45 Shared Thoughts (2/2)

Jake shrugged his shoulders. ”Whether it was coincidence or planned, it still happened. What's important is how we can break the hold on me and the other corrupt aura wielders.” he said as he walked towards the throne. As Will followed him, the room went from the corrupt black back to the original gold.

”How?” Will could only think of the way he saved Maya, yet he believed the reason she was saved was more than because of him. They had a connection which was his best guess.

”Cainus probably already told you how unique your lineage pendant is by now right?” Jake asked as he sat at the steps of the throne and looked up at his brother.

”Yeah,” Will thought back to the conversation he and the late king had after their pact. ”He said something about me becoming a god.” he said as he scratched his head in thought.

”It's more than that.” Jake said thoughtfully. ”Think of your flame for a moment.” He said as he summoned his own dark flame as a demonstration. ”Do you believe that this is the only thing the gift can do?”

Will thought back to the scythe that grew from his arm. He remembered the high density wave of air that exploded and took out a third of Jake's army. ”I guess not.” He said as he tried to figure out where Jake was going with this.

”Don't think of your gift as just flame. What you did to my army was a manifestation of air. Your rage allowed the corruption within you to forcefully draw on wind.” he said as he allowed his flame to go out. ”I think in order for you to become a god, you have to master all the elements.”

”Where do you come in with all of this?” Will thought on what Jake was saying. It all made sense, except why Jake would be willing to help him.

”Now that I have gained entry to this room,” Jake waved his hand around the throne room. ”I can leave a piece of my consciousness here to help you train alongside Cainus, as well as warn you when we are about to attack.” he said as he looked up at Will. ”When an element manifests as it has, we can train until you have mastered it. When that happens, I'll take the corruption from it.” Jake held up his own lineage pendant. ”Doesn't this look familiar?”

Will sat next to his brother and held up the cross. It was the same pendant that hung from his own neck. There were seven notches within it, two already had gems in the sockets just as his did. Both a red gem and a black gem took their places within the cross. The only difference was instead of gold wiring around the pendant, dark tendrils came from the onyx gem and wrapped sickly around the regal cross.

”How is this possible? I thought Cainus said only I would have this cross.” he said as he looked up at Jake from the cross.

”This pendant appeared on my neck around a month and a half ago.” he said as he took it back. ”Around the same time you gained access to this room if I had to guess.”

”The same time I made the crusader's pact with Cainus.” Will thought out loud.

Jake nodded as he stood back up and looked at the throne. ”Why don't you come out and explain this to us your highness.” he said with a raised eyebrow.

Do not think to summon a king, boy. A voice rang from the crimson sky above. You may be an heir of the Ragnos bloodline, but until the corruption within you is expelled, do not count yourself as a candidate for the throne.

”So everything he said is true?” Will asked more to himself than to the king. Hearing Cainus call Jake an heir was more than enough proof for Will to know he was his brother, but the shock of the confirmation was almost more than he could handle.

Yes, Cainus's voice rang within the chamber. He is the first born son of king William Ragnos and Isabelle Ragnos. When he was born, your father had sensed the dark aura within him. He immediately dispatched Jake to earth with a loyal servant. He was unnamed by his father. It was William's intention that Jake never learned about the aura within him. He was given nothing within these lands to allow him to learn of its existence. He was to be raised as a normal boy and depart the mortal world in death with no knowledge of our world.

What Will was hearing was horrible. How could his father give Jake nothing? How could he not even name his own son?

Will looked at Jake, he was expecting his older brother to have a look of anger in his face. Instead, Will looked into the eyes of someone who had never known love. Since Will had known Jake, never had he known him to look so vulnerable.

”I don't care about auras or destinies.” Will said as he looked up at the crimson sky. ”Just tell me if there's any truth to the elemental affinity idea my brother spoke of.”

There was a long pause before Cainus replied.

Darkness cleanses light so that light may cleanse the darkness.

When the elements awaken within the chosen, the hold of chaos will be broken.

Fire burns, air cleanses, water soothes and earth heals.

Within every darkness there is light, Within every light there is darkness.

These were the words spoken to me by the gods who granted me power. This is all I know.

”That's all we need.” Will said as he looked back down at Jake. ”You may not have grown with family, but I will do everything I can to make sure you have one soon.”