Kendra sat on the porch on the new hammock sipping hot cocoa and puffing clouds of her breath out and watching them dissipate in the air. She drank her hot chocolate calmly, wondering how Bracken meant to contact her. He left this morning for the Mississippi river with her brother, Warren, and Vanessa, but he hadn't given her a magical coin. Kendra felt a little put out that he hadn't said much to her before he left,

Is this what romance is supposed to be like? She thought to herself as she watched a fairy fluff up the petals of a flower to keep them from falling. Kendra had thought love would change her life drastically, instantly somehow. But apparently, it didn't work like that. Sometimes she felt like a distance had grown between her and Bracken over the course of a year. They hadn't kissed once, which made her feel disappointed. Kendra sat back and remembered a conversation she had had with Vanessa the night before.

"I kind of think he doesn't actually like me," Kendra sighed, pulling her legs closer to her chest.

Vanessa chuckled, "Don't worry. Men always go about their own way with love." The narcoblix laughed gracefully and leaned her head on her hand. "They can be quite unpredictable."

Kendra still felt frustrated, "But he just never shows any affection other than smiling and maybe taking my hand occasionally! I just…" She grumbled,

"Was expecting more?" Vanessa finished, raising an eyebrow. "Most girls do, just be glad he's the pure type and not over-zealous."

Kendra shook her head, "It's been nearly a year, though! I thought we really…" She rubbed her wet eyes, "I just don't understand!"

Vanessa patted Kendra's back, "I didn't understand at first either. And the only advice I can give you is; don't depend on others, they might let you down and leave you in the dark to die." Kendra knew that the woman was referring to the Sphinx, and nodded. "So learn to be strong on your own, and if he isn't giving you the romance of your dreams, know that nothing is perfect, but you can give him a push onto the right path." Vanessa drew back her hand on Kendra's back and looked at the young girl, "Does that help?"

"Yeah, thanks." Kendra mumbled, wiping the last tears from her cheeks.

"Learn to be strong on my own?" Kendra wondered aloud as she swung her feet above the porch.

"Kendra!" Her mother called from inside the house, "You need to come inside, your Grandpa wants you!"

"Coming!" Kendra called back, swinging to her feet and opening the door to go inside. She walked to the study and knocked on the door.

"Come in!" Her grandfather said. Kendra opened the door and walked in. Her grip tightened on the almost empty mug of hot chocolate she still held in her hand when she saw those sitting in the study. Agad kindly smiled at her, the corners of his eyes crinkling, "Hello, Kendra, my dear girl."

She smiled and came farther into the study, "Hi," She said shyly, placing the mug down on a table and sitting in a lather chair nearby.

Grandpa Sorenson steeped his fingers together and looked carefully at Kendra for a few long seconds, then turned to Agad. "Surly not, she is just a child."

Agad nodded, "She is suited for the role, child or no."

Kendra looked between them with a confused expression, "What?"

Agad turned to her and opened his mouth, only to be silenced by a look from Grandpa Sorenson. "We need her parents to hear this too."

Kendra felt a little indignant, "So now I need my parent's permission before I go do what I've been doing all along, thanks! Nice to know I'm not trusted anymore." Her outburst was unexpected coming from her, it was something they would have expected more from Seth than the more responsible girl.

Grandma Sorenson appeared at the doorway with a tray of mugs filled to the brim with hot chocolate. "Who's thirsty?"

Kendra was the only one who hadn't touched the hot chocolate offered by her grandmother, her parents, her grandparents, and Agad all sat sipping their hot cocoa calmly as she sat there on edge. Finally Grandpa looked at Agad and nodded, the wizard sighed as a response and turned to Kendra, looking the girl in the eyes.

"I realize this is a lot to ask of a girl, in the middle of her teenage years, but one who has already seen so much… But you could be one of the candidates for one of the eternals; you and your brother."

Grandmas Sorenson looked at Agad in horror as Grandpas Sorenson looked grimly on, "That is absolutely appalling! Asking children to give up their normal lives to become a lock on your demon prison!"

Kendra's mother too, looked perturbed. "At the last meeting you said that being an Eternal was more punishment than reward, why would you punish Kendra?"

Agad sighed tiredly, "It is not meant to be a punishment for her. I have searched extensively for those in the world qualified to be Eternals, and your daughter is one of the top choices, as well as her brother."

"Seth, you want Seth too…" Kendra's mother moaned, her husband put a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"I think what Agad is saying," Kendra's father said calmly to sooth his wife, "Is that both Kendra and Seth have the capability to survive, stay hidden, travel, and live a long time. I'd take it as a compliment."

Agad nodded, relived he had some support, "I do mean it well, but as you all know, especially Kendra, the hardships you must endure as an Eternal are harsh. And it is cruel to ask someone so young to shoulder the burden of the world, but I think they could take it and thrive with it."

"You call thriving an existence in the shadows of this world, cursed and broken over centuries of life!" Grandpa Sorenson roared, standing up to quickly, and then sitting back down heavily after his back protested.

Kendra had indeed played with the idea of becoming an Eternal a year ago when she had been giddy with the thought of having an immortal, loving boyfriend. But that was then, and now she realized, that like Gavin, some relationships were just too good to be true. Now she wasn't so sure if she wanted to endure the eons alone.

Agad turned his pleading eyes to her, "Of course we would give you a few more years to grow up, but there is an audition for the role of Eternal. If you did this, you would be competing against the other candidates, but you would not be doing it alone." Agad pulled a folder out from his sleeve, it looked like a normal yellow file folder. He handed it to Kendra, she took it and cautiously took it and slowly opened it.

A collection of photos and information paper clipped to it met her eyes; pictures of weapons, animals, and places. "What is this?" she asked, leafing through the information.

Agad leaned forward and tapped the folder, "This a database of information covering the existence of all the shape shifters in the world today, their whereabouts, and their personalities. The location of the world's most rare and mythical weapons and their qualities." Kendra's eyes scanned the files and pictures, not quite believing that this information was in her hands. "To become a serious consideration for the role of Eternal you must retrieve one of the major weapons of lore as mentioned in the folder and have it take to you."

Kendra looked up at Agad, "Can't I just use Vasilis, it has already taken to me…" But the old wizard shook his head,

"Vasilis is better out of the hands of those involved with Zzyx. My former master once wielded that sword, he was brought to ruin. Just ask Seth about what happened to him." His voice grew sad as he spoke, but then remembered, "To become an Eternal you must have a familiar, a shape shifter companion, so that will be your second task. Do you want to become an Eternal?"

Kendra looked to her parents for guidance, but her father just shrugged and said, "It is your choice, honey."

"I…want to think about it." Kendra said as she stood up and walked out of the room. She climbed the stairs and went up to the attic playroom. She sat down on her bed and dropped the folder next to her. I wish Patton could tell me what to do…