Shaking, young Alexandros looked in the cracked by his sink, looking the part of the exhausted, overworked child he was. How could he not, on top of his time at Reign Academy he spent an additional three hours every few days helping out a local merchant, all to earn the income to fulfil his desires.

  "We can do this... we must. Our future depends on it, our path depends on it..."

  And then he turned, walking into his living room where a ritual had been prepared. Studied through scrolls he was not supposed to access, books he was banned from... all dedicated to the concept of amplifying his prayers, to all but scream in the heart of a deity. The boy knew his intent, he had plans... and they would come to fruition. Kneeling in the center of what was a beautiful, ornate circle of salt, flowers and bloody sigils, he was ready for his ritual.

  Holding his hands out, he started his call.

  "Hecate, Mother of Magic, Goddess of Witchcraft and Sorcery... I beseech you. Help me, your eager, meager, mortal servant. All me to rise, to grow into my own as mage and sorcerer and witch. As a mortal, trapped in a world of powerful divine, I am all but banned from mattering without easily removable blessings... but through you, through magic, I can rise into greatness. Magic is the means by which humans can rise to something beyond the powers allowed to us by blood..."

  Tears started to fall down his face, impotence anger boiling in his heart.

  "Watching the idiots in my class, riding on the notions of power and praise solely from their bloodlines... It is infuriating. I am done, done watching people just be great without earning a damn thing... so please, Lady Hecate, help me in this hour, awaken the potential for magic within me and I will be your servant, your Champion. Healer, Warrior, all of it! I even vow to, when I am fourteen, fight in your name the Olympian Rites, and show the world your majesty!"

  That must have been the right thing to say, as the instant that sentence left his lips, the circle erupted into an impossibly cold flame, casting no shadows or heat. Stunned, Alexandros could have noticed it when the fire started to dance and spread, before he too caught fire.

  "AHHH!" The boy bellowed, before fell to his side, eyes wide, wondering if he infuriated the goddess for how else could he had been in so much pain? 'She is killing me, cursing me, tearing at my soul? Gods, I can feel the power tearing at my soul!'

  'Rise,... ' He groaned as a woman's voice, deep and melodic, danced into his heart. '...Fight... fight... fight... FIGHT!' And each word burned into his body, pushing him into realizing something.

  'I can... wait... that's not what...' He then realized something... he was hurting, raw, but there was something filling his soul, his flesh... in the space that was torn through him. That realization came with power, and he stood, shaking and worn but rising in strength... before he let out a long, happy, shaky laugh that dispelled the fires about him. And he knew... just knew... " I have it... I have magic..."

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  And the tears that fell were gifts all their own as finally he felt like he actually had a future.

  ''''

  A smile crossed Hecate's face, looking at the boy before her, warped in a veil so he could not see her. He was tiny and frail looking with the cutest doll like face that belied the remarkable mind she sensed in his. Ever a thinker, the boy had impressed her.

  'Such rituals require true dedication, he may have copied it perfectly but it was through true desire that he managed to awaken his inner spark enough to manifest a connection to me. I heard you, sweet boy, so loud was your prayer I could not help but hear it.' Stepping back, she took in one deep breathe and considered her options. 'The boy has so many paths ahead of him, he could be the greatest nothing there was, or something of remarkable potential... but there are a few paths, foggy and unclear, through which all i can see is the faintest aura of interest. I wonder what will become it... of him...'

  And so, as a Mother would, she kneeled to her newest child as he sobbed on the ground, placing a hand on his shoulder. Startled, he looked at her with shock, awe and hope.

  "Lady Hecate?" He whispered, making her laugh.

  "Yes, little one... I am Hecate, and your call... it awakened the Mother In Me. You, who have never known the love of another, had yet you are filled with the endless potential for love, for hope, for peace... but also just as potently hate, violence and abuse." At his cringe, she caressed his cheek. "My boy, you are not a monster, you are not your parents... but you have the potential to be worse. However, you have started to break the curse your kin placed on themselves, replicating the abuses long since cycled through. You chose yourself, leaving to find your own peace and that... that was everything.

  Now... I am not going to be here long, nor can I train you personally. The Fates hold laws against that... but they say nothing about establishing you a mentor. There is but one that would have enough skill to mentor you, to help you to rise to the greatness needed to overcome the odds before you. An ancient sorceress, older that Reign, one that like you was destroyed by those that should have card for her most of all... to anyone but you, I would have never considered this, but perhaps you can help soothe her wounded heart as she passes on her skills to you."

  She then tapped his forehead, allowing magic to surge into him.

  "That will allow you to find her... she is temperamental, my child... and powerful. Medea, your mentor, " The boy gaped at her, looking in awe as she so casually referenced the infamous Medea, legendary sorceress. "... she is capable, due to her power and bloodline of Helios, of besting some gods. Never risk angering her, you would never survive her power. I can only pray that through her, you become great enough to survive your own ambition... now go, find yourself, and make your own path, your own future. It is entirely up to you, how far you go..."

  And then she faded away, watching as the boy hurried out of his home, rushing to find the mentor she had for him... but a good mentor was only a tool, one of many ways to gain power. He would still have to work, to master the powers that Medea could manifest. Hecate awakened his potential, Medea would guide him... but to actually grow, he had to actually put in the effort. Only time would tell if he could, or better yet... if he would.