The Son

The wind was mild, sky dusk-like casting not so much of a shadow on our tense bodies whilst I took in a very deep breath, sticking out my tongue to wet my dry lips.

"Killian." I tipped my head backwards, trying to remember the familiar name. "Killian!" I snapped my fingers as I remembered, the elation becoming short-lived as I realized the weight of the situation. "Killians' son? You? The Killian that-"

"Killed our aunt Xylara, rained and is still raining attacks on our realm, yes I know who my father is." He straightened his cloak, turning slightly to Thora and the rest. "And while I don't necessarily care about the asshole, may I remind you that all these accusations are merely alleged."

"Alleged!?" Thora stomped forward, her impressive height almost reaching Rajanis' stubbled jaw.

He raised his hands in resignation.

"You don't get to choose what is and what isn't alleged when you've been away for years!" Thora gritted her teeth, pain whirling in her eyes as they gave off a low glow.

"Thorana-"

"Don't call me that. Get out of here. Get away from the Nawi and get away from us." With that, she stomped away, her unbelievably long hair tailing her.

"You heard her." Wisterios' arrow-shaped flames burned brighter as he focused on Rajani.

Rajani let out a mocking scoff, waving a dismissive hand at Wisterio. "Please, we both know you can't do a thing to me."

Wisterio seethed, his teeth grinding against each other in annoyance.

"What do you want Rajani?" Wisteria asked.

"Oh that's simple. I just need to get back to Naltaniera." He shrugged nonchalantly.

"And you can't do that yourself?"

Sighing tiredly, he answered whilst pinching the bridge of his pointy nose. "If I could, do you honestly think I would bother being here?"

"And why can't you do this by yourself? You're Elaran aren't you?" She pressed on.

"Ria please, you know why, don't play dumb." Rajani ran an irritated hand through his messy hair as he accessed her still glowing eyes. "Look if you're thinking I'm here to hurt anyone then you're wrong. You of all people should know how much I hated my father even before he left. Besides I only commit artistic crimes and killing a bunch of royals would tarnish my streak, no offense. My dear cousin here can attest from how I professionally handled out little stray, Angelo." He looked to me, a thick eyebrow raised.

"Uhh…yh. Wait what do mean by stray!?" I frowned in irritation.

He clasped his ring-adorned fingers together. "There you have it. Killing you lot would be boring, again no offense. I just need to follow you through the gateway, no theatrics needed. Agreed?"

Wisteria sighed, the glow in her eyes receding. "Thora needs-"

"Yes? Wonderful!" He clasped his hands together again. "See that's why I always liked you, Ria. So wise and caring." He gave her a charming smile revealing his subtle dimples.

"Rajani that's not-"

"It's settled then! Well I'll be in touch. Adios!" Completely ignoring her, he vanished once more.

"Ugh." Wisteria rolled her crystalline eyes in exhaustion. "Classic Raja, why am I not surprised?" She plopped down on a tree stump.

"Hey Wisteria." I approached the dainty looking female, settling beside her. "It seemed like you guys knew him pretty well."

"Well yes. When we where much younger, we would spend time in the Kana together. That's how it was for all princes and princesses of Naltaniera. I personally had no idea why anyway." She looked ahead, a disturbing look on her eyes. "Raja was always an odd one. Pretty much like his father if you ask me. They see themselves as gods who are above everyone else. Being Elaran is one thing but having pride and ego that big? That's just something else."

Mason sat on the ground beside me, taking my hand in his. "You guys can call me Ria by the way." She gave us a sweet smile. "Anyway most of us didn't exactly turn out to be friends or anything but we where acquainted well enough. However, Thora and Raja seemed closer than the rest of us, laughing together, playing together, you name it. One could say they where inseparable."

"Oh." I crossed my arms as realizations hit me.

"Then he left. Just disappeared. Without a word. Of course it didn't affect any of us much, but I could see the pain it brought Thora. He left a few months after the attack. I wouldn't blame him. Everyone casting weary and angry glances at the son of the said traitor."

"I see. So we're not to trust him?" Mason asked.

"I'm not to judge him, neither is anyone. So I can't say. That has to be a decision you make for yourself."

~~~

Meanwhile…

Angelo ran aimlessly in the dark lonely woods, his breath catching as he remembered all the good and bad times he'd spent with his brother, blood and tears staining his chiseled cheeks, he sliced through tree after tree in pure rage.

"Raahhh!" His eyes glowed even more, his muscles flexing, responding to the strange but welcome power inside of him.

Out of the blue, he collided with a tree trunk, a loud crack echoing as he lifted both hands to cradle his now-broken nose. "Stupid tree." He muttered under his breath as another crack echoed, his nose shifting back into its original position. "What the?"

His roughened fingers moved around his brand new nose cautiously wondering what on earth happened to the shattered body part.

"Well," looking up, he shrugged. "Not the weirdest that's happened so far." He replayed the gruesome encounter he had earlier with the Arborians and then with….Mavis.

His hands flew to his disheveled hair, nails scratching against his scalp in frustration. "Why did I blame her?" He thought back to how insistent Donny was on following Mavis, the fervor he spoke with while defending her, the way he wielded the foreign dagger even though they had little to no training in combat and finally the events leading to his death.

"Is it really her fault?" He whispered, falling to his knees for the hundredth time that day, hot tears falling from his still-glowing eyes, he looked down at his disheveled body. "What even am I?!" He screamed, looking up to the tree-blocked sky as his brows furrowed in anger. He shot up, eyes glinting as he turned on his heel, kicking the unsuspecting tree trunk with what he felt to be some sort of superhuman strength.

He stepped back, watching the tree fall from its former glory, the air echoing with a loud thud. "Why!? Why now!?" He zipped forward, punching a clean hole through yet another trunk. "Why now that he's gone?! Why didn't I have this power when he…." Angelo hit his throbbing head against the trunk, fists clenched in rage. "WHEN HE WAS ALIVE!"

~~~

Angelo crouched, peeking through the thin bushes, his breath ragged as he tried adjusting his tall frame so he wouldn't be seen.

"Mavis…" he whispered while staring at her, with confusion in his eyes, he took in everything about her.

She turned around and he quickly hid further. "Did you hear something?" She asked Mason whilst raising a hand to her tame her rampant hair.

He concentrated on her, trying to decipher his exact emotions towards the unwary female.

"No. Did you?" Mason answered, narrowing his eyes at the bushes behind which Angelo was.

Rage and anger filled Angelos' heart as his eyes followed Mavis, fists clenched and brows creased.

"Thora and the others have been gone for a while, let's go find them." Mavis said.

"Can you believe they insisted on having a talk without us? I mean maybe scratch me, but you? Aren't you the nawi?" Mason voiced in slight annoyance.

"To be honest I'm exhausted from all the information." She grabbed her brothers arm, heading into the woods.

The earth shook violently, causing Mavis and Mason to wobble on their feet as they struggled to stay upright.

Rajani appeared once again, making the lot jump in surprise. "I told you you needed to leave."

"And I told you to stop doing that!" Mavis exclaimed, her hand atop her wildly beating heart.

"That's beside the point!" He waved a dismissive hand, eyes glowing, he looked up suddenly as if sensing something. "DUCK!"

Reacting as fast as they could to Rajanis' command, a frisbee-looking metal sunk into the ground behind them, slicing into it like it was nothing, still spinning dangerously, the disk dislodged itself from the earth, narrowly missing their cowering heads before attaching itself to a woman's hand.

They stood up cautiously, accessing the unfamiliar looking woman with apprehension as she shape-shifted into a feral looking creature before their eyes.

"Ugh seriously?" Rajani pinched the bridge of his nose and the ground rumbled further, rocks bouncing off the rough terrain.

"Rajani what's happening?" Mavis shakily asked, her eyes giving off a low glow as she cowered in fear.

"You're about to face your first falcans, love."