Aurora Eos Rose auroraeosrose@heavensdawn.org http://heavensdawn.org Alternate Universe- Fantasy World PG- <> indicates thought A.S. = After Sealing +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Chapter 3 – Powers Released +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ *1015 A.S. The Star Kingdom* Kendrick wrapped his body over his younger brother's, absorbing the blows. "You stupid little ass. You spilled wine on my best cape." The man screamed the words at his two sons. His face was red with wine and exertion. Kendrick wished he could scream the words at his father. But that would only mean a harder beating. Ken separated his mind from his body, a trick he had learned long ago to survive. The beating continued, blows raining on the two boys. Then Kendrick's father stumbled backward, the rage spent, and reached for another cup of wine. Kendrick grabbed his brother's arm and ran. The younger boy's eyes were wide with terror. Kendrick raced through the dusty corridors, stopping when the two reached their rooms. Kendrick collapsed on the floor, his ribs aching and sore. His brother curled up in the corner and cried. "Are you all right, Jason?" Kendrick wheezed the words. His brother stopped crying and moved beside Ken's beaten form. "I'm sorry, Ken. I didn't mean to make him mad." "It's all right, he'd beat us without an excuse. Some day I'm going to slide a sword into his heart." Jason shuddered at the menace in his brother's voice. "Let me see if I can help." Jason touched his brother's wounds, concentrating. A warm breeze blew into the room, and Ken felt the pain in his ribs lessen. "Soon, Jason. I just need a little more time. Then we'll be free." ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Cato stood quietly in front of the old man, waiting. He pushed all thoughts from his mind, as he had been taught. The old man sprung forward. Cato quickly countered him, the blindfold not hindering his motions at all. The man attacked again and Cato continued the motion, flipping the man onto the hay-strewn floor. "Halt, young man. Very good. You may remove your blindfold now." Cato untied the black piece of cloth. His eyes were serious and cold. He turned to the two other boys present and handed the scrap of cloth to the elder of the two. Fallon hopped to his feet and quickly tied the blindfold into place. "Now, Fallon. You haven't the concentration of your brother. Remember to focus." The old man stood quietly for a few moments as the boy fidgeted. The man sighed and sat back down, motioning for Cato to rise. Cato attacked Fallon quickly and silently. The shorter boy was on the ground before he could take a breath. "That's not fair. I didn't know you were going to have him attack me." The man held up a hand and Fallon's tirade halted instantly. "It is time for you to pay attention to your lessons. Your destiny is approaching, and you must be prepared." The man looked at the three boys now standing in front of him. The man smiled at the boys who had always called him grandfather. Cato stood straight, his eyes forward and serious. Fallon and Nolan stood side-by-side, twins in mind if not in body or age. The man sighed. "Once again, from the beginning. Nolan, it is your turn." The three took their practice stance and prepared for more training. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Nolan watched the stars peeking through the cracks in the barn roof. He liked to spend time in the hayloft, watching the stars and listening to the animals. He rolled over and glared at Fallon. The older boy was snoring, loudly. Nolan snorted and left the loft. He walked down by the old stone well, where a large oak stood. Nolan curled up underneath the tree and drifted off to sleep, dreaming of the stars. Cato poured the container of liquid carefully into the glass bottle. The mixture was volatile and he had no desire to see himself in little pieces. The candles in the cellar barely touched the shadows, but Cato had enough light to see most of what he was doing. Cato loved to experiment with chemicals. He had made an excellent feed for the few cattle they kept, and just last week he had perfected a fertilizer for his mother's flower garden. Cato capped the bottle and placed it in a box padded with hay. He blew out all the candles but one and grabbed his latest book, pilfered from the temple in town. Fallon was the first to hear the soldiers. They rode up to the house, ignoring the outer buildings, and pulled Reina and Grandfather into the night. Fallon watched quietly through a crack in the barn wall, helpless to do anything. The guard approached Reina first, speaking in low tones. She refused to answer, her face a wall. The man slapped her hard enough to send her to her knees. Fallon felt the rage sweep through his blood. He bolted out of the loft and ran for the group, not caring about anything but saving his mother. The first four guards were knocked into the dirt, but the fifteen year old was no match for a company of seasoned warriors. He was smacked across the back of the head with the flat of a sword and plunged face first into the dirt unconscious. Cato heard the noises coming from the ground above him. He opened the cellar doors and was promptly dragged into the center of a group of soldiers and bound. He didn't resist, but tightened his muscles, hoping for a bit of slack in the rope. He was tossed down beside an unconscious Fallon. Cato tried to hear what the soldiers where saying. Then he saw Reina. She was on her knees, supported by a soldier on each arm and the commander was beating her viciously. Cato felt bile rise in his throat and struggled wildly against his bonds. Then a sword hilt met the back of his skull. Nolan slept through the soldiers' arrival. It was a woman's scream that woke him. The sound vibrated in the still night air. Nolan jerked awake and raced toward the sound. He ducked behind the house, able to see the soldiers' actions. Then he noticed Reina unconscious on the ground, Grandfather leaning over her body. Nolan screamed and raced for the nearest soldier, disarming him in a second. He managed to kill the man and started for a second when the flat of a blade slammed into his temple. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Cato opened his eyes and saw only darkness. He felt a shooting pain in the back of his skull. He raised his arm and felt dried blood. He sat up slowly, closing his eyes against the pain. He reached forward into the darkness and came up against a wall, feeling cold stone. He felt something cold and heavy on his ankles. A voice called out in the black. "Cato? Fallon? Nolan?" Cato moved towards the sound, his shackles scraping against the floor. "Grandfather?" Cato reached the old man slumped against a cold wall. The man was breathing heavily. Cato ran his hands gently over the figure. "You're pretty beat up, aren't you?" Cato tore a strip of cloth from his tunic and started to bind up some of the wounds. "Cato! You're all right." Grandfather's voice rasped. "Don't bother trying to patch me up." The man stopped and took a rattling breath. "You haven't much time. You must find out who you really are. You are the last descendents of the old dynasty. That is why the soldiers came." Cato sat back against the wall in astonishment. "Royalty? We are royalty?" "Yes boy, you are. Here, give these to your brothers." The man pressed a small bag into the boy's hand and coughed violently. "I've taught you all I can. Now you must face your destiny. There is more to you than just your heritage though, you are chosen ones. You must fulfill your destiny, or all is lost." The man coughed more and the wheezing breath halted. "Grandfather? Grandfather!" Cato pulled the dead man into an embrace and wept. He felt hands on his shoulders. Fallon and Nolan stood behind him, weeping as well. The three embraced. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ "I don't see why we couldn't go with them." The bird huffed loudly; a few scraggly black feathers fell to the ground with the motion. "Hush, bird. Our time is coming." The dog remained motionless, the horse standing beside him equally as still. "Sunrise is coming. The time for revealing shall come." The three animals had snuck into the castle earlier in the day. They were watching the square, where a beheading ceremony was to take place. The horse raised his head and sniffed the air. "I hope things go as planned." +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Kendrick stood beside his father, a ceremonial sword at his side. Ken fingered the hilt of the weapon, mentally reciting every motion his arms master had drilled into the boy's head. His pet sat silently on his shoulder, the white wings folded tightly against the creature's side. Ken glanced at the feathered flying lizard. He still remembered his shock when the creature had declared his name was Vesper. The little animal had sounded so pompous, but the high-pitched voice had been enough to send Ken into spasms of laughter. Now Ken was grateful for the creature's support. Vesper had declared this day the day for claiming the throne. Ken had been thrilled and spend days on end drilling for the attack. His arms master had been ecstatic over the boy's sudden concentration and dedication. Ken watched the line of prisoners being led to the beheading block. Ken indulged himself in a smile. Ken turned again to watch the ceremony. Jason had feigned ill for the day, Ken didn't want the boy anywhere near the battle. Ken glanced at his father's face. The man was gloating, his fat belly hanging over the edge of his pants. Ken turned his gaze back to the execution. The woman was dragged onto the platform and her head was laid upon the block. Ken blinked in surprise. The woman looked exactly like the portrait of his mother that hung in the castle. His eyes narrowed. He looked at the three boys straining at their chains. They seemed, familiar, somehow. Ken couldn't let go of the notion that he knew them, somehow. Vesper shifted on the boy's shoulder. Ken tensed, waiting for Vesper to give the word. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ The three boys had fallen asleep at the dead man's side. They had been awakened by the cell door clanging open. Guards had yanked the three out into the early morning sun and shackled their hands as well as their feet. Then the boys were dragged through empty streets to the execution square. Reina had been pulled from an adjacent cell. Her face was bruised and she limped, but she was otherwise unhurt. The three tried to reach her, but Reina shook her head gently. The group walked in a slow procession to the square. Cato's eyes flashed about, searching for a way to escape. Then he noticed the tall boy standing on the platform. Cato's eyes narrowed. The boy had white hair and clear blue eyes. He stood beside the king, and the two looked like clones, although the elder was overweight with circles under his eyes and a gloating expression on his face. Cato watched Reina walk onto the platform. She acted like a queen at a banquet, not a woman at an execution. She lowered her head. Cato's hands balled into fists, and knocked against something. His eyes widened as he reached for the pouch he had been given that morning. He fumbled with the strings and pulled out the three crystals inside. The bag fell to the ground. The crystals shimmered in the morning sunshine. Then he looked up and saw the axe begin to descend. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Jason stood in the temple, watching from a side door that led to the square. He felt a tap on his shoulder. Jason whirled around to find a familiar old woman staring at him. "Who are you?" "You remember me, little one. I used to sing you lullabies." The woman hummed a snippet of a song. Jason's eyes widened. "Nurse? But I thought you were dead!" "I am to all who matter. You must take these to your brother. It's very important." She handed him two pieces of crystal. Jason felt the crystals grow warm in his hands. "But what are they…" The sentence trailed off. The old woman was gone. Jason looked at the square again. He straightened his shoulders and reached for the pouch he always war. The ashes and feather joined in a flash of light. "The time has come to fulfill your destiny, master. Take the white one to your brother, he will need it soon." The phoenix flapped his wings and soared into the sky. Jason wasted no time. He took off towards the platform where his brother stood. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Three voices rose in a horrified yell as the axe descended. Cato gripped the hunk of crystal tightly. He felt it grow warm in his hands, and then a presence filled his mind. Cato pushed back against the presence for a moment, terrified. The crystal pulsed again, shooting a garnet light over him. Cato relaxed and then let down his mental blocks. He was engulfed in a flash of color, and then he stood in a suit of armor. Cato felt as if he where outside his body, as if another controlled him. But at the same time he was inside his body, using another's ideas and skills. He almost went mad. Cato closed his eyes for a moment and reached for his center, the place his grandfather had taught him to search for. Cato found the balance. He opened his eyes and stared at the crystal in his hand. The crystal pulsed once more and then shattered. Cato reached for the nearest soldier, disarmed him, and began to slice through the soldiers surrounding his brothers. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Ken's mouth fell open in astonishment. One moment the prisoner had been shackled, his head hanging. The next moment the boy was clad in full armor and was hacking through the soldiers. Vesper took flight, wheeling away into the air. Ken felt rather abandoned. "What do I do now!" Vesper ignored him. Ken turned astonished eyes toward the executioner. The man had stopped mid-swing and was now simply staring at the battle. "Ken, Ken where are you?" Ken's gaze swung around at the sound of Jason's voice. The boy was running towards Ken, something clutched tightly in his fist. Jason raised his arm and threw the object, yelling something. Ken couldn't hear over the noise of the battle. He caught the object. It was a crystal, white and jagged, as though it had been shattered from a larger hunk. Ken clutched the object in his hand and felt a strange sensation. The crystal began to glow and pulse. Ken felt something reach towards him. He closed his eyes and let the power sweep over and through him. He opened them once more and found himself in armor. He drew his sword and started after his father. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Cato managed to free Fallon first. Cato handed Fallon the two other crystal hunks. "Get this to Nolan. I don't know what it did to me, but it helped." Cato took off into the fray again, desperately trying to reach Reina. Fallon glanced at the two objects in his hand. His mind was reeling. Cato had always been an excellent fighter, but now he was unstoppable. Fallon squeezed the objects tightly in his fist. Then he saw a tall figure heading towards the motionless executioner. Fallon's feet became stone. The figure yanked the axe from the executioner's hand. He ignored Reina and headed for the still chained Nolan. Fallon screamed. The crystal in his right hand began to glow. A light blue-green color swept through his body. Fallon felt a gentle presence in his mind, and then he was in armor. He picked up a discarded pike and headed for Nolan. Angry soldiers had cornered Jason soon after he had given Ken the crystal. Jason had managed to grab a crossbow and a quiver of bolts, and climbed onto the low roof of a nearby building. A horse, a large dog, and a nasty looking black bird had held off most of the soldiers. Jason was angry that his father's men would turn on him. Then Jason noticed his father yelling orders. Those orders included killing both his sons. Jason closed his eyes against the pain of his father's hatred. He clutched the last hunk of crystal tightly in his hand, and picked off soldiers with the few bolts he had. His phoenix and Vesper were pecking at eyes further off in the battle. Ken headed towards his father. Ken beheaded another attacker, wiping the gore from his sword on the dead man's cloak. He continued forward, letting the new skills he had received with the armor come forward. Ken pushed the thoughts from his head and parried another blade. Nolan heard a loud screeching sound, and a huge golden bird swept down from the sky, sending the man with the axe staggering backwards. Fallon suddenly appeared, slicing through the shackles with the discarded axe. He pressed something into Nolan's hands and started towards Reina. Nolan felt the object pulse and he was pushed aside by a strong presence. Nolan mentally pushed back, the two jostling for position. Then Nolan stopped fighting and the minds merged. Nolan raised the axe and headed into the battle. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Ken saw his father knocked to the ground. The man scuttled backward like a crab. Then he stood while the two boys were preoccupied and headed for the still tied up woman. Ken gritted his teeth and began to run. Ken pushed aside the last man and rushed onto the platform in time to see his father thrust his sword through the woman's heart. Ken felt hate, black and thick, bubble through him. His father had just killed a woman in cold blood. Ken rushed forward, sword in hand. Cato, Fallon, and Nolan reached the platform right behind Ken. They rushed forward to meet their mother's murderer but a brilliant golden bird blocked their path. "This is his fight. He will avenge her death. Keep the platform secure." Then the bird climbed upward again. Cato gritted his teeth, but for some reason listened. He turned his back to the battle and met the remaining soldiers, now anxious to protect their king. Jason watched the battle between the King and Prince. Ken was an excellent swordsman, but his father had greater height, weight, and reach. Jason gritted his teeth and raised the crossbow, waiting for a shot. Ken blocked another attack, his sword arm numb from the fighting. His father was just too big. The next blow knocked the boy off his feet. Ken tried to block the blows, but the sword fell from his grip. He braced himself, waiting for the deathblow. Jason saw his brother go down. He threw back his head as light swept over him from the crystal. He raised the crossbow again and fired. The bolt flew straight, light up with a brilliant power. It hit the King in the chest, penetrating the armor, and exploded. The sword fell from the king's grip, and he collapsed onto the platform. Jason vaulted from the roof and headed towards his brother. Cato, Fallon, and Nolan raced towards the boy who lay in the white armor on the platform. Fallon reached him first. "Are you all right?" The boy groaned and opened his eyes. Jason raced across the platform and dropped to his knees beside Ken. "Are you hurt?" Ken shook his head and sat up slowly. He looked around. "Where are Vesper and your phoenix?" "We are here young ones." The boys turned to see all five guardians standing in a row. Vesper flew forward and landed on Ken's shoulder. "Welcome, avatars. We are here to serve you. I am Vesper, the dog is Nox, the bird Deino, the horse is called Cleo, and the phoenix is Moira." The animals bowed low. The four boys simply stood with their mouths hanging open. A beautiful woman stood behind the animals. Her hair was long and black, and she wore white robes. "Welcome. I see you have discovered your Avatar forms. Prince Kendrick, you are Themis, with the power of death. Prince Jason, you are Veiovis. You carry the power of healing. The three beside you are the lost Princes. Nolan, you are Orcus, with the power of darkness. Fallon is Bacchus, who commands the life force of plants, and Cato is Fortuno, who echoes the commands of Fortune." The woman walked forward and sank into a low bow. "I am Urania, high priest of the Star Kingdom. It is time for you to take your place in destiny." The woman rose and beckoned with a hand. "Come, there is much to do." +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Ken slumped against the wall exhausted. The daily training and lessons the five took were driving him crazy. Cato stood silently, his exhaustion hidden. Ken admired the stoic boy. Cato never showed fear or pain or fatigue. Fallon and Nolan slumped on the floor on either side of Ken. "He's not human you know." Fallon grabbed for the pitcher of water and drank. Nolan yanked the pitcher away and winked at Fallon. Ken groaned. Fallon and Nolan had become his friends, but the two were always up to something. Fallon snuck forward and dumped the pitcher over Cato's head. Jason looked up from the sword he was cleaning and burst into laughter. Cato spun and headed after Fallon, murder in his eyes. Ken sighed and went to tear the two apart. Urania watched from the balcony above the training yard. She smiled. "It is good they have become friends. That bond will be needed in the days ahead in order to reclaim the glory of the star kingdom." Vesper landed gently on her shoulder, his white wings flapping gently. "I hope that you know what you're doing, Urania." ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ *1017 A.S. The Earth Kingdom* Terra looked at the five crystals clutched tightly in her hand. She was the only priestess of Selene left, so she was the one who had to give the boys their powers. Terra sighed. The boys were out hunting right now, and they would face their first trial. Terra felt the mind of her life long friend echo back to her. Terra reached up and stroked the black creatures leathery chin. She then climbed onto her horse and left for the woods. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ The five young men were sitting in the woods. The hunting had been successful. They had several birds, rabbits, and a fine buck Prince Darius had managed to hit. Suddenly a figure rode into the clearing. Terra pulled her lathered horse to a stop and threw herself onto the ground. Close behind her were fifteen bandits. Darius and the others reached for their weapons and the battle was joined. Terra worked her way to each of the boys, pressing a crystal into their palms with words of encouragement. Now all she had to do was sacrifice herself. She headed for the nearest bandit. Terra sent the message as the sword swung for her head. Terra felt the link between the two of them snap, but not completely. Then a body pushed her partly out of the way. The sword slashed into her back. Terra's eyes filled with tears. The pain shot through her body, but below her waist she felt nothing. Then the clearing lit up with five colors. Terra smiled weakly. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Darius held his mother gently, trying not to jostle her. "So we are what?" "Avatars, my son. You are Earth, the others are Auster, Favonius, Vulturnus and Aquilo. The four winds, power, ice, heat, and rain. You hold the power of dreams. And Somnus is now yours." Darius shook his head. He felt different somehow, but this was so much to take in at once. "Sleep, mother. We can talk more in the morning."