TA DA! Chapter 10 is up and running folks. Wow! I didn't think loads of people would like my story! This is why I'm working on something else. That's right, the S word. SEQUAL! Coming soon…

Chapter 10

The Truth is out

"Yes! WOO HOO!" Aster cheered, having won the race. Daisy and Jaden groaned.

"I can't believe I lost…by slipping on a bloody banana peel!" Daisy complained.

"I just plain lost. Stupid princess peach" Jaden muttered.

"Ahem"

The three of them looked to where the voice came from. James was standing by the doorway.

"Asters cousin, Hannah, is coming tomorrow, along with Karen" James said.

"Why? She's…how olds Hannah Aster?" James said.

"Fourteen" Aster answered.

"Exactly, Hannah can look after herself, right" Aster shook his head at Jaden, confusing him.

"Why not?" Jaden said.

"She's blind"

"Oh," was Jaden's only response.

"Why's she coming? Special occasion?" Daisy asked. Instead of answering Daisy's question, he looked at Aster.

"It's time you knew" James said.

"Knew what" Aster asked suspiciously.

"Maybe we should leave you two alone" Daisy said. Just as Daisy and Jaden stood up, James raised a hand to stop them.

"No, you should stay, being Asters closest friends." James said. Daisy and Jaden looked alarmed, but sat down again all the same. Jaden activated a recliner and Daisy sat on the sofa with Aster. James sat in an armchair.

"I'm going to tell you three a story" James said. Jaden rubbed his hands together. "Ohhh this is going to be good" Jaden said gleefully.

"Long ago" James started. "Way before any of us were born, there was a world where everybody lived together in harmony. There was no disease, no poverty, and no wars. It was a perfect world. The world was called Dastaria."

"I would've called it Utopia." Jaden commented.

"Ditto" Daisy said. Aster didn't say anything, but listened to what James was saying.

"However" James continued "Peace can't last forever. One day, an evil spirit invaded Dastaria. They managed to seal it away, but barely. The elders decided that, to make sure this never happened again, they'd create two warriors. Their ancestors, phoenix's, helped the elders create them. Eventually, Dastaria's defenders were born. One boy and one girl. The male warrior would master water and earth. The female fire and wind. With the mastery of these elements, and various other abilities, evil would be warded away. The fighters were known as Phoenix Warriors, after their ancestors."

The three teens stared at James in amazement as he told this story.

"The gift was passed on from generation to generation. Dastaria was once again at peace. However, centuries later, an elder named Regis wanted the warriors to be all boys. ("Sexist git" Daisy muttered angrily) The others refused and, as a result, Regis left Dastaria. He vowed revenge on Dastaria and all of its residents, so he did the unthinkable and unleashed the spirit sealed away long ago; the Kaigaru."

Jaden blinked. "The Kai what-now?"

"The Kaigaru. It means vengeful spirit" James explained. "The Kaigaru immediately went to Dastaria to set its revenge into motion, destroying anything in sight. Killing women and children with a smile on its face. Nobody survived."

Daisy gasped. "That's horrible" She whispered.

"Regis realised the mistake he'd made unleashing the Kaigaru, so he decided to make up for it; by saving the Phoenix Warriors, who were still babies at the time, so Dastaria was vulnerable. Regis opened a portal and, along with the young warriors, went to the one place where they would be safe; Earth. That way the Phoenix Warrior generation would continue. However, just moments before the portal closed, a portion of the Kaigaru went through the portal, leaving Dastaria to its destruction." James closed his eyes, indicating he was finished. Aster, Daisy and Jaden looked at each other.

"Why are you telling us this?" Aster asked. "And how do you know all of this anyway?"

"I found some strange books in your mothers cupboard after she disappeared and-" James said

"Hold up! I thought you told me she died."

"Well, maybe I told a lie, but I have my reasons, and now is not the time to explain." James said. Aster looked down at the floor sadly.

"So she's alive" Aster whispered to himself.

"Anyway, the books told of these warriors and, according to some notes she made, she knows who the present Phoenix Warriors are." James said.

"Well, who are they then?" Jaden asked eagerly.

"Clue: she's coming tomorrow." James said. Daisy's eyes widened.

"Hannah's a phoenix warrior?!" She exclaimed. James nodded.

"Well who's the second one? Jaden?" Aster asked.

"Why would it be me?"

"Well, since you sealed away the sacred beasts and destroyed the light of destruction and all, I would have thought it would be you"

"You're wrong. The second Phoenix Warrior," James said. "Is Aster" Daisy gasped. Jaden's eyes widened. And Aster, well he didn't know how he should feel. Angry? Happy? Scared?

"You okay?" Daisy asked. Aster stood up, surprising Daisy, and walked out the room without another word. James heard Asters bedroom door slam and sighed.

"I knew he wouldn't take this lightly." He said quietly.

"Should we go talk to him?" Jaden asked. James shook his head.

"Give him some time alone. He needs to absorb all this."

…

Aster lay on his back on his bed, his hands behind his head and his eyes closed, trying to take it all in. He had powers?! It was just so hard to believe.

Well I guess it explains dad's resurrection. And the wet hand. Aster thought. Why I collapsed in the cemetery is beyond me. Maybe these powers were a bit rusty after not being used in ages.

Asters eyes snapped open as a thought came to mind. Maybe this was the reason the woman was out to kill him! Maybe Hannah has been having the same dreams as him. Aster sat up and looked at his bandaged wrist. Carefully, he unwound it. When the bandage was removed, the ribbon marking was gone, but some of the cuts made faint scars on his wrist.

I hope Hannah's okay. Aster thought. At least he knew the answers to his questions. Everything made sense now! Well almost…

Aster lay back on his bed again sadly, this time on his side. He now knew his mother was alive, but he didn't know who or where she was. Aster sat up a little and reached underneath his pillow. He pulled out a photo frame. The same one from the dusty old house. Aster looked at the woman in the picture. She was smiling happily, her green eyes shining in the sun and her long black hair blowing in the wind. Her appearance was all Aster knew about his mother. The rest was just a blur, no matter how hard he tried to remember.

What happened to you, mom? Aster wondered. Aster blinked back his tears. Even though he didn't know her, Aster still missed her. He sat up on his bed again and placed the picture on his bedside table. He noticed a glass of water sitting there.

I wonder…Aster thought. He raised his right hand experimentally. The water rose with it and hovered in a blob in his palm. Aster began twirling the water between his fingers. He smiled.

This Phoenix Warrior thing could actually be…fun Aster thought.

"Hey, Aster!"

The sudden yell startled Aster, causing him to drop the water he was playing with on the blue carpet. Aster looked up and saw Jaden leaning on the doorway. Aster stood up.

"Yeah, come marching in yelling, why don't you. Not like I was concentrating or anything." Aster said sarcastically. Jaden rubbed the back of his head nervously.

"Sorry" Jaden said, giving one of his famous goofy grins. He noticed a puddle on the floor. Aster noticed it as well.

"S'pose I'd better clean this up" Aster said. Jaden noticed that, instead of using a towel, Aster waved his hand close to the puddle and dragged it upwards, the water following. Aster directed the water back to the glass, leaving a dry carpet and a gawping Jaden.

"Pretty cool, huh?" Aster said. Jaden nodded, his mouth still hanging open. Jaden managed to close it, but he was still amazed that, not only Aster manipulated a puddle of water, but how lightly he took it.

"I thought you were mad about all this Phoenix Warrior business, the way you walked off." Jaden said.

"About my mom, yes. But I'm actually kinda looking forward to this Phoenix Warrior jiff, y'know?"

Jaden smiled and nodded.

"Now, if I remember correctly, we were playing Mario Kart?" Aster said, changing the subject. He ran out his room, taking his glass of water with him and Jaden following him. Aster quickly placed the glass on a table and jumped on the sofa. Daisy looked very surprised by this.

"You're a little lively" Daisy noted.

"Yup. Is there a problem?" Aster asked cheerfully.

"Well…er…" Daisy started, but shook her head. "Forget it. Now where were we in Mario Kart?"

"I'm not being Princess Peach again. Oh no, not me. She's too slow, I mean-" Whilst Jaden was ranting, Aster had rolled his eyes and waved his right hand towards Jaden, lifting the water from the glass and splashing him. Jaden fell to the floor in surprise, his brown hair dripping wet, his Duel Academy jacket soaked and a puddle surrounding him.

"What was that for?"

Aster shrugged his shoulders. "It was the only way to shut you up" He said casually. Aster and Daisy started to laugh and, after squeezing some of the water from his hair, Jaden laughed too. James watched them from a distance, laughing behind his hand.

I'm glad Aster's okay about all this. James thought. But I sense some bad times ahead. I hope he'll be able to handle them.

Chapter 10 finished! In the next chapter, there're a couple of welcomes, and a kidnapping…find out who in the next chapter! Stick around!