Spellbound Empire: Reincarnated in Balance

When I opened the door to find Uncle Druvenor and Uncle Vycanid standing there with smug grins plastered across their faces, I knew the day was already ruined.

"We missed our flight," Druvenor announced, his tone far too casual for someone who showed up uninvited.

Vycanid leaned in, his cologne thick enough to make me gag. "Thought we'd crash here for the night. You don't mind, do you, Laziel?" He didn't wait for an answer, brushing past me like he owned the place.

I bit my tongue, forcing myself to stay calm as they made themselves at home. Dad was still away at the Magic Tower, and I knew Mom wouldn't turn them away, no matter how much she wanted to.

"Laz, close the door," Mom said softly from the kitchen, her voice tinged with unease.

I did as she asked, even though every instinct screamed at me to throw them right back out. Zyron appeared in the hallway, his expression tense. He didn't say anything, but the look we exchanged said it all: Here we go again.

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The next few hours were torture. Druvenor and Vycanid acted like they were inspecting the house, making snide comments about everything.

"This place still looks like it's stuck in the last century," Druvenor remarked, running a finger along the edge of a shelf.

Vycanid chuckled, lounging on the couch like a king on his throne. "What can you expect? It's not like they can afford any better."

I gritted my teeth, my nails digging into my palms. Zyron sat in the corner, glaring at the floor, while Mom tried to keep things civil, her voice shaky as she offered them tea.

"Still serving this cheap stuff, I see," Vycanid said, taking a sip and grimacing. "Guess some things never change"

The final straw came when Druvenor turned to Zyron, a smirk on his face. "So, kid, what's the plan? Gonna live off your dad's scraps forever, or do you actually have ambitions?"

Zyron's fists clenched, his face pale. I stepped forward, my voice sharp. "That's enough."

Druvenor turned to me, his smirk widening. "Oh, the big brother speaks. What are you gonna do, Laziel? Blow some wind at me?"

The mocking tone, the years of insults and humiliation, everything came to a head. I stepped closer, the air around me crackling. "You want to see what I can do? Keep pushing, and I'll show you!"

Druvenor stood up, towering over me. "Don't you dare take that tone with me, boy!"

Before I could react, his hand lashed out, slapping me across the face. The sound echoed in the room, followed by a stunned silence.

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The world seemed to slow down. My cheek burned, but it was nothing compared to the fire roaring inside me. My vision blurred, my breath coming in ragged gasps as something deep within me snapped.

The air around me shimmered, bending and twisting as if reality itself was warping under my will. I didn't know what was happening, but I couldn't stop it.

"What the-?" Druvenor stumbled back, his bravado replaced with fear. Vycanid jumped to his feet, panic flashing across his face.

"I warned you," I said, my voice low and unrecognizable, filled with an unnatural echo.

The room around us shifted, the walls melting and reforming. Flames danced in the air, water dripped from the ceiling, and a gust of wind swirled around me. But it was more than that. The very fabric of reality twisted under my control.

Druvenor screamed as the floor beneath him rippled like water, throwing him off balance. Vycanid tried to run, but the door vanished, replaced by a solid wall.

"Laziel!" Mom's voice cut through the chaos, sharp with fear.

I turned to her, and the sight of her face- pale, terrified- shattered the fury consuming me. Zyron stood frozen beside her, his eyes wide with disbelief.

I forced myself to stop, the power receding as quickly as it had come. The room returned to normal, but the damage was done. Druvenor and Vycanid scrambled to their feet, their faces pale as they bolted for the door.

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Just as they stumbled outside, Dad appeared, carrying his travel bag. His face lit up when he saw them. "Druvenor? Vycanid? What's going on?"

"They're insane!" Vycanid shouted, pointing at me. "Your son-! he attacked us! He's a monster!"

Dad's face darkened as he turned to me. "Laziel, what did you do?"

I opened my mouth to explain, but the words caught in my throat. What could I say? That I'd lost control and nearly destroyed the house? That I'd hurt them, even if they deserved it?

"They're lying," Zyron said, stepping forward. "They hit Laz first. They've been treating us like dirt since they got here!"

"Enough!" Dad's voice was sharp, cutting through Zyron's defense. He turned to me, his expression a mix of anger and exhaustion. "Laziel, do you have any idea how much trouble you've caused this family? Every time I leave, something happens. Why can't you just keep things together for once?"

His words hit me like a punch to the gut. I stared at him, disbelief and hurt mingling in my chest. "Are you serious right now? You're taking their side? After everything they've done to us?"

"I'm taking the side of keeping this family intact!" Dad shouted, his voice breaking.

"They're the ones tearing it apart!" I yelled back.

"Stop it, both of you!" Mom cried, but neither of us listened.

"You're creating nothing but trouble," Dad said, his voice cracking as tears started appearing on his eyes. "I'm trying to hold this family together, and all you're doing is making it harder. Do you even care?"

Those words broke something in me. The spark that had always kept me going, the confidence, the cool energy I'd always had- flickered and died.

I stared at him, my voice quiet. "You really think I'm the problem"

Dad didn't respond, and that silence said everything.

I turned and walked out the door, ignoring Mom's calls and Zyron's protests. The cold night air hit me as I ran, the weight of everything crashing down on me. I didn't know where I was going, but I knew one thing: I couldn't stay here anymore.

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_To Be Continue_