My difference.

[MichaelMarkov]

((This is a post that Michael made in game. This IS in game knowledge.))

"From the very beginning I figured there was something wrong. I mean, why else would I be so cast aside and pushed away? Even though I've done everything I can for these people, they don't understand..." - Michael Markov, Age 14

Hello, my name is Michael Helios Markov, you can call me Michael. I am, and seemingly will be, an "expressed". To those that know the term, this means that I have supernatural abilities. My supernatural abilities, lie in my fondness toward the wondrous substance known to me as Mana. Magic, sorcery, wizardry, these are terms that have been placed upon what I like to consider as my art. My art of sorcery.
I believe I was just a small child when I originally "expressed". The reason I believe this is due to a story I was told after I turned 17, by my mother, about a time when her life was saved, and how she knew that I was special. The story was told to me like this...


"You were just a child, only 6 years old, when you saved my life son. I couldn't believe it when it happened, but I knew from that point on that you were no ordinary child. You see, we went on a walk one day in mid July. We were still living in California at that time. You wanted to go see the 'end of the world', so we took a stroll toward the shore line. Well, we never did make it to the shore line. By a park that we passed, a man came up from behind me and inadvertently pushed me into a white van. He then grabbed you and proceeded to nearly throw you in on top of me before he slammed the door shut. Another man inside of the van was ready, and then placed a rag over my mouth. I fell unconscious. I woke up in a dingy dim-lit room that smelled strongly of mold and humidity. It was very warm, and the only things that I could recognize at that time was the soft shape of you in my arms. You were oddly quiet, but I did not realize that until I came to my senses some time later. After spending about 30 minutes trying to understand what was happening, I realized that you were bleeding. This truly scared me. I did not know what to do, nor did I understand what to think at that time. Was there anything I could do? Where could I go? Could I even go anywhere? Where are those men? But sadly, as soon as I asked myself that, I was answered. Those men just so happened to slowly walk into the room muttering lowly to each other. I thought I heard something about a dock and a child, but I did not want to put those together at that moment. I was so very worried about you. One of the men then left the room, and the other one came close to me. I had lain still so that they might not notice that I was awake, but as soon as the man drew closer you started to move. It was like you could sense him closing in on me, because with every step he took, you grasped me just a bit harder. I couldn't help adjusting my hand so that I could feel your heart, making sure that my baby was going to be okay. This caused the man to put aside his apparent quietness now knowing that I was awake. He began to laugh and then asked me in a low gruff voice, "Are you scared for the brat's life woman?" I couldn't even begin to answer him. He then reached over and grabbed your arm. I reacted naturally, and punched him in the face as he came close enough. This just pissed him off though. Anger flourished through his eyes, and a sick disturbing smile split his jaw from the rest of his face. He began to laugh as he ripped you from my arms. You woke up from whatever sleep you had gotten, and realized that he had just pulled you from me. Now, I could not see your face, but I remember seeing his as he held you as far as he could away from himself and contorted his now fearful face. You grabbed on to his arms and he suddenly began to scream. Smoke rose from his arms and waves of heat could be seen from where I was. He threw you on to the ground quickly and sprinted out of the room. You did this without saying a word. I got up and ran over to you, and you turned around with a smile. You said with a shy little voice, "Is he gone now?". And with that, I noticed from the corner of my eye, a red fiery pattern flickered across your skin like the top of a large flurry of flames. Both men came back into the dark room, that was now extremely hot, and pointed pistols at you. You flinched at the sight of the guns and started to cry, fully knowing that they were intending on hurting you. The one that had ran out screaming looked at me and told me to restrain you, otherwise they would shoot you. I had no idea what to do, so I listened to them and pulled you to me. With a soft motherly voice, I whispered 'It will be okay' into your ear as I tried to keep you calm. You stopped crying after a bit, and then the man spoke again. "We are going to do this. It can be done the easy way, or the hard way. Either you can come into the other room with us lady, and your bastard child can stay here, OR we can off the little brat, and just take care of business here. So, what's it going to be?" He added a little smirk at the end of his little speech. I did not want you to be hurt, so I decided that it was better if I just listened to them... regardless of the circumstances. You, on the other hand, did not want to let me go. I tried to let you down and telling you that I needed to go for just a bit, but you would not let go of me. Then, from seemingly no where you decided it was your turn to talk. You stood up straight, looked into my eyes and said, "I will NOT let them hurt you!" They both laughed at your statement as the hurt one pulled back the hammer on his gun. Without a second to spare, you pushed me (harder than you should have been able to) aside and put your hand out to them. Then, your eyes lit up a light red-orange and that pattern flickered across your skin from your eyes to the base of your wrist. You opened your mouth and screamed at them, "GO AWAY!" as a flurry of dancing flames reached out from your hand. It was absolutely beautiful the way this fire that spouted from your hand seemed to dance in the air as it charged forward to our attackers. Their eyes opened, and pure fear emanated from every damned pore on their bodies. The flames completely engulfed the two men, and the crazy part about all of it was that these flames never even charred the door, but yet there was nothing left of the two men at all. The only bits of substance left from the fire, were two small smoldering piles of char. This was enough for me to understand that I could not raise you like I raised your older brother, you were different."