Greykin Valley

| 31 | Fire

⥐ ⋞ ☽ ⋟ ⥐

| Jackson |

Jackson stood twenty feet away from Sebastien, his heart thumping, and his hands trembling. He was nervous enough that he was about to start learning to use fire ethos, but the fact that several packmates were watching made it worse.

"You gotta find it," Sebastien called. "Just like when you found your wolf and your demon. Search inside yourself. It's there."

With a deep breath, Jackson closed his eyes and concentrated. He had to find his fire ethos, so he reached inside, focusing on the idea of fire. The burning warmth, the bright flickering, and the ashy smell. And then he clenched his fist, trying to push his ethos into his palm.

Nothing.

He sighed and let his arms dangle at his sides. "What am I doing wrong?"

"It takes time, Jackson," Sebastien told him. "We don't know what fire type you possess. It'd be so much simpler if we did."

"Can we find out?" Wilson called.

"Only by knowing what types his parents had," the white-haired demon replied. "Do you remember anything about them? A colour or smell could narrow it down."

Jackson frowned, but everything about his parents was a blur. "I don't know, I..." he mumbled, but then something came to him. He did remember the night those masked men came into his nursery. Silver and crimson lights. "I remember silver and red flashes in the hall."

"Crimson flames come from Lord Caedis' bloodline," Sebastien said. "Male demons inherit more of their father's abilities and traits than their mother's. So, there's a high chance you have crimson flames."

"Okay, so...do I think about red fire?" Jackson asked unsurely.

"No. You think about fire that burns something into nothing. Lord Caedis can create hellfire."

"Like actual hellfire?" Wilson asked.

"From hell?" Julian added.

Sebastien sighed. "That's literally why it's called hellfire."

"And what does the Zenith create?" Tokala called curiously.

"It purges," Sebastien said. "It can burn rock and metal, and it burns the literal life out of someone. Their lifeforce and ethos; some people say he can burn someone's soul out."

"Damn..." Julian drawled.

"Could Jackson have both?" Remus suddenly asked.

Jackson looked over his shoulder to see both Remus and Damon watching.

"No," Sebastien answered. "The only people who do are Lord Caedis' and the Zenith's children."

"Children?" Julian questioned. "They have more than one?"

"We're getting off track," the white-haired demon said. "Think about burning something until it's nothing, not even ash. Think of fire that burns until there's no trace of it. Red fire. It smells of sulphur, burning sage, and a kind of sweet ash."

Jackson closed his eyes. "Okay," he mumbled, attempting to concentrate. He connected with his ethos and focussed on the things Sebastien told him. And then, when he felt his hand warm up, he opened his eyes and gawped at the simmering red flames hovering an inch from his palm. Everyone who was watching gasped or cheered, and Jackson felt excitement and relief.

"Now concentrate," Sebastien instructed. "Keep it contained to your hand."

Jackson frowned and held his hand in front of him.