by Jenn Nixon
“No biggie, you’re family.” Her cousin led them back the way she came, through thirty yards of a winding path of trees and into a large farm. The trailers made a circle in the middle of the property. “Ten of us live here now, three families, me and Stally, my friend from the South.”
Rune signed something.
“Thanks, it is pretty great, right?” she said, signing at the same time. “We worked hard to get to this point. Three years I’ve been here now.”
“I’m glad you didn’t decide to go completely off grid. I need your help, Pristy, and I have news, Silvio died,” Cyndra said and paused near the second security gate.
“Yeah, I figured when his package arrived. Guess you got something, too.”
“A letter and—”
“You opened it?” Pristy’s jaw tightened.
“You didn’t?”
“No,” she scoffed. “Why should I? He never treated us like grandchildren. Why do I care what his last words were?”
“I get it, really, we both left because he was incorrigible, but…well, it’s important. Rune got a letter, too,” Cyndra treaded carefully, they were too open for this type of conversation. “Can we talk somewhere?”
Nodding, Pristy led them down the path and past the first three trailers. Her cousin’s looked similar to her own, only it was a deep red instead of the standard army green. Cyndra and Rune followed Pristy into a minimally decorated living room space with a couple of chairs and a big fluffy pillow on opposite sides of a three-legged coffee table.
“I’m still decorating, but it’s enough for now,” Pristy said proudly.
“It’s great, I can’t believe you found a disc player.”
Rune’s jaw dropped seeing a vintage flatscreen TV, currently paused on a group of people in the middle of what looked like a fight outside a hospital.
“How could I not? Took me a year to save up for it.”
Cyndra chuckled. “I do remember your fascination with old movies. You must have great solar panels too.”
“We do. And it’s not a movie, it’s an anime miniseries, MIND, about a group of aliens and humans with super abilities, came out right before the flare,” Pristy said, waving her hand as she picked up a dirty glass from the TV stand and motioned to the chairs as she entered the kitchen area. “Get comfy, I’ll go get the letter.”
Cyndra glanced over at Rune for a bit of courage knowing what she was about to say sounded as crazy as the show her cousin was watching. However, aliens might explain things easier. Rune smiled and patted her arm.
Pristy returned from her sleeping room with a postal envelope with her name on it. The outer package not even opened. Unsure how anyone could stand the curiosity, Cyndra admired her cousin’s resolve. Sadly, the protest only kept Pristy in the dark about her powers.
“Here, go for it.” Her cousin set the package down and sat across on a large fluffy pillow.
“No way,” Cyndra said, shaking her head and lifting both hands. “You read it first. I already read mine.”
Pristy frowned and glanced over to Rune and signed while she spoke. “Who gave you a letter?” Rune signed back, my father, Cyndra guessed since she already knew the answer. Her cousin huffed as she picked up the envelope. She tore it open and flipped it over. A similar crystal pendant to hers and Rune’s fell out first, followed by a letter with her name on top written by their grandfather. Pristy picked up the letter and unfolded it. Her face fell. Then her brow crinkled. “I don’t get it, is this a joke?”
“What does it say?”
“I’ve departed this world and you are no longer protected. Wait for your cousin, she will come to you. The pendant is important and will help you unlock your grandmother’s journal. When you are strong enough, her words will guide you.”
Cyndra went numb. Almost the same letter, and a clue she’d completely forgotten about from her note. I pray you can save them, then my sacrifice to stay here and raise you will not be in vain. Silvio wanted her to save them, was he talking about the other casters like Rune and Pristy?
Rune signed to Pristy and she responded, the exchange too fast for Cyndra to understand any of it.
Pristy shook her head and stood up. “Why should I touch it?”
“I think it unlocks our powers,” Cyndra answered.
“Powers?” she scoffed, picking up the case for her anime show. “You’re jerking my leg, right?”
Cyndra lifted the chain and pulled out her pendant. “These crystals have elemental powers, Pristy. I’ve been wearing mine for three days and I’ve…seen things, done stuff I’ve only read about in my fantasy books. Like that show you were watching, we have these…”
“Abilities?”
Cyndra rubbed her forehead, glancing over at Rune for a little help. He signed something then created his fireball in his hand. Pristy gasped and stared at the fire for a few seconds until the flames vanished.
“I think I ate some trippy ‘shrooms,” Pristy said as she fell back into her pillow chair.
“Honestly thought the same thing.” Cyndra chuckled softly before turning serious again. “Like it or not, it’s real, casters, people like us who can use these crystals were part of the world just like everyone else before the flare. Our grandfather was shielding us, the moment he died…um you see, casters can identify each other when they use the crystals. It’s like a sixth sense, a feeling inside. Problem is, there are things out there who can sense us and not all are friendly and I’m kind of here to warn you too.”
“Warn me?”
Rune glared at her sideways then signed something to Pristy.
Cyndra covered her face, already feeling the warmth of her hand. She had lost control of the speech halfway through. There was just too much information to convey, too many emotion attached to all the impossible questions.
“Hold up,” Pristy said, scrubbing the side of her face. “Forgotten what?”
“Everything,” Cyndra said, inferring the conversation. “What we think happened to the planet is a lie, Pristy. I know it’s overwhelming, my head’s been spinning the moment I opened the box Silvio sent me—”
“You got a box?”
“With the journal, the crystal, and letter.”
“What did your letter say?” Pristy asked. Cyndra recalled it from memory, which only made her cousin frown when she added the last line. “Save who?”
“I’m not sure, other casters I think. I hope Grandma Evie’s journal will tell us. First page says I need your help to unlock it, the rest of it is blank.”
“This is way out there, even for you, Cyndra. Do you really believe all this power stuff? It could be a trick. I bet he’s got something up his sleeve.”
“It’s not a joke or a trick. I’ve done things too. I think if we read the journal, together, we can learn about all this the right way, from our family and not…” Cyndra trailed off, glancing over her shoulder. “There’s a lot more, Pristy, but none of it is going to make any sense until we see what Evie left us. The truth dropped in my lap three days ago. The moment I touched the crystal I remembered something from before the flare. I saw our family. I couldn’t believe I’d forgotten and then I met Rune and his father mentions the entire world forgetting…”
“So if I touch it, I’m going to remember something I’ve forgotten?” Pristy asked, inching closer to the makeshift coffee table.
“You may, I don’t know. After that happened, my fingers got warm…I know now it’s because I have firecasting.”
Rune nodded then signed, sending her a message as well, Telling her about the other elements.
Cyndra figured she needed to put everything out in the open and turned her hand over, showing her cousin the triangle brand. “The first time we do something with the crystal, the elemental symbol appears. I don’t remember it hurting, but I had just killed a soulless with my flare—”
“You killed someone?” Pristy’s hands flew to her mouth.
Cyndra’s skin heated. “He fucking attacked me.”
Rune signed quickly.
“What do you mean, not really human?”
Balling her hands, hoping to contain the heat, Cyndra took a deep breath ignoring the guilt and embarrassment and the dozen other emotions cluttering her focus. She recalled what she already knew. “These soulless look normal but when they get close to us, they drain our powers, making us weak, but they can sense the crystals and casters like us.”
“What else?”
“I don’t know, Pristy, that’s why I’m here. I need answers and the journal is the only thing I have,” Cyndra said, keeping the heat at bay by thinking of the moment on the boat with Zorin when he told her to breathe and felt his energy calming her down. She focused solely on the heat. Held it back. Scaring her cousin more certainly wouldn’t help the situation. After another deep breath, she added, “I’m not in a rush to get anywhere, at the moment, so if you need time to think it over—”
“I’m not sure I can help you, Cyndra,” Pristy said softly. “I finally have the life I always wanted here. I worked my ass off to make this place my home. I don’t want anything to change. I don’t want powers…I’m sorry. You should take the crystal and go.”
Rune’s jaw dropped.
Cyndra wasn’t surprised. She felt it building. Pristy didn’t seem to care about the truth and wasn’t curious what her powers might be. They were truly opposite in every way. “All I’m asking is that you help me unlock the journal—”
“That means touching this thing, right? Which you just said made you a target for these soulless, right?” Pristy’s snarky attitude bubbled to the surface as she stood up and shook her head. “You must be shroomin’ because there’s no way in the darklands I’m going to risk my life and my friends for some old bastard who hated every single minute he spent with us and never once missed an opportunity to remind us of it.”
“Pristy, this is part of us. It’s important—” Cyndra tried, struggling to tamp down the fire, wishing Rune knew Zorin’s trick when her cousin cut her off.
“Why?”
“Because…” Cyndra didn’t know what to say. Would her cousin believe her story about Zorin, the island, and Mergan imprisoned in the mansion? Even if she did, it didn’t affect Pristy’s life one bit.
“What do you mean fix the world? Outside, why?” Pristy said as Rune happily stood and motioning to the front door.
Surprised her cousin nodded and walked to the door, Cyndra followed and pulled the cap down to shield her eyes when she got outside. It was almost impossible to ignore the cool waves of energy riding on the wind. She swallowed down her feelings and used Zorin’s presence to deter the rising fire as she rounded the trailer, almost bumping into Rune, who was already down on one knee growing dandelions. Although Pristy’s eyes twinkled, her face remained stoic while she watched a dead patch of grass come back to life.
“What else can you do?” Pristy asked.
Rune signed that he didn’t know.
“And the world’s this way because of a caster-human war that everyone’s forgotten?”
“That’s the working theory,” Cyndra answered. “Will you think about it, Pristy? I really need your help.”
Her cousin scratched the side of her head and stared down at the dandelions. When she glanced back to the farm surrounding the trailer community, Cyndra felt a twinge of hope rise through her chest, imaginging all the good a caster could do in a place like this. Then Pristy frowned and shook her head.
“I’m really sorry…I can’t, Cyndra, this is my whole life you’re asking me to risk. It’s too much.”
Cyndra shut her eyes, defeated. She nodded. “We have a boat at the abandoned dock a half mile southeast of Baltimoretown…if you change your mind.”
That’s it, we’re just going to leave? Rune asked, moving beside her.
What else am I supposed to do? she snapped back harder than she meant.
He frowned, shook his head slightly, and turned back to his cousin to sign something to her.
“I’m pretty sure I won’t, sorry,” Pristy said and signed, walking back to the front door to her trailer. “But it was nice seeing you.”
“You too.” Cyndra couldn’t even look over, fearing her hand might burst into flames at any moment, and headed for the gate, not waiting for Rune either. She was halfway through the winding path of trees when his rushed footsteps echoed from behind. He didn’t say anything until they were well beyond the second security gate and far from prying eyes.
I think you should show her the box and journal.
“It won’t change her mind.”
You don’t know that.
“Actually, I do, Rune. You may have grown up in some happy utopia, loved and cared for by people who actually gave a shit, Pristy and I didn’t. We had to fend for ourselves our entire fucking lives, every scrap of clothing, every meager belonging, and every meal. When she says she worked her ass off for this place, I believe it. You really want me to destroy all of that? Because she’s right, once she touches that crystal, it’s over. Soulless are out there looking for casters.”
Rune signed I’m sorry as his shoulders dropped.
“And I didn’t mean to snap, you’re the last person I’d ever be angry with,” she said, chuckling softly as she followed him down the path again. “It’s my own fault. I royally screwed this up.”
You did the best you could. I thought it went well, to be honest.
She shrugged. “Doesn’t matter now—”
“Cyndra!” Pristy’s voice echoed from behind.
Her cousin ran through the main gate grinning and holding the crystal in her hand. Cyndra’s heart thumped. She felt the cool tingle of energy swirling around her left palm.
“You were right! I saw him,” Pristy cried gleefully as she jogged closer. “My father…Grandma Evie, I saw them at the lighthouse. We were all together.”
“Lighthouse?” Cyndra shuddered.
Rune’s wide eyes locked on her.
“Why can’t I remember anything from before the flare?” she asked, slowing to a stop and panting. “My hand feels cool like you said…”
“Energycasting, it runs in the family,” Cyndra said.
“If we unlock the journal will our memories come back?”
“I don’t know. I hope so. There’s only one way to find out.”
“All right, I’m in. Where’s the journal.”
Cyndra shared a quick look with Rune, struggling for the next words.
Pristy tilted her head. “Well?”
“Uh, remember how I said there were others that could sense the crystals and casters?”
“Yeah.”
“One of them…his name is Zorin and he’s been helping us out for a couple of days, but—”
“But what?”
He’s different, Rune said with care.
Pristy lifted her eyebrow. “Different how?”
“He was transformed by an energycaster.”
“Transformed?”
“I don’t want you to be scared when you see him. He’s one of the good guys.”
“Cyndra,” Pristy said with a bite. “Spit it out.”
“He looks like a gargoyle,” she said, regretting it instantly when Rune shot her an annoyed glare. Pristy started laughing and rolled her eyes. Cyndra frowned and rubbed her hand down her face. “I’m serious, he’s big, has wings…When you meet him, don’t stare. He’s our friend.”
“You’re friends with a gargoyle?” Pristy’s full-bellied laugh filled the air.
“I’m not a gargoyle,” Zorin’s deep voice ripped through her ears.
“Shit,” Cyndra whispered, making a fist, hoping to keep the fire at bay. The energy swirling around him cooled her entire body, everything except her right hand, which was raging to ignite.
Then Pristy wheezed, stumbled away from the enormous winged man who landed beside Rune and collapsed as her eyes rolled back into her head.
Rune barely caught Pristy before she hit the ground. Cyndra raised
her arms and then slapped her thighs. Her burning glare locked on Zorin’s face, making his whole body tense when the heat shot off her body.
“Just fucking perfect. Why are you here? I was just explain—”
“I sensed her power awakening.” He stared down at the agitated caster, sensing her control slipping. He did everything possible not to soak up the fire flooding her skin.
“Yeah, so, that was the whole point, wasn’t it?”
“I was concerned.”
Cyndra scoffed. “Sure, okay.”
Zorin’s gaze narrowed. “You both had the soulless appear soon after awakening, correct?”
Rune nodded as he set Pristy gently on the ground.
“Oh,” Cyndra said as her cheeks darkened and her temperature decreased. “Good point.”
Zorin set the caster’s backpack on the ground and watched her tending to the small human unconscious next to Rune. Having heard most of the conversation and surprised she called him her friend, Zorin foolishly believed she meant it, rather the defiant, combative attitude returned, which served him just as well. He needed to keep his distance, especially now that she had a familial bond to help strengthen her powers.
Rune approached with the ubiquitous bottle. Zorin drew his gaze away from the cousins and thanked the caster with a smile as he took the water.
She doesn’t actually think you’re a gargoyle, Zorin, it’s easier to…give a name to your appearance. You’re human just like us.
“You’re wrong, Rune. I haven’t been human in twenty-five years,” Zorin said softly, taking a step closer to the women. “How is she?”
“She’ll be fine.” Cyndra’s shoulders tensed. “Mind backing up a bit or do you want to knock her out again with your idiot face?”
“Perhaps if you mentioned me earlier—”
Her head tilted up. “Oh yeah, when? Between talking about our dead grandfather or our grandmother sacrificing herself to save the entire planet?”
“I’m not trying to argue with you, caster.”
“My name is Cyndra,” she shouted, rising from her knees with her right hand flaming and her left twitching with early signs of energycasting.
