"Oh, I'm so sorry," Braze stammered, "Let me get you some ice or something."Layla, her lips swollen and bleeding, hesitated for a moment. "No, no, I'm fine," she replied, attempting to hide her discomfort. "It's just a small cut."Braze hurriedly fetched a tissue to help stem the bleeding from Layla's swollen lip. His hands were shook slightly as he gently dabbed at the cut."I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you," he said, still visibly flustered.Layla managed a weak smile despite the discomfort. "It's alright, accidents happen."But the sight or perhaps the smell of her blood was making him uncomfortable. His throat dried up. Or perhaps it was the fact that he was too close to her face, his breath bouncing off her face. The silence between them grew increasingly awkward and we know it wasn't for the first time. As Layla looked up at Braze, her eyes fluttered. She looked away and then looked back when he wasn't looking. Finally, raze mustered the courage to break the tensi
" What's the emergency? Why are you calling in the middle of the night? This was my first night of peaceful sleep after so many weeks , boy... why did you have to ruin it? "Xen was still rubbing his eyes as he picked Kian's call. " Braze is missing ... Mira and I have been trying to reach him... His phone's switched off... I am standing in front of the house he is staying at... the house lady says he hasn't come back... I don't know where he could be..."Xen sat up, adjusting his neck. " Why are you so worked up? He is a grown ass male. He could be anywhere... it's not like he is missing for days... "" No. It's not like that... But it's urgent... We had a small fight... with the Watchers around, it's making me worried.... I have a bad feeling about this... and so does Mira... "" Okay... okay... "Xen cut him short, " I'm on my way. Gosh! Are you a married couple? Like seriously dude... had a fight... worried about him... Ewww! You make it sound so tacky.... "Xen hung up, leaving
It took Xen only a few calls to pin point Braze's last location. " He went to that mountain... "Xen declared as he put his phone back in his pocket. " Alone? "" To the Mountain of Forgetfulness? "" Is he mad? What was he thinking? "Xen chose to ignore their shocked gibberish and walked forward, leading their small pack. Mira chose to keep her distance, hurdling the food pack in her hand. " What was this summoning spell Mira was talking about? Are you really a wizard? You can conjure people? " Kian was a little lost. He had no clue what had happened between Xen and Mira that night. To be fair, even Xen had no clue. What were the roots for those unholy vines of temptation that did creep all over his existence , wrapping in their intoxication? Or was it spontaneous affection that welled up from the abyss of his maligned past? He would have long forgotten about it and buried it with the other misdeeds of his past, had only Mira not reciprocated and responded to his touch. He had l
Xen's head was hammering from the inside. It was that constant sound of metal clinking which was making him go deaf. " Don't be scared... I'm here... don't be scared... " He could hear the voice of his sister fading as the sound of the metal began louder and louder. He could feel their presence. He had no clue who they were but he knew they were not human. He was scared.And so was his sister. But sje shielded her with her body while Xen twitched and turned under her weight. " Calm down... little brother.... we cannot go out... " And then they heard their mother scream. Panic over took their little hearts and minds. " Noooo.... " His sister pleaded with her eyes but Xen could not restrain himself and let out a guttural war cry but all he wanted to do was vent out his fear. His sister hurriedly stood up and shoved her brother out of the dog-door. " Run and never come back.... " She warned as she mimicked his voice exactly and sprang out of her hiding stop in an attempt to deter t
***At Chemora - Several earth-hours after Mira's birth***Kiara lay on the ground. Her crimson feathers scattered all over the ground. Torn and plucked mercilessly as they slowly lost their colours and then withered away in front of her eyes. He had left her for dead. Kiara could still not believe it. The one whom she had once loved so dearly. The one who was the father to her child. As she tried to move a little, blood spilled out through her mouth and nose. It seemed like she had broken her rib cage in that fight. She knew her powers were nothing compared to his. " Kiara, why are you making me do this? " He flung her across as if she was nothing more than a mere insect. Kiara was no ordinary mage, yet she was the most vulnerable, the most helpless at the moment. His hands extended, his dark powers formed a circular grip around Kiara's neck and the diameter of the ring slowly compressed. " Kill me! Just kill me already! " Kiara yelled through her pain, locking her eyes direc
Kiara's POV " Mira??? What is she doing here? " It had completely skipped my mind that she was in that neighbouring country as an exchange student. In running away from her, in keeping her safe, I had in reality, brought the Dark mages, right at her doorstep. Like an idiot I ran. There were a lot of them. And I was not the Kiara who was one of the best warriors that Chemora had. I was weak, I was vulnerable, barely a notch higher than those average humans. I ran harder, even though it was difficult with my feet bleeding and the thorny vegetation scraping my skin. I could feel her. She was just a few feet away from me. And I could feel them as well, swirling around the spot, scattered for the time being, for some reason. I ran and ran and then finally I bumped right into her. We both fell on either side of the bush. " Mamma? " I heard Mira's voice as I tried to get the dirt off my face. " Mamma... is that... is that really you? You came for me??? Mammaaaaaaaaa! " She fell righ
Kiara had so much more to tell Mira. There was so much they needed to catch up with but their sweet little reunion was cut short by a terrified howling wolf. " That's Braze! " Mira immediately sprang to action, looking at Kian. But as soon as they turned to chase the howling , those creatures whom Kiara mentioned as Dark Mages,reappeared, attacking them from all directions. " Kids, move. I will distract them. " Mira, Kian and Xen(who was slowly getting back to normal) , watched in amazement, surprise, shock and wonder as Kiara spread her raven black wings, ascending above them like the archangel. The matted discolouration of the feathers were screaming testaments of her ailing powers. But the kids had no clue. They were just watching a live supernatural elegance in action. " You mother has wings? "It wasn't a question, more like a statement that Kian made.They scurried their way inside one of the hollows but Mira paused to take another glance at her mother who stood like their p
"We can't get back home, right? "Mira finally asked, breaking the unusual silence, building up between them. They were almost out of the forest. " I mean it would make sense to stick together and look for the Guardians right? If they could lure Braze out in the middle of the night, it could happen to all of us and we saw how messy it gets." Mira said. " Or worse if they attack where we are staying. We will risk the lives of our friends and family . " Kian put in. " You forgot the Watchers. What happens when they come looking. You already got one admitted to your class. " Xen placed a hand on Kian's shoulder. " I wasn't lured out by the Dark Mages! " Braze broke in, making his way between Xen and Kian. " I was being summoned. It was the song. I am sure it was the song. " He was hanging between Xen and Kian, who gladly carried his weight. " Whatever, I cannot trust myself around my roommate anymore... " Mira walked a little ahead from the three of them. She was looking at her own