My name is Niah and I am the third child in an almost normal family here on planet Athalon.  The previous generation relocated here from planet earth. Here we all have a unique power, and after our training we are sent to various planets in order to help curb chaos. Today is the day that will change my life. I am thirteen and will meet my trainer and team today.

My parents are called rewind and hot lava. I cringe every time I hear the name my mother chose. I asked what she was thinking choosing such a lame name, but all she says is that back then she thought it sounded cool. My mom’s name is the reason why I am having a hard time choosing my super hero name.

“Mom says if you don’t hurry up and get down stairs I can turn your brain to tapioca.” My little brother’s voice rang in my head. 

Emeka though he is the baby of the family is already known throughout our world. Our whole family is pretty famous because the women in my family tend to have boys with multiple talents. Emeka is especially gifted because he has super strength, telepathy, telekinesis, and is a genius. I have always felt a bit envious of him because being a male in our family means that you automatically receive good treatment and a high position once you graduate school. Being a female in our family just means that evil men try to kidnap you and rich families try to buy you.

“I am on my way Emeka can’t I get one minute to gather my thoughts before the most important day of my life?” I yelled at the top of my lungs knowing that the whole family downstairs could hear me. I forgot to mention that I am also the only girl born to my family and the last of my lineage. This means while normal children with superpowers get to go to a regular training school I will be paired up with freaks that have rare abilities or lineages like mine.

The ceremony that I am going to right now is called casting names. A list of our abilities are put into a giant portal and in a few moments a portal will open behind the few people in my class and drag us to our instructor.

My power to renew or disintegrate the cells of living organisms is one that has never been seen before and there is no way that I will be allowed to go into the field. Between my lineage and my power I seem to be nothing more than a highly sought after prize. My mother and father tried to hide my existence for a while; however, there are many different superpowers and one of them found out about me.

As I walked down the stairs I could only hope that Tuma would be in my group. He was my best friend and we were even born on the same day. His family had the ability to change their power even though they could only do it once a day. This was actually very rare and unique only to the Sekibo’s.

The Azikiwe and Sekibo families were very close. They both originated in Africa before the superheroes decided to abandon the barbarians of planet earth. While those with super powers were studied and dissected their non-combat family members were held hostage so they would not fight back. The humans even enslaved other humans, killed each other, and were destroying their planet for their own comfort.  Those with powers were a bit more enlightened and left the others to implode.

On Athalon we learn as we grow that as much as we would like to help everyone we are not God and there are those who do not wish to be helped.

“Seriously Niah I know you are excited to catalog your journey starting today but we are all waiting for you. If you don’t hurry up and come down here I am going to tell mom that you are making us wait so long just because you feel like it.” Emeka’s voice rang in my head yet again.

Niah let out a frustrated groan and closed her book. Maybe she would give Emeka hands of the elderly for a day or two.  He just did not understand, long after she was gone her journal would remain and people may want to hear all about her life.

She put her journal into her backpack and went downstairs the first day was only introductions anyway. She would probably be home early. As she walked down the stairs and the anxious eyes of her parents and brothers landed on her she hoped again that Tuma would be in her group.

Tuma sat in his living room with his parents waiting for the casting to begin. Today he had chosen the power of clairvoyance, so he was not anxious at all. He and Niah would be in the same group along with Amaka. Even with this power he could not see everything that would happen, but he did know that Niah and Amaka together in the same room was a disaster. Amaka Babangida was already known for her beauty at the young age of thirteen. She was dark like Niah but her hair, though typical of someone with African descent, was very long. Her skin had a certain glow to it and her eyes were wide and yet possessed and almond shape. The onyx of her eyes was able to draw a person in and mesmerize them. It made her a bit snobbish and self-centered. Her power to control boys and special lineage had given her more confidence than she would ever need. The Babangida family was famous for the healing power in their tears, blood, and saliva. She made it a point to try to show him why he should be friends with her instead of Niah.

Tuma was sure that it was because neither her beauty nor her power worked on him that she clung to him whenever he was near. He already knew that her power did not work on him because his heart belonged only to his best friend.

At first it was an innocent childish love, but more recently he had been having certain images in his head that were anything but appropriate. Niah was starting to mature and he could not help but to notice. She was embarrassed and started to wear long sweat shirts to hide her body. Tuma wondered if she really thought that it worked or if it just made her more comfortable to think that others could not see. Either way his eyes were always only on her, and Amaka’s power did not work on anyone who was already in love and he had been completely smitten with Niah as far back as he could remember. Amaka went so far as to kiss him last year in front of Niah. He had never seen his best friend so angry in his life. Every living plant and animal in a four mile radius had started to decay. If he had not happened to choose a barrier as his power that day things could have gone terribly wrong. He wrapped them both inside of a dimensional barrier until she calmed down.

Her reaction made his heart beat faster every time he remembered. It was possible that she felt the same about him and was jealous. The thought made him smile. He wanted her to be his when he grew up and because she was highly sought after he would have to be strong enough to protect her. Niah put on a brave front but when she was almost kidnapped four years ago it left scars on her mind.

Tuma prided himself on the fact that even at the age of nine he had been able to protect her, but it was also too close a call. He would learn to master every power, so that any power that he chooses for the day will be something he can protect her with.

The light projecting into the room signaled the start of the event. Tuma stood and walked to the middle of the room. He was immediately scanned from head to toe; it went by so quickly that he hardly realized that he had been pulled into the vortex. He looked around at his surroundings and noticed that he was in a flat red desert. Standing a little disoriented next to him was Amaka when she saw him she smiled and hugged him. He did not hug her back.

A groan a few feet away caused her to release him and look around. Niah apparently did not come out of the vortex standing and sat on the ground with her head on her knees.

“The vortex can be more disorienting for some people than others.” An unfamiliar man who was clearly of Asian descent said as he walked out of his own Vortex.

“Just give me one minute for my head to stop spinning.” Niah said as she struggled not to throw up.

Amaka snorted, “If you aren’t even strong enough to handle that perhaps you should not even be here.”

Tuma glared at Amaka as he went over to Niah and rubbed her back.

“Just take deep breaths it will all be over soon. I was a little disoriented at first as well.”

In a few minutes Niah stood up a bit embarrassed, but whispered a thank you to Tuma and turned her attention to their trainer.

“I am very sorry for the interruption thank you for being so patient.” She said as she bowed her head slightly in a show of respect.

“It was to be expected. As I said before there are some people who cannot handle vortex travel very well. I am Souske Fujimoto and I will be your trainer for the next five years.” He said as he looked at each of them.

Everyone then introduced themselves and the first day went by with and explanation of what they would be doing and why they would be doing it. Aside from glares and insults tossed between Niah and Amaka everything went smoothly.

Tomorrow they would have their power assessed through obstacle courses to see whether they would be suited to being a super hero on an alien planet or working on the home planet. If their powers were suited to being a super hero and yet it was something that they did not want to do they would not be made to do it. On the other hand if their powers we not capable of being used on the battle field there would be no option and they would have to choose between the career choices available to them.