Dinner was winding down when Selene froze mid-sip. Hand drifted to her stomach like she'd felt a kick from the inside.

  Caden's fork clattered. "Babe?"

  She smiled, slow and stunned. "Guess who's getting a plus-one."

  Caden whooped, scooped her up, spun her once—then remembered she was pregnant and set her down like she was glass.

  Leo blinked. "Wait. What's happening."

  Selene ruffled his hair. "Someone gonna call you big brother, Leo."

  He tried to play it cool. But Inside his head. 'Caden, you're a absolute legend.'

  Night. Leo on his back, staring at ceiling knots.

  'Two skills for everyone. That's the rule of this world. That much I get it. But i heard from the villagers that only S rank magic users can use multiple different magic. I'm pretty sure Caden also can not use multiple magic at the same time proves the fact that he was never a S Rank adventurer.'

  Then he suddenly remembers the day in which Caden was telling him that how Caden became a S Rank adventurer even though. He was never reach at that level. A grin appeared on Leo face with a little enjoyment.

  He thought about the entire day—Lyra's laugh, Caden's dumb grin, Selene's glow.

  Smiled into the dark. Out like a light.

  Morning. Pancakes and teasing.

  "Pass the syrup, future babysitter," Caden said, mouth full.

  Leo flipped him a pancake instead. Selene snorted.

  "Months bled into one another. I spent that time observing. Every time I looked at Selene’s growing stomach, a quiet joy settled over me; I was finally going to have a sibling. I wanted—no, I needed—to be a good brother in this life. It was a vital part of the prosperous future I envisioned for myself: living a life where a younger sibling could actually look up to me. Then, finally, the day arrived. My younger sister was born. She was crying so hard I couldn’t see her eyes yet, and her head was still bald, just as a newborn's should be. If you were to ask me how I felt? Well... the answer is simple. I was happy. Truly, deeply happy. It was a kind of happiness I will never be able to describe in words. Her tiny fingers gripping my hand made me so happy that I cried. It was the day when not only Leo cried, but even Akira cried from happiness."

  Caden smile. He was standing beside Selene he saw Leo crying he smiled and pat his head "Leo her name is Lia. Lia your sister."

  After few days.

  Books after breakfast. Mana circles, old wars. Then in yard Leo and Caden both again trained for few hours with swords—clack-clack-clack.

  wood on wood. Caden grinned every time Leo parried.

  Afternoon sweat still drying when—

  "Leo!"

  Lyra at the gate, waving like a flag.

  He already heard Lyra voice multiple times but there was something different right now her tone was similar to the time when he first time heard a voice in his head. That happened before meeting Lyra. 'That voice.' The headache whisper.

  Leo's stomach dropped. 'That ability was supposed to show only past. What the hell?'

  He realized the fact that the voice he heard before meeting Lyra in his head was actually the voice of Future Lyra and this moment was future for that time. But his ability Echoes should never supposed to work like that.

  "You okay?" she asked, head tilted.

  He forced a grin. "Peachy."

  They tore through the village—tag, hide-and-seek behind rain barrels, Lyra's stuffed horse as the prize.

  Flopped in the grass, cloud-watching.

  "Hey I never ask about your parents who are they?" Leo asked.

  "My dad actually chief of village and runs everything. Mom's his backup. They're busy."

  Leo whistled. "Big shoes."

  Lyra rolled over. "Should we go forest next?"

  Her ears drooped. Leo backpedaled. "Kidding. But I has a Secret instead."

  He leaned in. "I see the future sometimes."

  Lyra giggles a little and asked "Can you tell me my tomorrow?"

  "No." He replied with uncertainty because he didn't understand what she was asking.

  Then she replied back to him by turning a little to him. "Leo lying is a bad habit."

  And then Leo realized that she wants to know what's gonna happen in future because he said he knows future and now because he wasn't able to tell so she thought that Leo can not see future and that he's lying.

  Leo in his mind. 'What the!? But anyway she never realize that I always tell her about my power yet she thinks that I am joking well that's good for future' Leo thought.

  "Sworn to secrecy." He zipped his lips.

  Focused. Mana slippery, then—snap.

  Vision hit like a slap.

  Smoke. Screams. Fire eating houses. Lyra's plush burning.

  This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

  He jerked, gasping.

  "Leo?!"

  "Dizzy," he lied, pointing at a cloud. "Sword-duck."

  She bought it, giggling. He didn't.

  At the Bed that night. Leo was starting at ceiling again.

  'That future's real. I have to stop it. And if I don't do anything soon...............' Leo thought.

  Echoes of the past and glimpses of the future. He had to master the Void Reclaim—the ability to steal powers without shattering his own soul. There was so much he had to manage. The only reason he had survived this far wasn't because he was an extraordinary child or possessed innate super abilities. He succeeded because he had lived a life once before. That previous existence was the secret advantage he held over this world.

  'Monsters. Yeah monster might have different skills. If I Hunt them to grow fast. All I can do right now is just trained harder and make myself strong before that future actually happened' Leo thought.

  Plan formed.

  Tomorrow: more swings, more spells, more everything.

  He rolled over, fist bumping the mattress.

  'Big brother's got work to do.'

  [Six years later — Leo's 1st actual birthday]

  The house smelled like honey cake and woodsmoke. Lanterns bobbed from the rafters, throwing gold on everyone's faces. Caden had Lia on his shoulders, making airplane noises; Selene laughed so hard she snorted. Lyra folded paper cranes like a machine. Leo leaned on the windowsill, moonlight on his cheeks, pretending to watch the stars.

  'Can't tell them. Not Void Reclaim. Not the future flashes. They'd freak.'

  "Leo, quit brooding," Selene called. "Cake's getting cold."

  He slid in beside Lyra. She elbowed him. "Ten. Practically ancient."

  "Still taller than you."

  "By a hair."

  Caden barked a laugh. "Same bickering, different year."

  Later, when Lia was down and the lanterns dimmed, Selene crouched in front of Leo.

  "Ready?"

  "For what?"

  She tapped his chest. "To know what ability you have. Everyone does it at ten."

  Caden, Lyra, even Lia in her crib—everyone leaned in.

  Leo swallowed. Act surprised.

  He closed his eyes, let Selene put her hands on his chest as she also closed her eyes her hands starts being hot. As if she interacts with Leo core itself.

  Leo in thoughts 'Damn that's quite hot.'

  Even thought Selene closed her eyes already but she start making a face as if she does not understand that what's happening with Leo core. Then Selene remove her hands as if she does not understand what was inside Leo.

  Selene's breath caught. She finally opened her eyes and congrats Leo with a smile. "Congrats Leo you got S rank skills but..."

  Her tone gets low and heavy "..I don't know them." Selene thought 'Why wasn't i able to find them?'

  Lyra squeaked. Caden ruffled Leo's hair. "Future detective?"

  "Adventurer," Leo corrected, grinning like it was news.

  "It's okay. Tomorrow we'll go to the Adventurers' Guild and confirm your abilities," Caden said. As if he understand that what happened between Leo and Selene.

  [Next Morning]

  As Caden and Leo were leaving for the guild. Selene kissed them both at the gate. Lia waved a sticky fist "Buh-bye!"

  Hoofbeats behind—Lyra, red-faced, sprinting. "Don't die out there!"

  Leo waved till she was a speck.

  The road was all new smells: dust, horse sweat, baking bread from passing carts. Leo kept waiting for smoke that never came.

  Caden nudged him. "Capital gates. Eyes up."

  The city hit like a slap—shouts, clanging steel, a dwarf arguing with a fruit vendor. Leo's mouth hung open.

  They pushed into the Adventurer's Guild. Whispers rippled.

  "That's Caden?"

  "No way he's alive—"

  Door slammed. Guild Master stormed out, beard first. "Who's making all this—CAYDEN, YOU BASTARD!"

  Hugs, back slaps, spilled ale. Leo stood off to the side, half-smiling.

  The guild hall smelled like sweat, cheap ale, and old leather. Whispers turned to gasps when the back door slammed open.

  "What the hell is—" The Guild Master froze. "Caden?"

  "Hey, old man."

  They crashed together like two drunk bears. Leo leaned against a pillar, half-smirking. 'Dad's fan club is bigger than I thought.'

  Guild Master spun to Leo. "This your kid?"

  "Wants to adventure," Caden said, thumb hooked at him.

  Receptionist—perky, ponytail bouncing—shoved a form forward. "Name?"

  "Leo."

  "Ten."

  "Skills?"

  Caden opened his mouth. Leo jumped in. "Ice and fire."

  Caden squinted. "Ice?"

  Caden thought 'I thought Selene wasn't able to find his skills?'

  "Practiced when you were snoring," Leo lied, cheeks hot.

  Receptionist just scribbled. "Goblin hunt. That's the only quest we can give to a child like you. You need to bring three ears. You can find them on Jungle edge of starting. These are quests the available for a adventurer like you."

  Leo took the parchment. Then realized. "Uh. No sword."

  Caden barked a laugh. "Bare knuckles?"

  Guild Master tossed him a beat-up short sword. "Don't lose it."

  Leo tested the grip. "Okay dad heading out."

  Caden ruffled his hair. "Sure you don't want me?"

  "I got it."

  'Of course Caden I don't need you now after all I trained my self a lot and now I am also pretty good in karate so there is no way that those dumb goblins could come even close to me' Leo thought.

  Jungle smelled like wet socks and moss. Leo ghosted between trees, found the goblins squabbling over a mushroom.

  One slash—head off. Second lunged; Leo sidestepped, gutted it. Third bolted; he threw a rock, tripped it, finished it.

  Ears in a pouch. 'No skills. Lame. I still don't know how to use that echo type shit ability so all I can use is void reclaim but it's also pretty useless on these goblins' Leo thought.

  He wiped the blade on his sleeve, stood—and sniffed.

  Copper. Charcoal. Burned hair.

  Smoke curled above the canopy, fat and black.

  'Wait, this smell seems weird,' Leo thought.

  Leo's stomach dropped through his boots.

  Village.

  He ran.

  'Wait....is that?....No it can't be this soon. It shouldn't be this soon,' Leo thought.

  Branches clawed his face. Roots snagged his ankles. Smoke got thicker, tasting like death.

  'Please be a cookfire. Please.'

  He burst from the trees.

  The flower fence was kindling.

  Houses gutted, roofs caved. Flames licked the sky like they were starving.

  Bodies everywhere. Mrs Garon—half her face gone, apron still tied. A kid's shoe, still smoking.

  Leo's knees hit dirt.

  "Mom… Dad…"

  His voice cracked. Smoke burned his throat.

  A tiny cry—cut off.

  'Lia.'

  He bolted toward it, boots splashing through boiled blood, the world shrinking to fire, ash, and the animal need to find them.