ONE: Widdershins(This story should have been part of Tales from the Rebellion. It's about Laby's family. It features Laby, his parents Maizza and L'Derro, the Veritez family, Zee, Celestia, Trerry, Jezzeff, the Witch, and a few others. Most of all, it is the story of Rowan of Eltar.)
Long ago, on a planet called Eltar, a very special child was born. His parents, Maizza and L'Derro, already had one extraordinary son, and they were excited to meet the newest member of their family.
Nine-year-old Laby was thrilled to learn he would become a big brother. He was great with kids, and he'd gotten used to being around a baby because his best friend in the world, Serafine, had a one-year-old sister Laby adored. He was excited to have a sibling of his own.
Tiktah and Aliese were thrilled for their dear friends. Maizza and L'Derro had tried for the last few years to have a second child, but it had seemed like it wasn't meant to be until they finally learned Maizza was pregnant.
One entity was not pleased to hear of the child's conception. The Witch sensed his power from within Maizza and knew he might pose a threat to her plans. She decided to kill him before he could draw a breath.
The spell struck Maizza when she was walking alone through the woods. She fell to the ground and clutched her stomach in excruciating pain. "Someone help!" She cried out. When this failed, she tried another approach.
Trerry, I'm in the woods. I was attacked. Please send help, she thought. Trerry was still quite young, but his powers were already legendary, and he was the son of one of Maizza's distant cousins. She hoped the blood tie would be enough to ensure the boy heard her plea for help.
Help is coming, Trerry promised. Just hold on.
Blood was coming out of Maizza at an alarming rate. She was starting to panic, and she was too weak to try to move. Something strange happened as the blood pooled around her. A rowan tree sprang from the blood, followed by another, and another, until a small grove surrounded Maizza.
The rowan tree was known for its protective magical properties. Despite being alone, the grove made Maizza feel safe. She knew nothing would harm her or the baby within this small sanctuary.
The sudden appearance of a new grove of trees drew the attention of the faeries. This was a lucky thing, as faeries loved nothing more than babies, and they immediately rushed to Maizza's aid.
By the time L'Derro, Tiktah, and Aliese found her, the baby boy was snuggled safely in her arms. The faeries were still fussing over the seemingly healthy baby, so Aliese focused on healing Maizza.
L'Derro marveled at the sight of his second son. He already had a messy patch of brown hair that was a bit lighter than Laby's. His eyes were a uniquely vivid shade of bright blue, and they had silver spirals in them. Unlike Laby's golden spirals, which wound clockwise, the baby's wound widdershins, or counterclockwise.
Eltarian superstition stated that to move widdershins was unlucky. Warlocks oftened moved widdershins during their darker rituals. Many believed anything that was widdershins was evil or cursed. Looking into his son's beautiful eyes, L'Derro decided that was absolute nonsense.
He is meant to chase away evil, he realized. The spirals are widdershins to repel things with evil intentions.
When Maizza was fully healed, they brought the baby home. Laby, Serafine, Ash, and Daphne were being watched by Emmaline, or Granny Em as Laby called her. She was Aliese's mother, and Laby viewed her as his own grandmother.
As Emmaline put Daphne into Aliese's arms, the older children all rushed to see the new baby. Laby's eyes lit up with glee as he saw his baby brother for the first time.
"What's his name?" Serafine asked curiously as Laby held the baby and Ash watched them shyly.
"This is Rowan of Eltar," Maizza replied proudly. "Just as the rowan trees protected us today, so shall our son one day protect others. I'm certain of it."
"Rowan," Laby repeated. He smiled down at the baby. "It's nice to meet you, Ro. I'm going to be the best big brother ever."
The baby cooed in greeting, apparently accepting Laby's promise. And, true to his word, Laby did everything he could to be an amazing big brother. He treated Rowan as his sidekick. As soon as it was safe to take him out on adventures, Laby always brought Rowan along unless he and Serafine were about to get into something they shouldn't have.
As an infant, Rowan showed he had nearly the same powers as his older brother. The shapeshifting unlocked first. One day, while Laby had taken the form of an orange tabby cat, eight-month-old Rowan decided to shift into the form of a tiny black kitten with blue eyes. Over time, he learned to shift into other forms, and he tended to favor using the form of a bear cub. With bears being protectors and cubs being playful and cuddly, this suited his personality well.
His labyrinth powers unlocked when he was a toddler while he and Daphne were playing a game of hide and seek with their older siblings. Just like the spirals in their eyes, while Laby's labyrinths opened up in a clockwise direction, Rowan's opened widdershins. It took over an hour for Laby to realize that his baby brother had hidden himself and Daphne inside of his very first labyrinth. Being new to the power, Rowan couldn't figure out how to release it, but Laby eventually got the two toddlers out.
The power that manifested in the spirals of his eyes was different than Laby's. Instead of hypnotizing people and causing or curing insanity, Rowan's eyes reflected other places. If someone's gaze got caught in the spirals, they could see events happening in other locations, both in that realm and in others. The visions were like windows into those locations. His parents made sure to have him cloak his eyes because, in the wrong hands, that power was dangerous, and bad people wouldn't hesitate to abduct a child to gain access to it.
From the time he was a baby, Rowan was attached to the entire Veritez family. Serafine fussed over him and snuggled him every chance she got. Ash read him stories. Being so close in age, Rowan and Daphne often took naps together, snuggling side by side as they slept peacefully. As Daphne started having nightmares because of the Witch around the age of two, Rowan's mere presence seemed to keep the evil woman away.
Rowan and Daphne were both gentle children with kind hearts who always wanted to help others. Rowan was so pure of heart the unicorns would come to him. He was delighted to discover that Daphne shared this trait, and the two would often play amongst the unicorns when they were growing up. His gentle nature made them trust him. More than once when danger lurked nearby, the unicorns surrounded the two children and kept them safe. From the time Rowan was three and Daphne was four, their families started teasing them that they were going to get married one day. Although they were very close friends, there was never any romance between them.
Unlike his outrageous big brother, Rowan was shy. He had a mischievous side sometimes, but for the most part, he followed the rules and stayed out of trouble. Despite being more introverted than Laby, he was extremely close to him. Like many younger siblings, he hero worshipped his brother.
One day, when Rowan was seven, he heard a voice calling to him. Curiosity got the better of him, and he followed the voice, shifting into a bird so he could fly right out of his bedroom window.
"Rowen," the voice called in a sing-song tone, extending both syllables and using a different tone for each. "Rowen, come to me..."
He headed toward the sound until he found himself deep in the woods. It was dark and he knew he shouldn't be out there alone. He was about to turn back when he saw a woman lying on the ground in obvious distress.
He shifted back into his true form and hurried to the woman. She was pale and looked weak. Her eyes were full of desperation. She shook her head as he tried to help her.
"You can't help her, Rowan," a teenager said. She looked about Serafine and Laby's age. She smiled at him darkly. "The voice you heard belonged to her, but I have claimed it for my own now."
"Why did you bring me here?" He asked nervously.
"You have a power I want under my control."
"Who are you?"
"Alreenah of Eltar, Daughter of B'Darlo the Intangible Keeper, and Leonorah, the Warlock Queen."
"There's a warlock queen?" He asked in surprise.
"It is not an official title, but it is how she has titled herself."
"How very humble of her," a voice said sarcastically. Serafine emerged from the shadows. "Step away from him, Arleenah."
"Sera!" Rowan cried in excitement. He immediately moved to run into her arms, but Arleenah cast a spell that trapped him in place.
"This does not concern you, Serafine," Arleenah said sharply.
"That boy is basically my baby brother, so yes, it does concern me," Serafine replied. A pair of dragons flew down from the sky and landed on either side of her. "Leave now with your life, Arleenah."
"I do not fear you, Serafine!"
"Then you are foolish. I may not run around harming others for fun as you do, but I am no pushover."
The young sorceress began to duel against the young warlock. Rowan wrapped a labyrinth around himself, but he made sure he could see out of it. He watched as they battle with spells he could barely comprehend.
Serafine clearly had better control of her magic, but Arleenah fought dirty, and soon, someone joined the fight.
"Look out, Sera!" Rowan cried in warning, releasing the labyrinth as a strange boy came up behind her.
Serafine spun around just in time to see the boy who had joined the fight. As she deflected his attack and the dragons breathed fire at him, Arleenah sent a death spell right at Serafine.
"Sera!" Rowan screamed in terror.
Someone materialized out of thin air. As he stood between Serafine and the death spell, it froze in the air. He made a fist and the spell shattered before Rowan's eyes.
Arleenah's eyes widened in horror as the boy who'd joined her exploded. She stared at Serafine's rescuer and began trembling.
"Hezzo..." She began. "Hezzo, please..."
"You and that idiot whose name I never bothered to learn just tried to kill Sera, Arleenah," Hezzo replied coldly. "I won't show you mercy, but you're welcome to beg anyway. I love the sound of begging."
"Hezzo, wait," Serafine said, motioning toward Rowan.
"You. Labyrinth. Now. Don't come out or look at us until Sera tells you to," Hezzo said.
Rowan obediently hid inside of a new labyrinth, and this time, he didn't peak outside. Eventually, he heard Serafine calling to him, "It's safe now, Rowan. Come out."
He emerged and ran straight into her arms. The ground was frozen, but she caught him as he slipped on ice before he could fall and hurt himself.
Arleenah was frozen solid, encased in a huge block of ice. Her face was stuck in a furious scream. Rowan clung to Serafine's hand nervously.
"She can't hurt you now, Rowan," she promised. The dragons circled around above them protectively as Serafine looked into Rowan's eyes.
Too late, he realized his eyes had uncloaked. Serafine was staring, caught in their grasp.
The spirals turned widdershins, slowly opening a window to somewhere else. Serafine watched as the Witch spoke aloud.
"Boo! Hezzy-Wezzy ruined my fun! Oh well. We will capture the boy and make him our weapon," the Witch said with a cackle. "And if we cannot make him our weapon, we will destroy him!"
"He is rarely alone, Witch," a female warlock replied. "This is no simple task."
"Rowan is a child, Leonorah," the Witch replied. "We will find a way."
"I hope so. I demand justice for my daughter!"
"Arleenah will thaw out eventually," the Witch said dismissively. "Think of this as a vacation from having to watch over your brat."
The spirals stopped moving. Serafine was able to focus again. She didn't dare tell Rowan what she'd seen. She didn't want to scare him, after all. Instead, she began planning a way to keep him safe forever.
On the next full moon, Serafine created a talisman for Rowan. It looked like the ones she'd made for her siblings and Laby. This one was in the shape of a bear. She enchanted it with the strongest protection spells she knew.
Something made Serafine add an extra layer of protection magic to the spell. This last spell would only kick in if the worst case scenario happened, but if it worked, Rowan would definitely be safe.
Naturally, Serafine warned Laby that his baby brother was in danger. Laby worked with him to strengthen his labyrinths in case he needed to hide. He and Serafine taught him to fight, although Rowan didn't like the idea of using violence. He decided he'd only use violence in defense of others, but never for his own safety.
Laby, Serafine, Ash, and Jezzeff taught Rowan to wield a sword. He picked the skill up pretty quickly and showed a strong aptitude for swordsmanship. Jezzeff was especially impressed and enjoyed mentoring the young Eltarian.
Rowan liked Jezzeff well enough, but for some reason, he didn't like him being around Daphne. If he noticed Jezzeff trying to isolate her, Rowan always went out of his way to distract her and get her away from him. He couldn't explain why he did it, but something told him it was important to keep distance between Jezzeff and Daphne.
For Rowan's eighth birthday, he spent the day on an adventure with Laby and Celestia. Rowan adored his cousin as much as everyone else on Eltar did, and he was thrilled to get to spend time with her. They decided to explore some of the caves of Eltar together.
"Come on, Ro," Laby called. "It's just a little bit further."
Rowan eagerly followed his brother and cousin deeper into the cave. It was dark, but that didn't bother him because Celestia was with them, and she made stars appear to light their path everywhere they went.
"What is that?" Celestia asked as she spotted something a few feet away.
Laby hurried to her side. Rowan followed, and his eyes widened in fascination as he spotted the glowing crystals. "They feel powerful," he said as he sensed their energy.
"There are rumors that this cave was once the home of a great power," Laby replied. "I always thought it was just a story. Sera and I explored this cave years ago, but we didn't fine these crystals."
Rowan reached toward one of them. It was blue and matched his eyes. He smiled. Laby picked up the green one. Celestia seemed drawn to the yellow one. Once all three of them had a crystal in their hands, the power seemed to come alive.
"I think these are connected to our family," Celestia said. "We should keep them."
"There are more underneath the surface," Rowan replied as he saw their faint glow.
"Those aren't for us," Laby said.
"How do you know?" Celestia asked with a slight laugh.
"I just... Feel it. I can't really explain it. One day, they'll find their proper owners. I think you're right and the crystals are tied to bloodlines. The other ones are for other bloodlines."
Rowan clutched his crystal like it was his most precious treasure. "These will keep us connected," he said. "As long as we have them, we'll always know we have our family."
Celestia smiled. "I like that idea," she said. "We'll keep them close as a reminder that, no matter where we go, we're here for each other." She got a mischievous glint in her eyes that Rowan recognized. "Let's race to the other side of the cave. I bet there's something special there."
Never one to back down from a challenge, Laby said, "See if you can keep up with me, Star Princess."
She glared at him. "Ugh! Don't call me that, Labyrinth," she said in disgust, intentionally using his full name to punish him.
Laby cringed. Rowan laughed. "Let's go!" He said excitedly.
They raced to the other end of the cave. What they found was a deep pool of water. "It's beautiful," Celestia said as she gazed into it.
"Who's up for a swim?" Laby asked. He shapeshifted into a swimsuit. Rowan followed his lead and did the same.
"No fair," Celestia said with a pout. "Not everyone in this family can shapeshift."
Laby wrapped a labyrinth around her. When Celestia reappeared, she was wearing a swimsuit that was Eltarian blue and had constellations on it. As she moved, so did they.
"You're welcome," Laby said with a smirk.
"Laby, how did you make that bathing suit?" Rowan asked in wonder.
"Our labyrinths can make anything we can imagine, Ro," Laby reminded him. "You're still learning. Trust me, you've barely scratched the surface of what you can do."
Rowan decided that he'd practice over and over until he got as good at this sort of thing as his big brother was.
The cousins dove into the pool and swam for a bit. Celestia kept the stars above them so they had light. Rowan felt incredibly peaceful around water in general, and something about the magical cave increased that. They spent the rest of the day together without a care in the world, and Rowan was the happiest he'd ever been.
If he wasn't with his brother, Rowan was usually with Daphne and Zee. Sometimes, Lido came along, although he was shy and didn't always participate in their activities. If Zee and his brothers were around, Lido usually kept his distance because he got nervous when too many people were in one place. With Zee only being three years older than Rowan, they often played together while their older siblings worked on other things. Although Rowan and Daphne were very well-behaved kids, it wasn't unheard of for Zee to lead the two of them into mischief, especially if it was just Rowan. Zee tended to be a little more careful when Daphne was around, and he never dragged them anywhere dangerous if Lido was there.
Two days after Rowan turned nine, Serafine, Ash, and Zee's five older brothers returned to the City after coming home to attend Rowan's birthday celebration. Laby accompanied them. Lido wasn't around, but Daphne and Zee had come over to the house.
A commotion came from outside. Rowan watched as his father opened the door. Terridian and Jezzeff stood on the other side. A storm was tearing through the village.
"Maizza, L'Derro, we need you," Terridian said. "Leave the children."
"They can't be left alone," Maizza protested.
"I'll have my nephew stay with them."
"I'll ensure they remain safe," Jezzeff promised.
"Very well," L'Derro agreed. "Stay here," he told the children.
"Do as Jezz says," Maizza added, kissing all three of the children's heads before she and L'Derro followed Terridian away.
As thunder shook the house, Daphne shrank in terror. "Something bad is coming," she whispered.
Jezzeff moved to comfort her, but Rowan got there first. "It's okay," Daphne," he said, vanishing into a labyrinth and leaving Zee and Jezzeff alone outside of it. "Don't be scared."
She snuggled against him and he realized she was trembling. "Rowan... May I see your real eyes?" She asked.
"We're not supposed to do this without Laby or Sera around..." He replied nervously.
"I know... But I need to see something."
He nodded. "Okay... Only because it's you asking." He uncloaked his eyes, letting the spirals show.
Daphne watched his eyes in wonder for a moment. "They're beautiful," she said. She always found comfort in his eyes, just like she found comfort in Laby's. Slowly, she began to see another place as the spirals danced.
At the edge of Terrio Vas stood a man with malice in his eyes. He was the cause of the storm. As chaos swirled around him, he smiled. "They shall all be destroyed," he said. "Every last citizen of Terrio Vas shall perish at my hands!"
Although most people couldn't communicate while watching the spirals and the windows to other places which they opened, Daphne's connection to spirit helped focus her mind. She had learned to move her thoughts past the spirals so Rowan could hear them. Their ability to speak to each other telepathically was unexpected, but it was fun, and the two had experimented with it a couple of times before, under Serafine and Laby's supervision.
Can you sense why the man is attacking? Daphne asked telepathically.
Rowan struggled to focus on the man. When opening windows to other locations, he could read people's emotions and sometimes pick up their intentions. His girlfriend left him for someone from our village... I think it was Zydo. He wants to destroy the whole village because of that, he replied.
Zydo doesn't even live here anymore, Daphne pointed out. He's in the City with Mydo and the rest of his brothers.
But Zee and their parents are still here.
Daphne looked away from his eyes, breaking the connection. Rowan blinked and shifted his eyes back to their cloaked form. "We have to warn Zee, Rowan," Daphne said. "Release the labyrinth."
"But you're scared of the storm," he protested.
"That doesn't matter. Zee and his parents are in danger," Daphne insisted bravely. She clutched Rowan's hand as the labyrinth vanished and she heard the thunder and saw flashes of lightning.
"Daphne, Rowan, thank goodness," Jezzeff said. "Please don't vanish like that. I'm here to watch over you."
"Daphne is afraid of storms," Rowan pointed out. "I was just making her feel safe."
"Jezz, the storm was created by a person," Daphne said. "His girlfriend left him for Zydo, so he's taking it out on our village."
Zee laughed. "It's not like Zydo keeps any of the girlfriends he steals," he said.
"Destroying an entire village over that seems a bit extreme," Jezzeff said with a frown. "Zee, we should warn your parents. Rowan, take Daphne back into the labyrinth. It's safer for you both in there."
"Zee isn't safe," Daphne protested. "The man especially wants to hurt his family. He should stay with us."
"My parents are in danger," Zee said. "As the only one of my brothers who still lives here, I need to be with them right now. You two stay here. It'll be okay."
Zee and Jezzeff rushed to Zee's house as Rowan and Daphne obediently hid in the labyrinth. They snuggled together as Rowan filled the space with things that comforted both of them. They remained there until Zee and Jezzeff returned.
As they emerged, the sun was shining. "Is everyone safe?" Rowan asked.
"Yes, we're all fine," Zee replied. "My parents are annoyed at Zydo for almost causing Terrio Vas to be wiped off of Eltar, but what else is new?"
"Daphne, how did you know why the man was attacking us?" Jezzeff asked.
"She saw him in my eyes," Rowan explained. "The spirals can show you what's happening in other places."
Jezzeff studied him for a moment. "That's extraordinary," he said. "Will you show me?"
"I'm not supposed to. My parents say it can be dangerous."
"Of course. I understand." Jezzeff let the matter drop, but Rowan could tell he was very interested in the power.
A few months later, Elgan perished. Talon followed soon after. This left Serafine devastated, but also suspicious. She knew she was in danger, so she decided it was necessary to set a plan in motion.
She asked Trerry to meet her alone. He agreed, meeting her deep in the woods in the grove of rowan trees.
"Sera... How are you holding up?" Trerry asked gently.
"You know the answer to that, Trerry," she replied with a sad smile. "And you don't have to be a telepath to know it."
"I'm sorry about Talon. I can't even begin to imagine what you're going through."
"Thank you, but I'm not here to talk about that... Trerry, I need you to promise me something."
"Anything, Sera."
"You may not feel that way when I explain... Rowan is in danger, Trerry. Two years ago, his eyes showed me the Witch. She's determined to kill him or make him work for her. I don't think she's the only one who is after him." She paused. "I have to protect him, Trerry. I've done everything I can to keep him safe, but..."
"What is it, Sera?" Trerry asked a bit nervously.
"Promise me if anything happens to me you'll make everyone forget Rowan exists."
Trerry's eyes widened in surprise. "Everyone?" He repeated.
"Yes... Even Laby and Celestia... Even yourself. It is the only way to keep him safe."
"Sera, this is a bit extreme. I can't just erase Rowan. He's only nine. He can't survive on his own."
"An ordinary person could not, but Rowan has labyrinths to protect him. They can give him anything he needs to survive until we find another way to keep him safe."
Trerry sighed. "You really believe this is the only way?"
"I do. Rowan is in terrible danger. I have been protecting him, but..." She paused.
"You think you're going to die," Trerry realized in horror.
"I think it's highly possible."
"Sera, let me help. I can keep you safe."
"This isn't about me. I have to do what I'm doing, Trerry... But I want to make sure that, if things end badly, Rowan is protected. So promise me."
Trerry wanted to protest, but he nodded. "I'll make sure he's safe," he promised.
A short time later, Serafine was murdered. When he suddenly no longer sensed her thoughts in the air, Trerry knew she was dead. He could not take time to grieve, or even to warn Laby. He had to keep his promise.
He let himself into the house. Trerry could hear Laby sobbing softly in his room and realized he already knew somehow that Serafine was gone. His thoughts were so frantic they were incoherent. Trerry wanted to run into the room and comfort him, but he knew he couldn't do that.
Rowan was pacing inside of a labyrinth. Rowan, let me in, Trerry thought loudly.
A minute later, the labyrinth opened up just enough to let Trerry enter. He saw Rowan sitting in the woods at the center of a grove of rowan trees. A creek sat in front of him, and he watched the water flow looking lost.
"Ro..." Trerry said gently.
"Something's wrong," Rowan said. "Trerry, I feel it... Something's really wrong."
"Listen to me, Rowan. It's going to be okay, but you need to stay in your labyrinth for a while."
"For how long?"
"A long time. Sera told me there are people who want to hurt you. To keep you safe, I have to make everyone forget about you. I promise I'll undo it once you're no longer in danger."
"So I'll be all alone?" Rowan asked, his eyes widening sadly.
"To keep you safe, this is what we have to do. Your labyrinth will give you everything you need until you can come out again." Trerry paused. "I know you're scared, Ro, but this is safer for you."
"So I can't see you? Or Laby? Or Celestia, or Daphne?"
"Not for a while."
"Trerry... Something happened to Sera, didn't it?"
Trerry forced himself to remain outwardly calm. "Yes, Rowan. Something did."
"I can't go. Laby needs me. He won't be okay without Sera."
"Laby would want you to be safe, Rowan. I'll do everything I can to take care of him, I promise."
Reluctantly, Rowan agreed. Trerry helped him move all of his belongings into his labyrinth. "I love you, Kid," Trerry said, giving Rowan a tight hug. "Stay in the labyrinth. I'll send it through a portal to Earth. You should be safe there. I'll see you soon."
As it turned out, they did not see each other soon. As his body continued to mature within his labyrinth, Rowan did anything he could think of to entertain himself. Still, after five years, he was too bored and too curious to continue hiding inside indefinitely.
He cautiously emerged from the labyrinth. Rowan had never been to Earth before, and he couldn't resist exploring the area. The planet was strange and primitive, but beautiful.
His exploration was interrupted within thirty minutes of emerging from the labyrinth. The boy who came toward him was probably around fifteen.
How old am I now? Rowan wondered. He sensed five years had passed, which meant he was fourteen. That was so strange to him. He'd been nine when he last saw everyone he loved. If he was fourteen, he was nearly a legal adult on Eltar now.
"You reek of Eltar," the boy said. "What are you doing here?"'
"Nothing," Rowan replied awkwardly. "I was just exploring."
"Explore somewhere else."
"Who are you?"
"Zox."
"Zox?" Rowan repeated.
"B'Bozzox of Eltar, Son of B'Darlo the Intangible Keeper, and Leonorah, the Warlock Queen, and Younger Brother of Arleenah," Zox replied formally.
Rowan tensed, knowing Zox's family was not exactly fond of him. I should have listened to Trerry and stayed in the labyrinth, he thought. He spotted B'Darlo a few feet away. The powerful warlock was in some sort of trance as his son watched over him.
The last he'd heard, Arleenah still hadn't thawed out from Hezzo's attack, but a lot could change in five years. He hoped she wasn't lurking around any corners.
It seemed only Zox was a threat at the moment. He held a spell in his hands that Rowan sensed would be deadly once released. Rowan ducked out of the way just in time. Zox cursed before trying again.
When Rowan deflected the attack, B'Darlo snapped into awareness. "The Witch wants the boy killed," he said. "It seems that you are incapable of accomplishing this yourself, B'Bozzox."
B'Darlo gathered power and turned toward Rowan. "My old friend does not comprehend why she desires your death, but as soon as she sensed you with us, she remembered that she does. I will see to your destruction myself."
With that, B'Darlo released a powerful attack. Rowan was stunned and couldn't move as he landed on the ground.
"Run him through with your sword, my son," B'Darlo said. "Prove you are worthy!"
Zox took his sword and shoved it straight through Rowan's heart. Rowan's eyes widened in shock as he realized he was going to die. The sword was swiftly removed, and Rowan bled out in seconds.
To his great surprise, his mind remained aware as his life seemingly ended. His heart stopped and he couldn't breathe. Immediately, he felt incredibly powerful magic activating. It burst from within him, connected to the bear talisman, and flowed through every inch of Rowan's body.
Almost instantly, his injury healed. He felt a familiar fire flowing through him and realized it was Serafine's magic. His heart began to beat again. He drew in a sharp breath and opened his eyes.
"Thanks, Sera," Rowan mumbled in relief. Even after her death, it seemed she was still protecting him.
"He instantly resurrected..." B'Darlo said in surprise. "Who are you, Boy?"
Rowan decided not to answer him. Leonorah arrived moments later. "That was Serafine's magic," she said sharply.
A small dragon flew down from the sky and hovered in front of Rowan. It was still a baby, but it was fierce, and it exhaled smoke at the warlocks in warning.
"Serafine is dead," the Witch said as she arrived with a cackle. "Dead, dead, dead! Who are you, and why is her magic protecting you?"
"I'm no one," Rowan replied, "and I don't know who Serafine is." It hurt his heart to tell that lie, but he knew he couldn't tell them the truth. If he did, the last five years would have been for nothing.
The tiny dragon exhaled more smoke. Rowan slipped into a labyrinth, taking the dragon with him. He smiled as he sat down in his sanctuary and the dragon curled up beside him.
"Good girl," he said. He noticed the dragon wore one of Serafine's talismans around her neck. It was made from the discarded bark of a rowan tree, and a widdershins spiral was carved into it.
"I think you're mine," Rowan said aloud. "Sera connected us, didn't she?"
The dragon looked into his eyes and somehow, he knew he was right. "What's your name?" He asked her.
Fia, someone whispered in his mind. He knew that was the right name.
"Thank you for coming to help me, Fia," Rowan said. "It's nice to have a friend."
In response, Fia rubbed her face against his leg before curling up and falling asleep.
Two weeks later, Rowan decided to take another chance and leave the labyrinth. This time, he had Fia with him from the start.
He spotted Zox nearby. He was running from a threat Rowan couldn't see. Perhaps he should have let the threat kill Zox, but Rowan didn't have that in him. Instead, he ran to help him.
A man with a sword was ready to sever Zox's head from his body. Rowan drew his own sword and blocked the attack. Zox stared at him in confusion.
"It is bad form to attack an unarmed opponent," Rowan scolded the assassin. Serafine, Jezzeff, and even Terridian himself had drilled the importance of good form and honor into him while they taught him to wield his sword.
"Tulpas don't care about that," Zox replied.
"He's a tulpa?" Rowan asked in surprise.
"Created by my parents to dispose of their disappointment." Zox shrugged. "They cannot even be bothered to take my life themselves."
Rowan immediately felt bad for him. "I'll help you. Follow my lead," he said.
"Why would you help me? I killed you, however briefly."
"You were following your father's orders. Perhaps you can change. Who am I to deny you that chance?"
Together, they fought against the tulpa. Between Zox's warlock magic and Rowan's sorcery, they were eventually able to destroy it.
"Thank you," Zox said a bit awkwardly. "I will not forget that you helped me today. If you are ever in need, I will return this favor. I owe you a life debt."
"No you don't. Consider me your friend," Rowan said. "Helping friends is important. You don't have to repay me."
"Friends? What nonsense." He shook his head. "My parents will surely see me dead soon anyway. I must flee before they find me."
"Here," Rowan said. He held his hands together and focused. A small bracelet appeared moments later.
"What's this?"
"It's a personal labyrinth. It will cloak your energy and, if you need it to, it will spring up around you and pull you inside, keeping you safe. Your parents won't sense your energy, so they'll believe you perished today."
Zox stared at him. "You have done much to help me, yet I am the one who tried to kill you... You are a strange boy," he said, shaking his head and laughing slightly. "What do I call you?"
"Rowan," he replied honestly. Fia gave him a look that seemed to ask, Are you kidding me? You told him your real name? Rowan shrugged at her apologetically.
"Rowan... Thank you again. Tell me... Are you related to Laby?" Zox asked.
There seemed to be little point in lying, even though Rowan suspected Trerry would disagree. "Yes," he replied, causing Fia to blow a bit of smoke at him in frustration. "Laby is my brother, but he no longer remembers me. No one does."
"You gave me a way to find safety from my parents and the other warlocks," Zox said. "I will protect your secret, Rowan."
Fia circled around Zox on the ground, sniffing him like she was trying to smell a lie. Finally, she flew into the air and perched on Rowan's shoulder.
"She's immortal, you know," Zox said. "It radiates in her energy. I work with dragons sometimes."
"So she'll never grow or breathe fire?" Rowan asked.
"Her size won't change, but she may learn to breathe fire one day. Her magic will grow even if she doesn't age."
"I have a portable dragon... I like that idea," Rowan decided.
Fia licked his face in response, causing him to laugh.
Zox shook Rowan's hand and went on his way. From that day on, whenever they managed to run into each other, they did so as friends. It was rare, but it always cheered Rowan up when it happened.
Over the millennia, Rowan moved from place to place. He learned he had a talent for picking up languages, and because he constantly moved to new locations, he was fluent in nearly every language on Earth. Fia stayed by his side at all times. He made a labyrinth just for her so she would be invisible to everyone except Rowan unless he allowed her to show herself. She generally remained perched on his shoulder or flew above him, watching for threats.
In 1974, Rowan ran into an Eltarian in Japan. Rowan often visited Japan. He'd had several homes there over time, and his ability to shapeshift made it easy to blend in with the locals. He loved sitting beneath the cherry blossom trees and meditating. The last thing he'd expected was to encounter a face from his past.
He recalled Garron from his childhood, as they'd been close in age. Gone was the sickly little boy Ash had read to while the other children were running around and playing. He had grown into a fierce warrior. Rowan only recognized his eyes, although they'd turned cold and calculating.
As the sun set over a field, Rowan watched Garron fend off a brutal attack. He had a small group of warriors with him, and together, they did a tremendous amount of damage to their opponents. Unfortunately, a child wandered into the middle of the battle.
Rowan immediately raced to her side, deflecting an attack before wrapping them both in a labyrinth. "It's okay," he reassured her in Japanese. "You're safe here."
She nodded and looked at the beautiful flowers the labyrinth surrounded her with. When he sensed it was safe, Rowan allowed the labyrinth to fade away.
"We will take her home," one of the warriors said in Japanese. "I am Kyoko, and I know her family."
Rowan looked at Fia, who seemed to trust Kyoko. "Alright," he agreed. "Keep her safe."
The warriors left, but Garron remained. "You must be related to Laby," he said. "Please, show me your true form."
Rowan hesitated, but he'd trusted Garron when they were children, so he decided to shift into his natural form.
"You feel so much like Maizza and L'Derro," he said sadly. "Did they have another son? Is it possible Laby has a brother?"
"Why do you sound so sad when you bring them up?" Rowan asked. He had to know, even if the news was bad.
"Maizza and L'Derro were extremely close friends of mine. We founded the Rebellion of Eltar together, along with two others."
"Wait... My parents started the Rebellion?" Rowan blurted out. He knew who they were because he'd seen them around Earth and occasionally overheard them discussing their plans. Too late, he realized what he'd said.
"I knew it," Garron said softly. "Why is it I don't know about you? All public records state Laby was an only child."
"I had to be hidden."
"Only Trerry could have done such a thing. I'm sorry to have to tell you this, but your parents were killed at an unarmed, peaceful protest millennia ago... Laby still lives, of course. He is one of our finest members... Please, let me help you reunite with him. He'll be ecstatic to know he still has family."
"Wait... What about Celestia?" Rowan asked.
"She was supposedly killed by her boyfriend a very long time ago. We suspect it was actually the Great Wizard."
"Keizos would never have hurt her..." Rowan's chest ached. He'd never imagined Celestia might have died. "The Great Wizard adored my cousin. Why would he kill her?"
"That is a very long story, my friend. I can tell you all about it. Come with me. Join the Rebellion, reunite with Laby, and honor what your parents built. You will not have to hide with us on your side."
Rowan hesitated. Trerry had warned him he had to stay away from Laby, but after all this time, he still wanted nothing more than to see his big brother again. He almost agreed, but Fia set the grass in front of Garron's feet on fire in warning.
Garron jumped back in surprise. Rowan decided it would be wise to listen to Fia. "I'm sorry," he said. "I can't. It isn't safe."
"As I said, we can protect you," Garron replied.
"And as Fia said, my answer is no. Have a good rest of your day, though." Rowan smiled cheerfully before vanishing into a labyrinth and escaping.
Garron never told Laby what he'd learned about his family history, a fact which would surely come back to haunt him if the truth ever came out.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: I hope you enjoyed the revelation that Laby has a brother! I intend to write a story where the truth comes out at some point. Also, Laby is currently a supporting character in my Bleach fic, Shades of Grey, which also features some other familiar faces from the Chosen Universe. Rowan is probably going to appear in that story.