I rubbed my temple. The dark cloud over the toppling building seemed to get darker with every rumble I heard in the distance. I saw as the people from underneath came back to reality and found the strength to try to run away. They couldn’t make it out in time, because the smoke enveloped them with the rubble. The building didn’t seem as if it were crashed into, and just a simple storm would not have been able to send it falling. My questions were, What happened? And why was my magic not enough to keep the building up?

     I tugged at my robe sleeves. I mumbled “returna humanio,” which camouflaged my clothes. I pushed my wand into the pocket of my jeans. Then, a boy stepped in front of me. He looked muscular underneath a black t-shirt and ripped jeans. His dark charcoal hair glistened in the daylight. I would have found him attractive, if it weren’t for the smirk he had on his face. Why was this boy so calm at a time like this? Sorcerers were an exception, which was why I was quite all right. But at an event like this… Shouldn’t this boy be in a hurry to get help or even run?

     I stared into his cold, gray eyes and found that they looked just like mine. They were piercing and looked like the sky when thunder strikes. The boy didn’t move. What was he doing? He looked at me with the same smirk as before. I couldn’t find the strength to move. Why did I feel so… restrained? 

     “Mother raised you terribly, don’t you think so?”

     My heart pounded and shook against my body, threatening to escape. Mother? This person is…

    “Your brother. I’m your brother,” he said, with venom in his voice. “The brother no one ever told you about. The little piece of your life you felt like you were missing, but didn’t know why. I was sent away as soon as you were born. And then I got a call today. I was told you were here, trying to mess with my plans.” He chuckled a dark chuckle that spread a hatred through my body. “No one can ever match your power, right?” He stepped as close to me as he dared. I turned my head to look at the scene behind him. The remains of the building crumbled even further, and caused a great deal of smoke. My brother’s stiff hands forced my head back to face him. “But I can.”