"Give me back my toy," Keita demanded as he ran after his brother. A look of determination and anger plastered all over his face.
"You don't need the Evatir General, you don't have any powers," Zukov held the little action figure over his head as he ran. He was laughing and enjoying teasing his younger brother.
Despite the two boys being twins, Zukov was much bulkier and heavier than his brother. He didn't need to run from his smaller brother, but just like the game he was playing, he enjoyed teasing his counterpart.
The younger brother was not enjoying this particular game, but then again, who would enjoy being bullied?
As a young vasili, the elder boy had considerable advantages over the younger, even though his powers had yet to develop. He could still be considered a Tier 0.
Over time, the people had learned to categorize vasili abilities according to tiers. The higher the tier, the more powerful the vasili. Some vasilis would not be able to break through to higher tiers, remaining in their low tier.
Those at the lowest tier, Tier 0s, had not activated their abilities yet. However, they still had innate advantages over ordinary mortals such as Keita. For Zukov, he was stronger and swifter than an ordinary child.
The two boys were five years old, but Zukov could contend with an elk twice or three times his age. On the contrary, Keita was much weaker than a normal five-year-old.
However, where Zukov had his strength and speed, Keita was the smarter of the two. Seeing his brother running off, he wouldn't give in. "Going down the same path!" Keita thought as she jumped forward.
In an instant, Keita jumped over the furniture. He then tugged on a small thread concealed just beneath his feet.
Suddenly, a bucket overturned and fell on Zukov. The cold water and the bucket over his head made the bigger boy tumble forward. His brother leapt in the air and grabbed his brother from behind.
This was the usual horse play between brothers. Zukov was used to his ways of teasing his little brother, and Keita would often devise ways to capture his tormentor.
Neither was willing to give up, but Zukov was not so easy to overpower. Hence, most times, Zukov would come out the winner.
After much frustration, Keita had had to learn how to trap his big brother. More often than not, he would succeed, and this was one of those times. Seeing his brother tumbling down, he was extremely happy, even forgetting the toy they were fighting over.
Once he had his brother pinned down, Keita used the thread to tie up his brother. However dexterous he was, Keita was no match to his brother in terms of speed. With sudden movements, Zukov swung his massive hand, tossing off his brother like a ragdoll.
Having never been in such an embarrassing state, Zukov had exerted his all. In that moment, he had suddenly activated his ability, moving from a Tier 0 to a Tier 1 vasili. This made his strike more powerful than he had expected.
While this was good news for Zukov, Keita bore the brunt end of it. The strike was so powerful that the boy struck the wall, rendering him unconscious. The servants overseeing the boys were spooked, and suddenly the playful mood was no more.
It wasn't until much later in the night did Keita suddenly wake up. He looked disoriented, spaced out, and unclear of his surroundings. It took several hours for the boy to return to normal.
Neither boy knew that that was the last playful moment they would have. After the accident, the parents found out that Zukov had unlocked his abilities. They instituted a rule that the boys were not allowed to play together anymore.
Due to Zukov's extraordinary gifts, the parents got him the best masters to train him. As for Keita, he too got a tutor to teach him how to read and write, and other key lessons he needed.
He was a scion from one of the more influential clans in the capital, hence he had to look the part of a noble. From literature to etiquette and everything in between, both boys learned to be proper noblemen.
While Zukov's power continued to grow, something strange began to happen to Keita. He would fall into sudden trances or experience visions. Sometimes, he would get extreme déjà vu and lose focus.
As he grew up, these issues became much worse. Sometimes, he would be asleep, and in his dreams, he would see all sorts of wondrous miracles happening. He would sometimes be a boy, other times an old man.
Meanwhile, Zukov's abilities continued to grow. He showed astounding comprehension and rapid progress. By the time the boys were about to turn ten years old, he was at the peak of Tier 1, almost a Tier 2.
Suddenly, some wonderful news came into being. News that thoroughly excited the patriarch and the rest of the clan, and more so the servants in the Rono family residence.
After several years of enduring the boys' roughhousing, it came as a welcome relief to hear that the madam of the house, Lady Keshi, was pregnant once more.
The servants, and the extended family alike, were excited when they received the news. Nine months went quickly by, and voila, a bouncing baby girl was born.
Abi was beautiful, had a young budding personality, and above all else, she was a vasili. She was not as gifted as her big brother, but at least, she had crossed the threshold.
Immediately, the patriarch had found a favorite in the clan, and the young girl grew to know love and affection from everyone.