The Path Of Destiny

The next day, after giving the children breakfast the parents lead them to the classroom. While Hank went to get Corin, Amanda brought the kids to attention. "Kids we have an treat for you. Remember Joel and Jason, our adopted sons Hank and I told you all about?"

"Yes Mrs Anderson" the children chorused.

"Well late yesterday we got three visitors who turned out to be Jason’s son and Joel’s twin son and daughter. And one of them has agreed to stay behind and teach you children what Hank and I can't. Meet Corin Tallawa, our grandson, son of Jason."

All eyes turned to the door as Hank and Corin entered. His skin seemed to have darkened since the night before, his eyes a dull red-no longer seeming to glow and his teeth were as blunt and as normal as an male Child Of Hauleric. Had she imagined the other stuff? But no, Hank looked surprised too.

The Fire Idar entered the room quickly, his movements fluid and tightly controlled at the same time, eyes taking everything in a sweep and approaching the teachers desk, blackboard behind him.

He sat at the table, neither smiling or relaxing, remaining serious as his eyes roved slowly over the children, over each in turn, stopping longer at Mouse, giving her an one-sided smirk, then looking up at Amanda "Do you have a list of their names?"

“Of course" she smiled "Top draw of the desk." Corin opened it and found a black folder with the list of names. After roll-call he spoke to the parents "Can you leave us now, please?"

"All right. Call us if you need us." Corin nodded and closed the door after them, addressing the children when he was sure they were gone "Do you each know your secret name? Your true names?" When they nodded he continued gently "Tell me, but no one else. They are not to leave this room." One child raised a questioning hand "not even Mr and Mrs Anderson?"

"No, child, not even them. The only people to know are your fellow children and I. Anyone else and they can control you, make you do bad things."

"How old are you, sir?" another piped up with. Corin smiled "Three hundred and seventeen. Look, I'll make you kids a deal. I'll tell you my story AND my true name, If you all tell me yours. Deal?"

They all thought about it and nodded.

Corin came over and sat on the floor near the children, motioning then to sit with him. There was several long seconds as the children did so, scrapping noises and murmurs until they were ready. Closing his eyes Corin organized his memories for telling, planning his words.

Finally he spoke softly, opening his eyes and looking at them "To all I meet I am Corin Tallawa. But my real name is Ceyena, my Idar name is Sahalana."

"What does Sahalana mean sir?" the one who had spoken before asked him and he answered "It means Skyhorse in English and don't call me sir, call me Corin."

"Why do they call you Skyhorse?" another asked.

"You three" Corin pointed to three of the eldest "think of a word each that describes the sky. And you three" he pointed to three more "Think of a word each for Horse. I'll give you a minute each to think about it." Six minutes later he spoke "Time's up. Tell us your answers, Horses first."

"Noble" one said "Fast" said another "Loving" said a third. "Good. Now Sky."

"Unpredictable" said the first "Vast" said the second "ageless" said the third.

"Good all of you. When I joined the Idars, as with all, they receive a name that the others feel best describe that person. The others felt those names best suited me." One of the eldest, a teenaged girl asked him curiously "Why unpredictable? You're a Hauleric Child, like us."

Corin looked at her "What is your name, child?" To which she answered "They call me Red, but my real name is Rellya."

"Well, Red, I'm an Hybrid. I'm part human, part Fire Child and part Idar. My spirit isn't as pure as you or the others, but I assure you I'm not very different mentally. I have and never will kill, I'm hard to anger, the life of others prevail over my own, I am gentle and loving and I also worship Hauleric. But I COULD kill if forced to, I CAN be as violet as any human-even more so as an part Idar, I can be selfish, hard and mean and I also believe in the Idar god."

"If that is so, sir, then how can you teach us about OUR people?"

"Good question, boy. The answer is simple and in two parts. Part one is I know the difference between the two religions, I learnt The Religion when I was a boy, and I didn't start learning of the Idars until I was twenty. The Religion is part of me. Two is I have a certain...custom. The majority of those I am around are those I act. Around humans I am human, around Idars, I am Idar and around Hauleric Children I am..."

"Hauleric Child" one completed. "Correct" Corin smiled. "Are you going to tell us your story, sir?" Red asked softly and Corin continued to smile, nodded "do you know of the Dark Ones?" When they nodded he spoke again "Good. Then this is my story."

* * * *

At twelve-thirty Amanda went upstairs to tell them lunch was ready. As she reached the door she heard the children repeating in chorus what Corin was in their Tongue, and Amanda recognized the Childs' bedtime prayer, the same one she used to watch Jason and Joel saying before they went to sleep, knelt on their bed and facing each other, hands pressed together, fire glowing from between joined palms, eyes closed.

"God of Fire, God of Light,
Guard me in my sleep tonight.
In your hands, my soul to keep,
As an shepherd guarding his sheep.

Protect and guide me, my Fire life is yours,
By all our will, by our laws.
Now as I rest, now as I lay,
Protect and guide me through another day.

Talana."


She knocked softly and Corin called in English "Come in, Mrs Anderson."

"How did you know it was me?" Amanda asked as she walked in and he explained "It is one of my Idaran powers. Each being has their own special pattern of thoughts. When I encounter them I memorize it. I know all the children’s, yours and Hanks."

"Oh.” She was a bit unnerved by this but went on “Well it's lunch time. Are you all ready?"

"Yes. Take the kids down with you. I just want to get something from my bag and then I'll join you." Amanda nodded and led the children down the stairs.

Five minutes later Corin joined them outside where they sat in the sun near the trees surrounding their property. "I thought we'd eat outside" Amanda explained when he sat, an large two litre thermos in his hands "it's such an nice day." Corin sat under a tree, looking up at the sky uncomfortably "Yeah, a nice day."

"What's wrong? I thought your kind grew stronger in the sun." She frowned at him in confusion and concern and he answered uncomfortably "Hauleric's Children do, Idars don't. Sunlight either burns us or makes us queasy."

Amanda looked at him in concern and confusion “Doesn’t that make you some sort being of darkness and light? If it’s too difficult we can go back inside if you want... "

"No, I'll be all right, the kids are enjoying themselves. Besides, I have this" he held up the black flask for her to see, the lid sealed down with wax. "What's in it?" Amanda asked curiously and he replied for her, "This is how the Idars gain strength and power. It's called Calla and is our source of food. Once I drink it, I'll play in the sun with the kids." He broke the seal, removed the lid and raised it to his lips.

After a long drink he lowered it and winced in disgust "I hate the lab-type." Before Amanda could speak he had raised it again. When he had finished he motioned at the large Olympic sized pool "Can we go in?"

"Of course, the kids aren't wearing bathers, though." Amanda said and Corin frowned at her "Does it really matter? Neither am I. The boys can wear shorts and the girls singlets and shorts."

"All right" she nodded and not fifteen minutes later the kids were in the pool, splashing each other and waiting for Corin to get back from putting his flask back. When he returned, Corin wore only a black singlet and black boxer shorts, showing off his thin and supple body, but also his muscular arms and legs, his long red curly hair tied back in a horsetail behind his head.

They saw the familiar tattoo of an graduated Child Of Hauleric on his right shoulder, one they had only seen twice before, on Jason, then later on Joel. As with all, the reared cobra was spitting a tongue of flame that matched the color of the wearers, red on Joel, orange on Jason and purple on Corin.

As he turned his back to the parents and climbed in slowly they saw something bulging slightly from his back and an piece of what looked like brown leather poking out from under the singlet, what was it?


Hot themselves and the water looking mighty inviting the parents decided to join them, stripping to their underwear and diving in. After a little play, one, Red, spoke to Corin "What's under your top, sir?"

Corin reached back and found the part sticking out, cursing in Idar and pushing it back under as he spoke "nothing much, just something else that is part Idar of me. I don't want to frighten the children."

"Oh they're fine, “ Amanda said with a smile as two of the youngest clung to her arms “they know you’re different. You're part of our family now, don't hide it."

"I can't. I learnt the hard way not everyone means what they say. People have seen me and freaked out. Only the Idars I have seen don't judge others looks, having experienced it themselves they don't do it themselves."

"Is that why you joined?" Hank asked him curiously and he nodded, "One reason, yes. They treat me like one of them, loved and cared for me when I had no one else, protected me like one of their own and one even risked his life for me. I needed that love and family unity after I lost father to the Dark Ones and they gave me everything a lonely and love-addicted young boy could wish for. I wouldn't leave them now if asked. They are my family and friends."

"Did you say Jason was killed by Dark Ones?" Hank asked in shock and he said solemnly "Yes, when I was seventeen, and right in front of me." Amanda started to tremble, eyes wide with tears “oh god”. Corin added before she could go any further "but as I said yesterday, the gods returned him to me, when I was Seventy-five, to help our cause." Amanda relaxed and murmured a thanks to the gods and Hank asked softly with a frown "What Cause?"

"Ever heard of an special forces department called PADD in New America?" he asked and when they answered "No, why?" he went on “we work on special cases, investigate certain cases and protect innocents." They understood and said so and another child, Paytan spoke out "Excuse me sir, but can we see what's under your top, please?"

"All right" Corin sighed "but they're near useless right now." He ducked underwater and removed his singlet, surfacing to show something large and brown folded compactly on his back. "What are they?" Amanda asked curiously. "Why wings of course!" he laughed and muscles in his back twitched to a silent command and immediately huge membrane and bone wings unfolded and spread to their fullest, pointing at the sky.

"Wow!" Red gasped in awe and almost immediately the rest of the children were all there, touching it with curious fingers, some gentle tugging it. The wings swept out, gently pushing the children away and then drooping into the water, limp and floating on the surface. "Can you fly with them?"

"Usually, and I can carry twice my own weight. But I can't for a while." When they asked why he raised one and pointed to the place at the base where the thin membrane was attached to his back. It was only held on by small waterproof pieces of hospital tape, all the way from the base of the bone to the bottom.

"What happened?" Amanda asked in horror. "I was attacked. I fought them off with my fire and strength, but not before they had ripped the skin. I've been told to stay of it until it can heal."

"I see veins and nerves" Hank looked at them closely "It must be awfully painful." He nodded and said without boast "It is but I'm long since used to pain, I just ignore it." And seeing his wince when he moved it they changed the subject "Tell us about the Idars."

He spoke with a solemn shake of his head "I can't, not without permission from the leader. That could take days."

"Why is it so secretive?" Amanda asked curiously and he sighed "Can you imagine the public reaction if it became known that Idars could grant immortality without any complicated ceremonies or spells and ANY sort of human or mutant? No, they would become captives, forced to make immortal armies or worse, destroyed for a gift they refuse to give to just anyone. Not even Renegade Idars make themselves known, but they are for a different reason, they're just too greedy to give it to anybody else."

"Renegades?"

"Idars cast out of society or covens for evil ways, those who disobey rules repeatedly, those who harm other Idars or humans without regret. We had a case a while ago by the name of Michael Red, one of a trio of two brothers and a sister. The leader recruited them from the Renegades, decided to give them a chance on a better life. Bill and Laura-the other two-were overjoyed, a chance to be something bigger and purer then them, but Michael liked being as evil as he was.

The leader only put up with him until he tried to kill his son, then he had no choice to get rid of him. Now he's nothing more than a pile of dust. Look" he showed them a large and long scar from under his right armpit to the base of the right side of his ribs "he did this to me when I stood between him and the Idars."

"Why didn't Jason come with you and the twins to find Joel?"

"Believe me, we had a hard time persuading him to stay, but someone has to teach Holly and David’s' son Anthony and Speed and Stars' son Ghost. As it was, we had to promise to call him as soon as we located him."

"What about you? Holly has this David and Anthony, Speed has Star and Ghost. Surely you have someone other than your father?"

"No. I haven't meet or found the one I wish to spend the rest of my existence with. Besides, they would need to be part-Idar, for we live away from others."

"So you and your father live separately?" Corin looked uncomfortable "Yes and no. Look, we better get back to work."

Amanda nodded and half and hour later the children and Corin were back in class, refreshed and full of attention. That night Corin and the children retired to bed at the same time.


For the next week they stuck to the routine, and although Hank and Amanda got to know their grandson they noticed he was also very reluctant to talk about his father and his time with the Idars, ESPECIALLY how he became one.

Then on the second week he started disappearing of a night, late, and returning just before dawn.

Curiosity got the better of Amanda and one night she followed him out. He paused next to the pool, eyes glowing in the dark, removing his shirt and spreading the wings, examining the injured one. “A few more days” she heard him murmur softly “Then I can fly, what a relief.” A hungry look came into his eyes “But for now I need some Calla.”

Corins’ form shimmered and then it cleared, revealing a large red-furred wolf, eyes red glowing and slitted. Before Amanda could recover her surprise at his ease at shape-changing, especially when it took them complicated spells to do so, he had bounded off.


Three days later Amanda had cast the appropriate spells and was waiting outside in eagle form for him. But she lost him deep in the mass of trees surrounding their property.

Disappointed she went home.

Amanda also noticed Red was paying more and more attention to Corin, even persuading him to let her watch him do his spells and ceremonies, his nightly blessings and prayers. She even found her once or twice in his room mimicking his actions while he showered in the bathroom.

As the nights went by, Corin spend more time in his room, Red staying there longer with him. One night in bed Amanda discussed it with Hank softly “I think Red’s in love with him.” He looked at her, startled “What makes you say that?”

“Why else would she be hanging around him so much, especially of a night. And you don’t see the look of adoration she gives him when she thinks no one’s looking.” Hank looked at her as he protested “But she’s only sixteen and Corin’s more than three hundred!”

“So? When we met you were twenty-five and I was fifteen. To them, or at least her, age has no matter. Besides, you know Fire Children don’t go by the same laws as humans, as US. Love is love to them.”

Two doors down Red and Corin were also talking, Red seated on the end of his bed while Corin sat on the floor, trying to put together a strange radio-like device, but the pieces were strode all over the floor and he was having difficulty. “I know what you’re saying,” Corin was saying to her “but the thing is you’re not Part-Idar, THIS is your home and you are too young for me. It would be like falling in love with your daughter.”

“But what about Holly? She’s twenty-two years younger than you and you’ve both still mated.”

“There is a big difference there. One, she is ONLY twenty-two years younger, she’s an fully-trained Daughter Of Hauleric, and she was able to previously prepare herself for my tainted fire.” He sighed, trying to slot a piece in a hole too small and Red went on for him in her way “and still you both couldn’t produce a baby. Holly has a mate and child, family. You could prepare ME.”

“I don’t think so” Corin sighed “If Holly’s didn’t work, you should be no different. I can’t breed with Hauleric kind, only humans, and then only once, and he’s not even mine. I can’t take Thomas from Ritchie and Judith, they’re my only human friends, Besides, I consented to donating so they could have a child. I am so tired of trying to have what I obviously can’t. Maybe father and I are meant to be alone, to be all there is in our line.” He dropped the piece on the carpet and looked at the floor in dejection.

“No!” the denial was out before she could stop it.

Corin looked up at her with dull curiosity. Red came and knelt in front of him, grasping his hands in hers tightly, looking him in the face and trapping his eyes with hers as she spoke passionately “I am here, Corin, and willing. I have no mate, no father, no one! Be mine, and I yours and you can have that what you want more than anything, a family! I love you, and won’t let you scare me off again like last night!!”

His expression went from shock to pleading, pulling her hands away and moving back to the device. Finished he adjusted the reception to try and pick something up, speaking softly as he did “Please don’t ask me this, especially not now with so much on my mind! I must only think about teaching you all, keeping fed from Calla from the forest and contacting the others, which I can’t do until I get this Damn thing working properly!!’

“What is it?” Red asked, giving up, for now but not planning to do it later “A videcom, Video Communicator, solar powered. I’m supposed to use it for regular updates, but can’t if the damn thing won’t work! Got it!” There was a sudden whine of power and the view screen came to life, a face of an Italian figure with Corins’ eyes and teeth appearing on it. Corin spoke first, before he could “Frind put Master Little Eagle on.”

“Corin! About bloody time! We were starting to worry. Master Eagle needs a word or two with you. It’s important.” The other figure’s voice was thick and full of impatience. Corin sighed, “Put him on then.” The figure moved away and was replaced with a middle-aged American Indian Idar. Concerned and serious the face spoke “Corin, Eagle here.”

“Greetings maker of my maker, Brother of my maker.” The face nodded in acknowledgment of the formal greeting and returned it traditionally “Greetings fledgling of my fledgling, blood of my brother.”

“What’s so serious that Little Eagle or even Frind couldn’t tell me?” Corin sounded angry and the other frowned at him as he asked, “Do you remember the mutant called Parasite?”

“Sure. He almost killed Speed and Alan by draining them of their power when it’s the only thing that keeps them alive, why?”

“Well he has been sighted in your area with an huge group of fellow power-sucking mutants. It is suspected he is looking for others of power to drain and kill.” At this Corin frowned, disturbed “Does he know about me being here? I don’t think he can drain me because I’m not that powerful, but the children probably would be and it’s best to be sure.”

“No, he does not know about you and the children and the Andersons yet, but if they do, they are all in danger. You must keep an eye and ear out for them. I sent you some Idars to aid you, but they would not arrive for a few days. You better find a way to protect them until then.”

“I know just the thing. I will speak to Little Eagle later, thanks for the warning. Out.” The face nodded again and the screen went blank.

Corin turned it off, paused and stood, ignoring Reds’ insisting questions. Suddenly he took her shoulders, pulled her up and led her to the door. When she started to protest he snapped “Quiet!” When she shut up he said softly “I need you to help me with this.” Red was immediately attentive “What must I do?”

“Go to bed first. In the morning tell Amanda and Hank there will be no classes for the next two days and nights. But whatever you do, DON’T tell them why, of anything you heard. Tell them I’m catching up on some important rituals and CAN’T be disturbed, not even for meals. I’m not to be disturbed or it could mean a ruined spell and who knows what side-affect. They are NOT to check up on me, disturb me or even help me, and neither are you, understand?”

“I...I.....”

“Please do as I ask, Rellya, I’m depending on you to help me, you and you alone. I’m trusting you with this secret and if you do...I’ll.....well....mate with you.”

Red’s face changed dramatically “Oh no, Corin, Ceyena. I want you to mate with me for love, not obligation. I will do as you ask, but you owe me nothing. You may be a mix-breed, but to me you are as much an Child Of Hauleric as I-or and of the other children-are. We stick together.”

She started down the hall towards the older children’s room. He watched her until she reached the door, then started to duck back inside when Red called out softly to him “Oh and Corin?”

“Yes?” he poked his head out and looked at her. She was paused on the doorstep, hand on the knob and a smile on her lips. “I’m not exactly young, any more. In fact I’m two years younger than you, TWO YEARS only.” Knowing his kind couldn’t really lie Corin’s bottom jaw dropped “WHAT!”

But by the time Corin had recovered his shock Red was gone.

* * *