by SF Mazhar
Aaron couldn’t find his voice to argue. Truth was, he wasn’t sure if he even wanted to. Learning what had happened in the past, to his brother and his uncle, had sapped Aaron’s bravado. He was left feeling ill, his insides cold at the thought of the loss his parents had suffered. His mum’s grip on his hand tightened. He looked around to see quiet pleading in her watery eyes. Holding her gaze, he gave a brief nod.
Chris pulled Aaron to his chest, a hand on the back of his neck. “Thank you,” he whispered. He let go of him and smiled, but it did nothing to the pain lingering in his eyes. “Go and grab your things. I want to leave before it gets dark.”
Aaron got up wordlessly, his legs weak. He walked to the door and pulled it open. He stopped at the sight of his two best friends, standing just beyond the door, looking shocked and saddened at what they had heard.
***
When Aaron stepped out of the cottage, he saw the street was packed with even more mages. Everywhere he looked, all he could see were armed Hunters, and Lurkers in various coloured robes, standing in huddled groups. Some looked furious, others pensive, and some looked downright scared. Aaron scanned the crowds but couldn’t spot Neriah, nor Ella.
There was a group of older-looking mages near the table, crowding around Scott. Aaron recognised Mandara in their midst. The chief of the City of Balt was deep in conversation with Scott. Aaron didn’t have to think too hard to figure out what everyone’s topic of conversation was. The infamous Scorcher – Kyran – was all anyone could discuss.
Aaron walked down the path with his family and friends by his side, horribly aware of the packed bag in his hand. The sun was already setting, but it wasn’t dark enough for them to leave unnoticed – which was the point, he guessed. He figured his dad didn’t want anyone to think the Adams family waited until dark to sneak away.
Aaron followed after his dad, who was keeping his eyes ahead, not looking at anyone. His mum and uncle were behind him, while Sam and Rose were by his side. As the group headed down the street, mages stopped to turn and stare. Aaron saw the hostile glares of mages he had never met. He heard the murmur of ‘Adams’ ring in the air. It reminded Aaron of his first time in Salvador. Four months ago, when he had stepped into this city, mages had whispered about him, stared at him, given him unfriendly looks, but at the time Aaron had had no idea why. Now, he understood the reason, and he couldn’t blame them for their bitterness.
The Adams were Elementals. They were one quarter of the power that protected this realm and they had run away, hidden in the human realm for fourteen years. It angered the mages, hurt them that while they were left behind to suffer and fight the war against demons and Hadrian, the Elementals of Earth were living a quiet, peaceful life in a world that wasn’t theirs. Aaron understood their anger, just as he understood his parents’ decision to do what they did.
Aaron caught sight of Alan Kings. The other boy’s eyes trailed to the bag in Aaron’s hand before lifting to stare at him in shock. Aaron wanted to speak, to tell him he didn’t want to leave but that he had to. Before he could open his mouth, Alan’s eyes turned cold and he walked away, heading to the Stove with his head dropped and fists clenched.
Slowly, the residents of Salvador – the ones Aaron had spent the last four months with – noticed him heading towards the Gate, packed and ready to leave. No one spoke to him. No one called out. They simply stood and watched.
Near the Gate was a bruised Skyler, seated on one of the bikes, surrounded by his gang of Hunters – all except Ella. Skyler’s gaze moved through Aaron’s group, starting with Michael and Kate, then moving to Sam and Rose before pausing on Aaron. His stare went to Chris and the air chilled around them. Skyler looked back at Aaron, his jaw clenched, the icy blue of his eyes cutting into Aaron.
“See you in another fourteen years,” he growled in a low voice as Aaron passed him.
Aaron stopped to face Skyler. He opened his mouth, but no words left him. Skyler tore his gaze away, looking disgusted. Aaron turned to the Hunters around Skyler, to Zhi-Jiya and Ryan who stared back at him with the same disappointment as the rest. Aaron felt Sam’s nudge against his shoulder, to prompt him to start walking again. Aaron followed his dad out of the Gate of Salvador, leaving behind the first city he had seen in this realm – the place that had taught him who he was.
***
The portal that sat in the woodlands outside the Gate of Salvador had been destroyed by Kyran after he raced through it to escape. Scott had set up a new one, allowing those leaving Salvador to do so quickly and safely. Aaron made his way through the dense forest, head lowered as he followed behind his dad.
The glow of a portal made him look up. Aric’s mark – a circle with an inverted V inside, holding a spiral between its legs while three wavy lines sat behind it – glittered against the darkness, inviting them in.
Aaron paused when his dad walked past it. “Dad?” he called.
“It’s not ours,” Chris replied. “This one is for the City of Jharna.”
Aaron felt his mum’s hand gently push him from behind. He hurried after his dad. “Where are we going?”
He could only see his dad’s back, but even so he could sense the tension in him.
“We’re going home, Aaron,” he replied.
Aaron’s gaze shot to his two friends. They couldn’t go home. Sam and Rose had the Trace – something that would get them killed if they set foot back in the human realm. Sam frowned in return. Aaron turned his head to look behind at Kate and Michael.
“Not the human realm,” Kate said, reading Aaron’s expression. “The home we once had in this realm.”
Chris came to a stop, halting the rest. Before him sat a smaller portal, but still in the glowing form of Aric’s mark. Aaron stared at it, inexplicably nervous.
“You mean,” he said, “we’re going to...?”
Chris faltered. “Marwa,” he said at last. “We’re going to the City of Marwa.”
He turned to take Aaron’s hand, and Aaron quickly hoisted his bag onto his shoulder to take Sam’s hand. Kate had Michael’s hand in one of hers and came forward to hold on to Rose, who was already clutching her brother’s hand. As one, they walked to the portal and passed through it, leaving the woods behind, to arrive at another Gateway.
Aaron took a moment to study his surroundings. The pathway under his feet was made of perfectly smooth concrete, stretching as far as the eye could see, like the one leading to the Gate of Salvador. But this one was different – it was a glittery white-stoned path across a vast lake. Aaron looked at the deep blue water on either sides, with something akin to mesmerised shock, as the calm water licked the edges of the pathway. When Aaron lifted his gaze, he saw rocky mountains in the far distance on one side of him and a magnificent waterfall on the other. He could see the clear stream gush down, raising little clouds of mist as it hit the waterbed.
His dad pulled at his hand, leading Aaron down the path. They walked for a few minutes before a towering Gate appeared out of nowhere, materialising in the blink of an eye. Aaron watched the familiar marks flash on the glistening mass – symbols depicting demon forms, numbers that represented the four elements and the outlines of various weapons.
Chris stopped at the Gate but never let go of Aaron’s hand. He reached out and placed his other hand on the door. Kate did the same, as did Michael.
“Christopher Adams.”
“Kate Adams.”
“Michael Williams.”
The Gate flashed and a light washed over all of them. The numbers and symbols disappeared, until all that was left was Aric’s mark, pulsing on the surface of the Gate. A click and the Gate slid open, disappearing into itself.
Aaron couldn’t help the sense of déjà vu as it washed over him when he stepped out of the blinding daylight into a darkened, sleeping village oblivious to their presence. Lanterns floated in the air. Rows of houses lined either side of the street. There was even a long table in the middle. Aaron’s heart skipped at the sight.
Chris, Kate and Michael led the younger three along the street, passing one impressive house after another. Aaron noted that Sam was giving his surroundings a curious look but Rose wasn’t. Her eyes were on the ground, walking slowly, being led by Sam’s grip. For a moment Aaron worried Rose wasn’t aware of what was happening. Was she in some kind of shock?
A sudden gasp made Aaron look away from Rose. He came to a stop, because the adults before him had too. They were in front of a house – a big, square, detached villa, one that must have once stood with great pride but now was wrapped in thick vines.
Aaron gaped at the sight. The glow of the lanterns above was enough to see the vines that ran not only up but also vertically around the house, encasing it, like thin branches of a monstrous tree that had grabbed hold of it and refused to let go. The doors, windows, every part of the house from the bottom to the roof was held fast.
Kate was staring at the house with an open mouth, eyes wide and filled with hurt. “Oh my God,” she breathed.
Michael stepped forward. “What is this?” he asked.
“I’m guessing it’s a reaction to our disappearance from the neighbours,” Chris said, his voice forced into an even tone.
Aaron looked over at his dad to see flickers of anger in his eyes as he stared at his home. But Chris only let out a tired sigh and handed his bags to Michael before rolling up his sleeves. He raised both hands, aiming at the house. The vines shuddered and slowly, very slowly, they started to unwind and inch backwards. A minute passed and Aaron watched as his dad’s eyes narrowed, a faint sheen covering his forehead.
“Damn, they were angry when they did this,” he muttered, flexing his fingers.
Without a word, Aaron dropped his bag to the ground and went to stand next to his dad. Chris looked at him in surprise. Aaron didn’t meet his gaze but raised both hands and focused on the vines. From the depths of his mind, Aaron heard Kyran’s voice echo, no matter how much he tried to block it.
You’re an Elemental, Ace. You can use the power of Earth as you see fit...Take control...Free your mind from the constraints of how to do something. Focus instead on what you want.
Aaron pushed his power forward, feeling his fingertips tingle. He glared past the darkness, focusing on the vines, willing them to pull back, to fall away.
…Command, Aaron, don’t ask...
A strange pressure built inside him, squeezing his heart. Fall back! He called mentally. This is our house. Leave it alone!
The vines recoiled. When the last of the vines withered away and freed the house, Aaron lowered his hands. He felt jittery, his fingers still buzzing. He braced himself before glancing at his parents. They had never witnessed him using his powers before. His dad had a strange look on his face, something between pride and regret. Michael was smiling. His mum, on the other hand, didn’t look happy at all.
***
The air was musty and stale but Aaron expected that; the house had been sealed for fourteen years. They walked into the silent, dark house, coming to stand in the hallway. Michael raised a hand and small flames suddenly danced in the lamps on the wall. Aaron looked around at the dark wood panels and what once must have been cream walls, but now the paint had changed to a mouldy yellow. There were doors leading to rooms on either side of him. The only piece of furniture was a rectangular sideboard, the top of which held half a dozen framed photos. Everything was caked in a thick sheet of dust. Cobwebs gathered like little clouds in the corners.
Kate and Chris were staring at their home, the place they had once happily lived. Kate’s gaze stopped at the far end of the hall, where a small, colourful toy truck lay, tucked in the corner. Aaron saw it too. It suddenly occurred to him that his parents had left during the attack that killed his brother and uncle. They never got a chance to come back here. The house was exactly as it had been, fourteen years ago, with all of Ben’s things where he had left them.
Kate didn’t move. She stood where she was, her eyes on the toy. Chris came up behind her, wrapping his arms around her. He kissed her hair and Kate swallowed back her emotions. She pulled herself out of his arms and turned around, facing the three teenagers, fighting to remain composed.
“The bedrooms are upstairs,” she said. “I’m sorry about the state they’re in–”
“It’s fine.”
It was Sam who had spoken. His voice was rough but his words held a hint of empathy.
Kate nodded. “You should go and rest. It’s been a long day.”
Michael led the way, lighting the lamps as he went. Sam, Rose and Aaron followed after him. As Aaron passed the sideboard he couldn’t help but glance at the framed pictures. Even through the grime and dust, he could make out images of his young, joyful-looking parents.
He stopped at the first photo of a small, dark-haired baby, smiling cheekily up at the camera. That was him. His brother. The one he lost hours before he was born. Aaron picked up the frame and wiped a hand down the glass, clearing away the dust. Ben looked not much older than two in the picture. Thanks to his mum’s love for displaying family photos around the house, Aaron had seen plenty of his own baby snaps, so he instantly recognised how much he looked like Ben at that age. The only difference was the eyes. Aaron had green eyes, Ben had had blue. Aaron’s heart twisted as he stared at the photo. If his brother had lived, they would have shared a great resemblance, the kind that told complete strangers they were brothers.
Aaron put down the picture, wanting to follow his uncle and friends upstairs. He passed by the rest of the photos, only giving them a quick glance. He stopped abruptly as a familiar face caught his eye. He turned towards the sideboard, leaning in closer to the gold-trimmed photo of a handsome, dark-haired, green-eyed boy sitting with Ben on his lap. Aaron’s breath caught in his chest, his heart hammering at his insides. The boy in the picture was Kyran.
3
The Aedus Heir
The room was dark and quiet. So quiet it was impossible to tell someone was there, lying in bed, fast asleep. A knock sounded on the door and the figure shifted, groaning.
“What is it?” came the sleepy question.
The sharp knock rapped the door a second time.
“Go away,” the figure said, turning to his side, settling comfortably.
The door clicked open and Kyran strode inside. “Morning,” he called.
A wave of his hand had pulled the thick curtains aside, letting bright sunshine spill into the room. The occupant of the bed groaned louder and pulled the covers up over his head. Sunshine danced in every corner of the room, reflecting off the impressive chandelier to throw patterns on the walls. The gold-plated bed frame gleamed in the light.
Kyran grinned, standing cross-armed next to the bed. “Seriously?” he asked.
The covers inched lower, just enough to expose messy black hair and narrowed hazel eyes. “Sunlight,” he croaked. “Burns.”
“It does not,” Kyran dismissed. “You’re not a vampire. Sunlight doesn’t bother you.”
The eyes narrowed further. “That’s not what I meant,” he said. “I was sleeping. You know what bright light does to sleepy eyes?”
“Yeah.” Kyran smirked. “Wakes them up.” He gestured for him to rise. “Come on, get up. I want a demonstration.”
“I’m tired,” came the reply. “Which means I’m not ready yet. Leave me alone to recover.”
“Father,” Kyran breathed. “How are you going to build your strength if you lie in bed all day?”
The covers came all the way down this time. Hadrian smirked up at his son, the gold specks in his eyes glittering in the light
. “That sounds like a plan.”
“You’re not spending the day in bed,” Kyran said. “Get up.”
“I sense there’s a role reversal going on here,” Hadrian said.
“Or maybe this is payback,” Kyran replied. “You used to get me up at the crack of dawn. I, at least, let you sleep till nine.”
“How kind,” Hadrian said dryly. “But as it stands, I am still the father and I’m telling you to get out and leave me alone.”
Kyran laughed. “Not a chance,” he said. “I didn’t spend a year stalking Salvador, waiting to get to Neriah to steal the key that hung from his damn neck and unlock your powers, just for you to sleep through the transition.”
“It’s tiring, Kyran,” Hadrian said with a sigh, but he pulled himself to sit up in bed. “The core takes its time, not to mention immense energy, to recover from the damage of being locked for so many years.”
“Speed it up,” Kyran said.
“I would but it’s better for it to happen slowly,” Hadrian replied. He smirked at the disappointed expression his heir wore. “How did you think this was going to go?” he asked. “You would hand me the key, unlock my core, and I would surge with unspeakable power, rise up ready for the kill and go on a war path in five seconds flat?”
“No,” Kyran replied. “Three seconds.”
Hadrian chuckled, his eyes bright with amusement. “Patience,” he said, throwing aside the covers to get up. “It’s not just a virtue. It’s the difference between winning and losing.” He crossed the room, heading to the en-suite.
Kyran watched him go, his eyes darting to the partly exposed tattoo on his father’s right shoulder blade, peeking out from under his vest. The inked mark had fascinated Kyran from a young age. That was until he grew up and understood what the circle holding an inverted V, three wavy lines and a spiral meant.
“Not much point now,” Kyran said. “We’ve already won.”