A/N: Incomplete is the title of the chapter. It's not meant to imply that the chapter is incomplete.
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Arm pulls back. Snap it forward. Release. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6… Only six skips. I could never keep the surface of the water smooth enough to keep the rock skipping across longer than ten skips. My essence felt weak. I knew I had to face it soon but I didn’t want to. I’d found life; I didn’t want to remember the torment of my youth. Four years later and it still gave me nightmares.
“Quin! Quin! Hey, you totally disappeared back there. I’ve been looking everywhere for you. What happened?”
Rell would probably understand but she’s so hot headed she would demand to go with me. I can’t risk that. I don’t want to drag anyone else into this. This is my journey, my duty.
“Hello, earth to Quin! Will you at least acknowledge that you’ve heard me or has all that work with your essence put water on your brain?”
I can’t help but smile at the over used jab at my use of water. Rell, being a fire user, is supposed to be my natural opposite. She isn’t though, and I think we both know it, but she still insists on repeating those silly jokes.
“Ah, and a smile cracks the ice. So, you gonna tell me when you plan on leaving or were you gonna leave a corny note and try to sneak out?”
Startled I finally look up at her. She’s perched on an old tree stump lazily painting smoky patterns in the air with a lit fingertip.
“Ah, so Mr. Moody didn’t think I knew? Come on Quin, we’re best friends. I’ve known you practically your whole life! Those years down below don’t count as life. Remember? That’s why we decided that the day I found you would be your birthday. I know you better than anyone else, I notice when you’ve been getting moody any time your essence isn’t as strong as the other water users. You want to learn your real name.”
“Rell, sometimes I think you talk too much. Then I realize you know too much so the talking is just the overflow of information. You’re too smart for my own good.”
Rell’s laughter bounces off the trees as she hops down from her seat. “Quin, sweet, innocent Quin, that is still but a gross understatement of my brilliance.”
I sigh. The girl’s a genius and unfortunately she knows it. “Yes, I know but if I compliment you too much your head will get even bigger and I think it’s already dangerously near to bursting.”
“Oh gasp, you hurt me so!” Her hand flutters to her chest in mock offense. “Okay, enough about me. That was a good attempt at changing the subject but let’s get back to your plan to run off to who knows where without your best friend and loyal partner in crime. Do you even know where to start? I’ll bet you were gonna try to run back to the caves like they had any more information on you there than what you already took. Studying the moles won’t teach you how to touch the stars my dear cohort.”
Sigh. “Rell, it’s going to be dangerous and I don’t want to mix you up in all of it.” Of all people I especially don’t want to see her get into the kind of trouble this kind of journey will guarantee.
“Quinton Marine! Do you seriously think that life as we know it isn’t dangerous? Just because of who and what I am I am unsafe no matter where I go. There’s no point sitting around and waiting for danger to find me, I might as well take action and run at it. Maybe I’ll be able to catch it by surprise and stab it in the eye before it gets me. All this sitting around and waiting for things to happen while at the same time trying to hide from it is driving me crazy! You either take me with you or I’ll find some other fool quest to set out on. If it weren’t for you I’d have left on one a long time ago. I was actually off on an imaginary one the day I found you. Admittedly I didn’t get very far but it was a fruitful trip nonetheless.” She winked at that last comment but contained any further humor within so as not to lessen the quality of her lengthy argument. Damn the girl could talk.
“Dammit Arelliana, you don’t know the things they do to people! Hell, they don’t even think we are people. They won’t kill you, they’ll lock you up and torture you and soon you’ll be telling them about your family and where to find them whether you want to or not. If you go with me you’ll be endangering all of the Sane Demons. Do you want that?”
She looks on the verge of tears but her jaw is still set stubbornly. “Do you really think that little of me Quin?” Little more than a whisper, the question rings in my ears like a bell. When I fail to answer she slowly turns and walks away. She’s as graceful and silent as a lioness on the hunt but I can tell by the slight hunch of her shoulders and the way she doesn’t look around herself that she is upset. Ah well, I’ll talk to her before I leave. Damn, I still have to talk to Doyenne Flare about the whole scheme.
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Lying back on my cot I stare at the papers in my lap. The wrinkled contents of the folder I’d swiped from the file cabinet the day I escaped the caves. I’ve read it many times since I first learned but I never get tired of reading it.
Name: Unknown
DOB: Mar 02-6633
Maternal: Contained - deceased
Paternal: Located
Level: High
The papers went on in greater detail different observations they’d made in my development and how dangerous they thought each could become if left unattended. They said I showed no aversion to any person’s essence (although they called it a person’s inner demon). A surprisingly lengthy report was written on my first attempted escape. It told how the boy I had tried to leave with had been “disposed of”. That report always made me sick but I made myself read it anyway. It was part of my history and part of who I am despite my distaste.
Finally I find myself looking at the article describing the location of my parents. My mother had been found, captured, and then killed through lack of medical care following my birth. My father however, proved to be more complicated for them. A small army had been sent to incarcerate the borderline legendary Named One that had evaded them for so long and none returned. Upwards of 30 men vanished to dust after cornering one man.
The whole thing seems incredible and hard to believe but if I can learn anything about my true name then it will start with the last hint of a living family member. Tomorrow I will talk to Doyen and Doyenne Flare about my plans and begin preparations to leave. By next sundown I will be leaving for the last place the Empire has any record of my father being:
Tyrr.
YOU ARE READING
The Named
AdventureA boy without a name / A man without a purpose / A girl without a love / A people left helpless. Together they'll ignite a flame / In the heart's of the blameless / So when push comes to shove / They will battle the heinous.
