Felix

Growing up, I had a friendship most people dreamed about, and it was thanks to Leo. Back when I used to live in Historia, he was just across the road from where I used to stay.

Every day since we were five years old, we would go out to the forests and meadows around the village and pretend we were legendary mages who battled powerful foes for treasure.

Life was beautiful then. Simple.

It was a time where the shadows didn't even dare to darken our horizons.

When we turned twelve, that was when our parents allowed us to learn magic. It was on one sunny afternoon when Leo finally learned how to conjure up a full flame.

We were playing near the edge of the forest.

"Felix! Check this out," Leo exclaimed. He held out his hand and burst of flames shot from his palms. It swayed in the wind as his eyes filled with a spark. "I'm sure my flames are stronger than your wind now!"

"Woah, that's pretty cool, but," with a swipe of my hand, I summoned a gust of wind that took out his flames with ease. "Wind magic is a lot better. You should try learning that instead. If you want to use fire magic, though, you'll have to do a lot better to beat me."

Leo laughed as he scratched the back of his head. His face flushed with a light pink. "You're always so cool and strong. It's one of the things I... admire about you."

"Admire, huh? I never heard that one before." I smiled and gave him the thumbs. "Well, I admire you too!"

For the rest of the day, we continued practicing our magic and went on another adventure to take down the legendary Googonja beast for his gold.

When the sun had set, we laid out in the meadowy field as we stared up at the sky full of stars.

"Felix," Leo said. "Do you ever think about what it would be like to explore the world?"

I turned to look at him. "All the time. Do you?"

"Of course! I want to see the Land of Storms, sail across the seas, and maybe even become a pirate. Imagine us on a ship, going through storms, and discovering hidden treasures!"

I laughed. "That would be cool. I don't think our parents will ever let us go there, though."

"I know. They say bad people are there but I don't think all people are bad just because they follow a different way of life."

"I agree."

Leo turned to me with a smile. "As long as we're together, we can do anything."

My chest felt warm. "Together, Leo. Always."

We stayed there for hours and talked about our dreams and all the fun adventures we would have as the stars listened to our hopes to someday reach them. I made a promise to Leo that I would make everything come true. Even if it meant our parents being mad at us.

~

Eventually, we made our way back to my house for dinner.

Leo and I came running through the front door. "Mom, Mom!" I called out.

My mom came from the kitchen, wiping her hands on a towel. "Boys, stop running in the house. And make sure you wash your hands before dinner."

"Okay, mom," I said, grabbing Leo's arm. "Come on, Leo. We have to wash our hands," I said as I dragged him towards the sink. We hurried and washed our hands before we joined my mom at the table.

She looked at us with a smile. "You two seem very excited. What have you been up to today?"

Leo leaned forward with wide eyes. "We went on a treasure hunt, Mrs. Aldenia! And we found a hidden chest near the edge of the forest!"

I nodded. "And we had to defeat a strong beast to get to it! It was amazing, Mom. You should have seen it!"

My mom laughed. "A treasure hunt and a beast, huh? Sounds like quite the adventure. I'm glad you boys had fun. I believe there's an old chest buried near the edge of the forest. It might contain something interesting. Why don't you two go check it out tomorrow?"

Leo and I gasped.

"Really?" Leo asked.

"We must go first thing in the morning!"

"Yeah!"

My mom laughed at our excitement. "Alright boys, calm down. Now, let's eat before the food gets cold."

~

The next day, Leo and I woke up early to find the chest my mom talked about.

"Over here!" Leo shouted from behind a tree.

I ran over and saw something peeking out of the ground.

"Must be the treasure!"

"Help me dig it up," Leo exclaimed.

After a few minutes, we dug up the old chest. Its surface was covered in intricate carvings.

We opened the chest and inside were some special dice that glowed only when I touched them.

I couldn't explain it, but they felt like they were made for me.

"These are amazing," Leo exclaimed. "Do you think they're magical?"

I stared at them. "Maybe. Let's take them back and show my parents. They will definitely know."

That evening, I showed the dice to my parents who were sitting on the couch My dad looked at them closely.

"These are no ordinary dice, Felix," he said. "There's definitely some magic to them."

"They look like the Dice of Fate, a powerful artifact said to grant glimpses into the future," my mom said.

"The Dice of Fate, huh?" My dad questioned. "Never heard of them."

"I've read about them before. I didn't think they existed, but if Felix found them I'm sure it's fate."

"Hm?" My dad thought it over for a moment. "You might be right about that. Just remember what we taught you, Felix. The most important thing to remember is that magic should always be used to protect others. It is never to harm or rule others. Our family's legacy is built on that principle, understood?"

"Yes, dad."

My mom took my hand. "Felix, you have a kind heart and a strong spirit. No matter what challenges you face, always remember that love and compassion are your greatest strengths."

I nodded. It was that day that I vowed to use the Dice of Fate to protect my family and friends, to make sure they continued to experience happiness and safety that they gave me.

For a time, life continued like it was perfect.

My days were filled with my pretend adventures with Leo and my nights were filled with dreams of the future.

But one terrible night changed it all