The cave was close as the sun reached its highest point in the sky telling me it was around noon.

“Why where you denying the fact that you are probably stronger than me?” Sylas asked breaking the silence. “If you are then you could be-”

“The strongest person in the world?” I cut off looking back at him, He nodded. “That's why.”

“What?” Sylas asked.

“I don't want to be the strongest person in the world. Sorry I just don't.” I said.

“Well sometimes we have to do and be something we don't want to. Sorry, but that's how it works. Especially for people like us.”

“You think I don't know that?”

Sylas stepped out in from of me.

“Look. I know you don't like being on top, but you have to realize you are and step up sooner or later.”

“Or we could just forget about it.” I say before slipping around him and continuing toward the cave. Sylas sighed and fallowed. When we reached the cave I could see Tony's body and after walking over to him I realized it looked like he only died yesterday.  The sunlight coming from the cave entrance cast a long shadow over him.  If it wasn’t for the blood on his shirt you might have thought he was sleeping.  I kneeled down beside him.

“See. Slow decay rate.” Sylas said kneeling down by Tony’s other side.

“So what exactly do we have to do?” I ask shifting so I’m on my knees.

“Well imagine that you are transferring your powers I guess. I haven't done it yet.” Sylas said. “They said you know its working because it looks like there's a link between the person and your tattoo.”

“So basically try to channel our healing abilities into Tony.” I summed up.  That seemed pretty vague. 

“Yeah.” Sylas replied. “We need to concentrate really hard and not lose focus.”

“Right.” I said. “Anything else?”

“Try not to kill yourself. This is extremely dangerous.” Sylas warned.  Since when isn’t something dangerous nowadays?  I’ve almost gotten used to that sentence now which I’m pretty sure that isn’t a good thing.

“Could have mentioned that before.” I mumble as Sylas starts to concentrate and hold up his right arm slightly. I go for a different approach and turn my arm over and just as I'm about to start I notice the tattoo on Sylas's arm glow faintly. After I closed my eyes I started to concentrate, thinking about all the things Sylas just said. Soon I made the connection with Tony. It felt like a dead weight that got lighter as I put more effort in it. Then something unexpected happened. Some of the energy that I realized was Sylas suddenly was lost, but not only that the outside world, including the strength I was putting into this, faded away.  Did I over do it? Am I dead? No, there’s no way it happened that fast.

“Jordan.” A voice said.

“Tony?” I ask even though the answer is obvious.

“It's me.” He replied. “Listen, I want you to stop. All I will be is a burden to you guys.”

“Tony, look I know that-” I started.

“You can't look after me when there are people out to kill us. I'll only slow you down. Jordan mom told me that you were better than me. Stronger, faster, smarter, and other things. I can somehow tell that you have a big job to do soon, and it would be better if I wasn't there with you.”

I considered what he was saying for a minute. Thinking about the logic behind it, but how could I bring myself to leave my brother when I was so close.

“How about I make you a deal.” I start. There was no protest. “I bring you to a coma like state so that way you're alive, but you don't have to worry about being a burden. I'll come back and get you if I succeed in what you see I need to do. If I don't then you will leave your coma state.”

“I can live with that.”

“Ok.”

“You will succeed. I've can sense it. It will be hard, but you can't give up.”

“I promise I will come back.”

“Tell Sylas I'm not mad at him.”

“I will.”

Suddenly the rush of reality hit me, but it didn't last long because I passed out soon after that. I woke up a little while later to find Sylas sitting by the cave entrance staring out at the forest.  The sun was setting, causing the forest to have an orange tint.  It kinda reminded me of back home, of the tree beside my bedroom window.  I remember sitting in that tree and staring at the top of the wall, wondering what was out here.   

“He's not mad at you.” I say startling him. He turned and gave me a look of confusion.  I sat up with a sigh.

“Tony. He told me to tell you he wasn't mad at you.”  I explained.  Surprisingly I wasn’t all that tired

“Wait, so you were able to talk to him?” Sylas asked getting up and walking over to Tony and me.

“Yeah.” I reply. Sylas crouched down by Tony's side.

“So why isn't he awake yet?” He asked looking at me.

“He said I had something big to do soon, and it would be better if he wasn't with me when it happened.” I explained. Sylas tilted his head down. “So I made him a deal that I leave him in a coma like state and when I did this task then I would come back for him.”

“I understand.” Sylas said. “He didn't want to feel like a burden, but you couldn't leave him, so a deal was made so both of you get your way.”

“You can say that.” I said. Sylas stood up. “He also said I would succeed in this task, whatever it is.”

“Something tells me he can see the future, which is rare even for us.” Sylas said. “That night I left he told me that he knew I had to leave some day.”  He said looking out of the entrance.

“Guess our family is a rare one. Two Riakas and a kid that can see parts of the future.”  

“Yeah.”

“We should head out soon.”

“You sure you’re up for it?”

I nodded and he held out his hand.  I took it and he helped me up.

“We can stay here for a bit if you want.  We don’t have to leave right now.”

“I’m fine.”

“Let’s go then.”

With that he took off, but it wasn't like he was in a hurry. It was like he was messing with me. I went after him and we were on our way back with a promise to a family member and a task in the not too distant future.