“Okay, so let me get this straight. A Human got a natheren’s powers from somewhere. Which is already weird enough. But then, the powers are the exact same to another natheren’s. I’m done! This kid is evil. He probably managed to get them synthetically…”
“But I didn’t…”
This was a puzzling case.
Dolores, Odin, Leila, and Ryeon had all gathered in an alley. Ryeon was now proven to have hydro-kinectivity, but wait.
He was a human, which was strange enough, but the power itself.
How the system works is that there are seven types of Natheren. Three related to the elements, two related to mortality, and two for the communications. There can only be one of each at a time. Even siblings would be different types. But these ‘powers’ only activate in the teenage.
The three elemental ones are viperen for the water, cobren for the fire, and pythron for the earth (plants). They can control and manipulate, but not summon these elements.
The two for the communications are colourbirds for inter-species communications and shields for intra-species communications.
And finally, the two for mortality.
They have more of a responsibility rather than a power, since they use the help of specific gems. This limits them since this is a tremendous responsibility, and the power may get to their head or they may c***k under the pressure more easily. These two are anacondaers for reincarnating the dead with green beryl and mambers for comforting people once they die with the help of onyx.
The gems are usually in a pouch or pocket.
These types are highly emotional, as this is what keeps them from insanity or leads them to it.
They look similar to humans and are. The only difference in appearance would be their fanged canines and their ears.
Elemental ones have pointed ears (which fantasy fanatics would categorise as elf ears) whereas the social types have almost butterfly-shaped ears. However, the ones for mortality have normal human ears, so it gets a little tricky to recognise them unless they explicitly point out that they’re not human.
So now that’s out of the way, back to the current dilemma.
Since this was quite a new problem, everyone had mixed ideas. Well, everyone but Ryeon himself. He just stood there confused. He didn’t know what to believe now that he was introduced to this little group lurking in the shadows. Dolores was convinced that he was up to no good, Leila was wondering if this had anything to do with the dagger while Odin was trying to see if the dots connected to Adawna. They started bombarding him with questions.
“When did this start?”
“Soon after I got home with the dagger.”
So it did have something to do with the dagger.
“Leila, whose dagger was that?”
“Whosoever’s it was, they’re dead, so it doesn’t matter.”
The cold remorse sent shivers down everyone’s spines.
“Maybe it does. This never happened before. So you can’t jump to conclusions just yet.”
“Was it that little girl’s? I’m assuming she was your sister.”
Odin interrupted.
“You assume right.”
Why couldn’t they just let go of this subject?
“She was so...young. Maybe her powers had shifted to it once she came to Kaputt?”
“She was a year short of getting her powers. Besides, even if she did, they would have been earth-based. She had elemental ears and I already covered water and someone else fire. By elimination, she would’ve been a pythron.”
“Ryeon! Did I miss anything?”
All eyes shifted to Sakin, who had just arrived.
“Hi, Sakin!”
“Hi...random person I’ve never met.”
“Oh come on! Still? You’ve been to—”
“Your school? Yeah, a few times.”
“Why are you acting up?”
“What do you mean, I don’t know who you are. You probably have me mixed up with someone else.”
“Come on Odin, you probably did. I’ve never seen him before.”
“How do I know his name then?”
“Just let it go Oddie.”
Odin’s face went red and Leila let out a slight chuckle. He muttered under his breath, irritably.
“Vannon, jos meidän ei olisi pitänyt olla tekemisissä tämän poikkeavan kanssa, olisin tappanut sinut juuri nyt, Dolores.”
The conversation went on for a while after that, but in the end, they still couldn’t wrap up the mystery behind Ryeon’s sudden skill surplus.
However, Odin could have sworn he knew Sakin from somewhere. He did. Sakin was lying to his face. Maybe to conceal something, but why? And what?
After the discussion, as everyone parted ways, instead of going home with Dolores, Odin went into creep mode and tried to stalk Sakin, only to lose him in the bustling streets of Nathirabad.
.
.
.
“Hey Sakin, guess what? I almost figured out how to get rid of this annoying pyrokinectivity. I’ll finally be normal!”
“That’s great Aibek, but did you really need to kill Adawna to get there? Are you sure that you have to go to such great lengths? You can always just ignore them…”
“Then I’d just be living in its depressing shadow, like you. Besides, you can always bring that girl back.”
“You know it’s not that simple.”
“Say, what became of Ryeon’s situation?”
Sakin went red in the face.
That maniac almost found out.
Why do I live with him?
Why did Malam pair me with him of all people?
“I... the whole thing was a mess.”
“Bummer. If you did figure it out, perhaps some of that information could have helped me.”
He breathed a heavy, miserable, sigh.
“Yeah, perhaps…”
Suddenly, he felt a rush of adrenaline. This could go either really well, or stupidly horrible.
“Hey, Aibek?”
He questioned with a rather shaky voice. His chest was screaming, ready to fight, fawn, flee or freeze.
“I—I, we, can’t stay friends if you keep this up.”
Aibek was dumbfounded, clearly caught asleep at the wheel.
“I—If I keep what up?”
“You know very well, Aibek.”
That sent shivers down his spine.
“Sak—Sakin?”
He started laughing hysterically.
“This is a joke, right? You—you’re my best friend. Of all the people.”
“Wasn’t Leila your friend? Is this what you do to friends? Deceitful bingo.”
“Yes, but I never really trusted her. She always seemed shallow, like a closed book unable to open.”
“And this is how you open that book? Ain’t that a bit iffy?”
“Okay, granted. I could have spared Adawna’s life. But she was the farthest Natheren I could find.”
“Now I’m starting to think that getting rid of the ability is just a lame little lie. There’s something more sinister working in that head of yours, isn’t there?”
His lips were bit down on, but no answers obtained.
“Look, I won’t be a dobber; I still think that sinister thing is reversible. But, if you mess with me or the Sulars’ ever again, you’ll see what I won’t do…”
...
Sulars’.That was a mistake.
...
He started laughing again, this time maniacally.
“You’re an anacondaer, so you can’t; not without messing with your own head…”
Any confidence built up on his face by this point has all washed away.
31st March 2021, Wednesday.
Sakin;
Brothers torn apart
Not by blood, but by heart.
They say they don’t want each other’s wellbeing’s,
But the dark, empty pit inside said otherwise.
Maybe there remains friendship undying.
Odin;
I know Sakin, I do, I even got the name right. But then why does the world say otherwise? Am I going crazy? No, I can’t be. But I know him. But then, maybe it’s just Déjà vu? But then how do I know of him? I know him from somewhere, I do. I just do____________