Heir of Light

Curiosity drove Jason toward the gem that shone brightly in the early morning sun, its allure pulling him closer. He reached out tentatively, his fingers gently lifting the gem as it seemed to pulse with an inner light. Inscriptions covered both sides of the gem, written in a language that felt strangely familiar yet unlike anything he had seen or known before. Deep in his mind, Jason felt a pull, as if the knowledge of this language was locked away within him.

The gem seemed to beckon him, urging him to speak the words aloud. Jason found himself caught up in the moment, almost compelled to read the inscription.

“Florea varecto illummino scythe—”

“Jason! What’s taking so long?” his aunt called from the kitchen, breaking the spell that the gem had woven around him.

Jason shook his head, trying to clear the haze from his mind. He dropped the gem and stepped back, his thoughts racing. What had he just stumbled upon, and how had it all begun from a simple bath?

Footsteps on the stairs signaled his aunt’s approach. In a flash of panic, he shoved the gem into the pocket of his jeans, just as Aunt Elise peered into the room. She saw Jason zipping up his backpack.

“Hey, everything okay?” she asked

Jason’s mind was a whirlwind. “Well, I woke up with a splitting headache, did that water cooling stuff you mentioned was the tap’s regulatory function, and then I had this weird dream of guardians and shadow warriors. Oh, and a gem from my dream appeared on my bed with strange inscriptions.” He wanted to tell her all of this but instead managed a simple nod.

The ride to school was quiet, filled with his aunt’s occasional glances at him through the rearview mirror. Jason pretended not to notice, his thoughts consumed by the gem and the mystery it posed.

As they approached the gates of Crestville High, the morning sun lit up the school grounds. Cheerleaders giggled in their group car, and the football team cruised in, their cars dominating the front yard of the school.

Jason could afford the luxury, but his aunt insisted he lay low at school. She’d even persuaded the principal to allow Jason to opt out of the school team, despite the principal’s reluctance to let such a capable athlete go unnoticed. When Jason asked why she did it, she always claimed it was to protect him from unwanted attention.

“What other attention could I get?” Jason thought. “Just the usual interest from cheerleaders and the school, maybe even a scholarship opportunity!”

His aunt’s voice broke the silence. “So, you forgot to tell me about the parents’ summit today.”

Jason bit back his initial thoughts and replied calmly, “Sorry, Aunt. They said parents, and since you’re my aunt and not my parent, I thought it might not concern you.”

If his reply stung her, she hid it well. Her smile was tight, and he knew he had hurt her. Aunt Elise had been his rock since he was little, always there for him, yet he couldn’t shake the feeling that she was holding him back from his true purpose. And now, with this gem in his pocket...

Jason made to get out of the car, but his aunt gripped his shoulder, turning him back towards her.

“I know you have questions about your parents, and I haven’t been... cooperative,” she started.

“You think?” he thought, but let her continue.

“When you get back from school, I’ll tell you all you need to know,” she finished.

Jason was caught off guard. He hadn’t expected her to ever discuss his parents, not after her usual reluctance and the panic she showed whenever he brought them up. He nodded in acceptance and stepped out of the car, ignoring the sudden urge to press her for more information immediately. He told himself she would still be there when he returned, waiting for him as she always did—or so he hoped.

Far Away, Realms Beyond, Aratia...

In a realm far removed from Earth, where the laws of the mortal world held no sway, gods manifested their divine will. Magic coursed through the very air in this place, weaving its way through runes and spells. A castle floated among the clouds, held aloft by ancient magic. Its walls gleamed with gold and brass, and towering pillars reached towards the heavens, supporting a majestic second floor.

At the castle’s gates stood tall humanoid figures clad in black metal armor, their shadows twisting and dancing around them as if alive. The twin moons of Aratia shone down on the mansion, casting an otherworldly glow. Despite the celestial beauty, the mansion was home to darkness and malevolence.

Captain Regron, commander of the 3rd division of the Blades of Herega, the goddess of storms and chaos, walked briskly through the hallway. He nodded briefly to the lines of panic-stricken servants as they passed. Poor mortals, he mused, their veins held only a touch of magic, too little to withstand the horrors they witnessed under the rule of their twisted king.

As Regron approached the large doors of the throne room, they swung open to reveal the man who brought darkness to the world: Lord Marxis Tregroff, the first of his name. Marxis was a man devoted to Herega, the goddess of storms and firstborn of Drador, the deity of chaos.

Inside the room, a pregnant woman lay on Marxis’s bed, her abdomen brutally cut open, the fetus exposed. Regron understood then why the goddess had chosen Marxis as her protégé. Even Regron, a creature born of the darkness, felt a sliver of pity for the woman’s agony. He doubted Marxis had granted her any relief from the pain.

Marxis looked up from his grisly work, his eyes meeting Regron’s. Regron quickly remembered his purpose for being there.

“It seems, Your Majesty, that we have found the last Elixtu,” he said. Marxis continued washing his hands, the water turning crimson with blood.

“One of the sergeants on Earth found a guardian with the Gem of Artemon,” Regron continued. “Unfortunately, the gem was lost.” He rushed to add, “But we have traced it to its location. We have Jason Elixtu.”

Marxis smiled, a brief, chilling smile. He spoke softly, yet his words carried a weight of menace. “Find him and bring me his head and the gem.”

Captain Regron nodded and hurried out of the room, relieved to leave the king’s presence.

As he watched the captain leave, Marxis turned to the window, gazing out into the moonlit night. “After all these years, I’ve finally found you,” he whispered to the darkness. “Oh, Jason, what have you become?” he mused to himself in the moonlight.