Playing With Fire (Power of Four Book 2) (23 page)

Aaron reached the back door and turned the handle. It clicked open. He stepped into the empty kitchen. Everything was in its place, the worktops spotless, appliances gleaming. His mum kept a tidy house, but it had never been this pristine. Aaron closed the door behind him and walked across the kitchen and into the hallway.

He looked into the living room to see the frames on the mantelpiece, but they were empty. Not one of the photos his mum loved displaying were inside them. Aaron looked around the house. It was his home, yet it wasn’t at the same time.

The sound of someone humming reached Aaron’s ears. Aaron turned, feeling a flutter of nerves in his stomach. The sound was coming from upstairs. Letting out a slow breath, Aaron climbed the stairs. His bedroom door was partly open, the light on. Steeling himself, Aaron pushed the door wide.

A small girl, no older than five or six, sat in the middle of his room, playing with her doll’s house, singing to herself. Aaron blinked at her, not expecting this. He glanced around the room – it was definitely his. There was his bed in the corner, his books stacked neatly on the bookcase, his collection of cars that he’d started from the age of four displayed proudly on his study desk. Yet amongst all his things sat this little girl in a pink frilly dress, complete with matching ribbons in her blond pigtails, playing with her dolls and doll’s house.

She stopped her humming and looked up at Aaron with big blue eyes. She smiled sweetly.

“Hello,” she greeted him.

“Hi,” Aaron replied. “Um...I think...there’s been a mistake.”

“No mistake,” the girl said as she went back to playing with her toys. “You’ve come to the right place.”

Aaron walked into the room, looking at it with wide eyes. “What is this place?” he asked. Like the rest of the house, the room mimicked his bedroom, yet it clearly wasn’t. His room had never been this tidy.

The little girl shrugged. “It’s your doing,” she said. “You wanted to come home.”

Aaron knew this wasn’t his home. Not really. His house was in the human realm. This place was on another plane of existence. He told himself to snap out of it. Neriah had warned him to act fast.

“I’m looking for Naina,” Aaron said. “I was told to ask for her.”

“By Neriah,” the girl said. She turned to look at Aaron. “You’ve come to see what you can do to awaken your legacy.”

Aaron stared at her with disbelief. “How did you...?” He narrowed his eyes. “You’re...Naina?”

The girl smiled. “I am,” she said. “And you’re Aaron Adams.” She gave Aaron a slow head-to-toe look before meeting his eyes. “But you’re not who everyone thinks you are.”

That snapped Aaron out of his shock. “What do you mean?”

The girl – Naina – went back to playing. “What do you think I mean?”

“I don’t know, that’s why I’m asking,” he said, irritated.

Naina sighed and put down her dolls. “You are a web,” she said.

“A what?” Aaron asked.

“A web,” Naina repeated, as if that was a perfectly normal thing to say and Aaron was playing dumb.

Aaron stared at her. The miracle that could help him awaken his legacy, the being that lived on a higher plane of existence, the one Neriah was going on about, that Naina – was a little girl? Not only that, she was an annoying little girl who talked complete nonsense.

“Okay, look, I don’t know what’s going on,” Aaron said, taking a step closer, “but I was sent here to find out how to awaken my legacy, so I can use my family’s Blade to fight the war–”

“Do you want to fight the war?”

Aaron paused at the question. No one had asked him that. No one had asked if he
wanted
to fight. They were too busy arguing if he should or shouldn’t.

Naina waited patiently for his answer, looking up at him with big, innocent blue eyes.

Aaron let out a breath and shook his head. “Honestly...I don’t know,” he said. “I don’t particularly
want
to fight, but I can’t sit back and not do anything either.”

“Like your parents want you to,” Naina said.

Aaron stilled. “How did you know that?”

The little girl giggled. “I know everything, Aaron. Your parents want you to stay away from the war, so you don’t get hurt, like your brother did.”

Aaron felt a shiver run through him.

“You want to fight,” she continued. “You want to feel like a part of something, but you don’t want to kill.” She tilted her head, looking intently at him. “You want to help secure the realms, both the one you belong to and the one that was your home all your life.”

Aaron nodded. “I do.”

Naina stared at him before slowly shaking her head. “You shouldn’t do it.”

Aaron frowned. “What?”

“Listen to your parents,” she said. “This war, it isn’t for you.” Her clear blue eyes fixed him to the spot. “You have another battle to fight, one that’s much harder than this war. Focus on that, or you’ll lose more than you can bear.”

Aaron’s heart was racing, his skin prickled with fear at the little girl’s words.

“What do you mean?” he asked. “What other battle is there for me to fight?”

“You’ll see,” Naina said with a small smile. “Soon enough.”

She picked up her dolls and started playing again. Aaron waited, but it seemed like she was ignoring him now. Aaron cleared his throat and stepped closer.

“Naina?”

The girl continued playing.

“I came to see if you could help me,” Aaron said. “Whether it’s the war or this...other battle you mentioned, the only way I stand a chance of winning is if I can use my family’s Blade.”

“So you want to awaken your legacy now?” Naina asked.

“Yes,” Aaron said, with a relieved smile.

Naina stopped playing and took in a deep breath. “No,” she said and started playing again.

Aaron’s smile fell. “What? Why?”

“Because,” she replied.

“Because what?” Aaron asked.

“Just because.” Naina shrugged.

“That’s not an answer!” Aaron snapped. “I thought you were supposed to help me.”

“How can I help you?” Naina asked, pausing in her game to look at Aaron again. “You want what you can’t have.”

“What does that mean?” Aaron asked.

“You want to awaken your legacy,” Naina said. “But to do that, you need to
have
the legacy in the first place.”

Aaron stilled. Her words crashed inside his head.

“What?” he asked. “I don’t...I don’t have the legacy?” He stared at her with wide eyes. “How is that possible? I’m the only Earth Elemental of my generation. The legacy can’t go to anyone else.”

“The legacy is with its rightful holder,” Naina replied. “Legacies choose the Elemental with the strongest core.” She looked at Aaron. “Is your core strong, Aaron?”

Aaron faltered in his reply. He didn’t consider himself a powerful mage. It had taken him countless tries before he could handle his powers. He still couldn’t shoot straight, he couldn’t move as fast as the other Hunters, and he had no clue how to work the air to eavesdrop the way other mages did.

“I’m working on it,” Aaron said at last. “I’ll train harder–”

“A strong core isn’t achieved by training,” Naina corrected. “A core becomes strong with confidence. Power comes with dedication, with passion, with a belief in what you’re fighting for.” She looked at Aaron with amusement. “Your core is weak because you lack that dedication. You’re so confused, you don’t even know which side to fight for.”

Aaron was taken aback, his expression morphed to disgust. “I know what side I’m fighting for,” he defended.

“Do you?” Naina asked.

“Yes!” Aaron snapped. “I’m fighting for what’s right. I’m fighting for the mages, against Hadrian.”

Naina stared at him in silence for a moment. Then she turned her doll’s house around, so Aaron could see the inside the pink and white three-storey toy. What he saw wasn’t the usual house layout with plastic staircases and miniature furniture in tiny rooms. There was just a hollow space, in which sat an image, like a hologram. Aaron felt his breath seize in his chest when he saw what the image was playing, again and again, on a loop.

It was the attack on the City of Balt, when Kyran had come with the vamages to rescue the vampire Layla. But the image was of him – Aaron – standing with Sam and Rose, lifting his gun and aiming at the mages instead of Kyran.

Aaron stared at it, watching himself repeatedly raise his gun and aim at the mages who were about to shoot Kyran.

“Who were you fighting for that day?” Naina asked, with such childish innocence it seemed she genuinely wanted a reply.

Aaron looked at her, but didn’t have an answer.

“He–” Naina pointed at Kyran’s image– “is not with the mages, despite being one himself. So if you are fighting for him, you’re not fighting for the mages, you’re fighting against them.”

Aaron swallowed heavily. “I’m not – I’m not fighting for him,” he said. “I just… He was outnumbered. I didn’t want him getting hurt.”

“Ask yourself why,” Naina said.

“He’s my friend,” Aaron said, without thinking.

Naina smiled and shook her head. “He’s not your friend, Aaron.”

Her words hit Aaron hard, like a physical kick to the gut, leaving him pained and breathless.

Naina turned the house around, facing it towards herself again. “Figure out where your loyalty lies,” she said. “The day you do, your core will find its strength and the legacy will come to you.”

Aaron shook his head, stepping forward. “I know where my loyalty lies,” he said. “I want to help Neriah fight against Hadrian, but to do that, we need the Blades of Aric.”

Naina was ignoring him and playing with her dolls again.

Aaron took in a breath to keep calm and not lose his temper. “
Please
,” he stressed. “Help us. Help me get my legacy so I can use my Blade. We need the power of Aric’s Blades to defeat Hadrian.”

Naina stopped and stared at Aaron with serious eyes. “Nothing is more powerful than blood,” she said. “You mages never seem to understand that.”

Aaron opened his mouth to reply when the lights in the room flickered all of a sudden. Aaron looked up, as did Naina.

“That’s strange,” she said. “It’s not time yet.”

“Time for what?” Aaron asked.

Naina looked at him with a confused frown. “For you to leave.”

Aaron didn’t get any other warning. In a heartbeat, the ground was snatched from under his feet and Aaron was pulled back, yanked harshly out of the room. He sat up with a start, gasping for breath, back in the Empath hut in Salvador. Armana’s hand slipped out of his. Aaron tried looking around the room, but his eyes felt heavy with sleep, his vision blurred. He made out his mum, standing by his side, holding on to his shoulder and arm. His dad was helping Armana off the bed and into a chair.

“Aaron?” his dad called. “You okay?”

“Aaron?” It was Ella, standing at the foot of his bed. “Hurry up, we need to go.”

“What–?” Aaron asked, feeling groggy and disorientated.

“We don’t have a lot of time,” Ella said. “We need to leave.”

There was an urgency in her voice. Aaron forced himself to snap out of his confusion. He blinked and looked around the room, at his anxious and petrified parents and a pale-faced Ella. “What’s going on?” he asked.

“The Gates are being attacked,” Ella said. “It’s begun.”

21

The Blade Of Avira

“Where’s Neriah?” Aaron asked, as he hurried out of the Empath hut after Ella. His parents rushed out behind him.

“He’s assembling the Hunters,” Ella replied. “Lurkers have sent word. The Gates that protect the Blades have been targeted. The one that protects the Blade of Avira has just fallen. We need to get there and protect the Blade before Hadrian’s vamages get to it.”

Aaron didn’t need to look to his parents. He already knew they were terrified at the prospect of him going to a vulnerable spot. If the Gate protecting the Blade of Avira had fallen, then it stood to reason that vamages could be in that vicinity. Maybe they had already got to the Blade.

“I don’t understand,” Aaron said, jogging to catch up with Ella. “Even if the vamages get to the Blade, they can’t take it. Only legacy holders can touch their Blades.”

“They can’t touch it,” Ella agreed, “but they can make sure that we don’t either. We need to get to the Gate and secure it, before the vamages set up their defence.”

Aaron spotted the swarm of Hunters gathered at the Gate of Salvador. Old, young, male, female, some with swords, others with guns – they all marched to line up in front of the Gate.

Skyler appeared at Ella’s shoulder, wearing his ivory coat with his elemental mark studded in silver on the back. “Scott’s set the portal,” he said. “We’re ready to go.” He looked at Aaron with narrowed blue eyes. “You know what you’re doing, Adams?”

Under normal circumstances, Aaron would have taken his words as nothing more than a jibe. But right now, Aaron knew his words weren’t said to be demeaning – right now, he was being genuine.

“Yeah,” Aaron replied, speaking past the tension coiled in his throat. “I’ve to help set up the fallen Gate.”

Ella had rushed through an explanation while Aaron gathered his bearings after being abruptly pulled out of his meeting with Naina. The Gates had initially been set up by Neriah and Skyler, two legacy holders, but Hadrian was now targeting them. Being the third legacy holder, Aaron’s input into rebuilding the Gate would make it more resilient to any future attacks.

The only problem was that Aaron wasn’t the legacy holder. He was an Elemental and while having Elementals set up the Gate still made it powerful, it was nothing compared to one set up by legacy holders.

The worry clouding Skyler’s eyes lifted and amusement replaced it. He elbowed Ella and pointed at Aaron. “The kid is finally picking up on how to play the game.” He winked at Aaron before hurrying through the crowd to get to the front. Ella followed after him.

Aaron chased after them, but not so that he could be at the front when the Gate opened. His desire to reach the front line was for something else entirely. He needed to get to Neriah and tell him that he wasn’t the legacy holder. The legacy was still with his dad. The leader of the mages had to know what Aaron had learnt from Naina.

Aaron still didn’t want to believe it. He was the only Earth Elemental of his generation. He was supposed to get the legacy when he turned thirteen and his core awoke. But he had lived a life oblivious to his powers and to who he really was –
what
he really was. Perhaps that was partly the reason why his legacy remained with his dad and had not passed to him. He lacked the passion to hunt. He didn’t have confidence in himself, in his powers. How could he, when he’d only learnt a few months before that he was an Elemental mage? But what Aaron didn’t want to admit was what Naina had said to him about Kyran. He shook his head, even as he pushed his way through the crowd. He wasn’t on Kyran’s side. He wasn’t fighting for him. He was on the good side, on the side of the mages. But no matter how many times he repeated it, a small part of him failed to fully believe it.

Aaron spotted Neriah, standing in front of the Gate. He looked tense, his violet eyes scanned the crowd with quiet intensity. To his right was Scott, watching his Hunters gather with worried eyes. Aaron could only imagine what Scott was feeling right now. He was the Controller, the Hunters were his responsibility. Aaron could tell from Scott’s drawn and pinched face how terrified he was to send his Hunters out into a fight he’d not had the time to prepare for.

Aaron stepped past the line of Hunters to go to Neriah’s side. A hand grabbed his arm, stopping him.

“Where are you going?” Skyler asked.

“I have to talk to Neriah,” Aaron replied.

“Not now you don’t,” Skyler said.

Aaron turned just as Neriah raised his hands and commanded a hush across the gathered Hunters.

“We are going today to secure the Blade of Avira,” he said. “The portal is ready and waiting for us past this Gate.” His eyes swept the crowd. “The Lurkers have not reported it, but Hadrian might be waiting for us.”

The name cast a strange effect through the crowd of Hunters. Some tensed, their grips tightening on their familiars, others squared their shoulders, ready for the fight.

“If you cross his path,” Neriah continued, “do not attack him.”

Aaron looked at him with surprise.

“Leave Hadrian to me,” Neriah said and his voice alone told how severe this command was. “Same if you see the Scorcher.”

Now Aaron felt unease wash through him. Would Kyran be there? Was he the one who destroyed the Gate? Could he have taken down what Neriah and Skyler had set up? Aaron figured the answer could very well be yes.

“Let’s go out there and show Hadrian how strong we really are,” Neriah said. “Let’s show him that in unity lies true power!”

The Hunters and surrounding mages cheered and gave loud hoots of approval. Aaron felt two people come to stand on either side of him. He looked to see his mum and dad, standing shoulder to shoulder with him.

Scott stepped forward as Neriah turned to face the Gate, ready to lead them out. The Gate slid open at Scott’s command and the Hunters rushed forward, ready to fight, ready to protect.

Aaron felt his dad hold on to his hand, stopping him from moving with the crowd. Aaron turned to face him. Chris didn’t say anything, but stared at Aaron with a grim expression, before holding out Aaron’s set of familiars and holsters.

***

Aaron stepped out of the portal onto dry, cracked land. He surveyed his surroundings, but it was little more than a landscape of barren ground. Dust kicked up in swirls as he and the Hunters followed after Neriah. This was the closest portal Scott could have opened; any closer and the Blade would have swallowed the energy.

They hurried across the empty ground. Aaron had to shield his eyes from the sun’s fierce glare, but he couldn’t see anyone around them, vamage or otherwise. Looking around again, Aaron couldn’t even spot the Blade they had come to protect.

Neriah came to a sudden standstill, staring at something on the ground. Craning his head to look past the crowd of Hunters, Aaron caught a glimpse of what it was. A rectangular stump, protruding from the ground. That was all that was left of the Gate that once protected the Blade of Avira.

Neriah raised his head and marched forward with a purpose. Skyler raced to the front, matching Neriah’s pace. They walked on for several tense minutes. Guns and swords were held in tight grips, but there was no one to fight. Aaron looked to his dad but he was busy searching the area with narrowed green eyes. His mum was holding his hand, seemingly not ready to let go.

They continued walking in a tight crowd across the barren ground. The heat was fast becoming unbearable as the sun beat down on them. Hot air blew across their faces and through their hair. Aaron could feel sweat gather under his collar. He wanted to stop and take off his coat, and maybe his top too, but he couldn’t bring himself to pause. The crowd of Hunters was following after Neriah with quick, hurried steps.

Aaron’s breath very soon became laboured. His chest felt tight, and more than once he felt the need to slow down to a stop. He pushed on. The wind bellowed in Aaron’s ears, yet he couldn’t feel much air on his sweat-soaked skin. His shoulders felt heavy and sore, his feet struggling to lift and fall.

It took Aaron a moment to recognise the sensation and understand what it meant. They were getting close to the Blade.

The fierce wind whipped through their hair and long coats. A constant roar was in the air, deafening them to all other sounds. It was only when they got to the edge that Aaron realised they were on a cliff. They formed a line, staring at what lay below.

A whirlwind. A spectacular, vertical rotating column of air stemmed from the ground. It was a magnificent phenomenon, glittery white and grey, spinning around and around. Never in his life, did Aaron think it was possible to see something so beautiful and yet equally terrifying.

From their viewpoint, Aaron and the others could see into the eye of the spinning vortex and what lay there was just as breathtaking.

The Blade of Avira hovered in mid-air, nestled in the womb of the whirlwind. Even from a distance, Aaron could see the Blade had markings carved into the silver of the sword, just like the Blade of Adams.

It took Aaron a few tries before he managed to pull his gaze away. As he turned his head, he caught sight of Skyler. Aaron could read the longing on Skyler’s face, as he stood staring at his family’s Blade. If there was anyone Aaron knew that was strong-willed, confident and dedicated to fighting demons, it was Skyler. So why wasn’t his legacy awake yet? What more did Skyler have to do to claim his birthright?

Ella was saying something to her uncle, but it was impossible to hear past the tremendous noise the whirlwind was making. Neriah lifted his hand and gestured to the Hunters to move back. They all gathered in a tight circle, a short distance away from the edge.

“There’s no one here!” Ella had to yell at Neriah. “Should we just set up the Gate and leave?”

Neriah shook his head. “This isn’t right!” he said. “The Gate was destroyed. There must be something here!”

Aaron gave the surroundings another sweeping glance. He couldn’t see anyone.

“Neriah!” Skyler called. “The Blade is safe! We should set up the Gate and leave, before something
does
get in!”

“Too late,” Ryan said, before raising his gun.

Aaron turned with the rest of them to see what Ryan was aiming at. Climbing over the edge of the cliff were things Aaron struggled to make sense of right away. They looked like neither man nor beast, but something in-between. 

Whatever they were, they were an ugly creation. They were short and squat, their skin thick and a sickly yellow. They had broad, flat noses and wide mouths. Their pointy ears stuck outwards. They were dressed in only trousers, made from animal hide. Thick leather bands of their sword holsters crossed their chests. The stench coming from them was enough to make Aaron gag.

“Dammit!” Aaron heard Zhi-Jiya say next to him. “Orcs.”

A moment passed in which no one moved. The mages stared at the army of Orcs that had crawled over the edge of the cliff, just as they stared back with cold black eyes. One of the Orcs, a nasty-looking one with teeth that stuck out from his lower jaw, reached behind for his curved sword. That’s when Neriah raised his gun and shot a bullet straight into the beast’s chest. The Orc staggered back before reaching with thick fingers to touch its chest, where the bullet had struck the surface. Its leathery skin was like armour, which blocked Neriah’s bullet.

A moment of complete silence passed before the army of Orcs swung their swords high above their heads and came at them with a loud battle wail.

The Hunters spread out, guns locked and aimed. Aaron’s hand found his pistol, tucked safely in the holster at his side, when his mum and dad stepped in front of him, shielding him. As one, the Hunters fired at the approaching Orcs, but it only seemed to slow them down, not kill them. The Hunters darted in different directions, forcing the Orcs to segregate into smaller groups to fight them. The few Hunters that carried swords pulled them out. The clang of metal hitting metal rang in the air as the Hunters deflected the attacks of the Orcs.

Aaron had his gun in hand, but his parents gave him no opportunity to fight. Both Chris and Kate stood before him, firing at the Orcs that got too close. It took more than a few bullets to get through the Orcs’ tough, armoured skin, but when they did, the Orcs fell to the ground dead.

When Chris ran out of bullets, the Orcs took their chance to attack. They swung their swords and all three Adams had to duck to avoid them. Kate continued shooting but Chris pulled out his sword. With a well-aimed swipe, Chris made one Orc fall back, a thin red line across its torso.

It didn’t stay back for long. Joined by another six, the group of Orcs charged forward. Three Orcs went for Chris, easily drawing him away from Kate and Aaron. Another three Orcs leapt at Kate with their curved swords, even as she continued to fire at them. They swung their blades and Kate was forced to move out of the way. That left one Orc with a direct path to Aaron.

The Orc let out a gruff grunt before darting towards him. Aaron moved back, his gun in hand. He fired and the bullet just missed the Orc’s ear. The beast let out a disgruntled roar and charged at him.

Aaron dived under its arm and turned around before shooting three more bullets. All were easily dodged by the Orc, who moved faster than Aaron thought possible. Aaron shot again and again, all the while moving back. The Orc got closer and closer. Usually, at this point, Aaron would discard the gun and use his powers. He would have thrown a ripple at the enemy, blasting them metres away, but the presence of the Blade had already sapped his power from him, leaving him vulnerable and defenceless without his weapons.