“Those boxes are pretty heavy!” Billy complained.

“Yeah, but fortunately, those are the last ones!” Charlie asked climbing the stairs.

Frederick Wong-Masterson is a prestigious Eastern Ancient History professor of the local University. He was born in China, the third fruit of the marriage of a British consul and a Chinese girl. The family lived there for many years, and Fred moved to America after his graduation. Recently, Fred’s old brother died and since he was already a widow, his son Charlie had to move in with Uncle Fred, along with the other nephew, William begged them to come along, he wanted to attend an American university.

At the age of 38 being single and (secretly) gay, Fred just had to adapt pretty quick to this sudden change of plans, that’s way he bought a bigger house, to accommodate his 17 and 16 year old nephews.

Charlie is the older with 17 years old, he was a member of the gymnastics team and it showed, because his 5’6” frame was really packed with 157 pounds. Charlie is also very disciplined and determined but not very fondle to talk.

William, in the other hand is very communicative, happy and excited to be living in America since he played for the basketball team back in China, there’s no better country to live than the birthplace of Basketball. Billy is a 6 feet even very active young man, quite the opposite of his cousin Charlie.

“What is there in those boxes anyway?” Billy asked when he dropped the heavy thing on the floor.

“Careful with that, Billy! They’re the latest researches I am doing. I’ve brought those objects from China!”

“Alright, alright! Watch out Charlie or Uncle Fred will eat you alive!” Billy replied already going to the bathroom.

“What is that?” Charlie asked holding a tiny stoned hexagonal thing in his hand.

“Oh this? This is just a souvenir I bought in my last trip, you know me I just can’t stop collecting gadget!” Fred smiled.

“Pretty cool!” Charlie admired the high detailed work of carving the delicate stone. Charlie read the Chinese writing for “Embrace the Power”

“It is the replica of a legendary talisman – I bought it because of the beautiful carving work, it is a really old and delicate craft! There was a box with this, where is it?” Fred looked around and he finally found the tiny metal box, with more symbols carved on the surface.

“Here, you liked it? You can have it!” Fred asked enjoying the interest of his nephew about his work.

“Thanks, Uncle Fred!” Charlie looked to his gift and noticed many familiar symbols. “The story is told in the box, like some kind of comic book!”

“It is a very interesting talisman…” Charlie commented leaving the room.

“What talisman?” Billy asked with his hair wet.

Charlie told him the story, but the taller cousin didn’t pay much attention. He was more interested in going out to enjoy the night. As usual, Charlie didn’t want to come along.

Although Billy and Charlie liked each other very much, their lifestyles were very different, and it turned out to be the reason that they were as close as they used to be.

Charlie is pretty shorter than Billy, but he is much stockier and his muscles are bigger than Billy’s lean, tall figure. And their personalities are so contrasting that they disagree almost about everything.

Truth to be told, Charlie isn’t a very happy man. His mother died in labor, and Charlie’s father was a former gymnastics champion, that’s why he wanted Charlie to excel in this sport, and so the kid never had much choice about this.

His whole life, the kid never had his will respected, always obeying his father, and now his uncle who sent him to a foreign land, without even asking if he really wanted this. The kid sighed and sat on his bed. He was fascinated by the gift. He could read the story of that talisman.

“Many eras ago, a beautiful land was devastated by a fierce monstrous creature. The most powerful warriors have been sent to fight the menace, but none of them was successful, and the monster got each time bigger and stronger…”

Charlie didn’t even hear his uncle calling him for dinner, he kept looking and translating the tiny symbols and drawings.

“When there was almost no hope left, a young villager said he would defeat the monster. Since the man was much shorter than the defeated warriors, the villagers laughed about his proposition. The man dared the village chief that if he was successful, then they would give him whatever he wanted.”

The 17 year old kid smiled and kept reading.

“The young warrior left the land reaching for the monster, and he was caught unprepared. The monster was about to finish the man, but in the last possible moment, the noble heart of the young warrior saved him, because he saw something shining in the monster’s eye. He bravely inserted his sword on the monster’s eye and a talisman fell right in his hand!”

“Charlie, dinner is ready!” Billy said with his mouth full of food.

“When the brave warrior got the talisman, it made him grow in power, strength and size, in such a vigorous way, just as his noble heart deserved, that soon the tiny young man became the biggest and most powerful warrior ever born.”

“Charles Wong, are you hearing me young man?” Fred asked from downstairs.

“Leave him, uncle Fred, he must be reading those books again! I am starving!” Billy said filling his plate with lots of food.

Meanwhile, Charlie kept reading about the legendary Talisman.

“For ages the powerful warrior ruled the people with Power and wisdom, his strength and size increased each day, and soon his phenomenal power was known all over the Ancient China. Some people said he was so strong he could defeat an entire army with just one blow, others told that the Great Warrior was bigger than any man could possibly be, towering over his subjects ruling the world with his strength.”

“Wow, great story! This guy should really been very important to have such detailed legends about him!” Charlie considered as he looked at the fake “Talisman of Power”. The inscriptions – “Embody the Power” were shining because of his bedroom lights were off, and the 17 year old gymnast smiled and put the Talisman around his neck.

It was then it happened – Charlie felt his chest burning the minute he put the talisman in touch with his skin. He tried to get it off, but something was wrong, he couldn’t touch it so hot the thing became. He screamed in pain, but somehow his screams couldn’t be heard, not even for himself! When the pain finally subsided, Charlie thought he could take the talisman off, but the inscriptions were now transferred to his skin! The same symbols for the expressions “Embrace the Power” now marked his muscular chest, exactly in his left pec, the same place where his heart was, and the Talisman was gone!

Charlie got despaired, he looked everywhere for the strange artifact, but no sign of it, and somehow the pain was gone! He didn’t even feel the burning sensation anymore, in fact he felt better than ever!

“Charlie? Aren’t you gonna eat? Billy almost vanished with everything!” Fred said approaching the teenager. Charlie was very sacred his Uncle would be mad at him for the whole Talisman thing, but apparently, he didn’t seem to notice. “I am going Uncle Fred!” Charlie kept the talisman box on his nightstand’s drawer and went down for dinner.

“Hey shorty, wassup? I would eat the whole thing, but Uncle Fred wanted to bring you!” Billy said going outside for shooting some balls.

Usually, Billy didn’t mind being called shorty, but Billy made it sound so humiliating! So, what? He was shorter than the tall cousin, but he was much more muscular and stronger than Billy would ever be! That little feeling soon felt like something serious, Charlie was fed up with being shorty, he wanted to be taller, not just one or two inches, but a LOT taller! He wanted to be so tall he could kick Billy’s but on the court! He kept thinking that as he ate, the food was not wonderful, but decent enough to make a good dinner and the more Charlie ate, the more he wanted to eat! Frederick came into the room, and almost passed out, his nephew was just enormous! He should be over 6’6” tall, and his clothing ripped, his muscles kept so huge, even bigger than they were!

“Charlie what happened?” Fredrick asked shocked. The teen hadn’t noticed anything until now! He looked at his feet, his clothing and his muscles – “The Talisman! It works!” he yelled as he approached his uncle, towering over the uncle by at least 10 inches. “What are you talking about?” Fred asked nervously.

“HEY! WHAT’S GOING ON HERE? I CAN HEAR YOU FROM THE STREET!” Billy said entering the house and noticing his now TALLER and much more muscular cousin. “Charlie? What happened to you?”

“Well, let’s just say now I am the incarnation of POWER!” he said as he grabbed the basketball from the hands of his cousin and went to the court – “You wanna see something cool?” For the nest half hour, Charlie played the most difficult and incredible movements of basketball not even the NBA’s star players could perform, and being so much tall than his adversary is really a good thing. At the end, Billy just sat at the floor, amazed.

“WOW! Charlie, where did you learn those moves?” “I don’t know, I just can!” Billy said and his sweat poured all over his body – “It’s the Talisman, it passed his powers to me! I am POWER!” Charlie said carried away, but who wouldn’t? he’s 6’8” tall and ,must weight over 370 pounds!”

“You can do whatever you want?” Billy asked in disbelief. “Well at least with my body!” Charlie answered right away. “Prove it!” Okay, I’ll show you some tricks!” Charlie blinked and focused •