Hey guys, the weird writer told me to re-post my book here from the beginning so here's the first chapter! Hope anybody who didn't see it the first time enjoys it!
Destiny is a funny thing, isn’t it? You can go your entire life without accepting it, and even pretend you don’t have one. You can act like you have no real purpose in life except just to live, day after day, each day the same: You wake up, you go to school or work, and then you come home and go to sleep, only to awake the next day and do the exact same thing. Your life can continue like this, day in and day out, as you remain unaware of anything other than what you can or want to believe…
That is, until that fateful point in your life when you finally find out what your destiny is, and you have no other choice but to embrace it, whether that destiny is something as insignificant as finding the right job, or…something a bit more important.
One very special young man named Mathew Reynolds once believed he was nothing more and nothing less than a normal teenage boy. He expected to go to school, make friends, and have a perfectly normal life.
Unfortunately for young Mathew, his family was not what one would call normal. He was in fact, a member of a race of people with fantastic abilities. They called themselves: The Light Bearers, a secret organization who have dedicated themselves to protecting our world from the forces of darkness. Mathew Reynolds would soon discover that when you are born with such a special destiny, there was no outrunning it.
However, our story does not begin with Mathew − it begins nearly sixteen years ago with his father, Charles, and the birth of one of our world's most terrible threats: A man who would be consumed by his own hatred, and his relentless lust for power.
Our story begins when Charles Reynolds was a brilliant man, one of the greatest light bearers of the age, and he was currently enjoying a quiet evening at his home in Glendale, Utah, with his wife and son.
Charles sighed as he walked into the living room. He tossed some more wood in the fireplace to combat the chilly October air, and sank into his chair by the fire, running a hand through his wavy brown hair. His bright golden brown eyes were weary, and kept trying to close on him as he warmed his cold feet. The sun was just starting to set as he stretched out and yawned.
"Charles, come in here, quick!" His wife’s voice from the kitchen jolted him wide awake, and Charles bolted out of the chair in alarm.
"What is it, Katherine?” he asked hastily as he rushed into the kitchen. “Goblin? Troll? Burglar?”
"Baby boy."
His wife laughed as she looked up from her video camera with a smile. She was the most beautiful woman Charles had ever known. Her sky-blue eyes were wide with joy, and her light blonde hair fell to her slender waist.
"Mathew is crawling!" She pointed to their son, who was scanning the kitchen floor as he wondered about on all fours.
"Hmm, well, when he lobs his first fireball, that will be a home video moment," Charles replied, grinning. Katherine's smile faded away in an instant, and the joy in her eyes turned to worry. Charles knew he had said the wrong thing.
"Not funny," she replied seriously. "He's eight months old; he's just barely learned how to crawl. I don't want to talk about him lobbing fireballs or fighting monsters…not yet at least."
Charles didn’t know how to respond to this. He just nodded and let his gaze linger on his wife.
He did not want to disrupt another evening with an argument about their son's future as a warrior, especially since the child was half mortal.
A pot boiled over the stove.
"That'll be dinner,"
Katherine set down the camera and hurried over to the stove to turn it off.
Charles felt a light tug on his trench-coat and reached down to touch the soft curls of his son's head. Mathew had his dark brown hair and golden brown eyes, but he had not yet shown signs of possessing any of the powers that the light bearers were known for. Without the ability to use magic, Mathew would never be able to face the dark forces his ancestors had fought against since the beginning of time. Like his mother, he would be seen as mortal, and banned from all facets of a light bearer's life.
"Did you burn the soup again?" Charles joked, attempting to ease the tension. He held up his hands when she shook her ladle at him and relaxed when a small came over her face.
"I think I saved it, but it has to cool down for a minute," she said. "I'll go ahead and get the table set, will you watch Mathew−?"
A tap on the window cut her off.
Charles caught a glimpse of a large, horned head and moved quickly and silently to the door. Katherine picked up Mathew and clutched him to her chest.
Charles held up his hand, and like a match, a flame ignited right there in his palm. With this fist-full of fire ready, Charles threw open the door and jumped outside. Valerian, a messenger dragon from the light bearer's base, lumbered over from the window. Charles sighed with relief and extinguished the fire in his hand with a flick of his wrist.
"It's alright, it's only Valerian,"
"Oh, so sorry, did I startle you?" Valerian asked with a hint of apology in his gravely voice.
Roughly the size of a horse, Valerian was small for a dragon, with dark green scales, leathery wings, three long backwards-curved horns, and yellow eyes that gleamed in the moonlight.
"Startle? You nearly gave me a heart attack!" Katherine exclaimed.
"My apologies," the dragon said with a slight bow.
"Mm!" Mathew grunted, attempting to break free from his mother’s grasp.
"Sweetie, calm down," Katherine coaxed, but it was no use, Mathew refused to stay still.
"Oh, alright," she set him down, and he immediately crawled towards Valerian as fast as his little limbs would allow. When he reached the doorway, he sat down and reached out to Valerian pleadingly.
"I'll never understand why the boy is so attached to me," the dragon said, but he lowered his head so he and Mathew were at eye level.
"Greetings, little one," he said softly. He offered the tip of his tail, and Mathew took it in his hands curiously.
"So, Valerian, what brings you into town?" Charles asked.
Usually when a messenger dragon delivered news or orders, it was late at night to lessen the chance of being spotted by passersby. The fact that Valerian was there before the sun had completely set troubled Charles.
"What if a mortal sees you? The council is still a bit peeved at you for last time," he continued, pointing towards the road, where anybody driving by would see a large, winged, reptilian beast plain as day.
"I know my presence here is highly risky, but it is on matter of great urgency," replied the dragon seriously. Taking the hint, Katherine turned back to the stove. Anything regarding the affairs of the light bearers was none of her business.
Before the council had given Charles permission to marry a mortal, they made Katherine swear that she would never get involved in the light bearers’ business. She was not allowed to set foot in the base for any means, or to know anything about the council's many important matters.
Looking around to make sure there were no mortals nearby, Charles said
"We'll talk in the barn"
Valerian nodded and started toward the barn, much to Mathew's disappointment. Charles looked wistfully towards his wife, wishing that he could give her his trust, that he could be open to her about the other half of his life. But he knew that if he did it would result in severe punishment for both of them.
"Go on," she said with a sad sigh. "I'll set up dinner," Charles nodded and picked up Mathew, placing him in his play pen. Then he turned and followed Valerian to the barn. Once inside the musty place, Charles addressed Valerian.
"Right then, let's hear it," he said.
"Darius Garrison is on trial, and your presence is requested in the court," the news hit Charles like a fireball to the chest. Darius was one of Charles's oldest friends, and a highly respected light bearer.
"There must be some mistake," Charles said.
"I am afraid not. Sir Darius has committed a terrible crime," Valerian replied.
"And what crime is that?" Charles asked.
"He has been accused of performing shadow magic," Valerian said darkly.
"That's not possible," Charles insisted. He did his best to remain calm, but his voice shook.
He could not believe his friend would perform magic that only the darkest forces dared use.
"He is on trial," Valerian stated "You have been ordered to pass your judgment in the jury,"
"This is utter madness; you know Darius is one of the greatest light bearers alive today!" Charles said. "Why would he use such foul magic?"
"I do not know. But we must hurry, the trial shall begin as soon as we reach the base," Valerian replied. Today was Charles's day off, but if his friend was on trial, he couldn't ignore the situation, much less a summons from the elders themselves. He heaved a sigh.
"I have to tell Katherine I'm leaving," he said finally.
"There is no time, we must leave immediately," Valerian said urgently.
"Ugh, fine, but if she scolds me later I'm blaming you," Charles replied with a scowl. He opened the barn door, and Valerian lumbered out. Charles followed, closing the door behind him. Valerian knelt low to the ground, and Charles hopped reluctantly into his saddle. Then, in one powerful bound, they were in the air. Valerian flapped his great leathery wings and ascended into the sky, soaring in the direction of Tucson, Arizona, where the hidden base of the light bearers was located.
***
Fortunately, dragons could fly incredibly fast: Up to speeds equal to that of a jet, though when carrying a light bearer they traveled at a slower pace to avoid harming the rider. With such speed, Valerian was able to make it to Arizona within an hour.
When they reached their destination, Valerian descended to the ground in a desolate wasteland. The only thing around was one small tree in the middle of the dry, barren plain. It was an odd sight: A lone, withered pine in the middle of the desert. Charles hopped off Valerian and searched the tree until he found a large knot. He pressed on it, and the ground began to rumble, opening up into a huge staircase big enough for Valerian to fit onto.
They descended the staircase into a dark tunnel. Charles pressed a brick in the wall, and the great slab that covered the entrance slid back into place, plunging them into total darkness.
Charles held out his hand, and concentrated.
A ball of bright fire appeared in his palm just as it had back in the house, and he outstretched his hand. The flames flew into torch brackets lining the walls, and Charles continued down the newly lit tunnel with Valerian following close behind.
After a minute of walking down stone steps, the path turned into a tunnel that led straight forward. Soon, they saw a light at the end of the corridor. As they exited the tunnel, they came into a huge underground haven. A fortress stood tall at the back of the cavern- above it a bright artificial sun that lit the entire cavern, called the Great Light. Dozens of small messenger dragons like Valerian were flying about near the ceiling. Some soaring down to enter the fortress, others gliding down to the exit tunnel where Charles and Valerian were standing to deliver orders or news to other light bearers. To the left stretched a long tunnel which led to a shrine honoring Lidacus the Strong, one of the four ancient deities that helped to create the light bearers themselves.
To the right, there were two devices: a gigantic computer and a large arc forged out of bright green crystals. The devices were connected, and served two purposes. The first and foremost purpose was to send light bearers to different locations all across the world so that they could do their job: Apprehend dangerous monsters and demonic beings to protect humanity. The second purpose was to send these creatures to a dimension the light bearers have named The Land of Desolation, or “The D-zone” for short.
"Thanks for the ride, my friend," said Charles, patting Valerian's side.
"I only wish it were not on such grim orders," Valerian replied gravely.
"As do I," Charles agreed. "What are the rest of your orders today, anyway?"
"Just to get you here and back," Valerian replied. "Go on, just meet me back here after…," his voice faded off, but Charles didn't need him to finish.
"After Darius receives judgment," he thought bitterly.
"I truly am sorry, you know," Valerian added sadly. Charles looked toward the large wooden double-doors with dread. He took in a deep breath, and turned to Valerian.
"Well, see you later then," he said.
"Do not worry. You are a good man, I trust you shall make the right decision," the dragon replied.
Charles nodded, and made his way towards the fortress. He knew Valerian was trying to help, but as he crossed the cavern, he couldn't help but think:
"Is there a right choice?"
He pushed open the old double doors. They creaked loudly as they swung forward, and Charles walked into the headquarters of the light bearers. He passed numerous people and messenger dragons on his way to the courtroom, going up staircases and through halls, until he finally reached his destination. He pushed open the door to the courtroom, and entered. It was a large room with a high ceiling and torches running along the walls. The Council of Elders stood behind the bench, including Charles's father, Tarren. The elders were all descendents of the four ancient deities, or, "The great tetrad"
Tarren's appearance had many of the same features as Charles's: He bore the same golden brown eyes, and his long brown hair was riddled with streaks of gray. Tarren was descended from Talius the mighty, the most powerful of the tetrad, so he was naturally the head of the council. If he passed on, Charles would be next in line as an elder, just as Tarren took the place of his father after he passed on.
Dark-skinned Elder Aerian was the second oldest of the council. His hair was wispy and silver and his eyes were a faint grayish blue shade, reflecting the color of rain clouds.
Elder Mordius, the second youngest, had to stand on the tips of his toes to see over the bench, as he stood only five-foot-four. His wavy hair hair and eyes were a vivid blue, like an ocean.
Elder Gedwin was the youngest and fittest of the elders, sporting a still muscular build. He bore a mustache, goatee, and always seemed to be suffering from five o’clock shadow.
All of the elders were dressed in different colored robes to symbolize their relation to their respected element: Tarren wore red to symbolize his relation to the element of fire, Aerian wore silver for air, Mordius wore blue for water, and Gedwin green for earth.
In the jury were various light bearers, one of whom was one of Charles's best friends, Zadigon Fletcher. Charles went up the stairs to stand by him.
"What's happened here, Zad?" Charles demanded. Zadigon glanced at him, his expression grim.
"I caught Darius practicing shadow magic down in the tunnel of Lidacus, I couldn't believe it myself, but it's true," he explained.
"Why would he attempt to use forbidden magic? That's not like Darius at all," Charles said, looking out at his friend. Darius stood in the middle of the room, looking up at the elders.
His long black hair fell in front of his dark blue eyes, which were fixed intently on the elders. He wore his usual black trench-coat and pants.
Aerian raised his hands for silence The chatter died down immediately.
"Darius Garrison, you stand accused of practicing forbidden shadow magic, which we all know is against the law of light bearer sorcery. How do you plead?" he proclaimed.
"Innocent, elder Aerian," replied Darius. Everybody else in the courtroom made snorts of disapproval.
"Silence! Now, Darius, a witness has told us you were performing Shadow magic in the tunnel of Lidacus. Zadigon, could you tell us about the incident please?" Darius's focus on the elders wavered as he glanced in the direction of the jury. It was only a quick look, but Charles saw the anger in Darius's face. Zadigon went to the stand, and looked up at the elders.
"I have seen with my own eyes that Darius Garrison has indeed, performed an act of dark shadow magic. I was praying to Lidacus, and on the way back to the base, I noticed Darius in the tunnel. He summoned shadows before my very eyes," said Zadigon.
"And you swear this on The Great Tetrad?"
"I do,"
"Knowing full well that being untruthful on that oath will result in dire consequences?"
"Yes, Elder Aerian"
Aerian narrowed his eyes.
"Well now, that is quite a binding oath. You must be very sure that the said events have transpired" he looked back to Darius.
"Darius Garrison, surely, you know the consequences of performing such deeds, do you not?" he asked.
"Yes, Elder Aerian," said Darius.
"Ever since our ancestors, the four deities who created our race sealed away Gigamos, the great shadow demon, we have taken it upon ourselves to ensure that his dark magic is never used by anyone. As you all know, using shadow magic calls upon the essence of Gigamos himself in order to summon foul demons," said Aerian. "It is a ghastly thing to attempt, summoning creatures from the realm of utmost darkness. It can only bring chaos!"
The courtroom buzzed with murmurs of agreement. Aerian looked to Zadigon.
"Do you, by any chance, have evidence to support this claim?" he asked.
"Yes, Elder Aerian. Another man was in the tunnel at the time. Felenius Hawkins," said Zadigon.
"Felenius Hawkins, the inventor?" asked Aerian.
"Yes, Elder Aerian. Using one of his inventions, he was able to capture one of the creatures themselves,"
"That is an impressive claim. But I would be more impressed if you had the creature in your possession to show as evidence," said Aerian, addressing Felinius in the jury. Felenius Hawkins rose from his seat, holding something large covered in a sheet.
He was a middle aged man with short chocolate colored hair that was combed neatly on his head. He wore square framed glasses and had light brown eyes. He had a large bag strapped on his shoulder, filled with all sorts of strange metallic instruments he used to create his inventions. He carried the sheet-covered object up to the bench, and set it down on the floor. He yanked off the sheet, and everybody gasped.
Inside a strange containment device, a canister made out of metal and polyurethane, was a shadowy creature. It was doing its best to try to faze through the plastic, but there was a magical barrier preventing it from escaping.
"As you can see, I have designed the device with a combination of magic and technology, so that it can contain just about anything, including apparently, shadow demons," Felinius said.
When it noticed the sheet had been taken off its small prison, the demon looked around and spotted Darius. It looked straight at him, took a deep rattling breath and said quite clearly in a strange voice: "Master!"
The entire courtroom looked at Darius in shock, who had narrowed his eyes at the creature and was now completely frozen.
"Well, I'd say that's about all the proof we need, wouldn't you, Tarren?" asked Elder Aerian.
"Indeed, he is guilty without a doubt," spoke up little Elder Mordius.
"I agree, the evidence speaks for itself…quite literally. Has the jury reached a verdict?" said Tarren. The jury huddled up, and began whispering amongst each other, including Charles. They all seemed to see Darius as guilty, and Charles knew they were right. Finally, he stood up, facing his friend, who was of no doubt, guilty of performing shadow magic. He cleared his throat, and took a deep breath. Then, in a strong voice filled with pain and disappointment, he said
"Yes, elder. We find the defendant guilty of the charges," Darius scowled at Charles. It was the elders' turn to huddle up. After a few moments of hushed debating, they turned and faced Darius.
"Darius Garrison!" started Elder Tarren. "You have been found guilty of the act of performing dark shadow magic. Therefore, we, the council of elders, hereby sentence you to banishment from the Light Bearers. You shall live out the rest of your days in the land of desolation! Take him away!”
Two guards approached and grabbed Darius from behind, restraining him. He struggled, flailing and growling, a look of pure madness on his face. He looked up at Charles.
"Charles! Charles, help me, please! I'm your friend!" Charles turned away, grimacing.
"Fine! I see where your loyalties lie. But heed my words! I shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine! I shall take this world for myself, and destroy all the lesser humans on this miserable planet! But first, I'm going to hunt down every last one of you pitiful light bearers! I swear it! I shall amass an army of death and destruction! I'll destroy all of you!"
Aerian looked like he had just tasted something incredibly bitter or sour. He bore an expression of utmost disgust. Finally, the guards were able to drag Darius out of the courtroom, and his manic laughter echoed down the hall.
"Yes…well, it seems some of us aren't as resistant to the temptation of dark magic as we thought," said Elder Tarren with a scowl. "It pains me to see one of our own join the creatures that we have been fighting against for so long, Darius Garrison was a respected member of the light bearers," he continued. "His skill and power were matched only by a select few. What has caused him to switch sides, I do not know. I can only hope that those who remain loyal to our cause do not follow his example. Court is adjured!"
The people of the jury began to file out, chattering amongst themselves. Charles didn't move. He only stared at the spot where one of his best friends had been carried away by force, never to be seen again. Zadigon hadn't moved either, he stood next to Charles, shaking his head in disappointment.
"How could this happen?" said Charles quietly. Zadigon sighed.
"I've always thought Darius was a bit off his rocker, but this- this is too much," he said.
"What do you mean you always thought he was off his rocker?" Charles asked.
"Come on, Charles, the man despised mortals, he thought of them as pests covering the whole planet. If I'm not mistaken, our job is to protect the mortals, not abhor them," replied Zadigon. Charles shrugged.
"So, he had a few flaws, he still did his job," he pointed out.
"Charles, the man had more than a few flaws, he positively despised lesser humans. As far as I'm concerned, he's no longer any friend of mine," said Zadigon, scowling.
"How could you say that? We've been friends since we were kids," Charles argued.
"He used shadow magic, he's a criminal. And did you see his face when they were dragging him out? He's not the Darius we remember, he's changed,"
Charles looked down at the floor, knowing Zadigon was right.
"Come on, lad, how bout a drink?" offered Zadigon. Charles thought for a moment. Katherine was probably already asleep, so she wouldn't notice if he was a bit late.
"Sure, why not?" he said. Zadigon patted him on the back, and they exited the courtroom.
***
After he had downed a few drinks in the cafeteria, Charles said goodbye to Zadigon, and headed back up the tunnel with Valerian. As they soared through the clouds, Charles thought back to the days when he, Darius, and Zadigon were all just kids, care-free and innocent. How they used to duel each other when they were training, and how Charles would best both Zadigon and Darius nearly every time they sparred. When Valerian reached the house, Charles leapt off the dragon and started towards the door, when he froze. He had a strange feeling, like something was incredibly wrong, but he didn't know what. He gestured to Valerian, and cautiously stepped inside. Valerian snaked his head in and sniffed the air.
"The smell of darkness permeates the house," he said quietly. Charles felt the color drain from his face.
"Katherine," he whispered. He went through the house, until he entered the large kitchen.
He looked around, and with a jolt, noticed somebody in the shadows.
"Katherine?" said Charles, straining his eyes. The figure stepped out of the shadows and into the moonlight, and Charles realized it wasn't one person, but two: His wife, and his former friend, Darius with his sword to Katherine's throat.
A wave of emotions hit Charles like a bus: Shock that Darius had somehow escaped the D-zone, grief that he had sent him there in the first place, and anger at the fact that he was holding Katherine hostage.
"Darius let her go!' Charles demanded. Darius looked worse than he had in the courtroom, the manic glint still in his eyes, his long black hair a tangled mess falling about his face.
"Oh, I'll let her go, but you've got to agree to fight me," Darius said casually.
"Darius, please, I don't…I don't want to fight you!" pleaded Charles. “How did you escape the land of desolation?”
Darius snorted, as if it was no large feat to escape from a dimensional prison.
“I am capable of much more than you and your pathetic society of light bearers will ever be,” he growled.
“What are you talking about?” Charles asked. Darius narrowed his eyes.
“I am one with the darkness now,” he said. “If you must know, it is with the power of shadow that I slipped out of that foul realm. And it is with further use of the power of darkness that I shall make what was once my prison my kingdom!”
"Darius please, just let her go! You’re talking madness!" Charles cried. Darius sneered.
“Mad, am I? No Charles, I’m not mad. For the first time I’m seeing things clearly,” he replied. “I now see that I was wasting my time with you and the rest of the light bearers,”
“How can you say such things?” Charles demanded.
“Simple: You’re all cowards,” Darius said. “You people fear power. The elders limited our learning; they kept us from realizing our true potential!”
“You’ve sunken into the dark! You betrayed the people you once considered your family!”
Charles growled “That’s about as far from our true potential as you can get!”
“Oh, you’re one to talk about betrayal, Charles,” Darius hissed. “If it wasn’t for you and Zadigon, I wouldn’t have been banished in the first place!”
“What choice did we have? You used shadow magic! You knew it was forbidden!”
“Shut up and FIGHT!” Darius shouted, pushing Katherine aside and charging at Charles.
Charles had a second to react. Drawing his sword, he threw it up just in time. Darius's blade clashed against his, and Darius growled like a wild animal as he tried to overpower him.
"Darius don't do this! You were my friend!" Charles cried. Darius struggled harder.
"You’re right, I was your friend! But now you're nothing more to me than a traitor!" Darius snarled. Charles was starting to get forced back, but he stood his ground. He pushed Darius’s sword upwards, kicked Darius in the stomach, and shoved him back.
"Darius, Come to your senses!" He yelled. Katherine was cowering in a corner, her face in her hands. Valerian stood helplessly outside, not knowing what to do.
Darius lunged, and Charles dodged to the side.
"Please, contain yourself!" Charles shouted. Darius roared and swiped at Charles's neck. He rolled away, and aimed at Darius. Several large blue orbs erupted from his palm, and encased Darius in ice.
"Katherine, get Mathew and run!" Charles yelled. Katherine wasted no time. She bolted for the bedroom. As she raced down the hall, Charles switched his attention to Valerian, who was still standing at the door looking frantic.
"Valerian! Make haste; warn the council, Darius has lost his mind!" Charles shouted.
"I cannot just leave you here!" replied the dragon.
"Do as I say! I'm giving you a message, you must deliver it!" said Charles. Valerian looked pained to do it, but he was a messenger dragon, he had no choice but to obey. His head snaked back outside, and Charles heard the flapping of great leathery wings as he flew away.
Suddenly, the ice began to rumble, and Darius broke out with a yell. The ice exploded, and Charles swept up his sword. A huge chunk that was flying at his face was sliced clean in two.
Darius was panting, but still crazed for revenge. He raised his sword once again. Charles realized there was nothing more he could do. The old Darius had been consumed by darkness: He was gone.
"You want a fight? So be it!" Charles shouted. They charged each other. Charles parried a swipe at his shoulder and leaped into the air, grabbing Darius's arm and tossing him upwards.
As Darius slammed into the ceiling, Charles concentrated. A large ball of blazing fire appeared in his hand, and he thrust it at Darius. It hit him in the back and he yelled in pain, dropping to the floor. He staggered to his feet, and swept his sword in a spiral, waving it around above his head.
A purple cyclone appeared and rushed toward Charles, destroying everything in its wake.
Charles quickly dived to the side into the living room, and slashed his sword through the air. A flaming crescent shot forth, and Darius leaped into the air to dodge it. The projectile crashed into the back of the sink, causing the pipes to explode and sending water spraying everywhere. Charles strafed to the side and jumped, aiming his sword at Darius as he landed. A large fireball flew at Darius from the tip of the blade and exploded at his feet, sending him flying out of sight. Charles ran back into the kitchen to see Darius crumpled in a heap in front of the refrigerator.
"You can't beat me, Darius, you never could," he said with a smirk. Darius got up, and thrust his fist in the air with a growl. A ball of purple fire erupted from his palm, rushing toward Charles. He dodged the spell, but it hit the wall, making a large hole and causing the wall to catch on fire. The violet flames slowly crept across the floor.
“You see, Charles?” Darius said with glee. “The power that was kept hidden from us for so long…glorious, is it not?”
Charles said nothing; only glared at the man he once saw as a close friend.
“You still fight it?” Darius asked. “Still oppose this wonderful power? Charles, don’t you see? With this magic, we could have the mortals at our feet!”
“And what good would that do for the world?” Charles demanded.
“Good of the world?” Darius said with a mad laugh. “I’m talking about the good of us; of our race!”
“You stopped caring for the good of our race when you fell into shadow!” Charles retorted.
Darius scowled menacingly.
“So…I see I cannot convince you to share this power.” he said in barely more than a whisper.
“Power…bah! Shadow magic is a curse on this earth!” Charles spat. “And so are the ones who wield it!” He swiped at Darius's hip, and Darius hopped back, leaping at Charles and swinging at his head. Charles dived away, and Darius stumbled into the flames.
He raised his hand, and the flames spread faster.
“The age of the light bearers is at its end,” he said. “Now is the age of the dark brethren!”
One half of the kitchen was now completely covered in purple fire. Just then, Katherine rushed out of the hall, pushing a stroller. Darius saw his chance. He pointed his blade at the ground, and the floor started to rumble. A wave of earth rushed across the floor, stopping under Mathew's stroller. It went back to Darius, carrying the stroller with it.
"No! Mathew!" screamed Katherine. Charles held her back as she struggled to get to the stroller. Darius reached in, and pulled out a sleeping Mathew, covered in blankets.
"Ah, what a beautiful child," he said. He held Mathew over the flames.
"NOOO!" screamed Katherine, fighting with all her might to break free of Charles's grasp.
"Darius, please, not our Mathew, not my son!" Charles pleaded.
"Hmm, I could be tempted to spare him," he said, dangling Mathew over the blazing fire.
"Please, I'll do anything, just don't hurt him!" Charles dropped his sword, and fell to his knees. Darius smiled gloatingly, savoring the moment.
"Very well, I shall spare the child," he said. He tossed Mathew to Katherine, who caught him safely in her arms. Mathew started to wake up; looking around to see what had cut his nap short.
"But you," continued Darius. He rushed forward, pulling back his sword, and thrust it forward.
Charles gasped as the blade went through him.
"NO! Charles!" shouted Katherine.
Darius yanked the blade out of Charles's stomach, and he fell to the floor. Katherine rushed to him and knelt down, clutching his hand. She couldn’t speak; only hold his hand tight and stare into his eyes.
“Rejoice, I shall spare you and your child's pitiful lives, at least for now,” said Darius. “Think of it as a last act of a broken friendship," He added, looking down at Charles with an expression of disgust. And with that, he walked into the flames, vanishing into the darkness. Katherine looked down at her dying husband, tears flowing from her eyes as she sobbed.
"Is Mathew alright?" Charles asked weakly. Katherine held up their son.
"Yes he's f-fine," she said shakily. Charles managed a feeble smile of relief.
"My boy," he said, putting his hand to the bundle of blankets that wrapped around Mathew.
"You need help!" Katherine said. "I'll call 911, the hospital-," Katherine started, but Charles cut her off
"It's too late, the damage is done," he said.
"No! There's got to be something!" Katherine cried. Charles gave her a sad smile.
"You're just as stubborn as you are beautiful," he said. "But you must see reality. The wound is too severe,”
“Can’t you heal yourself with magic? I thought you said light bearers could do that!” Katherine said quickly.
“We can, but this is a fatal injury…you must never interrupt the balance of life and death.”
“Why not? If it’s possible, why not just do it?” Katherine cried. Charles frowned.
“You’ll understand one day,” he said. “But for now, all you must know is that I cannot mend this wound,”
Katherine thought desperately, but it was to no avail. If Charles could not heal himself with his powers, then there really was nothing that could be done.
"Katherine, promise me, you won't tell Mathew about any of this, not until he is ready," Charles said.
"I p-promise," she sobbed.
"And…when he is old enough, give him this," he continued with a cough. He lifted his sword, and Katherine took it.
"Tell him to seek the council." Katherine nodded, and kissed her husband. As they broke apart, Charles smiled slightly.
"Now…you must flee, the flames are going to spread, the house won’t last much longer. Take this,” He reached into his trench-coat and feebly pulled out his wallet. “There should be enough money in there for a plane ticket.” Katherine shook her head.
"I'm not leaving you!" she said.
"You must! Mathew must survive above all else, you must trust me!" Katherine took a deep breath.
"I love you, with all of my heart," said Charles.
"I love you too," said Katherine. She stood up, cradling Mathew in one arm, and holding the sword in the other, and put the wallet in her pocket.
"Go to your mother’s house in California," said Charles. “You should be safe there.”
The walls were now covered in flames, and it was obvious the house had little time left before it completely burned down.
“You’ve got to go now! Remember what I said about Mathew!” Katherine tore her gaze away from Charles and ran to the door and heard her husband’s last words.
“Goodbye, my love.”
Her eyes brimming with tears, Katherine ran out of the house. She got in the car, turning the key, and the engine ignited. She pulled out of the driveway, and raced along the road as her home burned to the ground, her husband still inside. She sobbed and looked up.
"Goodbye, my love," she said. Mathew was looking at her with an expression of curiosity, totally unaware of what had just happened. She couldn’t bear to look into his eyes; they looked just like his father’s.
She continued down the road as rain lashed against the windows, headed to her friend’s house, where she hoped they would be safe for a time.
***
Days later, back at the base, the elders had already learned about the situation. Darius had also struck at the home of Charles's father, Tarren. The council found the old man buried in the rubble of his destroyed house, and was discussing the matter.
"The man's gone loony, no doubt about it," Elder Gedwin was saying.
"What do you suppose we should do, Aerian?" asked Elder Mordius. Elder Aerian thought for a moment.
"It is as I feared. Darius is going through with his oath, which means the prophecy is upon us," he said.
“We knew it was coming sooner or later,” Mordius said with a frown. “I just hoped it would be later.”
"Ah come on Mordius, you sound as spineless as a serpent: Be strong!” Gedwin growled.
“Easy for you to say, your ancestor was the deity of strength and feared nothing,” Mordius retorted.
“Yours was the deity of optimism! He always found the good in everything,” Gedwin barked.
“How can you see any good in this?” Mordius cried.
“I don’t know, that’s your job!”
“That’s enough, both of you!” said Aerian fiercely. The two of them froze with their mouths half open. “What would Tarren say if he saw you quarreling like a pair of children?”
Both of them looked at the floor.
“You’re right, Aerian… we should be combating the situation, not each other,” Mordius said.
“Ugh…yeah, sorry,” Gedwin said. Aerian shook his head sadly. Tarren’s death had taken a toll on all of them. Tarren always knew how to keep everything in line.
But he as well as his heir was gone, and with Aerian being the next oldest elder, it was he who would have to lead the council.
“Just…just behave in a manner that will respect him,” Aerian said. They were silent for a few moments. Mordius was the first to speak up.
“So, Aerian, shall you inform the boy’s mother then?” he asked.
"Yes, in fact I shall be departing shortly,” Aerian replied.
“Aerian, did the boy’s father know about his fate?” Gedwin asked. Aerian knit his eyebrows.
“I am not sure, but what I am sure of is that his mother must be told,” he said.
The others nodded solemnly. Aerian went about preparing for his departure. When he was all packed, he looked to the others.
“Well…wish me luck, my dear friends,” he said. With that he shook hands with each of them in turn, and Elder Mordius couldn’t help but run and hug him.
Aerian smiled sadly and patted his back. Mordius then stepped back and looked from Aerian to Gedwin.
“Look at this. We’ve already lost our leader and his heir, and now our second in command is about to leave for who knows how long. Even I can’t find any silver lining in all of this,” he said, looking at the floor.
“Do not worry, Mordius, I’ll be back as soon as I can,” Aerian promised.
“You’d better, I don’t know how long I can go without slapping some sense into Mordius,” Gedwin said, making Mordius cringe.
“You two behave, now! I’m off, take care of the place,” Aerian said. He then turned and left the courtroom.
He made his way through the base, finally arriving at the crystalline archway, and didn’t like what he saw. A large sign hung in front of it, saying
MALFUNCTONING, REPAIRS SCHEDULED TO BE MADE SOON.
He cursed his luck, now being without the light bearers’ fastest form of transportation. He had one other option, and headed for the dragons’ keep, a gigantic alcove where the messenger dragons roosted. He found Valerian waiting at the entrance.
"Is it true, sir Aerian? I’ve heard ghastly rumors from the other dragons about Charles and Tarren Reynolds, they say they’re…no longer with us,” said the dragon.
"Yes, I am afraid it’s true," replied Aerian. The dragon frowned, and closed his eyes, bowing his head.
“So the bloodline ends,” he said sadly.
“That is not the case,” Aerian said. “There is another who can carry on the bloodline…one with a destiny worthy of The Great Tetrad.”
"So, the boy survived?” asked Valerian hopefully.
"Yes, he is safe with his mother,” Aerian replied. Valerian sighed in relief, and accidentally let loose a puff of smoke.
“Oh, sorry,” he said, fanning the smoke away with a wing. “But that is wonderful news.”
“Indeed. But things are about to get much worse for that boy,” Aerian replied darkly.
“I see…so the prophecy is starting,” Valerian said quietly.
“It would appear so. You knew?” Aerian asked.
"Not so much knew, more of a sense, you know we dragons are very adept at that sort of thing. Still, it is hard to believe such a small child could hold such power," Valerian said.
"Yes, and the sooner he learns of that power, the better," said Aerian. "Now come, we must track down Katherine Reynolds,”
"As you wish, elder," said the dragon. Aerian clambered onto his back and they exited the base. They marched through the tunnel, climbing the staircase, until they reached the surface world. It was nearly midnight, the full moon casting a dim pale light across the plain.
"We must make haste. By now, Katherine will most likely have taken a plane to her mother's home," said Aerian.
"Sir, are you sure we should reveal ourselves to a mortal? The law prohibits it," said Valerian.
"I know the law, my grandfather helped pass it. But, we have no choice, we must find Katherine. Mathew Reynolds is the key to not only our survival, but the survival of this world. Our task is to inform her of her son's future, hers is to prepare the boy once he is ready. I just hope she can accomplish this," said Aerian.
"So, you are sure he is the one the prophecy speaks of?" asked Valerian.
"I would bet my life on it," answered Aerian confidently.
"Very well, where to, Elder Aerian?" asked Valerian.
"Truckee, California," said Aerian lightly.
"Sir, are you…alright? California is…well…very far," said Valerian.
"I am sorry, my scaly friend, if it was for anything else, I would not have you make such a long journey. But it is essential we find Katherine," said Aerian.
"You are right, Elder Aerian. I shall do my best," said Valerian.
"Then let us be off! Take to the skies, Valerian!" commanded Aerian.
The dragon crouched low to the ground, and lunged into the air.
They soared high through the clouds, beginning their long journey to the golden state.
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