Chapter 1

Slam!

Scathach landed another kick onto the battered punching bag the chain connecting the bag to the ceiling rattled. She swung round to plant another kick when she heard a knock on the front door. She stopped immediately and headed for the door. Who could it be at 5am? Upon opening the front door, she saw the familiar pale faces of Nicholas and Perenelle Flamel. Scathach smiled a bit and greeted them,

"What trouble are you in this time?"

Nicholas smirked, "do we need to be in trouble to want to visit a good friend?"

"Spill" Scathach remarked cheekily.

"Okay, fine, we may be in a little bit of trouble. We sort of, ah, upset the great elder, Gorgiious, and he is willing to forgive us only if we find the Gem of the Humani. We were wondering if you'd-"

"Come along with you and help find it in the Fireyious Caves?" Scatty smiled, "sure"

Perenelle smiled and added "We also invited someone who we heard might be of some help"

"Who?"

"You'll see"

"When do we leave?"

"Now"

And they did.

The trio made their way to a train station where they stopped.

"We just need to make a house call" Perenelle said, referring to collecting the fourth member. They caught the train to Northumberland, where they made their way to a small street called Westcork.

Perenelle lead them to a small house with an unkempt garden. They knocked on the door, and a tall, slightly masculine young-looking man answered. He had messy, brown hair with the ends turning an unnatural orange. He had deep blue eyes and a thin line of stubble lining his cheekbones. He looked as if he had just woken up, and was rubbing the back of his neck with his hand. His eyes became suddenly alert as he saw the three. He stared at Scathach, and, a split second after, he was pinned against the wall, Scathach's green eyes locking with his. Nicholas and Perenelle stared in surprise, but it seemed as though the other two were the only ones in the room. Finally, Scathach spoke.

"Why?" She looked furious, and hurt, Nicholas observed.

"Why what? I'm afraid you'll have to be a bit more specific"

"Why didn't you come back for me?!"

"It's complicated"

"We have all day"

"You cut your hair. It was beautiful long"

"Shut up. I have a knife"

"Yes, and I know just about every trick in your book" He smiled, like he was flirting.

Perenelle sighed, "Well, I'm guessing you two know each other" They ignored her and continued the conversation.

"Now, why?!"

"Maybe, if you unpin me from this wall, let me get properly introduced with the others, and allow for me to get a beer, I could tell you"

"No. I have waited two THOUSAND years for this. Tell me now."

"Fine. I was making my way to your cell in the shadowrealm when I realised, if we escaped, what would we do? You wouldn't have legally been an adult until you turned 20, and I was 20. You were 17. Still a child. You had just left your parents. They disowned you, leaving you with nothing. You relied on me but I was the wrong person. I was not leading you in the right direction. If I helped you escape, we would just continue with our lives. No, actually they weren't lives. They were hell. We were on the run. We stole. We had no home. All you wanted was a home that would actually welcome you. And I couldn't give you one. So I left"

"I wanted a home with you" Scathach whispered, though it could be heard by all.

"You would have lived out your sentence; it was only a few centuries. In Hekate's shadowrealm prison, you would be safe, unharmed, and, when you got out; you would be able to start life again. To forget me. To grow up"

"I don't care anymore"

"Then why are you crying?" He asked softly, kindly. During his talking, Scathach had slowly unlocked her grip on him and, unbeknownst to her, tears had begun to make their way down her face. She backed away from him and ran out the door.