The Path Of Destiny

“Okay children, up and at them! Time for breakfast and then classes!”

“Not today” Red yawned “Corin told me last night to tell you no classes for two days. He’s neglected some ceremonies and needs to catch up. At least that’s what he said. And not to disturb him, not even for meals.”

“Oh. All right. What do you kids want to do today?” Some chose to swim, others to watch the Holotele, the rest to read, study or play. Corin never once left his room, not for meals or to go to the toilet, nothing, and the door remained bolted against all.

But on the third night Amanda heard him trying to sneak out again. Again she followed and THIS time she managed to keep pace with him. He stopped in a clearing deep in the trees, bare chest with wings spread and healed, waiting patiently for something or someone.

Soon there came strange cries from a distance away and Corin mimicked the cry, raising his palms to the sky. His purple fire streaming out over the tops of the trees and his wings flapped slightly as if impatient.

The cries came closer and when they were close enough he cut his fire, his wings drooping as he waited. Amanda watched in awe as six shapes appeared above him, humanoid with wings like Corin, two females and four males, all in black clothes identical to his. Four landed directly in front of him, the others hovering at first and then landing reluctantly in front of the other four.

Corins’ grin of pleasure revealed his fanged incisors, eyes glowing as he threw himself into the arms of the front two males, crying, “Father! Chellina!” Amanda looked closer and gasped in shock.

There was no mistaking the tall figure on the left. It was a thirty-year-old Jason Tallawa, her adopted son! Not only that but he had the wings, teeth and eyes of an Idar! But who was the other?

She had heard that word, Chellina, before, but where? She searched her memory. Looking at Jason she suddenly had it. Chellina! Jason used to call Hank that! It was their Tongue for ‘father, but not my father’. The other, an American Indian Idar of about twenty-five must be the person who cared for and raised Corin after Jason was killed by the Dark Ones!

“How are you doing, Fledgling?” the ‘Chellina’ asked Corin gently and he smiled at the other “fine Little Eagle.”


“You would have run out of flasks about a week ago. What have you been using since? Surely not...” and Corin looked disgusted “Of course not!”

“Then what?” Little Eagle looked around “surely not from the Forrest inhabitants? You know how disgusting that is, it is hardly good for you and has a limit.”

“Yes but it DOES help. That, plus normal Child Of Hauleric food. Besides, the limit is for pure breeds like you. But there’s no limit known for half-breeds like us six. Pamilla, how long can you survive on it?”

The blond female Idar spoke “So far, six months before I need a flask.”

“Terrance?”


“Five months” a blank faced black haired Idar at the back said almost unemotionally.

“Carmen?”
“I have just started, but three months so far.”

“See? My limit so far is an entire year. Hell, I don’t need one really unless injured. Father?” he looked at the red headed male by his side “Same as you” Jason said smoothly “a year and still going.”

“See? I had one about six weeks ago and I feel fine. Stop worrying my maker.”

“All right” he sighed deeply “I’m going home then. I only came here to check on you. I will see you later fledgling.” Corin hugged him and as he slowly flew up the hybrid called after him “go with the Great Spirit, Little Eagle.”

The other nodded and was soon out of sight.

Corin then turned to the others and spoke “each of you choose a position around the farm. North; south; east or west. Stay there and in constant touch with each other, alert me of any mutant or humanoid presence. Parasite is very dangerous and it is important that he DOES NOT get anywhere near the children let alone learn they are here. He can steal your power if he touches you so if you’re forced to face him use your powers to keep him from reaching distance. Understand?”

They nodded and Corin said once more “choose.” The four choose a place and all but Corin and Jason left. Once they were gone Jason looked at his son and spoke softly “you are worried about something, my son. Tell me what troubles you. My ears and heart are open to you always, you know that.”

“Well I....” he seemed reluctant to speak now he could so Jason prodded him gently “Come, Corin, sit down and tell me.”

He sat him down on an old fallen log and sat beside him, his wing curved to gently take him and move him closer to him.

Corin allowed himself to be moved closer and put his head on his father’s shoulder. For a long time neither of them spoke then Corin did slowly “Dad why did you mate mother? I mean she was a powerless human and you’re a pure breed. You’re suppose to mate other pure Child Of Hauleric, not humans.”

“I know I am, but I loved her. Your mother was the most important thing in the world to me, it didn’t matter what she was just as with what you are is no different. You both were my life-you still are.”


“What about Jaya and Adrian Joseph?” (see Ectoplasmic Love)

“That was different. I am sorry to say that was a mistake. I was grieving your mother and Jaya lead me astray, convinced me she loved me. I still cared for her, even when she took AJ from me. But I never loved her like I did Jellena. AJ was her child, not mine so I let her have him.”

“What about your brother Joel?” He questioned softly and Jason sighed patiently as if this was an old subject “It was his choice to leave me, to cut our ties. He had his own life to live, his own destiny to fulfill.”

“And you never, not once, wanted him back? To look for him and see if he was alive and had a family? What had happened to Alison-if they had kids…”

“Of course I did, Corin, and still do. But he had learned to protect himself from spells and our link so well. I knew you were lonely.”

“And yet when you came back it took you less than five minutes to figure out who Speed and Holly were.” If it wasn’t for the tired look on his face Amanda would have sworn he was being sarcastic. “Of course, they had his blood, his scent to them” he looked at Corin “what does my past with women have to do with you, Corin?”

He sighed heavily before speaking “I’m three hundred and sixteen father, part-Idar and a hybrid. I have mated only twice in the past, to my cousin, in the hope of producing a child, someone to love with my soul and raise as you did me-but it never worked. The only time it did was when I donated to Ritchie and Judith so THEY could have a child. I have no claim to him or any right too, I can’t interfere in their love. YOU were mated and had a child before you were thirty! I am going nowhere father. I am going nowhere and with no one.”

“Oh” understanding and sympathy came into Jason’s red cat-like eyes “You are lonely. I understand. What about one of the children?” Corin drew back and looked at his father in shock and horror “Please father! They are too young and inexperienced. Besides I am their teacher and the teacher can’t touch a student under his care.”

“Sometimes I think you have spent too long with Ritchie and the others, Corin for you are forgetting things I taught you. Age doesn’t matter or even what you are too them, especially in our religion. You forget, MY parents were not only cousins but there was twenty years between them. And what about Amanda and Hank? They are ten years apart. Do you care about them? Don’t you care for any of them in that way?”


“I don’t know” Corin sighed again “I DO care for them, but I have never been in love before. If I DO love one I don’t know it.” Jason looked at him as he stood, pulling him with him “If you do you will realize soon. It is nearly dawn. We have talked for long enough, you better return. They might notice you’re gone. I will see you tomorrow night just after sunset.”

“Alright” Corin said as he also stood “I shall see you tomorrow father.”


Ten minutes later Amanda was climbing back into bed with Hank. He stirred sleepily and opened his eyes “Amanda. What happened?” As she snuggled in bed with and beside him she said “You’ll never guess who Corin met outside.”


“Who?” Hank asked as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes. “Jason” she answered shortly and to the point and immediately Hank was fully awake “WHAT!” Amanda frowned into his face and said seriously “I think the children are in danger, Hank. Corin has got four other Idars around the farm guarding it from someone called Parasite and one of them is Jason.”

“WHAT!” Hank exclaimed a second time but she went on “Jason’s an half-Idar too, how and why I don’t know but they had a long talk and I found out Corin is lonely and wants a mate, a wife but he doesn’t know what that sought of love feels like. His exact words were “I have never been in love before. If I loved one, I don’t know it.”

“He means one of the children?” She nodded “yes, poor Corin. I’d hate to have lived three hundred years and feel all alone, with no one to love. We have lived at least four hundred years, but we have each other and the children.”

“Who is Corins’ mother, did they say?” Hank asked curiously “Yes, it was Jellena.”

“Who that human girl? The one who Jason saved from the rapist and she and her grandmother saved from the Dark One Priestess who was stealing his fire?”

“The same one apparently. Corin has a younger brother AJ, some woman called Jaya took advantage of Jason after his wife died and she bore him a son. He said he never loved her like Jellena though, even after she left him with the baby. He let her go, which doesn’t sound like anything the Jason WE knew would do. I also got to see the Idar who took care of Corin while Jason was ‘dead’. His name is Little Eagle, he’s an American Indian Idar of about late twenties-but being an Idar there is no telling his real age. He really cares for Corin, he came all the way from New America just to check on him, make sure he was fine and then left. Corins’ wing is healed, he can move it fine but I don’t know if he can fly just yet.”

“How does Jason look?” Hank asked her curiously and she answered “He’s about ten years older then when he left us and, well, part Idar.”

“Describe it” Hank insisted and so she did “well he has pointed and sharp teeth and top incisors, his wings are like Corins’ only bigger, he has the same clawed hands and pale skin-but his skin was always pale-his eyes glow red in the dark like Corin’s and the pupils are like his too.”

“It’s obvious why Jason joined them, darling” Hank said softly and she looked at him stupidly “it is? Why?”


“Remember what Corin told us about him never leaving the Idars and that only PADD are allowed near the Idars home? Well when Jason came back and discovered that he would be unable to be with Corin as he was-his only real family left-he joined them.”

“I’m going to go and talk to Jason tomorrow. He’ll tell me what’s going on.” Amanda said this but was shocked when her husband protested “no! You can’t!”

“Why not?” she frowned at him and he answered with a look “that’s how you lost Jason in the first place, by forever watching him! Now you are doing it to Corin! Do you want to loose your grandson as well as your son?”

“No but if the children are in danger it’s our right to know!”

“I know” Hank sighed “but there is nothing we can do but trust Corin and those others to protect them and wait for Corin to tell us himself what’s going on. He’ll have to tell us sooner or later what’s going on so just wait a while Amanda.”

“All right” she said reluctantly “I’ll wait a little while.”
“Good now go to sleep.”

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