Hey guys real quick I feel like I need to explain some things.

One: I WILL be continuing this story, I'm not giving up quite yet.

Two: I have a reason for my lack of updating / my absence... I've been living with my grandmother for nine years, last six years she had Alzheimer's disease, the past year I've be feeding her, helping change her diapers and lifting her from her bed to her wheelchair and vice versa... and for a mere high schooler it took a huge toll on me to the point I had little energy to write anything at all. My grandmother passed away about a month ago and my family has been slowly adjusting to life without her, mourning her passing. Now I can say with confidence I will work on what I've started and hopefully write more in the future but within shorter periods.

With that off my chest and said, let's get to it.

Chapter 14

/He couldn't help but smirk at her/

In a small suburban area two small children ran around in the front yard, a young girl of five and boy of four. From the porch their mother rocked back and forth in her chair, a forced smile on her face. Another boy, slightly older than the two children sat beside her, staring at the small potted plant in his lap, a rose with protruding and sharp thorns poking out. "Now son... you have a rare gift..." she spoke softly yet urgently. "A gift that can't be comprehended by other people... you can't use it around other people."

The boy, about eight nodded. Today's class they planted seeds in pots to see how long it took for them to grow, but the boy's grew within a mere minute of him staring at it. Resulting in freaked out or classmates staring in awe, and a principal's pass home. His mother continued, "Brandon... you have to hide it. Just keep that in mind."

five years later

It was about April, it was a new quarter at school and the bullies of the class had grown more and more relentless throughout the year. The seventh and eight graders filled the playground, running about. Away from teacher's eyes under a tree three girls surrounded a frail and smaller girl, one grabbed the girl's glasses right off her face. "Ugh you're ugly without them too." The trio chuckled in amusement. Holding the glasses above the victim's head just out of reach, laughing with devious grins. Suddenly the bully felt a hand grab her wrist, twisting it back in an unnatural position. With a cry she dropped the glasses. Brandon released the wrist and gently picked up the dropped item, gently setting them back on the small girl's face with a smile.

"Stay out of this four eyes, this is an a and b convo, see your way out." She snickered, her posse followed suit. The boy turned around calmly and adjusted his glasses.

"Real mature, with you guys leading the next generation this world's going to hell for sure..." He muttered. Grinning when they all gasped. The one who had stolen the glasses in the first place sent her hand back at his face only for her bracelet to get caught on a branch, snapping it and lightly pinching her skin.

"My bracelet! It's Pandiri!" She gasped trying to pick up the beads, too occupied to realize the branch hadn't been there a minute ago...

The second girl of the trio gritted her teeth, "I know karate you loser take this-" she went to take a step. Brandon gently side stepped and watched the girl face plant into the ground past him, a tree root locked around her ankle.

The final girl had tears in her eyes, "AAAIIIIYYEEEEE!" She screamed, ripping her shoes off, rose thorns could be seen inside them on a small vine that had snaked out of the ground.

"Brandon Million. To my office now!" The principal snuck up from behind him. Making him flinch under her gaze when he slowly turned around. With a weak chuckle he shrugged and ran off the office. A dreaded feeling in his gut.

Once at home Brandon grumbled out the story to his parents about why he got sent home and why three girls had bruises. Plus the confusion on the principal's end when she couldnt figure out how he did it.

Mr. Million frowned deeply, "Brandon I've told you several times!" He barked, "You can't use this... this mutation so openly like that! What would people do if they found out?!"

"Honey... mutation is a bit-" Mrs. Million started.

"No it's not, that's what it is, he's the only one with it." He hissed through his teeth. "Brandon you're grounded."

Brandon shot up from his chair, "Don't i have a say in this, I mean they were attacking Felicia-"

"You have no voice! Those powers come with restrictions, you have to stay hidden, be normal!" His father frowned, standing up and looming over Brandon. With a hurt expression Brandon dashed to his room, staring at the potted plants at the head of his bed.

"Don't i deserve to be myself..."

The next day Brandon dragged himself to class. Upon walking in he found his teacher no where to be seen. The three girls sat in the corner, glaring at him as he sighed and sat down at his desk by the window. A small girl with glasses and pigtails crept up, "Thank you by the way." She spoke so softly it was almost a whisper. Brandon gave her a smile and a nod. She gracefully walked away to her seat.

"Hello class," a woman sang walking through the door. Her silver hair was pinned up and she looked very youthful, about early forties. "Mrs. Zera is out sick so I am your substitute today. Please turn your attention to the board." She smiled, writing 'Miss Luma' on the board, before turning to a table set up with several potted plants. "let's have some fun with nature shall we? Can anyone name what this is?" She pointed to the Lily.

A blonde boy raised his hand, "A lily." Miss Luma nodded smiling, "But what's it Latin name?"

The class looked beyond confused, why would seventh graders know Latin? "Lilium candidum," Brandon spoke without moving his gaze from the window.

Miss Luma smiled, a smirk threatening to rise, but she suppressed it. "Very good, what about the Rose?"... this trend continued with each plant. Brandon flawlessly answered every question thrown at him before he dozed off with his head on his desk when the class switched to reading their books.

Once the bell rung and all the students exited Miss Luma walked over and poked his back, "Brandon a word." He stirred, taking a few moment to register the words before mentally groaning. Walking up to her desk.

"Now, Brandon, I must say I'm impressed with your knowledge on nature..." she smiled, staring at a paper weight that looked like it should've been holding a fortune telling orb but had no orb on it.

"Oh uh, thanks, sorry about falling asleep if this is what this is about..." his words escaped without another sound as suddenly a glowing, floating orb appeared and grew to the size of a basketball above the paperweight. Suddenly it formed an image. "You have no voice!" The memory rang out those words as the memory played over and over.

Miss Luma chuckled, "I sure hope you didn't assume you were alone Mr. Million. I can assume you there is a while community hiding in the shadows that you are not even aware of..."

Brandon stood there just thinking about how this lady knew about the previous night. "Wait what?"

Miss Luma chuckled, "A mage, you have a blessing given to you, the ability to manipulate wood. And I want to become your teacher, show you the world that you don't even know exists... give you a voice..." those words rang heavy in his heart...

The next hour Brandon snuck over to the elementary Wing to hug his two siblings goodbye and promise them visits. Handing them a note to deliver to their parents. A note that his parents would hopefully understand.

Over the next several years Brandon visited his family on rare occasions, but otherwise had very little contact. His master, Mage master Luma taught him all he needed to know, and introduced him into the community of fellow mages... He was shocked to learned about his master being a master of all magical elements instead of being Categorized under a single element. one night when he was seventeen he walked into the study, "Brandon what are you doing up? You have training in the morning." Luma smiled, peering over her glasses, a spellbook on her lap. The small palace was quite in the night.

Brandon sighed, hopping on a nearby desk, sipping some kind of soda ale from a green glass, "Couldn't sleep Luma." He chuckled, looking down at the photos on the desk, there was a pencil sketch in a small one of a tiny baby. "who's the baby?" His french accent layered on his words.

Luma smiled, knowing which one he was looking at, "My granddaughter fifteen years ago."

Brandon studied the photo a few minutes, "Why isn't there a recent photo? Or an actual photo?"

"I haven't seen her in a while, I doubt she'd want to see me at the moment." She chuckled sadly.

"What's she look like? Can't you get her image on your orby thing?"

Luma chuckled, "She's tall and tan, very stubborn and sassy. She has light brown hair and brown, purple hazel eyes." Brandon stayed silent a few moments, wondering why she wasn't training under her grandmother, or why he hadn't even seen her.

"What's her name?"

Luma stared into her orb, watching a girl walking around the streets, "Julianne Monsey."

present day

Brandon sighed, hating the feeling of the cold chains binding his wrists behind him and his ankles together. A magic repelling spell on the metal. He watched Chase silently walk up the stairs and close the basement door behind him.

"I told you not to." A female voice playfully nagged him, a touch of sadness in her voice. Jewel sat chained inside a cage across from him. "I'm thankful you didn't wager your loyalty..." She sighed in relief.

Brandon chuckled, "Honestly I didn't think he'd be that hard to beat." He sighed in defeat.

"Not like he's been alive for three thousand years. He took you down in five minutes." Jewel light heartedly snickered. Earning a popped vein and forced smile from Brandon. "But hey guess what?" She pulled out a metal key.

He couldn't help but smirk at her, thinking to himself, 'Just like Luma...' as Jewel attempted to toss the key to him. He unlocked himself but the key didn't fit her cage or chains.

Jewel sighed, "I could only get the one, looks like you're leaving alone." Brandon weakly smiled at her, patting her knee as his green eyes sparkled with hope.

"Jewel I need to be honest.. you're extremely powerful... such power can't fall into the hands of Chase- no... anyone. No one can have you." Brandon spoke with a serious expression.

"Brandon what do you mean?-"

"That means whatever it takes..." He looked away, "Take care Jewel..." several vines popped out of the ground and formed a sphere around him, taking him out of the castle. and with that he was gone.