Episode Ten: Dylan Danvers, The Eldest.

The Eldest,

In the Annex,

Asth.

Most people would hate my job, but I had signed up for this. Leading a species, guiding them and protecting them were all ok. But waiting for fourteen year old half Zardens with sassy attitudes wasn't what I signed up for.

Not that I expected Dylan to arrive early, but I didn't expect him to arrive this late. Five minutes was too much, I had a really tight schedule.

"Was this meeting some kind of Joke?" An Elder at the meeting table asked, looking at Elijah, but I knew the question was addressed to me.

"Aaron calm down." Elijah said as he furtively glanced at me. "The boy would come. John is bringing him personally."

"John?" Aaron laughed heartily. "Let's hope he doesn't bring only what's left of him."

At that moment, the golden doors opened and two people walked in. One with his usual sneer and the other, without his usual 'swag.'

*****

Dylan Danvers,

The Annex,

Asth.

The moment John opened the golden doors, I swallowed. After experiencing Mr. Richard's coldness in the elevator, I felt more and more like a pest in this place.

I wanted to leave but I had already promised to stay at least a week. I was going to try to at least reduce that to three days.

"So glad you called you could make it " Elijah said the moment the twin doord opened. I checked my watch it was 8:06 "This is Aaron. He was absent yesterday due to some ahh... casualties."

Elijah had pointed at a guy who had black hair and brown eyes but his smile reminded me of mine after I won a boss level on Hero Legends. He nodded after Elijah was done introducing him.

"Skipping all formalities, I suggest we move straight to the reason this meeting was called. Something or rather someone strange has happened." Elijah looked at me apologetically. "And we the elders, have to decide how best to handle the matter."

John shifted on his seat. "Yes. Mr. Wilbur, but I've already made my opinion clear. He's not one of us, thus we have to take drastic measures. I suggest exile."

"Are you kidding?" said Aaron the new guy. "He's only a kid John, exile should only be a last resort."

"I'm sorry Aaron, but I agree with John. Not about exile, but we can't act like he's one of us." Catherine Grace said

"He's one of us." Elijah defended. "Zarden blood runs through his veins."

"And so does the blood of that disgraceful species. I mean that's enough to get rid of him." John countered.

I was about to put up a defence, but I got an eye from the Eldest. It seemed to say "please for your own good, remain silent." I could only nod in response.

"Alright then," Elijah was saying. "Why don't we put it up for a vote? Anyone who thinks the boy should be rid of?"

Two hands shot to the air—John and Catherine's

"Very well." Elijah continued. "And those for giving the boy a chance?"

Two hands also shot to the air—Elijah's and Aaron's.

It was a tie and The Eldest hadn't voted yet. It was his vote that said whether I was exiled (whatever that meant), or I got a chance to prove nyself. Remind me how my life got to this?

"Okay." The Eldest said, he still hadn‖t lost his bossy tune. "Only one question. What's our most ancient rule?—all zarden are family. This boy has Zarden blood whether you like it or not and by that, he shouldn't be exiled unless necessary."

"But sir." John started. "He could be dangerous. There are also rules that say....."

"Not another word John." The Eldest said. "I vote we give him a chance and with that this meeting is closed."

John kicked back his chair and stormed out the annex. Catherine followed with a bowed head and a file in her hand. However, Elijah and Aaron remained.

"Aaron," The Eldest said. "Could you please tell Miss Ashwood I'd be at Malzar today? Tell her I'm coming with him and that it was as I suspected."

Aaron nodded and left the room.

"Elijah" the Eldest said, and I noticed his tone had changed. It no longer had that bossy edge. "Are the copters ready?"

"Yes Sifu. You can leave immediately."

Sifu? Was that like a food or something?

Sifu....I mean the Eldest nodded. "Thank you Elijah. You can leave now."

Elijah walked out the room, leaving me with the Eldest. He seemed tired and deep in thought, and he acted like I wasn't in the room. I hated being ignored.

"Hello?"

"Oh Dylan. Did you sleep well?"

"Yes."

Silence again.

"Could you at least tell me where we're going? I asked. "What's Malzar?"

The Eldest sighed and rose from his feet.

"We have a lot to discuss Dylan. I'd rather have it we talk about everything on our journey."

******

The Eldest,

In a copter to Malzar.

I really wished Dylan would stop asking questions. I needed to think and ignoring him was getting harder.

"How far is this Malzar?"

"Why is this copter gold?"

"Why is everything gold?"

"You still haven't told me where we're going."

I sighed. I've always believed teenagers are bigger burdens than even children. Turns out it was also true for Half Zarden.

"First of all," I said. "if you must know, we'll be going to Malzar School for Zarden Specials; the best Zarden School in the Zarden World."

Dylan's expression changed. "So this would be my fourth school in two years?"

"I'm sorry Dylan. But it's too dangerous for you out there and it's only for a week. You need to at least learn about your second culture as well as master your Zox."

"Zox?"

I almost forgot he hadn't stayed here his whole life

"Zox, powers—the same thing. Powers like telepathy, super speed and what not." I said. "There's one problem though. Zarden usually exhibit their powers when they turn twelve. You turned twelve about two years ago which is also when the incidents with your schools began.

Now I have reason to believe that your human side is suppressing your powers..."

"And Malzar is my only chance to unlock them." Dylan completed.

"You're a smart boy Dylan." I honestly complimented him. "You might end up being a Lois who knows."

"Lois?"

"Yes. Miss Ashwood would explain that and a lot of other things to you when you get to Malzar."

Dylan nodded and I thought he had exhausted his questions. "Could you tell me more about the Zarden?"

The Eldest cleared his throat. "For lack of a better way to put it, Zardens are like humans but a superior species. We're stronger, smarter; if you noticed, some technology here doesn't exist in the human world. Yet."

"The human world." Dylan whispered under his breath. I heard him because of my keen senses and I knew another question was coming.

"Where is this anyway? I mean where are we?"

"I get what you mean. Well, first of all we're on earth. Second of all we're in what humans call New York. We Zarden call this place Asth.

It's like a Parallel universe. How do I explain this...Okay. The humans and Zarden are living together, but there's like a veil covering one world from the other. Unless you go through a portal, or you are teleported in or out by one of us you can't see what goes on in the other world."

"Oh, I understand."

"You do?"

"Yeah. I mean when you've watched every season of The Flash how..."

I gave him a look that probably left his tongue tied

After a few minutes, I asked: "Are you sure you understand?"

"Yeah."

"I'm not sure you do." The Eldest said without looking at me. "You're half Zarden. To most Zarden, you're impossible, to others a taboo. Whoever your Zarden parent is, he broke one of our most ancient rules."

"Oh." I said, "Okay."

I felt really sorry for him. It obviously wasn't easy. Then my eyes gleamed as I remembered something I wanted to confirm.

I couldn't show anyone the book of prophecies, so I had made a sketch of the picture instead.

"Is this familiar?" I showed him the picture. "Like did this happen to you within the past two weeks?"

I watched as Dylan's eyes widened. "Yesterday."

"Who are the women?" I asked.

"Not women." He answered. "Shape shifters. They're the one's that attacked me."

I nodded as suddenly everything made sense. Dylan Danvers could be my best bet to stopping the end of the world. I couldn't let him go. Not yet.