Arieon Flare

“Did you know?” Ashton asks as she shuts the door behind her. By the way she fidgets with her hair, I can tell she is thinking about the wanderer, Neo again. Her ex-lover was executed for treason, not the best way to break up I presume. She will not talk to me about him to this day.

This time our rooms are side by side, perhaps Leona pulled some strings. She is Colonel Agnor’s daughter. There is not even anything similar in them, except maybe their hair and their eyes. Ash idles with her flames forming father’s crown, floating in the air. It was one of the first tricks we learned while using our powers. I have to concentrate to form mother’s crown beside it. I have not gotten much practice these days.

“Nope.” I say, struggling to keep my voice even. Using my powers exhausts me like nothing else. Ashton lets the flaming fake crown wither and die as she notices my discomfort, allowing me to do the same. “Does it matter though?”

Ashton blinks at me like she is looking at me for the first time. “Are you kidding? Her father killed our family. Imagine how easy it is to avenge them. As for your little crush, I hope you have not forgotten you are engaged to Mel.” Lady Melody! I have not thought about her once in the past few days. 

I do not answer. Instead, I inspect the shelf beside my bed. It is sightly burnt at the ends. Weird… The air here is warmer, I can feel a strange wave of heal pass over me that is not my own or my sister's.

I have never been at the old Flare castle. All I was told was that the castle is cursed, perhaps I can inspect the ghosts of the past myself. Secrets are something I crave to uncover. Perhaps Leona intrigued me because of that reason.

“Arieon, you can stop pretending to ignore me now.” Ash says annoyed. She presses on when I do not say anything. “Who would you choose Ari? Me or Leona?”

I hesitate. She looks at me in disgust, as if I have sinned against the mightiest of rules. “Let us not pretend you would choose me over Neo if given the choice.” I snap unable hide the red flush creeping up my neck.”

The next thing I hear is the door slamming close. I messed up.

~~♡~~

 The walls of the so-called library somehow still have the distant smell of smoke. There are not many books in the shelves nor pleasantries such as paintings with golden frames. The only presence of Flares ever living here is in the flags of Evercrest outside. But the broken crown in the shadow of black are the only flags to be seen inside. 

I trace the titles of all the unburnt books until I come across the one I am looking for. ‘Legends of Erica Flare’. I have read it a million times, trying to figure of if my ancestor Erica believes our powers to be a gift or a curse. I got no answer of course. Yet the familiar words are a comfort.

I lean against the bookshelf and open the book to find the words completely destroyed by fire. Perhaps the Lone Shadow set fire to the castle as a sign of destroying the Flares through their own powers. The last familiar sign of comfort is taken away from me too. 

I sigh as I put the book back where it belonged. Another book with old dirty covers catches my eye. It has no title. I turn the pages delicately out of curiosity. The words are written by hand, the beautiful handwriting has too many curves to belong to a Wanderer.

Each word is a new secret I never knew existed. Each house hiding and protecting its own. And worst of all, the long forgotten Wanderer secret is claimed to be true. 

Flare: Each living member of the Evercrest knows what happened between the walls of my home on 7th December 180 After War. They only see Father as a powerful monster for destroying Wanderers and Unscathed alike on the day The Lone Shadow attacked. I have learnt that our powers are fuelled with our emotions. And the storm in Father's mind when he held my Mother's dead body had turned into the deadly inferno even he could not control. She had died protecting me, I will not let that go to waste.

Metallica: The Dark Creek itself is as deadly as the beasts living in it. If anyone can survive it's dangers, they are called worthy enough to find the Metallica castle deep into the woods. Anyone who enters, be ware. Each part of the castle is said to be made with weapons only Metallica's can control, from the silver cutlery to the walls themselves.

Xonos: An immortal man, old as the first Flare herself is said to live beyond the maps. I have traced the stories enough to say he lives islands, but which, I can not tell. He is rumored to be one of Erica Flare's soliders and friends from the World War XII. Perhaps that is the reason Xonos are the most loyal to the crown compared to the others. Stroies say he resurrected Erica Flare when a stray bullet hit her, taking her life. How I hope that is true, for perhaps I can see my Mother once again.

Drecats: Similar to House Xonos, the Drecats believe in a family who live in Grawhearts. They are more powerful than any Drecat who ever lived and can make a being immortal with their powers. Their kids are said to be clay and given life by their powers. With this information, I am afraid house Drecats will not be loyal to the crown if given the chance.

Wanderers: After the attack on 7th December, house Xonos found out that The Lone Shadow believed in a country to the north of Evercrest is ruled by wanderers. They are said to be holding armies waiting to take over Evercrest and Grawhearts when either of the countries win the war. Father is going to meet the Drecat ruler of Grawhearts to discuss this information. By the way things are turning out, perhaps our countries will be pretending to be at war for a long time.

The last page consists nothing but a name. Prince Oliver Flare. Prince Oliver was my grandfather's brother, it is said that he had gone to inspect the Dark Creek but he never returned.

I draw my fingers across the as I make sense of the words. The only reasons The Lone Shadow can be planning to attack us could be to weaken us so that the Grawhearts can take over. Then, the wanderers rise, crushing the Flaming crown in the process.