SIXTEEN: FRATRICIDE (The story of the Twelve. Also featuring the Sisterhood, the Brothers of Legend, Stone, Talon, and more.)
The night the Twelve were born, a meteor storm passed over Eltar. Beginning at exactly midnight, a baby was born every half hour until the storm passed with the birth of the last child.
Zytann, the first, had the power to freeze things. His temper tantrums as a child were known to cause blizzards. He was followed by Lo, who was a powerful telekinetic. Trex had the aura of a dragon and could fly. Zymon was hydrokinetic. Lark was a gifted healer. Jaizon could manifest light. He brought joy and hope wherever he went. L'Tran had power over electrical storms. Chezley was pyrokinetic. Drezz had the power to move and mold earth and some forms of physical energy to his will. Erech could control time. Kenton was able to teleport. The youngest, Sorlo, had power over Air and could communicate with the Winds. The Twelve were revered as special children and were seen as a blessing upon Eltar. They were as close as brothers from the time they were small.
As they grew up, they went from playing together to working together, serving the community the best they could. Talon, who was seven years their senior, often mentored them in the early days of their training. He was especially close to Trex, who he taught to transform into a dragon, something no one else on Eltar was known to do other than Laby, the shapeshifter. No one knew much about Trex's family. They lived in seclusion and kept to themselves. In contrast, Trex was very sociable, and he liked spending time with Talon and the many interesting people in his life.
They were all fifteen when they met the Sisterhood. Since Talon's beloved Serafine was training the girls, they spent a lot of time around the Twelve. The Twelve were brothers who shared no blood, just as the Sisterhood were unrelated sisters. This helped them understand the girls and bonded them. The Twelve adopted the girls as their little sisters. At eight years old, Annabrooke stole all of their hearts as she learned to control her pyrokinetic and telekinetic abilities. She trained with Chezley and Lo, but it was Drezz who was the most attached to her. He said that as the youngest of the Twelve, it made sense that he care for the youngest of the Sisterhood. Sorlo was very close to thirteen-year-old Leela, the eldest of the girls, who had power over Air like he did. Aylane, the twelve-year-old empathic telepath, was reluctant to trust anyone. Somehow, Kenton got through her walls and got the stoic girl to laugh. Jessa, who was ten and had visions of both the past and the future, was especially close to Erech. His understanding of time seemed to help him understand her better than the others did.
Things began to change when Talon died two years later. It devastated the Twelve to lose him. They grieved deeply and it seemed like they might not survive the loss. Trex stopped speaking for a bit, retreating into his own mind as he tried to make sense of how a fireproof dragon had died in a fire.
Zell took the boys on himself, insisting their gifts needed to be nurtured despite the loss of their mentor. At seventeen years of age, they'd already gained an incredible reputation for helping the people of Eltar in emergencies. He vowed to mold them into something even more impressive.
A short time later, Serafine was brutally murdered. Officially, she'd died at her brother's hands. The Twelve were skeptical, but the rumor that a vizu had driven Ash mad seemed like a fairly logical explanation. It didn't sit right with them, but they had no choice but to accept it as a fact.
Right after the horrific crime was committed, Trex's father was killed. He was still not over losing Talon, and now, Serafine and his beloved father were dead as well. He told no one about this and simply sank even deeper into despair. It was Annabrooke who finally got through to him. The tiny firebug curled up in his lap crying over the loss of Talon, who she'd idolized and adored, and Serafine, who had been her beloved mentor and honorary big sister. She'd always been an upbeat, happy girl. Her tears made Trex feel the need to comfort her, and he forced himself to crawl out of the dark abyss his grief had sent him into to whisper soothing words to her as she wept. She helped him find the will to fight.
Leela and Lark fell in love. She spent every moment she could at his side. Aylane, who could feel the grief the Twelve struggled with, stayed close to try and help them when they became overwhelmed. Jessa's visions began to scare her. She didn't understand what she was seeing, but she knew they were all in terrible danger. She clung to the Twelve because her "big brothers" made her feel safer. After Talon and Serafine were killed, Annabrooke became terrified of losing more people she viewed as family, and as such, she often refused to leave the Twelve. Since the boys had moved into a house together, she frequently begged them to let her spend the night. They could never bring themselves to refuse the littlest of their little sisters.
One day, Zell approached some of the members of the Twelve. He knew that there was a prophecy stating they would become the great protectors of Eltar and, eventually, other planets. Together, they were nearly unstoppable. It was essential that he prevent them from fulfilling this destiny.
He approached Kenton first. He'd noticed as he watched the boys grow that Kenton was a bit envious of the others. He tried to earn the attention of the Eltarians as an individual and not just as the second youngest of the Twelve, but he simply didn't stand out enough. Teleportation was a fairly rare gift, but it could be duplicated with the use of portals, and not everyone appreciated how special the boy actually was. He was close to the other boys, of course, but he didn't always feel like they understood him.
"I have an opportunity for you, my dear boy," Zell began. "This is a unique mission that will only be granted to two others."
Kenton beamed with pride. He never got selected for special missions. "Of course, Great Zell," he said eagerly. "What shall I do?"
"You are under appreciated and few see your worth... I, however, see great potential in you. I am willing to grant you all that you desire, my boy... Fame, recognition, and adoration and respect far beyond what the others have achieved."
He could tell he'd already hooked the boy. "What is it I must do in return?" He asked softly as he took in Zell's offer.
"You must help me put a stop to something before it becomes an issue."
"Of course. I'll do anything you need, Great Zell."
"Excellent, my boy. For now, I simply need you to give me your sacred oath that you will do as I request." Zell pulled out a ritualistic dagger.
Kenton only hesitated briefly. Then, he presented his hand. Zell made a cut along Kenton's lifeline. He dripped the blood over a fire he'd summoned. Kenton felt strange for a moment, but soon, power surged through him.
"Go now, Kenton. Speak of this to no one. The benefits will begin immediately. I shall call upon you when the time is right to make my request."
"Thank you, Great Zell," Kenton said. He left.
The next person Zell approached was Sorlo. As the youngest of the Twelve, he shared Kenton's feelings of inferiority at times. He reminded Zell of Zutan, his faithful follower, who shared Sorlo's Air affinity. He brought Zutan with him to talk to the boy.
"They're holding you back, Sorlo," Zutan said. "You have the potential to be so much more than they allow you to be. If you pledge to serve the Great Wizard, he can help you reach levels you never dreamed of."
"I am loyal to the Great Wizard, of course," Sorlo said humbly. "However, my brothers lift me up. They do not hold me back. They are always here to encourage me and help me grow stronger."
"Sorlo... There are things which the others simply cannot teach you. Great Zell has given me great power over the years because I was not afraid to do what must be done. I have never regretted it."
Sensing Sorlo's indecision, Zell stepped in. "My dear boy, you can trust Zutan's word," he said smoothly. "After all, he was exceptionally close to Talon. That says much for his character."
Sorlo knew Talon had been very attached to Zutan. He nodded. "Of course. I only meant that I love my brothers and trust they have my best interests at heart," he said.
"There are those amongst them who seek to hold you back so you do not surpass them," Zutan said. "If you pledge to help the Great Zell with a special mission in the future, he will grant you incredible blessings like he has done for me."
Sorlo seemed to be pleased with the offer of blessings. "Yes," he said. "I pledge to do this."
"Very good, my boy," Zell said. He pulled out the ritual dagger. "Now, we must make it official." He made a cut on Sorlo's lifeline and dripped the blood onto his flames before releasing his hand.
Finally, Zell approached Drezz. The boy was not the easiest target. He cared deeply for others and saw no value in gaining power. Zell knew he would have to lure him into betraying his brothers in a different way.
"Drezz, we must discuss an important matter," Zell told him.
"Of course, Great Zell. What is it?" Drezz asked.
"I had a vision that I believe will interest you, my dear boy... Behold." Zell motioned toward a scrying bowl. He summoned up the vision for Drezz to see himself.
Annabrooke was running from something. She tried using fire to fight it, but the fire didn't seem to harm the threat. She stumbled and fell, and as she stared in horror, a man in a cloak stabbed her. She screamed for help, but no one heard her. The man pushed her down onto her back and straddled her as he continued to stab her. She died with tears in her eyes, begging someone to come rescue her.
"Who was it? What monster harms her?" Drezz demanded.
"That answer is not clear in the vision, unfortunately," Zell said. He knew very well who it was. He fully intended to make that Annabrooke's fate himself.
"I have to protect her, Great Zell! She's just a little girl. She's innocent."
"I know, my dear boy... Annabrooke was quite dear to my Bella. I have seen similar fates for the rest of the Sisterhood as well. Someone is intending to murder those girls in a horrific manner."
"How do we prevent this?" Drezz asked desperately.
"I will need your help, Drezz."
"Of course! I'll do anything to keep them safe, especially Annie."
"I thought you might feel that way." Zell smiled at him. "I will perform a protection spell on the child now, with your assistance."
"I'm all for protecting Annie, but what about Jessa, Aylane, and Leela?"
Zell waved his hand dismissively. "Of course, my boy. All of the girls shall be safe if you do exactly as I say now." That was a lie. He had no intention of sparing the Sisterhood from death, but he could at least delay killing them until Drezz had served his purpose. After that, he would either dispose of the boy or, if he proved loyal enough, Drezz would allow him to kill the girls.
"I'm prepared to do whatever you need," Drezz said solemnly.
"Give me your hand, Drezz," Zell said. The boy did as he instructed. Zell made a cut along Drezz's lifeline, just as he had with the other two. He let the blood drip onto his flames before releasing Drezz. "It is done... The girls will be safe from the fate you have seen." A different end awaits them now, and it is even worse, Zell added silently to himself.
Drezz looked incredibly relieved. The poor boy had no idea Zell had just tricked him. He sent him on his way and smiled. "All of the players are now in motion," he said aloud. "Soon, this problem will solve itself."
It would take nearly four years for things to get to the point he needed them to, but Zell was willing to wait. He watched as the Twelve and the Sisterhood grew closer. It troubled him when he noticed the Twelve bonding with the Brothers of Legend. That could prove problematic, especially because of D'Dodi. The eldest of the brothers was a Seer who saw straight through illusions. Kenton, Sorlo, and Drezz would need to be especially careful not to give away their betrayal around him.
As they grew up, romance began to blossom for the older of the girls. Kenton finally managed to truly get Aylane to let him in, and they had declared their love for one another. Their relationship was intense and passionate, and for the first time in her life, Aylane was nearly happy. At the same time, Leela and Lark grew closer than ever. Although they were still young, they decided to wed. They got married in a small ceremony that only the Twelve, the Sisterhood, the Brothers of Legend, Laby, and Stone attended. It was remarkable that Leela had managed to convince Stone to come out of seclusion for such an event, but he had a bit of a soft spot for the Sisterhood. Laby wasn't exactly as sociable anymore either, but he couldn't pass up being there for one of the little girls he'd watched grow up. He was convinced Serafine would have wanted him to be there since she couldn't be.
One day, D'Dodi had a horrible vision. He quickly called the Sisterhood to him, not trusting the information with anyone except the girls and his brothers. They all arrived at the same time, and he quickly ushered them inside.
"I have seen something inconceivable, but I have to warn you," he informed the Sisterhood as his brothers also listened eagerly.
"What is the matter, Dodi?" Annabrooke asked. She never called him by his full name, but he didn't seem to mind.
It was Jessa who answered her question. "He saw it," she whispered sadly.
"Jessa... Have you had a vision as well?" D'Dodi asked.
"Yes... But it is impossible, D'Dodi."
"It's not impossible..." Aylane said softly. It was clear she'd picked up on their thoughts and knew what they weren't saying aloud.
"What's impossible?" Leela asked with concern.
"Yes, kindly tell those of us without the ability to look for ourselves," Zydo said in annoyance.
"I second that," Mydo agreed. The twins wore identical looks of frustration on their faces.
"I sense... Death," Tante said softly. "A great deal of it."
"You are correct, Brother," D'Dodi said sadly.
"No... No more death," Annabrooke said with a trembling voice. "Please... No one else... Promise me."
"It's alright, Annie," Zee said soothingly. He pulled the girl into his lap and hugged her tightly. Zee looked a little concerned by D'Dodi's announcement, but his first priority was comforting Annabrooke, just like he had always looked out for Daphne when Serafine and Ash were talking about intense and upsetting things.
"Whose death did you see?" Bartello asked seriously.
"The Twelve," D'Dodi replied gently.
"What? When? How? We must prevent this," Leela said quickly. "I... I must go to my husband."
"Lee, stop," Aylane said. "There is more to be heard, and there is time. Do not panic."
Leela forced herself to calm down. She waited patiently for further explanation. "They have been betrayed," Jessa said softly.
"Betrayed?" Leela repeated. "Who would betray them?"
"The traitor is one of the Twelve... Possibly more than one," D'Dodi explained. "I could not tell who it was in my vision. Jessa, was yours any more clear?"
"No," Jessa admitted. "I just saw them... Dead... All twelve of them, at different points, and it was very clear they had been betrayed by someone they trusted."
"We have to warn them!" Leela cried.
"We have to figure out which ones we can trust first," Bartello pointed out.
"Please, let me go to Lark. He's not a traitor. I am certain of this." Leela had tears in her eyes.
"I trust your husband, Leela... But I trusted all of them," Zydo said.
"It would never occur to us that they might betray one another," Mydo explained. "Therefore, we cannot begin to guess who might be the traitor."
"Or traitors," Zydo added.
"I know Lark. Every secret, every dream, everything he has ever experienced, he has shared with me. He is not the traitor," Leela said firmly.
"It does seem unlikely that the healer would betray his brothers," Zee said kindly.
"Unlikely," Zydo agreed. "But..."
"Not impossible," Mydo finished for him.
"As much as I hate to encourage them, the twins are correct," Bartello said. "We must exercise extreme caution until we have more answers."
"The man I love is in danger," Leela said. "You cannot expect me to do nothing."
"We don't," D'Dodi said. "We just need some time, Leela. Until then, we'll keep a close eye on him. We will protect him from a distance for as long as we can."
"They can't die," Annabrooke said with a sniffle.
Zee tightened his hug. "They won't," he said firmly. "We'll find a way to protect them."
"While we are surely wise on some matters, we should seek someone wiser for this," Tante suggested.
"We could try to contact Stone," Mydo suggested.
"If he decides to answer us when we do," Zydo added, rolling his eyes. "He's not fond of visitors these days."
"Be kind, Zydo," D'Dodi said. "He lost his brother. How would you feel in his place? What if you lost Mydo?"
Zydo visibly paled. "Apologies," he said softly. "I am being too harsh on him. Stone has the right to grieve."
"Talon and Stone may not have been twins, but they were two halves of a whole," Mydo agreed.
"D'Dodi... It is possible I may be able to see inside of the minds of the Twelve and discover who has betrayed them," Aylane said reluctantly.
"I know you try not to invade the privacy of others, Aylane," D'Dodi said. "Are you willing to put that aside to try to do this?"
"If it keeps the others safe, then I must," Aylane said with a nod. "They are our family."
"It is too much of a risk," Bartello said.
"Bartello-" Aylane began to protest.
"No, Aylane. If a traitor senses you in their mind, you will be putting your life at risk. We cannot allow that."
"Barty, she's good at what she does," Zee said, seeing how upset Aylane was becoming.
"I know that, but we promised Serafine we would help protect these girls." He shook his head, taking a deep breath. "Now that Sera is gone, it is up to us alone to keep them safe."
"We can protect ourselves," Aylane said.
"You are still young, Lanie," Tante said kindly. Leela was now nineteen, while Aylane was eighteen, Jessa was sixteen, and Annabrooke was just fourteen years old.
"Zee is younger than I am, but you do not protest his involvement," Aylane pointed out.
"Zee provides us with a constant source of energy," Bartello reminded her. "He does not do anything dangerous. We keep him away from that side of things." It was true that the brothers did their best to keep Zee protected and sheltered whenever possible. That was part of why he was so happy and upbeat all of the time.
"Aylane, please... Your safety is important to us," D'Dodi said. "Let us find another way to sort this out."
Although Aylane stopped protesting, she was still visibly upset. She knew they had precious little time to figure this out. How long would it be before one of the Twelve ended up dead?
As it turned out, they were already out of time. By the end of the night, the first of the Twelve would fall.
Zell called his three loyal followers into his office with a spell. "Tonight, I must call on you to fulfill your promise," he told them.
"Of course, Great Zell," Kenton said eagerly. "We are ready."
"Excellent. The first thing you must do, I'm afraid, is eliminate the biggest threat."
"Who is that?" Sorlo asked nervously.
"Erech. He has the power of time control. It stands to reason that he might eventually be able to move in and out of the time line as I can, and if he does have that power, he can undo everything we set in motion. We cannot allow him to continue to live."
"What?" Drezz asked in shock. "But... Great Zell... We cannot murder one of our brothers," he said.
"My boy, I never wanted to tell you this... It seems cruel the Universe would ask this of you... However, you need to understand, the other nine members of your group are traitors. They are a threat not only to me and to Eltar, but to the Sisterhood," Zell said.
"No... Erech would never hurt the Sisters. He is very close to Jessa."
Zell sighed. "Very well. Your protests will cease soon enough, my dear boy," he said. He summoned his fire and said, "I am calling upon your sacred and binding blood oath. You will not be able to resist my orders, for you agreed to follow them when I promised to protect the Sisterhood."
Drezz seemed to fall into a trance-like state then. Sorlo and Kenton still had control over themselves. Their loyalty to Zell was stronger. "Go on," he said. "Eliminate the problem. Then, we will eliminate the others as well."
It was Sorlo who found Erech. He approached him nervously. "Hello, Sorlo," Erech said in surprise. "May I help you with something?"
"Yes," Sorlo replied. "You may." He proceeded to do something he had sworn he would never do and sucked the air from Erech's lungs just like Zutan had taught him to do.
Erech clutched at his throat in a panic, not seeming to comprehend what was happening. As it finally seemed to register, he desperately tried to activate his power, but Sorlo doubled his efforts. Erech fell to the ground dead moments later.
Power surged through him as his former friend died. Sorlo stared at Erech's corpse in disbelief. "It worked..." He whispered as Kenton arrived.
Seeing Sorlo standing over Erech's dead body, Kenton grabbed his arm. "You did well... Now let's go before anyone realizes we were here," he said, dragging Sorlo away.
Erech's death was written off as sudden lung failure caused by an allergic reaction. No one seemed to know what Erech might have been allergic to, but he was deeply mourned by the people of Eltar. The Twelve had always seemed otherworldly and untouchable, but now, one of them had perished.
Leela sobbed hysterically when she heard the news before grabbing Lark and whispering, "I'm sorry..."
"Sorry? What for, Lee?" Lark asked with concern as he comforted her.
"Lark... My love... The unicorns trust you. They are excellent judges of character, and they adore you."
"I have always had an affinity for unicorns, Leela... I've even tamed them and kept them as beloved companions," he said in confusion. "You know this."
"I do... Which is why I know you must be as trustworthy as I believe." She shook her head. "I cannot betray the Brothers of Legend, and I cannot betray my sisters, but I also cannot betray my husband... What am I to do?" She rambled.
"Lee... Breathe, my darling," he said soothingly. "Do not betray anyone. Simply tell me what this is about."
"There is a traitor among the Twelve... I do not know who it is, but Jessa and D'Dodi both had visions of all of you dying. I begged them to allow me to tell you, but until we could be certain who the traitor or traitors might be, we could not risk it... We thought there was more time, my love. I am so sorry! This could have been prevented!"
"Leela, you did what you had to. I respect that they wanted you to proceed cautiously." He kissed her to reassure her. "I am not angry, and I do not believe you could have prevented this by telling us anything. There simply was not time to find the traitor."
"Erech was my friend... I loved him," she said. "I love you all... Especially you."
"And I love you, Leela. I promise we will get through this together now. I will try to figure out who can be trusted and discuss the truth with them. Do not worry, my love. We shall find the guilty party and handle them." Lark refused to believe it was more than one person. It was hard enough to consider one of his brothers had betrayed the others.
They spent the night together, with Leela curled up in his arms. The following morning, while Leela was still asleep, Lark set out to find the traitor after kissing his wife on her forehead. He didn't get very far.
Kenton approached Lark as he was heading to find Jaizon. "Lark... You know I care for you deeply," he began.
"Of course, Kenton," Lark said. He was a bit nervous. Kenton didn't seem to be acting like himself, and it set off his radar.
"You are a healer... A remarkably gifted one, in fact. I'm sorry to say that this is a problem."
"A problem?" Lark repeated. "Kenton... What is going on?" He desperately searched for a way out of the situation, but he knew there was little chance of escaping.
"Your face reveals that you already know. You are a threat to our plan, Lark. My apologies, but I cannot allow that," Kenton replied.
Lark closed his eyes. Suddenly, several unicorns came out of the woods. They surrounded Kenton, horns aimed toward him, ready to attack if Lark gave the command. "I do not know what has happened to you or what you have become, but I assure you, being impaled by a dozen unicorn horns will hurt even if it does not kill you," Lark said firmly. "Allow me to leave this place."
Kenton smirked at him. "That was a nice attempt," he said. "I am not yet immortal, so surely, I would not survive such an attack... However..."
Suddenly, Kenton vanished and Lark felt a spear get shoved through his heart. Kenton now stood behind Lark as he fell to the ground. "You seem to have forgotten that I can teleport," Kenton said with a laugh.
The unicorns screamed in distress. Lark longed to comfort them, but he could not move from where he had fallen. He clutched the spear in his chest in shock. "Kenton... Why?" He managed to ask.
"Simply put, no one valued me before," Kenton explained. "I was granted great power and admiration from the people of Eltar for agreeing to this a few years ago. Now, it is time to pay for those gifts."
"You... Betrayed us... For power?" Lark asked as blood came out of his mouth. He could heal others easily, but unfortunately, he lacked the ability to heal himself.
"Yes," Kenton replied. "Power is everything, Lark. You are just too weak to see it." With that, he pulled the spear out.
As Lark bled out rapidly, the unicorns moved to attack Kenton. He teleported away before they could.
Zell ruled Lark's death a tragic accident. He explained that, for whatever reason, a unicorn had attacked him, impaling his chest with its horn. Most people did not question this, even as Leela sobbed and shouted that it was murder. They wrote her off as a distressed widow. After all, the poor girl had lost her parents at a very young age, and her only family was the husband she had just lost. The Brothers of Legend knew the truth, of course, as did the Sisterhood. Stone attended the funeral unnoticed and stood in the back, but when Leela broke down and began screaming the truth, he calmly walked up to the coffin and pulled her into his arms. Gently, he guided her away from the other mourners and her husband's dead body so he could comfort her in silence.
"It was murder," she whispered between sobs.
"I know," Stone replied.
"You do?" She asked.
"It is always murder, Leela," he said calmly. "Zell has been covering up his crimes for a long time now."
"You think he had something to do with this?" Leela asked in surprise.
"I think it would take a great event to turn these brothers against one another... Zell is exceptionally charming. He can talk certain people into anything if he wants to." He paused. "Leela, listen to me. It is vital you do not confront him. I know it is painful to lie, but you must pretend your grief was talking and you believe this ridiculous tale that a unicorn harmed your beloved. That is the only way to remain safe, and ultimately be able to face Zell and whoever he turned against Lark. Do you understand me?"
She nodded as more tears fell. As difficult as it was, Leela did not have any more outbursts in public. She played her role as the grieving widow when others were around and threw herself into investigating the betrayal when she was with the Brothers of Legend and the Sisterhood.
It was nearly a month before everything finally fell apart. On the same day, Sorlo murdered L'Tran and Chezley. On Zell's order, he shoved L'Tran off of a cliff with a blast of air while L'Tran tried to battle him with a powerful lightning storm. He was singed, but survived the attack. Chezley witnessed the event.
"How could you?" Chezley demanded.
"Chez... I... It was an accident," Sorlo lied poorly.
"I saw what you did, Sorlo! You murdered him! You must be the one who killed our other brothers as well!" He manifested a ball of fire in his hands, but he hesitated to throw it at Sorlo. This was still his brother. He couldn't just kill him... Not until he was certain there was no other choice. "Have you lost your senses? What happened? Why would you do this?" He demanded.
"I... I had no choice, Chezley!" Sorlo shouted.
Chezley made the ball of fire larger. "No choice but to murder your brothers?"
"I agreed to it, but I did not understand... Not fully. When he speaks, he is so smooth... So convincing... It sounded perfect. How could I refuse? I never thought he would have me kill my own brothers," Sorlo said.
"Who, damn you? Who is making you do such things?"
Sorlo was about to answer when Zell issued a new command in his mind. Kill the fire starter, he demanded.
"No..." Sorlo said. "Please... I don't want to do this anymore..."
You agreed, Sorlo, Zell reminded him.
Suddenly, he lost control of his ability to fight the command. He sucked the air away from Chezley, extinguishing his fire and making sure he could not breathe. Chezley tried to fight back, but he couldn't do much while he couldn't get air in his lungs. Summoning a tornado, Sorlo swept Chezley into it and flung him through the air. He slammed into a wall with a sickening crack and Sorlo knew he was dead.
Back in control of his mind, Sorlo sank to his knees and wept. "Chez... L'Tran... Erech... What have I done?" He whispered in horror.
"You did well, my boy," Zell said as he appeared in front of him. "One day, you will realize such attachments are weakness. You are making yourself stronger. I knew you had what was necessary. Do not weep for them, Sorlo. Their sacrifice has granted you great power." He gently patted Sorlo on the back before saying, "Now, to clean up this mess and announce these tragic accidents."
The remaining members of the Twelve had become suspicious. Kenton knew this, so he approached them one day with Aylane by his side. Only Drezz had not been invited to the gathering. "My brothers... I fear we have been betrayed," he said softly.
"You figured it out?" Aylane asked.
"Chezley and L'Tran perishing on the same day is too much of a coincidence, but no one knows our movements well enough to accomplish this outside of our group. I gathered us here because I believe I know who it was... I found this at the site of the tornado." He lifted up an overcoat the others recognized.
"Drezz?" Jaizon asked in disbelief. "He would never..."
"It is none of us here," Kenton said. "I brought Aylane to prove as much. She read each of your minds, and mine as well. We are innocent." He was guarding his own mind from Aylane, something that was easy enough to do because they'd been intimately involved for a bit and she had begged him to learn how to keep her out of his head so she didn't pull everything out of his mind when they lay in bed together. He'd promised her his mind was open to her, but in truth, he'd shielded not only his thoughts, but Sorlo's. Aylane could only hear their surface thoughts, and they kept those focused on the news of a traitor. Drezz was the weak link among them. He'd yet to kill anyone and he clearly didn't have the stomach for this mission.
"He's correct," Aylane said. "Forgive me for intruding, but I had to protect all of you. None of you are traitors. It must be Drezz alone."
"I do not believe it," Lo said stubbornly. "I am going to find him and put an end to this foolishness. There must be a better explanation." He ran off on them.
When Lo found Drezz, he struggled to keep himself calm. "Drezz, they are going to come for you," he said.
"What do you mean, Lo?" Drezz asked in confusion.
"They are saying you killed our brothers... But it cannot be true. Tell me I'm right to trust you, Brother..."
Drezz was stunned. His hesitation caused Lo to think the worst. "No..." He shook his head. "You did do this?" He demanded.
"No," Drezz said quickly. "I am innocent, Lo... I have killed no one... However..." He sighed.
"However what?"
"However, I am involved... I fear I am in too deep, Brother... Help me... Please."
Lo's powers reacted before his mind did. In his grief and his anger, he sent a burst of telekinetic energy toward Drezz. On a reflex, Drezz used his own powers to deflect the attack. A shield formed in front of him, and Lo's attack bounced off of it and returned to him. The full force of the telekinetic attack hit Lo and sent him flying into a tree. The impact was far too hard and it killed him instantly.
"Lo! Please, please do not let it be true..." Drezz cried in despair. He knelt beside his fallen brother and realized he had no pulse. Sobbing, he let out a scream of grief.
"You absolute bastard!" Trex cried out as everyone else arrived. He shifted form into a dragon and flew toward Drezz and Lo, shifting back into a human when he landed. Upon realizing Lo was dead, he pulled out a sword.
Kenton teleported to his side. He pulled out his own sword, and they surrounded Drezz together. "You will pay for your betrayal," Kenton told him.
Drezz didn't try to reason with him. Instead, he looked to Trex. "I am sorry, Trex... Truly... I did not mean to harm Lo. It was an accident," he said.
"I suppose the others were accidents as well?" Kenton demanded before Trex could reply. He raised his sword and shoved it through Drezz's chest. Trex followed that up by impaling Drezz through his back. He fell to the ground, dead.
Trex had tears in his eyes. Kenton put a comforting hand on his shoulder. "We did what we had to, Trex," he said soothingly.
"At least it ends here," Aylane said softly. Kenton pulled her into his arms and led her away from the scene, sparing her from having to stare at two more of her friends lying dead on the ground.
A month later, Aylane came to a terrifying realization. She wanted to scream, but she kept her wits about her. "Kenton... We must speak urgently," she said.
"Of course, Lanie. What is it that troubles you?" Kenton asked.
"It appears that..." She sighed. She could not say the words aloud. Instead, she put his hand to her stomach, hoping he would realize what she wasn't saying.
Kenton's eyes went wide with surprise. "You are with child?" He whispered.
Nervously, Aylane nodded. "I am," she said. "What should be done about this?"
Kenton suddenly smiled at her brightly. He pulled her closer to him and kissed her. "I suppose I should make an honest woman out of you," he said with a laugh. "Aylane... Will you do me the honor of marrying me?"
She stared at him in shock. "Marriage? Do you truly wish to trap yourself in a marriage with a girl you accidentally impregnated?"
"Planned or not, I love you, Lanie," he replied. "It is not a trap. I want to marry you. There is no other girl in this world for me. This news simply gave me a reason to finally propose."
Aylane was terrified. "Ken... I do not let people in," she said. "And I do not know what to do with a child."
"Love it and nurture it?" He suggested sarcastically. "It is not that difficult of a concept, Aylane."
"It is for me," she said softly. "My parents went to prison when I was quite young. They were good to me, but they were terrible people as far as Eltar was concerned. They stole, lied, and even seriously maimed people to get what they wanted. Their actions resulted in the death of a three-year-old girl. It was unintentional, but the Counsel was quite clear on their decision. They will spend the rest of their lives in prison. If they could have proved it was intentional, I believe they would have been executed for their crimes. My parents both wept over the death of the child. They never harmed children. I know they are bad people, but they are my family. I still love them... And they are the only proper example I have of how to be a parent." She sighed. "Our child is doomed if I am its mother, Kenton."
He kissed away the tears she hadn't realized she'd shed. "You will make an incredible mother, Lanie. I know you will. And when the time comes, I will help you. I love kids." He flashed her his most charming smile. "So, what do you say? Will you marry me, my love?"
Aylane was consumed with more emotions than she knew how to process. They were hers, but also Kenton's, and she knew he loved her now, no matter how messed up she was in the head. She kissed him before saying, "If you insist."
Before that marriage could happen, however, tragedy struck again. Over the course of several days, Kenton murdered Zymon, Zytann, and Jaizon. Zymon was caught off-guard when Kenton teleported behind him and shoved him into the path of a stampede of wild animals. He was crushed to death. No one questioned his death because everyone had seen that the stampede had occurred naturally when the animals saw a predator.
Zytann was on edge when Kenton teleported in front of him. "I know why you've come," he said nervously.
"Do you?" Kenton asked.
Zytann began freezing everything around them. The icy ground made it difficult for Kenton to get his footing enough to teleport. He had to resort to other means, attacking Zytann with Sorcery. At first, Zytann was able to defend himself, but he absorbed an attack that was too powerful and he lost control of his own powers. Suddenly, a blizzard like none they had ever seen before hit. The snow fell rapidly, as did hail and sleet. Kenton was forced to duck out of the way of hail that began to attack him. He landed on the ground awkwardly, and Zytann thought he had succeeded. Unfortunately, sitting left Kenton able to get his bearings enough to teleport. He grabbed an icicle and vanished, reappearing beside Zytann too quickly for Zytann to react. The icicle was shoved straight through his eye and into his brain. Zytann was killed instantly, and the blizzard stopped.
Zell explained that Zytann had lost control of his powers in his grief. It was hardly the first time he'd accidentally caused a blizzard, so everyone believed this to be the truth. According to Zell, the icicle must have impaled Zytann while he looked up at the sky, trying to calm the storm he'd caused.
It wasn't until Jaizon died that everyone knew the others had been murdered and Drezz had not been the only traitor.
Jaizon did not die quietly. He manifested light in his hands, nearly blinding Kenton in the process. "Do not make me harm you, Brother," Jaizon begged him. "I do not want to."
"You shouldn't hesitate," Kenton said. "That can get you killed."
"Unlike you, I do not take joy in the killing of those I care for, or anyone else."
"And unlike you, I have what it takes to do what must be done." With that, Kenton teleported behind Jaizon. He'd expected that, and he spun around just in time, blinding Kenton with a powerful flash of light. Jaizon began to run, sending light into the air to alert the others to his distress. He might have survived, but Kenton changed tactics and teleported above him, landing on him and knocking him to the ground. He stabbed Jaizon through the heart with a very special sword...
"It's Sorlo," Kenton whispered in fake horror as the murder weapon was removed from Jaizon's body later that night.
"That is his sword," Trex said in shock.
"We have to confront him and put an end to this once and for all," Kenton said.
"Not alone," Aylane insisted.
"Lanie, it's too dangerous... You're pregnant," he objected.
"You're pregnant? You didn't tell us!" Trex cried, momentarily distracted by the first good news they'd received in far too long.
"I didn't think it was the right time," Aylane replied.
"Congratulations, you two!" Trex beamed at them.
"Thank you," Kenton said. "We're going to be married soon."
"You had better marry her," Trex teased him. "I am excited for you both. Finally, some happy news we can celebrate."
"We should focus... I'll bring my sisters," Aylane said. "We can confront him together. Perhaps I should bring the Brothers of Legend as well."
"That is too many people. He will become suspicious," Trex said practically.
"He's right, my love," Kenton said. "Just bring the girls. He will not find that odd."
Hours later, the Sisterhood stood with Kenton and Trex outside of Sorlo's home. "Should I burn the house down?" Annabrooke asked lightly.
"That might be a bit much, Annie," Trex said fondly.
"Well, how should we proceed? Should Kenton teleport inside and open the door?" Leela asked.
"We could just knock, you know," Jessa pointed out practically. "He has no reason to suspect we are a threat."
"She's right," Aylane said. "Go on, Jessa. Knock."
Jessa shrugged and knocked on the door. Sorlo opened it in confusion. "Ladies... Brothers... What are you doing here?" He asked. "Has something happened?"
"Jaizon is dead," Trex said without preamble.
Shock fell on Sorlo's face. "What?" He asked.
"As if you did not know," Leela cried out. "How could you betray your brothers? How could you kill my husband?"
"I did not murder Lark," Sorlo said firmly.
"Fine, so that was Drezz. Either way, you betrayed your brothers!" She said again.
He sighed. Sorlo had sunk into a deep depression since Chezley's death had made him realize what he was doing. He regretted his actions, but he saw no way out of continuing to serve Zell. The blood oath had bound him to do whatever Zell commanded.
"Yes," he said. "I did, and I am prepared to face the consequences of my actions."
"He is too calm," Aylane pointed out. "Something is wrong here."
"Nothing is wrong except that I have done a horrible thing," Sorlo said. "And now, I shall pay for those crimes."
"We will detain you and bring you to the Counsel. They can see to it that justice is served," Leela said firmly.
"That isn't good enough," Sorlo replied.
Suddenly, Jessa saw a flash of what was to come. "Sorlo, don't!" She cried.
It was too late. Sorlo grabbed another of his swords and had it pressed against Annabrooke's throat in an instant as he restrained her against his body.
"You monster! Don't harm her!" Trex cried.
"Let me go!" Annabrooke shouted. When that did nothing, she grabbed Sorlo's hands and manifested fire in her own, burning him.
Sorlo cried out in pain and released her. Annabrooke ran behind Aylane, who stood protectively in front of her.
Forced to come up with a new plan, Sorlo shoved his sword through Leela's side. Leela had tears in her eyes as she looked at him. "I thought... We were the same..." She whispered. They shared an affinity for Air magic, after all.
"Apologies, Leela," he said softly. "I promise, the wound is not fatal."
"It's not?" She repeated in confusion.
"They will have time to find someone to heal you. Leave this sword in your body. It will slow the bleeding."
Leela was confused, but could not vocalize this as her pain worsened. Sorlo grabbed a gun from over the fireplace. "Who is next?" He challenged them.
"Kill this maniac before he does anything else!" Trex cried.
"No! Stop it!" Jessa cried. "Don't hurt him! He's not-"
Her cries fell on deaf ears as Aylane sent a telepathic attack at his mind. This caused Sorlo to stop being able to fight back. Annabrooke sent a ball of fire at him and his clothing ignited, but he was still alive. Kenton teleported in front of him and prevented him from moving out of the way as Trex transformed into a dragon and flew at him. He used his talons to slash open Sorlo's entire chest. He quickly bled to death.
Aylane was he first to run to Leela's side. "He didn't hit anything vital from what I can tell," she said upon examining her wounds. "Still, this is very serious. Ken, she needs a healer. Can you teleport her to Zydo?"
"Of course," Kenton replied. He scooped Leela up in his arms.
Jessa cried over Sorlo's body. "He wanted to die," she whispered. "He provoked us. He regretted his actions... There is more to this than we understand."
"Come, Sister," Annabrooke said sweetly as she tried to comfort her. "Let's go see the Brothers of Legend. They can help us sort this out."
Kenton went ahead with Leela by teleporting. The others were forced to travel the traditional way. When Kenton arrived with a bleeding Leela, the Brothers of Legend reacted with horror.
"Bring her here!" Mydo called urgently. He quickly cleared a space on the floor where she could be placed carefully. "Zydo, anchor me. I cannot do this on my own."
"No kidding," Zydo said with a roll of his eyes. Turning serious, he added, "I'm here, My... Someone, bring Zee. We'll need his energy for this."
Bartello went in search of Zee. The youngest of the brothers looked horrified as he realized how seriously Leela had been injured. D'Dodi began pacing, something clearly troubling him. Tante stood close to the twins and Zee, ready to help if they needed him. Bartello was the one to answer the door when the others arrived.
"Is she okay? She's okay, right?" Annabrooke asked nervously.
"She will be well soon," Bartello promised, pulling her into a comforting embrace. He looked to Aylane. "What happened?" He asked her.
"Sorlo was a traitor as well... He attacked Annabrooke, and he tried to kill Leela... He did kill Jaizon," Aylane explained. "We put an end to him. He left us no choice."
Bartello shook his head. "It's nearly come true entirely... Only two of the Twelve remain," he said with horror. He paused as he looked at her. He released Annabrooke and sent the others inside before pulling her aside. "I have not seen you in a bit, Aylane... It seems that congratulations are in order," he said softly.
"Yes," she admitted. "I am pregnant. Please don't tell anyone. I am not ready to declare this news to everyone else yet. Very few people know."
"Your secret, as always, is safe with me." He looked at her seriously. "Is Kenton going to do right by you, or must your honorary big brother threaten him?"
She laughed. "Bartello, I never knew you cared so much," she said. "And yes, he has asked me to marry him, and I accepted."
Bartello nodded with approval. "Good. Go on. You should be with your sisters." He followed her back inside.
Leela healed quickly. She was inconsolable as she realized one of her dearest friends had not been who she believed and had seriously injured her. Not only had all of that happened, but the trauma of losing Lark was hitting her all over again. She curled up in D'Dodi's arms sobbing until he finally carried her to his room and put her to bed after she passed out.
"I will take care of her for the night," D'Dodi promised. "Does anyone else wish to stay?"
"I do," Annabrooke said quickly.
"I'd like to stay as well," Jessa agreed.
"Do you two mind if I go home tonight? I'll come back first thing in the morning," Aylane promised.
"Go ahead, Lanie. You need to rest in your own bed," Jessa said.
Aylane hugged her sisters and the Brothers of Legend goodbye before leaving with Trex and Kenton. "I cannot believe it is over," Trex said softly. "After all of that... Only two of us remain."
"I am so sorry, Boys," Aylane said. "It is truly horrific how you were torn apart."
"Come, Aylane. All of this excitement is not good for the little one. You should rest," Kenton said, stroking her stomach affectionately. This made Aylane smile despite everything else that had happened.
For the next six weeks, nothing happened. Everything seemed to fall back into place. Kenton had everything he wanted... A beautiful fiance, a baby on the way, and the adoration of everyone on Eltar for his heroic actions along with Trex. He could stand to share the spotlight with Trex as long as everyone knew who he was, too. He believed that he would finally be able to start living the life he'd been promised. Then, Zell contacted him.
"I heard about your upcoming wedding," Zell said pleasantly. "Congratulations, my boy. Aylane is quite extraordinary."
"Thank you, Great Zell. We would love for you to attend, of course," Kenton replied. He knew Aylane didn't trust Zell, but they couldn't exactly refuse to invite the Great Wizard of Eltar to their wedding, and Kenton was sure Aylane would come around on the matter as things calmed down.
"I appreciate that, Kenton. I will happily bless your marriage with whatever you desire... There is only one more thing you must do for me first."
Kenton froze. "There is?" he asked.
"Two remain, my boy... And that cannot be."
"Great Zell-"
"Kenton... You must eliminate Trex. Once you do, everything you have ever dreamed of shall belong to you. This is the last time I will ask you to do something of this nature."
"But... Is there any other way?" Kenton asked.
"If you wish for your lovely bride to live a long, blissful life by your side, or for your unborn child to draw its first breath, then no, Kenton. There is not another way."
Kenton did not miss the threat in Zell's words. He sighed. "Very well," he said. "I knew it might come to this."
"Excellent. Make it so no one can question his demise and all will be well."
"Of course, Great Zell."
With that, Kenton set out to kill the last of the people standing in the way of his path to great power and happiness. He knew it would not be easy to kill Trex. He was clever and swift, and the fact that he could transform into a dragon made him especially difficult to harm. Kenton would not be able to give Trex any sort of chance to see him coming.
He invited Trex on an outing in the woods. They often traveled through them together, along with the rest of the Twelve, and Trex was happy to agree to the nostalgic journey. Kenton led him deep into the woods. Once they were there, he saw his only opportunity. Before Trex could realize what he was planning, Kenton slipped a vile of poison into his flask of water. It had no odor, but the moment Trex tasted it, he knew something was wrong. Unfortunately, it was already too late. Even the smallest exposure to this poison would rapidly kill someone.
Trex's eyes went wide as his heart began to race. He stared at Kenton with hurt and shock on his face. "It was you?" He whispered between coughing fits.
"I was hoping I might be able to spare you, Trex," Kenton said sadly. "Unfortunately, it was not to be. Forgive me. I had to do this, for Lanie and our child."
Trex died before he could say anything else. Kenton had a plan to cover up his crime. Trex had a well-known history of suffering from Depression. He'd been struggling ever since Talon's death, and it had gotten worse with the death of his father. As the members of the Twelve began to perish, Trex's mental state had not improved. No one would question it if he made it look like a suicide. He managed to copy Trex's handwriting as he wrote a very short note. It said simply, I'm sorry. He left it beside Trex's body along with his flask of poisoned water before returning to his home.
When news broke of Trex's suicide, Kenton grieved publicly. Aylane would not leave his side as she tried to comfort him. "I'm so sorry," she told him as she held him tightly.
"I'm alone, Lanie... I'm the only one left," Kenton replied. "How could this have happened?"
She kissed him, trying to soothe his pain. That was when Aylane heard something she hadn't expected. It's finally over, Kenton thought as his guard dropped and she slipped into his mind.
Aylane pulled away suddenly, certain she was misunderstanding his thoughts. That was when she heard someone else.
I didn't do this, Aylane, Trex said. Because her telepathy was so strong, Aylane could hear the dead as well as the living. Please, tell them... I cannot move on until you do. My family needs to know I did not abandon them.
Terrified of the answer she would receive, Aylane silently asked, How did you die, Trex? What really happened to you?
Trex appeared in front of her. He slowly raised his hand and pointed his index finger at Kenton.
Aylane felt like her entire world shattered in that single instant. "You..." She whispered.
"Lanie? What's wrong?" Kenton asked.
"You killed him!"
"What? No I didn't!"
She wasn't falling for that. "How could you do this? They were your brothers, Kenton!"
Kenton's face turned cold then. "They were never my brothers!" He practically spat. "I was nothing until I made that deal!"
"You were everything to me," she said sadly.
"That came after."
"No... It started when we met. I was just too stubborn to admit it... But now? Now I don't even recognize you!"
"Lanie, please... I can explain this. You don't understand."
"I understand that you murdered my friends in cold blood!"
"I had to! I did it for us, Lanie. So we could have a future."
"We already had a future, damn you! Don't you dare use me as an excuse for what you've done, you bastard!" She grabbed his sword away from him, not taking any chances. She knew what she had to do. She didn't know how she was going to live with it after the fact, but that wouldn't stop her.
"Aylane, just listen to me!"
"No! I'm through listening to your lies!" She could tell he was panicking and getting ready to teleport, so she slipped into his mind and took control of his powers, preventing him from using them.
"Lanie, please! Don't do this... I love you!"
"I hate you," Aylane said firmly before shoving Kenton's own sword straight through his chest.
He fell to the ground, his eyes staring at her accusingly as the life began to leave them. The wound suddenly began to heal before her eyes and Aylane knew Zell must be helping him. She did the only thing she could and used a powerful burst of magic to make him bleed out faster. He was stunned, but couldn't do much about it as he lost too much blood for Zell to save him from a distance. Only when she knew Kenton was dead did Aylane collapse onto her hands and knees and begin to cry. Suddenly, she was overwhelmed with pain. She curled up in a ball, unable to move, as blood trickled down her leg.
Aylane wasn't sure how long she stayed there. Eventually, she heard frantic and familiar voices. "I found her!" D'Dodi cried. He knelt beside her. "Aylane... Lanie, stay with me now," he said urgently.
"She's bleeding!" Mydo cried in horror. "I need to heal her. He must have attacked her."
"It's not from an attack," Bartello said sadly.
"Well then, why is she bleeding?" Zydo asked.
"She must be injured," Tante said.
"I'll contact her sisters," Zee said quickly.
"All of you, leave," Bartello said. "I'll take care of her."
"She needs a healer, Barty," Mydo argued.
"No," he said. "She just needs basic medical care. I can handle that. Go on. I'm serious."
D'Dodi seemed to realize Bartello knew more than he was saying. "Come, Brothers," he said. "We must alert the authorities to what has become of Kenton. It will be known that he was among those who betrayed the Twelve."
When they were alone, Bartello picked Aylane up in his arms and carried her somewhere more private. He gently took care of her, stopping the bleeding and cleaning her up as she wept softly. "Barty..." She whispered.
"I know," he said. "I'm so sorry for your loss, Aylane."
She allowed him to hold her as she cried into his shirt. They did not leave that place until she was calmer. Finally, when she could breathe without sobbing, he brought her back to her home. He stayed outside of the bathtub while she cleaned herself, then helped her get dressed.
"I cannot stay here any longer," she said softly. "I am returning home to my sisters. Leela moved back in after Lark was killed, and Jessa and Annabrooke are still there."
"I understand," Bartello said sympathetically. "I will pack your things for you. Do not concern yourself with such matters. For tonight, stay with me. I will tell my brothers to give us privacy."
She nodded, grateful for his help. That night, she fell asleep in his arms. Somehow, he kept her from having any nightmares.
It wasn't long before the Brothers of Legend decided the Sisterhood needed to go into hiding. None of them protested much. After all they had been through, living deep in the mountains with Stone sounded like a wonderful escape.
They would remain there until several decades later, long after Zell fell and only Bartello and Zee remained from the Brothers of Legend. At that time, the Sisterhood, Stone, Bartello, and Zee joined the Rebellion of Eltar. Finally, they hoped to be granted the opportunity to begin new lives with this new family and bring light back to the world Zell had tried so desperately to destroy.