“At this point, I don’t think you’ll have to.” Father said. “Too many people witnessed it. It’s officially out.”
“I’m sorry, Zayden. I didn’t mean to.”
“I know. We’ll schedule a public speech to explain. The attendants here may need to hear one first.”
“Are they going to let us come back here?” I asked.
“Forgetting who we are already, son? I’ll convince them of it. I don’t want the people to fear us. We’re not that different. We’re just more advanced. We’ll have to assure them that these gifts are convenient to protect them.”
Bryce laughed and looked around. “Yeah. That might take a lot of convincing.”
“We’ll also explain that this was an accident. I have a feeling that it was something in his gift all along but stayed dormant until his body started to change with puberty.”
Everyone looked down at Dirk.
“Great.” He muttered.
“You knew it would happen.” Darius said. “You are of the age I was.”
“Please don’t tell everyone that’s why.”
Father laughed. “Don’t worry. I won’t. Now, Seth, I’d like you to clean things up in here, Darius will take Dirk home and Bryce, I’d like you to tend to the wounded.”
“Really?”
“It’s out, remember?”
“Okay but I don’t think there’s that many. Seth was able to move everyone out of the way that were closest.”
“Still, even the slightest burns, heal them.”
Bryce nodded and headed out one of the side doors with his father.
“What are you going to do?” I asked.
“Well, there’s a group of kids out there that need an explanation so hurry up in here. Darius, you’ll have cover to get him out of here in a moment.”
He nodded and stayed with Dirk while I was stuck on clean up duty, putting everything in the South hall back into its original state.
“Zayden.” He turned back to Darius. “Remember to explain briefly. They won’t need to hear every riveting detail.”
“I know. They are just kids.”
“So, tell it like a story. They’ll be curious and listen.”
He nodded and turned to all the watching eyes from outside the South Hall. They were all gathered in the courtyard as he stepped out and everyone bowed. I kept something in front of the door so I could hear and watch their reactions without being noticed.
“Please.” Father said, holding up his hand. “Thank you. I understand that there were some things you witnessed today and I feel for your every concern but in order for me to properly explain, I must first dig a little into history. So, please, sit where ever you’d like so you can see and hear me.”
Everyone sat down right where they stood, even the instructors, honored that their King personally chose to handle this.
“Now most of you are too young to remember or weren’t born at all but the era in which I grew to know was a hard time of war. The world was separated and we were always looking for ways to stay on top. My father created the Great Seni Fighters to in fact be that way and it was for a time. We dominated all and were proud of it but soon made a shocking discovery. We collided with our greatest opposing enemy, the Kalu Assassins.”
Everyone started to whisper amongst themselves.
“I know.” He smiled. “Unusual coincidence. Everything about them was perfect and we fell—hard.”
The girls awed with soft flirting voices.
“They were the first we knew about that we like to call gifted. In this sense, I mean they had special abilities. Think of things like magic. My wife, Adele, can move things with her mind or a simple hand movement like this.”
He demonstrated and everyone seemed more interested over frightened. I was glad of it.
“Something like that anyway. Not something I’ve experienced before. Um, then there’s Jaylyn, whom you probably already know to be Bryce’s mother. She can heal things.”
Eyes and interest opened even wider.
“It’s come in handy a few times, I’ll admit. Then there’s Ruby. Now, I found her to be unusually special. Her gift is only produced by anger and as an Assassin, it was quite helpful. Her touch can drain any life force.”
Fear found the crowd again.
“But it’s only been used in benefit to their job. You see, back then, it was a regular thing. That’s what war does but our meeting was different. We aligned with them, not out of betrayals to our own countries but to one day have the lives we live now in peace. We traveled back to their homeland and were given a gift of sorts for extra protection for us while in enemy lands.”
They once again became interested.
“Troy was given a gift of sight since he was already flawless in all fighting styles. This allows him to see things that are happening on the other side of the world. A great tool that has served us. Darius has limitless strength. His appearance has always made people guess that he was strong but this gift he has allows him to be more, lifting roughly a thousand times more than the average man. Then, of course, there’s me. I have heightened senses. I can see in the dark, feel each individual pulse around me, climb walls and move incredibly fast.
“Now, you may wonder what this means for you. It means that Seni has always and will always remain the strongest country in the world. It’s a protection unlike any other and you can rest assure that these gifts will always be used for the good of this country and its people. I understand that what you recently have witnessed gives you doubts but I must tell you there are even things that we’re still learning about.
“Our boys have the combined gifts from their parents and new developments are always happening. Dirk apologizes for any displeasure he’s caused. We were unknowing to the fire. His mother makes forceful winds when she’s angry but he’s clearly different. The gift mutated to fit to his male gene but it will soon be learned how to control so this does not happen again. As we speak, Bryce is in the hospital wing, tending to those who may have been wounded and Seth is—”
“Finished, father.” I walked out and stood next to the King.
“Restoring your lunches to their rightful place. You may now return and trust in my word that you are safe here. We are and always will be on the same side.”
Everyone stood up and bowed to the King.
They filed back inside the South Hall to resume their lunch and it almost seemed like it never happened. Almost.
Any and all talking surrounded around the King’s words and they were all discussing it.
“Your majesty?” The Literature Recite Instructor, Master Belmer, bowed to the King. “I took the liberty of recording your speech.”
“Thank you. I was hoping someone might. I’d like a draft to go home with each of the attendants so that their parents may have one while I schedule a city-wide gathering in the square.”
“I will have it done, your majesty.”
“It’s much appreciated.”
He bowed again and headed towards the East Hall.
“What do we do now?” I asked.
“Work on heading home.”
“I shouldn’t stay?”
“Maybe not. They’re going to need some time to take this stuff in.”
I nodded and turned with him towards the West Hall to leave. “Do you think they’ll understand this?”
“They seemed to so far. Maybe because it came from me but it will probably take some time.”
“What about tomorrow?”
“We’ll see. For now perhaps you can help work with Dirk. He needs to learn how to control the fire so he doesn’t erupt at the slightest word. He won’t be coming back until he can.”
“I see. I guess it won’t exactly be tomorrow will it?”
“That just means you have plenty of time to work on it. You can use the arena. It’s built for destruction. It should be able to sustain him.”
“And you can guide us from above. It works out.”
Father
smiled with a nod and we went to retrieve our horses.
Chapter 19
Darius
Seth and Zayden walked into Dirk’s room not very long after us. “You’re back. Settled?”
“For now.” Zayden replied. “How is he?”
“Still a little shaken. He’s trying to find something to wear.”
“He’ll be needing to do that a lot, I fear. Bring him out.”
I nodded and turned towards the closet. “Dirk.”
He stepped out. “Yes, father?”
I looked back towards Zayden and Seth in the room.
“Oh, hi.”
“I’m sure you’ve probably already guessed that we’re going to need you to do it again.” Zayden said.
Dirk sighed and lowered his head. “I know.”
“It’s something you’ll have to control but we’re here to help. We’ll take it out to the arena. From there, we should be out of the way from causing too much damage.”
“Shouldn’t we wait for Troy to get back with Bryce?” I asked. “Just in case he’s needed.”
Zayden’s eyes turned solid black and he smiled. “We won’t have to wait long. They’re on their way now.”
“Good. Dirk, are you ready?”
He looked up at me with a nod. “Yes, sir. I am.”
“It’ll be all right.” I put an arm around his shoulders and led him towards the door. “I have no doubt you’ll learn quickly. This time it will be done on purpose, you’ll know it’s coming.”
Dirk nodded again and we headed towards the back stairwell to gather in the arena.
Dirk was the only one to stand in the center while we were a safe distance in the stands.
“You know what you need to do?” Zayden asked.
“That depends. What are you looking for? All out blaring fury like earlier or should I try slowly?”
“Begin with anything you can.”
Dirk nodded and closed his eyes.
Getting mad on cue sounded like a hard task but he made it easy. Whatever he thought about was done quickly.
He opened his eyes just to show us the redness hate within and I could almost see it already. Fire began to dance around him but he wasn’t in pain. It almost looked beautiful coming off the outline off his upper body but it was equally terrifying to see my son engulfed in flames.
“Shit.” Troy muttered. “That’s incredible.”
“Dirk, are you coherent?” Zayden asked.
“I’m still in control of my actions if that’s what you mean.”
“Good then you’re not in some kind of trance while it happens. That’ll make it easier.”
“What now?”
“What exactly can you do?” I asked. “Can the fire be used or is it just for show?”
“How should I know!? I haven’t done it before! I’m sorry, father.”
I smiled when he barked his words then immediately apologized. “I understand and you shouldn’t be sorry.”
“Try controlling it.” Zayden said. “Can you douse the fire while remaining angry?”
Dirk took a breath and focused. His concentration was on the fire.
It began to change from an allover body experience and moved to just his arms until the fire appeared only on his shoulders, hair and his hands.
“That’s so cool.” Bryce muttered. “I wonder if his hands now have some special power.”
“You mean like touching something and it dies?” Seth asked sarcastically.
“No. Like wicked melting capabilities or something cool to use against enemies.”
“Why don’t you find out?”
Seth gave Bryce a nudge in the back and he tumbled over the stone rail, down into the arena.
“Bryce! Are you all right?” Troy called.
“Yeah. Of course and thanks, Seth!”
He smiled. “Better you than us.”
Zayden hit the back of his head.
“What? It is.”
“Go easy on him, Bryce.” Zayden said. “We don’t know what he can do yet.”
Bryce’s eyes were locked on Dirk as he stood several feet away, waiting for something to happen. “All right but can I get some cover here? It’s much too open.”
Seth raised his hand and several stone towers rose up out of the floor of the arena to match his height.
Bryce was lifted up on one and tried to keep his balance while he remained focused on Dirk.
“So—” Bryce began. “What’s with that? Is that a permanent look for you because I don’t know, it’s screaming psycho freak to me.”
I bit my lip when Dirk narrowed his red eyes and swung his arms towards the stone Bryce was standing on.
He flipped off just as it shattered like glass and kept up with the bantering while moving away from Dirk from stone to stone. “Down, boy. Down. Sit, Dirky. I’m serious. This isn’t the kind of behavior that earns you a treat.”
Dirk only chased after him faster, crushing the stone towers and leaving them steaming in pieces while he moved to the next.
Bryce was running out of room.
“Seth! Please get me out of here!”
He leaned over the stone rail and created some steps to get up to it.
Bryce made a run for it with Dirk on his tail. He hopped up the stairs and grabbed Seth’s hand just before Dirk would have grabbed him and was pulled up.
“Thank you.” Bryce sighed, panting heavily. “I don’t think there’s much of a change. He just makes everything hot.”
The rubble in the arena was still steaming, some of it looking as if it had been melted.
“All right, Dirk.” I said. “That’s enough for now. Calm it down.”
“Think of something happy.” Seth smiled. “Like when Janie kissed you today. That ought to do it.”
My eyebrows raised and I looked down at my son.
Dirk was breathing heavily but his eyes started to fade when Seth mentioned her and the fire went out soon after.
“So, you got kissed today?”
Dirk smiled and shrugged. “I suppose the day hasn’t been completely horrible.”
“All right. Get up here.”
I leaned down as Dirk climbed the stairs and I helped him up over the stone railing. “Thanks. I think I need new clothes again.”
He looked down and they were clearly burnt with patches missing and crisp edges. He didn’t explode like we heard he had at the Royal Academy so they stayed on him just a little better.
“I think you might be right.” Troy laughed. “We’ll have to look into an alternative.”
“You mean something that doesn’t burn?”
Troy nodded.
“I know!” Bryce laughed. “We can make you a metal suit that you’ll have to walk around in all the time just so there’s no accidents.”
“I don’t think so.”
“All right, boys, let’s go.” Zayden said. “We’ll figure it out inside.”
We all turned and started to file out of the arena.
“I may actually be able to create some kind of fabric you could wear that doesn’t burn.” Seth said. “And then possibly incorporate it into the new uniforms so no one else will either.”
“That’s a very well thought plan, Seth.” I replied. “But it may be quite difficult. Most fabric will burn.”
“I think I should at least try. Well, if you want?” He asked Dirk.
“Go for it. I certainly don’t want to walk around wearing full body armor all the time. That could get hot and just a tad sticky.”
“Ooh.” Bryce muttered with a slight reaction of pain. “That would be uncomfortable.”
“I’m sure everything will work out.” Zayden said. “You won’t have to worry about anything like that.”
Seth smiled and started to skip away from us towards the stairs. “I’m going to go work on it.”
“Okay, just make sure you’re down for dinner. Rift too.”
“I will!”
He disappeared up the stairs like he was
anxious to get started. He was very bright and had this knack for inventing things to occupy his time. I was looking forward to him succeeding.
Chapter 20
Seth
This would be a great task. I was at it for hours. I had several samples of threads from all different kind of fabrics laid out on the desk and was trying to combine them with help from my gift then tested them out with the lit candle next to me.
It didn’t seem to be working.
Every one burnt up and I’d drop it in a bowl of water to snuff out the flames.
Each failure was only frustrating me even more and I completely lost track of time through my work.
“Knock. Knock.”
I turned and father stepped through the door with a silver tray.
“Oh, hello, father.”
“You missed dinner.”
“Yeah, sorry about that. I’ve just been—”
“I know.” He walked over and set the tray down. “How’s it coming?”
“It’s not.”
“Don’t worry. You’ll figure it out.”
“But I’ve tried everything. Nothing is working. I can’t do it.”
“You can’t give up now. You’ve already done so much. You know what doesn’t work.”
“But I don’t know what else there is.”
“You’re welcome to rummage through your mother’s things. I’m sure she has some fabrics that we wouldn’t wear that you can mold into something new.”
“I can?”
“As long as you don’t ruin anything.”
“I wouldn’t need to. I just need a tiny piece.”
“Then go ahead after you eat your dinner.”
I smiled. “Of course, father. Thank you.”
I lifted the lid off the tray and got right to work on dinner.
“Is this what I think it is?”
I turned my head and father had unfolded my sketches for the new uniforms I designed.
“Yeah. More our time, no offense. What do you think?”
“I like it.” He flipped the page and came up on the uniform for girls. “You’ve even redesigned this.”
“Well, I didn’t plan to do just one.”
“Hmm. Something seems very familiar about it.”
Blooming Life (Fate's Intent Book 10) Page 9
