《Mending Chaos》


 Chapter 1: Unknown Dangers

    The day was warm and, though the sun was no longer at its peak, the heat had not yet dissipated from the building. It was an old vintage building with sun bleached dull yellow paint cracking and chipping along most of the outside. While the outside had suffered from the seasons of many years past, the inside shined with newness. The building, in whatever its previous form was, had been completely gutted on the inside. Walls had been removed, carpet torn up, and new floor set in place to fit its new purpose. Hardwood lacquered flooring had been installed stretching from wall to wall in the old house and were just beginning to show wear and tear from recent years of hard use. Few walls had been rebuilt in the newly crafted interior leaving only three separated locations. One room took up the majority of the buildings floor space while two smaller rooms were separated further back with words painted next to them; ¡®Mens¡¯ and ¡®Womens¡¯. Locker rooms. The lack of any true air conditioning or wall insulation only served to make the building a sweat factory during the summer and frigid in the winter. That combined with its new purpose turned the interior into an unintended sauna once the summer months struck.


    The largest of the rooms was the only one that was currently in use. Kneeling around the edge of the room were a half-dozen men and women all dressed in kendo protective gear, their bogu, for their class. None of them needed it at the moment as class was over, yet none of them removed a piece or even moved from their spot. No, they were staying to watch a friendly spar that had been set up by their teacher. Centered in the room were two figures also fully clad in their bogu. The gear looked to be well used by both parties and had taken their beatings in the past, yet each continued to hold up well thanks to proper care. Such gear was made to take a long, thorough beating all around from the helmet, to the chest piece, all the way down to the shin guards. But as with all things used often they needed to be repaired or replaced from time to time no matter how well you cared for them.


    Of the two competitors one was a full head shorter than the other. Of the two the shorter one also had some oddly mismatched gear. While most of his equipment was a dull dark blue and had small dents and scratches, his shoulder guards were a shiny bright yellow, brand new. His opponents gear was all dark green, matching completely from head to toe and, while there was the occasional scratch or dent as well, his gear still somehow seemed to shine pristinely. It was painfully obvious which of the two took better care of their equipment. It was obvious which one was more skilled by their stance. It even seemed obvious which way this was going to end. The only thing not obvious was the relationship of the pair as they stood facing each other. Any other time they were the best of friends and everyone in the room knew it. But when the time called for it, such as the current situation, there was no hint of that friendship. The tension between the pair had become so thick that some of the other students were looking nervous.


    ¡°Begin!¡± The call came from the sensei who stood back from the combatants but remained close enough to judge the two in their combat. The instructor was surprisingly young for what most would consider a teacher. The man was only a few years older than the two sparring and yet had shown his knowledge and abilities time and time again. Not only was the sensei playing judge and scorekeeper, he would also be taking mental notes on the slightest of mistakes either of the two made and would make sure that in the next class they learned from those mistakes. Those after-sparring lessons tended to leave bruises.


    The shorter student moved first, stepping forward and testing the defenses of the taller student with a thrust. It was parried aside and countered with a vertical slash. The two continued in such vain for a short time before the taller student finally got through and smacked the side of the others head gear. The sensei held up a red flag, indicating a point to the tall student. There was no time to think over the error however as the call to start came again. After another volley of attacks, blocks, and parries, the shorter student ducked a high blow and was able to get in a hard jab to the padded stomach area. This time the white flag came up and meant, with a point a piece, the next hit would win.


    Both took their time, being more cautious now as they circled each other widely, each of their feet stepping carefully to keep proper balance. With a shout the short student attacked again, stepping forward quickly to thrust towards the center mass. He felt triumphant before the blow landed, thinking there was no way the tall student could move in time. He was wrong. A parry later and his head was wringing inside his gear from the violent thrashing it just took. The red flag was held up once again and the match was over.


    Seth bowed in tandem with his competitor, both as a sign of respect and to signal the end of the match, before removing his head gear. The shorter man stuck his pinky in his ear, grimacing as he tried to make the ringing go away. Unfortunately, it didn¡¯t help and the ringing continued, slowly subsiding on its own. He looked up to see his competitor take off his head gear revealing the taller man to be grinning like an idiot. Derrick had not only been Seth¡¯s competition, he was also his best friend. It didn¡¯t take the sting out of the defeat however. ¡°That was a lucky shot.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure it was just a good shot.¡±


    Derrick was right, and Seth knew it, but he wouldn¡¯t give him the satisfaction by admitting to it. That¡¯s what friends were for after all. ¡°Lucky,¡± he repeated as the two of them headed to the men¡¯s locker room. Seth began unlacing the rest of his gear on the way to his locker, leaning his bamboo shinai against the wall. ¡°I didn¡¯t want you to feel bad and I knew you would if I won,¡± Seth stated as he shrugged off the hard-plastic chest armor, ¡°so I figured I¡¯d better let you win. I wouldn¡¯t want you to cry all night.¡± His words sounded sincere but they both knew better. Derricks response was simply a snort of indignation, causing Seth to grin as he opened his locker and started getting dressed.


    The two friends were practically brothers, yet they couldn¡¯t look more different. Where Seth was of an average height and build, Derrick was a little over six feet with broad shoulders. Where Seth had brown hair and eyes, Derrick had blonde hair and blue eyes. Seth was not in bad shape but he had a bit of a belly, especially as compared to Derrick who was muscled and toned. Since they were little Derrick had always been better looking and Seth had simply gotten used to it over time. Although how his friend, an auto mechanic, stayed in such good shape he¡¯d never figure out.


    ¡°You alright?¡± Derrick¡¯s voice broke into Seth¡¯s thoughts.


    ¡°Of course I¡¯m alright,¡± Seth replied with feigned indignation. ¡°Just thinking about how badly I¡¯m going to beat you tomorrow.¡± Tomorrow, a Saturday, was the day they set aside for archery practice which was more interesting to Seth, and not just because he was better than Derrick at it. Seth was an ace shot when it came to archery and Derrick missed the target completely more often than not. Both of them enjoyed swordplay and archery and had since they were young, something that had confounded the orphanage and their foster parents. It was overlooked however as it kept them out of the trouble other kids at the orphanage tended to get into. ¡°I hope you¡¯re ready.¡±


    ¡°Bring it on.¡±


    ***


    Seth passed through the old wooden door from the vintage building to the street, enjoying the feel of the slight breeze on his otherwise overheated face. It was like night and day compared to the heat inside. Hitching his backpack further up on his back Seth took the steps two at a time down to the street, stopping at the bottom to wait for his friend. His eyes roamed the edge of the forest that resided on the other side of the street, pausing as he saw a squirrel sprint from the trunk of a tree over to some nearby bushes. There was definitely no lack of small critters in the town, but then when the town itself is surrounded by forest that should be expected. It certainly added to the so-called small-town charm.


    Like most small towns there was only one main road and the rest branched off from there, most of them reaching dead ends for as far as the houses went. The main road was lined with small town shops to try and attract the few visitors that passed through to stop and spend their money. The store fronts were well stocked and the town folk were friendly enough that a decent profit was made, at least enough that most of the shops had been in business for one or two generations. The general store and a few restaurants joined the small shops and together they made up the entire business portion of the town.


    It was off the main road, however, that the houses showed the real town. While not what would be considered worn down, the houses were far from new in a town that hadn¡¯t seen any construction in decades. Despite the aged look the townsfolk were proud of their little town and Seth was amazed at how well managed homes and grounds alike were kept. To Seth the rustic, almost natural feeling of the town and houses made him feel more at ease than when he ever lived in any larger urban area. This was more his home in the short months he¡¯d lived here than anywhere else.


    ¡°I still can¡¯t believe you talked me into moving out here,¡± Derrick spoke from directly behind Seth, startling him enough to make him jump slightly and spin around. ¡°Besides work and kendo there¡¯s nothing to do.¡± Derrick loved sneaking up on Seth when he was distracted or just flat out not paying attention. He¡¯d done it since they were kids and Seth was closer to punching him in the nose every time. Until he saw Derrick grinning like an idiot that is, at which point he had to keep himself from laughing. It wasn¡¯t so much an infectious grin as it was just so stupid looking that it was comical.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t exactly talk you into it,¡± Seth somehow forced a frown and subdued his laughter, giving his best attempt at looking stern. ¡°I said I was going to move out here and asked if you wanted to come.¡± Seth turned his back on his friend then, walking up the street before commenting loudly without turning around. ¡°You¡¯re the idiot that agreed to it.¡±


    ¡°Idiot?¡± Derrick said it softly, sounding dumbfounded, and Seth grinned. He heard footsteps as Derrick jogged a few steps to catch up to him. ¡°Well then you¡¯re the friend of an idiot. I guess that¡¯s why you went to college and got your fancy job here while I work at a garage. I just didn¡¯t want to get left behind.¡±


    Seth rolled his eyes as he looked over at his friend. ¡°Yes, because we¡¯ve always left each other behind.¡± In truth they hadn¡¯t been separated more than a week for as long as Seth could remember. It was strange, but then again they were practically brothers, as much as someone not blood related could be.


    They were both orphans and had grown up together in an orphanage in New York. Oddly enough they¡¯d both been taken to the orphanage a day apart and were the same age. From what Seth had found out they had both been left at little over a month old, each of their mothers having died under unknown circumstances and no father claiming to either child. Perhaps because of their age and similar circumstances they had become best of friends for as long as either recalled. Even after they were old enough to be fostered out, they had been fostered to the same family as if fate had decided they should grow up together.


    Seth had turned eighteen first and though he was grateful to the foster home and foster parents for allowing him to live there, he was ready to put his childhood behind him. They had allowed Seth to remain until Derrick had turned eighteen less than a month later. They had lived within the city for nearly five years after that birthday with Seth having a very dull job at a convenience store while going to school and Derrick bouncing from job to job almost monthly. Somehow they managed to hold down rent on an apartment the entire time. It hadn¡¯t been the most spacious and wasn¡¯t in the best of areas, but it had allowed Seth to walk to school and work, foregoing the need for a vehicle. Seth had lost track of the different jobs Derrick had done, yet his friend had always managed to find something and some way to get there. It wasn¡¯t until Seth graduated and was offered a consultant job that they had moved out of the big city to this small town. At first Seth had thought he¡¯d be going alone which was a strange and somewhat eerie feeling after spending his entire life with the other man. Yet after talking it over with Derrick, his friend decided to move as well, promising he would find a job as he always managed to. True to his word he now worked at the lone auto repair shop which saw a surprising amount of business considering the population. Derrick had said most of the work was on vacationers cars which broke down in the long strip of road between this town and the next one over.


    Seth was lost in his thoughts as they walked and missed out on whatever Derrick had continued on talking about. Likely he was just telling a story about something at the shop, or maybe some piece of gossip he¡¯d heard, none of which Seth really cared about. It was simply another part of their long friendship that he would let Derrick talk away while he remained silent. Everyone has their own personality after all, and the two were different even there. Seth was about to fall back into his thoughts again but something was nagging at him. It wasn¡¯t the talking as he was well used to that. Something else was off but he couldn¡¯t quite put a finger on it. He slowed down and finally stopped at the corner where the side road they were on met the main road through town.


    Derick didn¡¯t seem to take any notice at first and kept moving right along before finally turning around and stopping. ¡°You alright?¡±


    Seth wanted to say ¡®no¡¯ but it felt foolish with just an uneasy feeling to go off of. ¡°Yeah I¡¯m fine. Was just trying to decide if I needed to pick up anything else for dinner.¡±


    ¡°Well make sure you have everything, I don¡¯t want you skimping out on the meal you owe me from your beating.¡± Derrick grinned at his own joke as Seth rolled his eyes.


    ¡°Just make sure you get there before the game starts or I¡¯m not letting you in.¡±


    Derrick laughed as he held up his keys and jingled them, ¡°I have a key, remember?¡± He turned without waiting for Seth¡¯s response and jogged across the main strip and down another side road, going towards the towns small complex where he rented his condo. Seth could only chuckle and shake his head, amused. He started walking down the main road towards the center of town and the area with his house. As he passed store fronts he waved to some of the people he knew inside without stopping, wanting to get home quickly so he could get clean and start cooking. One thing about a small town is everyone knew everyone, and he knew if he stopped to talk he would be stuck for ages.


    It wasn¡¯t until he got to his street that a sudden chill ran down his spine, causing him to stop again and look around quickly, his heart suddenly thundering in his chest. Nothing was out of the ordinary from what he was able to see. Cars passed slowly down the main road while residents and visitors alike walked down either side, dipping into and out of shops as they explored. Everything was normal. Hitching his backpack up again he turned and went down the road towards his house.


    His house. That was still a foreign thought after only owning it for a few months. The company had helped him find the house and he considered himself lucky that they had not only found him one in the town he¡¯d be working in, but they¡¯d found him such a nice place that fit his new budget. Like the rest of the town it was rustic but well-kept by the previous owners and he had picked up where they¡¯d left off in that regard. He had almost an acre of land surrounding the house, giving him some distance between him and his neighbor. Even better, he only had a neighbor on one side as his house was the last on the road with the other side next to the forest. At first it had been almost frightening being alone after a life of living with others, but it didn¡¯t take long before Seth began to enjoy the tranquility. As it was he didn¡¯t often have much time alone except for sleeping whether it was from being at work, Derrick visiting, or for the other companion that had adopted him since he¡¯d moved into the house.


    A large dog as black as night had come to his house on only the second day after he¡¯d moved in. At first he¡¯d thought perhaps it was a pet of the former owner, but the canine didn¡¯t seem surprised by his presence. It also didn¡¯t have any type of collar or way to say who he belonged to. And so Seth had started caring for it, leaving out food and water and spending time with the dog when he got home. He felt the animal may be partially feral as it never had tried to come into the house, not even when Seth had tried to force him in on some colder nights.


    As he reached his house the dog was there, laying on a pile of old blankets Seth had bought at a thrift store in the closest city to give him a comfortable place to sleep. Once Seth started up the steps to the porch the dog¡¯s eyes opened, shining golden in the fading sunlight. ¡°Hey Midnight,¡± Seth stopped and crouched down to pet the big black dog, scratching his head and behind his ears. The canine seemed to enjoy the attention as it¡¯s perfectly golden eyes half-closed in contentment. Seth had spent some time trying to figure out just what type of breed Midnight was but as yet hadn¡¯t been able to pin it down to more than a hybrid of about three different kinds. The name was its own mystery. It had come to him as soon as he¡¯d seen the dog, before he¡¯d even known he would be feeding and caring for the animal. It matched the dogs jet black fur and the canine itself hadn¡¯t seemed to mind the name, so it had stuck.


    A few moments passed by where Seth allowed the silence of a small forest town envelop him while continuing to scratch the dog. Natures sounds surrounded him and passed through him, bringing a feeling of peace he only felt in moments like these. He closed his eyes to enjoy it for a few moments more before giving the dog a few last pats and standing. Pulling his backpack off his shoulder Seth reached into the pocket to pull out his keys and, as he turned to unlock the door, was surprised to see that Midnight had moved to the door. There hadn¡¯t been a sound or even the feeling of movement to give Seth any indicator that the dog had gotten up and passed by him. ¡°You¡¯re actually coming in? That¡¯s a new one.¡± Seth chuckled as he shook his head, then reached past the large dog to unlock the door. ¡°What¡¯s gotten into to you, hmm?¡±


    Seth had spoken in a joking manner, yet almost as if in response to the question Midnight looked back over his shoulder at the street. In fact he was looking at the intersection between his road and the main one. Seth glanced back himself and froze. Where he¡¯d been only moments before now stood a cloaked and hooded figure staring directly at Seth and Midnight. Another chill ran down his spine and he found himself frozen in place. Seth could see faint outline of a face under the shadowed hood, but couldn¡¯t make out any details. Who was it and why were they wearing such an odd looking cloak in the middle of the summer? It wasn¡¯t even cold enough for a jacket let alone something so large.


    A nudge at his waist broke Seth free of the chilling trance the person had over him. ¡°Yeah¡­lets go inside boy.¡± The key turned in the lock and he pushed the door open, Midnight going in first with Seth close behind. It wasn¡¯t until the door was closed and locked that Seth could breathe again. Midnight didn¡¯t seem nearly as phased as Seth had been, the dog walking into the house as if he¡¯d always come inside and called it home. Human followed dog into the house, the four-legged creature walking through the building before finally returning to the living room and lying down. The house wasn¡¯t large but it was plenty for the orphan boy who¡¯d never had a room to himself, let alone a building. The living room was directly through the entrance and beyond that was the kitchen. Directly to the right after entering was the hallway leading down to two bedrooms and a bathroom. Furnishings were sparse as were decorations. A three-seat sofa sat in front of decent sized television. Derricks favorite seat, a bean bag chair, was next to the sofa. The walls were that standard white of all newly bought places and freshly painted before Seth had moved in. A trio of swords was in a special wall mount, all of which Derrick had gifted him as a house warming present. A pair of landscape pictures dotted the walls as well as another single picture of Seth and Derrick when they were younger, when their foster parents took them on vacation.


    Seth went down the hallway to his room, dropping his backpack next to the bed before pulling fresh clothes from his dresser. Besides the two pieces of furniture the only other items in the room were a small rarely used laptop and a bow case next to a quiver of arrows. There were no decorations in his room and the only illumination was from a combination ceiling fan and light. Seth flicked off the switch as he went to the bathroom to shower.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    ***


    By the time Derrick arrived Seth had managed to push the stranger to the back of his mind, though when the familiar knock came on the door he still checked before opening it. Midnight hadn¡¯t moved from where he¡¯d initially laid down, barely even opening his eyes when the knock came.


    ¡°Hey,¡± Seth said with an internal sigh of relief, opening the door to allow his friend to enter.


    ¡°Hey,¡± Derrick responded cheerfully as he stepped in though he regarded Seth with a curious look after a moment. ¡°You okay? You look a little pale.¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah, I¡¯m fine,¡± Seth responded, deciding he didn¡¯t want to admit to his friend the odd feeling he¡¯d had just because a stranger had stared at him. ¡°Come on in. Dinner¡¯s ready and the game is about to come on.¡± One of the few vices Seth had was watching certain sports and hockey season had just begun.


    Derrick seemed to take him at his word as he walked past Seth. Seth closed and locked the door again after glancing out towards the crossroads. Empty. Maybe he¡¯d just been tired and hot and hadn¡¯t seen anything after all. Maybe it was just a trick of his mind. And maybe the sun will explode tomorrow, Seth thought to himself, remembering the feeling he¡¯d had at seeing the person.


    Once the door was securely closed and locked Seth turned around to see Derrick crouched down next to Midnight, scratching the lazy dog behind the ears. ¡°So he finally came inside, hmm?¡± His friend commented, grinning as Midnight started to roll over so his stomach was scratch-able. Derrick just gave his head a shake as he scratched at Midnights belly while Seth walked past the pair to the kitchen to bring out the food he¡¯d made. There was stir fry with noodles and vegetables as well as some freshly mashed potatoes. Most of the ingredients had come from the land behind Seth¡¯s house where a large garden had been planted before he¡¯d moved in. He continued to tend it from where the previous tenant stopped and it was now bearing the fruits of his labor. Caring for the garden was surprisingly calming and easy for Seth and so much grew so easily that he often shared with his friends and co-workers. His only need for purchasing food stuffs generally came at spices and other necessities such as beer.


    ¡°Come and eat, stop spoiling ¡®Night or I¡¯ll never be able to get him to go back outside again.¡± Seth called as he set the food on TV trays next to the couch. The pregame show was on but had been muted while Seth was cooking. The house was surprisingly silent as he looked up from setting down the platters. Derrick and Midnight were gone and Seth felt himself tense up as that same unease from earlier came back. ¡°Where¡¯d you go?¡± Seth called off down towards the rest of the house, barely managing to keep that feeling from his voice.


    At first there was no response and Seth felt the unease spike. He walked slowly towards the hallway leading down to the rest of the house and it wasn¡¯t until he reached the hallway he heard a voice from further down, ¡°Be out in a second.¡± Derrick was in the bathroom. He should¡¯ve known. But that didn¡¯t explain where Midnight had gone.


    ¡°Is Midnight with you?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    It was a simple reply but it made Seth curious. There was something off about the response that made him question it. He was about to say more when another knock came at the door. Seth froze. He wasn¡¯t expecting any other company. A cold chill ran down his spine just as it had earlier. He could hear his heart pounding in his ears as his eyes focused on the door. Seth didn¡¯t move, not wanting to open the door, not even wanting to go near it. Time seemed to freeze as Seth remained where he was, breathing shallowly, waiting, hoping that whoever it was would go away or at least that Derrick or Midnight would show up. Another loud knock caused Seth to jump and let out a gasp of air, breaking the hold his worry had over him. Whoever it was they apparently weren¡¯t interested in leaving until someone answered. He stepped towards the door slowly and once he was near enough he leaned forward to look through the peep hole to see who was outside.


    Seth didn¡¯t realize he was holding his breath as he got close enough to see out. All he had time to see was a pale white face beneath a hood before something heavy knocked into him from the side that sent him sprawling to the ground. At the same time he was bowled over he heard a loud, splintering explosion. He wasn¡¯t sure at first whether the sound had come from his head hitting the ground or something else and he blinked his eyes quickly to try and clear the spots that had formed from hitting his head on the carpet. Things came into focus after what seemed like an eternity.


    Standing over his prone body in a protective stance was Midnight. Or was it? He seemed bigger then normal but that could just be his mind playing tricks on him, and the dog hadn¡¯t been in the living room before, so where had he come from? Midnight was growling in the direction of the front door, teeth bared and hackles raised. Seth¡¯s eyes moved towards the front door¡­or at least what remained of it. The door had been the sound of the loud explosion he realized, as all that was left was a few scraps of wood hanging off of broken hinges. The rest of the door had exploded inward and shards of wood were scattered everywhere; some of them had even embedded into the wall and furniture. If Midnight hadn¡¯t knocked him out of the way he¡¯d be dead, Seth realized. How could someone have done so much damage?


    As if in answer to his silent question the cloaked figure he¡¯d seen before walked through the doorway. Walked was the wrong term as the figure moved fluidly across the threshold. Seth stared from where he lay, a violent shiver going through his body as he stared, frozen in place. When he¡¯d seen the figure from afar he¡¯d though that it was no more than a strange man. Now, however, he noticed that he couldn¡¯t have been more wrong. The hooded cloak was of no material he¡¯d ever seen. It had a faint sheen shining off of it and wasn¡¯t of any type of fabric he¡¯d ever seen. It flowed with the figure almost as if it were a part of it.


    Seth watched as the figure stopped, turning its head from the living room where Seth had been to the hallway where Seth now was. Its face was narrow and porcelain white, resembling a doll more than an actual person. The eyes and mouth looked as if they were painted on, as did the nose. Under the hood there was no visible hair but there was thing that stood out more than anything else. There were no ears, nor holes where ears might have been. Instead the head was smooth along the sides adding more to the dollish look and looking like something straight out of a nightmare.


    Once the figure saw Seth it turned its whole body to face him. Time seemed to stop when, for a few heartbeats, nothing happened. Then it moved. The cloak flew out to either side and from underneath it the creature unfolded. The face had been for sure and now was at the center of this monstrosity, while the cloak was a part of its body and folded back as the monster continued to grow. In only a few more heartbeats where had once stood a person was now a monstrous creature, lanky with long multiple jointed arms that ended clawed hands. In the center opposite of where the ¡®face¡¯ had been was unmasked a fang filled mouth that opened wide as Seth stared. There was little time to stare as the creature took a swipe at him with a clawed hand. Seth reflexively raised his hands to block the blow, knowing the entire time that whatever this thing was would tear his hands to shreds along with the rest of him.


    The expected blow didn¡¯t come and instead a loud screeching filling the air. Seth opened his fingers to look beyond them and stared in surprise as he saw Midnight fighting the creature. Blood oozed from the things arm where Midnight had bitten it and Seth only then realized it was this creature that had let out the screech. Despite its bleeding the creature stopped only a brief moment before it went after Midnight instead of Seth. The dog was nimble however and was able to avoid the attacks but it was obvious Midnight was now on the defensive. It didn¡¯t last long as the creature finally got in a backhanded attack that sent the dog flying sideways into the living room with more force than should¡¯ve been possible. A moment of pained shock went through Seth and it was that which finally unfroze his body.


    With the dog out of the way the creature already had its fanged gaze back on him and had started his way. Seth didn¡¯t even have time to stand as he had to crawl backwards when the creature swiped at him again. He backed into the hall, then quickly kept backing up as the creature followed him and went into the first open door he found. The bathroom. Likely the worst place he could¡¯ve ended up as there were no windows or other doors. As he backed in he looked around quickly for something, anything to defend himself with. All he could see was a toilet plunger. Seth thought about how stupid that would be when the creature turned into the bathroom and lunged at him with its wicked teeth. Rational thought gave way to reaction and he grabbed the plunger, shoving it into the open maw of the creature.


    The creature stopped for a moment as its jaws could not close with the business end of the plunger stuck in it. It became enraged, trying to fit its thin arms through the bathroom door but, because of their length and the small size of the doorway it wasn¡¯t able to slip them inside. Seth¡¯s eyes widened as he saw the outside skin of the creature start to come back forward again and without knowing why, he simply knew that whatever the creature had planned would kill him. He backed into the bathroom as far as he could, then turned his head to the side as the creepy cloak skin touched, expecting the worst.


    Instead of the expected attack Seth heard another pained shriek, louder and more shrill then when Midnight had bitten the creature. He looked back quickly just in time to see a sword sticking through the monstrous fanged face. As he watched a small red hole appeared in the stab wound around the sword without explanation. As suddenly as it appeared the creature was pulled into the small hole by some invisible force, making the thing appear as if it had turned to liquid as it was absorbed and then disappeared without a trace. Seth could only stare in stunned silence, unable to move or even say anything. Derrick held the other end of the sword and withdrew it only after the thing was gone.


    ¡°Come on, we have to leave before more show up,¡± Derrick seemed unphased by what had just happened as he extended a hand to Seth to help him up.


    ¡°More?¡± Seth said, his voice breaking slightly when he at last found it. ¡°What was that thing? Are there really more?¡± He asked, staring at his friend the entire time, trying to put everything together.


    ¡°Yes, there¡¯s more. A lot more. I¡¯ll explain it all later but right now we have to go.¡± When Seth remained unmoving Derrick reached forward and grabbed Seth by the arm with a grip that was strong and firm, nothing like he¡¯d ever felt from his friend before. Derrick pulled Seth to his feet and gave him a look over as if to confirm that he was okay. ¡°Are you hurt?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Seth said as he unconsciously dusted himself off. Dust from the door exploding. He looked past Derrick. ¡°Midnight.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s fine, he¡¯s waiting for us outside. Come on, we don¡¯t have time to dawdle right now, we have to go.¡± Derrick shoved Seth out of the bathroom door and towards the living room. ¡°Wait here.¡± He said as he went back down the hallway.


    While he waited he had time to look around at the damage, and there was a lot of it. ¡°Holy shit.¡± Seth said under his breath. The door had exploded with enough force to create flying wooden shrapnel that had embedded itself into every piece of furniture, the wall, and even through the glass of his pictures and into the wall behind. He walked over some chunks of the door on the ground as he looked around, trying to comprehend what had happened as his heart beat rapidly in his chest.


    ¡°Come on.¡± A voice said behind Seth just about causing him to jump out of his skin. He recognized the voice immediately and turned quickly to see Derrick holding onto another sword as well as Seth¡¯s bow case and quiver of arrows. It was like seeing some strange type of Robin Hood. The thought made Seth smile slightly. Was he going insane? After what just happened he¡¯s laughing about how his friend looks? ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡±


    ¡°Nothing,¡± Seth responded, though he was still smiling. ¡°Well, you look like some kind of medieval soldier or something.¡± He admitted.


    Derrick gave him a strange look, likely wondering as well if Seth was going insane or had perhaps bumped his head too hard. But after a moment he did allow himself to offer a snort of humor, shaking his head slightly, ¡°I can see that I suppose, if you¡¯re not used to it. But come on we have to get moving.¡± With those words he held out the bow case and quiver to Seth. ¡°Here, hold on to these. And this.¡± As Seth slung both across his back Derrick held out the other sword. Seth recognized it as one that Derrick had bought him and had been hanging on the wall with the others. Everything just added to the weirdness of whatever was going on and Seth found himself just doing as instructed. He took the sheathed sword in hand and looked at it a moment before glancing to the wall rack. One sword was indeed missing though the others were still there.


    Once Derrick handed over the sword he turned and went out the destroyed front door, pushing a piece of wood aside that was still barely attached to the frame by a barely holding hinge. Seth followed him out and was met with another surprise. Midnight, his dog, was no longer the large dog sized creature he knew. It had somehow grown to roughly the size of a large horse and when it felt Seth¡¯s eyes on him it turned its head from watching the outside to look at him. Golden eyes stared into his brown ones and he stopped for a moment, uncertain. But a calming feeling came over him from one moment to the next and he instantly knew he wouldn¡¯t come to harm by the giant dogs paws.


    Derrick had continued on despite the size of Midnight and only stopped after he¡¯d gone halfway down the steps. ¡°Come on, what are you waiting for?¡± He sounded exasperated, as if he was babysitting a child that wouldn¡¯t listen. ¡°You too Midnight, we don¡¯t have all day.¡± Midnight turned his eyes to Derrick and started following the man. As the dog walked smoke seemed to surround him in an instant before the breeze took it away and left a normal sized dog in its place.


    Seth watched, stunned. I¡¯m going crazy, he thought, this is all some dream or I¡¯m just insane. All of this was too much. It was unreal. There was no way any of it could be real. He rubbed his eyes with his palms and blinked a few times to look again. They were still there, both now looking at him and waiting, Derrick looking as anxious as he had been and also a little angry. Well if this was a dream it¡¯d be interesting to see it through to the end. Or till he woke up. He went down the stairs to meet the pair and together they walked down the sidewalk leading to the main road.


    ¡°I have a car,¡± Derrick said as his eyes jumped around in a watchful manner, ¡°We¡¯ll take it and get out of here to the nearest Haven.¡±


    A strange way to use the word haven, Seth thought but all he did was nod in response.


    They didn¡¯t make more than a few yards from his driveway before Midnight and Derrick both stopped. The dog creature growled and Derrick was on edge. Seth stopped after another step and turned to look at them both. His mouth opened to ask them why they stopped when he saw movement beyond the pair. His eyes opened wide and he froze. There were three of the creatures that had destroyed his door heading towards them from the tree line past his house. When Seth turned around he saw another two coming from the other direction. They were boxed in with the creatures coming from either side, a row of houses on one and more forest across the street.


    Midnight grew to his large size just as quickly as he¡¯d shrunk down, trails of what looked like dark smoke forming into the large form before he was simply there. Derrick had drawn his sword, keeping his sheath in the other hand. ¡°Midnight, take him into the forest, get him to safety. Go to the Haven.¡± The dog creature didn¡¯t hesitate as it crouched down in front of Seth.


    It took Seth a moment to realize what was going on, but then he realized what was happening and he climbed onto the giant dogs back. ¡°Wait, what are you going to do?¡± Seth asked as Midnight stood again, leaving Derrick below.


    ¡°I¡¯ll hold them off while you get to safety,¡± Derrick said while positioning himself between the three approaching creatures and Seth. ¡°It¡¯s my duty to protect you. His too.¡± Derrick was so serious and solemn that it sent a shiver through Seth as Derrick nodded to indicate the dog as well. ¡°They will explain it to you when you get there. Go.¡±


    ¡°Wai-¡± Seth started to say but he had no chance as Midnight took off with an easy yet quick stride. All Seth had time to do was grab a handful of fur to keep from falling as he tried to keep his balance while holding the sword in his other hand. Despite the pace, which seemed no more than a fast walk to the large creature, they covered the distance to the tree line quickly and before he knew it they were into the forest and moving faster than Seth would have thought possible for such a large creature. By the time he looked back the trees already blocked the view of the street.


    It didn¡¯t make any sense to Seth, none of it. What was going on? Why was Derrick protecting him? How did he know what those creatures were? How did he know what Midnight was? If this was a dream why weren¡¯t they both getting away? Seth could tell that it wasn¡¯t truly a dream but instead an odd reality. But it still didn¡¯t make any sense. None of this could be true. There weren¡¯t monsters and giant dogs and more monsters. Those were all only stories. Right?


    No, this was no story Seth knew. He¡¯d known from the moment the attack happened but he¡¯d tried not to believe it. And now he¡¯d left his friend, his brother, back there to die protecting him. ¡°Turn around.¡± His tone was harsh and Midnight slowed down, though he didn¡¯t stop or turn around. ¡°I¡¯m not going to leave him to fight those things by himself. Either turn around or I¡¯ll go back myself.¡±


    ***


    They had gone farther than Seth thought they¡¯d gone. While he¡¯d been in his own thoughts and filled with fear he hadn¡¯t notice how fast Midnight was moving. Now as they neared the tree line it hit him that they¡¯d likely been away for almost five minutes. In reality it wasn¡¯t that long but when it was a life or death situation, everything seemed longer.


    He wasn¡¯t sure how he¡¯d convinced Midnight to turn around, or even how he¡¯d had the courage to speak so harshly to such a large creature. He wasn¡¯t sure of a lot of things. The whole world was a mass of confusion at this point. But he was focused on the most important thing and that was helping his friend. Everything else could wait. Midnight stopped just short of exiting the trees keeping them both hidden behind foliage. The street beyond was silent with no sign of the creatures or Derrick. Worry and guilt swept over Seth in waves. It was his fault, he¡¯d left Derrick behind, and now he was dead. Midnight, however, didn¡¯t seem to see what Seth saw, as he focused on the house, knowing what was inside. Seth followed the dog¡¯s gaze, holding his breath as he waited in the silence. A silence that was broken by the sound of glass shattering. Seth exhaled a sigh of relief as he saw Derrick jump through the window. A weird time to be relieved, but he was just happy the other man was alive.


    Derrick was not alone however. From out of the house came four of the creatures. Some came out the front door, others through the window Derrick had broken. Seth started to climb off of Midnight to go join his friend but the giant dog looked back at him, giving him a golden-eyed glare. Its eyes moved from Seth to a thick tree branch just above. Seth knew what Midnight wanted him to do then, and without hesitating he grabbed the branch and pulled himself up. It wasn¡¯t until he was up that he wondered how he was able to read the strange dog so easily, and why did the animal seem to be so intelligent? Just more mysteries to be solved later.


    Seth pulled the bow case off his back and opened the top, pulling out the bow and stringing it with practiced ease despite his precarious position. He opened the quiver case then and leaned it against the trunk of the tree before reaching down to pull out the first arrow and nock it. Sure, between them Derrick was a better swordsman, and from what Seth was seeing he was even better than he ever let on, but Seth had him beat by leaps and bounds when it came to archery. It was as easy to Seth as breathing, and he was beginning to suspect that it wasn¡¯t just by chance.


    When Seth was ready he looked out at the street in front of him. The spot he was in was covered with foliage so he¡¯d be hard to see, but it gave him a perfect view. Derrick was still fighting four of the monsters with an enviable skill and agility. Seth could tell that Derrick was bleeding, but it didn¡¯t seem to slow him down any. Derrick had managed to kill one of the creatures already, or whatever it was that he¡¯d done when he stabbed the first one and it had disappeared. That thought caused him to idly wonder if his arrows would even work against the creatures.


    There was only one way to test it and it appeared now was the time as Derrick had been surrounded and was barely keeping the creatures at bay. As Seth raised his bow and drew back the string Midnight burst from the trees and charged the creatures. The giant dog let out a howl as he ran taking the monsters by surprise and crashing headlong into one, knocking it aside, and then picking up another in his mouth and shaking his head violently which caused an audible bone snapping sound. Seth had picked another of the creatures before he released the arrow, which sailed through a patch in the leaves and sunk into the things open and menacing maw. A small red hole appeared around the wound much as it had around Derricks sword when he¡¯d stabbed the demon attacking Seth. The creature was drawn into the sphere and disappeared. As it did the arrow that had been stuck in its fanged mouth clattered to the ground, the head black and charred.


    By the time Seth had another arrow nocked the other three creatures were gone. The one that Midnight had been chewing on had started bleeding and eventually stopped moving from Midnights thrashing. As the giant dog dropped it to the ground another hole opened around it and it too disappeared. Derrick had seen to the other two using the distraction of Midnight to slay the first before it knew what hit it. The last he took down after Midnight had run it over. The fight was over within moments and Seth lowered his bow. He exhaled slowly, having been holding his breath without realizing it.


    Seth was shaking as he unstrung the bow and put everything away, strapping the cases across his back before carefully lowering himself under the branch as far as he could, hanging by his fingertips, before dropping the last few feet. He landed heavily and started to trip over his feet but managed to catch himself against the tree trunk. He almost made a fool of himself stumbling into the street. A few moments passed while he regained his composure and then, straightening, he went out of the trees into the street.


    Midnight was back to his smaller size, the creature''s blood no longer dripping from his jaws. Derrick was back up by the door to the house, crouched and looking at something. When he saw Seth coming towards him Derrick stood and grinned at him as he usually did when he tried to play off a problem as no big deal. And indeed Derrick was acting like nothing out of the ordinary had happened. ¡°Hey. So, uh, thanks for coming back. It got a little tight there for a second.¡±


    ¡°What the hell is going on?¡± Seth wasn¡¯t in a mood to play around, not after everything that happened. He still didn¡¯t know what any of it was.


    ¡°Well, we were attacked-¡°


    ¡°No, really? I must¡¯ve missed that part.¡± Seth said it flatly, with no humor in his voice. ¡°What were those things? What happened to them? What is Midnight?¡± And the last were the most important, ¡°What are you? And if you knew about this why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡±


    ¡°Look, I know it all seems a little weird right now but trust me I¡¯ll explain everything to you. But first we should get going. Their Chaotic already knows we¡¯ve sent those demons back and there¡¯s going to be more of them, or maybe worse, coming soon. I¡¯ll tell you everything when we get on the road.¡±


    **

 Chapter 2: An Unexpected Surprise

    The trip to the car was uneventful. They found the old Honda stored in the auto shop, a secret Derrick had kept for such a time. As soon as the doors opened, Midnight had jumped into the back as if he knew what was going on and they soon were on the road and heading out of the small town they¡¯d briefly called home. Derrick drove the car, the man silent as the sun set and twilight crept into existence. Seth was equally quiet, looking out the window as they drove and half expecting a giant to show up and stomp on them, or a witch to come by and turn them into frogs, or any other random shit to pop out of the forest and do something unexpected.


    Midnight stuck his head in between the front seats and, out of habit, Seth scratched him behind the ears without sparing the dog¡­or whatever it was¡­a glance. As the sky darkened the forest only became more eerie. After all, night was the time monsters tended to show themselves in stories. Luckily, Derrick drove at a good pace and it was hard to make out the details in shadows between the trees, though at times he thought he saw eyes looking back at him, glowing in the darkness. Monsters. Or it could just as easily be a trick of his mind and the last bits of light that filtered through the leaves.


    ¡°So¡­¡± Derrick finally broke the silence after they¡¯d been driving about thirty minutes, ¡°Do you want to start with questions, or¡­?¡± He left the last a question itself as he glanced at Seth. The silence was finally getting to him.


    ¡°I want you to tell me what the hell happened back there, and how you know so much about it.¡± Seth¡¯s gaze turned to study his friend, his friend who he thought he¡¯d known everything about. His brother in all regards except by blood. It was amazing how little it took to shatter his view and ideas of the man he¡¯d known for so long. And also his views of the world in general.


    ¡°Those creatures back there were demons. They were summoned by a Chaotic, and a very powerful one if I had to guess by the number there were and the extra spells that were on them.¡± Derrick seemed uneasy as he spoke, Seth noticed. Whatever those things had been, it had really spooked the other man. That was a bad sign that whatever these ¡®demons¡¯ were would be bad news. ¡°There are only a few known Chaotics that could do that.¡± Derrick paused and swallowed audibly. ¡°The weird part is, I think they were looking for you.¡±


    ¡°For me? Why would they would be looking for me?¡± The words caused fear shoot through Seth like it was a physical chill, and his voice to momentarily go up an octave. Yet, despite his fear, he¡¯d known those creatures were after him. It was obvious. But it was scary as hell to actually hear it.


    ¡°I¡¯m not really sure. They¡¯ve never come after a half breed before that I know of.¡±


    ¡°Half breed?¡± Seth asked a bit exasperatedly, no longer surprised by anything he heard after what had happened and the day thus far. ¡°What do you mean by half breed?¡± Derrick was silent and looked thoughtful yet unsure of his response. Seth was tired of the secrets. ¡°Derrick.¡± His voice was stern, bordering angry as he stared down his friend.


    Derrick finally answered though his voice was soft and strained as if he really didn¡¯t want to be talking about it, his eyes shifting back and forth like he was checking if someone was listening. ¡°You¡¯re half Human and half Earth Mender, or Earthen, as they tend to be called.¡±


    Seth would have driven Derrick straight to a mental facility. Now, though, well he thought he might need to go to a facility instead. ¡°What the hell is an Earthen?¡± It was very hard to keep the annoyance from his voice as he spoke now. He also recalled the word that he had spoken to midnight earlier and, since he was asking questions, ¡°What¡¯s a Haven?¡±


    A heavy sigh escaped from Derrick and Seth stared at him as more silence settled into place. Seth could tell his friend was thinking, and while he wanted no more then to wring the truth out of him. he knew it would be better if he waited for Derrick to freely offer the information. ¡°Look,¡± Derrick finally started, then paused a moment and Seth quirked an eyebrow at him. ¡°I know you have a lot of questions, I understand that, but I can¡¯t really answer them all right now. If you just wait a couple of hours we¡¯ll at the Haven and your mother can explain it all.¡±


    Dead silence. Seth felt the world begin to spin around him. ¡°My mother¡­Is alive?¡± His voice was halting and soft as shock washed over him like a bucket of ice water. Seth saw Derrick stiffen and that was enough of a response for him. ¡°Pull over,¡± he spoke in a voice barely above a whisper. Derrick only seemed hesitant but wasn¡¯t even slowing down so Seth reached down in between them and pulled the hand break up with all of his strength. A cry of surprise came from Derrick as the car squealed and swerved to an eventual stop with Derrick gripping the steering wheel tightly. Seth didn¡¯t wait for the other man to say anything as he flung open the door and stepped out of the car before it stopped completely, trying to keep his hands from shaking as they balled into fists.


    They were in the middle of the forest on a two-lane road that was rarely used. It was an old road covered in potholes where the asphalt had long since disintegrate. There were no other vehicles in sight and chances were there wouldn¡¯t be one for a time if at all. The twilight had faded away but a mostly full moon shone bright on the road, illuminating everything in a ghostly pale light.


    After Seth got out he slammed the car door shut and started pacing next to the car, hands balled into fists as conflicting emotions ran through him like free-flowing water. His mother was alive? His entire life he¡¯d thought he was an orphan but his mother was actually alive? And even worse Derrick had known about it this entire time and said nothing? Confusion and anger, even a tinge of hate and a boatload of mistrust. Then sadness and rage. His emotions were in turmoil and he was barely keeping it suppressed. Midnight was sitting a few feet away, watching him. Seth hadn¡¯t even seen him get out of the car.


    ¡°Seth,¡± Derrick called over the car, having exited once it stopped. ¡°C¡¯mon man get back in. We have to keep moving so they don¡¯t find us.¡± When Seth didn¡¯t get back in or even acknowledge him Derrick came around the car and reached out to grab Seth¡¯s shoulder. Seth didn¡¯t give him the opportunity as he whirled towards him and punched Derrick straight in the nose. Derrick staggered back in surprise, reaching up to his nose and pulling it away when he felt the wetness, eyes widening in surprise when he saw the blood on his fingers.


    ¡°You knew.¡± Seth seethed, the words coming through clenched teeth. ¡°This whole time you knew that my mother was alive and you didn¡¯t tell me.¡± Seth¡¯s hands were clenching and unclenching as he spoke, the next words coming out in an angry shout. ¡°How long have you known, huh? How long have you been ¡®protecting¡¯ me without me even knowing about it? How long have you been lying to me?¡±


    Derrick was shocked. Seth had never acted this way before and Derrick didn¡¯t seem to know how to respond. Seth had never been violent or even angry. Seth was usually the calm one.. ¡°Look it¡¯s not what you think,¡± Derrick pinched the bridge of his nose and squinted his eyes at the obvious pain, trying to stop the bleeding. It didn¡¯t help much as drops of blood splashed silently on asphalt. ¡°I was born a Guardian, just as you were born a half breed. Neither of us had a choice.¡±


    ¡°How are you born into protecting someone?¡± Seth snapped, a fire in his eyes unlike anything ever before. There was a passion within him that had never had a reason to be released until now.


    ¡°When we were born,¡± Derricks voice was nasily since he continued to pinch the bridge of his nose, head tilting back. But at least he was still talking. ¡°We were Linked together. Didn¡¯t you ever wonder why we always knew if the other was in trouble or hurt? That¡¯s part of the Link. That¡¯s how I was made to protect you.¡±


    ¡°So what, this whole time, our whole lives the only reason you¡¯ve been my friend is because you were forced to protect me?¡± Seth kicked at a clod of dirt, sending it flying into a nearby tree and turning away as it burst into smaller pieces.


    ¡°Look, I¡¯m sorry that I lied to you but I didn¡¯t have a choice. I can¡¯t explain it right now, it¡¯d take too long to go into all the details and we need to keep moving. I promise I¡¯ll answer all your questions. And,¡± Derrick released the hold on his nose, the blood having slowed its dripping, ¡°Your mom will answer the questions that I can¡¯t.¡±


    The anger ebbed from Seth as he forced himself to calm down, closing his eyes and taking a few deep breaths. ¡°We¡¯re going to see her now?¡± When he spoke his voice was calmer, if still a bit strained.


    ¡°Yes, she lives at the closest Haven. She¡¯s always lived as close as she could since you were born no matter where you lived.¡±


    Seth processed this information in silence. He was still angry though not as much as before. And even as he thought about it he realized how fast he¡¯d come to anger, something that he was not prone to do. There were still so many questions left unanswered but he believed Derrick that he would get all of those answers. Eventually. The last of the anger faded away and Seth looked up at Derrick before letting out a soft sigh. ¡°Are there any rags or towels in the trunk?¡± He was no longer shouting and in fact sounded as calm as always. He didn¡¯t wait for an answer as he walked past Derrick to pop the trunk and look inside. Eyebrows shot up as he looked inside the trunk and saw the metal of a number of swords, daggers, and even an axe glint in the moonlight. A slow exhale escaped as he realized it shouldn¡¯t be that shocking, not if Derrick was telling the truth. After a moment of careful digging he found a first aid kit.


    Seth returned to Derrick and made him sit on the edge of the car as he pulled out some gauze, wadding it up and pushing it against the bottom of Derrick¡¯s nose to help stop the bleeding. ¡°Tilt your head back. Hold this.¡± He saw Derrick wincing it pain but he didn¡¯t care at the moment. Bunching another bit of gauze up, Seth dripped saline from the first aid kit onto it, using it to wipe the rest of the blood from Derricks face. Once he was mostly cleaned up Seth said, ¡°Get in, I¡¯ll drive.¡±


    Seth drove in silence for a few minutes, driving slowly to avoid any of the larger potholes on the road. ¡°For someone who¡¯s supposed to protect me you don¡¯t react very fast.¡±


    ¡°I never expected my best friend to sucker punch me.¡± Derricks voice came out high pitched since he was still babying his nose.


    ¡°I¡¯d do it again. Maybe you should be happy that¡¯s all I did.¡±


    ¡°When did you become so evil?¡±


    ¡°When I found out my best friend has been lying to me my entire life. Why don¡¯t you pick up where you left off and I¡¯ll try not to break anything else.¡±


    Derrick lowered the bloody gauze from his nose, the bleeding finally having stopped. He wiped the last remnants of dried blood before dropping the gauze to the floor of the car. ¡°Where was I...my brain is still a little rattled-¡­¡± Derricks attempt at humor fell on deaf ears and his grin faded as he saw the hard glare from Seth. ¡°Okay, sorry. Uh, let me see, that¡¯s right. I¡¯m your Guardian, I was born to protect you and I have since we were kids. Midnight was born to protect you too. Though as you may have noticed he¡¯s not a normal wolf.¡±


    ¡°Wolf?¡± Seth glanced into the back seat to see the dog¡­no, the wolf. It made sense now with the elongated snout and the gold eyes. Why hadn¡¯t he seen it before? Midnights tongue lolled out and he could almost see it as the wolf smiling. ¡°No I guess he¡¯s not.¡± He ran over a pot hole that jarred the whole car and he turned to pay attention to the road again.


    Derrick wisely didn¡¯t comment on the driving, instead continuing, ¡°I can only tell you what I know. He¡¯s a Spirit Animal. Your Spirit Animal. I don¡¯t know much about them really. All I know is that I¡¯ve never seen anyone else with a wolf before.¡± Midnights head popped between the chairs as it had before, the wolf staring at Seth. ¡°They¡¯re as intelligent as humans though, or rather their as intelligent as their Earthen.¡± Derrick reached up to scratch Midnight behind the ears, the wolf¡¯s eyes half-closing in bliss.


    ¡°So he¡¯s a smart wolf. I guess that explains some things. I¡¯m glad I never said anything bad about him.¡±Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    ¡°He wouldn¡¯t hurt you anyways, though you could have made him upset.¡± Seth contemplated what he¡¯d heard so far. He was just about to ask Derrick to continue when his friend started again on his own. ¡°As for us, we were born around the same time. That¡¯s why our birthdays are so close. You weren¡¯t supposed to have a Guardian since you weren¡¯t full blooded, but you were a special case.


    ¡°There¡¯s a ceremony held every month to see if any Guardian children link with an Earthen. From what I¡¯ve gathered half-breeds can¡¯t Link. But you and I did. Not only was it quick, but it went from the Ceremonial Grounds all the way to your mom¡¯s home. It¡¯s the furthest anyone has linked, according to my trainer.¡± Derrick paused a moment before continuing, ¡°There was a Guardian trainer in town. We trained any time you and I weren¡¯t together and that¡¯s how I became skilled with weapons. I had to down play my knowledge to fit in.¡±


    Seth was silent as he absorbed what Derrick had said. It was a lot of information. A lot of very weird and unreal information. The world he¡¯d known was only the surface, it seemed. The peace in his life, his normal life, had been disrupted with a vengeance. ¡°How long have you known?¡±


    ¡°Since I was eight. That¡¯s when I started training.¡±


    ¡°Fifteen years?¡± That was a long time to live a secret life. Seth had no clue how Derrick had managed it. Of course, looking back now he could remember times when something was off, an odd word spoken or a weird action taken. It made more sense now. But there was still too much he didn¡¯t know. The rest of his questions he would ask once he saw his mother. A mother he¡¯d thought long dead.


    ***


    They had been driving for over an hour before Derrick had Seth pull down a small side road that ended abruptly after only a few hundred feet. ¡°We have to walk from here.¡± Derrick instructed. They took their weapons with them, Derrick gave Seth a sword belt to so he could wear his katana. From the trunk they each took a small dagger though Seth was unsure if he¡¯d want to get close enough to those demons to use it. Then again better to have it and not need it. Derrick pulled a long heavy looking sword from further in the trunk and Seth quirked an eyebrow curiously. ¡°Great sword,¡± Derrick said simply as he drew a set of buckles over his torso before putting the great sword in the large leather sheath on his back. It would¡¯ve been impossible to carry it at his belt.


    Once they were done Derrick closed the trunk and they followed Midnight into the woods. The wolf seemed to know where he was going and Seth followed quietly with Derrick bringing up the rear. Moonlight shone through the trees in patches providing some light, though not enough to move at more than a walk. There was no path, not even a game trail that they could follow, and so there was no choice but to trust Midnights sense of direction. Slowly they went, picking their way over branches, dead trees, and crunching on twigs and leaves.


    As they traveled, a throbbing headache began behind Seth¡¯s eyes and he reached up to rub his forehead. ¡°How far is this Haven you¡¯ve been talking about?¡± He was tired and still moderately confused, two good reasons why his head was likely hurting. As upset as he still was at Derrick, talking might help ease some tension from his head.


    ¡°About five miles or so.¡± Derrick was looking around as he spoke watching the shadows carefully, something that made Seth more worried instead of less. ¡°I expect we¡¯ll be greeted before then though.¡±


    ¡°Greeted?¡± Seth asked in a somewhat suspicious tone as he narrowed his eyes at Derrick, ¡°By who or what?¡±


    ¡°UnLinked Guardians, Uni¡¯s.¡± Seth must¡¯ve looked even more confused than before, or maybe Derrick just felt bad because he explained, ¡°Uni¡¯s either never Linked when they were young or their Earthen died. There has always been more Guardians than Earthen. Someone once said the planet had done that on purpose though no one has ever really told me why. They guard the area surrounding the Haven to ensure that no demons or Chaotics try and come in.¡±


    ¡°What about regular people?¡± Seth paused briefly before amending, ¡°Humans. What if they find it?¡±


    ¡°Well if a regular human comes too close they usually kill them or take them prisoner and use them as slaves for the rest of their lives.¡±


    Seth looked shocked and tripped over a large root sticking out of the ground. Luckily he managed to keep his footing. ¡°What? Are you serious?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Derrick laughed and Seth felt stupid having fallen for such a stupid joke, mentally restraining himself before he punched Derrick again. ¡°The Haven is protected against being found by Humans. You have to know how to get in and be an Earthen or Guardian. Otherwise if you walk through the area it takes you from one side to the other. People never even know.¡±


    ¡°That wasn¡¯t funny. I¡¯ve never met these people so I don¡¯t know what they may or may not do. You should be nicer before I break your jaw instead of your nose.¡± In retrospect the joke had been a good one, but Seth wasn¡¯t in the mood to be joked with at the moment. Not when he was still trying to get a bearing on everything that was going on. It also didn¡¯t help that his headache was getting worse despite trying to distract himself.


    ¡°Whoa, calm down,¡± Derricks hands came up in a peaceful gesture. ¡°It was a joke, alright? You need to relax.¡±


    Derrick was still grinning and Seth felt his anger start to rise again. ¡°Whatever.¡± He muttered as he picked up his pace leaving Derrick to catch up. Midnight continued to lead, always standing in a stream of moonlight ahead so they knew where to go. When he moved out of the moonlight into the shadows he disappeared and it made Seth feel like he was following a ghost. The wolf was very well named.


    After picking their way through the dark forest for almost an hour Midnight stopped, then sat down with his tail wagging slowly in long elegant movements. Seth caught up to the wolf for the first time since they¡¯d entered the forest. ¡°What is it?¡± He asked the wolf, following Midnights gaze as it looked up into the trees. There was an owl staring back at them from a low branch.


    ¡°That¡¯s odd.¡± Derricks voice was confused and when Seth glanced at him he saw his friends face wore a matching expression. ¡°It¡¯s an Earthens owl. Why would they be patrolling?¡± Despite the situation Seth took a bit of sick joy from Derricks confusion, thinking that after all that had happened today it was time for someone else to be confused. They didn¡¯t have long to wait as a person in black clothing appeared from the darkness of the shadows. Seth was immediately unsettled at how the man had approached so silently and his hand reached for the sword at his side automatically, as if he always went straight for weapon. Then again how often did people appear in front of you out of the dark in the woods? At least if they weren¡¯t some kind of serial killer. Before Seth could even begin to draw his sword a twig snapped directly behind him causing him to stiffen and pause. He knew without looking that someone else was behind him, likely with a weapon at the ready. Tension filled the air and Seth wondered which one of them would be skewering him. He fought monsters earlier and now would be killed by people. How fitting.


    Derrick had no such tension as his confusion gave way to relief when he saw the man. ¡°Carter!¡± He smiled widely and stepped forward to shake hands with the man in front of them. ¡°It¡¯s damn good to see you my friend.¡± Seth felt himself relax at Derrick¡¯s words, at least partially. There was still enough uncertainty about the whole situation that he would never be fully relaxed but it was a small step.


    ¡°Haven¡¯t seen you in a while.¡± The shadow man said when he returned the hand shake. ¡°What brings you up here so late? Is everything alright?¡± Dark eyes moved past Derrick to Seth and he felt himself tensing back up at the deathly stare. ¡°Who¡¯s your friend?¡±


    ¡°Ah yes. Carter this is Seth, Seth meet Carter.¡±


    ¡°The half-breed?¡± Carter raised an eyebrow curiously as he gave Seth a careful look over.


    ¡°Yes. And my Linked Earthen.¡± Derricks tone only changed by the slightest amount but it was enough for an unspoken threat if Carter said anything bad. That was something that Seth hadn¡¯t really expected from Derrick.


    Seth could sense more tension, this time between the two others, and so he quickly stepped forward extending his hand towards Carter. ¡°Nice to meet you Carter. Sorry to intrude but we were attacked and this is where Derrick said we had to go.¡±


    ¡°Attacked?¡± The tension left like it had never existed and instead Carter seemed curious as his gaze turned to Seth. They shook hands after only a brief moment before he asked. ¡°By who?¡±


    ¡°Demons.¡± Derrick interjected before Seth could respond, the Guardian giving Seth a glance to indicate silence for the moment. ¡°We came to report; and also so he could meet his mother.¡± There was a brief pause before Derrick spoke again quickly trying to pass the sensitive subject. ¡°What are you doing patrolling? I thought they had you in the think tank.¡±


    ¡°They did, until they were afraid I was getting too smart. At least, that¡¯s my opinion. Now I patrol like any other Uni. But enough of that.¡± Carter pointed to the owl overheard peering down at them idly as it occasionally sidestepped back and forth. ¡°Tess went on ahead to tell everyone you were coming so they¡¯d be ready for you. In fact, we should get moving.¡± He motioned for them to follow as he led the way. When he passed Midnight he glanced down at the wolf suspiciously but said nothing. The animal only wolf-grinned up at him before following. The mention of another person made Seth turn around only to realize no one was there. Had they left when he¡¯d been distracted talking with Carter or had he only been imagining a second person. Seth knelt down and searched the ground, finding the broken twig after a moment. It was placed so obviously that he knew someone had left it deliberately. They came with the snapping of a twig and then left silently. A shudder went down his spine as he stood and followed after the others, hearing only the last bit of what they¡¯d been talking about.


    ¡°-wondering what it could mean.¡± Carter was telling Derrick. His voice didn¡¯t carry far and Seth could barely hear from where he walked only a few feet back. It didn¡¯t help that the other two walked with near silent steps while just about every step of Seth¡¯s created a crack or crunching sound on the forest floor. ¡°Everyone has their own idea,¡± Carter continued as neither seemed to notice the elephant trampling behind them, ¡°But for now the Earth is in good shape and there hasn¡¯t been much Chaos to fight against so no one is complaining.¡± The discussion made Seth¡¯s head spin. He refrained from asking questions for the moment, saving them up for the upcoming meeting. It didn¡¯t help that his headache was bad and only getting worse with thinking.


    ***


    They were walking for a good half an hour with Derrick and Carter talking quietly as they went, too quietly now for Seth to hear more than every few words spoken. Seth followed behind, silently going over the day¡¯s events in his mind and thinking about what the next few hours would entail. Or unveil. A world he¡¯d never known, a mother he¡¯d thought long since dead, two keepers that have guarded him for years without his knowledge and one of those wasn¡¯t even human. Midnight walked next to Seth, tail wagging very much like a tame dog when Seth glanced at him. The wolf would occasionally raise its nose to sniff at the air as he walked, sampling the smells for danger Seth guessed.


    Seth looked back at his feet, picking his path as carefully as he could in the limited light in a horrible attempt at moving quieter. He was so focused on his feet that he didn¡¯t notice Carter had stopped until he almost ran into the man. He hadn¡¯t heard them stop. but then again he hadn¡¯t heard them while they were moving. Between the pounding headache and the noise he¡¯d been making it was no surprise he ran right up on the pair.


    They had stopped in the middle of the forest and as far as Seth could tell there was nothing but more forest beyond. There was nothing special within view, no people, no animals, and certainly no ¡®Haven¡¯. While Seth watched, Carter walked forward to where two trees stood a few feet apart, one of them bent oddly in a 45 degree angle at the top and the other leaning at a slight angle. As he watched, Carter reached into his pocket and pulled out a small stone, completely smooth and no larger than his big toe. Carter held the stone up to the angled tree and rested it against the rough bark and...nothing happened. Seth was starting to wonder if Carter was a little crazy like the rest of them when suddenly the bark around the stone began to glow a soft green. It was barely visible with the bright moonlight but it was there. Carter took a step back and tapped the second tree with the stone lightly. The air a foot past the trees started to shimmer as if Seth was looking at it when it was superheated. The shimmer dropped and so did Seth¡¯s jaw as a whole new world appeared before them.


    ¡°Welcome to the Haven.¡±


    Surprise was plain on Seth¡¯s face at what world had just opened up before them. Buildings and houses were made of a mixture of dirt, wood, moss and stone and each one was unique. In reality it looked like all the houses had simply come out of the ground as they were, giving them an entirely natural feeling. Leaves covered what would be doors and windows, providing a natural barrier between the occupants inside and those outside. The night was lit up along the walkways by some strange creature that Seth had never seen before. They appeared to be giant fireflies, though the glow they let off was a soft blue that lit the ground and surrounding area without being overbearing.


    The people beyond wore clothes that were either entirely made of green leaves crafted skillfully into clothing, or woven of wool or cotton. The colors did not vary much, all of them mainly containing dark and earthy greens, browns, and a few yellows. With the strange earthly garb the people looked like nature had sprung to life and begun walking. If Seth hadn¡¯t been so burnt out by the day¡¯s events he would¡¯ve laughed. They looked funny to him, these people in their clothing made of leaves. Either that or he was more tired than he thought. We¡¯ve been traveling all night, Seth thought, I wonder what time it is. Maybe I¡¯m just getting delirious from lack of sleep. He looked up at the sky but with all the trees it was hard to see anything that might give him an idea of time.


    Carter led them along towards some of the earthen looking houses. As they walked Seth¡¯s headache became more painful with every step, pounding like a drum against his skull. It caught him by surprise when one step brought a needle like pain that hurt so badly his vision became blurred. He managed to reach out and catch himself against a nearby house, a hand moving to his head quickly. Eyes closed, he willed the headache to go away but to no avail. Midnight let out a soft ¡®yip¡¯ to get the attention of the two Guardians, though even that slight sound drove a nail through Seth¡¯s temple.


    ¡°You okay Seth?¡± Derrick sounded worried as he stepped to Seth¡¯s side, reaching out a hand to lay on his shoulder gently.


    ¡°I¡¯m okay,¡± Seth lied and pushed himself away from the house with a smile of encouragement. ¡°I think I¡¯m just tired is all.¡± It was easy to say but when he took that very next step the pain spiked once more. Another step and he fell to his hands and knees, then to the ground completely. The last thing he heard was Derrick calling to him in a panicked voice. Then there was nothing but darkness.

 Chapter 3: A New World

    Seth stood on the edge of a cliff, fog covering everything outside his immediate vicinity in a murky grayness. He stretched his hand into the fog and it disappeared into the thick blanket for gray once it was fully extended. An unreal fog, being incredibly thick. Was he dreaming? Withdrawing his hand Seth turned slowly to look around, calling out after a few moments, ¡°Hello? Is anyone there?¡± Nothing greeted him but silence. His heart beat faster as he started walking slowly through the fog, searching, trying to find anyone or anything besides the denseness around him.


    A soft sound reached out to him and Seth turned in its direction and started walking. After a few steps there was another sound, closer, but in the opposite direction. He turned, started walking, then stopped once more. Again the sound was louder and to his left, but this time he could distinguish the sound. Screaming. Terrified, panicked screaming that was muffled thanks to the fog. Picking up his pace, Seth went towards the new sounds at a jog.


    From out of nowhere a shadow suddenly loomed ahead of him in the fog, appearing so quickly that Seth barely kept from tripping over his own feet as he stopped. ¡°Hello?¡± He asked again but there was no response. The screaming had stopped as soon as the shadow had appeared. It remained eerily still and goosebumps ran up and down Seth¡¯s arms. ¡°Are you okay? I heard screaming.¡± Rubbing his arms to ward off the sudden chill, Seth was trying to get the figure to say something, or perhaps even just acknowledge him. Instead of speaking the figure pointed skyward.


    As Seth looked up he saw the fog had parted up in a perfect circle to show the sky. Through the circle he saw something in the sky growing larger, something burning red. A meteor? It was getting bigger, growing closer until at last it split into a hundred shards, shards that didn¡¯t burn up in the atmosphere but instead seemed to be unnaturally protected. They shot out in different directions at different speeds as if they were being somehow guided. One piece came right down the center of the fog towards Seth. Eyes widening Seth watched the fragment close in on him as he let out a scream, a scream that was enveloped an overwhelmed by the sound of the meteor hitting.


    ***


    The scream carried from the dream into the waking world as Seth quickly sat up, his heart beating at an almost unrealistic rate while sweat beaded his brow. It had been a dream, only a dream. But it had seemed so real, so vivid. His hand went his forehead and he could feel the heat from the meteor slowly fading from him. It took a moment for Seth to piece together what had happened. The last he remembered was an agonizing pain followed by darkness, and then the dream. His hand dropped from his head as he looked around the room he was in. It was dark. He could barely make out the walls. It was then that he realized that he was inside one of the natural looking mound houses. How had he gotten here?


    Seth pushed the sweat soaked sheets aside and stood, walking slowly to the green leaf coverings on the window. They hung from the top of the window, leaves growing along some sort of vine. Seth reached up to pull the leaves aside a little so he could look out, but as his hand neared the leaves they started to part for him as if they were alive and aware. Seth jerked his hand back quickly in surprise at the strange movement and he stared at the leaves, breath suddenly coming quickly. What in the hell is going on? He thought to himself, watching as the leaves slowly moved back to their original positions. After his heart slowed down from its surprised state Seth stepped forward again tilting his head slightly and putting his hand forward slowly. As his hand neared the leaves they again moved away, of their own volition, from his hand. As if they were just opening for him. Seth tested it a few more times, each time with the same response, before he finally moved his hand in between the leaves so they opened enough for him to see out.


    It was daylight and streams of sunlight shone down through the trees, illuminating the Haven with a soft white light. The Haven looked a lot different with the sun providing light to see clearly by. Although, without the bugs to light the paths and mark the houses it became difficult to tell what was a building and what were natural trees or hills. There were people moving around the Haven, each intent on wherever it was they were going and completing whatever tasks they were doing. Seth watched in amazement through the window opening and instantly felt like a creeper of some sort, yet it was all so different and intriguing that he couldn¡¯t resist.


    ¡°Glad to see you¡¯re finally awake,¡± A low warm voice said behind him. Seth spun around and the leaves fell closed behind him. The presence of the leaves didn¡¯t block out all light but let in some green filtered stream which shifted across the room as the leaves moved. At first Seth couldn¡¯t see anything and he waited for his eyes to adjust, body tense and fists in front of him as he waited for someone to attack him. And then it struck him. Seth realized he wasn¡¯t wearing anything at all. No shirt, no pants, no underwear. It would¡¯ve been embarrassing if he wasn¡¯t so scared.


    ¡°Who is that? Who¡¯s there?¡± Seth asked in a voice that shook slightly despite his best efforts to show a strong front. Damn his voice for betraying him.


    ¡°Just me.¡± The voice responded just before a shadow detached from the bed he¡¯d been sleeping on. Seth watched in silence as the shadow moved slowly towards him. It was only waist high and seemed to be walking on four legs instead of two, but that didn¡¯t do anything to ease Seth¡¯s fear. Animals could be more vicious than humans. Clenched fists remained at the ready, though his punching left much to be desired. Moving purposefully the shadow stopped a short distance away, a trail of green light shining down on black fur and golden eyes. It was Midnight. The wolf stretched, yawned, and shook himself while Seth watched in stunned silence. Once the wolf was done he sat down and stared at Seth, head tilting slightly before opening his muzzle, giving a wolf grin, ¡°What, aren¡¯t you going to say anything?¡± The muzzle hadn¡¯t really moved and Seth wasn¡¯t sure if the voice came from the animal, but after a quick look around he realized that it couldn¡¯t have come from anywhere else.


    ¡°You can talk?¡± Seths tone was soft and he spoke slowly, almost as if he were talking to a child. Was he really talking to an animal? Maybe his dream hadn¡¯t ended when he¡¯d sat up.


    ¡°I¡¯ve always been able to talk. You just couldn¡¯t hear me.¡± Midnight replied and in Seth¡¯s opinion the voice and the way the wolf looked at him all indicated the wolf was having quite a fun time with this whole revelation.


    Seth was just about to reply again when he heard another voice, this one behind him and to the left. ¡°I thought I heard talking in here.¡± Seth turned again, at this point expecting to see some other wild creature had wandered in to talk to him. In that he was disappointed.


    Standing in one of the two doorways out of the room stood a man he didn¡¯t know, living vines draped over him as he only half entered the space. The man was younger then Seth by at least a few years and was a few inches taller. Dirty blonde hair was cut short and he had strong yet somehow soft facial features surrounding deep blue eyes. The way he moved as he stepped through the vines and over to the window was flowing and smooth with no movement wasted. Unlike the others Seth had seen so far, this man wore a lightweight cotton shirt and the same was true of his pants, both dyed in mottled browns like camouflage. His body beneath the clothing appeared thin yet Seth had a feeling there was a lot of strength there by his frame. Seth was smitten.


    Seth watched as the man walked to another window that didn¡¯t face the pathway before brushing leaves aside with a hand, hooking them in natural groves on either side to let in more light. Seth noticed the leaves didn¡¯t move for the stranger as they had for him. He actually needed to touch and hold them.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad to see you¡¯re awake, you gave us all quite a scare. Nobody knew when you were going to wake up.¡± With the light now shining in through the window the man turned to look at Seth, smiling warmly, those blue eyes looking him over briefly for signs of damage. Seth had been so distracted with the man¡¯s arrival that he¡¯d completely forgotten about his current clothing situation, or rather, the lack thereof. Blood rushed to his cheeks as Seth whipped a blanket off the bed to cover his lower region, though even with that Seth wasn¡¯t entirely comfortable with how he looked, especially not in the presence of this attractive specimen of a man. The stranger¡¯s smile widened and there was a twinkle in his eye as he said, ¡°Don¡¯t be shy. Who do you think got you into bed?¡±


    Seth hadn¡¯t really thought of that. He rather hoped it was Derrick. The coverings remained as he stared at the stranger. ¡±Who are you? And where am I? Where is Derrick?¡± He sounded like a frightened idiot and he knew it, but he had questions and needed answers. It¡¯s not like he had ever blacked out and wound up naked in someone¡¯s house before. Even on those rare drinking occasions.


    ¡°My name is Chase and you are a guest in my house. As for where my brother is,¡± he smirked when he said the word, apparently enjoying Seth¡¯s shocked look, ¡°I believe he went to visit our father.¡± After the explanation Chase went over to one wall which had many natural notches in it of varying sizes. In each was a variety of neatly folded clothing, most of it seeming to be either of mottled browns or dark greens. Camouflage colors. ¡°He was here until he was sure you were okay, then he left to take care of some business.¡±


    ¡°Your brother? His father?¡± So Derrick hadn¡¯t only been lying about Seths parents. He¡¯d lied about his own as well. And a brother? An attractive brother at that. Seth couldn¡¯t help but watch Chase as he moved, his eyes watching the smooth movements and¡­ wait, now was not the time to be guy watching.


    ¡°Yes, Derrick and I are brothers. Well, half brothers I suppose. I¡¯m three years younger and have a different mother but we have the same father. Derricks mother died giving birth to him.¡±


    So it hadn¡¯t all been a lie, Seth thought sadly. Some of it was still painfully and horribly true.


    ¡°My mother still lives with our father.¡± Chase finally found what he was looking for and pulled the clothing out. ¡°Here we go.¡± He turned and set the clothes on the bed, then headed back towards the¡­door?...he¡¯d come in through. ¡°Go ahead and get dressed. I¡¯ll make some breakfast.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­thanks.¡± Seth replied with a hint of uncertainty that faded as Chase smiled at him, causing his heart to beat faster. As Chase was about to let the vines at the door fall back into place Seth stopped him for one last question. ¡°Wait. Uh. How long have I been out?¡±


    ¡°Three days.¡± Came the reply as the vines drifted back together to give him some privacy.


    Three days, how could he have been asleep for three days? Seth quickly got dressed once Chase was gone, pulling a black linen shirt over his head and tugging similar black pants up to his waist. He fussed with the clasp for a moment before finally fitting it together with a grunt of effort. The outfit was a little big for him but beggars can¡¯t be choosers. That man was smaller around the middle than Seth and his small Buddha belly, but bigger in frame and height. He looked for his shoes for a moment but failed in finding them, so he went out barefoot through the vines.


    The vines moved aside for him without him having to touch them, just as the leaves had. Why hadn¡¯t they done the same thing for Chase? It was odd. Just another question to add to the hundreds he already had. The ground in the house was made up of stone that again seemed to have always been there as if nature had built the house while the Earth was forming. It was cold as Seth walked on it though not as cold as he would¡¯ve expected.


    ¡°There¡¯s some slippers by the door there.¡± Chase was facing away from Seth and the bedroom, cooking eggs over a fire stove. ¡°I hope you like scrambled eggs. I¡¯m afraid eggs are all I have at the moment since I haven¡¯t had time to hunt while I¡¯ve been watching over you.¡± The area he was in now was a mixture of dining room and kitchen. A small table with some stools, an area with some kind of wood-fire based stove and oven. Even an ice box, one that was kept cool with actual ice. The light that shone through the open windows helped to illuminate this area and how these dirt houses worked. It was all hard packed and smooth, certainly not something done by human hands. He wasn¡¯t even sure it could be moved by human hands.


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s great¡­thanks.¡± Seth rarely had to meet new people, and certainly not ones whose house he was in without knowing them. He wasn¡¯t the kind of person who went out to clubs or even bars and certainly didn¡¯t end up in peoples beds unexpectedly. His pants had slipped down ever so slightly and Seth had to tug them up, then keep a hand on them as he put on the slippers.


    ¡°Your old clothes had some tears in them so we sent them to be used as rags.¡± Chase continued talking as he cooked, so he wasn¡¯t facing Seth to see the surprise at those words. His clothes hadn¡¯t been that bad had they? ¡°Your shoes were dirty but I cleaned them up. They¡¯re by the front entrance.¡±


    Seth sat on a stool next to the table, staring at Chase. ¡°Oh, good. Thanks.¡± He was certainly thanking the other man a lot. ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t know that thanks is enough. I feel like I should owe you something more for all you¡¯ve done.¡±


    Chase waved a hand in a dismissing motion as he turned with a plate of eggs. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. I¡¯m just glad you¡¯re okay. I would always help my brothers Earthen, not to mention his best friend.¡± Chase set the plate in front of Seth along with a fork and a miniature block of something white. Salt? ¡°I never thought Derrick could worry about someone so much as he did with you. He wouldn¡¯t leave until they were certain you would be okay and that wasn¡¯t until late last night. He blames himself for it, but he didn¡¯t really know.¡±


    Seth was confused by whatever Chase meant and it showed plainly on his face. Did the man really expect him to know what the hell he was talking about? ¡°I have no idea what you just said.¡± He interjected before Chase could continue onwards. After that his mouth was busy inhaling the eggs as if he hadn¡¯t eaten in days. Which was true.


    Chase stopped talking for a moment as he thought over what he¡¯d said. ¡°Yeah, I guess you don¡¯t really know what I¡¯m talking about. You wouldn¡¯t, since they kept you unaware of all of this.¡± A wave of his hand incorporated the house and everything surrounding it. ¡°I apologize. This must be so foreign to you.¡± It was an understatement, but Seth was quiet while he inhaled his food. Chase watched him eat with a faint smile and Seth felt a little self-conscious. But in the end the sustenance was more important. ¡°I¡¯m glad someone enjoys my fancy cooking.¡±


    Seth actually blushed slightly as he finished the eggs in record time before pushing the now empty plate away. ¡°Thanks, that was great. Best eggs ever.¡± There was a moment of silence as Chase took the empty plate and washed it as well as his cooking utensils. Meanwhile, Seth tried to think of what he should do next. His old life was gone for now, unless he wanted to risk more of those demons finding him. It left a huge hole in his life where normal things had once filled him. Now that was gone. As Chase cleaned Seth realized what it was he needed to do first. He needed answers for his questions, and he needed to talk, to someone he never thought he¡¯d be able to. ¡°My mother¡­¡±


    ¡°Is in a meeting at the moment.¡± Chase finished for him before Seth could say anything further. ¡°She¡¯s an Elder on our council.¡± A pause before Chase added softly, ¡°Yet another thing you wouldn¡¯t know about.¡± Chase dried his hands slowly and seemed to be lost in thought. Seth said nothing as he waited to see what else the man might offer. ¡°How about we start your introduction to our world with a tour of the Haven, hmm?¡± Chase turned to flash a warm smile and a raised brow at the last word, causing Seth¡¯s pulse to quicken again. He really needed to get that under control.


    Midnight pushed through the vines between the rooms at the talk of going outside. Perhaps he wasn¡¯t so different from a normal wolf after all. But then again he got a sense that it was to protect Seth as well. His protector. The wolf didn¡¯t speak again as he padded silently past the two humans and through another more heavily vined door to what Seth guessed was the outdoors. Seth stood to follow and just barely managed to grab his pants as they started sinking down again. Chase caught notice of the movement and his eyes glinted with humor before he could hide it.


    ¡°I forgot how big those were. Let me see if I can fix that.¡± Chase disappeared into the bedroom again only to return with a length of thin rope. Without another word he crouched in front of Seth and started feeding the rope through a few loops in the pants completing the circuit in front where he tied it.


    Seth stood as still as a statue and looked anywhere but down at the other man, and by the time Chase finished Seth was blushing fiercely. ¡°Thanks¡­again,¡± he managed to get out without sounding fully as embarrassed as he felt. Once the words were out of his mouth Seth quickly went to the front entrance and found his shoes, purposefully keeping his face down and hidden from Chase as he pulled them on. Chase slipped on his own shoes next to Seth and, once they were both ready, they left to start the tour.


    ***


    The Haven was much larger then Seth had originally thought. The paths and houses spread beyond what he could see and according to Chase the Haven spammed a few square miles. Everything blended seamlessly into the forest and dirt, and at first it was hard to tell what was a house and what wasn¡¯t but as they walked longer the differences became easier to spot. Chase was an excellent tour guide and Seth began to learn a lot of the people he¡¯d never known.


    ¡°Before the Earthen were created, Chaotics ruled the world with chaos magic and demons. Humans were powerless to fight against what the Chaotics were able to do. Some people took to learning Chaotic arts in an attempt to fight for their freedom, vowing to only use that power for good. But the power turned out to be corrupting and in the end they became like those they were going to fight against, ruling over and often killing those closest to them.


    ¡°The Planet itself began to feel the torture of the chaos created by the Chaotics as their demons begin wrecking the face of the planet and digging into its depths. You see, a Chaotics power comes from chaos; the chaos of people¡¯s emotions, the chaos of a ruined planet, the chaos of war. Death, fear, and pain feeds their power as well as the destructive appetites of the demons they summon. For a long time, the Chaotics ruled with what power they could take from human¡¯s fear and pain, but as the human numbers dwindled they turned to torturing the planet.¡± As Chase spoke the three of them, including Midnight, walked down paths that wove in and out of different areas. There was a definite setup to the Haven, with a spot for a type of market, a different one for craftsmen, even one that catered to Spirit Animals.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    ¡°The Planet rose up against the Chaotics in what ways it could causing earthquakes, tsunamis, even tornadoes to kill Chaotics and destroy their demons and lands. But the Chaotics were too powerful and the destruction the Earth brought only fed them and allowed them to defend themselves against its futile efforts. Finally, the planet decided to use humans to fight back and defeat their common enemy, while also helping to restore the damage done to the planet. From the remaining humans all over the world the Planet gifted certain of them abilities to control its surface and draw on the planets energies to destroy the Chaotics for good. These were the Earthen.


    ¡°Only those who had a special affinity with the Earth were able to channel its power. To help protect the Earthen the planet gave them Guardians, those who weren¡¯t able to control the planets power directly but still were given its gift. Also to help channel the energy of the planet they were given the Spirit Animals. The Guardians gifts manifested differently than the Earthen, making them stronger and faster than humans as well as giving them an ability to manage their pain and heal faster than normal. In addition the planet gave them their own special knowledge, that of an innate ability to know and use most weapons. Spirit Animals are born of the Earthen¡¯s own spirit and are a part of each individual Earthen, taking on a form equivalent to their mentality, ability, and will.


    ¡°In order for the Earthen to truly be able to succeed they needed to be able to communicate to the planet and all its creatures. They were given the ability to speak to all animals and also a special connection to their Spirit Animals that allowed them to speak mentally to each other. Then the Earthen and Guardians were Linked in a ceremony that not only strengthens them both but also allows Guardians to speak to their Earthen spirit animals. Some say that was unintended and really spirit animals and Guardians weren¡¯t supposed to be able to speak but no one can prove it.¡±


    While Chase told the story of the Earthen¡¯s past they continued their stroll around the Haven, past training yards, bakeries, food storage, skinners, and all other manner of craftsmen and cooks. Seth only listened, taking it all in and piecing together parts of his life that he¡¯d never before thought of that now fit together. How Midnight came to him and he¡¯d known the wolf¡¯s name. Why Derrick and he had always been as close as brothers. Even why he was much happier around nature then being stuck inside a large city. It explained a lot.


    ¡°Together all the Earthen around the world sent the demons back to their own world and killed most of the Chaotics, freeing humans from the torment. They created Havens all around the world to gather and stay, living on to keep the balance for the planet. Now they mostly help forests grow and repair damage to the Earth, but sometimes they¡¯re still called on to fight Chaotics. Since their retreat into the Havens the humans have forgotten about the Earthen and what they¡¯ve done for all of humanity. Now for most humans it would sound crazy, and if the current world has proven anything it¡¯s that they dislike anything different. So the Earthen now live and work in secret.¡±


    Chase stopped at an apple tree and reached up to pick a low hanging fruit, giving one to Seth before picking another for himself. ¡°That¡¯s¡­unbelievable. Is it all true?¡± Seth said before taking a bite of the apple. It was tangy, fresh, and juicy in a way that Seth had never tasted before and forced him to add, ¡°This is amazing.¡±


    ¡°Anything out of a Haven is going to taste much better than anything the humans grow.¡± Chase¡¯s smile was warm as he took a bite of his own apple. ¡°And it¡¯s all true. The world isn¡¯t as simple as humans seem to think it is. No offense.¡±


    ¡°None taken. Besides, you say I¡¯m not exactly human so can I really take offense?¡± They continued the tour around the Haven with Chase giving him explanations of the locations and buildings as they went. There was something that made Seth uneasy as they went further along and it wasn¡¯t the fact that he could suddenly understand animals around him talking to other Earthen. He finally realized what it was when they reached the archery range. The entire time Seth had noticed that others who passed them gave them strange looks or didn¡¯t notice them at all. After the third person Seth finally asked, ¡°What is wrong with everyone?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re half human and I¡¯m a Uni¡­UnLinked Guardian. The UnLinked are low in the eyes of the Earthen. They think that because we didn¡¯t Link, we must be lacking in some way.¡± There was a hint of something that Seth thought was resentment in Chase¡¯s voice as he spoke. ¡°As if we had a choice.¡± Though Seth couldn¡¯t see his eyes he decided the other man was annoyed. ¡°Any half breeds aren¡¯t supposed to know this world exists. But then again no one with a human parent has ever had Earthen abilities.¡± Chases eyes went to Seth as he said that.


    ¡°What?¡± Seth asked uncertainly, ducking his head and fidgeting with his shirt, ¡°I don¡¯t have any abilities. I¡¯m just a normal human.¡± The thought of having some special ability actually made Seth a little uneasy.


    ¡°You do,¡± Chase started, paused, then added, ¡°but it¡¯s not my place to explain. That will be for your mother.¡±


    Yet another secret kept from him. Seth looked away from Chase trying to keep his annoyance hidden. A hand settled on Seth¡¯s shoulder, surprising him and causing him to turn back to see it was Chase¡¯s.


    ¡°It¡¯s not because I don¡¯t want to Seth.¡± His voice was soft and comforting, and his smile caused Seth¡¯s annoyance to melt away and he even found himself smiling back. ¡°I just don¡¯t know the entirety of it. And your mother was the one in charge of it all.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s okay. I guess it means we¡¯re both not what they expect. At least you¡¯re still good looking.¡± The words slipped out before Seth could stop himself and he immediately looked shocked as his cheeks started to burn. ¡°I mean, uh¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Chase chuckled and squeezed Seth¡¯s shoulder comfortingly before nodding his head down the path. ¡°We should get moving though. I¡¯m not sure when they¡¯re going to call for you but we should make it easy. They can get ornery otherwise.¡±


    From when they¡¯d left to when they returned to Chase¡¯s house it had gone from morning to early afternoon. Seth wasn¡¯t sure where the time had gone, but then again it had been surprisingly enjoyable and in good company. Besides, the old saying went ¡®Time flies when you¡¯re having fun.¡¯


    ¡°Thanks for the tour Chase. This has definitely been the best part of this whole, whatever it is that¡¯s been happening.¡± They had just entered the house and Seth knelt to untie his shoes, ¡°Actually this is the best time I¡¯ve had in a while.¡± As Seth stood again he jumped slightly, surprised at how close Chase had gotten. Why was he so close? He could feel the warmth coming off of Chase¡¯s body and his heart quickened once more.


    <Someone is coming.> The voice was still strange to Seth, and it really surprised him to hear that voice in his head. It also ruined a moment that seemed like it might actually go somewhere. He wanted to reach out and lay a hand on the younger man, but held back and instead took a step away.


    ¡°Midnight says someone is coming.¡± Seth got out before Chase could even ask.


    Without a word Chase stepped back and pulled the hanging over the doorway aside just enough to peek out. He looked surprised, ¡°It¡¯s your mother.¡±


    ***


    The kitchen was silent but for the sound of Chase making a late lunch. Seth sat on one side of the small table, staring at his mother of all people, with Midnight lying next to him. His mother was sitting across from him staring back with bright green eyes. Despite unspoken uncertainties he¡¯d had about his mother actually being one of these Earthen there was no denying the resemblance they shared. Her hair was brown and hung long and loose behind her, the weight straightening otherwise semi-curly hair. The shape of her eyes and nose made Seth feel like he could be staring at a female version of himself in a mirror. But there was where the similarities ended, including politeness. When she¡¯d entered Chase had treated her like an honored guest and led her to a stool, leaving Seth following on his own. Besides the initial greetings between Chase and his mother there were no other words spoken by anyone.


    After a minute or two had passed Seth finally broke the silence, ¡°Nice to see you, mother.¡± He couldn¡¯t keep the bite out of his tone at having to be the first one to talk.


    ¡°Don¡¯t speak to me like that.¡± His mother snapped immediately and very mother-like. ¡°You¡¯ve caused more trouble than you can possibly know by being here.¡±


    ¡°Oh really? Was it more trouble than when you left me on the steps of an orphanage? Or was that a relief?¡± Seth knew he was probably only making things worse by his biting remarks, but the anger of being lied to about his entire life had finally found a focus and come to the forefront.


    Chase stepped in quickly before Seth could continue, bringing them both cups of tea as he said, ¡°It is an honor to have you Council Woman. Please have some tea while I finish making lunch.¡± Seth¡¯s mother glared at Chase for his interruption but the man didn¡¯t seem to notice. Or perhaps, based on their earlier discussion, he was just used to such looks.


    ¡°What is your name? Or should I call you Council Woman?¡± Seth¡¯s tone was bitter as he used the word Chase had, eyes not leaving the woman in front of him despite the interruption. Then, without waiting for a response, he asked ¡°Why did you abandon me?¡±


    ¡°I am Enora Lowan. You may call me Enora, Council Woman, or mother.¡± Seth noticed that it seemed to be an effort for her to remain so calm. ¡°I didn¡¯t abandon you.¡± Her green eyes had moved down to look into her tea as she fell silent. Seth managed to bite his tongue and wait since he could see she wasn¡¯t done speaking. ¡°Your entire life was made up of those faithful to the Earthen. The orphanage, your foster parents, even the city you moved to, they all had people who know of and help us.¡± As the words came she finally looked back up at her son and Seth stared at her in surprise. ¡°They watched over you and took care of you without you even knowing. You also had a Guardian and a Spirit Animal both of which are unheard of for a half human.


    ¡°When you were born I didn¡¯t want you to go. But, it has always been Earthen law that no half breeds can live within a Haven, nor even know of their existence. And yet even then you were special. A half breed that showed potential to have Earthen abilities by the existence of a Spirit Animal.¡± Enora¡¯s voice grew soft as she spoke the next words. ¡°When the Grand Council found out about you they wanted to kill you instantly.¡±


    Seth was stunned and his mouth dropped opened in shock. The sounds of cooking stopped for a moment and the room was silent before Chase returned to making their lunch. The sound seemed to break Seth of his shock, enough so that he managed to speak, brokenly, ¡°They wanted to kill me? Why?¡±


    ¡°You were different, and they were afraid.¡±


    ¡°Were you afraid?¡± Seth felt the need to ask. He wasn¡¯t sure why it mattered but he needed to know how she felt.


    ¡°No.¡± The reply was instant and for the first time since he¡¯d seen her Enora, his mother, looked upset, and not with him. ¡°I managed to convince them that you couldn¡¯t be a threat since you have Earthen blood. Eventually they allowed me to send you away like other half breeds with the same protections in place to prevent you from finding out about the Earthen. By the time we sent you away you were already over a month old and had become Linked. Something else entirely unprecedented and unexpected since you weren¡¯t even in the right area to gain such a Link. That¡¯s why Derrick went with you. We felt that was all that was necessary. No one expected a half breed to be attacked by demons.¡±


    ¡°Well then ¡®no one¡¯ was wrong.¡± Seth said dryly, then immediately felt sorry when he saw his mother lower her gaze. She was trying to be calm and explain their decisions and he was only making it more difficult. He bit his lip for a moment as he tried to decide whether to apologize or not. Instead he only continued. ¡°So what were these protections? And when did Derrick find out about all of this?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s been training since he was little. Another Earthen and their Guardian has always lived close to you both. They trained Derrick and instructed him on what all Guardians are taught. The protections, I¡¯m afraid, are what made you black out when you arrived.¡± Now that the conversation had moved away from some of the past her voice gained what he expected was a normal volume, though her eyes returned to her cup. ¡°You have great power in you, and a strong will to make it as far as you did. All half breeds are given a mental block of their birth and as a measure to keep them away the block includes causing pain if they come within a few miles of a Haven. The pain is different for everyone though it is generally headaches. If a half breed were ever to get within a half mile of a Haven the pain would be so bad they would be forced to turn back.


    ¡°You not only got close to this Haven but you entered it and didn¡¯t have any severe symptoms until you had been inside for a short time.¡± Was it Seths imagination or did he hear a hint of pride in her voice. ¡°The block pushed harder and harder at you until you finally blacked out. Luckily I wasn¡¯t far and was able to lift the block before it did any serious or permanent damage.¡± She paused then and her eyes met Seth¡¯s again and this time there was a curiosity in them. ¡°The block for you had an added effect in that it suppressed your Earthen abilities. It¡¯s why you couldn¡¯t speak to your...wolf, before. I¡¯m sure by now he¡¯s at least told you that.¡± Enora¡¯s eyes drifted down to the wolf.


    Seth looked down at Midnight, the wolf born of his own spirit and now a part of him like an extra limb. He knew it now, he could feel it and while it was new it didn¡¯t feel unnatural. In fact, if Enora hadn¡¯t explained why he didn¡¯t notice before he¡¯d have thought that he was the densest person to not feel the connection previously. ¡°He has talked a few times. Not much.¡± Midnight was sleeping and his foot twitched as he dreamed, causing Seth to smile down at him. This wolf had protected him in his house when the demons attacked, and now he realized it had guarded him every night. That¡¯s why he was always at the house when Seth got home. The first time he¡¯d not lived with Derrick, Midnight had started guarding him.


    ¡°Speaking with animals is not the only ability the Earthen have.¡± Enora¡¯s voice broke into his thoughts and he looked back to her to see she was watching him. ¡°Growing plants and having Spirit Animals only scratches the surface. There is much more.¡± Enora sat straighter in her chair and seemed to switch to an almost business manner. ¡°But first the Council has to decide what to do. This is something that has never happened before and the discussion has not been well.¡± Her voice became chilled and her eyes hardened as she continued, ¡°But I will not let them hurt my blood. Still, you must be prepared for whatever may happen. The Council moves slowly and it may be days or even weeks before they reach a final decision. You must rest and learn what you can of our people to help convince the Council you can fit in.¡±


    ¡°Fit in?¡± Seth was starting to wonder if she kept trying to shock him to see if he¡¯d keel over. ¡°I¡¯m supposed to stay here? What about my life. My job, my house.¡± Everything he¡¯d ever known. His voice had raised in surprise with each word but his mother seemed unaffected.


    ¡°It was all given to you by Earthen supporters and they will take it back, of course.¡±


    ¡°So I¡¯m not given a choice?¡±


    ¡°Not right now.¡± His mothers tone had turned to steel. ¡°The Council will decide what to do with you. Until then you are to stay within the Haven. I have asked one of the teachers to come to you and help you begin working with your abilities. I¡¯m sorry,¡± she interrupted when he opened his mouth to speak, her voice raising now as well, ¡°but that is the way it has to be for now.¡± She stood and out of habit of politeness Seth did as well. ¡°The Council is re-convening. I have to go.¡± She was gone before Seth could get any sound out, walking through the doorway as the leaf hanging parted for her as it had for Seth.


    Seth was left standing with his mouth open and words dying on his tongue. He was a prisoner and he hadn¡¯t even known it. All his life choices had been made for him and he hadn¡¯t known it. Now his future was on the line in front of people he¡¯d never even met.


    ¡°Your mother has a lot of pull with the Council. I wouldn¡¯t worry.¡± Chase said softly at Seth¡¯s elbow. Seth hadn¡¯t noticed his approach so lost had he been in his own thoughts. Seths mouth snapped shut audibly. ¡°She¡¯s the most powerful living Earthen in the world. Her words are all that saved you when you were born. My brother told me about it all. They were ready to kill you until she threatened them. Part of the agreement was that you were always watched to ensure you could never cause any Havens harm.¡±


    ¡°My entire life has been one big play put on by a people I didn¡¯t know existed. And I danced to their tune without even knowing.¡± Seths eyes went to Midnight but the wolf was still asleep. ¡°Derrick knew and he helped them lie to me and drive my life on their course.¡± When Seths eyes turned to Chase they were icy. ¡°And what about you? Did they tell you to take me for a tour to try and get close to me?¡± And how close Chase had gotten before. There was something there, he could feel it. There was only one person besides him who knew about his sexuality, but now he wondered just how ¡®personal¡¯ his life was.


    Chase¡¯s eyes widened and it looked as if Seth had just punched him in the stomach. For once the Guardian didn¡¯t seem to be able to come up with any words. Seth took that as a sign that he was right and he started towards the front entrance. He hadn¡¯t taken more than a few steps before there was a hand on his shoulder, ¡°Wait-¡° Chase started to say but Seth wasn¡¯t in the mood, in fact he¡¯d never been more emotionally upset in his life. He turned with the intent to punch Chase but his fist only hit air. Before he realized where Chase was he got pushed sideways into the wall.


    ¡°Calm down.¡± Chase looked worried as he held Seths arms at his side. Seth was surprised at the strength Chase possessed, but that didn¡¯t stop him from reacting. Seth head butted Chase in the jaw realizing belatedly that a jaw is hard. However it did cause Chase to take a few surprised steps back. However the Guardian recovered almost immediately and Seth was still getting over the pain he¡¯d just caused himself. Anger was evident in Chase¡¯s eyes and before Seth could move more than a step Chase charged him. They went right through the vines into the bedroom, ripping some of them down as they couldn¡¯t open in time for Seths body. Together they fell to the floor with Chase landing on top of Seth. Seth let out a grunt as they landed but managed to get his feet under Chase and shove, kicking the other man off and climbing to his feet as Chase did the same.


    The tension in the room was high as they squared off. Seth threw some punches but each time Chase dodged them like child¡¯s play before returning the favor. The only difference was his connected. Chase unloaded into Seth¡¯s stomach, ribs and face, eventually causing Seth to stumble backwards and trip over the bed, falling to the sheets. Before he could move Chase was on top of him, kneeling into his arms, fist raised to punch again. Seth was defenseless and in pain, barely able to register what was happening. Chase was quick, and there was no effort wasted on any of his movements. How he managed such a feat was quite the mystery.


    Seth closed his eyes and turned his head in the only defensive thing he could think do in his pained stupor. His heart pounded in his ears as he awaited the beating. But it didn¡¯t come. After a few tense moments Seth cracked an eye open as he turned his head slowly to look at Chase. He was staring down at Seth with a shocked expression, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± He whispered quietly, then quickly continued, ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t know what came over me. I¡¯m so sorry. But you have to trust me, I didn¡¯t have anything to do with whatever they did to you.¡± If there was one thing Seth learned that day, it was that the Guardian had a temper when he was attacked


    ¡°Oh.¡± Seth¡¯s voice was just as quiet though it was more from pain than anything else. ¡°Can you get off my arms please, it hurts.¡± Chase stood quickly, looking abashed, and Seth sat slowly and rubbed his arms, then his chin, the rest of his body complaining with each movement. ¡°You¡¯re fast. And strong. Where did you learn to fight like that?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a part of my training.¡± Chase responded as he sat on the bed next to Seth. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± He said again, worry creeping into his voice. ¡°Sometimes I go a little overboard if I get angry.¡±


    ¡°No, no it¡¯s okay. I was¡­upset and I over reacted.¡± Seth touched his lip to find it cut and bleeding in more than one spot. Chase had really done on a number on him while remaining perfectly untouched himself. It was frightening, once he thought about it. He wouldn¡¯t want to get on the Guardian¡¯s bad side ever again.


    Chase stood slowly, then motioned towards Seth¡¯s shirt. ¡°May I? To see what I might be able to do to help.¡± With Seth¡¯s nod, Chase slowly raised the shirt up over his head. Bruises were already appearing on his arms and chest where Chase had hit him, his lip still swollen and bleeding. ¡°Shit, hold on.¡± Chase disappeared a moment before returning with a jar of salve that he rubbed gently onto the bruises. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry.¡±


    Seth grit his teeth at the touch, but it was soothing and the salve helped the pain. ¡°Stop saying sorry. I¡¯m the one that started it.¡± Self-conscious about his slight belly, what with whatever had been happening before his mother¡¯s arrival, Seth reached for his shirt to cover it back up. But before he could put it on Chase grabbed his wrist gently.


    ¡°Let the salve dry first otherwise it will stain the shirt and stick.¡± Chase dabbed at Seth¡¯s lip with a cloth to clean up the wet blood before finally adding, ¡°Just lay down and relax. I¡¯m going to finish making lunch.¡± Chase retreated to the kitchen, picking up broken vines along the way.


    Seth could see a dark lupine figure watching him and he couldn¡¯t help but glare. <A lot of help you were.> he thought towards the creature, unsure if Midnight would even understand him.


    <You weren¡¯t in danger.> The wolf yawned visibly despite the words coming internally.


    Seth snorted softly at the wolf¡¯s words before lying back with pained sigh. He closed his eyes to rest them but with the events of the day, and while still recovering from entering the Haven, sleep easily swept over him before more than a few moments had passed.

 Chapter 4: The Planet

    It was night when Seth awoke again though it wasn¡¯t natural as he was instead shaken awake by a firm hand. Derrick stood over him when his eyes opened, his face barely visible in the light from the bugs outside the window. ¡°Hey sleepy head.¡± His friend said with a grin. ¡°Lorten wants us to meet him in the training yard. He¡¯s the trainer your mother assigned.¡± Seth sat up slowly expecting pain to greet him but surprisingly the bruises were gone already. It took him another moment to realize someone had taken the liberty of removing his clothes and repositioning him correctly in bed.


    Chase, most likely. Just what had almost happened between them?


    ¡°Let me get dressed. I¡¯ll be out in a minute.¡± Once Derrick left Seth searched in the dark for the clothes he¡¯d been wearing. He eventually found some clean ones folded on the foot of the bed. Dressing quickly, he hurried outside with mixed feelings. I want to learn more about these people and their world, he thought, but not at the loss of my freedom. Midnight stepped out of the shadows when Seth exited the house as if he was born from them, startling Derrick. Seth could only grin in some small silent satisfaction. He could always tell where Midnight was now and despite the wolf¡¯s ability to hide it would never startle him.


    ¡°I think he did that on purpose.¡± Derrick apparently didn¡¯t like being surprised in such a way by the wolf but Seth didn¡¯t care.


    ¡°I had worse things planned for you myself. I¡¯m still not happy you¡¯ve lied to me for so long.¡± Seths voice was iron, and Derrick had the decency to appear abashed. To Seth it looked like the subject bothered Derrick as well. ¡°But for now I¡¯ve decided to just let it go. I understand you were trying to protect me. But you have to promise from now on you¡¯ll never lie to me again. If you¡¯re supposed to be some kind of protector that¡¯s connected-¡°


    ¡°Linked.¡± Derrick interjected.


    ¡°Linked.¡± Seth was annoyed with the correction but managed to keep from snapping, ¡°You have to promise me. Otherwise I¡¯ll find a way to break that connection and find someone else.¡± He had no idea if any of that was even possible but when Seth saw how upset it made Derrick he knew he¡¯d at least gotten the reaction he wanted.


    ¡°Fine, I promise I will never lie to you again.¡± Derricks voice was surprisingly soft, and his demeanor appeared somewhat dejected as his eyes dropped to his feet.


    Seth let a few heartbeats pass, letting that silence really dig into Derrick, before finally saying, ¡°Alright then. Lets go.¡± Having seen the training yard the previous day, Seth and Midnight left Derrick behind and hurrying to catch up.


    Seth had not noticed in the darkness of the room, nor even fully when they were just¡­¡¯talking¡¯. Derrick was dressed in all black with a sword at his hip, as well as the long one over his shoulder. The way Derrick carried himself made all of the gear seem natural on him and Seth was grudgingly impressed. Silence followed them for a time before finally Derrick asked, ¡°When the hell did you get so bossy.¡±


    ¡°When I found out my entire life was a sham.¡± Seth¡¯s voice was calm as he spoke, which surprised even him. ¡°I¡¯m not going to just sit back anymore. If I¡¯m going to have to live a new life then I¡¯m not going to let anyone or anything push me around again.¡± In truth Seth was afraid he¡¯d get swallowed up by this new world if he didn¡¯t appear strong, but he didn¡¯t dare admit that out loud, not even to his friend.


    ¡°I never knew you had this secret dark side.¡± Derrick was trying to get Seth to relax, he knew. It wasn¡¯t working. ¡°Next you¡¯re going to tell me you¡¯re a ninja or something.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Seths voice was dry, ¡°I don¡¯t lie.¡± He enjoyed how easily one word made Derrick uneasy. There was so much more he wanted to do to get back at him, and he had started mentally plotting, but before he could get a coherent idea together they were at the training yard. It was empty besides an old, weathered man that sat in the middle of the yard on a low packed dirt¡­stool?¡­that seemed a part of the ground itself, and that Seth could¡¯ve swore wasn¡¯t there before.


    The old man¡¯s eyes were closed as they approached and Seth started to wonder if he was sleeping¡­or worse, dead. However, as they approached the old man raised a hand to halt them. Seth stopped, watching the old man curiously. Derrick stepped away as did Midnight, leaving Seth standing alone in front of the old man. Seth had turned to ask what they were doing when he had a sudden uneasy feeling and the hair on the back of his neck stood on end.


    Seth felt something touch his leg and looked down to see green vines having sprouted out of the ground and tying his feet up. There was no time to react as the vines jerked suddenly forward, sending Seth to the ground roughly and knocking the air from his lungs. More vines appeared around him and started forming over his body in an apparent attempt to smother him. Seth was frantic in his reaction as he pushed himself to his knees and ripped the vines away before they could wrap around him. He grabbed the vines around his feet and ripped them free, then rolled forward just in time to avoid more of the trapping vines creeping out of the ground.


    Seth was on his feet quickly as his kendo training kicked in. Vines of various sizes rose in front of him waving slightly as he looked for help. Where was Midnight? Where was Derrick? They weren¡¯t far but as Seth looked to them Derrick only looked on apologetically while Midnight laid on some grass appearing bored. It¡¯s a test, Seth realized. But what was he supposed to do?


    The vines continued to dance in front of Seth as he looked around for something to defend himself. He didn¡¯t have time to find anything as he felt something he couldn¡¯t explain, yet he knew instantly what was happening despite that. The half breed jumped sideways and rolled as more came from behind to strike at his prior position. There were so many and more kept appearing. Seth stepped backwards as they shot out of the ground and something emerged that caused him to trip and fall on his ass. A root was sinking back into the dirt where he¡¯d just tripped. Yet even as the root disappeared the vines kept coming at him and their numbers grew. This was it. There were too many, there was nowhere left to go, he didn¡¯t have a weapon to defend himself. Whatever the test was he¡¯d failed badly.


    Seth hit the end of the line as his back hit something unexpected. A small tree. A small tree he didn¡¯t remember seeing there before. He was used to knowing his surroundings during duels and when this odd battle had started that reflex had kicked in. Expecting some sort of new threat Seth half turned to look over his shoulder - and froze. The tree was no more than a few feet tall with a thick trunk. But it was glowing, pulsating slowly with a soft blue hue. The threat of the incoming vines seemed miles away as Seth turned, mesmerized, to put a hand on the trunk of the strange tree.


    Everything dropped away instantly. The world was gone, the people were gone. There was nothing but Seth and the tree floating in a void of darkness. The tree kept him hypnotized with its pulsing and he slowly turned to place both hands on it. The tree was warm against his skin and its very existence brought a calming feeling to Seth that he¡¯d never felt before. There was nothing that mattered. There was nothing but peace.


    As he stared into the tree the darkness around him exploded causing him to raise his hands to shield his eyes. Seth slowly lowered his arm as the light quickly faded and was replaced by all sorts of small particles that dispersed in different directions. One of those particles he followed without intending to. It went past others and was passed by some until finally it smashed into a larger grouping of particles. They swirled and shifted as others connected with the larger mass and after what seemed like moments they had formed a planet. Not Earth but a foreign planet. Something shot away from the alien planet and smashed into another grouping of mostly formed particles to create a new planet. The creation of the Universe, Seth realized. But what are those little specks. The process sped up and repeated over and over again a dozen times or more until finally one last particle shot out and things slowed again. This time Seth could see this was his planet, Earth, before it had fully formed. No, see wasn¡¯t the right term, he just knew. There was a flash of something that was gone almost instantly, leaving Seth unsure of what he¡¯d seen. It had almost looked like a demon.This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    ¡°This is the birth of the Planet and its journey to creation. Take hold and know the Planet as it knows you.¡±


    Seth couldn¡¯t tell where the voice came from, or whether it was spoken or in his mind. Yet he was drawn to the planet and he reached out to take it in his hands. As he did he soared at and through the planet surface to what lay beneath. Not physically beneath, but what the Earthen could see and control. Life coursed through the Planet from the smallest bug to the largest creature. Even rocks and streams had life going through them despite always being considered dead. It was astounding and showed him so much more than he ever knew existed by seeing how alive the Planet truly was. Seth saw the Planet from core to surface at every angle and he suddenly knew the planet inside and out as if he had created it himself.


    As quickly as it started it ended. The world reappeared around him and he was back as he had been with one hand on the tree. Seth could feel though not actually see the vines still coming behind him and without knowing how or why he caused a thick slab of earth to sprout up behind him. It was just a reaction. The vines smashed loudly into the hard packed dirt, the sound increased by the sheer volume of what had attacked him. Shaking, Seth looked over his shoulder warily and the world was different. No, he just saw it differently. Everything was alive and he could still see it as he had when the planet had spoken to him. Life touched everything and it filled him with a new energy.


    The vines slowly retreated back into the ground as if they¡¯d never been disturbed, yet even once they were gone from his physical sight he could see them spider-web beneath the entire Haven in natural patterns. With the vines gone the slab of earth sank back down and joined the ground where it had erupted from cleanly.


    A booted foot stepped into Seth¡¯s line of view and he slowly looked up to see Derrick. ¡°Don¡¯t get mad at me. I didn¡¯t lie to you. I just didn¡¯t tell you what was going to happen.¡± Derrick looked like he expected Seth to be mad at him but the half breed was busy recovering from what he¡¯d seen.


    ¡°Derrick, it was¡­¡± Seth was lacking words to explain what he¡¯d seen, ¡°Incredible.¡± Derrick gave him a hand up and Seth turned to look at the tree, shocked at how it had grown without him realizing it. It was now as tall as any other tree in the Haven yet it was the only one pulsing a bright sky blue.


    ¡°That¡¯s your Earthen Center.¡± A warm voice said from behind the pair. The old man had come upon them while they¡¯d been distracted by the tree, though his eyes were still closed. ¡°It¡¯s what connects you with the Planet. It is what lets you be an Earthen.¡± It wasn¡¯t until then that he opened his eyes and Seth realized he was blind. But how¡­? ¡°Now that you¡¯ve found your Earthen Center it¡¯s time for you to learn how to control and harness that power.¡±


    ***


    The sun had begun to rise by the time the old man, Lorten, finally let Seth go for the day. Seth was more tired than he had ever imagined possible, but he had learned so much in so short a time. Seth had realized shortly after they began that he was being crash coursed in what it was to be an Earthen. When he¡¯d been by the training yard during the day younger Earthen certainly weren¡¯t being attacked, nor had most of them had any type of Earthen Center. But then Lorten had explained they had no time for finesse. He had to prove for the Council he could access and control what he shouldn¡¯t even have. His tree had disappeared when they were done and while Seth had been worried, the old man had explained that it was a reaction as natural as breathing. Since he no longer needed it, it was gone. Once he was more adept with the Earthen abilities it wouldn¡¯t even appear unless he called it. Despite the trees disappearance his new view of the world remained. One of the first things he¡¯d learned to do was to turn on and off his Earthen sight. While Seth had been working with Lorten, Derrick had training of a different sort. Another swordsman had shown up to train Derrick shortly after Seth had begun working with Lorten and the Planet.


    Now that they were done they split from the training yard and Seth walked back to Chase¡¯s house without thinking. It wasn¡¯t until he arrived just out the door that he realized where he was and had stopped. Should he be staying here? After all he was displacing the owner. But then where would he go? He was still a stranger here with no place of his own and he really didn¡¯t want to be near his mother yet. The hangings over the door parted for him as he entered and Midnight slipped in as well to make himself comfortable on some blankets that Chase had apparently set out for him.


    <Spoiled shit.> Seth told the wolf mentally while at the same time calling out, ¡°Chase?¡± There was no answer and Seth assumed the Guardian was still out. He went to the bedroom and stepped to the window where the leaves blocked out most of the sun. Seth raised a hand slowly to the leaves level, then mimed lifting the leaves up and they did as bade, opening to let in more light and staying that way. Seth could only laugh to himself. ¡°I wonder if I¡¯m dreaming all this. It¡¯s too weird to be true.¡±


    ¡°So you had fun?¡± Chase had silently entered the house and was in the doorway to the bedroom, smiling brightly at Seth and he could only guess the man had heard him. The Guardian was as quiet and sneaky as Midnight it seemed. Seth looked over to Chase and could see the other man looked as tired as he felt. He was also covered in a thin layer of dirt as if he¡¯d rolled around on the ground all night.


    ¡°Not sure that¡¯s the way I¡¯d put it. It was enlightening however. And really tiring. And I really need to take a shower or something.¡± Seth hadn¡¯t bathed in any way in many days and he¡¯d worked up a sweat through the night. Chase motioned for Seth to follow him and went to another room adjoined to the bedroom. It was a bathroom of sorts. There was a toilet shaped object with a layer of moss across the top. A cushion? He didn¡¯t want to know where the waste went. However, that wasn¡¯t the best part about the room as Seth¡¯s attention soon turned to the shower causing him to forget his thoughts on the weird toilet.


    For the first time since he¡¯d been here he saw something familiar. A modern day metal shower head with plumbing connected to a foot pump and a stone floor that ran off under the house. ¡°It¡¯s only lukewarm but it¡¯s the best thing next to the public baths.¡± They had passed those on the tour but they¡¯d been blocked off from view by passersby. ¡°The baths are kept heated by some hot springs.¡±


    ¡°This is perfect. How did you get it?¡±


    ¡°I had Derrick bring me most of it the times he came to visit or train. I was able to make the rest with a little help from some Earthen. I hope it meets your approval.¡±


    Seth was just happy to see there was flowing water and some soap. ¡°More than I ever expected.¡± Chase left and Seth undressed and stepped in, pumping the shower a few times and enjoying the feel of the warm water as it hit him. After almost a minute Seth decided he shouldn¡¯t waste any of the water since Chase would likely want to shower as well. He scrubbed himself down with the soap and pumped the shower a few more times to rinse off. The water was dark after it left his skin at first but it cleared up after the rinse. A towel had appeared just inside the doorway along with some clothes. He hadn¡¯t heard Chase bring it in, but he was getting used to that.


    After drying off he donned the pair of shorts and a loose fitting shirt then stepped out. Chase was half laying on the bed, his legs hanging off of the end as he waited patiently. As soon as Seth stepped out Chase sat up and smiled tiredly, ¡°My turn.¡± Seth instantly felt bad for that first bit of wasted water. It must¡¯ve shown because Chase grinned at him and said, almost teasingly, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve bathed much more recently than you. And you can¡¯t have used very much of the water by the short time you were in there.¡± The tone, the way Chase had looked when he said it, it made things flit around in his chest.


    Seth was sitting on the edge of the bed when Chase finished and quickly stood when the Guardian exited the bathroom. The words he¡¯d been planning on saying were lost briefly as he stared at the shirtless man. Chase was all lean muscle. Unlike the bulging muscles of Derrick. Chase was thin and toned in a way that Seth could only dream of. ¡°I don¡¯t want to keep taking your bed from you.¡± Seth managed to say after the momentary lapse. ¡°I can sleep on the floor or¡­something.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind. And, well, the bed is big enough for two so if you don¡¯t mind sharing I don¡¯t.¡± Chases words set Seth¡¯s heart pounding quickly before he shook his head.


    ¡°Uh, no. I don¡¯t mind if you don¡¯t.¡± Seth managed to pull himself together and he shut the leaf blinds from where he stood without even looking at them before climbing into the bed. Chase climbed in the other side and Seth held his breath to calm himself as he closed his eyes, breathing out slowly.


    <I guess I¡¯ll sleep in front of the door so I know if anyone comes in.> Midnight sounded amused despite his words and Seth could only send a confused thanks. It was only then that he realized what he¡¯d done with the blinds without even thinking about it. Between that knowledge and hearing Chase¡¯s breathing in the bed, next to him, Seth fell asleep with a smile on his face.

 Chapter 5: A Cruel Test

    Seth awoke abruptly from his dream. That same dream he¡¯d had the night before. The dream that was all about destruction and chaos. The sheets were wet with his sweat and he threw them off himself, throwing his legs over the side of his bed while wishing away the remainder of the dream from his mind. Seth glanced back over the bed and noticed that Chase was, again, gone despite whatever ungodly hour it was. Where was a clock when you needed one?


    Deciding against trying to sleep more, lest the dream return again, Seth pulled himself from the bed and put on the clothes he found set out nearby. Chase was quite the caretaker towards his house guests, and Seth found that he didn¡¯t mind at all. The clothes slipped on more comfortably than previously and he realized that they¡¯d been fitted for him. Who¡¯d had time to not only figure out what size he was, but also to fix up some clothing for him? It was very odd and almost a little uncomfortable, feeling as though someone must always be watching him.


    <I¡¯m always watching,> a voice said in his head, the golden eyes attached to that voice visible from across the room.


    ¡°Yes, well, you better at least be on my side since we¡¯re supposed to be connected.¡± Despite his wariness, he felt that Midnight would always put Seth first, and would do nothing to harm or go against him. Unless he felt it was for Seth¡¯s own good. Like throwing him to Lorten the previous day, which had been entirely unexpected and cruel. But how much did I learn? Seth thought to himself as he finished getting dressed. In truth he¡¯d learned quite a lot. For starters, these people weren¡¯t lying. There really were people who had the ability to make the world do things for them. And people who guarded them. And animals that were a part of them. And how he could see now, so differently from before.


    Life. Life was a part of everything. Sure, people had said things like that before, but you generally thought they were either tree-huggers or maybe just not completely there with their mental facilities. And yet there was literally life in everything. He had yet to see anything completely dead since his new abilities had been shown to him. Since his tree had literally shown him the birth of the Planet itself. An event he had numerous questions about. And also questions about that tree itself. How it had magically appeared and grown. And given him a vision.


    The vines parted for him as he stepped from the bedroom to the larger area outside that seemed to serve as everything from living room, to dining room, to kitchen. It was the epitome of saving space. Yet it didn¡¯t look as bad as Seth would¡¯ve imagined. It was all blended together well yet kept separate enough to not have a person cooking in someone else¡¯s lap. It was¡­unique. That was the best way Seth could come up with to describe it.


    Vines parted once again as Seth stepped through the thicker grouping that blocked away outdoors from indoors, Midnight following on his heels. The air outside was cool but overall pleasant thanks to the summer season. The strange looking bugs littered pathways and houses, each again looking as if it knew its exact place in the grand scheme of keeping the Haven lit at night.


    Seth took the time now to stop and examine one of the bugs closer, though not too close since he wasn¡¯t sure how ¨C defensive ¨C they might be. Black carapace covered its heads and outlined its body, including six long legs, and it was at least two feet long. Antennae stuck out of its head, not as long as he¡¯d expect for, say, a two-foot roach, but not incredibly short either. In fact, now that he thought about it, it appeared to be a mix of roach and firefly. Odd.


    The clear part was in its backs and took up most of the body, and whatever made it glow was inside that area. Despite his earlier reservations about getting too close to the bug, Seth was intrigued by what lay inside the glowing area and so leaned in slowly to try and get a closer look. And then it moved. Not a lot, just a little turn on the wall. It was enough to cause Seth to straighten and take a step away, much to the humor of Midnight. Midnight and another person who Seth hadn¡¯t even realized was nearby. When Seth turned to see just who saw the rather childish reaction on his part, he was surprised to see a person he recognized, though not exactly in this setting.


    ¡°Lyle?¡± Seth was surprised. Very surprised. Lyle was the youngest of his extended friends that had come from the dojo. Back home. Back in a different time and place now. The young man was easily in his late-teens. Adulthood, but just barely. He was five-nine, strongly built like a construction worker, with green eyes and brown hair. He was most definitely a looker amongst the small group that lived back home. He was also one of the nicest people that Seth had ever met. Seth used to blame that on his young years and not really knowing how the world could be, but that was just the pessimist in him.


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Lyle was grinning like the happiest person ever, and perhaps it was no surprise since he¡¯d more than likely seen Seth¡¯s blunder with the light bug. ¡°You seem surprised to see me!¡±


    ¡°I am,¡± Seth admitted at first, but then he hesitated as he thought back to what he¡¯d heard about his life. How the Earthen had orchestrated everything from the orphanage to his foster parents to his house and even his job. How many people would have to be in the know around him to make sure that everything worked okay and he was protected? ¡°I am, but I guess I shouldn¡¯t be. The others too?¡± He asked, wondering just how many from the dojo were now here at the Haven.


    ¡°Not all, but a few. Sensei, Katy, Jesse.¡± Lyle dropped the names and Seth found himself being rather unsurprised this time. Of the ten or so people from the dojo, those were the ones he¡¯d pin for being Guardians. With himself and Derrick that left only a few people actually from the town who had no idea what was going on. Or were they like the other human helpers that had been mentioned by his mother. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll run into them at some point if you keep wandering around on your own out here.¡± Lyle¡¯s voice broke Seth out of his thoughts as his gaze returned to the younger man. ¡°Which is something I¡¯m preeeetty sure the Council wouldn¡¯t want you to be doing.¡± Lyle continued, walking up to Seth to give him a friendly pat on the shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s all good though, I won¡¯t say anything.¡±


    Seth was so relieved to see that familiar face and hear his voice that he almost broke down and hugged Lyle. But he managed to keep himself in check as he instead asked questions of someone who might be willing to answer. ¡°So¡­you¡¯re all¡­Guardians, right?¡± Not the best start, but it had to be somewhere.


    Before responding Lyle waved for Seth to walk with him, Midnight falling into place behind the pair as they followed barely visible paths between houses. ¡°Yep, that¡¯s us. UnLinked Guardians, or Uni¡¯s as we tend to be called. We¡¯re often assigned to help guard half-breeds like yourself.¡± He didn¡¯t seem to mean to, but there was a hint of disgust at the word half-breed. It was something that made Seth realized that he was going to be looked down on for being what they called a ¡®half-breed¡¯. Lyle seemed to realize how he¡¯d said the words and it caused him to turn just a tinge red, something he hadn¡¯t really seen from the youth outside of exercising in the dojo.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright. It¡¯s good to know where I am supposed to be in the pecking order here. At least now I know why people will be looking down on me.¡± But then again, he hadn¡¯t really experienced that yet had he. Maybe it wasn¡¯t as bad as Lyle made it sound.


    ¡°No, I still need to say I¡¯m sorry.¡± Lyle appeared abashed, though Seth didn¡¯t feel he should be. Before he could say anything else Lyle continued. ¡°You¡¯re not really a half-breed anyways. You¡¯re different, since you still have your Earth Mending abilities. There¡¯s really not a name for whatever you are.¡±


    ¡°Well, if my abilities are the same, wouldn¡¯t that just make me an Earth Mender?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­but no, because you¡¯re half human.¡±


    ¡°Am I?¡± Seth said with sudden realization. ¡°Maybe my father was another Earth Mender and my mother wasn¡¯t aware.¡± Even Lyle¡¯s face shown a hint of surprise as those words settled in. Could that be possible? Could his mother have unknowingly slept with another Earth Mender?


    There was so much more there to think about, but Seth¡¯s attention was suddenly diverted by a spoken voice overhead. ¡°You are to report to the training grounds with the Guardian Lyle. He is to assess your physical combat ability.¡± That, of course, drew his attention skyward where he saw a large macaw sitting on a low branch, staring directly at him. There was no mistaking the voice had come from that bird, yet it had been clear enough to have come from a human mouth, not some beak.


    <Spirit Animals will always sound like that to you,> Midnight chimed in, speaking directly into his thoughts. <Other animals not so much.> Whatever that meant. The black wolf didn¡¯t seem like he was going to add anything additional to what he¡¯d already said and Seth just sighed at the lack of information.


    Lyle, meanwhile, had paused as if he knew what was going on, but had the look of someone who hadn¡¯t understood and was waiting to hear from someone who had more information. That someone, of course, being Seth since he was the only other one around. ¡°We¡¯re supposed to go to the training yard so you can ¡®assess¡¯ my fighting prowess.¡± Seth wasn¡¯t entirely thrilled at having his life dictated to him, but he also knew right now he was on dangerous ground with these Earthen. He¡¯d play along with their games for the time being.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure how you¡¯re going to do that, considering you were the worst in class, but I guess¡­¡± Seth trailed off as a memory from only a few short days before struck. Derrick had always been just a little better than Seth in the dojo but, when it¡¯d come to those Demons from before, his friend had shown an ability that was far beyond anything he¡¯d ever exhibited before. Seth¡¯s tone was dry as he stated, ¡°You¡¯re actually really good and going to kick my ass, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    That caused Lyle to smile, proving Seth¡¯s fears to be correct. ¡°Let me just put it this way.¡± Lyle¡¯s smile turned into a grin, a very evil looking one at that. ¡°It¡¯s going to be good to get some payback for all the times you whooped on me at the dojo.¡±


    *


    Despite the early hours a small gathering was waiting at the training area, and it didn¡¯t take long for Seth to realize they were there to watch him. It became rather evident the moment they all turned to look at him, some speculative, some excited, most with their noses in the air as if they expected this to be some kind of beat down. ¡°Tell me you¡¯re not going to beat me into the ground,¡± he said softly to Lyle, making sure they were still out of earshot when he asked.


    ¡°Maybe, but not with a crowd. This is ridiculous.¡± Seth was glad he wasn¡¯t the only one that thought so. Who comes out just to watch someone get beat down? And how did word get around so fast?


    <Spirit Animals can communicate somewhat with others nearby.> Midnight explained, answering his thoughts before he could actually even voice the question. That was scary. <Most likely they were excited to report your impending doom to the rest of the Haven to help point out that you do not belong.>


    Meanwhile, Lyle continued talking as well, affirming Midnight¡¯s own words. ¡°They probably spread the word so people could see how you don¡¯t fit in. The Council definitely has a hand in this. That was one of their birds that told us to come here. Most Earth Menders don¡¯t have time to take up a physical weapon since their studies focus on using the Planet to protect themselves, amongst other things.¡±


    So he was being setup to look bad in front of a group of people. After only training once with his Earthen abilities and what little he¡¯d been able to learn to use a sword he was being put on display. They must really not want people to feel sorry for him, but why would they care so much? What was the point of embarrassing him in front of others. Was it so when they kicked him out no one would say anything? Based on the looks he¡¯d been getting he was the talk of the Haven right now, so what was that talk like?


    ¡°There,¡± Lyle said suddenly if softly, nodding his head slightly to the side. ¡°All the Council¡¯s Animals.¡± A pair of cats, a gopher, and a few different types of birds all stood together watching. ¡°You can bet they¡¯ll be reporting everything that happens.¡±


    ¡°All of them? Even my mother¡¯s?¡± Seth asked, wondering how much of a hand she had in all of this. Derrick had made it sound like she had a certain amount of pull, so why would she allow this? Or was she truly trying to get rid of him?


    Lyle was quiet for a moment as he threw a glance towards the animals to take them all in, finally looking straight ahead again. ¡°No. Her hawk isn¡¯t there.¡± He seemed even more uneasy than before. ¡°Something is off about this.¡± The words rang true, but there was no more time to contemplate as they reached the crowd. ¡°Wow, quite the gathering.¡± Lyle¡¯s voice was loud and cutting, much to Seth¡¯s surprise. Yet he did his best to control his features, settling for any entirely neutral look rather than the mix of annoyance he felt towards the Council and fear he had of getting his ass handed to him.If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    ¡°We heard you¡¯re going to smash in the face of the half-breed,¡± someone answered from the group before stepping forward.


    ¡°Jaysen, why am I not surprised to see you here.¡± Lyle spoke in a voice that seemed to drip poison. There was something Lyle didn¡¯t like about this man, and just from looking at him Seth could almost agree. Tall with a firm build, he looked like someone straight out of a story book built to be a bad guy. But this was no story.


    ¡°You know I¡¯m a fan of a good fight.¡± The tall man¡¯s eyes slipped to scan over Seth before he added. ¡°Well, a fight at least.¡± His dark eyes slipped back to Lyle then. ¡°Unless, of course, you throw the match. Wouldn¡¯t that be an embarrassment.¡±


    Lyle looked pissed. Like, pissed in a way that Seth hadn¡¯t ever seen before, even when Seth had been wailing on him back in the dojo. He was always one to just brush it off. But not here and not this time, not from the way he looked ready to fight Jaysen instead. Seth quickly nudged Lyle past Jaysen and the crowd and onto the sand of the training area instead. ¡°I won¡¯t tell you to ignore him, but I will tell you not to give into whatever bullshit he¡¯s trying to pull.¡± The last thing Seth wanted was Lyle getting into some kind of scrap with the large, scary looking¡­well, he must be a Guardian. He wore a sword on his hip like all the others. ¡°C¡¯mon, let¡¯s just do this. And don¡¯t hold back.¡±


    Laying in a nearby rack, just as if they¡¯d been waiting for the two, were a pair of shinai, the bamboo swords they¡¯d used inside the dojo. Someone had definitely set this up. But why? The question still nagged at Seth, but he didn¡¯t have much time to think it through as the crowd was watching with Jaysen right there at the front of them.


    Seth and Lyle each picked up a shinai and took a few steps away from each other before turning to face one another and bowing slightly. Their bamboo blades came up and a silence fell over the area. The watchers had gone quiet as had the various nearby animals, Spirit and normal alike. It was like someone had laid a hush over the surrounding area so that all Seth could hear was his own breathing and his quickening heart.


    The two had faced off before, though in full gear for protection. More often than not Seth had been the victor in those fights due to the fact that Lyle had been holding back. He knew that Lyle had held back just by the strong and precise stance he now took. What lay ahead of Seth was almost certainly a severe beating.


    A foot shifting aside sand was Seth¡¯s only warning and he quickly brought his shinai down to meet Lyle¡¯s, but the speed of the young Guardian was not something he¡¯d expected and before he could even begin to bring his blade up to block the next strike he heard a loud thwack! as the bamboo compressed together on his shoulder. A jolt of pain went through his arm before he realized that Lyle hadn¡¯t just hit him, he¡¯d hit a nerve in his shoulder to cause his arm to tingle. Oh this was really going to be bad.


    Seth tossed the blade to his left hand as he tried to shake out his right. Lyle hesitated only a moment, giving him only the barest of times to recover before he came in again. This time Seth managed to block three blows before the shinai hit him hard in the side, hard enough that it would most likely bruise. For a short time at least, if his last bruises had been any indicator.


    The people were certainly getting a show, although from the varied expressions he wasn¡¯t quite sure if it was the outcome all of them were expecting. Some, like Jaysen, seemed almost giddy at the beating he was receiving while others simply looked disappointed. He wasn¡¯t sure what exactly they¡¯d expected of him, or maybe if they¡¯d been told lies as to where exactly his ability stood against another such as a trained Guardian.


    It struck Seth just then. Not only what was going on here, but also a punch to his solar plexus. He stumbled backwards a few steps, willing his breath to return so he didn¡¯t pass out now that he¡¯d figured out what they were up to. This really was something to make him less likeable to have around because it didn¡¯t matter at this point if he won or lost. Either way would only disappoint at least half of the crowd while the others only took their time to either pick on or cheer on Lyle. Seth was going to lose either way, whether or not he won this impromptu spar.


    There was only one outcome that may be unaccounted for. Seth wasn¡¯t quite sure what the reaction would be, but he knew that now he¡¯d have to push for it. And for that, he was going to need a little help from the Planet. I don¡¯t know if you can hear or understand me, but I could seriously use some help right now, Seth thought to no one in particular.


    As Lyle came at him once again Seth brought up his shinai as if to block the blow, estimating what Lyle¡¯s most likely path would be after that. The Guardian¡¯s greater speed over Seth was making him follow the path of least resistance, making him predictable. Lyle was still trying to help him, despite the onlookers. His opponents blade came down and connected with his own. Then, before Lyle could bring his bamboo sword back around Seth found the grounds lifeline and yanked on the spot beneath his opponent, intending to do no more than cause the ground to tremble. Instead the ground erupted upward and caused Lyle to flip backwards. Seth pushed the ground back down to see a surprised Guardian climbing back to his feet.


    Keep going, Seth mentally willed towards Lyle, trying to get the youth to continue his fighting. The Guardian seemed to understand what Seth wanted and so he again lashed forward, changing his steps a little to make it harder to guess where he¡¯d strike. It did little now that Seth had control of the ground beneath him and, with a little more care, he was able to make Lyle stumble or nearly trip after an exchange of strikes and just before Lyle¡¯s finishing blow would connect. What had been a one-sided fight turned into more of a stalemate. There was no way Seth would be able to go on the offensive, not when he was barely able to defend himself against the attacks, but Lyle was having increased difficulty getting to him.


    A few more quick exchanges came and went with the same results before Seth realized he needed to finish this soon. His energies were waning and he wasn¡¯t yet used to using the Planet for himself like this. It was like a new weight-lifter, lifting his max weight just barely and only once. Seth didn¡¯t know how to pace himself and was putting a blast of his own energy into every movement, every request, he made of the ground. It was time to finish this. Hopefully as he¡¯d planned. If he was wrong then he might just end up with a broken neck.


    Somehow, Lyle seemed to understand as they exchanged looks. He put his all into his last attack, coming at Seth with speed and force. Seth was ready and as the shinai came down towards him a sheet of dirt flew up to meet it. Not only meet it, but knock it back skyward, leaving Lyle open. As the ground dropped Seth was already swinging, bringing the bamboo straight towards Lyle¡¯s neck. Unfortunately, the speed difference didn¡¯t truly leave Lyle open for long and, just as Seth was swinging so was the Guardian. Blades stopped, bodies stopped, even breathing seemed to stop. The silence from before had returned now that they stared each other down, both with swords at necks. A draw.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡± A powerful voice boomed from just behind the stunned, gathered crowd. It was enough to break them out of their stupor and send a good many of them scampering off, while others left nonchalantly. As Seth and Lyle lowered their shinai they saw who had come at the end to stop the show. Walking purposefully forward was Seth¡¯s mother. And she was staring down Lyle with a deadly cold gaze as she neared. The poor kid looked about ready to shit himself.


    Seth stepped in between the two, finding his vision wavering slightly at the quick move. He felt like he¡¯d just jogged a marathon rather than having a five-minute spar. Enora stopped a short distance away and stared straight into Seth¡¯s eyes were her own icy blue ones. ¡°Someone tell me what exactly is going on here.¡± Her eyes flicked from Seth to the one that hid behind him, then back again to Seth while awaiting the answer she had demanded.


    ¡°Well, mother,¡± Seth replied with some heat to combat her own icy tone. ¡°We were ordered by someone from your Council to spar so that they could assess my physical abilities.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s nonsense,¡± Enora said with a dismissive wave of her hand. ¡°No such thing was ordered or I would¡¯ve been informed.¡±


    Lyle stepped forward slightly as if he was about to say something but Seth held up a hand, stopping him in his tracks. He hadn¡¯t really meant to boss the Guardian around, but he also wasn¡¯t in the mood for anything to get between him and his mother for the moment. ¡°Well obviously you weren¡¯t informed. If I had to guess, I would say that they hadn¡¯t wanted you to know, considering all of their Spirit Animals were here but yours was nowhere to be found.¡±


    Enora¡¯s mouth formed into a grim line as she heard Seth¡¯s statement, looking him over as if she could assess his words by only examining him. After a few heartbeats, she finally asked, ¡°Who was it that told you to come here?¡±


    ¡°It was Zuldin¡¯s bird, Council Woman.¡± Lyle would know more about that than Seth. He¡¯d just seen and heard the bird, but he had no idea which Animal belonged to who. All that Seth truly understood at this moment was someone, or a group of someone¡¯s, had it out for him. That and he hurt from the unexpected ¡®spar¡¯. And he was feeling drained.


    At least part of what Seth was feeling must¡¯ve shown through because Enora¡¯s gaze softened. Just the slightest. Or maybe it was a figment of his imagination. ¡°Guardian, escort my son to Lorten¡¯s home. I¡¯ll inform him you¡¯re coming.¡± Her eyes shifted then from Lyle to Seth, explaining before he could protest. ¡°We have ways of restoring our energy from the Planet as well as mending our wounds. He will show you.¡±


    ¡°Wow, I didn¡¯t realize you actually cared,¡± Seth couldn¡¯t keep the sarcasm from his voice. Again. It was hard for him to treat anything she said with the proper respect thanks to her keeping him in the dark all these years. Plus, he still wasn¡¯t entirely sure what her intentions were. Did she really not know what had been happening, or had she just stayed away to have an excuse.


    <I couldn¡¯t reach her Spirit Animal.> Midnight said in his mind, seeming troubled by it. <It¡¯s unlike anything I¡¯ve encountered before. It stinks of Chaotic energy.> It had Midnight unsettled, and Seth felt a chill go up his spine.


    <Can Chaotic energy even be in a place like this?> Seth thought towards the wolf, not entirely sure how he was able to do it but trusting his instincts to guide him.


    <Not usually, no. Something else seems to be going on.> That just made Seth worry more. The more he heard the less comfortable he was with sticking around the Haven. If this happened on only his second day in, what else lay ahead?


    ¡°Guardian,¡± Enora¡¯s voice broke into Seth¡¯s conference with the wolf. ¡°You may take him now before he falls into unconsciousness.¡± If she¡¯d said anything else while he¡¯d been talking with Midnight than Seth had missed it. What a shame. At least she¡¯d taken his momentary lapse as mere exhaustion instead of him conversing about what may or may not be happening in the Haven.


    ¡°Of course, Council Woman. C¡¯mon Seth.¡± Lyle grabbed Seth¡¯s elbow and turned to lead him out of the training yard and towards wherever it was that Lorten lived.


    *


    The walk wasn¡¯t far and couldn¡¯t have been more than five minutes. For Seth, however, it felt like an hour. Each step was more and more difficult to take and it felt as if his body might give out at any moment. All he wanted to do was sit down and take some time to recover, but Lyle kept him moving. More people were out now and Seth knew he was earning odd looks, but not unsurprisingly he didn¡¯t care in the least.


    Lorten¡¯s house was much like the others, a natural looking mound covered in vegetation with an entrance covered in vines. Vines which parted as they neared. Lorten stood there, waving them into the mound of a house and stepping away. When he stepped away the vines stayed open. That was a trick Seth would have to learn.


    ¡°Guardian, you are dismissed,¡± Lorten stated simply, motioning for Lyle to leave them alone. Despite a hint of hesitation, Lyle nodded to Lorten, patted Seth on the back, and turned to leave. ¡°You, sit.¡± The layout of Lorten¡¯s house was similar to Chase¡¯s own, which made finding a seat in the kitchen easy enough. The older Earthen finished mixing something at the stove and brought a cup over to Seth, setting it in front of him. ¡°Drink this. It will help with the fatigue.¡±


    It was a tea of some sort by Seth¡¯s best guess and he gave it a sniff before mentally shrugging and taking a sip. It didn¡¯t taste very bad. Somewhat bland, but no worse than regular tea. ¡°What is this?¡± he asks.


    ¡°Featherleaf tea.¡± Seth had never heard of it, but it was fine. It still tasted fine so it couldn¡¯t have been anything too bad. ¡°Finish drinking the tea, then I will show you how to draw energy from the Planet to replenish your own.¡± While he drank Lorten stood and went to gather a few more items from nearby. A few plants that were somehow in a potted shape without the pot. It was just dirt. A few pokes at it helped him to understand. The outside dirt was hardened enough to not give while the inside remained normal. Just more Earthen things he had to learn.


    ¡°Normally it¡¯s better to regain energy on your own, with a little assistance from the Planet. Just being in contact with it will give your energy regeneration and healing a boost. However, you can also pull energy from it, with consequences to the Planet itself. Because of that, we generally use it as a last resort. But since we¡¯re crash coursing you through this we¡¯ll just take that loss.¡±


    Lorten sat across from Seth before motioning to the plants. ¡°Take hold of a leaf.¡± Seth did as he was told, holding a leaf between two fingers. ¡°Now look at the life flowing through the plant. Take hold of those lifelines and attach them to yourself, then pull.¡± Again, Seth did as he was told. It wasn¡¯t a fast process by any means but he was able to manipulate the lines of energy within the plant and point them to his fingers. Once that was done, he pulled on the energy with all his might.


    A wash of energy flowed over Seth, causing him to gasp slightly in surprise as he felt just as good as when he¡¯d woken up only an hour or so before. He felt energized and his body no longer ached from the bruises. It was a complete rush. Whatever the negatives were, this feeling had to make up for it. That¡¯s what he thought, anyway, until he actually opened his eyes and looked at the plant again. He quickly released the now dead and wilted plant as if he¡¯d been burned. ¡°I did that?¡± he asked with unease.


    ¡°Mmm, yes, and faster than I would have expected. You¡¯re definitely something else boy.¡± Lorten motioned then to the other plants, ¡°Take more if you need it, but you now know the consequences. You will kill whatever you take the life from. The Planet itself will lose a part of itself should you draw it from the ground, and it will take time for life to filter back in to a dead area.¡±


    Seth was quick to decline needing more, already feeling bad for having completely killed the plant. ¡°No, I¡¯m fine. Thank you.¡± He finished his tea and stood. ¡°I think I need to go, but thank you for the lesson.¡± Before Lorten could protest Seth made a quick retreat, meeting up with Midnight just outside the home. What was he and why could he do these things? What made it so easy to take life?

 Chapter 6: UnLinked No More

    The following week flew by. Each night when the training yard was empty Seth would return with Derrick and Midnight to meet up with Lorten. Each night was a crash course in how to connect with the planet and use that connection to his benefit. He wasn¡¯t entirely surprised that the majority of his lessons were to do with battle. He wouldn¡¯t have had it any other way, what with the demons that had come after him before unlikely to be a single occurrence. At least, if what little he¡¯d gathered was true. Demons were scouring the surrounding areas in ways they¡¯ve not done in recent years, and the assumption from the Council is that they are after Seth.


    While Seth worked with Lorten, Derrick would go about his own training. The first night had been a welcome surprise when he saw that Derrick¡¯s teacher would be his old sensei, back before his world fell apart. The familiar face was a welcome one and that first night he wasn¡¯t alone. The others from the dojo had come with him, all as excited to see Seth as he was to see them. The reunion had been good, but it again had opened Seth¡¯s eyes to just how much he¡¯d been under the thumb of the Earthen for all this time.


    After that night things had not gotten easier. While the others from the dojo group did their best to make him feel welcome, the rest of the Haven seemed set against his being there. He often overheard conversations, lifted just at a high enough volume so that he could barely hear, of how the other Earthen felt his presence was a disgrace, or any other number of unpleasant things. On top of that, he had his training with Lorten, nightly, and that drained him physically and mentally each time.


    As Seth stood barefoot on the dirt during one of his training sessions, he finally built up the urge to ask a question of Lorten. ¡°Why don¡¯t any Earthen wear swords?¡± He reached for the Planet¡¯s energy just in time to call up some vines from beneath the surface in order to intercept the ones Lorten had sent stabbing towards him. The old man didn¡¯t hold back either. Seth had a number of punctures that had taken all of a day to heal in the past.


    ¡°Earth Menders use the Planet in their defense and have no need of weapons. If it¡¯s something that requires brute force than your Guardian will be there to solve the issue.¡± Lorten was very no-nonsense. He spoke matter-of-factly and didn¡¯t waste breath on much of anything that wasn¡¯t his primary focus. And right this moment that wasn¡¯t answering questions. Seth had a suspicion that it had to do with the focus required to accurately control the Planet. Unlike his own brute force attacks against Lyle the other night, he was learning much more delicate use that wouldn¡¯t drain a person. But the balance required concentration. Trying to swing a sword at the same time wouldn¡¯t be an easy task. But far be it for Lorten to admit to some kind of fault or weakness.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t Guardians use guns,¡± Seth started to ask when he suddenly he felt an overwhelming sensation of wrongness. It made him want to throw up and he was about ready to when he realized that Lorten hadn¡¯t stopped at seeing him hunch over. He stood and turned just in time to get caught in the stomach by a large branch that was swung from an unnaturally limber tree. It sent him sailing a good ten feet before he landed softly on¡­a grass bed that had sprung underneath him as if by itself.


    ¡°The Planet will do it¡¯s best to protect you when you make foolish mistakes.¡± Lorten stood nearby, having walked over to where Seth had landed. While the grass may have softened his landing, the tree that hit him hadn¡¯t been soft and he was sure he had at least one broken rib. But it¡¯ll heal. Quickly, if it¡¯s like other injuries he¡¯s received. ¡°It would take too many bullets to destroy enough of a Demon for it to return to where it came from. They are too small to receive the blessings of the Earthen that we instill in swords and arrows to draw out the Chaotic energy from a Demon, and the material isn¡¯t as easy to bless.¡±


    This was the first time Seth had heard of any kind of blessing on the weapons, but it made sense now why the Demons vanished when stabbed with the Guardian¡¯s swords. It¡¯s got some ability to draw out the power from them. Sending them back¡­where? There were still so many unanswered questions.


    ***


    Seth and Chase had started to work like clockwork. Seth was out all-night training, so when he came home he made breakfast. When Chase got back from his own work, which seemed to vary between training and guarding and scouting. It was strange to think of that as work in a time when most of those things are hobbies rather than something required. At least in the outside world.


    Arriving at the house Seth was surprised to see that Chase was already gone, well before his normal guard shift. Finding no indicator of where the other had gone Seth skipped making breakfast and instead went to shower and change into another set of clothes. The plan was to meet Derrick back at the training yard in an hour to work on their sword play. Yet another surprise awaited him when he walked out of the bathroom; Chase was there, waiting, a rather sadistic grin dancing across his features. ¡°Hey.¡± Seth said as he went to grab his change of clothes, towel around his waist.


    ¡°Hey yourself,¡± came the reply followed by a moment of silence.


    Seth grabbed the clothes he¡¯d set aside before looking back at the other man. ¡°Sorry about breakfast. You weren¡¯t here so I figured you had business this morning.¡± A moment of hesitation passed over him as he thought of going back to the bathroom to get dressed. It passed quickly and he simply turned to face the wall before dropping the towel and slipping on the clothes. The week of constant exercise had helped Seth to drop some of his belly fat and he¡¯d already had to have new clothing made to fit. He still felt self-conscious around Chase however, what with the other being toned and good looking. But then again, it¡¯s not like Chase had to watch. It just raised some questions if he did.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. I¡¯d hoped to be back before you got home but my briefing took longer than expected.¡± Chase stood from the bed to go and fiddle with something in a closet like hole on the other side of the room.


    Meanwhile Seth was frowning at the mention of a briefing. ¡°Are they making you go somewhere?¡± While he had no control over most of his life at this point, one of the few things he¡¯d grown accustomed to was seeing Chase daily. If they made him go somewhere else it would make Seth quite sad.


    ¡°On the contrary,¡± Chase turned to raise a hand that held two wooden practice swords, ¡°they want me to help my brother train you.¡±


    Seth was shocked as he turned to face Chase, pulling the shirt the rest of the way over his head before staring between the swords and the man holding them. ¡°I don¡¯t understand, how-¡°


    ¡°Lorten.¡± The name surprised Seth and he could hear Chase chuckle before explaining, ¡°He sent word while he was teaching you last night that he wanted me to assist with weapons training. The Council agreed by making me swear to ¡®keep an eye on you¡¯ and your interactions within the Haven.¡± Chase smiled innocently with his last words and really, despite the fact that the Council wanted someone to spy on him, he was more than happy to have Chase along.


    ¡°So you get to spy on me and report back then?¡±


    ¡°They want me to. But they don¡¯t need to worry about it and neither do you. They aren¡¯t going to hear anything bad from me.¡± Chase walked over to hand one of the practice swords to Seth. ¡°We all have secrets that we want kept.¡±


    If that wasn¡¯t the truth. Seth still had a big secret that made being around Chase so nice. Of course, there were some here that knew his secret, yet he suspected that those from the dojo would never spill the beans about their friend¡¯s sexuality. ¡°I¡¯m surprised they asked you to help considering that I always see others looking down at UnLinked Guardians.¡±


    ¡°Lorten has always treated all Guardians the same. He¡¯s one of the few Earthen that does.¡±


    Fifteen minutes later the trio of Seth, Chase, and Derrick had made their way to the training yard. Unlike the night time emptiness the grounds were now packed with Guardians. A few classes of different age groups dotted the grounds while other older Guardians were in pairs sparring. Each different group of people seemed to keep to themselves as they went about their sparring or other forms of training. Surprisingly, even when the trio arrived, no one gave them a second look despite one of them not being a Guardian. A look around the outskirts of the yard told him why. Earthen sat or stood in various places, watching various Guardians like one might watch a child at play. It was odd to Seth, but then so was most everything in the Haven.


    Chase and Derrick managed to corral a small area for their use, a small section of the hard packed earth ringed by a thin circle of grass. ¡°This is normally a tournament area,¡± Chase explained, ¡°but it¡¯s also used for practice and the training of Guardians if the yard is too full.¡±


    A shiver went down Seth¡¯s spine as he moved into the circle and he turned to look at all the people gathered. None of them seemed to be looking his direction. But then why did he get the feeling that all eyes were on him. ¡°They¡¯re masters of looking without seeming to be looking,¡± Chase whispered softly, sensing Seth¡¯s unease.


    Well that was just great. So, they were all there to watch. Again. Seth moved to the center of the circle and brought his wooden sword up, ignoring the others as best he could as he turned to face Derrick. Which means he was rather surprised to see it was Chase that joined him. Derrick had also brought a wooden sword but he didn¡¯t join the other two at this time. Something was different about this. Chase seemed like he might be better than his brother.  ¡°Why do I feel like I just stepped into a wolf¡¯s den?¡±


    ¡°You have good instincts.¡± Chase seemed overly smug and perhaps a tinge apologetic as he spoke, tapping the wooden blade against his leg. ¡°You had training from a Guardian at your dojos. You¡¯ve been training now a few days with Derrick. Let¡¯s find out where you¡¯re at since you met with Lyle. Time isn¡¯t on our side with the Council after all.¡±


    Seth could only groan as he wondered what he got himself into.


    <You did ask for it,> came a sleepy voice in his head.


    <I didn¡¯t ask for the opinion of a mangy mutt though.>


    <Maybe you should have. Might not be in this situation then.> Everyone was sounding smug today.


    ¡°Alright.¡± It was the only reply that Seth could give at this point.


    The two squared off against each other, wooden blades coming up to be at the ready. Chase started and after only three blows Chase¡¯s sword snuck in and smacked Seth hard on the back. Pain shot through the half-breed at the impact and he let out a hiss of pain. Chase didn¡¯t seem to notice as he motioned for the sword to be raised. ¡°Again.¡± Three more clacks sound from the wooden swords before a new bruise is added to Seth¡¯s arm. ¡°Again.¡± This time Seth knew what to expect, holding back a little more as he expected Chase to do the same thing a third time. Instead the Guardian changed tactics and pushed his wooden sword further in to smack Seth on top of his head. No mercy, no rest. ¡°Again.¡±


    They continued on in this vain for almost fifteen minutes before Chase dropped the tip of his blade. The Guardian smiled, looking as calm as always and not even sweating despite the mini workout. Seth wasn¡¯t so lucky as sweat dripped off his brow and his body hurt already. At last a break, Seth thought as he stood straight and dug the tip of his practice sword into the dirt.


    ¡°Don¡¯t relax,¡± it wasn¡¯t Chase that spoke this time, but Derrick. ¡°We¡¯re just switching so we can each watch and see where you need to work.¡± Seth was stunned. They were going to kill him at this rate. Still he raised his practice sword again and prepared. His peripheral vision told him that others were watching as well. From the sparring Guardians to the bored looking Earthen. Some had stopped what they were doing to watch, laughing or wincing each in their own way at Seth¡¯s misfortune. It was becoming yet another public spectacle. Yet this time it was a training session, and not a beatdown. Not exactly at least.


    The next round lasted a little longer at seven blows before Derrick found an opening. There was a large difference between the two Guardians that helped Seth to survive a little more. Whereas Chase and Lyle used speed to their advantage Derrick was more about strength in movement. Not to say Derrick was slow but he was a little easier to keep up with. Also Seth had sparred against Derrick enough to be able to read his movements a little easier, even if his friend had never shown his true ability until they were attacked by demons. Still Seth was no match in the end and another painful fifteen minutes passed before another switch. With Chase tagged back in they picked up again where they¡¯d left off with the Guardian focusing on whichever of the many flaws Seth was sure he¡¯d seen.


    After nearly two hours Chase finally called a stop to the training. Seth¡¯s entire body was shaking with exhaustion and the wooden sword he held seemed alive with how much his shaking hands made it move. By the end of the lesson Seth was not feeling very pleased with his performance nor the gauntlet he¡¯d been put through. Not only was he fully exhausted but bruises were appearing all over him from head to toe where he¡¯d been hit and he was now wondering how he would sleep if he couldn¡¯t comfortably lay down. The few benefits didn¡¯t seem to outweigh the pain; he had gotten as far as six attacks with Chase and eleven with Derrick.


    ¡°That¡¯ll be good for today,¡± Chase was smiling in a way that seemed sympathetic but the coloring he could see on his forearms made him wonder just how sincere it was. ¡°If you want to go wash up we need to talk to Lorten per his request.¡± Chase looked ready to say something else but Seth waved a shaky hand in farewell and turned to return to the house, the wooden sword barely kept from dragging on the ground. The walk back to the earth made house seemed to take hours instead of the few minutes it in reality took, but everything took longer when you were ready to collapse.


    What was I thinking, trying to learn both sword work and about Earthen powers at the same time. There¡¯s no way I can keep up this pace of training. I¡¯m not even sure if I¡¯ll be able to move tonight. Seth berated himself the whole way back to the house and the whole time he prepared for bed. His body protested everything from removing his clothes to standing in the shower to wash himself. As he suspected his body was covered in yellowing bruises that hurt more then the actual contact itself had. But even as he watched they seemed to start to fade away slowly. The Earthen¡¯s increased healing was some benefit. By the time he made it to the bed he fell face forward on it and didn¡¯t move. Seth quickly found that lying on his stomach was the least painful of positions and so he tried to make himself comfortable enough to sleep. Seth had only just gotten the pillow in a good position when he heard footsteps indicating Chase had returned.


    ¡°How are you feeling?¡± Chases voice had a tinge of concern in it, likely from seeing the damage that had been inflicted.


    ¡°Like I just spent two hours getting hit with wooden swords,¡± Seth grumbled from his position, not turning himself to look at Chase.


    ¡°Yeah, sorry about that. But you were wanting to practice more¡­¡±


    ¡°Practice, yes. Not get my ass handed to me on a platter.¡± There was a little heat in Seth¡¯s voice and for once he was actually angry at Chase instead of¡­what. Infatuated? Well that was easy to look past now.


    ¡°I told Lorten that we wouldn¡¯t be meeting with him today since you weren¡¯t¡­feeling well.¡± Seth still wasn¡¯t looking at Chase and the other man seemed to take the hint. ¡°Anyways, I just want you to know that you did start doing better. It¡¯s not like we didn¡¯t try as hard in the end, but you still lasted longer, even being tired and worn down. If anything, you¡¯re a quick learner.¡±


    Seth just grunted again and buried his face in the pillow. The anger was subsiding but it was being replaced by a feeling of pride in hearing what Chase had to say about him. No, stay angry. He just beat you up for two god damned hours! But even as Chase left, so did the rest of the anger, making Seth more annoyed with himself than anything else.


    ***


    The next few days Seth spent connecting with Midnight and Derrick, controlling the planet around him, calling to animals near and far, and even straight up sword play and fist fighting. Fighting a creature made of dirt and twigs that never tired was something he¡¯d never thought he¡¯d deal with.


    Each night he would return to Chases dog tired, shower, and go to bed. Chase would either already be asleep or come in after he was. They awoke at different times as well. Chase was on night patrol, something Seth found out the second night. It made sense after he thought about it. Just like the other UnLinked Guardians.


    The Council still hadn¡¯t contacted him by the end of a week¡¯s time, which he could only consider a good thing. At the end of his ¡®lesson¡¯ that night, Lorten informed him and Derrick that the next night was the full moon and the time of Linking for any newborns. It was considered a special day that all who could would attend with a feast afterwards to celebrate.


    After a week of patrol Chase was only to help stand guard at the ceremony before he¡¯d have a few days to rest. Seth wondered if he might be able to finagle a few more days of rest out of Lorten but he doubted it heavily. When Seth awoke the night of the ceremony he saw Chase had already left and laid out clothes for him which he did every day. He was beginning to feel overly spoiled, though it seemed Chase was trying to make up for their training sessions in small ways. As he dressed he realized that the clothes were different then what was usually left. It was one of the mottled green uniforms he¡¯d seen warn by many around the Haven, and he could only guess he was supposed to dress the part tonight.


    On the way to the area where the ceremony was being held he was joined by Midnight and Derrick, almost as if it¡¯d been planned that way. ¡°You look official.¡± Derrick chipped in when he joined them. Although it earned Derrick a glare, Seth was thinking the same thing. It certainly wasn¡¯t something he¡¯d wear on his own accord.


    ¡°I¡¯d rather not be wearing it but I can only assume I¡¯m supposed to look like I actually belong here tonight.¡±


    ¡°Well you do belong here, so I guess that¡¯s a good thing.¡±


    ¡°At this point you¡¯re the only one that thinks so.¡± Like normal most of the people within the Haven either stared, avoided looking, or completely avoided him. While it was nothing new it was beginning to become an annoyance. How could a people that were supposed to adapt to protect the planet be so closed-minded against a newcomer? ¡°I think everyone else would prefer if I was gone.¡±Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°Well you¡¯re an Earthen, so they ca-¡°


    ¡°HALF Earthen, and you might want to be careful. I wouldn¡¯t want you to say something stupid and get in trouble.¡± Seth was happy that Derrick was on his side, but at the same time it also worried him. What would his friends¡¯ fate be if they decided to kick him out, or worse? Who knew what else they might do. He didn¡¯t know what else they could do but he had a feeling that if his abilities could be blocked once they could probably be blocked again. ¡°At least the people here have been treating you like a normal person.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been here before, that¡¯s why. You remember how every year I went hunting for two weeks? I was really coming here.¡± Seth frowned and had to keep himself from getting angry. Derrick seemed to notice as he explained quickly, ¡°I had to come. They made me. They had me doing super intense training and told me what was happening and what I had to look out for. It¡¯s not like I wanted to leave you. I made sure they left the other Guardians to watch you when I left.¡± The dojo group, of course.


    <What a suck up.> Midnights message was for Derrick, and Seth couldn¡¯t help but smirk as he relayed that message. The wolf was surprisingly quirky and funny, and it was easy to tell they were connected. If there was one thing Midnight had inherited from Seth it was being sarcastic.


    Derrick was red when Seth glanced at him which made Seth grin. ¡°Shut up you mangy mutt. You¡¯re one to talk.¡± Derrick huffed, not even looking at Midnight. The fact that it made Derrick so upset actually made Seth laugh and he quickly covered his mouth with an arm and coughed when Derrick glared at him.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Seth forced himself to stop laughing and cleared his throat to keep it from coming back, making an effort to stop smiling. ¡°But he¡¯s right. You were being a suck up.¡± Which brought up a good point that Seth had been thinking about. ¡°We need to talk about the past so I know what was happening. Then maybe I can stop thinking of wanting to break your nose when I see you.¡± He¡¯d managed to act like nothing was wrong for the last week while they worked together. But it hadn¡¯t been easy.


    ¡°I know.¡± Derricks reply was immediate and he sounded suddenly somber. ¡°I was thinking after the ceremony we could skip the feast.¡±


    <You should both make an appearance.> The wolf had a detailed knowledge of the people and customs of the Haven. How? Seth had no idea. It seemed almost innate, though the wolf had been in the Haven for longer than either of the other two. <Everyone is expected to at least show up, even if they don¡¯t stay.>


    Well that figured. There was no easy way out. That seemed to be Seth¡¯s life lately. ¡°We¡¯ll stop by the feast and make our appearance and then we¡¯ll go talk.¡± It was decided and Derrick didn¡¯t second guess or question him. It was part of the life here that the Guardians did what they were told, and though Seth didn¡¯t entirely approve of it, it was nice that Derrick actually listened to him more.


    They arrived at the ceremonial grounds, which was basically a space filled with small tables and tiered seating for around a hundred people to watch. The area had been dressed richly in whites while the glow bugs gave off a white glow instead of the normal blue. The white is for the full moon, Seth remembered Lorten saying. Each of these ceremonies occur when the moon is full, and every three months when there are children. Seth didn¡¯t know why that specific time-frame unless there was some link between the Earthen and the moon he didn¡¯t know about.


    Midnight moved into the shadows before they stepped into the white light, disappearing like he normally did. Derrick followed behind Seth with a smile and nod to people he knew as they passed. They found two empty spots and sat, Seth remaining quiet for the time being while he simply observed those around him as well as those still filtering in. Before long other friendly faces appeared. Lyle was first, and he sat on the opposite side of Seth from Derrick, meaning he¡¯d at least be surrounded by friends. Katy arrived with Jesse and one sat just in front while the other sat just behind, truly surrounding Seth. He shared a smile with them all, a show of his thanks. They all talked softly but Seth was far too distracted by the display.


    The tables down on the floor level were covered in blankets of white and from this angle he could see that what he¡¯d thought was a jumble of tables were actually neatly aligned tables. There was a split down the middle to separate one half from the other, each half having tables longwise and sideways sporadically. The design tickled at the back of Seth¡¯s mind and he finally realized that the tables were a loose look of the moon as it appeared in the sky. The tables were placed where the surface was brightest, and where there were dark spots and divots were on the moon there was no table. The outside tables also helped form a circle.


    While he was marveling at the design Seth caught sight of something familiar off to one side of the tables. It was Chase who was staring at him, and who smiled faintly when their eyes met. Seth smiled back as he looked Chase over, seeing how formally he was dressed. Sword and dagger were strapped on and he stood with his hands clasped behind his back, dressed in his Guardian night patrol black clothing. Seth thought it made him look quite stunning and mysterious in a good way.


    ¡°If you keep staring that intently you¡¯re bound to get a headache. Or have your eyes pop out of your head.¡± Derrick was obviously amused by what he saw with the teasing tone of his voice.


    Seth punched him in the arm. ¡°I didn¡¯t ask for your opinion.¡±


    ¡°You still got it.¡± When Seth punched his arm again Derrick rubbed where he hit. ¡°Hey, stop it. You can¡¯t blame someone for stating the obvious.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s so obvious? He¡¯s been a very good host is all.¡± Seth eyed a small group of people that passed close by to find seats, though their own chatter would¡¯ve overwhelmed any words that carried anyways. He wasn¡¯t sure why this conversation had him on edge, but it did. The people here didn¡¯t seem very open to anything different than their ways.


    ¡°Ohh what are we whispering about?¡± Jesse asked, leaning forward from his spot behind them. ¡°Please let it be about how Seth is staring so intently and whoa!¡± Jesse cut off when Seth turned to try and punch him as well, but the angle was all wrong. It just made the Guardian laugh. ¡°Easy there tiger.¡±


    ¡°I think you all need to learn how to mind your own business.¡± Seth felt like he should be grumpy, but he wasn¡¯t. These were his friends, or at least as close as he had to them. Teasing was just a sign of that friendship, even if they had no idea what they were talking about. That¡¯s what Seth kept telling himself at least.


    The noise coming from the crowd started to die down suddenly and it took Seth a moment to realize that there was a line of people entering and setting down babies wrapped tightly in blankets, one per table. Earthen laid their child on one side while Guardians dressed in white as opposed to their normal black set their children on the other side. Once the babies were all laid down an old man stepped forward and started speaking.


    ¡°Tonight we Link together child to child, Earthen to Guardian, life mate to life mate.¡± The old man spoke in a soft voice that sounded rough, as if he used to yell a lot. ¡°The full moon shines down on us and blesses each child with its touch. As these babes are baptized in moon light let them find their Linked and join together with them for all of time, through life and death.¡± Seth listened closely, intrigued, as the old man stepped back and raised his hands to the sky.


    Seth couldn¡¯t say for sure what happened then, but suddenly moonlight started shining into the grounds, moving quickly. Within seconds all the babes were aglow with moonlight and Seth stared in amazement. The Earthen children had a strange green glow about them while the Guardian children glowed in a soft yellow. As he watched, a wisp of the glow from each child pulled away towards the middle while remaining connected to the whole. The sight was amazing. As those between an Earthen and Guardian baby got close, they would touch and generally move on. It wasn¡¯t until two or three touches in that two of the wisps intertwined and the connection was made. Where the connection was made whole the glow changed to a bright radiant orange like a sun before dying down to a soft glow of orange. Cries erupted from the babes when the connections were made, but Seth barely noticed it as his eyes had turned from the magic to look at Chase. He had a glow too, but it was a soft, pulsating gray, almost dead looking as it surrounded him. It wasn¡¯t till then that Seth noticed everyone had their glow with their Linked, including himself and Derrick.


    Seth couldn¡¯t help but feel sorry for Chase who had taken on a military like stance, his face emotionless. His heart yearned for the man, but he knew in this society as it was there was nothing he could do. If only one of the babies would Link with him, Seth thought. But then, he knew that only babes Linked for whatever reason, or at least that¡¯s what he¡¯d been told.


    A murmur started up in the crowd and Seth watched the babes, trying to see what was going on. Almost all of them had been paired up, and it looked like there were a few more Guardian children then Earthen. He couldn¡¯t help but wonder if they did that on purpose, just to make sure every Earthen found a match. It wasn¡¯t until Derrick poked his arm hard enough to hurt that Seth looked at him, ¡°What?¡± He asked, more loudly then he¡¯d intended. But then, the murmuring had grown louder. Was there something he was supposed to be doing?


    ¡°It¡¯s Chase, look.¡± Derrick said quietly, and Seth leaned forward to look past Derrick to see Chase. His eyes widened and he held his breath. Chases glow had gone from the dead grey to a bright yellow. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen something like that before.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s amazing, is he going to Link with one of them?¡± Seth looked back to the babes to try and see if any of the wisps were going that way, but he didn¡¯t see anything. His heart dropped. Would the planet be so evil as to give him hope and then not match him? ¡°Do you see who it¡¯s going to.¡± Seth asked, leaning forward over Katy who had a dumbstruck look on her face as she stared at Seth. ¡°What?¡±


    The words died on his lips as he saw his own glow already almost to Chase. How was that possible? They had told him only the children could Link. The murmuring of the crowd grew louder, and there was obviously a mixed reaction as everyone watched, restless, uneasy, intrigued, or even a few excited. Seth had a sudden sick feeling in his stomach. ¡°Someone go to Chase, now. Protect him.¡±


    ¡°Prote-¡° Derrick started to half ask, half protest, but Seth didn¡¯t let him get that far.


    ¡°Now damn it. Go.¡± Lyle and Katy took up the call and leapt over the seats in front of them, running towards Chase. When the wisps touched, they connected immediately in a light brighter than any of the others had been. Seth had started to stand but then reeled backwards and fell heavily onto his seat as a pain unlike any other shoved its way into his head. It felt like someone had swung a pick axe and left it buried in his temple. Seth closed his eyes as he tried to recoup somewhat, but there was no escaping the pain.


    It felt like an eternity before he was able to open his eyes again, but when he did nobody had really moved except for two he¡¯d sent off. They were on the ground next to Chase who had collapsed the same as Seth but hadn¡¯t recovered yet. The moon light was no longer as bright, and the glow around the children were gone. Parents took the babes out quickly as Earthen and Guardians gathered closer to Seth and Chase, some with swords drawn.


    ¡°A person with two Guardians? That¡¯s impossible.¡± Said one of the Earthen.


    ¡°Unnatural!¡± Said another.


    ¡°No one can Link once past their first year.¡± A third commented.


    Before Seth could say anything or even move towards Chase and Derrick, his mother appeared followed by six other older looking Earthen. A pin was stuck into the top of their tunics near the neck in the design of a large tree, yet the pin was fairly small itself. Enora pursed her lips as she stared at Seth, as if she was trying to peer into his very soul.


    ¡°It¡¯s obvious this creature is some kind of demon. Take him and that Guardian into custody!¡± The words came from behind his mother, an older woman with long blonde hair. Riesha, he thought her name was. She stepped out as she was speaking and pointed at Seth, then away towards Chase.


    ¡°Nobody move,¡± Seth¡¯s voice was loud and guttural quality to it. It was a surprising enough tone that it made the Guardians stop moving and uncertain looking. It also caused the pain in his head to spike. Lyle and Katy were positioned protectively over Chase as they¡¯d been instructed, while Jesse and Derrick stood to either side of Seth.


    ¡°This is treason,¡± Riesha was getting angry. ¡°I am a Council Member. Do as I say or I¡¯ll have you all thrown into a cell.¡±


    ¡°If anyone touches Chase, they will answer to me.¡±


    ¡°And what do we have to fear from you that would stay our hand?¡± The Council Woman sneered.


    Seth pointed at the woman wordlessly, causing her to take a step back as if she had expected him to shoot lightning. His finger then moved slightly to the side to point past her. The entire group turned to see what he pointed at. A woman screamed loudly while everyone else looked uncertain. Waiting behind them was a six foot tall wolf, hackles raised and teeth bared, muzzle dripping with fresh blood from whatever creature he¡¯d just eaten. There was nothing quite so fierce as Midnight.


    ***


    It had been a whirlwind of activity after Midnight came to their rescue. Chase was taken back home with Lyle and Katy watching over him. Two other Guardians were appointed to guard them from leaving Chases house. After ensuring that Chase would survive and was only unconscious he had followed after the Council, flanked by four uneasy Guardians. Midnight had started to come with him but he sent the wolf to guard Chase as well. The wolf had argued, but Seth had one.


    Now Seth sat in the Council Room, a room with a curved table behind which sat the seven Council members. Enora sat off to one side while the center seat was taken by the head of the Council, an elderly man who looked ready to topple over at the slightest breeze. Yet he had walked here under his own power which led Seth to believe he was feigning some of the weakness. Either that or the Planet afforded him strength beyond his years. The other Council members all sat in one of the other chairs and currently they were arguing over him. Seth had asked for a seat as soon as they arrived in the room and sat heavily, his head still pounding and he feeling as if he¡¯d run a double marathon before he¡¯d gotten there. Behind each Council member was their Guardian, each of them staring at Seth. The other four Guardians stood by the door, two on either side, presumably to keep him from leaving. Jesse had been kept from entering, but Derrick stood next to Seth, standing over him like some kind of mother hen.


    ¡°¡­never happened before in all of history!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not even possible!¡± ¡°They must all be demons. Did you see his Animal?¡± ¡°Maybe times are changing¡­¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not part of the Earthen way!¡± ¡°Put all of them to death immediately!¡± The last statement came from the blonde-haired woman, Riesha, who was obviously his biggest fan. Almost entirely unsurprisingly, Jaysen stood behind one on the Council who was arguing with the others. He was obviously the youngest one there. Seth massaged his temple as they all continued to speak over each other. It wasn¡¯t helping his headache in the slightest bit. It also didn¡¯t seem to be going anywhere.


    All of the Council members were speaking, including his mother who appeared to be trying to again protect him in her own way. The only one who didn¡¯t speak was the old man in the middle of the table. Finally, the old man raised his hand up for silence and it fell over the room immediately. They have great respect for this man, Seth realized as he raised his eyes up to meet the old mans. They were gray and seemed to have an intelligence behind them that dwarfed everyone else¡¯s in the room.


    ¡°Let us hear what the young man has to say.¡± The old man¡¯s voice was soft yet it carried through the whole room as if he shouted. ¡°Tell us young one, what do you know of what happened?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know anything of what happened.¡± Seth admitted tiredly. ¡°I barely know anything about this place, about these people. All I know is that I was brought here when I was attacked, and since then I¡¯ve been treated like an outcast, ignored and hated. I was told to go tonight instead of attend my normal training session and I did. Besides that I¡¯m not really sure of anything.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you lie to us demon!¡± Riesha slammed her hands on the table as she stood up, ¡°We all know what you really are and-¡°


    ¡°Enough.¡± The old man spoke the word and Riesha¡¯s mouth clamped shut quickly. ¡°You have made your point clear Riesha. Please sit down.¡± Once she was again sitting, albeit disgruntled, the old man spoke again. ¡°Thank you. See how much nicer it is to talk instead of yell?¡± It was a figurative slap but Riesha didn¡¯t seem to notice or care. ¡°Young one, would you consent to us checking your blood for that of a demon.¡±


    Seth was surprised at the question, but then he shook his head. ¡°Do whatever you want to do.¡± A nod from the old man had a Guardian from the door step forward and stop next to Seth.


    ¡°Your hand.¡± The Guardians tone was on that expected the request to be followed. Seth gave the man his hand and before he could blink there was a dagger out and it cut a small slash across his palm. It surprised Seth so much that he didn¡¯t notice the pain at first. Blood oozed out of the wound as the now dagger-less man pushed down next to it to cause more blood to flow out. It was then that Seth let out a gasp of pain, though he managed to limit it to that. Seconds passed as the blood flowed off his palm and onto the floor. Apparently that was all they needed to see as the Guardian had bandaging out next and wrapped Seth¡¯s hand up to stop the bleeding.


    ¡°There you are Riesha, my son is not a demon. Unless you are trying to suggest I sleep with demons.¡± Enora snapped, unpleased with how things had gone so far insomuch that her displeasure showed plainly on her face.


    ¡°No one knows what you sleep with since you slept with a human to breed this little half-breed. Perhaps you should¡¯ve killed him when he was born and it would¡¯ve saved us all the trouble.¡± Riesha snapped back.


    Again the old man had to hold up his hand to silence them, ¡°He is not a demon, and he claims no knowledge of what happened. As he has been watched since he was a babe we know that his knowledge is limited in our ways and I feel as if he could not have known what happened, nor caused it in any way.¡± A pause as he looked around the table to see if anyone would argue with that, but there was only silence. ¡°That being said, it is still something we have not seen before and it must be investigated. However, I feel that holding the boy will not help us in that cause. I believe he should be free to go as long as he promises to return to the Council if we call. Are there any arguments?¡± Again there was only silence from the others. ¡°Alright then, that¡¯s settled. Please see the young one to his friend¡¯s home. Ensure there are always two people guarding the door for their protection.¡±


    Seth doubted the guards were for their protection. More like an honor guard to protect the rest of the Haven. ¡°I will come back if you ask. I¡¯m not trying to make any enemies or do any harm.¡± He left it at that, turning and walking out of the door, standing tall as he left for a show of strength, even though his head was not pleased.


    The walk to Chases house was quick, Seth taking large steps to get there as fast as possible. The quickened pace made his head pound harder but he was worried about Chase and was willing to deal with the pain. When he got to the house he went right in past the Guardians waiting outside. Let them tell each other what happened, he didn¡¯t care about any of them. He only cared about one person right now. It was dark in the entryway but Seth knew where everything was. His night vision had also become better since he¡¯d unlocked his Earthen abilities, although according to Lorten that wasn¡¯t something that normally happened. But then Seth wasn¡¯t very normal as anyone in the Haven would attest.


    Lyle, Katy, and Midnight were with Chase in his room when Seth entered. One of the light bugs from outside had come in and was on the wall above Chases head so that he was visible to the others with a soft glow. Seth stopped in the doorway with his heart pounding as he looked on, immediately feeling guilty. It¡¯s my fault, whatever is wrong with him, if I hadn¡¯t come-.


    <You can wallow in self-pity later.> Midnights voice shot into his mind like a bullet, surprising him. He hadn¡¯t been trying to talk to Midnight. <You never do, I share your thoughts, that¡¯s how you talk to me.> That means he knew what Seth always thought, and that unsettled Seth a little. <Worry about it later. Come in here.> At Midnights bidding Seth walked into the room and over to the bed, reaching a hand out to Katy¡¯s shoulder and startling the Guardian.


    ¡°Oh, Seth, hey. Sorry I was just kind of lost in my own thoughts.¡± Katy smiled tiredly, like the happenings had sapped her mentally and physically. It was an event, obviously, and he can imagine making sure no-one interrupted Chase wasn¡¯t an easy task what with all the people who¡¯d seen what had happened.


    ¡°How did you know.¡± Lyle asked, his voice soft but full of curiosity. ¡°How did you know that they would try and take you both?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t, but if there¡¯s one thing I¡¯ve learned about how people react to things they don¡¯t understand, it¡¯s that they kill it or lock up first and ask questions second.¡± History was all the proof he needed in support of that. ¡°I hoped reason and cooler heads would win and they did in the end, but it took a little force to move things in the right direction.¡± Seth put a hand to his throbbing head and closed his eyes, ¡°Now I just wish I knew what the hell happened.¡±


    ¡°You Linked.¡± Derrick was stating the obvious from where he¡¯d moved, standing near Chase to check on his brother. ¡°I¡¯m not sure why, or how you were able to Link with a second person, but you did. And for some reason Chase suffered more for it.¡±


    Those words tugged at Seth and made him feel even more guilty. ¡°Will he be alright?¡±


    ¡°Nobody knows. A group of Earthen healers came to see him, though I think they were more interested in figuring out how it happened than if he would be okay. Midnight helped convince them to help him now and figure it out later, but they didn¡¯t know what to do. This has never happened in the history of the Earthen. Every test they did on him came back like he was completely healthy, but he¡¯s still unconscious. They left not long ago and said they¡¯d be back, but not when or what they were going to do.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m surprised they did anything at all.¡± Seth went for a change of clothing, removing everything and donning only a pair of shorts and a simple shirt before returning to the bed and sitting opposite Derrick. As soon as he sat a wave of exhaustion hit him so hard he almost passed out himself, but he managed to open his eyes again. His head rebuked him by pounding even more.


    <Lay down. Sleep.> Midnight ordered in a gentle tone. Seth obeyed what his wolf and his body asked of him.


    ¡°Wake me up when he wakes up.¡± Seth told Derrick, knowing his friend wouldn¡¯t be leaving any time soon. As for the others, they understood without words and quietly excused themselves with promises to return to check on them. As he drifted off, he could only pray Chase would be okay.