The Path Of Destiny

Amanda Anderson answered a knock on her door to find three teenagers there, two males and a female, dressed entirely in black with sunglasses and black bandannas hiding their hair. To her shock one boy wore a portable oxygen tank on his back, a tube to his nose, the sort hospitals used, only smaller and more compact.

The other boy wore an black cloak over his clothes, and deep hood pulled up so only some pale forehead was visible, the ends of the cloak attached to the sleeves of his jacket with leather straps, giving the appearance of wings when he raised his arms. The girl had the same mouth, cheeks and chin as the boy with the tank and on closer inspection Amanda realized she and the sickly boy were identical twins, except the sickly boy was thinner and paler, the girl stunning for her age.

"Can I help you?" she asked softly and the girl spoke, her voice holding the barest hint of a Scottish accent. "Yes, madam. We were hoping that an Joel Inderwala Anderson still lived here, does he?"

"No, he hasn't been here since he was twenty. I haven't seen or heard from him or his brother since then. Why? Who are you?" She frowned at them, well aware of the constant danger around her adopted son.

"Please, may we come in, if only for a few minutes? My brother is tired and needs to sit down a while." And when Amanda saw the way the pale boy with the tank was slightly slumped with exhaustion she felt a wave of compassion "Of course, come in." Amanda lead them inside and closed and locked the door behind them, leading them into the lounge room and motioning to the couch, calling out "Hank! Company!"

Hank James Anderson her husband came out from the kitchen, wiping his greasy hands on a rag. He stood a good six foot with the frame of an bodybuilder, but the warmth and charm of his wife. "Hi" he smiled at them, then looked to his wife for an explanation. "These people are looking for Joel, Hank" she then looked at them "What are you names again?"

"We didn't tell you" the cloaked figure said in an thick hard voice "and we don't have to."

"Corin!" the girl said in disbelief. "No, it's all right" Amanda stopped the girl before she could apologize for her companion "He's right, you don't have to tell us. We only wanted to know what to call you during the conversation."

The girl nodded "I'm Holly and this is my brother Speed, and he’s Corin" she motioned first at her twin, then the other who was seated of the far end of the couch, as far from them all as possible, body tense under their eyes "don't mind him, he just doesn't like strangers."

"Well ‘A stranger is just a friend you haven't met yet' " Amanda quoted and the figure snapped "And that means I'm suppose to immediately trust you?!"

"No" Amanda said softly "I was just saying that friendship is easy to find if you let it" and the figure mumbled something they didn't understand as the hood rustled and he looked away, deciding to ignore them.

Amanda turned her attention back to the twins and introduced herself and Hank to them, then asked curiously "Why are you looking for Joel?"

"We don't have to tell you!" the cloaked figure snapped, but the girl turned to him "Corin, you stop that! Your hunger is no reason to be irritable! They have a right to know! After all, as far as they're concerned, we're Dark Ones hunting him down!"

Amanda was startled, after all, only a few knew about their foster son Joel's race being hunted once, let alone what the young boy had called them. "WHO and WHAT are you??" she asked, suspicious now.

"We seek Joel because he is an 'Son Of Hauleric'" and before Amanda could speak, she hurriedly added "No, we're not Dark Ones."

“Then WHAT are you?" the woman witch frowned at her.

"We are the same as he" and the girl, followed by her brother, removed her bandanna and sunglasses, revealing the unmistakable fiery red hair and eyes of what was now called the Fire Race by those few who knew about them, even though the race called themselves the 'sons' and 'daughters' Of Hauleric-named after the first of their kind. Plus they also had the long teeth on Speed-all males, not females had these-a race trait like the hair and eyes.

Amanda was so relieved she couldn't speak, but Hank had anticipated her thought and spoke it for her "I see. Since your race are almost extinct by the Dark Ones, you seek others like you."

"It's much simpler than that" the girl said softly "You see Joel is our father, mine and Speeds, our birth father. Our mother died when we were young and he's our only intermediate family left."

Amanda gasped in surprise and shock, Hank's eyes widened, they had grandchildren? "Your father?!" she gasped and they nodded, the boy speaking in a thick Scottish accent, rasping, "Our last name is Inderwala."

Hank, as usual, gained his composure first, glancing intently at the cloaked figure, "What about you? Why are you here with them? Who and what are YOU?" The figure squirmed under his look, for some reason uncomfortable about them knowing.

"Come on, Corin, they should know" the girl, Holly, said softly to him, her eyes showing this was an old argument and she knew her way around him, the figure saying thickly "No. It's none of their damned business."

"Please, Corin" Amanda begged softly "Holly and Speed are our grandchildren. Other than Joel, Jason and Elena, whom we have not seen or heard of since they left us, we have no family. Please, we want to know if you are related to us."

"No" he said again shortly. "Please" and Hank and Amanda continued to beg him, stating how lonely they were without family, how their Christmas' were all dull, how they NEEDED them. Finally they boy exclaimed "All right!" throwing his hands helplessly into the air. When he had a chance to calm he spoke "My full name is Corin Tallawa."

"Jason!" Hank gasped, realizing that this hidden boy was the son of Joel’s adopted pure-bred brother and their second adopted son. But Jason was pure spirited, like an angel, and this boy had showed he wasn't in their first five minutes.

So the only question was "who is his mother?"

"If he's Jason's son, why is he still hiding his appearance from us?" Amanda asked and the girl explained "Corin isn't normal, even for one of us. He's a mix-breed, Human, Son Of Hauleric and a virtually immortal race called Idars, but we call him a Fire Idar for short. Only two of our race have successfully became part Idar, Corin and another. He's afraid of your reaction to his looks, so he's stayed hidden."

"If what you say is true, and your kind can't lie, then he's also our grandson. We don't care what he looks like, he's family." Hank said to her and the girl smiled and said softly, motioning at the other "Don't tell us, tell him."

So Amanda turned to him, but when he refused, she and Hank started to beg him again. This time it took a shorter time before he sighed and said "fine. Don't say I didn't warn you."

Amanda came forward and slowly knelt in front of him, gently grasping the edges of the hood and pushed it back off his face. He didn't try to stop her, only wrung his gloved hands nervously in his lap and sighed heavily, dejectedly. Slowly Amanda removed the bandanna and glasses underneath and revealed his face and head to them all.

Free of the hood and bandanna, shoulder length curly fiery red hair fell around his head, framing his face, revealing his first difference. ALL Child Of Hauleric half breeds and full breeds, had dead straight red hair. His eyes were the next difference. Although he bore the same fluorescent red irises of a Child Of Hauleric, his pupils were slitted vertically and white, like cat-eyes, not a normal circle of black like human or Hauleric Child.

He had the fine-boned face and body of a Fire Child, but his face was more heart-shaped then the normal oval. His lips were thin and set in a firm line, not showing any teeth whatsoever and his nose was sharp. When Amanda looked into his eyes she found herself drawn into their hypnotic depths, never had she seen such in her hundreds of years, not even the passionate and emotional depths that Jason’s eyes once were could compare.

"There, happy?" he said softly, lips barely parting as he spoke, the voice more of a telepathic whispering of an angel, then of an young cross-breed. Amanda's only words were "You look so much like your father."

"You must be kidding," the boy said thickly "I look nothing like him."

"Yes you do" Amanda said "You have one or two small differences, but otherwise you look just like him at that age."

For some reason, when nothing else worked, that got to the boy, to the curious and gentle part beneath the hard exterior. "Really?" he asked, cocking his head curiously at her "I do?"

"Most certainly" Amanda smiled at him, again drawn into those eyes. For some reason she wanted to touch him, her mind saying "is he real? He can't be Jason's son." So slowly she reached up towards him, his face, to touch his cheek gently.

But he ceased her hand before it could get to close to him and held it away firmly, surprising her, for Jason had been sickly and weak in his youth, but Corin was strong, stronger than normal "No, you can’t."

"Why the hell not?" she frowned at him and he seemed concerned and frightened by something, only saying "Just...Just believe me when I say, don't." As he spoke Amanda could see in his mouth from her position. His teeth were all sharp and pointed, the top incisors, which should only be longer, were sharply pointed and an tiny hole in them. She realized the incisors were hollow, but why?

She looked at the hand that held hers. The gloves were gone, revealing long and thin fingers, the nails sharp, curved and pointed. When he noticed where her eyes were he let her go and his hands buried in the folds of the cloak, hiding them from her.

"What's an Idar?" Hank asked Holly who spoke softly "Their race are secret, like us, only not exactly as of pure-heart. As I said, they are virtually indestructible and nearly immortal. Most Idars are American Indians, although, like Corin, there are a few various other races among them. Corin is this year three hundred and seventeen, and Speed and I are two hundred and ninety-five. We only last year discovered we were cousins, when Corin’s father returned after being separated from us. Before then, we merely took our...love for each other as the survival link between a group of people who are almost extinct and count on each other to survive."

"The Gods returned him to me" Corin said softly, emotionally "I thought we would never be together again, but they saw fit to grant me my one greatest wish and return him to my life."

"Gods?" Amanda asked softly, knowing the race only believed in their god, Hauleric, their ancestor and first of their kind to exist, but Corin had said Gods, which meant that despite Jason’s rearing he believed in either another god as well or two different ones altogether.

When Amanda and Hank had adopted the two freshly orphaned boys, they had never guessed that not only were they adopting two of the last of a pure-spirited and magically gifted race, but that their life would go the way it did.

Gifted with magic powers themselves after Jason fussed part of his soul to them, the couple had lived as young as the day they had been the day it happened, at thirty-five and forty-five, and now at three hundred and sixty-five and three hundred and seventy-five the couple could still remember how deeply Jason had been in their religion, how much he believed the teachings his dead parents had taught him and how he had refused to believe anything else, as it was, it had taken them an year to even persuade the boy to even THINK about learning English.

They were surprised that Corin wasn't as deep into the Teachings as Jason had been, but then they had realized a while ago it had only been Jason’s' desperation not to forget his parents that had caused the pure-breed to be so obsessed with their religion. Maybe when he met Corin’s mother, whoever she was, Jason had found something to take up his time, parenting was certainly an full-time job.

Holly was explaining to them "Corin believes in the existence of both OUR god and the Idars one, the Great Earths Spirit. Both teachings are to treasure all life, and, as part Idar, Corin can't live by their rules, do what they do and so on without believing even a little, especially since they all also believe."

"I can understand."

"After all, Corin needs to believe in some good, being the eldest of us all he had seen more violence than any of us, and you, could." Amanda shook her head as she smiled at them, without humor "As I said, I can understand, but we have seen more horror in our extended existence than you could ever imagine, Holly. We ARE older than Corin."

"You think so?" Corin spoke out "Have you seen all you love and cared for slaughtered in front of you? Have you seen mortals-humans, murdered for sport, or for the sight of their blood? How can you say such things when you have lived here in your sheltered little lives? How can you say that when this happens to me nearly every night of my life!" His voice was thick with emotion as he spoke this and Holly exclaimed his name for what seemed to fifth time since they had arrived.

"No, it's all right" Amanda said again, looking back to him and saying softly "You're as emotional and passionate about life as your father ever was. Hank and I have seen your families' race slaughtered all around the world, all I loved was murdered, but those I most cared about came back to me. We did our best to help your fathers when we had them with us, and we did our best to save those other Children around the world that we could, but, well, come with me."

Taking Corin’s hand she stood and lead him and the twins upstairs.


Slowly they opened a door and motioned quiet while they stood aside for them to see, to go in and look. Inside was a huge room, filled with beds, all holding children from the ages two and up, all asleep. Silently the three walked up and down the aisles, looking at the figures, and Corin was the first to speak, his voice soft-as not to wake them-and awed "Ye, Gods. They're all Hauleric Children!!"

And he was right. All the beds were occupied by male and females with fiery red hair, true-breeds, half-breeds, part-breeds, but no humans, ALL their Race and at least fifty beds alone in the room.

"Yes" Amanda whispered softly "We saved all the children we could. We even tried to save the few adults there were, but we couldn't, the parents sacrificed themselves so we could escape and protect their children. We now run a private orphanage for them, but we haven't been able to find any adult Children Of Hauleric to raise them. As far as we know Jason and Joel are the only adults left, now you three as well." When they didn't speak she went on "What about you? Have you all got any mates? We're not trying to get rid of them, but we taught them all Jason and Joel taught us, but it's not enough and they should be with their own kind. We need help."

"I am mated" Holly said softly "Of us three, Speed and I are the only ones. But David and I have a child, we want only one and I doubt Speed and Star could handle another."

"Who is this little one?" Corin asked as he knelt beside the bed of a five year old girl, his earlier hard exterior melted at the sight of all the safe and healthy children of the part of him that he thought that would never see any others, feel the kinship. "We don't know. She was wild in the dock area of France. She hardly speaks and only Hauleric's Tongue. The paper called her Waild Tfaild, or the Wild Child. We call her Fawn, because she acts like one, and wild little fawn afraid of all. We..."

Suddenly the child was stirring awake, sensing someone strange near her. She opened her eyes and saw Corin and started to panic. But Holly stopped Amanda and Hank from going to her, only said softly "Watch this. Corin has an gift, all children trust him almost straight away."

As Hank and Amanda watched the Hybrid slowly reached out and slowly touched her hand, gently speaking words in their Tongue. The words seemed to penetrate the girls fear and she calmed, looking at him curiously and asking something back. Corin nodded and said something softly in length and the child listened, then reached out to touch his face as Amanda remembering wanting to do but just the same Corin pulled back and away from her hand, speaking again but louder-above a whisper so both Amanda and Hank could understand.

"No, Little One, don't touch me."

"Why not?" she asked, a confused frown making her pretty face look sad and Corin answered gently "Because I’m not normal and my other part doesn't like being touched, it scares it."

"Oh." she didn't speak for a minute, then Corin spoke softly "What's your name. little one?"

"Mouse, My mummy and daddy called me Mouse." She said softly and Corin smiled tightly as he asked gently "Why? Because you're so cute?" The girl giggled softly "No. `Cause I was born so small and I still am."

"You are only young, little one. You will grow taller believe me. See my friends over there?" he motioned at the twins. "Yes?"

"See Speed, the sickly one?" he motioned at the figure in the mask. After a brief look she frowned she asked, "Yes?"

"Well when I was born I was sick like that, I was so small and weak my mummy didn't think I'd live. But my daddy took care of me. He taught me to swim and play sports and jog and I got better and stronger, now look at me." Corin stood to his full height next to the bed, tensing his muscles.

Hank and Amanda looked at each other and smiled when they realized it had been Hank’s training with Jason, fighting to improve the sickly older boy’s health that had meant Corin would also benefit, making their smiles wider when they remembered the boy’s desire to make his new parents happy the only reason he would do so. Corin smiled at the little girl and continued "And I'm really strong to, watch."

He bent down and with one hand he lifted her up, bed and all. The child squealed in fear, then excitement and as he put her back down she asked curiously "What else can you do, Corin?"

"A lot of things. I have very high senses for one, I can read minds if I want, I can learn really fast and I can see into the future. I can do a lot of other things too, but they are ones you couldn't."

"Because you're different?"

"Yes, because I'm different" he said gently "Some of those things will scare you, so I won't do them. But here's one you can. Watch." Corin cupped his palms and held them sideways, a distance apart, facing each other and as they watched a string of purple flame came from his right and into his left. "Wow!" Mouse exclaimed "I can do that?!"

"Yes little one. Close your eyes and raise your hands." The girl obeyed and Corin continued, "Picture that fire inside you, running through your veins. Then imagine it coming out of your hands in small flames." Mouse obeyed and small pink flames came out of her palms. "Good" Corin seemed to purr "Now the harder part, pull it back inside you." Again the child obeyed and Corin smiled "You did it, Mouse! You're as smart as you are pretty."

"I am?" the child smiled and Corin nodded. Mouse tried to stifle a yawn, but Corin saw it and got the child to lie down, watching her silently as she fell asleep. Finally he rose, face determined, an expression the twins obviously recognized "What is it, Corin?"

"I'm staying," he said point blank. And both twins looked shocked at this "WHAT! Why?!"

"To teach these children. They need one of us, as Amanda said. Gods, Holly, they don't even know they have fire!" He looked at the parents as if they were incompetent. However Holly seemed worried about something else "I know. But what about...."

"...Don't worry, I won't get what father taught me mixed up with Little Eagle's teachings." He answered but she frowned "We didn't mean that, Corin. What about your Ainlov?"

Amanda and Hank had never heard this word before, wondering if it was a word in their Tongue they had never been taught before. But then they realized these Idars must also have a separate language, and Holly and Speed would need to know it. "I have my flasks" Corin said "They'll last me until they run out and then I can Teesa Kehaw Vrcarea." What ever they were talking about, they obviously didn't want the two parents knowing.

"I'll be fine" Corin insisted "continue your search without me, visit when you return."

Holly said reluctantly "We'll go if you’re sure, Corin" and the boy nodded “don’t worry about me.” The boy, Speed, spoke out softly “ye have nat been away from the Idar coven or even us for any real length of time, Fire Idar. Are ye sure ye can handle IT?”

“I am” he nodded firmly to them “I can do it. I have spent too long sheltered and need to do this, to KNOW I can do this.”

The twins seemed to understand why it was so important to him he do this and turned to go. However Amanda called quickly "Wait! Why don't you stay a few days? Surely your search can wait a few days?"

"We're sorry, Mrs. Anderson but we can't. Are you SURE you don't know where Joel is?" Holly asked this, both noticing the male sickly twin looking behind him at the other in concern who stood motionless in the center of the room, eyes intent on him.

"No we haven't heard...." Amanda started but Hank had an idea "...Wait! Our daughter Elena may know, Amanda, where's her address?"

"In my room, I'll go get it" and the twins followed her out of the room. Corin suddenly moving and heading for the door "I'll go get my bags, from the hotel we were staying at."

"Need any help?" Hank asked but the boy shook his head "No." Hank frowned at him, getting the sense he suddenly needed to be alone. However he tried again “You sure? It won't be any trouble driving into town...."

"No" Corin repeated firmly "I don't have much stuff, and it's not far. I'll be back soon."

Sure enough he returned two hours later with two heavy-looking suitcases. Amanda led him upstairs to his room "This used to be Jason and Joel’s” she said softly as she opened the door for him. Corin glanced in the room, but seemed more concerned about the locks on the door "How many keys to this?" Amanda answered immediately "Two. But there's a bolt on the inside as well."

"Good. Can I have a key?"

"Here, have mine" she took the key from the ring and handed it to him "I know how you older Hauleric's Children prefer your privacy, especially for ceremonies and spells and such." Corin nodded "and Idars, especially of an day time. Usually they sleep of a day and are up all night, but I don't. SOME days I sleep during daylight hours, but not often and not ALL day."

"And you don't want to be disturbed during those times" Amanda finished and he nodded again "Yes. If the door is locked, do not disturb me, otherwise, come in."

"I understand. The children and Hank and I sit down to dinner at about seven, will you join us?"

"Not tonight, I will set up and then sleep. I have been up the last few days, and although I don't need to sleep then, I am still exhausted from all this traveling. Tomorrow I'll start the teaching." Amanda understood and nodded and spoke "We have an classroom down the hall you can use. We usually teach the children from nine to twelve, have an lunch break for an hour and then continue until three."

"Sounds good," he said "See you tomorrow at nine then." Amanda nodded again and wished him a good sleep, leaving him alone.