Zayn's POV

The kid is dead. Dead. How could somebody just let a kid die like that?

After the enemy troops had retreated I decided it was time for a much-needed walk. I needed to think everything through because I didn't wanna pull a stunt like Alex. I don't hear a broken arm calling my name, not today at least.

I walked to the stream I knew so well by now, memorizing the countless trees and rocks as I walked by. I could still see tents which meant I need to go farther. Right now complete isolation is my goal. I continued walking passing through a few small animals which caught me by surprise because we had people with Earth elemental powers send them away so they wouldn't get hurt in the war. I guess Mother Nature always gets her way through, right?

Once I couldn't hear or see any signs of civilization I began to talk to myself out loud. There is just too much on my mind to do this in my head.

"I don't get how could they do this? I know I probably would have done the same thing to Thomas, but that's different, isn't it? No, no, no, it isn't! What am I saying?! I know I'm saying! That kid needed to die so that we can live. That's fair, a life for billions of them. Alex is just being selfish! We knew people were going to die. We just need to man up and deal with it," I began pacing around, being careful not to crash into anything.

"Not to mention because of this one kid's life now we can defeat The Killer. If we can defeat him I think it'll be worth one measly kid design. I'd kill off all of the other for him die. Heck, I'd kill half the world population just so this could be over. But on the other hand, how do we even do it? How do we kill The Killer? His name just shouts 'I kill people for fun!' If we can't figure it out, this kid died for nothing. I don't want that. Do I? I feel like the whole world is depending on a few kids! That's because of it true I guess. How did my life come to this? Why can't I just be normal, whatever that is? I should be rebelling and skipping school right now, but nooooooo I have to go defeat some evil murderer because I was born with superpowers!"

I heard some kind of noise from far off but it went unnoticed as I continued to rant.

"You know, I'm done! I'm done having to fix things! I'm done being the only one who can save the world. I'm done having to help people! I'm done being the good guy! I'm done being the hero."

"Finally somebody come to their very dulled sense," a deep voice called out making my head turn. I wanted to flee so badly, but something clicked inside of me. I'm also done running. This is my battle.

"Who is there?" My voice demanded not daring to falter.

The person walking out the woods gave me a grin before saying, "What? Are you not happy to see your dad?"

Slowly gaining confidence I took a step closer to my 'dad' and said, "By dad do you mean the coward that can't even stand up to his 13-year-old sons himself?"

My father's grin was unwavering on his face before he said, "I guess that works too."

I gave him my world famous glare and his grin still stayed on his face. What fazes this guy? Then he started looking oddly to the left before saying, " Although sometimes people make different decisions when people are watching. Say and do things they know are not right."

What does that mean? I didn't do anything weird did I? Wait for a minute...

"I see what you mean. But how far does someone have to go to be unseen and unheard? Someplace where even bug can't go?"

He seemed to ponder my message for a second. Even though I want to stab him in many different places, I need to hear what he has to say. It might be the difference between life or death.

"Running water is loud. Too bad you won't be able to hear anything when we kill you all through," with that my father walked away.

How is that an answer? I'm guessing the second part is just for show, so running water is loud? Ahh duh? Why does that matter?

I began to walk back to camp wondering if anything my father had said was what I thought it was. He wanted to talk to me about something, didn't he? Then I asked him where? After that, he said running water is loud. I decided to drop it and just keep walking. The rhythmic sound of the branches crunching sound cool. When I started to get closer to it the sound of the river added a cool background noise to it. But when I got closer it got too loud for me to hear the branches well.

Running water is loud.

The river!

All of the sudden I broke into an all-out sprint to the river. I ran clumsily toward the water the noise increasing the closer I got. Fail to notice it I tripped over a large tree root and went flying, gaining a few scratches on my left leg. I just stood back and kept running, they'd heal soon enough.

Sure enough, when I reached the river my father was standing there, an expectant expression on his older features.

I quickly- jogged over to him so that I was standing to his right. "I'm here giving you a chance, so don't screw it up."

My father looked at me with a weary expression before saying, "I'm sorry. I know you don't wanna hear it but-"

I put my hand up cutting him off before saying, "You're right I don't. Get to the point or else I'm leaving."

"No, please hear me out you need to know," he uttered tiredly. I nodded and he continued, "The Killer is forcing me to do this. He had been since day one. Right after your Aunt was supposed to get the crown over me I lashed out and he found me and convinced me to help him. I did for a while voluntarily. I did unspeakable things and I was proud of them, but when your mother almost got hurt because of it I wanted to stop. I knew I wasn't evil and I didn't want to do anything to hurt your mother so I told The Killer I wanted to stop. But he wouldn't let me. He said he would kill your mother if I didn't keep helping him. When I still refused he kidnaped your mother and I, along with the entire kingdom and controlled our minds. He made us abandon our homes and start a new empire, an evil one."

Shocked. That what I was feeling right now. "But what did you do to find him? Who is he really? What happened to your parents?!"

He looked amazed that I actually listened, much less actually believed him. Though I'm not sure that I believe him, yet. I motioned my hand for him to continue as I looked around to make sure nobody was coming.

My father took a deep breath before continuing, "I didn't find The Killer he found me, I think. I can't remember. He erased all of our past memories of him, he used to taunt us with that fact. He would give us parts of the memories back and then take them away again. So I only know The Killer as The Killer. As for my parent-" my dad cut off suddenly but started speaking again, "He killed them. That I can remember. He killed them and took over the kingdom."

He took away their memories? That's great! How did all of this get past me? All of this time everybody has been living under a spell and I had no idea.

"But what about of the rest of the kids? Are they under the spell too?"

My father looked over at the almost completely dark horizon before saying, "Not all of them. The one that needed to be hypnotized were the one who didn't need to be weren't. I have to go soon or else I'll get punished. I already am for going out of view for so long."

He right I need to get back soon too. I need to talk to Alex about what we are going to do I just have one more question though.

"I just have one more thing to ask you," I stated emotionless, "Do you know what happened to the kingdom?"

My father though hard before saying, "I don't think he destroyed it. I think he kept it just in case we needed shelter one day. All of the other kingdoms might have ruined it by now though. There are nine other kingdoms I can remember," he glances at the horizon one more time before continuing, "your mother wasn't hypnotized though."

"What?" I asked really confused.

"This was her choice just know that," he looks over his shoulder and says, " I really have to go. I am really sorry for all of this, you don't deserve it."

I nod and my father sighed before turning around and walking away. I mirror his actions in the opposite direction.

"Wait, Zayn," he called out from behind a large tree, "you have to get the bugs out of your friends. They can see your every move with them in."

I have to yell for him to hear me when I say, "Thanks I will. And dad I forgive you."

With that, I turned and ran. I can't believe I forgave him, but he tried to help and none of this is his fault anyway. At least most of it isn't. But my mother. How could she do it? I this world changes people, but only let it.

I started seeing tents in view again and I knew I was almost back to camp. Alex and I suppose to share a tent, so he should be there. The only problem with that is with this many tents it is close to impossible to find ours. Once I was in the midst of all of the buzz I slowed to a walk, as running into the warriors isn't a good way to start a friendship. Speaking of the warriors Aunt Carol must have let them come out of their tents again. Why does Alex always have to act up?

Just as that thought crossed my mind one of the older male warriors pointed at me and said, "Hey isn't that the kid that just had that breakdown and got all of us sent to our tents?"

"Yeah, that's him! The kid that is supposed to save us, ha sure! I don't he could save a worm from being eaten by a bird!" a woman with chocolate brown hair jeered.

I was too tired to even do anything, I just kept walking. But then this one comment set me off.

"That kid probably killed the other kid, Drew, just for attention. Just because his parents disowned him doesn't mean that he needs to kill people, am I right." the boy's snide comment by some cheers of agreement and few other nasty comments.

My eyes noticeably darkened and I knew I wasn't letting this one go.

"The least you chicken- headed imbeciles could do is insult the right person," I yelled turning around, "I'm actually that disowned kids brother, and trust me you wanna mess with me even less than you wanna mess with him."

"Oh yeah," the probably 15-year-old boy taunted looking at the other for support, "what are you gonna do? Send a gust of wind at me?"

"No, but I could create an extratropical cyclone at your brainless head," I stated matter a factly earning a few gasps and laughs from the crowd now encircling us.

The boy seemed to be sizing me up before he said, "And what if I send a pile of boulders at your brainless head?"

Earth elemental powers. What have I gotten myself into?

"Well if you do that," a familiar voice started, "then I guess I just have to send enough lightning through you to kill a small city."

Alex pushed through the crowd so that he was standing next to me. His arm was wrapped up but I guess that won't stop him from picking a fight. I gave him a small smile before looking back at the boy cockily.

But before we could do anything, what looked to be the boy's friend grabbed his arm and said, "Dude come on. We don't want their Aunt to execute us or something because we killed them."

He returned my cocky look while saying, "You're right. I guess we'll see what kind of fighters they really are when it comes down to it," he turned around to walk away and I did the same, but was knocked to the ground with a kick to the back, "The Killer doesn't give mercy or warning."

The crowd dispersed with some snickers and colorful words as I got to my feet and dusted myself off.

"What was that about?" Alex asked as soon as I started walking again.

"You. They thought I was you and when I told them I wasn't they still weren't happy it was me instead," Alex gave me a pointed look and I shook it off, "It doesn't matter. Show me where our tent is I need to tell you something important."

"Okay, but I still want to know the full story when we get there."

"Fine." I agreed following behind Alex trying to figure out how to explain what our father had told me without him exploding.

I also tried to think of how to gain the warrior's trust. How can we defeat the biggest supervillain in the whole world if our own warriors aren't on our side? I know one thing for sure; nothing about this is going to be easy. Of course, nothing ever is.

Well, here goes nothing.