Chapter 6
883 Words
I looked between the Second Master and the Third Master.
Then I sighed.
Deeply.
Very deeply.
"Do you know what my problem is?"
The Second Master smiled.
"What?"
"I am standing between two Greek gods."
The Third Master raised an eyebrow.
"That's a problem?"
"Yes."
"How?"
"Because neither of you are helping me get home."
The Second Master laughed.
I pointed at him.
"Stop laughing."
"No."
"I have rent."
He laughed harder.
"I have a salary."
That somehow made him laugh even more.
"Why is this funny?"
"Because you're worried about money."
"I like money."
"We know."
---
The Second Master leaned back comfortably.
"So, little girl—"
"I am twenty-seven."
"Little girl."
"I'm older than your attitude."
The Third Master covered his mouth.
The Second Master ignored me completely.
"Do you want to know what happened to us?"
I narrowed my eyes.
"The scars?"
Both Masters became quiet.
For the first time, neither of them looked amused.
"Yes."
I sat down.
Finally.
Something useful.
---
"There was a time," the Second Master began, "when our family was untouchable."
I immediately interrupted.
"Financially?"
"No."
"Politically?"
"No."
"Magically?"
"Yes."
"Oh."
That got my attention.
A little.
---
"The vampires feared us."
"The werewolves feared us."
"The great families respected us."
"Many sought alliances with us."
I nodded slowly.
Then the Second Master's smile disappeared.
"Then she came."
The room grew quiet.
Even the Third Master looked away.
I noticed.
And suddenly the story became much more interesting.
---
"Who?"
The Second Master stared into the distance.
"A woman."
"Very powerful."
"Very dangerous."
"She could destroy powers themselves."
I blinked.
"That's overpowered."
Neither of them laughed.
The Second Master continued.
"She attacked us."
"And these scars..."
He rolled back his sleeve.
The glowing scars became visible.
"They came from her."
I stared.
"Wait."
The Second Master nodded.
"They have never healed."
"Ever."
I frowned.
"How long ago was this?"
Silence.
Then:
"Ten thousand years."
---
I nearly fell off my chair.
"WHAT?!"
The Third Master winced.
"Please stop shouting."
"YOU SAID TEN THOUSAND YEARS!"
"Yes."
"Do I look calm enough for that information?"
"No."
"Good."
---
I paced around the room.
Ten thousand years.
Ten.
Thousand.
Years.
That was insane.
That wasn't old.
That was prehistoric.
That was before common sense existed.
---
"So what does this have to do with me?"
The Second Master looked directly at me.
"The Sixth Family."
I groaned immediately.
"Again?"
"Yes."
"The Sixth Family."
I pointed dramatically.
"Every time I ask a question, the answer becomes the Sixth Family."
"Because the Sixth Family is important."
"My rent is important."
"The Sixth Family is more important."
"Debatable."
---
The Second Master ignored me.
Again.
"The Sixth Family possessed a unique connection."
"To what?"
"The Universe."
I blinked.
"What?"
"Their bloodline could draw power directly from the universe itself."
I stared.
Then I stared harder.
Then I stared even harder.
"That's ridiculous."
"It's true."
"No."
"It is."
"No."
The Third Master laughed quietly.
---
"The woman targeted them first."
The room became silent again.
"One by one, they disappeared."
My smile faded.
"The entire family?"
"Almost."
I swallowed.
For the first time, I wasn't joking.
For the first time, I wasn't thinking about salaries.
Or cars.
Or internet.
I was listening.
Carefully.
---
"And now?"
I asked softly.
The Second Master's eyes met mine.
"Now you're alive."
The words landed heavily.
"Which means..."
"The bloodline lives."
A strange feeling settled inside my chest.
One I couldn't explain.
---
The Third Master finally spoke.
"If the bloodline returns..."
"The war returns."
Wonderful.
Absolutely wonderful.
I came here for a family reunion.
Apparently I inherited a war instead.
---
I rubbed my forehead.
"No."
Both Masters looked at me.
"No?"
"No."
I stood.
Immediately.
"No."
"What do you mean no?"
"I mean no."
I pointed at the door.
"I have paperwork."
Silence.
"I have responsibilities."
More silence.
"My boss already thinks I'm dead."
The Third Master laughed.
The Second Master looked disappointed.
---
"I don't care about some woman from ten thousand years ago."
The room froze.
"I don't care about ancient wars."
Still frozen.
"I don't care about destiny."
The Second Master's expression darkened.
"Zilla."
"No."
I folded my arms.
"I want to go home."
The Third Master looked away.
The Second Master sighed.
For the first time...
Neither of them had an answer.
---
Then something strange happened.
A sentence appeared in my mind.
Not my words.
Someone else's.
Ancient.
Sad.
Heavy.
The words slipped from my mouth before I could stop them.
"I am the one who carries the burden of my father's sins."
Silence.
Complete silence.
The Second Master stood immediately.
The Third Master looked shocked.
Very shocked.
I blinked.
"What?"
Neither answered.
The Third Master stepped closer.
"Where did you hear that?"
"I..."
My voice faltered.
"I don't know."
The Second Master and Third Master exchanged a look.
A look that made my stomach twist.
Then the Second Master whispered:
"Impossible."
The Third Master nodded slowly.
His expression had become serious.
Far too serious.
"Could it be..."
He looked at me.
"That you're sharing memories with our mother?"
I stared at them.
They stared at me.
And for the first time since arriving in Navigas...
I genuinely wished somebody would explain what the hell was going on.
- Writer
