by Elon Vidal
Not until Dawn’s light shined from within her that it became apparent who it was for.
She gently lay her hand on it. A myriad of mystical objects appeared on each page. She was shocked when the pages flipped by themselves. They finally opened to a page with an artifact she recognized: it was the Ocean Diamond.
“Here it is!” Dawn shouted. “I’ve seen this before.” She began to read the descriptive passage below it. “The Ocean Diamond allows its wearer to breathe underwater, heal wounds with seawater, and open the gate to heal the world.”
“Fascinating,” Damon commented as he too leaned in closer. “So the legends were true after all! There’s even a map on the next page. This must be where it’s located. It looks like a pirate map.”
Dawn grabbed the book in her arms. “Thank you so much, Leah! With this, we can––”
But when Dawn looked at the tiny Djinn, she noticed her body become gradually transparent. As if she was losing her strength, Leah lay on her back. The blue from her owl eyes slowly turned white.
“Leah!” Dawn cried out, leaning towards the Djinn. “Damon, Elijah, help her!”
Leah shook her head, “Don’t bother. But it looks like I owe the warlock an apology. He was right to save my life, after all, Aiken,” Leah whispered weakly before turning to Damon. “Remember your promise.”
Damon nodded as they watched Leah’s body shine bright blue. It then disintegrated into glittering rays of light that faded into the air. In her place, a large sky-blue egg appeared, the size of an ostrich’s.
Aiken sighed and grabbed the egg. “We Djinn’s are the essence of knowledge. My kind live long lives. But when a Djinn’s life reaches its end, our old memories are etched into a book as our old failing bodies disappear, and a new one takes its place. Her spirit is inside this shell.”
“So that’s why he cursed Leah with a paralysis curse,” Damon grumbled as he clenched his fist. “She knew all about the Ocean Diamond and he probably tried to destroy her memories.”
Elijah interjected, “But if Leah’s in that egg, then she’ll just come back to us, won’t she? Why do you look so sad, Aiken?”
“If a human lost their memories and kept on living, would they still be the same person?” Aiken spoke with a sad tone before a long pausing, seemingly to collect himself. “I suspect Leah was instructed to entrust her memories to you by that Siren long ago. That book you have there is the most precious gift a Djinn could ever offer, Chosen of the Flowing Light.”
Dawn lowered her head towards the book. She held it tightly in her arms. “Thank you so much, Leah. I swear on your memories, I’ll make sure Hades pays for this.”
“You’ll have to get in line,” Damon angrily said, “I made a promise to her first, and I don’t intend to break it any time soon.”
Elijah put his hand on Dawn’s shoulder and comforted her, “Dawn. I’m so sorry about what happened. But we need to go.”
Dawn nodded, wipeing a tear pooled her eye. “Let’s go. We’ve got some pirates to find.”
The book from Dawn’s arms vibrated suddenly and broke free. It opened and showed them a page.
“Leah is still speaking through the book,” Aiken explained.
“In the land blessed by Dionysius,” Dawn read aloud, “search the sea of Homer’s womb. The torrents hide the path of the Hidden West Gate.”
“More riddles,” Damon complained.
Dawn touched the page with her finger and felt a familiar warmth spread from her fingers to the rest of her body.
“This isn’t just some ordinary riddle, Damon. I feel her, the Siren, speaking through the pages.”
The book closed and floated back to Dawn’s arms, where she hugged it firmly in her arms.
Aiken nodded, “Your trust in the spirits shall lead you on the right path, Chosen. You are right to listen to your heart.”
Dawn looked away, still ashamed at what her Sai blades made her feel and do, “If it wasn’t for my heart, Aiken, maybe I could have caught Hades.”
“Hey, we’re a team, remember?” Damon reminded her.
Elijah added, “We’ll get him once we find the West Gate, Dawn.”
Dawn nodded at both of her trusted friends.
“For Leah.”
“For Leah!” Elijah and Damon shouted back.
FIVE
“What is all this about a quest? Wasn’t she in enough danger the last time she got mixed up in all of this magical crap!” The bullet crack of the front door closing came after her father’s angry words. “Have you forgotten how those Enlightened bastards were perfectly fine with letting her die?”
He was dripping wet as he walked through the door in his blue Birmingham coat, grey jeans, and leather safety boots. It was raining cats and dogs outside, but Dawn clearly saw that her dad must have come running out of his house when he heard the news.
Isabela, Nathan, and Dawn were sitting at the kitchen table when Max barged in. Isabela was examining Dawn’s Sai blades and the book Leah had given her a few minutes earlier. She’d set it aside on the kitchen counter, unable to uncover its secrets, between servings of warm pecan pie.
“Now, Max, you need to calm down. We can sit down and discuss this like adults.” Isabel, her mother, said calmly, laying her fork down on her plate of pecan pie as she looked at Max. “And not all of them left Dawn todie; Ezekiel and the council eventually turned around, remember?”
Isabela looked tired in her green wool sweater and her messy hair bun, Dawn thought. The news of Dawn getting up close and personal with Hades must have strained her, though she didn’t quite sense anxiety in her. Only Nathan looked oblivious to the situation. He happily finished his pie and washed it all down with a glass of warm milk.
Dawn partly envied her brother’s young age and innocence, but she didn’t want him to see her parents fighting.
She stood up from her chair, facing her father’s angry voice.
“Dad, it’s fine. I know what I’m doing. It’s my destiny.” She went over to her father and wrapped her arms around his waist, hoping to calm him with a loving embrace.
Her dad snapped back at her. “Destiny this, destiny that. I don’t want you anywhere near all this magic, Dawn, you hear me?” He approached the table with his arms crossed, “Magic has brought us nothing but heartache and pain, Isabela, remember?”
Dawn watched her mother lower her glassy eyes. She’d seen her parents fight so many times already. It upset her to see one of them crying.
Her mother wiped away her tears almost immediately, not letting anyone see that she was hurt by Max’s words. “I’m sorry that you feel the gifts I brought to our children only cause pain. Dawn is a courageous girl, an excellent fighter, and an intelligent researcher. She is easily one of the best warriors of the realm, and Elijah’s magical talents are extraordinary. I might not know Damon well, but the three of them clearly have destinies to fulfill.”
Max slammed his fist on the table, “Is that destiny to die at the hands of a demonic god, Isabela?”
Isabela did not let Max’s words intimidate her and replied calmly. “Entire worlds will suffer if we don’t allow them to go on this quest. I know how much you want Dawn to live a normal life in a normal world, Max, but if she doesn’t go through with this, there won’t be a world fit enough to live in.”
Max sighed and hugged Dawn tighter. “Why our daughter, Isabel? Your damn council has a dozen powerful wizards and sorcerers! Why can’t they do it themselves if they’re so ‘enlightened’?” The words seemed to be ripped from him.
Dawn’s eyes burned with unshed tears. Burying her head in her father’s chest, she inhaled the smell of old spice and pipe tobacco. It was a scent she had always remembered fondly, no matter how weird it made her look when she first told Elijah about it.
Isabella closed her eyes and took a deep breath, “You know why, Max. Dawn is special; she has magic that cannot be sealed by any of the enlightened. Her magic might be the only thing that can stop Hades. She need
s to do this.”
Max tipped Dawn’s chin up and looked down into his daughter’s eyes. “Honey, I don’t want you dragged into anything that you don’t want to do. Just tell me if someone’s forcing you to do this, and I’ll do everything to protect you, okay?”
Dawn nodded but never let the determination in her eyes waver.
Max paused as he seemed to notice. “Or is this what you really want, Dawn?”
Dawn gazed into her father’s eyes and felt the warmth emanating from them. All her fears and doubts melted away. She knew he’d always have her back. It wouldn’t matter if the world was ending or not.
Dawn looked at Leah’s book on the kitchen counter. “Someone dear to us just sacrificed herself, dad, just so we could get this far. I don’t want any more people to sacrifice themselves. We need to stop Hades from causing more pain and death. I’m not sure that this is what I really want, dad, but this is what I really need to do right now.”
“But––“
Dawn interjected before his father could argue “–––and I’m not alone in this, dad. Ezekiel is organizing the council members this time with news that Hades is controlling humans; they’re certainly going to help us this time! I’ve got an amazing cast of warlock sidekicks, you know, just like how Wonderwoman has Superman and Batman.”
Nathan took a bite of pie before cutting in. “You’re not even close with the Justice League reference, sis. ”
Dawn laughed as she messed up her brother’s hair for interrupting her.
“Look, dad, whatever the analogy, you, more than anyone, should understand this. The damage we’ve been doing to the planet, is nothing compared to this… or perhaps it’s all tied up. If Hades returns to Earth, he’ll do everything in his power to destroy it all. He’ll manipulate humans and probably force them to more destruction. We should be here to take care of our home, not destroy it.”
Dawn still remembered the malice in Hades’ eyes. Her words might have been a conjecture, it was clear to her that Hades wanted nothing but suffering.
Max smiled at his daughter. “You were always a stubborn child. Just like your mother.” He released her from his embrace and walked over to the table to sit down next to Isabel. “Alright, Dawn. Your mother and I have a lot to talk about. Why don’t you take your brother and go to bed? It’s getting late.”
Dawn gestured to her brother, and they slipped out of the room. But they immediately hid behind a bookcase by the door in the next room to eavesdrop on their parent’s conversation.
Dawn felt joy to watch her father hold her mother’s hand. She couldn’t even remember the last time her parents had even been this close together, let alone hold hands. She almost cried to see her mother wrap her hand over his.
She only wished that they spoke louder. She could barely hear what they were saying. She still needed their approval if she, Damon, and Elijah were to be looking for the Ocean Diamond.
“Don’t even think about it,” Nathan warned her. “I know what you want to do, and it will make things worse. Don’t use the love potion.”
The funny thing was that Dawn had actually forgotten about the love potion until Nathan reminded her about it. She could slip a few drops of the love potion in their tea so they would fall in love. Her family would be whole again.
“Great idea, Nathan,” Dawn whispered, slowly backing away from the door. “Stay here and make sure that they don’t leave the room. Wait. How do you even know about the potion?”
Nathan pulled on Dawn’s arm. She was surprised at how strong his brother had already grown as she couldn’t budge an inch away from him. She wondered whether this resulted from his magic or just a part of his halfling abilities. Whatever the reason was, Nathan was still too young for Dawn to test his powers.
She also didn’t want him to get involved in her quest if at all possible.
“Dawn, no!” Nathan pleaded. “I always see this situation on shows and in video games. We’re only going to make it worse if we cheat!”
“Look at them, Nathan. They’re in love. How can you not want to help them? Don’t you want to see them back together? Aren’t you tired of having to go back and forth between mom and dad’s house just to see them?”
Her brother sighed. “I’m alright with that, Dawn. A lack of love isn’t their problem. I know mom and dad really love each other; that’s why we’re here in the first place, aren’t we?”
Dawn wondered what teachers had already been teaching Nathan about sex. “I am not about to talk to you about the birds and the bees, little brother,” Dawn warned him quietly. “Now, let go of me.”
“I’m serious here, Dawn! Mom and dad loved being with each other before things got…complicated. With you going out on another quest, they need to work out their differences so they can make the right decision to keep us safe. If you’re going to force them to do anything that they didn’t decide for themselves, it’s only going to make them fight more.”
Dawn paused and gazed at his brother. She had always been his guardian as the older sister, but as of this moment, she was surprised at his display of maturity and wisdom. They grow up so fast.
She was reminded of the choice of gifts she was offered by the guardian of the East Gate. She had reached the same conclusion when she’d seen a future where her parents were finally back together. She yearned to be a family again. She had pondered long and hard at the time, knowing full well that it was what her heart had wanted.
Yet, looking back at that moment now, she realized that not even the magic that sealed Hades could ever prevent her parents from falling apart if their hearts weren’t in it. It just wasn’t natural.
She felt glad that she had chosen to restore Elijah’s power instead.
Dawn calmed down, and Nathan let go of her sister as soon as she relaxed. “Geez, you’re strong, Dawn.”
Dawn messed up her brother’s hair again. “You’re not bad yourself, Nathan. You win; I’m not going to get the love potion, for now. So be quiet; I’m trying to listen to what they’re talking about.”
As Dawn watched her parents, she knew that Nathan was right. Love wasn’t the problem. Her parents loved each other. It clearly showed with the smiles on their faces as they looked each other in the eyes and talked quietly in the other room.
The problem was that they couldn’t make the Human and the Fae world fit together. Isabel and magic were one, but Max was terrified of the damage he had seen it do. They were almost polar opposites of one another.
Dawn wasn’t disheartened in the least. If there’s anything she had learned in class, opposites attract. She knew that given the right conditions, her parents would get back together.
If the didn’t, well, there was always that potion sitting in the box in her room. She hoped she wouldn’t have to resort to it. She’d have to let them figure it out themselves.
When Max stood from the table and headed out of the house, Dawn and Nathan quickly and quietly slipped out of the room and headed upstairs before her mother could leave the kitchen.
Dawn wasn’t able to get anything from her parents’ conversation, but the look of longing on her mom’s face as she looked at her father broke her heart. He still clearly did not approve of magic, even after everything good that magic had done to the world.
This irritated Dawn. She thought that if she could maybe use her magic to stop Hades, she could convince her father that not all magic was bad. Then they could be a family again.
It was already quite the effort just to be able to keep her light from glowing on its own. She wondered how she was going to use it to keep an ancient god from destroying the world.
Dawn knew that it would only get harder starting from here on out. Hades was now able to cast magic on Earth and even curse a Djinn. She still wasn’t able to overcome the darkness of Hades’ Sai blades.
Before going into her room, she hugged her brother.
“Are you alright, Dawn?” He hugged his sister back.
Dawn nodded. “I just want
ed to thank you for stopping me earlier from using the potion on mom and dad. I just wanted our family to be whole again, okay?”
Dawn’s reply was partly true. She also wanted to hug his brother because she knew that even if she wasn’t going to be allowed on this quest, she would go through with it no matter what. She wanted to express her love for his brother as much as she could before leaving.
“It’s alright, Dawn. That’s why mom and dad made two of us!” Nathan cheerily replied.
She smiled back. “Love you. Now, go to sleep before mom see us.” Dawn tickled her younger brother.
“Stop it! I’m going!” Nathan pleaded as he entered his room. He stopped under the frame just before he was about to close the door on Dawn, “Good night, Dawn. I love you.”
This had been the second time that her brother had surprised her. He wasn’t usually this sweet and open. Dawn wondered if Nathan also sensed the emotions and intention in her heart?
Dawn entered her room with a happy heart. It shifted when she saw her Sai blades and Leah’s book on her bed. She would need some more getting used to with these two magical artifacts tethered to her.
She placed the Sai blades on her bedside table and got into bed with Leah’s book. She wanted to uncover any more clues that could help her before she’d fall asleep.
At that moment she heard a knock on her door and she quickly hid the book under the cover. Isabela walked into the room.
“Dawn, are you still awake?”
Dawn pretended to yawn and rubbed her fingers as she faced her mother. “I was just going to sleep, mom. Are you and dad getting back together now?”
Isabela giggled and sat on Dawn’s bed. She caressed her daughter’s head.
“You know that’s not why I’m here, silly.” Dawn was glad to see her smiling face again. “Your dad and I have agreed to let you go on this quest.”
Dawn was ecstatic. She sat up and hugged her mother. “Thank you, mom!”
“Don’t be so quick to thank me,” Isabela reminded her. “I’m going to be talking to Ezekiel tomorrow about your security and the funds for your trip. He’s certainly going to be keeping a close eye on you and your friends.”