Dark Clan
Four years after (Ranger)
Sia, my younger sister, held her duel blades out and threw herself into the next sequence called out by the clan teacher and Sia's personal trainer. Sia was a prodigy with elemental swords, having twice the magic and skill of most, but she never felt like one. She felt as though she didn't have the talent to gain such attention. That's why she requested help from Sable after classes, why she forced herself to train harder than most.
I found myself admiring her efforts and enjoyed watching her progress. She was always striving to better herself, but I wished she would take a break every once in a while.
Nyx, my closest friend, probably my only one honestly, had decided to join us today, wanting to get a moment away from her badgering grandfather. "Nila and Merle have refined their curses, and Ott came into his power yesterday."
"What power has he inherited?" I asked, curious about her youngest cousin, who was also the youngest member at eleven years old.
"Possession, like mine. He was so sure of getting blood like his father." She grinned, "He was sulking at dinner last night."
"I bet. He wants to be a strong fighter like his father."
"He will be. He'll just have a different ability." Nyx said, frowning.
I gave her a cheerful pat on the shoulder. "Don't worry about it. With you mentoring him, it'll all work out. You are mentoring him, correct?" I asked, returning my gaze to my sister's exhausted form.
I could feel her eyes glaring at the side of my face. "Of course. Mother has already given me permission."
I laughed. "So there you go. Everything is going to be fine."
Before more could be said there was a knock at the door, which surprised me and the others. Our father saw to it personally that no one interrupted Sia's sessions. I left the three to answer the door, finding three men. The one that had a fist poised to knock again, gave me a calculating look. He was my father's assistant and Nyx's grandfather, Nigel. Accompanying him was my father's bodyguards Kyran and Smith. Kyran, who was usually hard to read, looked worn and weary.
Nigel, with his uppity attitude, entered without a word. The others stayed in the hall. Sable was sitting and chatting with Sia when she noticed a disturbance in the room. She rose abruptly and looked at her father-in-law with little patience. "What's the meaning of this? This area is off limits."
He sniffed, as if not enjoying himself by being in her presence, disdain in his eyes. "Dante sent me to fetch his daughter."
Seeing that our leader sent him, Sable could do nothing, but step aside. Sia followed him out the door with the other two following close behind. Before leaving she shot me a worried glance. I gave her an encouraging smile, but she seemed to see through my false confidence. She was always so perceptive about such things. The men escorted her down the hall and disappeared around the corner.
I wondered why so many people were sent for a simple retrieve. I sent Sable and Nyx home for the day before catching up to the others. "Why the hurry Smith?" I asked the tall and lanky bodyguard when I was in reach.
He answered swiftly, not hesitating his stride. "Dante didn't say. You weren't called Ranger." His tone carried a warning.
"It doesn't matter whether I was called or not. If it concerns my sister then I'm coming along." I stated, determined to stand my ground.
He shrugged, either not daring to contradict me or caring enough to. Instead of turning to our home like I expected, we kept walking to the Dark Hall. I was uncertain why. I knew that my father had finished his work for the day.
After climbing the stairs into the building, Nigel herded Sia straight into the Ritual Room. Kyran and Smith joined as well, leaving a non-family member to guard the door. Sia, seeing that I was being barred from the room, started to panic. Nigel roughly pushed her on wards, causing me to rush forward. The door however, was slammed shut and the guard posted himself against it.
"You can't go in." The guard spoke carefully, not used to telling a member of the head family no. "Sir," He added.
"I can see that. Why not?" I asked, about ready to shove the man aside.
"Dante didn't call on you." He answered apologetically.
"Once again I ask, why not?"
"I don't know sir."
I hit the wall in frustration. He stayed in the same frigid position, but his eyes turned fearful. I calmed myself, knowing that he was only following my father's orders. Colby, Dante's second, and Sam, the clan's security leader, came up behind me ordering to be let in.
He stepped aside for the two, glancing sheepishly my way. Now I knew that my father didn't want me specifically, to be in there. Possibly because I would stop whatever was happening in there.
After almost an hour Sable joined by Kiara, a member of the head family, came by to see what was happening. "I don't know yet." I answered.
"Tell me all you do know, Ranger." I turned to see Du, Kiara's husband. I did my best to explain. After taking in my words he moved the guard aside like nothing. He protested as we all made our way into the chamber.
The room was dark, lit by only several candles. Kyran, Colby, Sam, and Smith turned in surprise by our sudden appearance. Nigel, at the center of the surrounding candles, was performing some ritual with Sia the main component. Seeing her in pain fueled the anger inside of me. Du grabbed my shoulder however, dousing the flames.
"Your mother is hurt, go to her." He pointed in the shadows toward the back. I could barely tell, but I eventually saw my mother slumped against the wall. "I'll talk with Kyran."
I nodded absent-mindedly and rushed to my mother's side, almost slipping on a puddle in the process, using my hands to keep myself upright. She didn't react to my touch when I made it to her. Worried I checked for a pulse, smearing what I then realized blood from my hands. I held back a cry and turned to see the blood trail starting from where Sia was now positioned. I bowed my head over hers as the other's voices drifted my way.
"What the hell is going on here?" Du questioned
"He's taking Sia's magic and transferring it to Dante." Kyran answered, regret in his soft tone.
"Make this stop Smith, he's hurting her." Sable demanded her husband.
"Do you think I want this?" Smith shouted at her in disbelief. "Dante insists that it is for the good of the clan."
"How is harming a young girl good for the clan, who's benefiting from this?" Dante asked, disgust and rage in his coarse tone.
I missed the reply, hearing my sister scream out in pain. I looked up to see Nigel drain the entirety of Sia's essence and push it into Dante. Du, followed by the women, started forward only to be blocked by Kyran and Sam.
"It's already done. Go back to your homes and cease this at once." Colby demanded.
I gradually brought myself up. Du's eyes met mine from across the room and I could tell he understood that she was gone. With everyone focused each other I managed to get to my father easily and tackle him to the ground. I recovered quickly from the fall to get a punch in before someone pulled me away.
Dante, with the help from Smith, stood and rubbed his jaw. He smiled as I struggled against Kyran's arms. Nigel straightened from his book and wiped sweat from his brow. "The ritual is complete sir."
Dante stared at his palms, moving his fingers in a rhythmic motion. They lit up after the third try. "I can feel the difference now. She had more talent than I had first thought."
Kyran let me go when realizing that I had quit fighting. I sagged to the ground in defeat. "Why would you do this?" I rasped.
He answered cooly. "I need this power to take out the Life Clan. Once they are dealt with I will explain the next phase."
"What the hell are you talking about? We're at peace, why would we jeopardize that?" I asked, confused as to why mother was killed for this lunacy. Why my sister was as well.
"Your sister is still alive. And as for this peace you talk of, it's only temporary." I must've said my last thoughts out loud as he explained himself.
I look to her crumpled form to see her in fact breathing, now whispering to herself. Dante followed my gaze and frowned. "We didn't foresee this part. Layla did the same. I was hoping since Sia was more powerful that she would prove different."
"Did what, what's happened?" I dreaded the answer as I asked.
"Once separated from their magic, mages seem to lose a focal point of themselves. Nigel tells me there is no reversal." He had the nerve to look shameful for once.
"Why," I started, seething with anger and rising up from the ground. "would you do this to Sia after learning this with mom?"
He gave me a cold glare. "Watch your tone boy."
"You should answer the boy's question." Du demanded with little respect.
Dante's gaze slowly left mine to look at Du and simply stated, "I needed the power."
Sia chose that moment to start crying and shouting gibberish. He shook his head. "Whoever she was before, know that that part of her is dead now." He closed his eyes tight, as if in pain. "Yet I can not bring myself to help her when she needs me the most."
I let out a harsh laugh. "You should've thought of that before continuing this mad plan."
His eyes opened into dangerous slits. "Son, if you are truly loyal to the clan, loyal to your sister, you will end her suffering."
I gape at him in surprise. "How can you order this? We can search for a way to find her sanity. There's no need to take such drastic measures."
He shook his head. "No. She's no use to me in such a state and I can't have you distracted in the times to come. Face your duty headstrong my son."
I looked at my sister, noticing her silence. She was sitting up, staring at me with her large green eyes. I made my decision then. Dante's red eyes narrowed, noting the change. "Very well. Kyran, kill them both. I have no use for a son that can't follow orders."
Kyran stared at him in shock. "There must be another way cousin. They're your children."
He frowned. "That's debatable. Don't forget your oath to me, this is not the time to question me." Kyran hesitated. "If you can't then I'll have Smith do it." Dante insisted.
Smith cringed, not wanting to do such deed. Kyran grimaced then sighed, resigned to his duty. I backed away quickly, drawing my bow out. Du, not accepting such crime to happen, attacks both Colby and Sam with Sable and Kiara backing him. I pulled my bowstring back, aiming for my father.
Smith however, jumps in the way, getting hit in his left shoulder. Where the arrow found it's mark, ice formed locking his arm in place. He shouted in pain and tried to pull the shaft out only to find it embedding further into his skin, ice spreading down his arm.
Kyran knew that his curses couldn't affect me, considering that we were family, so he drew his trusted sword from his sheathe. I'm not built for close combat, but I knew enough to dodge his strikes. Wasn't too hard as I could tell that he was holding back. I kicked at his leg, knowing he would retreat giving me enough time to gather an arrow, charge it with electricity, then shoot. Kyran gave me a nod of approval before collapsing in pain.
I rushed to grab Sia and cursed when seeing Nigel in my way. He sneered, daring for me to try and attack him head on. I knew how his magic worked. All he needed was for his opponent to scrape past, then he could do anything he wanted.
But before there could be any action made on our parts, Nigel's eyes rolled back as he dropped to the floor, knocked out by none other than Sable. "Now hurry." She motioned for me to move.
I bent over Sia. She glanced up, recognition flickering in her eyes. "Brother? Where am I?"
I caressed her cheek, quieting her. "I'm getting you someplace safe." I picked her up gently.
"Son!" I froze. As did everyone in the room. "Give her over to me and I'll forgive your actions."
I looked around the room. Smith half frozen, Kyran paralyzed, Nigel knocked out, and Du, Kiara, and Sable handling Sam and Colby evenly. Dante lost and was now trying to patch things up before it really got out of his hands. Shaking my head, he shouted obscenities as I fled with Sia in my arms.
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