Tug of Fate | When Stars Align Book one

Prologue

I sit looking out the backyard at the setting sun. Absentmindedly, I play with the spheres of fire and water I have conjured in my two palms. As always, I am lost in thoughts of what could have been and what should have been. But like my sister always told me, 'should-haves and could-haves does not a life make'.

I smile at the memory. A hand touches my shoulder and I lean into the touch. I will recognize that touch anywhere. My father. My pillar of strength, my support, my friend. I turn to give him a smile but notice his face wrought with worry. I quickly dissolve the fire and water spheres and turn to give him my full attention.

"What happened?" I ask him.

He keeps looking at me for a long time. The silence grows heavy by the second. "Nothing happened. Thinking about your sister?"

I nod. "Always Dad, always."

"Samara told me you healed her." It isn't a question.

I shrug. "She had twisted her ankle. Nothing big."

He looks at me with eyes full of insight. "It was stronger this time isn't it?"

My lips turn up. "She has been stronger this time. Imagine when she accepts and embraces it completely."

"All of them actually... right?"

I nod, pride filling me. "Yes. All of them."

He turns his head to look at the setting sun and starts speaking, "We have had reports that 'Nicans are closing in. And we are just about at the turn of the century. How confident are you that it will work this time?"

All of us have been working hard for this. For years.

"We can never know Dad. All those times in the past when we had thought it would work, it didn't. So let's not jinx it, as Ria would say."

I can see my father's eyes glisten with unshed tears. He took up the mantle of being the solid one, the stronger one, and gave me the time to fall apart. But I know how much he misses Ria as well. We might have been twins, but she was always the apple of our parent's eyes. With her mischief, humor, and that bright light within her, she had everyone wrapped around her little finger, literally. And she was my life. My half.

"I am worried that this really is our last chance. After this, we won't get another one. Unless with some grace of Stars we survive. We still might have a chance, but...", he trails off.

"No, Dad. We have no chance. If it doesn't work, then... we might as well join others in the caves." I shrug.

Dad takes a deep breath and turns to me fully. "Have you been able to figure out anything about the quest?"

"No. They don't show me or tell me anything. Nothing. It is made for the worthy, rightful and the lost heirs. I am not lost. And they might be rightful and lost, but until they are found worthy..." I trail off. Let's not say it. "We have put things in motion. They need to be in one place for this to happen. After that, it is up to the Stars, Dad. And up to them."

"I hope this time they are ready..." he sighs.

"I hope so too. My gut tells me they will be. They have to be." My fists clenched tight.

He squeezes my shoulder and says, "I really hope that they are ready. For your sake."

My hand starts rubbing my chest on its own. "Parts of my soul are missing, Dad. This void needs to be filled now."

He clasps my shoulders and looks at me with renewed vigor. "And it will be my son. You my boy have managed to do what nobody else could have. You have preserved the lives of thousands and thousands of our people. You have single handedly managed to bring us so close to our dream. We are proud of you. And I cannot wait for the day when we can see the light in your eyes shining again", he pulls me in his arms.

I return his embrace just as fiercely. But there is a tightness in my gut. In a few days, the last stage of our plan will be set in motion. To bring back home and what I had lost. I can only hope to God and the Stars, that this time, we make it.