The Five Realms

Zelasii: I still can’t decide what kind of story Nathan is going to have.

KatFO: Thanks for the review. ^_^


I was a bit depressed these past few days because termites ate my book collection, so I gave myself a break from writing and went on a shopping free.
I’m broke now but at least I feel fine again and have a new wardrobe. hehe.
Sorry for the late updates.



~*STORY*~

Thud.

Thump.

“Ouch!”

Nathan looked at Cinnead, who was lying on the floor of the office, clutching his head and groaning in pain. He grinned at the elf elder.

“Can’t you make porting less dangerous?” The elder glared as he stood up and stretched his limbs. “It always feels like being pushed from a two-story building.”

“Not my fault. It just is.” Nathan said, smirking at Cinnead. Teleporting was actually like being flung into space for a few seconds and then dropped on the ground, but Nathan had been using it for thousands of years to know how to keep himself upright. Cinnead however was an amateur. He wasn’t used to being teleported by a dragon. He relied on portals to cross the realms. But it was hard to make a portal and it would take too long, so he had to resort to using Nathan.

Nathan glanced at the wall clock. It was 3:15 pm. Knowing Thom, he would be at the library, reading. He waited for Cinnead to pick up his little black bag and they left the office.

“Give me 10, no, 15 minutes with Thom, then you can come in. Let me explain a few things before he sees you.” Nathan told Cinnead when they stood outside the library. The nephew and uncle looked too much alike for Thom not to notice they were related. Priming Thom first would lessen the shock.

The elder nodded. “I’m going to look for Mel.”

Nathan watched as Cinnead strode towards Mel’s room.

“Find Savyn too and bring her with you!” He shouted to the elder. Cinnead waved to acknowledge he had heard Nathan’s instructions.

Nathan sighed and straightened his posture. He knocked a few times on the library door and twisted the door knob. The time for the truth was finally here.

XX

‘“The stone has the Father’s power, His last aid to the mystics. As the people’s proclaimed leader, you and your descendants will be its master, and no one else. Use it wisely, and do not abuse its power.” The angel informed the high king. “This will be the last time the Father involves himself with his creations until they join Him in heaven.”

The high king took the jewel from the angel, who instructed him to hold out his free hand to the dragon. The dragon took out an ancient looking dagger from the sheath attached to his belt and made a shallow cut on the high king’s wrist. Blood flowed.

The blood dripped onto the jewel as the king held it below his dripping wrist. The jewel began to glow, its once clear and colorless hue now almost as red as the blood that the king offered, until ruby colored light encompassed the room, blinding the occupants. A few seconds passed until the light receded and the jewel stopped glowing. The jewel had retained the red color, signifying it had recognized the king as its master.

The high king bowed to the angel and thanked him. Now the realm could be returned to its former glory, before the war that had devastated the land. The four main races had finally struck a deal and stopped the war, and they had chosen the king to lead them all as one, with an elder from each of the races to form the Council, the lawmaking body of their kingdom.

The realm would gradually return back to its natural state, but it would take hundreds of years before the lands could be useful again. The devastation had been too great, because the races had used magic to wage war on each other. Now, thanks to the Seppara Jewel, everything would be alright again.’

The angel bowed to the king, and went to the dragon’s side, leaving the king to bandage his hand and rejoin his Council.’

Thom closed the book when he heard the knock on the door. He watched as the door opened and Nathan entered. His eyes lit up. Nathan had finally come back.

Thom looked unsure. The dragon had an indistinguishable look in his eyes. Was he going to tell Thom what he had discovered about the incident two days ago? Or was he going to explain about the kiss. Was there something else? Thom couldn’t read Nathan’s expression.

“Can I join you?” Nathan asked as he sat himself at the opposite side of the table.

Thom nodded and gave Nathan a questioning look.

“Do you remember what I said last time?”

“Yes. You swore you would tell me about everything.”

“Would you promise to listen before you react?” Nathan eyes held a worried gleam.

Thom nodded again, not so sure why Nathan was saying this to him.

“Did you ever wonder why you looked different from Savyn or your parents?”

“Yes…why? You’re not saying I’m adopted…” Thom’s right brow lifted on the corner as he paused, and then added when he saw Nathan’s trapped expression, “Right?”

Nathan sighed as he brought his two hands together on the table and rested his chin on them. “That’s exactly what I was going to say.”

Thom looked at him disbelievingly and Nathan returned it with his own truth-filled ones. Thom finally broke the eye contact and sighed himself, slumping on his chair. He did not make a sound for a few minutes, just thinking about the piece of information Nathan had dumped on him.

“This better not be a joke because it would suck…badly.” He said finally giving Nathan a weak grin.

Nathan permitted himself to smile. The kid humor was still working, which was a good thing.

“There’s more.” Nathan said.

Ha! I knew that! There must be more because you wouldn’t be telling me this if it weren’t related to that stupid shopping incident.” Thom stated while he rolled his eyes. “ Just give me the facts. I promise I won’t freak.”

Nathan chuckled.

“Okaaaaay…but you better be true to your word.”

Thom nodded, his eyes full of curiosity. He wasn’t angry with his adoptive family. He didn’t care if he was adopted. His adoptive parents and Savyn especially had been good to him. They were still his family, even if not in blood. But his real parents, that was another matter.

Another knock sounded and the door opened, revealing Mel, Savyn and a familiar looking man carrying a small bag.

Thom’s brows shoot up. He examined the familiar looking stranger as they approached the table and began to take their place on the unoccupied seats.

“Don’t tell me you’re my father because if you do I am going to kick your ass for only showing up now.” He was unable to stop himself from saying. He blushed as the guy who looked like him grinned. The rest smiled at his outburst.

“Peace Thom. I’m not your father.” The guy said. He had a familiar voice too.

“Although it would be awesome if you were. Then you would be my son too, right Cinnead.” Mel smiled at his lover who smiled back at him lovingly.

Thom looked taken aback. So he was not his father, and had in fact met him before. But how come they looked the same?

“He’s your uncle, Thommy.” Savyn explained.

“Oh. Then who are my sperm and egg donors?”

Cinnead winced at the term Thom gave his natural parents.

“Do recall your history lessons, my boy. You do know who Cinnead is related to, don’t you?” Another voice interrupted, this time from the open doorway. Samandiriel looked at him admonishingly as he joined the group. “Don’t tell me you have already forgotten.”

“Of course I know. But it wasn’t written if they had bastard siblings or not!” Thom replied hotly.

“Your grandfather didn’t have children out of marriage…to my knowledge.” Cinnead told him.

Thom paused as that information sank in his head. He gave Cinnead the same disbelieving look he gave Nathan awhile earlier.

“Naaaahhh, that can’t be.” He shook his head and stood up and paced from one end of the mini library to the other, talking softly to himself as he deliberated.

“You’re saying the late king and queen were my real parents?” He asked after a few minutes.

The rest nodded and waited for Thom’s reaction, which didn’t come.

“The prince you were looking out for? That was me?”

Again the nods and the pause.

“Okay. I think it’s finally sunk in even though there are still things bugging me.” Thom stopped walking in front of the table and looked at the seated group. His hands were shaking a little as he rested his hand on the backrest of the chair near him.

“Ask us anything you want. We promise to tell you the truth.” Nathan looked around at the faces of his colleagues and friends. They each inclined their head in agreement.

“Then who are the two guardians who replaced mom and dad. I know Sav replaced the 3rd guardian and Mel is originally the 4th.” Thom questioned.

The angel and the dragon raised their hands.

“I thought you were already involved with this whole business since it started.” Thom stared accusingly at Nathan.

“I was. I handle the communications between the realms and investigative work and still do. The elders decided I would be a good pick as a guardian since I was already here in the human realm and know everything about the business and the people involved.” Nathan truthfully answered.

Thom’s gaze left the dragon and alighted on Samandiriel who was looking amused.

“You do know I’ve been dying to find out why you always have that annoying smile on your face. I know you’re keeping something from me.” Thom eyed the angel with distrust, who tried to look as innocent as possible.

“You did say I could ask and you all would answer truthfully.” Thom turned to Nathan.

“Yes that’s true.” Nathan confirmed and shot Samandiriel a look full of meaning. The angel rolled his eyes and held his hand up in surrender.

“Okay, okay. I’ll show you. But you have to take off that necklace you’re wearing.”

Thom immediately did as requested, putting the necklace on top of the table. He waited for Samandiriel to start.

“Here goes.” The angel was encompassed in bright white light. Thom closed his eyes from the blinding light. When he opened them, the angel was nowhere to be seen. In his place was…

“Mr. Ainsted! Aaahhhh!” Thom gave a little scream as he saw his former librarian in the place of Samandiriel. He hadn’t seen this coming.