Prologue…………………..
“Boooooooommmmmmmmm!” the explosion could be heard from miles away, but being on the inside of a cliff cave, just above the roaring stormy sea levels, Fero was positive no one would hear his entrance into this realm.
The feeling of literally being tossed out of the only home he ever knew, was unlike any other. The warmth and protection normally provided, stolen. When will it be returned to him? Unknown. It was as though acid was burning his skin for the remnants of the corrupted magic intertwining in the border was punishing him for leaving without consent. Knowing, had he stayed it may have meant certain death. For he, Fero, would never obey that traitorous Fatum.
Then it struck him. The severing of his connection with Lupa. The adrenaline boost he had slowly melted away, leaving him in agony. Curled into a foetal position weeping like a babe, while droplets of seawater from the crashing waves just outside, rained on him.
“Arrrrrggggghhhhhhh!!!!!!!” he cried into the night. Mourning his loss, his partner, his best friend, his lover.
Digging his fingers into the dirt, he used whatever energy he had left to mend the wounds he suffered while escaping. If he is in this much pain, what of the seeds? Did their pods keep them from harm, he wondered? Fero used the rest of his strength to survey the cave. Met with silence and not a seed in sight. Fero wept, believing he had failed Fate, his father and his sacrificed lover, wishing that the darkness consumed him, as guilt has, never to see light again.
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*******Two weeks later*********
****Fero’s Pov****
“Well, I believe you are fit to go on that journey now, youngling…” stressed the elder who found me and nursed me back to health.
I informed him why all the gates were closed. The little I knew of the coup and of the seeds I had lost. He assured me, they would have all been transported to other gates and most likely other times as well. For without our beloved queen, the one tasked with guiding us through on our visits to the mortal realm, there is no navigation. So, not only do I have to search each of the other fifty gates around the world looking for clues, I also have to be patient for the time in which they were placed, as it may not have come yet.
With this new-found hope, I will complete my mission. It is not that I have failed. It is that I have to persevere to see this through.
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**** Five Generations Later****
After this long, Fero assumed his search would have been fruitful. Of course, he found many seeds, growing up as a mortal child, in happy homes. He decided he would have another wanderer like himself, check in on them. The ones that weren’t placed into homes he made sure that they were adopted by another Fatum nearby and taught, who they were. Throughout time, many untrained, in their ways, grew old and died. Not even leaving a seed in their place, as none found their fated.
Still no queen, he would say each time he closed his eyes. His beloved and father in his imagination, will cheer him on. Let him know soon, he would fulfil his promise and begin again.
Fero agreed like he always did before falling asleep.
“My heart is a ghost townnnnnn,” the lyrics of his ring tone went off making him jump out of his slumber, “What?!” he barked into the horrid modern device. Oh how he loathed these useful communication devices, but needed them.
“I found another one, and Fero……” the voice said, “I’m sure it’s her. I am sending you the photo now along with the location. You better hurry, the reason I even found her is that someone is applying for her. I can’t exactly stall, seeing as these guys are billionaires, influential and gay………. Dream parents for adoptive agencies. Everything is pristine….. Fero? Fero? Are you there?”
“Yeah, yes I am. Sorry I just……. She’s……..” Fero felt words elude him. Staring at the laptop, after opening the email Callum sent. Even through the photo, his core recognised its queen.
“Yeah I know. I was so mad when you made me get this job. Now it was all worth it,” proclaimed Callum.
“Thank you for obeying,” Fero meant it to. A lot of Fatum challenged him when he made requests of them. Thanks to his core gift, none have won. Yet. “How will I get her if such a great couple is looking into her,” Fero continued.
“Oh, well, I did some extra digging. They already have a surrogated son, not more than two weeks old. The female they engineered was still born….” Fero then interrupted him, “Engineered? What do you mean, Callum?”
Sounding a bit miffed, Callum answered, “Well, basically they wanted a boy and a girl. Discovered the embryos implanted were forming as both males. They decided to have one terminated. Then they proceeded to do genetic modifications to ensure that another embryo remains female and alter the appearance to match the father.”
“Rich people are crazy. Who are they to play with destiny? Now the babe is dead,” Fero responded, feeling indignant on behalf of every child, not yet even born, but already not enough for their parents.
“This only happened recently. His partner didn’t agree with a retry, so now they are attempting to adopt. I could put a stall, requesting a psych eval’ on them. After the abortion and stillborn,” Callum informed Fero.
“Good, the bastards don’t deserve her. Neither do I, but I’m all she’s got. Send in my application. You know what to do.” Fero instructed.
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**** Fero’s Pov****
“Hello, precious. I am your humble servant. Without you my life would have no meaning. I will lay my life down if it meant that you benefit,” he professed to the swaddled future queen.
The social worker giggled, batting her eyelashes at him, Mortals, Fero rolled his eyes internally.
“You treat her like a princess already,” she preened.
“No, I offer my loyalty, guidance, unrivalled love and core to the queen she is,” he proclaimed, while walking away, leaving the social worker baffled and even more turned on than before.
Once outside, he stared deeply into her eyes, “I finally found you,” he sniffled, feeling as though his love's spirit could finally rest. “Now our hard work will begin and to attain sovereignty over our ancestors’ realm, you must find your elementals.”
The lovely seed smiled then and cooed. He laughed, breaking the twisted feelings in his gut that lived there since entering the mortal realm. “Ahhhh, there she is, ready to take on the world for them, huh? How about a name before that……………….”
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****Evony’s Pov****
"Why are you all back here?" Evony questioned.
Her eyes softened, looking at their faces, confused expressions, at least two scowling mouths, but the feeling most present in their eyes, the one that made it impossible for her to scold them further, chase them away, hell even look away, was the longing in each of their unique eyes. Once their orbs met hers, she knew without a doubt, "Your mine," she whispered so softly to herself, as though nothing was said at all, but with a conviction so strong it startled her, making her step back.
While thoughts of what this all meant, the reality that everything her caregiver told her was going to come to pass, she started to shake.
