part0007

F orests, mountains, as far as the eye could see. A large lake filled the immediate area, providing safe passage in and out of the cave. A town stood nearly at the lake, while great ships filled the harbor. Smoke barreled out of chimneys, great stone and wooden structures covering the coast. A small rowboat went by us, two kids paddling it. The closer we got, the more I could see, people walking, working, conversing, a real community, hidden from the rest of the world. We pulled up to the docks as people grabbed the ropes, tying them to the platforms. This was it, we had finally arrived in Dracfort.

“Let me do the talking for now, Mark,” Josiah whispered, stretching a plank out to the docks.

“Welcome back!” someone yelled from the docks, reaching his hand out to help us across.

Stepping up onto the plank, I looked back at the ship for a moment before crossing.

“Thank you,” I mumbled to the man helping us across.

“No problem, boy, and what is your name?”

“Mark,” I answered, remembering Josiah had told me not to speak.

“Come with me, Mark,” Josiah cut in, reaching for my arm.

Walking down the docks, I felt as if everyone’s eyes were on me.

“Get your fresh fish here!” someone yelled out as we walked by. They had all sorts of big and little fish tied up at the stand. Salmon, cod, tuna, even pufferfish, some still writhing and wriggling, were hanging from a line ready to buy. The smell was overwhelming, but being from a seaside town myself, seemed familiar.

“Finest weapons around!” another yelled, holding a shiny sword in my direction. “You look like you could use this, kid! ”

“No thank you, sir.”

“Here you go, kid,” a woman said, handing me a piece of what looked like sushi.

Hesitant, I took a bite. It was amazing. I quickly scarfed it up before Josiah could look back.

I followed him through town, and the eyes on me grew larger. There were inns and markets, just like a real town. It was like something out of an old movie, a simple life. Just outside of town was a small gathering of cabins. He opened the door to one as I followed him inside.

“This is where you’ll be staying. You will have a roommate with you.”

“Where will you be?” I asked him, sitting down on the bed.

“I have matters to address. You must learn the ways of the Order. In due time, I will return to speak with you again.”

“Ok, so where should I go now?” I asked him, opening my drawers.

I looked back, but he was gone. Just like that, I was on my own again.

“You must be Mark Parker!” a guy said as he walked in the door.

“Yes, I am, are you my roommate?”

“I think so,” he said as he ran over and jumped on his bed. “I’m Logan; if there is anything you need, just let me know. I can get things from the mainland and have them brought here.”

“What sort of things would I need?”

“They are pretty strict about what we can have here while we train. I’ve been here most of my life, but I’ve gotten people cell phones and flat screen televisions. Or if you need something smaller, just ask.”

“Ok, thank you. I’m not really sure what to do next. ”

I noticed he was wearing uniform, all blue.

“Well, the first thing you’re going to want to do is change your clothes. They are pretty strict about the uniform.”

Opening the drawer, I pulled out a blue shirt and pants and quickly put them on.

“So, we heard you’re like a demon or something, is that true?” He sat up on his bed. “Because if it is, that’s cool man. What does it feel like?”

“How did you know that? I am a Cambion, I guess it’s what it’s called. Half demon half human. It doesn’t really have a certain feeling.”

“We know all about you here at the sanctuary. Ever since we were children, they’ve taught us how a Cambion boy would save us all from damnation.”

He lay back laughing, not believing the stories he’d been told. I didn’t really believe that I could save an entire world from evil either.

“So, are you a Nephilim?” I asked him.

“Yes, it doesn’t really have a feeling either. They say when you come of age, it really starts taking over though.”

He moved closer to the edge of the bed, and I noticed his knuckles were badly bruised and cut.

“What is it you guys do here?”

“Ah, I’m not going to spoil anything for you, you’re in for a treat, man.”

“When you said, ‘we all know about you’, what did you mean by that?”

“We’ve just heard the stories, that you’re from the Syreni.”

“So, you don’t know what happened in Rockport? ”

“No, we just heard that Josiah was going to get the ‘chosen one’. You have to tell me what happened!”

I stood up, pacing back and forth, remembering the events on the cliff that night—the horrific events that changed my life forever.

“I saw the creature; my friends were all killed because of it. The Syreni and my mother, they all turned on me, wanted me to be the sacrifice. I was blinded by some school bullies, and by the time I realized what was really going on, it was too late.”

“That’s some messed-up stuff, man, did you fight Aurora?”

“I get these nightmares, or visions, of the past, present, and future. Except they are all jumbled up so it’s hard to know what’s true and what isn’t. I’ve seen Aurora in my visions, and I know I will face her at some point. Me and my friends from school went down into the tunnels where she lives. We were trying to find proof this thing existed. This thing, it can manifest as anyone; she played me the whole way. I was the only one to make it out alive, it was my fault.”

“Wow, I’ve only read about what it can do. Sorry about your friends, man; you can’t beat yourself up over it.”

The memories rolled through my mind over and over again. Patrick getting taken by who he thought was his mom. Cheryl disappearing under the murky water that could have taken any of us. Jason murdered at the hands of a group of bullies who had no idea what was really going on. I couldn’t help but wonder what was going on there right now, in fact. Did they ever find Patrick and Cheryl’s bodies? Did Charles and the rest of those idiots know now what was truly happening?

“Boys, to the arena now!” a voice called from outside.

“Ah we got to go! Listen, there’s some out there that don’t trust you. Just stick with me, alright?”

I nodded as we walked outside, following the group of kids through the forest.

“What arena are we going to? ”

“Who’s the fresh meat?” another guy questioned as he walked up beside us.

“Do you ever pay attention when Mrs. Crane or Dexter are talking?” Logan asked him.

“Some days I do. He looks pretty scrawny.”

“I’m standing right here, you know?” I muttered.

“Easily angered, must be the Cambion they were talking about.”

“Mark, this is Devin; he’s a jerk, but you learn to deal with it.”

“A jerk? Okay, Logan, that’s fair. So, Mark, any pretty girls back on the mainland?”

Ignoring him, we walked just to the edge of the woods, revealing a clearing. A large sand pit stood in the middle, with wooden bleachers surrounding the area. As I walked to the bleachers, a girl passed by me and immediately caught my attention. I couldn’t explain the feeling, just an immediate connection to her. I stopped in my tracks, staring as she walked away.

“Forget it, man, she is a freak!” Devin said, pushing me forward.

I sat down in the bleachers and noticed her sitting across the arena. Her long black hair with a single white streak covered part of her face.

“Are you still staring at her, man?” Logan asked, knocking me out of my trance.

“Who is she? She’s the creepiest person in Dracfort,” Devin laughed.

“Trust me, Mark, you don’t want to get involved with Autumn Lai,” Logan suggested.

“Autumn Lai? As in Josiah Lai? ”

“Yes, she is his daughter, adopted of course,” Logan answered. “She is a pretty skilled fighter when she actually participates.”

“There’s other girls around here for you. I’ll show you around then,” Devin uttered.

“Quiet down!” a woman demanded as she entered the arena. “Today, we will continue training for the inevitable war between good and evil. Josiah has fulfilled his journey, and the time is almost upon us to stand and fight. We are bumping up the training, even earlier and longer each day. Now, sword training. I said today we will be doing one-on-one battles. Let’s start then, shall we? Let me have Callie and our newest member, Mark Parker, to the arena!”

The bleachers filled with kids and teenagers, gasping at what she just said. I took a few seconds to realize she had just called my name. Sword training? I had never even held a sword before. A girl about my age stood up and walked into the circle as the crowd cheered for her.

“Mr. Parker, now is not the time to be shy!”

I reluctantly stood up, as the crowd booed.

“You’re so dead, Mark!” Devin whispered.

I walked down the bleachers and suddenly fell on my face as the crowd laughed. I looked back. I’d been tripped. I stood up and walked to the arena, nerves coming over me.

“Everyone, this is Mark Parker. We all know where he came from and what his family represents. With that said, he is here to help win the war. Any bullying, or harassing Mr. Parker will result in the immediate expulsion from Dracfort. Are we clear?”

The crowd half answered in a yes.

“Mark, I believe in learning the hands-on way, so I am going to have you fight one of our best students. The object is to defeat your opponent with the use of a wooden sword, of course. Make them give up or knock them out of the circle and you win. Good luck. ”

A boy ran over and strapped some sort of leather armor to my chest and handed me a wooden sword. Holding the sword up, I moved a few steps back from the girl. I stared at her, her brown hair and bright blue eyes distracting me. How could a girl this beautiful beat me with a sword?

“Fighters ready?”

I nodded after she did, as the nerves took over. I was sweating so much I nearly dropped the sword.

“Fight!” someone yelled as a loud horn echoed around us.

In that instant, Callie moved in on me, swinging her sword. I quickly jumped back, the blade missing me by inches. Holding the sword up, trying to defend myself, she struck it with hers, sending a shock through my hand. She swung again, missing as I dove to the ground.

“Get up!” she insisted.

Standing up, taking a deep breath, I thought about home. I thought about Jason, Patrick, Cheryl; they didn’t die for me to give up now. Holding my sword up, ready to fight for myself, she jumped up and kicked me in the chest, sending me backward. I leaned over and spit blood into the sand. I glanced up into the stands and noticed a man wearing all black, black hair to his shoulders. He squinted toward me before turning and walking away. I turned back for Callie and quickly stood up as she came at me again. I blocked her swings. Repeatedly, she just kept swinging. The wind picked up, clouds darkening and racing above us.

Feeling myself getting angrier, I swung back as she looked up at the storm brewing. I hit her in the arm, knocking her sword from her hand. She fell to the ground, holding her wrist in pain. I felt the rage flowing through my body, a feeling I had only felt a few times. It was an amazing feeling, like I was the most powerful person in the world. I raised my sword over my head.

Looking down at her, I saw Aurora, the demonic beast that had killed my friends and the whole reason this evil existed. I swung my sword down at its face as a tiger jumped in and grabbed my sword, now just inches away.

I looked up at the clouds breaking up as I calmed down.

Lucian stood beside me now, the crowd gasping at what they’d just witnessed. The darkness tried consuming me again, almost killing an innocent girl. Callie rolled over and stood up before walking away. I looked around but the tiger was nowhere to be seen. My mind was playing tricks on me.

“Freak!” The crowd yelled. “Cambion!”

Embarrassed, I looked around, everyone against me. Josiah had warned me that some here would not accept me. After what I’d just done, I wouldn’t be surprised if they threw me out of here.

“Come with me,” Lucian demanded, grabbing my arm, pulling me with him.

Now running through the woods, he tugged me alongside him. Through the trees, we reached a building, vines growing all along the sides of it, like something out of a horror movie.

“In here!” he demanded, opening the door.

“Lucian! I’ve been expecting you,” a mysterious man said from the corner of the candle-lit room. “Is this the Cambion?”

“Yes, he just had an outburst, causing a dark storm to form and almost killing a girl.”

“I’m sorry for that, Lucian, I didn’t mean to.”

“Never apologize for your gifts, Mark,” the mysterious man said. “Just because you are from a horrific cult, does not mean you can’t change for the better.”

“You, I saw you in the stands.”

He just smirked and stared at me.

“You’re saying I caused that storm?” I asked .

“You have much to learn, boy,” Lucian said. “This is Dexter; he will be teaching you how to control your power.”

Dexter walked into the light, revealing his scars. I flinched in shock as I saw his face, his black hair.

“Don’t worry, Mark, everyone has that same reaction when they first see me this close.”

“Dexter here was in a battle with the demon Aurora, but luckily he fended it off. Not only that, but he is the one who took a scale from her. With this scale, we will be able to defeat her. You are the missing piece, Mark. You need to learn to control your powers, find the demon, and kill it with this.”

I looked around the room and noticed dozens of weird books on shelves. Dexter walked over and grabbed a folded cloth from his desk, handing it to Lucian. He opened it and revealed a scale from the creature. It shone in the candle light, revealing its true beauty.

“Go on, touch it,” Dexter said.

I reluctantly reached for it and was immediately transported out of my body as I grabbed it. I looked around and was back in the tunnels beneath Rockport. I walked like I knew exactly where I had to go. I remembered the force of water that filled these tunnels. I ran through the dark spaces, not wanting to be here if the water came. Turning left and right, I made my way through the never-ending system.

“Mark!” A voice echoed through the tunnels as I leaned up against the wall in shock.

“Who’s there?” I yelled, not backing down this time.

I could hear something dragging, walking just around the bend ahead of me. I reached in my pocket and found a lighter. I quickly opened it and flicked it on, lighting up the tunnel around me. The sound of someone dragging along got closer as I stood my ground. Finally, I saw what was making the noise. Patrick’s shriveled body was being dragged by a hooded man.

“Stop!” I called out as the hooded man stopped.

He turned toward me, but I couldn’t make out his face. It was like he couldn’t see me because he turned and started dragging the body again. I hesitantly walked past him and looked down at Patrick’s body. The look of terror on his mangled face made me sick in the stomach. His body was preserved, but drained, like all the blood had been removed from his veins.

“I’m sorry I made you come down here that night,” I whispered to him. “I will avenge your death.”

I continued down the musty tunnels and finally got to an opening, an empty room. I lit a torch on the wall, which spread to other torches along the room, lighting up the area around me. Stacked all along the walls, throughout the room, were hundreds of bodies. I fell to my knees in shock and covered my nose as the stench filled my lungs. This must have been the room they used to hide the bodies. There were hundreds—thousands—of bodies, new and old. Some looked to be hundreds of years old. In the center of the space was a rope ladder, and at the top, a door in the ceiling.

Blood ran down through my nose and onto my lip as a pain entered my head. I quickly climbed the ladder, pushing open the trap door at the top. I pulled out my lighter and flicked it on, stunned at what I saw. There, standing in front of me, was a large Santa Claus decoration. Not just any decoration either, but our family’s. I almost fell back down the hole at the realization we must have been in my basement. My entire life I’d lived, eaten, slept above a mass graveyard. I felt weak.