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The Mixes Short Story #1: Origins

Noah heard a familiar voice call his name as he fell towards the ground.

"Noah!" He tried to open his eyes, but the potion was already sinking in. As he fell, he saw his younger sister running towards him. Noah closed his eyes, hoping against hope that somehow, someday, he would end up with Susan again.

Kalyn fell to her knees beside her older brother. The fourteen-year-old realized her brother was gone and immediately went to try to find him. She had used her abilities to track him down. Kalyn wasn't a complete Elementalist, but her powers were nothing to scoff at. She could track down anyone and manipulate snakes. She brushed her curly blond hair behind her ear as she checked for a pulse. She found one and breathed a sigh of relief. There were footsteps behind her, and Kalyn looked up.

"What has this boy done?" her father asked.

Kalyn shook her head. "Dad, he... I think he took the potion."

The man shook his head. "It won't work. A potion can't remove an Elementalist's abilities, just their memories." He looked at Kalyn. "Kalyn, I think it may be time we returned to our own world."

"What world?" Kalyn asked.

Her father sighed. "I have a story to tell you." 

Kalyn followed her father. He had picked Noah up as easily as someone would a doll and placed him in the car. They climbed into the car and drove home. Once they got home, her father carried Noah inside, placed him on a bed, and led Kalyn downstairs.

"Okay." her father said. "Kalyn. You know I am a powerful Magic, and your brother is the final Elementalist."

Kalyn nodded.

"Well, we aren't human." her father said. "We're... well, our own people originally called themselves magi-shadows. But recently, we have been using the name the humans know us by... shades."

Kalyn's eyes widened. "S... shades?" she asked.

Her father nodded. "I come from another world."

"What about Mom?" Kalyn asked.

Her father shook his head. "No, your mother was completely human. And that is why you didn't inherit my full range of abilities. When I fled my world, I never expected this to happen. I just wanted to be free from my responsibilities. But everything has changed. Many of the people from my world died, including the King and his family. Since I was a relative of the King, I am now officially the King of the shades. I must do what is best for my people. Our world is falling apart. I've scouted this world for a while, but some other Magic workers have found me. I brought some of my people here, but they were all destroyed. So, I found another world. It is ruled by a Queen called Idina. Her army is weak, and I know we can take over their world easily and build a new life for our kind."

"But that would kill many humans," Kalyn said. Her father shook his head.

"Yes, but it is necessary. I know you care about humans, but you are not one of them."

Kalyn opened her mouth to protest. "Yes, I am! Mom was human!"

Her father reached for her. "I'm sorry I have to do this. I was hoping you'd agree by your own will," he apologized as he placed his fingers on her forehead. Kalyn screamed as everything went dark around her. 

The King of the shades walked over and stood by Noah's body.

"This is necessary," he assured himself as he created a portal to the world of the shades and carried his son and daughter through it. The portal closed behind them, and it was as if they had never been there in the first place. 

The boy opened his eyes and looked around. Where was he? And wait a minute... who was he? A tall man was standing near his bed.

"Ah, you're awake."

"What is this? Who am I?" the boy asked, confused.

The man smiled. "I'm your father. And your name is Noah. You are one of the most powerful magic shadows alive currently."

"Magic shadows?" Noah asked, confused. "That's a mouthful."

"The humans know us as shades, but that is simply because they don't understand us. And I know you don't understand us either right now. So don't worry, I'll teach you everything you need to know." his father promised. "You can call me King."

"Okay, King. What do I need to know about?"

"There is this world we are trying to move into. I'm sending my people into it to tear it apart slowly. Within three years, we will have destroyed it and taken over."

"Isn't three years a long time?" Noah asked, standing up and looking around.

King shook his head. "Not to a shade." 

Kalyn sat in her room, snakes coming towards her one by one. Her father had insisted she learn to control them, and Kalyn had agreed. Anything to further their cause. She glanced in the mirror. Her long black hair and pale skin stared back at her. A feeling in the back of her mind told Kalyn her hair had once been blond, not too long ago. Kalyn frowned, studying her reflection, and then shook her head. She had to focus on becoming the most powerful of her people, the Magics. Forget the world her father was trying to conquer; she would destroy the human world.