Two years ago...
In a small neighborhood playground, four boys between the ages of twelve and fourteen ran through the narrow streets, jumping from one rooftop to another.
Wael and Mark were in the lead, while Bahaa chased after them, shouting:
"Wait for me, you cowards!"
They didn't stop. They kept running until they entered an abandoned house and leaned against the wall, gasping for breath.
As soon as Amin entered after them, they all burst into laughter.
His face was swollen from all the beating he had taken.
"Why are you laughing?! Damn it... You two ran away and left that woman to deal with me!"
Bahaa laughed.
"You couldn't keep up with an ordinary old woman?"
"I could have beaten her, but she's just a woman!"
Mark laughed mockingly.
"So a woman defeated the man who claims he's all grown up!"
Amin's face turned red with anger, and flames ignited around his hand.
Mark jumped backward.
"Watch it, idiot! You'll burn the house down!"
Amin smiled.
"I thought you were strong enough to defend yourself."
But Bahaa's voice stopped them.
"Enough."
He looked at them sternly.
"We agreed that no one would use their power unless necessary. I don't want this happening again."
Wael nodded in agreement.
"He's right... It's dangerous."
Mark looked at him dismissively.
"Shut up, powerless."
Before Wael could respond, Bahaa said:
"Leave him alone, Mark... There's no point."
The four boys left the house.
Bahaa and Mark walked together, while Amin slowed down until he was beside Wael.
He smiled and patted him on the shoulder.
"Don't worry about what they say. I'm sure you'll become strong someday."
Wael smiled shyly.
"It's okay... It's enough that you're my friends, even if I'm different from you."
Amin put an arm around Wael's shoulders.
"And we'll definitely stay that way."
A genuine smile appeared on Wael's face.
The next day...
Bahaa got into a fight with another student at school.
Within moments, he knocked the boy to the ground and began mocking him in front of everyone.
Wael approached him calmly.
"Leave him alone, Bahaa. He doesn't deserve to be your way of proving yourself."
But Bahaa ignored him.
Instead, he punched Wael before turning toward the other student again.
Wael rushed forward and grabbed Bahaa from behind, but Mark forcefully pulled him away.
Bahaa took advantage of the opening and struck the boy hard.
The student collapsed to the ground, choking and barely able to breathe.
Wael rushed to him and helped him until he caught his breath. The boy then fled.
Wael turned toward Bahaa and shouted:
"Why did you do that?! Do you feel better now?! Just because he's weak? That makes you worse than him!"
Bahaa's expression changed.
"What did you say... you piece of trash?"
Amin quickly stepped between them and pulled them apart before calming Bahaa down.
Bahaa eventually left.
After school...
Wael was walking through the neighborhood playground when he found Bahaa waiting for him.
He spoke in a frighteningly calm voice.
"Looks like you stood against me today."
"I didn't stand against you... I just think the way you treat people is wrong."
Bahaa didn't give him a chance to say anything else.
He punched Wael hard enough to knock him to the ground.
"I thought I made it clear what would happen if you went against me."
He raised his fist, preparing to strike again.
But Amin grabbed his arm.
Bahaa glared at him.
"You too?"
Wael quickly spoke.
"Stop... It's not worth it."
Then he looked at Bahaa.
"I'm sorry... but I don't think I can stay with you anymore."
Bahaa laughed mockingly.
"Why are you apologizing? Do you really think losing someone powerless is going to hurt me?"
Anger burned in Amin's eyes.
"Then you'll lose another person... me."
He stepped forward.
"Your way of thinking doesn't suit me anymore. It's better if we each go our own way."
Bahaa replied coldly.
"Fine... Don't come back to me again."
He then left with Mark.
Amin approached Wael and helped him to his feet.
Wael spoke quietly.
"Why did you do that? I don't deserve all this."
Amin smiled.
"You're a human being... and a human being deserves everything."
Wael shook his head.
"It's not that simple. Would you really give up a strong friend for someone who's powerless?"
Amin frowned.
"Is friendship measured by strength?"
Then he suddenly smiled.
"Then... how about we get you some power?"
Wael looked at him in confusion.
Amin continued:
"Bahaa is hiding an Elemental Energy Sphere in a place I know. Since he keeps moving it around, let's get there before him this time."
Wael hesitated.
"But... are you sure? Can someone who doesn't have a power suddenly obtain one?"
Amin smiled.
"That's how the three of us got our powers... and now it's your turn."
Wael remained silent for a few moments...
Then he agreed.
They headed to an isolated cave.
Darkness filled the place, so Amin lit a torch with the flames in his hand.
They continued deeper into the cave until they reached a crack glowing with blue light.
They passed through it...
And found a blue sphere embedded in the cave wall.
Amin smiled.
"Go on... Touch it."
Wael swallowed nervously and slowly approached it.
The moment he reached out his hand...
Bahaa's voice echoed from somewhere in the distance.
He was smashing through the cave walls as he shouted:
"Don't touch it... It'll..."
But it was already too late.
The moment Wael's hand touched the sphere, it transformed into blue energy and rushed into his body.
It traveled through his arm...
Then settled inside his heart.
His eyes widened before he lost consciousness.
At that moment...
A dense black aura erupted from Bahaa.
He seemed to be struggling against it.
He spoke through broken breaths.
"I told you... not to... tell... anyone..."
Amin stared at him in shock.
"What's happening to you?! I only wanted to..."
Wael regained a fragment of consciousness.
He saw a massive black arm grab Amin.
Then...
It hurled him violently against the wall.
His body slammed into the rocks and was covered in blood.
Wael's eyes widened in horror.
Amin's face was completely still...
As though he were dead.
Then Wael saw Bahaa approaching him unsteadily, as if he were fighting something inside himself.
But before Wael could understand what was happening...
Darkness swallowed him once again.
When he woke up, he was lying outside the cave.
The cave itself...
Had been reduced to ruins.
He sat on his knees, unable to comprehend what had happened.
But only one thought remained in his mind.
Amin was dead.
From that day onward, the power Wael had gained became tied to the worst memory of his life.
The following day, Bahaa acted as though he had completely moved past the incident. He never brought it up again.
As for Wael...
He was too afraid to even talk about what had happened.
So he hid his power.
And he never used it again.