Chapter 1

-Survival Of The Fifth Son-

The year is 2007. It has been two months...

Since Caleb's birthday and the incident with Chase Collins. Chase had tried to force Caleb to will him his powers which would have resulted in Caleb's death. In the process of executing this plan, Chase had put a spell on Pogue's girlfriend Kate in order to get to Pogue. He put Pogue in the hospital, badly hurt and threatened Caleb's girlfriend Sarah's life, in order to get to Caleb, thereby forcing him to will Chase his powers. There was a huge fight between Caleb and Chase with their powers and Chase lost when Caleb's dad willed him his own power, allowing Caleb to have equal strength with Chase which helped him to defeat him as he had the element of surprise. Chase was thought to have been killed but no body was ever found so it is unknown whether Chase is alive or not. And Caleb didn't care.

Saturday 10:52 p.m.

"Hey Caleb, I missed you." Sarah Wenham said, sitting on the bar stool beside Caleb Danvers. They were hanging out at the club like always, just relaxing and having a good time. Reid Garwin was playing pool against some other guy and Tyler Simms was sitting at one of the tables with Pogue Parry, and Pogue's girlfriend Kate Tunney. Caleb turned to look at Sarah, grinning broadly.

"Sarah, you're back."

She smiled. "Yep, two weeks, felt like a century though." They kissed.

"I know, tell you what. How about next time your grandmother wants to see you, she can come here to visit." Caleb suggested with a smile.

Sarah laughed. "Yeah, sure. I'll make sure to mention that to my 80-year-old grandmother who uses a walker, next time I see her."

Caleb laughed too and they kissed again. She glanced over at the dance floor and then stood up. She held out her hand for Caleb to take it. "Come on, let's dance."

They did. Soon, Pogue and Kate joined them on the floor, dancing together. Tyler went over to Reid, and the two made conversation while Reid was beating his opponent badly at pool. Reid also flirted with the ladies a bit but Tyler just hung back. He was shy compared to the other three. But all things aside, they all had a good time.

7:58 a.m. The Following Day (Sunday)

"Chase! Chase!"

Chase Collins opened his eyes and tilted his head toward the door as two little girls ran into the room. He was sleeping in the Gordon's guest bedroom, and had been doing so for the last two months. Ever since the night when he had tried to kill Caleb Danvers by forcing him to will Chase his power. Chase shook his head, ridding the gloomy thoughts from his head. He felt guilty enough as it was, hurting the sons when all they had been were his friends. His mind turned back to the present as the two girls bounced onto his bed.

"Come on Chase! Get up! It's already 8 o'clock."

Chase sat up and stretched slightly with a yawn before looking at the older child, Jill, who had spoken to him. "8 o'clock. Is that all?"

Their mother, Mrs. Gordon or Emily as she preferred him to call her, came to the bedroom door and poked her head in from the hallway. "I'm so sorry Chase. I tried to keep them outside for as long as I could. They wanted to wake you an hour ago."

"Yeah but we let you sleep in so come on." The nine-year-old girl, Jill, insisted.

Her younger sister Kiri, who was six years old, piped up; "Yeah, we wanna play! Come on Chase!" She grabbed his arm and latched on. "Pleeease." She gave him a pleading puppy-dog face.

Chase pretended to be stern but then broke into a grin and rolled his eyes. "Okay fine, you win."

"Yay!" The two girls exclaimed.

Emily spoke from the doorway. "Fine but lets give Chase some privacy so he can get ready. Come on girls, lets go."

The little girls scampered out of the room and Emily Gordon gave Chase an apologetic look before following her daughters. She knew that he had been up late the previous night working at the local club. Right after Emily disappeared, Mr. Gordon or rather Frank, walked past the doorway and said something to Chase without pausing as he passed the doorway. "Sorry about that Chase, those girls run purely on sugar." Then he was gone.

Chase got dressed quickly. He didn't want to leave Kiri and Jill waiting as they had little patience. He smiled to himself. He was actually really happy living with this family. They were good to him, kind, and Chase loved those girls. He felt like an older brother to them and it was nice having someone to watch out for and having them depend on him as well.

Sunday 2 p.m. (Same Day)

Chase had spent the afternoon fixing up the small fence that went around the front of the Gordon's house. The morning had been spent playing with Kiri and Jill. So far it had been a good day. Sometimes his days were not so good and on those dark days he would avoid the Gordon's house. He didn't want them to see anyone on those days. When the urge to use his power nearly consumed him. Chase stood up, admiring his handiwork. The fence looked good and went nicely around the large two-story yellow painted house. As he was finished with the fence, he decided he would go for a walk. He often took walks by himself. He needed it to get through each day. The silence and peace was the only thing that could comfort him besides the Gordon's children.

Chase had always been alone. He couldn't remember his biological parents because he was adopted when he was only two years old. His adoptive parents had told him that his biological father left his mom before he was even born and two years later his mother died. An accidental drowning the papers had said. Chase caught on quickly as soon as he was old enough to understand, that he was not wanted. His adoptive parents wanted nothing to do with him. That was why his first word to his family had been to the maid, calling her mom when he mistook her for his mother. He had been raised exclusively by his parents' maid and butler. He had discovered at an early age that he was adopted only so his parents received good publicity.

His adoptive father was a businessman and had time for nothing else. Chase's adoptive mother was the same way with her fashion line. In public, Chase was their beloved son who got whatever he liked. But in private, he was to leave them alone. If he was to speak to them, he was to refer to them as Arthur and Helen. They made it clear to him that he was not their son but he could live there so long as he played the part of a dutiful son in the public eye. They did not get along with each other either. Helen was an alcoholic and Arthur had anger issues.

Chase had learned that firsthand when he was eight years old. He usually stayed hidden away in his room playing with his toys because whenever he was home that was where he was ordered to stay. But a classmate had invited him to a birthday party and it was the following day so he went downstairs to ask Arthur permission to go. He had been beaten so badly that he never dared ask for anything again. Soon after that first beating, he soon began receiving regular beatings whenever Arthur was frustrated with work. Helen was too drunk to do anything about it and if she was in the room she would simply sit down and watch. Every now and then she even added in a slap or kick.

The maid, Doris, and the butler, Lionel, tried to make up for his parents' abuse. They would buy him unnecessary gifts and every now and then, for no apparent reason, Doris would hug him and hold him there for a few moments. Lionel was an older gentleman and he would often sit down with Chase and just talk to him. They were always telling him to remember that most people were not as bad as his parents. That things would get better eventually. They never did and Chase grew to hate. He hated his parents and despised his mother for dying and leaving him in the hell that had been his home. At school he was withdrawn and talked to no one. Then when he was 13, he learned of his power. He had no idea what it was. But it terrified him. He remembered how it had come to him in the middle of the night and he couldn't control it. He had huddled in the corner of his bedroom crying softly so that Helen and Arthur would not hear, begging the toys in his room to stop levitating.

Soon after that he became addicted to the power. It was his only release for the anger that continued to build up inside of him. He felt better when he knew that he had this power. It was then that he began to talk to his fellow students. He created a different persona altogether. Someone that others would like. Thus Chase's tough, cocky exterior was born and that's how he allowed others to see him. There was only one whom he had allowed to see his real personality, but she was gone now. He'd left everything behind, even her. He supposed Kate could be included as well. He had slipped into his true self every now and then when he was with her. It was hard to keep a mask on at all times and Kate had been so kind and honest to him that he couldn't help himself. She had reminded him of the girl he'd left behind in Haversfield.

It had taken an exceptionally strong will for Chase to control himself with his power. He would not let himself use it on people, not ever. Even as the verbal and physical abuse continued with Helen and Arthur, he didn't let it get him to use. He instead used it in private, taking out his anger on inanimate objects. Eventually, Chase began staying out late and sneaking in when his "parents" had gone to bed. Then proceeded to sneak out especially early to go to school. This way he rarely saw them and so the abuse became minimal and life went on, a little better then before. School became his salvation and she, his savior.

But no one had warned him. About how addictive the power was. No one ever told him what would happen when he was 18 either. He remembered the day Helen and Arthur had learned of his power, on his 18th birthday. He shuddered at the memory, drawing in a sharp intake of breath. Enough of those memories. They would do him no good. Suddenly his thoughts turned to his biological father. He could feel his presence nearby. He closed his eyes and willed the spirit to leave and after a moment Chase could sense that his father's ghost was gone. When Chase had turned 18, this was a power he had obtained. The gift of being able to see and speak to the dead as long as they had yet to pass on to the afterlife. The spirits came to him and he chose if he wanted to see them or not. He had first learned of this power six months ago, when his biological father had called out to him.

Chase had only met his real father once when he was alive. He had found him after the car crash that had claimed his adoptive parents' lives. His dad had told him all about the covenant and how they had betrayed his family generations ago. Then he willed Chase his power and died shortly after. Chase didn't know what to do with what he had learned. He had inherited his adoptive family's enormous fortune but wanted nothing to do with it. Helen and Arthur had been evil and he wanted nothing to do with them or their money. He had immediately seen to it that a fourth of their money be given to Doris and Lionel, as well as the Collins' manor. Chase had tried to give all of the money to them but the two former servants of his adoptive parents refused and he'd barely been able to convince them to take a fourth of the wealth. And so the rest of Helen and Arthur's fortune sat in the bank gathering dust for all Chase cared. He kept only a minimal amount to sustain him for a little while.

So when his biological father had found him six months ago, he learned of this power. The power that allowed the dead to find him if they wished. It was at this time his dad demanded that Chase needed to avenge their family. He had told him of the sons of Ipswich and how they were the last of their bloodlines. His father ordered him to go and claim all of their powers on the days they ascended. When he had taken all of their powers and thus, all of their lives, he was to return to his father.

But after that night when he had fought Caleb. Losing had caused him to see what evil he had done and he hadn't wished to see his father again. Since Chase didn't wish to see his father, his father did not come. That was part of his gift. The spirits could only come if he allowed them to. Chase felt terrible for what he had done for his father. He would never forgive himself for killing that guy from the school in Ipswich he had gone to, undercover, so that he could get to the other sons. The guy had discovered his power and so he'd had no choice but to kill him. Chase remembered how he had vomited in the woods after he'd done it. He had felt so sick but he'd put on a fake smile and headed to the party where he knew the sons would be regardless. He had to. For his father.

Chase kicked at a twig that lay on the ground as he headed into the woods near the Gordon's house. What was nice about their house was that they lived a good few miles away from their neighbors so it was always very quiet. He sighed in tired frustration. Even though he felt as though he had found a new family here with the Gordons, he knew he couldn't stay there forever. Right now his life had come to a complete standstill but at least he was happy. It had been awhile since he had been truly happy. Again, Chase saw her face. Remembering the ways she smiled, her laugh, her voice. He shook the memories of her away. Knowing how he had left her the way he had, only made it hurt that much more. She was probably the only girl he would ever love and he had left her behind.

Chase was struck by the sensation that he was no longer alone. Then he heard the voice of a woman, whispering in his head. Though he didn't recognize the voice, he somehow felt that he knew her. He concentrated, using his power to call the spirit to him, his eyes clouding over into blackness. The next moment he felt a cool chill and the blackness faded from his eyes as he looked to see a woman standing before him. She appeared to be a wispy white figure that was barely solid as Chase could see right through her body to the trees behind her. Even though the woman was pale and see-through, she was very pretty. What Chase was drawn into, were the eyes. They were deep, sad eyes filled with the grief that could only come from great loss. The woman gazed at Chase steadily with her sad eyes and spoke after a moment.

"Chase..Chase, you've grown so much."

Chase stared. "Do I know you?" He asked her. A small smile threatened to grow on the woman's face.

"You may not remember me, but I remember you. I could never forget you. I'm just sorry I didn't get to spend much time with you, Chase. You know, you were the miracle I had been waiting for. You were beautiful and look at you now. You've grown into a handsome young man, Chase."

Right then Chase knew. He knew who this woman was and he could feel that it was true.

"Mother?" This time the woman did smile, but very slightly. She seemed to have trouble smiling. As if it hurt too much to do so. She reminded him of himself. Chase had rarely smiled growing up. He had certainly produced fake smiles often enough, especially when he was undercover at the sons' school a couple months ago. Chase sighed inside. So it would seem life had not been fair to him or his mother.

"Are you okay?" His mother asked.

She had actually taken a moment to stare into his eyes. She could see that past the calm, was a sense of deep sorrow and despair. It was something about Chase that most people never noticed. Chase said nothing and so she continued.

"Yes, I am your mother. My name is-"

Chase finished her sentence. "Elaine Pope."

Though the woman's eyes remained in her fixed sad gaze, her lips turned up in a smile. The smile faded soon after and though she could not physically touch him, she placed a hand close to Chase's cheek as if caressing it lovingly.

"I'm sorry I couldn't be there for you, Chase. I know your life hasn't been easy and you deserve so much better. I'm sorry, I failed you."

"No you didn't. Don't be sorry. What was done to me was not your fault." Chase told her.

She nodded and slowly lowered her hand from his face. Concern filled her features.

"Chase, I found you out so that I could warn you."

Chase looked at his mother, confused. "What do you mean?"

"You are aware of your full abilities?" She asked him. Chase nodded solemnly and then lowered his head in shame, turning his head away from the spirit.

"Elaine, your son has become evil. I use my powers far too much and I use them selfishly."

His mother looked angry. "Don't you ever say that! Don't you ever talk like that again."

Chase was shocked by her sudden anger and could actually feel the fury that had burst from the spirit. He looked at his mother as she began to address him and he knew he needed to listen.

"You, are a good boy, Chase. You have the heart of a hero. You only did what you did out of love, for your father." His mother sighed. "You sometimes may be naïve, concerning your father especially, but you are kind and care when others are hurting. You made a mistake. Everyone makes mistakes Chase, and no matter how many you make, I will always love you."

Chase didn't know what to say. Elaine's ghostly eyes glistened with tears but she held them back. "Now Chase, to why I needed to come here. The covenant, the sons of Ipswich, are in danger. People will come looking for them, and you, Chase."

Confusion filled Chase once again. "What? What people? I thought no one knew of the covenant."

"They do, and they are dangerous. Many will seek to exploit the covenant for it's power and others will try to destroy you. You need to be careful." Elaine glanced behind her as if she heard something. She turned back to Chase, her eyes wide. "I have to go now Chase. You must be careful and warn the sons of Ipswich, warn them of the smoking man."

Then she turned, as if to walk away, and faded into mist and was gone. Chase stared at the spot where his mother's spirit had been standing for a good hour, before he finally turned and headed back out of the woods. It was time for Chase to face his fears, and the sons of Ipswich.