They Called Me FIVE

LANCE

"Are we staying here for the night or are we leaving?" Seven asks.

"No. We're leaving. Magnus said it's dangerous to stay here any longer. Especially when other Faeries might come and attack us unprepared. You and Sam are wounded. We'll find another place. Another abandon building for you to rest."

"Hmm okay....." She look at me one last time before closing her eyes and leaning her head against the headboard.

"Seven? Are you sleeping?"

"No. We're leaving right? So I'll just rest for a few minutes. If Magnus said we'll go, we'll go. Is Sam alright?"

"Yes. He's resting."

"That's good." She takes a long breath and exhaled slowly. I watch her chest rise and fall slowly. I look at her one last time before I walk over to the door and shut it behind me.

At the opposite wall, Magnus and Jesper is waiting for me.

"What?" Their faces are grievous. The look at their eyes made it seem as if the world is gonna end tomorrow.

They beckon me to another room. A dull grey room with two chairs facing the single bed. Magnus take the other chair, Jesper is on the bed and I sit at the chair beside the window.

They were silent. I waited for them to talk first. I lean my elbows in the cold windowsill and watch the dotted snowflakes fall from the stormy sky. They settle on the rooftops of houses. Gathered in numbers and form white spots.

The forest with pine trees, oaks and beech trees have catch the snowflakes as they fall. The lake on the further distance has dissolved the snow. It will take a few days of straight snowfalls before the lake will froze in the surface. Judging from the stormy clouds, it will take maybe half or whole day of snowfall befire it stops. The news also say it will continue through the night.

I can see the city in the distance. Shrouded in thick mist. I wonder if it's also snowing there. I wonder if the roads are also covered on it by now. I wonder if the car racing in sixty kilometers per hour still has snow caking their roofs. I wonder if we have someone in our group like that. A fast runner.

A lightning speed runner who can conquer distances in a millisecond. I wonder if Sam could do it, or Jesper. Most likely it's Jesper. He has control over time after all. I wonder if Sam could teleport. If he can then that's great. It's more cooler than my blessing.

I admit Magnus's bracelet has navigating abilities that can locate Eklektos. And can transport too. But the problem is... We can't choose what place.

If that particular Eklektos is there then... That's where we'll go.

I spare Jesper a glance. I wonder if he can time travel. I wonder if he has the power to alter the past. Like kill my Dad when I still have the chance to spare us all the trouble. Or kill Lista, this Twylyth, and everyone who turn my life miserable.

I wonder if that's possible. But I consider the consequences. I consider what will happen in the curren future. If I try to alter some details, I know those strings of events will caused big impacts to the future.

We might not meet Sam and Jesper after all. We can't have that.

I turn to Magnus. He's not looking at me nor at Jesper. I can tell he's worried. I know it's only been a few days but I think he has lost some weight.

Was it because of fatigue? For the continuous battle that went on for days? When I gaze at the glass window reflecting my face I wince.

I look more terrible than him. My face gaunts. My blonde hair no longer looks blond. Not with the soot that has stick longer than my shoes in my feet.

"It's snowing." Magnus announced. Jesper and I turn to look at him.

"Did you know? In the past - I mean in the history written in our books, I've read it somewhere. There was this legend of a half Gifted People girl and a half Faery who joins the Rank of Rankers and has climb into the status of Rank Elders. She has powers equal to the Rank Ruler. She's supposed to succeed the current Ruler. But her lineage was exposed. They found out she's a Faery, so they execute her in public."

"Is that a fact?" I butted in. He sigh.

"Not hundred percent sure. It was only written in a book that is unverified by the lawmakers in magical realm. It was an unpublished book, a journal. A second point of view written by some Ranker who watch it all happen in the background. The Rank Elders wasn't sure what to do with it. And they can't possibly dispose it either."

"Why?"

"It's history. They verified that the writer is truly a member of the Rankers. They find discrepancies in the history books publish and accepted by the lawmakers of the past, you see? The Great War three thousand years ago wasn't exactly explain. They never define the reason. It just said it happen. They did not indicate what's the reason why the Faeries call on the Demons. The Rank Elders we're determined that... If they know the real story back in three thousand years ago, then they'll find what can end the current war between the two race. So they keep the book. Hidden. Unread. Until I find it one day."

"That's some fishy stuff." Jesper comment.

"What does the journal say?" I asks.

"An account which is too unbelievable to make sense. But it makes up for the most gaps in history. It explains what the deities are. Who and what they are capable of. And the great war. How it ended in victory on the Gifted People's favor. You know...those things."

Magnus scratch his neck. As if he's regretting he brought up this topic. He's trying to think of another. To divert our attention. But it's useless. We're already hooked.

"So what does this half faery half human girl your referring and the journal of this particular Ranker has to do with each other?"