Secrets

Xander stepped back, startled by the sudden change in his powers. His confusion deepened as he touched the willow tree. Where he had expected searing heat, icicles started to creep along the bark, spreading outward from where his fingers made contact.

"I don't understand," he breathed out, watching as the frost spread like a disease up the old tree's limbs. Thoughts and fears bubbled up inside him like a tempest, their intensity mirrored by the howling wind that began to whip around him.

Noticing how the frost seemed to grow stronger with his distress, Xander forced himself to calm down. He focused on his breathing, slowing each exhale until his heart rate steadied. To his relief, the frost stopped spreading, leaving half of the once majestic willow tree glittering eerily in the moonlight.

Xander squinted against the strong gust of wind, forcing himself to turn away from the tree and head back towards his grandparents' house. He was filled with unanswered questions that he knew could only be resolved in one location. Unfortunately, that place had been destroyed by fire. His childhood home was now just a pile of ashes, and his grandmother was nowhere to be found. Frustrated and at a loss, Xander trudged back inside his grandparent's house.

His mind racing, he made his way to the attic. As he climbed the creaky wooden stairs, Xander hoped that he would uncover some clues in the old photographs and possessions of his grandparents.

The attic was a realm of forgotten memories, its air thick with dust and the scent of old timber. The only source of light was a small window, through which the moon cast a feeble glow. Xander knew his way around in the darkness though, having spent many days during his childhood going through the antique trinkets and faded photographs that filled this room.

He moved towards the old wooden chest that used to belong to his father. It was covered in grime and dust; a symbol of the man who had once been his rock, now shrouded in mystery. As he flipped open the heavy lid, his hands brushed against brittle papers and worn leather-bound journals filled with fading ink.

His fingers traced over a leather-bound book, adorned with a mysterious emblem - a circle containing four symbols: flame, icicle, leaf, and wind. He hesitated before picking it up, flipping through the pages in frustration. Xander's anger continued to rise as he wondered why his father had kept this secret from him. If only his father had revealed everything, maybe Xander could have saved them.

As his thoughts swirled like a tornado in his head, a tiny flame appeared on his finger and the book in his hand began to turn its pages and suddenly stopped at a page with four symbols that matched the ones on the cover. The symbols were arranged in the shape of a diamond, each one appearing to balance on a corner. The flame and icicle were set opposite each other, as were the leaf and wind.

The flame was drawn in red ink, full of energy and life. It was vibrant and glowing, mirroring Xander's current state of mind. Next to it was the wind, illustrated in blue so light it seemed ethereal. On the opposite corners were the icicles, drawn in deep royal blue, hinting at frozen depths and cold fury. And finally, the leaf appeared in myriad shades of green, signifying living energy.

Xander touched each symbol gently with his fingertips. When he touched the flame symbol, he felt a slight warmth bleed from the pages into his fingertips. When he moved onto the wind symbol, he felt a soft gust ruffle his tousled hair despite being enclosed in an attic. The icicle sent shivers of cold running up his arm while touching the leaf made him feel grounded and calm.

The pages started to flip once more and before Xander's eyes, the blank pages were filling with words. He was at a loss for what to do but watched as the alphabet poured onto the previously empty canvas.

The ink flowed smoothly onto the page, like a river from an unseen spring. The words begin to form sentences, and before he can read anything a loud noise breaks the stillness. Downstairs, there was a loud crash that shook the floor of the attic where he sat.

Without a second thought, Xander slammed the book closed, holding it tightly against his chest. He descended the stairs to the lower level, the shadows playing an eerie dance around him. His heart thumped loudly in his chest, in sync with the ticking of an old grandfather clock that seemed to echo throughout the silent house. When he reached the bottom of the stairs, he stopped and listened intently for any sounds. Suddenly, laughter erupted from somewhere inside followed by muffled voices.

The deep voice of a man with what sounded like a Scottish accent asked, "So, he came inside this house?" 

"Yes, I made sure to keep track of his scent. His blood is unique compared to the other humans." 

Xander's heart thumped wildly in his chest as he recognized the second voice. It was one of the vampires he had encountered earlier that evening.