Love of a Raven

Chapter 16: Newly Family Members

A hundred and eighty three years have passed since I moved from Romania to my old homeland in England. My baby brother was born about a month after we settled back in my old house on November 10th, 1704. That day was the most chaotic I have ever experienced. My father left me and Damian to watch over my mother while he went to retrieve Acantha as a midwife.

As soon as my father left, we were immediately sought out by my mother who was screaming orders at us. Damian and I went running around the house in search of everything she asked for. But, we still had no idea what else to do with my mother suffering from the delivery. Fortunately, Father came in time with Acantha and dismissed us to the hallway until it was all over.

We waited for what felt like days, pacing around the hallway in anticipation for any news of my mother and my sibling. So, when Father came out to tell me I could go inside and meet my new sibling, I was ecstatic. My mother was lying on her bed with my new sibling, a big smile on her face, then asked me if I wanted to hold my baby brother. The minute I got the chance to hold him, I didn't want to let him go. He was so small, so vulnerable that I silently vowed myself to protect him.

Now, at the age of a hundred and eighty-four, Luka Gastrell is highly capable of fending for himself. Over the years, he learned from me and Damian how to defend himself. He excelled at fighting beside us, but alone is where he was more reckless. He's not aware of his surroundings and simply jumps into battle without taking any consideration of those who could attack him from behind.

Though, what Luka lacks in self-awareness is made up with his electrokinesis powers. The first time we witnessed his powers, it was during a rainy day when we were all sparring with one another. Damian was distracting him while I was preparing myself to kick him from behind when a shot of lightning hit the sky right by us. Except, it maneuvered from its original direction to my brother when he leaped up into the air to avoid both of mine and Damian's attack.

Instead of electrocuting him, it was being absorbed into him. Later, he summoned it back into the sky which was quite impressive. Mother explained that his abilities were from the new spell she used which could explain why I didn't acquired a similar ability. Still, Luka wasn't the only one with an elemental power. Two others have an akin ability to Luka's.

On January 31st, 1796, my mother gave birth to twins. A boy and girl who both share a love for mischief. When it came time to train them, they were way too into it. Every spar was all or nothing for them. Unlike Luka's struggle of self awareness, the twins Aidan and Jasmine have a self restraint problem. That was only when they were in close combat; when they discovered their powers, they became more reckless.

Jasmine found out she had cryokinesis during a snow day and was able to create ice daggers with a frozen lake. Aidan, however, learned he had pyrokinesis while he was going against Damian in a bad temper that his hands erupted fire and burned Damian. The burn was fortunately only a small degree, but it did brought my attention to their ways of fighting. In short, their fighting style is that of an animal.

As children, I noticed that they were a bit of hassle, but I believed they would outgrow their mischievous behavior. Instead, they became more cold hearted as they got older. I don't know if it's the way they are or from all the souls they consume or if it's me they dislike. Whatever the case, they're not as hostile towards our youngest member of our family.

Lily Gastrell, a young girl that appears six years old to most, joined our family on May 19, 1843. She is the last of our siblings my mother bred, claiming she has enough children to settle down with my father. No matter, I'm still ecstatic about having four other siblings and little Lily is the sister I always wanted to have. Sweet and innocent, nothing like Jasmine when she was her age.