Forbidden: The Eternal One

Chapter One: The Unclaimed

My parents were once the most renowned defenders of the Rex Empire. Their jobs were to protect the Crowned family and eliminate any who would pose as a threat to their supremacy. Simple, right? And then I came along. The irony of it all.

I sat along the bank of the stream, using my affinity for air to swirl the dirt within range of my fingertips into elaborate patterns, and then swiping my hand across it and smoothing the dirt back out. Make a pattern, wipe it clean, make a pattern, wipe, make, wipe. It was a habit I acquired when I felt overwhelmed. I closed my eyes, breathing in the earth around me. I sighed. My parents risked everything keeping me alive, and yet, they don't even seem to mind. They gave me a peaceful childhood, full of laughter, learning, and love. It was easy to forget that they ever had a life outside of the Unclaimed.

The Unclaimed was an expanse of over a thousand acres that the Empires had decided to leave unattended. Nobody was to tamper with the land, it was merely for the wild and as a remembrance that we all come from nature and should allow nature the growth it gave us. However, that's not totally true. The fact of the matter is that the Unclaimed is just that... unclaimable. The land is alive. No matter how hard you may try to civilize it, it simply retaliates by proving how uncivilized it is. For every tree you chop down, another one sprouts in its place. Concrete, asphalt, gravel, the earth literally swallows it whole. The animals are no better. The land takes care of them well, They're stronger, faster, more evolved than average. People have abandoned the notion of claiming this land eons ago. It is seemingly impossible for anyone to survive here, so nobody suspects that anyone possibly could survive here.

My parents had heard of the rumours. But were willing to risk it. As elementalists they had a deeper understanding of the land and how it worked. Rather than attempting to chop down the trees for shelter, they grew new trees and formated them to conform into a shelter. Elementalist perks, you could say. We take care of the land and the land takes care of us.

"Amara! Time for training!" I groaned, hearing the wind carry out my father's voice to me. "Coming!" I replied, standing and dusting myself off. The trees parted, allowing me a shorter route to get to the training clearing.

"Dad!" I called out to my father as I came across the vacant clearing. My father was nowhere to be found. I checked the ground for any signs of recent wear, but there were none. It was clean, too clean. I called out to air, allowing any noise to be carried within my hearing range. But it was oddly silent. Once again, too silent. Giving up on my affinities, I relied on my basic knowledge and instinct. I did a complete 360 of my surroundings looking for anything out of place. I smirked, and called out to my affinity for earth, making the vines on the distorted tree grow and imprison my father. "Gotcha!" I yelled triumphantly.

He shrugged off the vines and embraced me. "You're getting better at this!" I smirked, "Or maybe you're just getting too old for this!" I laughed, beaming internally at the compliment.

"Oh, so now you're too good for your Old Man's compliments, eh? Now you've got to shrug them off like they're nothin'?" He teased, inching closer to me in a mock fighting stance.

I extended my arms, palms up. Electric currents weaved through my fingertips. "You sure you wanna try that, Gramps?" I arched an eyebrow, waving my electrically charged fingertips at him mockingly.

He snorted, twirling a mini ball of air in his right hand. "You and your mother always want to mock me, huh?" He took a step closer, the air ball getting bigger and bigger. I grinned, anticipating the attack. I went to take a step forward only to be met with underbrush clinging to my feet, I had already anticipted it, though, and compelled it to grow and lift me into the air rather than trip me. I used my height advantage to aim a bolt at a tree behind my father while looking him in the eyes. The tree fell, nearly toppling over my father, but he moved out of the way just in time for me to shock him with another bolt and compel the undergrowth to cage him. Another tree quickly grew into the spot that the now decaying tree beside my father previously occupied.

"And that is why Mom and I always mock you!" I laughed, compelling the earth to release him. "That's my girl!" He beamed. I offered my hand to help him up.

"I trained you a little too well, didn't I?" He asked proudly, slinging an arm around my shoulder as we made our way back home. I just shrugged, taking in the Unclaimed. I felt honored that we were able to live in such a beautiful land. Even if it was at the expense of my parents leaving their life of wealth and privilege behind. I shook off the thought, trying to allow myself a moment without the relentless guilt kicking in.

"Amara?" I blinked, realizing that my father was talking to me and that I hadn't a clue what he was saying. He laughed at my confusion and I smiled sheepishly. "Mind telling me what's on that mind of yours?" He questioned, knocking on my head as if to test if there were really a brain in there.

I sighed. "Yes, actually. I don't want to talk about it right now. We're having a good moment and I don't want to ruin it." My father nodded understandingly.

"I won't pressure you to tell me what's bugging you, but I really want you to tell someone." I laughed, thinking about how the only one other than him I could talk to would be my mother, who I absolutely had no intentions of talking to about this whatsoever. Dad grimaced, catching his error. "On second thought, how about you just tell me when you feel like it. You know how your mom gets...." he trailed off.

I did know how my mom got. She was...different. Her affinity was water, but she had a slight control over the other elements when they were in demand. Your main element defines you. Water is unpredictable to say the least. Whereas my father, who's affinity is air, is easy going and calm, my mother is a bit of handful depending on her mood. You never know what to expect from her so it's usually best not to talk to her about something that could break a dam, so to speak.

I hugged my father. "Thanks, Dad. You're the best!" He returned the hug and then we continued our way to the house. As we neared the house I could see my mom standing under an apple tree with a basket and compelling the tree to drop apples around her. It was amusing watching her scurry about with the basket catching the falling apples. "Need some help, dear?" My father asked, shaking his head at her antics.

She held up her hand, motioning for the tree to stop shaking and collected a couple apples off the ground before standing and smoothing the creases out of her shirt. "Hmph! Does it look like I need help?" My father opened his mouth to answer but she cut him off-"Don't you dare answer that Alexander!" He laughed scooping her up into a hug and planting a kiss on her temple.

I felt a slight ache somewhere deep inside of me looking at the love my parents had for each other. Yet another experience I would more than likely never be privy to.. My mind trailed off, piecing together my future. I'd live here, of course, living off of the land until the land could no longer support me. Eventually my parents would die and I would be left here alone, with nothing but nature as company. But that's not even the sad part. The sad part isn't that I will be alone for a few short decades after they die and my death finally claims me. No. The sad part is that I will be alone for centuries. Perhaps even millenia. It all depends on when the earth stops functioning and I literally can't exist. I blinked, forcing away my tears and smiling at my parents who were looking at me worriedly.

"Do you know what today is, Amara?" My mother asked excitedly, clapping her hands together. I frowned. How could I forget? It's the day I took you away from everything you've ever known and forced you to flee into the Unclaimed.

"It's my birthday." I said dully. Seventeen. Seventeen years they've been forced to live this way. Yes, it's an amazing way of life, but they still deserve so much more. Especially my socially deprived mother.

Mom frowned at my lack of enthusiasm, but quickly replaced it with a smile. "You teenagers! Always trying to make a big deal out of nothing and nothing out of something! Your reasoning never fails to astound me!" She placed the basket of apples down and warmly embraced me. "I love you, Sweetie." she whispered into my ear.

I smiled. My mother's joy was infectious. "What did I do to deserve such amazing parents?" My parents looked a little taken aback by my comment, but smiled fondly at me. My father cleared his throat, "In honor of today, we want to do something special."

"Like what?" I asked, feeling my curiousity pique. There wasn't much you could do in the Unclaimed. Well, nothing that I haven't done before.

"We want to take you to the Elvin Empire." I gasped. I had never stepped foot outside of the Unclaimed. Ever.

"But, why?" I asked. Not fully believing what I was hearing. "The Elvin are a secluded race that don't want anything to do with anyone that isn't linked to their kind."

"They want to meet you." Mom sighed.

I blanched. "Meet...me? I thought nobody knew of our existence?" I panicked, thinking that we were going to be held for treason.

My parents laughed. I felt my face grow warm.

"Our enemies think we perished... However, the Fae and Elvin know everything. They just choose to mind their own business and spectate all that goes on around them." Dad c****d his head. "Well, at least the Elves do."

"Why do the Elves suddenly want to meet me?" I asked, feeling slightly uncomfortable with the idea.

"The Fae do too, but the Fae would rather abuse your power for their own entertainment. They're tricky and could easily bind you into serving them for countless millinia. The Elvin, however, are far more noble and seek to offer you protection against the enemies and train you in the magic you possess in your bloodline." Mom picked up for Dad.

"You said they thought we were dead!" My chest tightened in panic.

My parents shared stern look with each other, a silent battle unraveling between their eyes. Mom relents. "They think we died. We couldn't hide your aura, Sweetie. It's too strong.."

My head was spinning as another thought struck me. "M-Magic? I thought you said I was an elementalist!"

"Yes, magic. That's why the Unclaimed allowed us residency here. It could sense the magic in our blood. Our magic is ancient. As ancient as the Unclaimed. The same stuff that flows through the Unclaimed giving it life and a mind of its own is the same stuff that runs through our veins. It's just stronger in you. That's why we need the Elves. Your magic hasn't completely manifested yet so you can ignore it. But once it begins to grow you could be a hazard. The Elvin know how to deal with this kind of magic. It's what their Empire was formed off of." Dad continued for Mom.

I felt slightly nauseous. I was a threat. A big threat. Especially to myself and my family. "I'll do it." I said, determinedly.

Mom giggled.. "Well it's not like you really had a choice. We were going to drag you to the Elvin Empire whether you liked it or not."

Oh joy.