1 This… is a long one people.

2

3 Chapter 15

Jordan stood in silence for long minutes, thinking hard. What to ask first? What to ask at all??? There were so many things he wished to know…

~You must pick what you think is most important for you to know…I cannot stay for too long, my time here grows short.~

"I… I don't know… Why did you have to die…? Why did you have to leave us?"

~There's no good answer for that amor… When we go, it is our time… we are just needed elsewhere. I am meant to watch over you from afar…I am sorry amor… I wish I could be with you… with all my heart.~

Jordan's heart ached to hear this. Tears welled up into his eyes, but he knew he didn't have that much time. He had to get answers.

"What… am I? What are we?"

~That… I can tell you. What are we? We are a race unnatural to this world. We were not born of this realm but we had discovered long ago how to cross into it. We are… demons… amor. Not the kind you would normally think of… the kind that do Satan's bidding. Not quite."

Jordan thought long and hard about what his mother just told him. Demons…? But how could this be? Did his siblings know? He heard his mother muttering something about silly muggles and their silly beliefs.

~No, Jordan… your fellow quadruplets do not know, but your older brothers, Gregory and Theo knew. Of course, your father knows as well.~

He remained silent for a moment, choosing carefully his next question:

"Am I dangerous?"

~Only to your foes my dear… anyone that threatens your life, unless they're a dragon, don't stand much of a chance against you. You, Jordan, in particular, are a very powerful demon. I have foreseen that you will surpass not only your older brothers in strength and size, but your father and myself as well. Be mindful… your sister Alicia does not yet know of her own power… but SHE will be more powerful then you… not just in strength and size, but in her magical abilities as well. I sensed it of her the day she was born. ~

"Alicia? The most powerful of us all?"

~Yes, by a great deal. There is much ahead in her future… she will impact the demonic world in this realm very drastically. Watch over her… take care of her, but… do not tell her what she is. She will figure that out on her own.~

He thought of this… his sister? The beautiful, mysterious, Alicia? She seemed so delicate all her years. Ladylike, kind, thoughtful, and wise. Bound to be a powerful demoness. The oddities of it all.

"Can we die…?"

A laugh could be heard from her, and he realized the foolishness of his question, laughing as well. Much to his surprise came this response:

~Yes… and no…~

Jordan looked perplexed at this. What did she mean by yes and no? It was obvious they COULD die, for she herself was dead, but, the possibility that they could never die?

~Demons by nature are immortal… You, Jordan, are immortal. BUT… that does NOT mean you're invincible… Demons will not die of old age… or "natural causes". They will, however, die by force. For instance, if someone kills them. As someone killed me.~

An icy chill surged through his body. He could live forever – while his mother is forever dead. He did not find much comfort in that thought. He stood still… silent… attempting to let all this sink in.

~Another thing… Jordan there are two ways in which a demon can be killed. Mind and Body. Much like a human, but to much more extreme. If you damage your brain, and are rendered brain dead, your body will still function as normal. It takes a burst of energy from an outside source for you to repair yourself. The same goes the other way, if your body is dead, and mind is alive, given the energy, you can revive your body. Do you understand me?~

Carefully listening to her every word, he nodded slowly as she finished.

"I can… heal myself?"

~And others…~

It was then that Adara came to mind. Someone had once asked her to heal them. She must have this same power… could she be a demon as well?

~No… Adara is not a demon, amor. She is something else, and that, I am not aloud to reveal to you.~

He looked to her, finally realizing that often, he asked himself questions in his head, and she answered them…

"You read my mind?"

~Your mind speaks to me… when you think to yourself… I hear you as if you're speaking aloud, and your mouth is not moving.~

He stared at nothing, this was all so much, coming at him so fast, so much information, so little time. His mind was in a whirl, and suddenly everything stopped, and one person was in his mind… Adara. There was reason for this… his senses. His keen senses could sense vibrations. He had yet to realize that. When Adara came to mind so suddenly like that, it meant she was near. In fact, she stood just outside the door, halted by the sound of the voices inside. She could hear Jordan's mother's voice, as well as Jordan's.

~You love her… don't you…?~

Jordan sighed softly, looking ahead as if expecting to have looked his mother in the eye.

"I love her… yes… a great deal… But she is older then I, Maman… I don't know what might become of us… I couldn't bear to ever lose her. Maman… if I am immortal… and I fall in love with a mortal… I will have to lose them one day as well… won't I?"

He was met with a voice of more sorrow this time…

~Yes amor… if you love a mortal woman… she will die, and you will live on… Be mindful of who you love though, just as you are immortal… so others may be as well.~

That brought him a bit of hope… Adara, he already knew, was not human… it was possible she WAS immortal. If only…

"I love Adara… If… if we were ever to be together… I couldn't stand the thought of losing her. If she is a mortal… I wont know what to do with myself."

Adara, standing outside the door felt her knees buckle, she caught herself. She held fast to her mouth with her hand, stifling her gasps, not wanting to be discovered.

~I know amor… I know… Mi amor, I am sorry, but my time is growing very short… you must ask your last questions now before I have to retreat.~

"I have what I need for now… Anything else… I'll figure out on my own, I hope. There is one more thing though… who… who was responsible for killing you…?"

A hollow sigh issued from his mother. There was a long pause before she decided to speak once again.

~A keeper… of fate… There are three keepers… they are powerful, mind yourself… and they will come around. They are in league with that… that Camilla. Jordan, amor, you must promise me not to try to go after any of them… promise me…~

Jordan could feel the anger… the hate… burning deep in the pits of his stomach. His fists were clenched tight, his nails had begun to dig into the skin.

"I cannot make such promises… do not ask me to… for I will not."

His response was another sigh…

~Somehow… I knew you would say that… I should not have told you thus. Amor, before I must go…there is one more thing. Your age… have you ever felt that you were much older then you looked? Like you had many more years behind you?~

"I have…"

~Very good… that is because you do. You are much much older then 17, but it is a trick of the mind that we have only given you 17 years of memory. With time you will remember all of your old memories… I've been watching you, and see that you've already begun to remember. Losing your friends in Portugal… Jordan you will age very very slowly, and you will never grow to look older then your mid to late twenties. Have you ever wondered why your father and I always looked so young?~

"No I hadn't… I hadn't taken notice… I was used to it…"

~Nevertheless… That is what you need to know… That, and at any time, now that you are 17, you may be summoned by the demonic military of our home realm. This is why you needed to learn of this information. If you are summoned, you must go and fight for your people… Keep in mind something if that ever occurs… time in that realm, is much different from this… much faster… 20 years there is like 20 days here…You will have to remember that.~

He nodded in reply, he understood everything she'd explained to him. Adara stood, bracing herself against the wall, barely breathing. She heard all this… she was baffled. Jordan? A demon??? How can that BE! Her mind retreated to another thought… he was in love… with HER. Adara's mind was thoughts were in a whirl. Jordan was immortal… and he was speaking to his Mother??? She was killed! How was this all possible??? She had not turned to a ghost.

~I must go now amor… I have no time left to be here…~

At that moment, a whimper issued from Jordan's mouth. A sound he'd never made before. He stepped forward into the middle of the room, his heart raced in his chest.

"I don't want you to leave me Maman… please don't go… stay with me…" tears slid from his eyes as he pleaded with the air around him. These words struck deep into Natalia's very heart…

~Amor… I love you, and I always will… you know this. And you know, that If I could stay with you forever I would… It pains me to see you sad for me… I am well, me amor… Just remember this… You are never alone… I am always… with you.~

Jordan turned around frantically, he wanted to cling to her, hold her, not let her go ever again. After a moment of silence he stopped, standing still in the center of the room, not moving, staring straight ahead. It was then that ahead of him, an apparition slowly appeared… it was his mother… his beautiful Maman. She smiled at him, tears streaked her cheeks. Jordan stepped forward. Her apparition slowly faded away, and Jordan found himself lunging forward, determined not to let her go, but he couldn't stop her. He dropped to his knees right where he stood, crying. It was then a whisper floated through the room like a soft breeze…

~I am always… with you…~

He lifted his head slowly, looking out the window that had earlier shown overcast skies, to now reveal sunny blue skies.

Adara still stood outside the door, leaned against the wall, trying not to make a sound. Her metallic tears slid down her cheeks as well… it was so sad to listen to all of this… Jordan's desperate pleas to keep his mother… So sad… Her nose began to run, and she wanted to sniffle, but she could not, for fear of giving herself away. All the same… she could not move from the door. She wanted to go to him, to comfort him, but she did not want him to know she heard it all.

Jordan slowly looked to the door… he suddenly realized her presence outside the door. He wondered just for a moment, how long she'd been there. He figured she must have at least heard his mother's departure.

"Adara… come in…"

Startled she was, stepping back from the door a moment. She grimaced, pinching herself for having eavesdropped. She slowly pulled the door open, looking inside to see Jordan, on the floor on his knees. He looked so pitiful… crying… alone. She just silently moved to his side, kneeling. Slowly, very slowly, she wrapped her arm around his shoulders, and gently placed his head on her shoulder.

Jordan sighed softly, such warmth, it was intoxicating. He was already feeling better, the aching in his heart began to subside, being overwhelmed simply by the touch of the one he was so in love with.

Neither said anything, they stayed there on the floor of the dormitory for a long while, just holding each other, being with each other...