Whitefield: Shattered Realms

Serenity

Chapter 20

~~ Serenity ~~

Everyone – The hunters, Peter, Marc, Kira. They were all resuscitated by the wave dispelled by Ian earlier.

The Hashimotos were the first to regain consciousness and they met with Ian. They thanked him for saving their lives, but as usual, he was modest and told them it was nothing. Though, he was shocked as to how they knew he was the one that did it, since they were unconscious at the time.

“Err… H-How did you guys know I was the one that did it?” he asked humbly whilst rubbing the back of his neck.

“Well, firstly, you were the only one standing,” Tadashi shrugged.

‘Of course. So obvious!’ Ian face palmed.

“And… We know who you truly are,” Tadashi added.

“Huh? You do?” Ian wasn’t shocked, but rather, curious. “Can you tell me more about me? Even I don’t get what an Aeon is,” he smiled, scratching the back of his neck in embarrassment.

“Yes. Of course. But… Not here…” Asuma nodded while looking around to see Peter slowly waking up. She nodded at Tadashi, who went and carried the fully healed, but unconscious Kira, in his arms.

“We have to go now,” Asuma said, walking up to her husband’s side.

Ian shifted his gaze to look at Peter, “Err… Okay. I’ll check up with you guys la--”, he turned to see that they had disappeared. “—ter.”

‘They must be ninjas,’ he couldn’t help but scoff.

“Ian? What … What are you doing here?” Peter asked, helping Marc to his feet. They were the only survivors among the D.O.D.T Agents.

“Oh.. Uh….” Ian was once again at a loss for words. He couldn’t just think of an excuse; any excuse. He chuckled sheepishly, trying his best to think of something.

At that very moment, a black Camry car drove in with full headlights and parked. Chase was the first to hop out of it.

Ian sighed and smiled. His saving grace had arrived.

“We found her! We found Avery!” was all Chase said and that was all Peter needed to hear to forget what he asked Ian.

Avery came out of the car with Mia, and ran towards her father that was already tearing up. He bent down and received her in his arms, carrying her and hugging her tightly. He just couldn’t hold it in anymore, tears started flowing down his cheeks.

He dropped her after minutes of the warm embrace and affectionate tears.

“Aww. He ain’t so bad like you always say, Ian,” Chase smiled and punched Ian on the arm.

Ian held his arm with a frown, “Ow!”

Mia only laughed.

Avery and Ian suddenly locked eyes, staring at each other like it was a competition. Then Ian blinked.

“Ha! You blinked! You loose again!” Avery giggled, pointing at Ian, who chuckled sheepishly.

“Oh, come here…” he urged for Avery to come and she dashed into his arms, and the half-siblings hugged in love.

Ian let go and held her hand, strolling towards Mia’s car.

“Mum would be so excited to see you.”

~

Jocelyn was seated by the dining table, her head rested on the table as she slept calmly. She had been seated there ever since they left and was waiting, waiting and waiting patiently for them to return with her daughter. It wasn’t until recently, that she felt this sense of serenity, that she slept off. Her motherly love was so strong she could feel when her daughter was safe – when Chase and Mia rescued her.

Knock! Knock!

She jolted away from her slumber when she heard the knock on the door.

She remained still for a moment, then rallied to her feet and rushed towards the door. She opened it immediately and she saw Peter and Ian side by side, at the door.

“W-Where’s she?” Jocelyn asked with tears welling up in her eyes.

They didn’t find her?

Were they too late?

Is she dead?

As the negative thoughts ran through her mind, Peter and Ian smiled at each other, before moving away from the door. Little Avery walked forward and she looked up to her mother.

“Mum?” her light voice permeated the air and sang in Jocelyn’s ears.

Jocelyn’s eyes dilated, her jaw dropped and she covered her mouth with her hands.

“Avery? Avery!” she yelled and dropped to her knees, tears flowing down her eyes like a waterfall. Avery smiled and wrapped her hands around her mum’s neck, giving her a warm embrace.

“Avery, my little angel,” Jocelyn sobbed, hugging her daughter tightly and they remained there for minutes.

“Okay, now your mum is just being overly dramatic,” Peter joked to ease the moody atmosphere.

“Heh…” Ian scoffed. “Yeah, this might take a while.”

“We don’t have a while. It’s late already,” Peter walked forward and urged the ladies to get inside.

“Uhm… I’ll be right back. Gotta… See Chase off!” Ian stammered and ran off before he got a reply.

“But Chase has gone home already Peter rolled his eyes and closed the door.

~

Ian took his bike and rode himself to Kira’s house. He met with her parents and they had a brief but informative conversation. They talked about how they knew what an Aeon was. They had been told tales, that were passed down from generation to generation, about a place called Dhemistaria. They told him a lot of things he didn’t fully comprehend, but was happy to know that he wasn’t just some weirdo with no definite origin.

He excused himself and went upstairs to meet Kira, who had just woken up. She was clad in an oversized top and pick shorts. Her black hair was a little scattered. She smiled when she saw Ian walk in.

He nodded and joined to her on her bed. Both of them sat at the bed’s edge, staring out the window to the starless moonlit sky.

“So… You’re a hunter,” Ian spoke first.

“So… You’re an Aeon,” Kira said and they both laughed.

“I’m sorry for not telling you though,” Kira apologized with her usual timid voice.

“Whaaaat? No. I should be the one apologizing, for hiding something as big as being an Aeon, away from you,” Ian replied. “Whatever that means.”

Kira smiled and shook her head, “And there’s that modest talk again.”

Ian chuckled, “I just can’t help it.”

Silence ruled the atmosphere, they kept staring at the night sky without saying a word. Kira turned her head to look at Ian, who was engrossed in his view. She smiled and looked away.

“You know, being an Aeon is a really big deal in my family,” she started.

“Huh?” Ian retracted his gaze from the window and looked at her.

She coughed, “I don’t think my parents told you everything. It is said that the Hashimoto bloodline, the first person in the family, also called the primordial ancestor, came from the otherworldly land, Dhemistaria. That’s why we know so much about it and that a child would be found on earth with an essence of the King.”

“Oh wow,” Ian scoffed.

“Yes. You’re a lucky one aren’t you?” Kira smiled.

“I guess I am,” Ian smiled nervously.

Then they returned to stare at the sky for no reason. Another round of silence descended. Ian felt really nervous. Kira broke the first silence, it was his turn to do something. But as an introvert, he was really poor at bringing up conversation topics.

Then he remembered something. Their project; they had just finished it earlier today. Trying it out now was the perfect distraction for the building up awkward atmosphere.

He cleared his throat, “What do you say we try out the living light?”

Kira shrugged, “Okay.”

Ian stood up, she also stood, but he urged her to sit down and she did. He walked over to the edge of the room and knelt before a device that was as big as a truck’s battery. He clicked a few buttons and turned to Kira.

“Please kill the lights.”

“Oh…” she said, jumping off the bed and skipped to the wall where the light switch was. She turned off the lights and the room was immediately shrouded in darkness.

Ding!

A bell-like sound resonated across the room.

One.. Two.. Three… Thousands of light specs flew out of the machine and engulfed the whole room. Each of them were as tiny as an ant and glowed light green, giving the room lumination and an ambience of life, warmth and love. It was resplendently beautiful.

Ian and Kira marveled at what they made. They didn’t even know when they sat back on the bed. Their eyes were lost in the heartwarming light show.

“It’s beautiful,” Kira muttered with joy.

“Yeah. Like you,” Ian turned his head at her.

‘Crap! Did I just say that!? … Oof… Whatever! It’s too late to go back,’ Ian retorted inwardly.

Both of them looked at each other in the eyes and couldn’t take their eyes off each other again. Ian was lost in her peculiar black eyes, which was now dotted with green glowing dots. She appeared more beautiful than he had ever seen. At this point, he concluded there was no other lady as beautiful as Kira in the whole world. No one!

And slowly, their faces drew closer and closer till they could feel each other’s breaths. Ian parted his lips open and felt Kira’s lips lock with them. The first contact was warm, her lips were soft. Their lips moved on their own and they engaged in a passionate kiss.

The feeling was mutual, tingling, warm, sweet and felt like it should last forever. This was Ian’s first kiss, likewise Kira’s, and they were glad they had to do it first with each other.

They continued in the passionate moment, the green dotted lights shining warmly around them.

~

That same night….

Ian was seated on his bed, shirtless and smiling. He just had the best moment of his life with Kira, and was missing her already.

When he got home, his mum, Avery and Peter, welcomed him with a birthday surprise. He almost shed tears, today was his 18th birthday – October 5th. His mum was the only one to have congratulated him this morning. Peter left early for work and Avery chose to act ignorant so as to surprise him tonight.

Ian was glad and his lips curved up to form a genuine smile. He was happy that they were all here to celebrate such an occasion as a complete family. He was happy Avery was here and well.

They sang, cut the cake, watched a family movie before going to bed.

Later that night, his mum came into his room and sat with him. She had her head dropped and her palms covered her face.

Ian stood up from the bed and sat beside her, “Mum… Is something bothering you?”

She didn’t give an answer. She just sighed instead.

He looked at her with narrowed eyes, “Don’t worry. What happened to Avery won’t--”

His mum cut in, “Yes, I know. We are safe now. It’s just, I really wish you knew your father before he passed. He died when you were so young…”

Ian placed his palm on her shoulder and sighed, “Come on, mum. Like I told you this morning, it’s fine. I’m cool with it. I mean, I don’t even remember what he looks like, so what’s there to brood about?”

He heard her scoff. She raised her head and looked at him with a smile, “You really are a man now.”

Ian scoffed, “Yep. I’m an adult and I’ll live by my own rules!”

His mum chuckled and shook her head, “Yeah… Your own rules? Not under my roof, young man.”

Ian just smiled it off, saying he was happy that she was still here and preferred her.

Ian thanked her, they hugged and she left.

Going through what happened today, Ian was exhausted, turned off the lights and he laid on his bed, the pendant in his hand.

‘I’d like to know more about my origin. Who my father was? Where was he from?

‘I wish… to… Maybe kn2owabout Dhemistaria? Maybe in my dreams or something…’

He dosed off while thinking of what to wish for.

The blue crescent moon shone at it’s peak upon the town, fingers of its blue light peeked into Ian’s room through the window….

And the multicolored pendant in his hand glowed.