Chapter 9: On the road

Raven had fallen asleep in the backseat. Garfield was talking with Aaron, who almost wanted him to fall asleep as well. It was nighttime and the three found themselves on a forest road.

"So how are we going to stop the king?" Garfield asked.

"I want to give you the answer, but I can't." He looks into the mirror at Raven, he smiled. "All I know is that Raven will do it. I just know." He looks back at the road.

"So where are you taking us?" Garfield asked as he looked at Raven from the side.

"I know of a place where Malchior can't find us."

"How do you know?"

"Because it's magical protected. You won't believe it, but there's so many magical beings in your world. Many comes here for protections or just to be with same beings. Sadly, many off die over the years. They're really weak, me and Raven have our father's blood so we're naturally powerful." He rubbed his temple with a loud sigh. "Our father wasn't just the emperor of Azarath, he was a lord of magic and immortals."

"Okay, so what about me?"

"What do you mean?" Aaron asked as he shot a glance at Garfield.

"Do I have any powers or something?" He gave a hopeful yet joking smile.

"Raven would be able to tell, I'm not an empath like her." He looked back at the road. "But you're not completely human. You're a Logan, right?"

"Yeah."

"Okay, that gives a clue at least." Aaron rubbed his cheek and groaned. "Ask Raven when she wakes up." He placed his hand on the door.

There was a really long silence before Aaron asked.

"Garfield? How old are you?" He asked.

"19 why?" Garfield answered.

"Okay, you're a biological scientist with a high degree, and you're only 19?" Aaron pointed out, not looking away from the road, yet his eyes widening ever so slightly.

"Yeah, my mom and dad were also scientists, I wanted to be like them when I grew up so I did." Garfield shrugged.

"Interesting…" Aaron blinked. "Raven was studying mythology when she younger, too bad people don't do that anymore they do exist." Aaron shrugged. "I studied the elements, if was fun."

"I don't doubt it…" Garfield rubbed his eyes as they grew tired from their long trip.

"Go ahead and sleep, you're going to need some energy later." With that Garfield nodded and closed his eyes.

Aaron took a peek at his sister, still asleep.

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"Garfield wake up." The sound of Raven's voice broke Garfield from his dream about her. A pleasant dream where they found themselves on the beach together.

"Five more minutes…" He grumbled.

"Fine, then you won't get breakfast." He heard Raven take a few steps away before he jumped at her.

"I'm having breakfast!" He almost yelled. Raven smiled as they made their way over to a blanket that laid on the ground in the grass.

Aaron sat there too, eating a sandwich and waiting for the two. They sat down and ate their food, Raven showed Garfield what was the vegetarian food before she took her own.

"Aaron, how long is it until we're there?" Garfield asked.

"Half a day." Garfield looked around. They had parked on top of a mountain on a grassy hill, he looked out to the fields under. He could see Jump City far, far in the distant, almost out of his view.

"Okay…" Garfield sighed.

"Garfield, we're so sorry for dragging you into this mess, but you're in it and we can't stop it. I really wish you wouldn't need to do this." Raven muttered, she began to rub his back gently for comfort.

"The best thing that came out of it…" He smiled weakly. "... Was meeting you, Raven." He looked into her eyes.

Aaron smiled, he knew what was coming. He stood up and walked into the forest, but not before yelling. "Gonna take a piss!" Then vanish far enough in.

The two blinked at the statement. "Gross." Raven muttered. "He's been picking up slang over the years."

"Raven…" Garfield started, he needed to tell her. Here and now.

She turned to look at him, his eyes almost hypnotising her. She blinked, getting out of the trance, but still stared him in the eyes.

"What is it?" Raven asked.

"Raven, I need to tell you this. I may not get another chance…" He took a deep breath. " I-I love you." He stuttered.

Raven blinked a few times, letting what he told her sink in. When she finally found her voice she stuttered. "Y-You love me?" She asked.

"Yes, and you don't have to love me back! It's just… You have the right to know…" He rubbed the back of his neck and looked away.

"I love you too." He heard, he looked at her. Her eyes beaming with joy, he could see tears form in her eyes. The wind began to pick up, also letting her hair blow gently in the wind. The scene was magical to him, like seeing a goddess with own eyes.

"You do?" Garfield leaned forward a little.

"Y-Yes, and if I had the right to know about your feelings, then you have right to know mine." She placed her hand on his chin, stroking it gently.

Garfield leaned into her touch and closed his eyes. When he opened them again, he lifted a finger to her eyes and wiped away her tear. Placing his hand on her chin, he pulled her face closer.

Raven let herself get dragged towards him, letting him cast his spell.

Their lips touched gently, sending lightning down their spine. It was boths first kiss and was clumsy and unprofessional. But the feeling was pure love. They parted after a few seconds, looking into each other's eyes.

They were deep in trance when they heard something in the bushes. They turned and found Aaron jumping out.

"Dang it! Stupid thorns!" He yelled as he limped back to the two. "Rae, could you help me a little?" He pulled out his leg, full of thorns, his pants ripped, it wasn't bad or anything, but enough to cause a little pain.

Raven giggled before crawling over to Aaron's leg, carefully, yet fast ripping out the thorns. "You're lucky it's only rose thorns." Raven said as she threw the last thorn away.

"It still hurt." Aaron whined.

"Sometimes I wonder if you really are the older one of us." Raven smiled and went back to her spot.

Aaron laughed. "Anyway, we need to head out soon." Aaron went over to the car.

"Raven, can I ask something?" Garfield asked.

"Yes, of course." Raven said and smiled.

"Aaron said that the Logan family wasn't completely human, is that right?" Raven scooted over to him and leaned onto him.

"Yes, the Logan's weren't completely human." She sat down h\on her knees. "And you're not either." She smiled. "What do you want to know?"

"If I'm not human, what am I. And how has nobody noticed it before, I've been to the doctor!" He yelled.

"First of all, the doctor's haven't noticed it because your blood can camouflage." She crossed her arms over her chest. "Second, I can't pinpoint what you are, but I can give a picture."

"Tell me, please… Anything you know." He begged.

Raven smiled. "Okay." She let out a loud sigh. "From what I remember, the Logan family, was known for having a connection with animals. They could speak with them, communicate, live like animals. Almost like they were animals themselves."

"They were also known for being strong, almost animalistic strong." Aaron said as he walked back to the two. "I remember when Mark and I sparred once, we were equal of course, but while he fought I saw his eyes almost change. Everything in his eyes were animalistic."

"I know, Daniel and I were good friends. But sometimes he would let out animal sounds, I thought it was strange to begin with, but I thought it was only him being annoying again." Raven huffed.

"Anyway, is there anything you call about me?" Garfield asked.

"Yes, give me your hand." He didn't have enough time before Raven grabbed his hand and looked into it deep. She traced her fingers over the palm of his hand. Small bubbles of white and black danced around her fingers before falling to his palm to dance.

Garfield looked at Aaron in question, he shrugged and looked at Raven's magic.

"I see…" She trailed, letting her fingers dance on his palm, her fingers moved on their own. "... A protective animal… A strong, loving and helpful creature… Something looking for affection…" Her fingers moved along the lines in his hand, her touch was almost feather touch, as he could barely feel it.

The black and white magic surrounded his hand in beams that shot around in protective manners.

"I see…" Her eyes narrowed. "... Raw power, desire, pain…" She lifted her gaze to Garfield's eyes. "Something happened to him, making him almost invisible to you." She let go of his hand and let it fall to the ground gently.

Garfield sat there, kinda dazed. The tingling feeling still remained. "What?!" He said rather loudly.

"Did something happen to you Garfield?" Aaron asked.

"I don't know, what would you think happened?"

"Something happened to you in your youth, something that locked your animal inside." Raven lifted his face with her hand. "But we'll help you unlock him, if you want that is."

"What do you mean 'if I want to.'?" He asked slightly shocked.

"The animal inside you has been locked for, what I would guess at least ten years, will be new to the world and really confused and raw. The animal will carve to release his instinct, and an animal like that won't take it easy." Raven looked into his eyes.

"Will I be dangerous?" He asked.

Raven laughed. "I won't believe so, the animal is you. He loves the same things as you do, and he will protect them." Raven rubbed his shoulder gently.

"My parents didn't have these 'powers', you speak of." Garfield rubbed his temple with closed eyes.

"Which of them were the Logan?" Aaron asked.

"My mother."

"I see, the females in the Logan family has always been strong. I would believe she didn't want to chase any of you off with her animal. In this time, a human suddenly transforming into an animal is strange and scary." Aaron said.

"How come you two didn't bother to hide your magic?" Garfield asked.

"For me it was pretty obvious." Raven laughed.

"And you and your friend was just there when I first came." Aaron said as he moved, he stood up and took out his hand. "Having elemental powers are sort of useful." He let his hand blaze with fire. "My trick is emotions and control." water appeared out thin air and surrounded the flame, not letting reach a leaf that was held in the air by a thin breeze.

"Like the water, I use myself to control what's uncontrollable." He let his hand drop as everything vanished. "Raven."

Raven nodded and stood up, she held out both her hands. Darkness erupted from one and light from the other. The light and the dark swirled around each other dancing around her hand.

"I need calmness and control." The light and dark formed two figures of humans, the light creating a female with a long dress and the darkness making a tall man. They took each other's hand. "My emotions dance with my magic, making it hard to control, but I never let it out of control."

The sight of the two figures were fun to watch, one could tell she had control, but had lost a little over the years as the figures would slip every so often.

"Our power comes from our core, our soul. Which means it can't be taken, only magic could." Aaron said as he sat down, Raven stopped her show and sat down as well. "Malchior would be able to take our powers, but not without a fight."

"What power does Malchior have?" Garfield asked.

Raven looked at Aaron, he knew she wanted him to tell, but she had to. Aaron shook his head and Raven sighed. "Malchior have an ability to control minds." Raven said, she turned away.

"That's how he almost got Raven to marry him. He manipulated her mind into thinking she was in love with him. Luckily I broke the spell, but I was sure I killed him." Aaron shook his head and laid it down in his hands. "After the war, I saw myself killing him." Aaron screamed.

"From what it appears, Malchior tricked you into thinking so. I wouldn't be surprised." Raven grumbled.

"So how can we stop him?" Garfield asked.

"We don't know, but." Everyone turned to Aaron. "Malchior can only control the minds he have touched their aura. He touched ours when we were younger, I don't know how he did it, but he did."

"Aaron, don't blame yourself. We may be vulnerable to him, but that won't stop us from fighting him." Raven said with a sad smile. "We'll stop him." She whispered.

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Okay, so I'm getting into the adventure part. I hope, everything gets better from here. Someone asked if I jumped a chapter last time, but no. They were attacked off screen.