Liam stared at Brina for a while, his mind filled with thoughts that forced him to want to ask a lot of questions.
“She stabbed me with this, and it penetrated my skin, but I didn't see any blood.” He showed the golden dagger to Brina who chuckled with her hands clasped together in front of her. “With the Amulet with you, you are invincible, and no weapon can be able to kill you. You now have some of the immortal abilities of Lord Phaunos, and you will get the rest when you come to full mastery and control of the Amulet.” Liam stared at the dagger for a while before turning his gaze to the Amulet, particularly the green pearl which dazzled, and with every hum it made, Liam felt an electric energy, surging into him. It also felt like he could feel the power of the pearl. “If I am invincible just like Lord Phaunos, why then did this dagger pierce through my skin?” Liam lifted the golden dagger higher than it was with so much inquisition on his face. “That is no ordinary dagger, Emrys. That is one of the greatest weapons of the gods, forged with the breath of the first dragon by the dwarves, the greatest blacksmiths of all time. The dagger was able to pierce through you because you have yet to reach the full potency of your powers.” Brina explained with a graceful smile on her face, looking at the dagger in Liam’s hand. “So are you saying that the dagger wouldn't have pierced my skin if I had gotten to the full potency of my powers?” “Yes, Emrys, that is true. The golden dagger was a gift from Circe’s father to be able to protect her from any form of attack, and also help her get across to the spirit world. It has the power to open portals and also kills both the flesh and soul of mortals. You must be careful with it.” “Oh,” Liam slowly brought down the dagger and held it with both hands while being careful not to let it cut him. “Now that you have the pearl, it is time, Emrys.” Brina began to walk toward the river slowly, while Liam watched her from behind. “Time for what?” Liam followed her almost immediately, walking faster to be able to catch up with her. “Time for you to return to the Human world, and fulfill your destiny. You must hurry, for there is no time. The forest suffers great doom, and the darkness continues to take over with each passing moment.” “But everywhere looks perfect. The land is green, and the river is filled with a lot of fish, even the birds seem happy.” Liam looked around and nodded as he confirmed his words. “You look with the physical eyes, Emrys. You must learn to look beyond the things that can be seen.” Brina turned slowly, and motioned her right hand across Liam’s face, causing him to see a vision. Liam gasped as he saw the darkness that came upon the forest and the dark fire that burned through the habitant lands, chasing the creatures of the forest into hiding. He could see the dark creatures that had risen, attacking the fairies and the unicorns, and his eyes widened as he saw more within a flash. “Is that…?” “Yes, Emrys. That would be the fate of Humans if you do not act fast. The dark Lord grows stronger and is in search of the elementals. You must find them before he lays his hands on any of them.” “Elementals?” “Yes, Emrys. Long ago, when Humans and Spirits dwelt together in harmony in the forest. The Divine handed over six stones to six of his chosen heirs, each holding the strength of the universe.” Brina motioned her hands, and Liam saw a vision of her story. “The stones were very precious to both Humans and Spirits, and had unimaginable powers. But one of the heirs got greedy and wanted all the stones for himself. He raised an army of humans and tried to steal the stones from the others, but together, they defeated him and cast him into the ancient dungeon. He has risen and seeks to get the stones.” “Darius?” Liam whispered, and Brina affirmed his uncertainty with a nod. “How do I get these stones? I don't even know what they look like.” Liam expressed a little worry on his face, but Brina maintained her graceful smile. “Lord Phaunos was one of the heirs and the most powerful of them all. With his stone, you will be able to locate the others, and I will be with you to guide you through your journey.” Liam remained silent for a while, unsure of the right words to say, and when he finally made up his mind, he took in a deep breath which he let out slowly. “How do I go back?” He sighed heavily, ready to embark on another adventure as a sudden bravery consumed the timidity which he was used to. “You must start from where it all began, from the place where your mortal life was taken.” “Hilton College?” Liam widened his eyes in disbelief, and the guardian only responded with a nod. A sudden quest for vengeance surged through his veins like blood steaming through his body, and with clutched fists, he was determined to seek requital for all the things he went through. “I see the rage you harbor in your heart, Emrys, and you will get your revenge in due time.” Brina nodded without letting go of her smile, and then she sighed heavily before she continued. “One more thing, Emrys. You must find the missing princess of the forest, Alyssa. She escaped during the attack and resides on Earth alongside Humans.” “A princess? How am I supposed to find her?” “You will know when you see her, Emrys.” Brina nodded, leaving Liam a bit more confused than he already was. “It’s time to return, Emrys. Remember, no one must know of your true identity, as the dark Lord is aware of the prophecy that foretold your rebirth. You must be very careful of the people around you, and safeguard the Amulet for without it you are powerless.” Brina emphasized the need to safeguard the Amulet, and while Liam was still engrossed in deep thinking, she motioned her hands in the air, and a portal bordered by white rays appeared before them. “Go, Emrys. I will see you on the other side.” Liam took one final look at her before he slowly walked through the portal which floated in the air amidst the vibrating sounds that it made. A bright blinding light shined in front of Liam, causing him to shut his eyes at once, and when he opened them, the sight of the familiar buildings stood in front of him. “Hilton College?” He began to walk toward the administrative building where the Dean’s office was located, after he had hidden the golden dagger in his cloak. “Hide your Amulet as well, Emrys.” The voice whispered to him, and he turned severally, yet he saw no one. “Are you inside my head?” He inquired as he concealed the Amulet inside his outfit, and continued walking. “You must pick up a new identity to be able to carry out the rest of your tasks. No one must know who you are, Emrys. There are so many secrets hidden around you that you will soon discover.” Liam continued walking toward the building in front of him, and just when he was about to climb the stairs, he heard voices that said things of deep interest. “It was a pity what happened to Liam Robinson.” Said a female voice behind the building, and when Liam looked, all he could see was the back of a female shoe. “Why would he take his own life over a girl? Larry even tried to stop him, but he still jumped from the building.” The second voice said, and the girls walked away. “That fool!” Liam clutched his fists in anger and grunted in deep rage, determined to get his pound of flesh!“Focus,” Brina called him back from his drift, and he unclenched his fists before he continued ascending the stairs with his eyes scouring the corners of the building as he went up. “Wait, hold on.” Liam was forced to stop as soon as an occurrence came to his mind, and he thought about it for a few seconds before he voiced out. “How am I supposed to get into the school? I will need to pay my fees, and even probably get to write an application before getting in.” “You worry too much, Emrys. All of that has been taken care of. All you need to do is to go in there and make sure that you come out as a college student just like you were.” Brina assured with a firm tone, clearing some of the uncertainties that Liam had in his mind. “I really hope this is a good idea.” Liam sighed heavily before he continued walking through the corridor that led to the Dean’s office. He continued through the path for a while until he arrived at the brown door by his right with the label of Dean’s o
Liam stood frozen while he watched the car move toward him at a moderate speed. He had several thoughts running through his mind as he looked at Pamela kissing Larry on the cheek while the car moved toward him. Dan was seated in the backseat of the car, going through his phone with full attention. “Emrys…” Brina called out to him, but he stood firm almost in the middle of the road looking at the people who were responsible for his death as they approached from a distance, looking as though nothing had happened. “Emrys? I think you should leave the way.” Brina called out to Liam again, but his anger had engulfed him, almost keeping him stagnant in a place. Soon, the car got really close to him, but he was still standing while Larry was more focused on the public show of affection he was displaying with Pamela who eventually looked through the windshield to see that someone was standing in front of them. “Larry! Watch out!” Pamela gasped, hitting Larry on the left shoulder to
Liam continued looking at the three companions as they got into the car and zoomed off at once without turning around to look at him. It was obvious that he had succeeded in making them really nervous, something that no one in the school had been able to do. “How do you feel? Relieved?” Brina’s voice called Liam back to reality, causing him to sigh heavily in an attempt to get rid of some of the anger that was still surging through his veins. “No, I am not. I will be when I eventually make them pay.” “I am sure you will make them pay in due time. For now, can we focus on going to the sta…What was it you called it again?” “Parking lot…” “Yes! The parking lot. Go to the parking lot, someone is there waiting for you.” Liam sighed again, and then he turned around slowly and started to walk toward the parking lot, struggling to get rid of the anger that engulfed him entirely. He got to the parking lot in less than five minutes, and then he scoured the entire place in anticipa
The cars drove through the avenue that led to the modern Castle that stood in the middle of the last land surrounded by beautiful gardens, and a tall water fountain flowing in front of it. Liam marveled at the sight before him, and he couldn't get his eyes off the tall building that had huge windows positioned at several corners of it. The Castle stood tall like a mountain, and the magnitude of its size was enough to tell that it had stood firm for a very long time. “What is this place?” “This is your new home, Emrys. As the heir of the divine, you deserve to stay in a place meant for kings. You are a great warrior, and you should be treated like one.” Brina responded almost immediately while Liam kept his eyes on the castle that drew closer with every passing second as the cars drove toward it. Eventually, they parked in front of the Castle, and one of the guards who alighted from the car in front quickly rushed in and opened the backseat for Liam who got down slowly. Just
Brina looked at herself for a while, and when she realized that she looked really nice in the outfit she had on, she snapped her fingers and changed instantly into a different outfit. “How is this?” She looked at Liam who nodded almost immediately while his smile remained unpaired. “How do they walk in these?” Brina felt the discomfort on her feet as she stood with the two long heels she was putting on. She attempted to walk toward Liam, but she eventually had to stop after struggling with about three steps. “You will eventually get used to it,” Liam said, but before he could think of something else to say, Brina changed into her white dress which Liam had seen her with during their first encounter. “I think I am better with this.” She sighed slightly, and without letting go of her smile, she looked at Liam’s outfit which she was certain needed to be discarded. “I think you should change into something else, Emrys. You don not want to be the reason why many people are forced
Almost startled by her presence, Liam turned to look at Brina who had had her gracious smile intact and admired him from a short distance. “I think we might need to do something about that.” Brina pointed to the amulet that bulged up from inside his suit, and then she walked up to Liam who was curious to know what she was up to. “Let’s see…” Brina moved her head backward a bit and after she had observed the amulet for a while, she snapped her fingers, and it changed into a silver necklace with a small pendant that was shaped like an ace. “There… I think that’s better.” She nodded in satisfaction while Liam felt the weight of the amulet lessen and was forced to reach out to the inside of his cream shirt. “What?” He said softly as he pulled out the necklace, and looked at it with his eye widened. “You like?” Brina inquired with an anticipatory smile, but Liam’s countenance gave way to a gloom that appeared a few seconds later. Realizing that he was saddened by the memories t
Brina sat down beside Liam who slept peacefully until the next morning with a smile that showed how peaceful his sleep night was. “Emrys! Wake up!” Her loud whisper resonated in Liam’s ears, causing him to grunt as he turned to the other side with his eyes still closed, and his arms widely spread across the bed. “Emrys! Wake up!” Brina tapped Liam on the forehead, and he opened his eyes instantly, groaning as he turned to his right. “I had the most amazing dream last night. I wish it could come to pass.” Liam said with a weak tone, and then he turned to the other side of the bed, yawning with his eyes closed. “Whoa!” He almost jumped out of the bed as soon as he saw Brina seated on the bed with a smile on her face. “Good Morning, Emrys. I can see that you slept well.” “It wasn't a dream?” Liam wiped his eyes with both hands and when he was done, he blinked severally to be sure he wasn't hallucinating. “You are real.” He slowly touched Brina who chuckled softly while look
Liam got into the white Bugatti as soon as the Chauffeur opened the door for him, and they drove straight to Hilton’s college, moving through the avenue that led to the students’ parking lot until Andy parked the car, and alighted at once to get the door for Liam who was at the back seat. At that point, the attraction of all the students who were in and around the parking lot marveled at the sight of the exotic car that they had not seen before on the school premises. Sights of admiration were gazed at Liam as he stepped out of the car, and adjusted his clothes with a confident smile on her face. Coincidentally, Larry was also at the park with Pamela and Dan, and his spotlight was stolen from him as everyone who usually wanted a photo of him or just wanted to say hi including the ladies changed their focus to Liam whose entire appearance was both intriguing and catchy. “Who the hell is that?” Larry’s eyes stared curiously at Liam who was surrounded by almost all the students in
The three of them looked ahead, attempting to see what was ahead of them, but there was nothing, not even a shadow.“Whatever that was, it doesn’t sound friendly all all.” Mr. Gary said with a shaky voice, struggling to get a grip on himself just like Maya who hurried to stand behind Liam. “Stay close, guys. Whatever that was, it senses us as threats, and I am sure it’s going to come out from wherever it is.” Liam said calmly, looking ahead while the others stood behind him. The growl came back again, accompanied by louder echoes that reverberated from several corners of the dungeon. They could hear the sound of chains rattling from some of the dungeons, but that was the least of their troubles. As soon as the echoes from the growl went silent, the sound of heavy tromping on the hard floor followed suit, causing more tension in the bodies while they kept their shaky eyes staring in its direction. Taking in a deep breath, Liam exhaled some of the tension inside him while he he
After almost an hour of driving on the road, they eventually arrived at their destination and alighted from the car before heading down the hill that led to the sea. The hill was located on the outskirts of the city, a place where anyone hardly came, and they could hear the sound of birds and crickets chirping from a distance, and owls hooting from the top of the trees where they nestled. Darkness was already upon them, and even though Maya was afraid that she could fall from the hill as they climbed down, the thought of Liam being close to her made her continue. “That’s the sea over there, Lord Emrys!” Mr. Gary pointed as soon as he saw the sea, still surging under the effects of the wind, cascading from one point to the other while the three of them moved to it, eager to accomplish their mission.Standing in front of the sea, Liam and Maya looked at Mr. Gary who was the only one who knew what next to do, but the look on his face showed that he was struggling with a strange fe
Liam left the Castle as soon as he was well-rested. He headed to the Tavern, hoping that Mr. Gary was back from his travel while he sauntered into the building, ignoring the eyes that stared at him with keen attention. “That’s him! That’s the one I told you about! Strange isn’t he? He walks silently, yet his strength is as noisy as the turbulence of the sea.” One of the old men who recognized Liam whispered to his friend who was not present at the tavern the previous night. Some of the other men in the tavern who recognized him cringed with a little tension, flashes of the memories from the previous night couldn’t leave their minds. They had always been afraid of the assailants who tried to take advantage of the fact that Mr. Gary was not around, and the fact that Liam single-handedly beat them to a pulp made them very wary of him. Some of them adjusted themselves quickly, hoping not to offend him for any reason. Even the stares from his orbs were enough to send jitters down their
Liam was gradually becoming very impatient with Reggie, but he tried as much as he could to remain calm. “Reggie?” “Yes! Jack! He had an emergency, and he had to leave! Yes, that’s what happened!” Reggie chuckled again to cover his nervousness. “He had an emergency? What type of emergency?”“Erm? He…He.” Reggie stuttered, and more sweatballs streamed down his face while he searched for the right answer to give to Liam. “His mum sent him on an errand! Yes! An errand…” Reggie nodded to affirm his words while he continued to avoid eye contact with Liam who nodded slowly. “It’s fine,” Liam said with a low tone, and then he looked at the others who quickly withdrew their gazes from him at once, pretending to be talking about something else. “Yeah! He should be home now, probably with his mum. You should check his house.” “Alright. Thank you, Reggie.” Liam waved at Reggie with a smile on his face, and then he turned slowly and walked back to his car. Sitting silently, Liam
Liam saw that the old lady was gradually becoming very apprehensive, and he looked for a means to get her to calm down. He forced a smile on his face, but that still wasn’t enough to get her to calm down. “Where is Noah? What happened to him?”“I need you to calm down, Miss Thompson. Noah is safe, he is probably out there someone on one of his jobs.” “I don’t believe that! Noah would never go anywhere without telling me!” The old lady stood up from her seat at once and struggled to walk toward Liam who hurriedly grabbed her when he noticed that she was about to stagger. “What happened to Noah? Tell me! He said he was going to a party with you last night!” She looked into Liam’s eyes, making him look away at once, cringed by a little guilt. “Please, have a seat, Miss Thompson. I promise to tell you everything that happened.” Liam gently led the old lady back to her seat. He removed the wool, the scissors, and the knitting needle from the chair before he made sure she was comfo
Waking up the next morning, Liam couldn’t stop thinking about his encounter with Maya and the little children who reminded him so much about himself. Growing up in the orphanage was too tough for him, and he had to struggle his way to be able to put himself in school, moving from one job to the other in order to make a living. He couldn’t have much for breakfast and even the Chauffeur noticed that he was unusually quiet throughout the ride from the castle down to Hilton’s college. “We are here, Lord Emrys,” Andy said calmly after turning to look at Liam who was still lost in thought. He had been staring at him through the rearview mirror, wondering what had kept him thinking for such a long time. “Thank you, Andy. I will see you after school.” Liam got out of the car and shut the door at once before he walked away while the Chauffeur watched him for a few seconds before he drove out of the school premises. Liam expected to see Noah who usually waited for him in front of the
Liam watched the children with keen attention, and he couldn’t get rid of the nostalgic feeling that crept into his body, making him smile even without knowing it. He watched as some of them grabbed Maya’s hands and her clothes, and led her toward the only couch inside the house. “Maya! We made some cupcakes for you!”“Oh! Really?” Maya chuckled, looking at the children who seemed very excited about the words from the teenage boy who opened the door. He was the oldest among them and was obviously the leader. “I will be right back!” He ran off at once and returned a few seconds later with a plastic plate that contained two pieces of cupcakes. “We knew that you would be very exhausted and hungry by the time you get back, and we decided to make this for you.” He handed the plate over to Maya who laughed pleasantly. “Oh, Dave! This is lovely! That’s so sweet of you! All of you!” Maya looked at the cupcakes with a smile on her face while the children watched her keenly. The c
Maya wanted to believe the words she heard from Liam, but she couldn’t get over the fact that he didn’t get hurt by Raph’s dagger. “Maya? Don’t be scared, okay? I am not going to hurt you, I promise.” Liam reassured her again and waited patiently until she eventually decided to listen to him. After a few seconds of struggling with the conflict in her nerves, Maya sighed heavily, and then she managed to get a grip on herself. “I will listen to you only if you explain everything to me. You are going to tell me how you were able to do that.” Maya said nervously, looking at Liam who nodded after a few seconds. “I agree, I will tell you everything you need to know. Can we go somewhere private and talk?” Liam said when he realized that everyone was staring at him without any plans of looking away any time soon. “Just give me a few minutes.” Maya retorted almost immediately, and then she walked back to the counter to put things in order before leading Liam to the back where they sa
The man who Maya punched was so furious that he growled angrily, and leaned forward over the counter to grab her. “That’s not a good way to treat a lady, don’t you think so?” Liam was on time to pull the man backward with his left hand while he put a smile on his face. “Who the hell are you? Get your hands off me!” The man grunted angrily, glaring at Liam who lifted his hands slowly without letting go of his smile. “I am just her friend. I am not here for any kind of trouble, okay? I am just here to see Mr. Gary.” Liam looked at the five men surrounding him, and it was obvious that he had succeeded in pissing them off. He took two steps backward while his hands were still in the air, but they moved closer to him, making sure that he didn’t have any space to escape. Maya was relieved that her assailants had moved away from her, but she was worried that Liam was not going to be able to defend himself against the five of them. “You made a terrible mistake coming here, boy! Mr.