The Will of Fire

1...Knowledge

It was a hot day in Los Angeles. Sweat rolled down faces. The heat was vigorous. The clock struck 2:45pm, and eighteen year old Jared Dorahatō sat in his last period class, anticipating dismissal. It was the last day of school, and Jared couldn't wait for his Junior year to be over. He sat slouched in his seat, barely paying attention to what his teacher was saying. He had watched him write out multiple equations and at that point, his brain was fried. Jared's phone began to vibrate. *bzz bzz*. It was a text message from his father, telling him to come straight home after school was let out and made it clear not to hang with friends before he came home. Jared rolled his eyes and let out a sigh of irritation. Finally, the bell had rung and students scurried into the hallway, ignoring their teacher completely who tried telling everyone to have a great summer. As Jared stood from his seat, his best friend Dan approached him.
"Dude, I can't believe you are not sweating bullets! I'm roasting!" He said.
"The perks of being a Pyromancer, huh?" Said his other friend, Kevin who was walking up to them.
"Knock it off. Being a Pyromancer is annoying when you can't showcase your abilities." Jared said walking into the hallway.
"Yo! Dude, be glad that you're still cool though! Not everyone has powers like you man. You could've been boring normal people like me and Kev." Said Dan.
Jared scoffed and rolled his eyes.
"Ironically, I do feel like a boring normal person."
"My father told me that Pyromancer are the strongest Fire Types there is. Also, is it true that you guys have two stomachs? One for food and the other stores actual flames?" Kevin asked.
Jared turned to his friends quickly with a stone face.
"I. Don't. Know. Okay? My parents tell me nothing, you know this. However, you shouldn't believe everything you hear. I've never ingested a flame for me to know that anyways."
Jared continued to walk away as his friends began to nag him about hanging out. He had told them what his father had said which the guys cracked jokes about.
"Your pops is so strict man. You're a grown ass man." Dan said laughing.
Tell me about it...Jared thought to himself. Jared walked outside and got on his motorcycle. He was about to drive off when a girl walked by, catching his eye. He obviously attends school with her. He watched her walk down the sidewalk, books tucked under her arms and held to her chest. Jared pulled up slowly next to her.
"Need a ride?" He asked, smiling.
The girl smirked and laughed softly.
"I don't know, I don't know you like that. You may try to kidnap me." She joked.
"Only if you'd let me" Jared joked back.
"Some other time" she laughed, and continued to walk away as Jared smiled watching her.

Jared had arrived home. He was greeted at the door by his family's German Shepherd named Maxi. He pet him and received many kisses from Maxi who had stood on his hind legs.
"Welcome home, lover boy." Said a voice.
It was his brother, Tristin. Tristin is two years older than Jared and already graduated from highschool.
"I saw you talking to Alisa"
"And your point? Mind your business." Jared said walking by him.
Jared was then greeted by his sister, Luisa. Luisa is two years younger than him. He and Luisa were very close. Jared favored her ten times more than he could ever favor Tristin. Suddenly, his father shouted.
"Tristinio! Jaredano! Luisana! Come meet me in the office!"
Jared immediately sighed. When they got there, their father sat behind his desk with his arms crossed. Kaeneki Dorahatō is his name. From Japan, but moved to the states years ago and fell in love with their mother, Rosa who is of Spanish and Italian descent. Jared and his siblings had the tan skin of their mother, but the light brown thin hair texture of their father. Jared's eyes are light brown like his father, Tristin's eyes were a light lavender-white like his late grandfather, and Luisa has ocean blue eyes like her mother. Jared mostly always wore his hair in a ponytail or a bun, while Tristin has his cut and somewhat spiked. Luisa always wore hers down and straight, which stops at her waist.
"I think it's time I spoke to all of you about your abilities." Said Kaeneki.
"What more do you have to tell us? We can't do anything with them. We get it." Jared said.
Kaeneki gave a serious look to Jared.
"I think it's time you three do learn how to use them in self defense and self defense only." Kaeneki said.
"Dad, you serious!? I have been waiting for this forever!" Luisa said.
"I'm cool with that" Tristin followed.
"But you don't want us showcasing our abilities still? I'm not satisfied." Jared said.
"Why do you always have such an attitude, Jared? Shit, what more do you want?" Tristin said angrily.
"What I want is to not feel like a bird in a damn cage, that's what! Be real T, you would love to put your skills to the test. Wouldn't you love to meet other people just like us? We're supposed to be so great but can't even use our abilities, only in "self defense." If that's the case I'll just go around starting fights just so I can burn someone to a crisp!" Jared carried on.
"Enough!" Kaeneki said slamming his fist on the desk. "The only way you could ever meet others like you is by entering that damned Deathmatch Tournament, which I forbid!"
"Dad, how long are you going to treat us like children!? You and mom did it years ago before we were born, and you guys came out just fine! You tell us how special we are because me and Luisa are Pyromancers like you, and Tristin is a Terramancer of the Earth Types like mom but you or mom haven't even shown us what YOU can do yourselves with your abilities! I'm starting to think you're just a phony." Jared said getting up to walk out. Suddenly, Jared felt heat on his face. He noticed the wall in front of him had a smoking hole in it the size of a watermelon. Jared stared with his eyes wide. When he turned to look at his father, Kaeneki did stood there with a smoking hand.
"D-Dad...did you-"
"SIT DOWN, JAREDANO." Kaeneki snapped.
Jared slowly walked back to his seat, and sat next to Tristin and Luisa who were in awe.
"I have had just about enough of your disrespect. I have kept you guys so secluded from meeting others like you because I don't want you to go mad with power. I forbid you all from joining the Deathmatch Tournament because if I lost any of you, I'd be no good."
Jared was I'm complete shock. For once, he listened to his father.
"Me and your mother entered that tournament years ago because of our parents. They did the same. But believe me, it was no easy task. We've lost many friends to that tournament. There are people who enter that tournament to gain riches for a lifetime, and will not hesitate to kill. This world of fighting goes deeper than just possessing an ability. People around the world possess powers your minds couldn't even think of. But you guys want to know so much... Fine. I'll tell you." Kaeneki said.
"Dad...what makes us so special as Pyromancers? And can you please explain this whole Type and Class thing to me?" Luisa asked.
"Fighters who possess powers and abilities are known as Power Warriors. We are Power Warriors. Every Power Warrior has a type and a class that they belong to that separates them from other Power Warriors. For example, Me, Jared and Luisa are Fire Types of the Pyromancer Class. But there are other classes within our type that are related to our type, but still different in their class. Like Flame Runners, Mystics and Solars."
"Those are other classes? What makes them so different from us?" Tristin asked.
"Allow to explain with these info cards." Kaeneki said laying out cards on the desk.
Pyromancers - Users of fire. They can absorb fire by swallowing it. They can do this because they have a second stomach that stores fire. This is an ancient technique known as Fire Nutrition, taught to the Pyromancers in feudal Japan centuries ago by Dragons. The more fire consumed, the stronger they are. Once they have gotten a taste of fire, a Pyromancer's hunger will take huge masses of fire to become satisfied.
Flame Runners - This class of Fire Types can use fire abilities but not as effective as Pyromancers. Flame Runners can move incredibly fast and run at top speeds up to 150mph. They are the only class of Fire Types that are able to run on top and through fire without feeling a thing, even if completely submerged in flames.
Mystics - The Mystic Class can perform many unique techniques with fire. They can teleport by combusting into flames, transport fire from one place to another, and even form whip like structures of fire.
Solars - The Solar Class are a class only belonging to the Kami-Omo race of people who live in the sky temple known as Tengoku which floats over Japan. The Kami-Omo race use their fire through the energy of the sun, hence being beings of the Solar Class. They can energize themselves by undergoing synthesis, a gathering of energy from the sun. But, this takes a great amount of time and should be done with extreme focus and meditation. The fire they possess is of the hottest temperatures and is white. They are able to teleport freely and prove to be incredible swordmasters.
"Wow...so amazing..." Luisa said.
Jared felt his heart beating faster. This is impressive. There's so much diversity. And Kevin was right, Pyromancers do have two stomachs. Damn, this just makes me want to see what other Power Warriors are out there... I wonder how strong I could become! Jared thought to himself.
"Me and your mother would love to teach you guys how to use your abilities. But you have to promise us that you will only use them in self defense. And promise that you will NOT look into entering the upcoming Deathmatch Tournament." Kaeneki said sternly.
Tristin and Luisa agreed, but Jared hesitated.
"Son... promise me." Kaeneki said.
Jared sighed and nodded his head. There's no way I can sit back and limit myself any longer...