Yay, people like it! I'm excited now. For the record, Henri's Loric name was Brandon, just incase you're confused.


My Cêpan was waiting just as he said he would, in the canoe. I staggered down the bank and rather unceremoniously dropped Brandon into the canoe.

"Hi, Jarek," I say, collapsing back into the canoe.

"You went unnoticed?" he asked. "No one saw you, and you didn't make it obvious you were there?"

"Yeah," I say, picking up a paddle. Brandon begins to stir, and I look down at him. His eyes open, and he looks foggily at the sky. Then his eyes focus in on me.

"Who're you?" he asked.

"Number Five," I respond, with a grin. "Nice to see you, Brandon." He blinks.

"No one's called me that in... I don't even know how long," he says, stuggling to sit. I grasp his arm and pull him up so he's leaning against the seat in the canoe.

"Well," I say. "Just call me no one then."

"How'd I get here?" he says, taking in the surroundings. My cheeks redden a bit.

"I, ah, sorta saved you," I say. He frowns at me.

"Really?" he asks. I nod. "Wow. Way to ruin my dramatic exit there..." he looks around again, then asks a question. "Where's John? Er, Four?"

"He's fine," I say.

"Where is he?"

"He sorta thinks you're dead," I answer.

"What? Why?" He says, shocked, struggling to sit up.

"It is vitally important he doesn't know I'm within his reach," I answer. "And if you're magically alive after dying in his arms, then obviously someone healed you. And he'll look for me."

"Why is it so important..." he says, confused.

"So the charm won't break," I answer.

"But..." his face turns pale. "It's already broken. Six was there, too..."

"It's not broken," I respond. He looks at me questioningly. "The charm said that when we're together, the charm is broken, right? Well, only two of us were together. Not enough of us to break it. But half of us in one place will break it, I fear... So I cannot be in his presence."

"It should go on and break anyway," he says, suddenly resolute. "You are all ready. It's time."

"No, it's not," I say sharply. "I am fourteen, Brandon! I am not ready, I have only just started developing my Legacies. My telekinesis isn't even here yet. Seven is just starting to get control over her first Legacy, and hasn't even noted it. Three is only five months dead, and he didn't have any of his powers. Nine has his telekinesis, and he is just coming into his abilities. They aren't ready, Brandon. And don't even start to forget the Cêpans! Even though the charm doesn't protect them and over half of them are dead anyway, it serves them. It means they aren't the focus of attention. And there are only four of the Cêpans, and you guys have to repopulate too. Otherwise we just have magical ones, and no one to guide us. Do you understand, now?"

He nod slowly.

"Don't worry, you will see your charge again," I say. "It's just important that I delay them from finding the others until they have their legacies..."

"What will you do?" he asks.

"Warn them not to find the others," I say simply.

"And how will you do this without them knowing where you are?" he asks. I think for a moment.

"I'll copy Six, except in a different way... I'll text him," I say. "What's his number?" I whip out my phone. He recites the numbers (What were the numbers? HA! Like I'd tell YOU! You might be a Mogadorian, for all I know!), and I put it into my contacts.

4, if u fnd th othrs ull kll thm all. I click the send button, and sit back and wait for a response.


Four's POV:

Driving down the road, we hear a ringing. Sam spins, and picks up a phone. My phone.

"Oh, yeah, dude by the way," he says. "We found it in the cafeteria, hiding from the Mogadorians." I frown, and look down at it. Henri and Sarah are the only ones with my phone number; Henri's dead, and Sarah shouldn't be calling me so soon. I flip open the phone, and there's a text message there from an unknown number.

4, if you find the others you'll kill them all. I stare down at it. My heart begins pounding. I type a rushed reply.

who are you, & how did you get this #? There was no reply. I stared at it for at least ten minutes, and no reply. The others read the message, and Six just frowns.

"It has to be one of the others," she decides. "The Mogadorians wouldn't warn us against doing something harmful to the others."

"But none of them have my number," I argue.

"Well, maybe..." she thinks for a long moment. Her eyes widen. "Maybe they got it from Henri's phone."

"Wasn't it burned?" Sam interjects.

"Maybe, maybe not... I can't remember," she says.

"If it's from Henri's phone..." I say slowly. "Then that means they're here." We all exchange glances, then the brakes are slammed on and the truck spins. We start back the way we came.