Arryn held his dagger up as the light reflected on it.

  “You’ll make yourself go blind,” said Chak as Arryn put the dagger down. “I’ll be fine, Dad.”

  Arryn’s head turned around as he heard himself. His voice sounded less raspy, and his body felt strange. As he turned to look back, he heard Chak laughing.

  “Dad? See, it’s already affecting you, come on Rin, we are falling behind, hurry.”

  Chak said as he started to walk slightly faster. Arryn stopped. He heard himself once more. He looked down and tried moving his fingers but couldn't. He looked around. He noticed the land he and his companions were in felt different. His height, his body, everything felt foreign.

  “Rin?”

  He thought to himself as he saw Chak walking past him.

  “Guys, Rin just called me Dad. I think we should rest for a bit, get him some water.”

  Chak started to laugh as he put his arms around Mai and Arn as all of them laughed.

  “I guess stopping wouldn’t be bad,” Arn said as he looked back. “You ok, little bro?”

  He said as he stopped himself from walking for a bit while he waited for Rin to catch up.

  “Yes… I’m fine…”

  Rin grabbed his dagger and sheathed it as he ran to catch up with the rest of the group.

  “I think I had a vision just now, or maybe I was about to have a vision? I’m not sure. I’m sorry…”

  Rin said as he caught up to them. He placed his hand on his face and felt as if his body was slightly colder than usual.

  “Are we almost there?”

  He said as he cleaned his face, the sweat dripping off his body.

  “Are you sure you’re ok?” Arn said as he turned around and held Rin.

  “Yeah, I’m fine. That just took me by surprise, I guess. Let’s just hurry, it’s almost night, if we don’t make it by tonight they’ll start to question if we are even making it.”

  Rin said as he put his arm around Arn’s shoulder.

  “Thank you, brother.”

  He said as he and Arn touched heads.

  “Don’t scare me like that,” Arn said. “You are to become an uncle someday, try not to die before that, yeah?”

  Arn said as he grabbed Rin’s head and started to gently pet it.

  “Right…” Rin said as Arn playfully teased him.

  “Come on Arryn, snap out of it, we are almost there!”

  Rin looked up, confused.

  “What did you say?”

  He looked at Arn.

  “I said we are almost there, let’s go.”

  Arn grabbed Rin’s hand and started to run in order to catch up to Mai and Chak.

  “Feeling better?” They both asked as Rin got closer.

  “Yeah, sorry, I guess maybe I do need some sleep.”

  Rin said as he looked up and saw a giant iron gate with two guards at the front.

  “State your business.”

  They grabbed their staves and held them to the ground. Behind them the gates were composed of giant cogs and gears that stayed static, with a single slab of heavy metal bigger than any tree they had seen on their path to the capital.

  “We are here to see King Ah-Kin, we are sent here by our tribe to represent the last tribe of the K’in people.”

  Arn steps into the middle of the circle that was in front of the guards.

  “My lord, we have been expecting you.”

  The guards say as they bow down to him.

  “Food, water, and a nice warm bed await for you, allow me to escort you.”

  One of the guards takes a side step and faces the capital city.

  “Welcome to Ashenveil, the capital of Gaia, the city of Magitech, the King awaits your arrival.”

  The guard started walking as he followed a path laid out with red bricks that lead directly to the castle in the middle.

  “Someone lives there?” Chak said as he looked up.

  Rin’s eyes glimpsed into the sky as the metal castle cut through the clouds and created red smoke from its massive chimneys.

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  “It looks more like a place where people die,” Rin responded.

  “Rin, quit, you too, Chak,” says Mai as she stomps on both of their feet.

  The guard ignoring their antics as they approached the entrance of the castle.

  “After you, my lord.”

  He stepped to the side as the gate opened up. Just like the main entrance gates this one composed of wheels and cogs that moved as the door opened, the red smoke and liquid filling up the pipes which burst open, pushing pistons and other machinery the group had never seen.

  “So this is Magitech,” said Chak as he looked.

  “IT’S AWESOME!” yelled Mai as she looked around as the machinery worked.

  “How does it work!? Are those Phoenix Crystals!? HOW THE HELL ARE YOU GUYS MAKING THEM NOT BE HARD AND BE LIQUIDY?”

  Mai yelled as she approached one of the guards who quietly moved to the side of her.

  As the guard that was guiding them towards the castle looked back at Mai and started to move his head up and down, she felt his gaze and noticed his demeanor change to an even more serious one, but there was something else within his gaze, his eyes hyper focused on her markings.

  “What?”

  She said as she felt his gaze staring for too long.

  “Don’t see many people like us here do you, got something to say? Say it.”

  She took a step back, her back straightening as her voice switched to a more serious tone.

  “It’s just that your people act just as we have been told.”

  The guard responded as he turned his head around and diverted his eyes elsewhere.

  “What exactly does that mean?”

  Mai’s fist clenched, her skin slowly feeling hotter.

  “You act however you want, natural I guess.”

  The guard responded as he continued walking.

  “What’s so bad about that?”

  She said as she looked at Arn and then looked back at the guard.

  Arn shook his shoulders, acting as if he didn’t care what the guard was saying.

  “You act like you have no rules.”

  The guard responded.

  As he finished his sentence he felt his arm getting slightly hotter, as if the metal of his armor itself was heating up and contracting. He looked to the side and saw as Mai was holding him down.

  “Oh is that so, you mean to call us savages?”

  She grabbed him and held his arm up.

  “No, that’s not what I meant, I… I’m sorry I didn’t mean…”

  As his words left his mouth his eyes gaze upon Arn approaching Mai from behind.

  Arn’s skin turned completely onyx as he grabbed Mai’s arm.

  “Stop.”

  He said as he looked directly into her eyes.

  “We are not here for this.”

  He lowered her arm and helped bend the metal of the guard back. He bowed his head.

  “I’m sorry.”

  The guard fell to his knees.

  “No my lord, you mustn’t, I am sorry I overspoke and did not mean to insult your party.”

  He said as he dropped to the ground.

  Arn turned his head around and looked at Mai, his eyes turning blacker. She in return quickly turned her head to the side and left out a “mmph” as she lowered her head.

  “I’m sorry… I acted out of instinct…”

  She said as she tilted her head slightly back towards the guard.

  “Please, continue showing us the path.”

  Arn grabbed the guard and he brought him back on his feet.

  “It’s a misunderstanding, we can’t keep letting our words and history dictate our future, neither how we see each other, that’s why we are here for, so please forgive my partner.”

  Arn said as he helped the guard gather his equipment from the ground.

  “No, it is I the one that should be apologizing, I know our history, I understand her frustration, I’m sorry my lady.”

  The guard said as he grabbed his stave. His eyes looked around and noticed how the display of emotions had gathered some wondering eyes.

  “There’s nothing to see here.”

  He said as he dismissed the crowd.

  However that didn’t stop the voices from the crowd from muttering as they spoke about the incident.

  “Savages…”

  Some of the citizens could be heard murmuring.

  “Should just throw them in jail.”

  “Jail isn’t enough, they kill us all.”

  Mai and the rest of the party kept their heads down as they heard the crowd’s murmurs.

  “I SAID GO BACK INTO YOUR HOMES BEFORE I CITE ALL OF YOU AND TAKE YOU TO JAIL.”

  The guard screamed as he noticed the party’s head lowering.

  The group of four that had earlier been perplexed and enamored by the city were now all tightly bounded next to each other with Arn’s body half transformed as he looked around the crowd. His face never lowering, but he never muttered a word against the citizens.

  The crowd dispersed and the party continued their journey inside the castle.

  “I’m sorry,” the guard said as he continued to walk forward.

  “It’s ok, we are used to it,” Chak responded as he looked around the hall, noticing the paintings of old kings and armors that they each wore.

  “Gaia has a long history after all,” he commented.

  “Thank you for defending us, I’m Chak.”

  He said as he approached the guard.

  “I’m Adam, Royal guard to the Prince.”

  Adam turned his head toward Chak as he approached him. He saw his hands go to his forehead and his head tilt slightly.

  “Pleasure meeting you Adam, may the sun shine on you.”

  His eyes widened.

  “Pleasure is all mine.”

  He cracked a smile as the group presented themselves.

  “I’m Mai.”

  “And I’m Rin, Arn’s brother.”

  Rin said as he approached Chak and punched his shoulder slightly.

  “Nice.”

  Rin said, as his eyes looked around the room he felt his gaze blurring. He stopped for a minute and looked at everyone.

  “Rin?”

  Arn snapped his fingers in front of him.

  “Are you ok?”

  He said as he grabbed his shoulder.

  “Yeah, sorry, just not feeling like myself I guess, I keep going in between visions.”

  Rin responded while holding his hand over his eyes.

  “Perhaps some rest might be needed.”

  Adam approached Rin. He moved his cape to the side and reached for a wooden container that was attached to his side pouch. He pressed a small button and it clicked right off as he held the container in his hand.

  “Water?”

  He said as he offered it to Rin.

  Rin grabbed the container off of Adam’s hands and brought it to his lips.

  “Thank you.”

  Said Rin as he took a sip.

  “Maybe I do need some rest.”

  He said as he finished taking a sip of Adam’s water.

  Adam retrieved the container and placed it back on his belt. As he did he felt a heavy hand landing on his back.

  “You aren’t that bad after all.”

  Said Chak as he approached Adam from behind giving him a smile.

  Adam’s face turning slightly red as Chak said this.

  “Let’s go, I’ll show you your rooms.”

  Adam’s gaze on Chak as he moved back to the front of the group.

  Arn turned his head around and smiled at Chak as he teasingly looked at him and back at Adam. He raised an eyebrow and smiled back at Chak to which Chak responded by shaking his head.

  Mai giggled as she gave a slight love tap to Arn as he teased Chak.

  Soon enough they had arrived to their rooms and took rest for the night.

  The silence of the night sat heavy on Rin’s mind.

  “We’ll be fine, I’m sure Mom and Dad will be ok as well.”

  He thought to himself as he grabbed his dagger and swung it around as if practicing. The light bouncing off the dagger and dancing around the room.

  As he stared into it he noticed the color of his eyes slowly fading from the dark brown into a lighter amber.

  He focused on the blade as his vision became blurry and his eyes started to fade more. He noticed his hair turning white, the vivid red of his hair slowly disappearing as it turned white.

  As he contemplated what he was seeing he heard the door scritch.

  He put his blade to the side and hid it underneath his covers.

  He waited as the door opened slowly.

  A tall figure started to make his way inside of the room, his back to everyone, his steps careful as he approached the entrance, tip toeing slowly in.

  Rin looked around the room checking each one of the beds.

  “Arn is here, and Mai is with him.”

  He said as he saw both of them not in the same bed, but near each other.

  He turned around towards Chak’s bed which was positioned next to him.

  He noticed that Chak was missing.

  “Chak,” he softly said under his breath.

  He turned back to the figure.

  He grabbed the small lantern that was next to his bed. Turning the dial sideways, the inside of the lantern started to shine a bright red which he pointed forward as the light filled the crystal.

  “Chak what the fuck.”

  He whispered as he grabbed the edge of his bed.

  He looked up and down at Chak who stood near the door holding a piece of bread in one hand and hiding his other hand behind his back.

  “What are you hiding?”

  Rin whispered as he slowly got out of the covers and got close to Chak.

  He grabbed the lantern and started to circle around Chak.

  “Go back to sleep!” said Chak as he slowly walked sideways moving along the room keeping his back away from Rin.

  “Let me see what you got!”

  Rin said as he grabbed Chak’s arm.

  “IT’S NOTHING YOU GOING TO WAKE EVERYONE UP.”

  Chak responded as he shook his arm away from Rin while slightly raising his voice.

  “YOU ARE GOING TO WAKE EVERYONE.”

  Said Rin as his hand lost grip on Chak’s arm.

  Another hand grabbed Chak’s hand and twisted it as his fist dropped what he was holding.

  “All this noise for this?”

  Mai had grabbed the wooden container that Chak was holding behind his back.

  “Isn’t that?”

  Said Rin as Chak put his hand over his mouth.

  “I was thirsty ok.”

  Chak responded as his hand covered Rin’s mouth and he grabbed the container back from Mai’s hand.

  “I went out and Adam offered me some water.”

  He said, his face slightly blushing as he grabbed the container back.

  “He said I could keep it.”

  He grabbed the container and put it inside of his bag and quickly jumped inside of his bed which was way too small for him.

  Mai and Rin looked at each other. They both tilted their heads and smiled as Chak turned to the side away from them and acted like he was going to sleep.

  “You sure water is the only thing he offered?”

  Mai said as she held her hand over her mouth keeping her laugh from escaping.

  Chak grabbed the extra pillow which lay next to him and threw it at her face as fast as he could.

  “Shhh.”

  He said as he went back to “sleep” while the pillow connected with Mai’s face.

  Rin and Mai looked at each other once again.

  “A souvenir.”

  Rin said as he let out a small laugh and walked back to his bed.

  The next morning couldn’t come fast enough.

  Rin woke up as he felt a hand pushing his shoulder around. It was heavy but warm, a feeling he was all too accustomed to.

  “Brother wake up, we are late!”

  He said as he looked to the side and saw Arn grab his covers and move them off of him.

  “COME ON ARRYN WAKE UP!”

  Arn screamed.

  Rin heard his voice, distorted at first but he was able to hear it.

  Rin tried to stand up but as he did his vision got blurry once again, his eyesight turning red, then black, then nothing as he hit his head on the solid wood floor.

  As his consciousness returned he noticed his blade on the ground next to him.

  As his vision cleared it focused on the reflection on the blade.

  He saw himself first.

  Then he noticed as his own eyes changed to the same eyes he saw before, staring at him, at what he was doing.

  Eyes that looked strange, but familiar.