
[The unique and optimal System has been selected for the Host.]
[Binding System...]
[Perceiving Truths...]
[Time to wake up: 1 year.]
[Hiding progress bar: 0.01%]
[System will be activated after one year.]
[Host entering coma.]