In the bustling city of the Afro futuristic lands, A normal day, normal life, normal interactions with a cyber spice..
Cities glowed, Billboards showed an Afro style advertisement..
In The Coast of Wealth, the land of peace, the country of hospitality...
Lies Jack, With his hoodie walking across the streets, his hands in his pockets, his bag pack filled with a lot of books...a knowledge only he could carry and no one else will care..His mother, Cindy Oberempong, gave him a ray of encouragement, she's the only one who sees him, also because she knows who he really is, and it's not what a normal person would think
He heads to school, and met his worst nightmare, Lawrence, the bully who have been tormenting him for the entire term...
He walked fast, pretending he didn't see him, hoping he would pass by ... trying his best to be invisible but was actually noticed...
He heard him, Lawrence, he knows he won't get away, it's an inevitability..
Lawrence: Hey, where do you think you're going Jackie, come over here, you know the drill already...
He crosses his arms, his face was painted with a playful smirk, his gang, laughed back, the rest, did the same even though they didn't know what was happening, they don't want to be the next target
Jack: I..I can't I have work to do, please, leave me alone for once...
He fidgets, knowing Lawrence won't let him go that easily...
Lawrence chuckled, His smirk widened..
He steps closer, his aura, exuding with confidence..
Lawrence: Oh...look who thinks he has a choice, ... Newsflash Junior, you don't, I told you Jackie, I like people who are different, and you are just the pinnacle of it, the glasses, the slouched posture, what's in this bag you carry huh?
He grabs the bag, forcefully, searching for who knows what...
Jack: please my bag has nothing to do with this, don't you have anything better to do other than just.....oh...
Lawrence pushed him, ...
Lawrence: what's with this huh? you talking back at me... don't you know who is the boss around here, you acting like you don't know me...
Jack gulps...he already knows what Lawrence is capable of...
Jack: I...I im sorry, just please, let me go...ok..
Lawrence chuckled again...his confidence ever outgrowing...
Lawrence: Oh my dear, what if I don't huh, what will you do about it..
He smirks waiting for his response his eyes narrowed....
Jack: I don't know, you've been doing this for as long as I can remember, how can I do anything...
Lawrence nodded, his answer was exactly as he expected...
Lawrence: Good boy, you're just a nerd..who can't even defend himself...look at you, gotta preach about your little philosophy wrapped in a pathetic mouth...
The others chuckled passively at his cheeky comment...
But then a guy stepped in, one of the thriving ones .. his name was Henry Jones Obeng..
He confidently stepped in between Jack and Lawrence...
His hands in his pockets..
Henry: Hey, You know you shouldn't torment the boy like that, he's had enough, I don't like people who think they're stronger than anybody else...
Lawrence looks at him, up and down, he knows this one is different he's not a push over...
He sighed
Lawrence: Tck, have it your way, but remember Jack, you will never escape... you're always wrong..
He smiles and then leaves...
Jack had a sigh of relief...
Jack: thanks,...Henry... right?
Henry: Yeah, that's me, got a problem with that...
Jack's eyes lowered..
Jack: Uh no...n..no problem at all...
Henry chuckled enjoying his meekness..
Henry: I'm just messing with you men, chill out, you don't have to always be this vulnerable...
Jack nodded....he knows he's right, but he has that feeling in his chest that doesn't want to be anything other than himself...
Jack: I know, but I can't be brave like you...you look like someone who has everything figured out..
Henry hit his shoulder..
Henry: Hey, uh, can I give you an advice? People, can be brave and a coward at the same time...the bravest ones are the cowards who choose to be brave anyways... even though they're afraid...
Jack smiled this time it was genuine, real, unfiltered he hadn't smiled like this for a long time...
Jack: Oh you seem like a philosopher disguised as a thug boy.... but you and I both know you're normal huh...
He said playfully, but it had meaning...
Henry chuckled back..
Henry: You know that right.... but Newsflash, I maybe the egg, but you're an omelette...huh...
Jack spilled up, laughed like a little kid...
Jack: oh we're so getting along... you're so very funny...
Henry nodded with a smirk on his face...
Henry: Hey you know from now on, you're with me huh, if you want...I could teach you some tricks to survive in this.... cruel world...
Jack nodded..
Jack: Yeah I think I might need it, but we should eat first... after....I finish my work bye...
Henry: Good idea, I'll see you in a minute.....
After long hours of working and studying, they met each other outside the school...
Jack: So, got any money, cos I don't have much, but I'm starving eh..
Henry chuckled....
Henry: No problem, I know a Waakye food joint.....so good, ....and then, I'll teach you some skills, just a few tricks to survive in this cruel world...
Jack shivered a little knowing this task is not as easy as it sounds...
But he nodded anyways, he's tired of being a pushover...
Jack: Yeah.....ok, I'll try...
Henry then, pulled him across....they head to the Waakye joint he was talking about, a traditional Ghanaian food which isn't lost even after the futuristic aesthetic came in...
They enjoyed their meal, shared a little personal stuff with each other....and just had fun..
After that Henry sent him to his personal alleyway to start the training...
Henry looks at him, determination in his eyes, he raised his hands and crumbled it in a fist.... getting ready to jab..
Jack's eyes narrowed, he hesitated, but he maintained his composure, he's not gonna be a pushover anymore..
Henry: ok listen, it's not about winning a fight, it's about showing defiance when It matters, you don't have to fight back aggressively, you just have to show him that you won't fall that easily, that is true strength..
Jack nodded absorbing his words like a sponge who was fed up,
Henry gave him a light jab and Jack side stepped just enough to show he's not backing down...
Henry nodded
Henry: good, you're ready, let's try it again.
They sparred for hours, and then they took a walk on the bustling streets of the cyber African coated city...
But then Henry saw them, the gang he outsmarted last week...
They met their gaze...
Henry pulls Jack backwards, his face painted with fear...
Henry: run.... let's go... now..
They sprinted, the thugs followed, their steps eager to meet them, they were eager to finally get their hands on that brat...
Jack squits, he had no clue what was going on...
Jack: Wait who are those guys? And why are we running...
Henry shook his head not wanting to say it now..
Henry: There's no time to explain, here, this way...
They headed to a secret narrow way through the market...only he knows...
They found an old antique store...
Henry's desperate attempt to escape them gave him no choice but to hide there, he didn't want Jack to be caught up in all of this..
They hid inside, hearing the incoming footsteps of the thugs, zooming across...
Henry's face crumbled with anxiety..
Jack sat there, feeling uncomfortable..
Suddenly he heard many voices echoing in his mind... voices of warriors fighting....he had no idea what was going on...
Then, he saw a glowing map, exuding with ethereal light...
Jack steps closer, as if it was drawn to him...
Jack: what is this? Some kind of a map of an ancient civilization or what...?
Henry: Hey come back, what if they catch us...
But Jack was into the map, his eyes turned white, then, the map began to glow, revealing multiple realms of the cosmos...
And it wasn't just a map, it was some sort of a myth, telling stories of how these realms contributed to existence...
Jack didn't understand, but one of the realms were calling unto him,
Airious...
Then, an old man appeared...
Wearing dusty clothes, he seemed to live there, but when he saw the boy, he smiled..
Old man: it's you isn't it, The son of Valitor, the destined fruit of the champion from Earth..
His voice echoing through the walls of the store, beaming with pride and joy...
Jack raised his eye brow, Henry chuckled..
Jack: Uh, who are you?...
Henry : Uh this is a major misunderstanding, Jack is not some warrior or anything, you got the wrong dude...he says knowing who Jack is..
Jack rolls his eyes... clearly understanding the comment...
Jack: Classic, but yeah, he's right...I'm not some warrior
The old man shook his head...
Old man: The stars never lie boy, and so is your birth..you are the son of Valitor...
Henry steps forward clearly amused of this whole situation..
Henry: Erm, look old man, I don't know what you're looking for but whatever it is, I assure you it's not him....
Jack nodded immediately not buying what the old man is saying..
Jack: I'm sorry but maybe you've made a mistake..
I think we should leave...
Henry, pulls Jack back and they left...
The old man watches them go...very certain of what he saw..
Old man: hmm, Don't worry, You'll find out soon...
Jack and Henry went to their usual place and Henry bid him goodbye....
But Jack had an uncomfortable feeling in his stomach.... there's something going on...his mother never told him about his father...and now he needed answers...
His life is about to change