Everglade: The Underaged

Chapter 28

How do you know that?

I knew your parents. Natilee and Mike Renoldi.

Get out of my head. You're not helping me or yourself.

Would you like to look through my head? It could quell all of your fears. Luke considered the offer. If he looked through this Being's head, he would know if he could trust them, but it could also be a trap.

Alright. Luke cautiously delved into the Being's head. He found nothing suspicious. He did find memories of his parents, though. The Being's name was Damianus. He was an Elf. Luke was still suspicious. He didn't know how powerful The Head Crow was.

See? Nothing to worry about. Damianus said.

If you're truly safe, come to where me and my friends are at. Luke told him. Surely you aren't afraid of us.

Fine. I shall. Damianus left Luke's mind. Luke started to undo the straps on Eclipse.

Did you find Damianus suspicious? He asked her.

Do not trust way he felt. She replied.

Me too. Luke finished taking off the bags.

Finally. Did not like. 

So you said. Luke lovingly rubbed Eclipse's eclipsed moon. It was his favorite place to rub her. Ailwin started a fire to make dinner with. Zlatru caught them fish to eat. As they settled down for the night a tall man with tanned skin, brown eyes and blond hair came into the clearing.

"Which one of you is Luke?" he asked. Immediately, everyone drew their weapons.

"We wouldn't tell you, or give him to you." Aiwin said. The man sighed.

"He arranged this," He explained. "I am an Elf. I reached out to him and he told me to come here if I wanted to prove I was trustworthy." Luke stood up.

"It's true. I told him to come because I wanted proof that he wasn't a Crow, or The Head Crow in disguise." He said.

"It's actually impossible to turn yourself into an Elf." Isabella said. "They're too powerful."

"We don't know how powerful The Head Crow is." Forwin said.

"I probed his mind, I found no hint that he was a Crow." Luke said. "Unfortunately though, Eclipse didn't like the way he felt to her."

I shall probe him too. Fionntan said.

"Great idea." Forwin agreed.

"Would you mind?" Luke asked Damianus.

"It is considered a great honor to have a Dragon go into your mind to the Elves." Damianus got down on one knee and offered his head out to Fionntan. Fionntan closed his eyes and Luke knew he was in. when he opened them again he said:

He is indeed a true Elf.

"Good." Forwin said.

His mind feels strange though. Not like an Elf's should.

"When he was talking to me he mentioned that there are other breeds of Elves." Luke said. "Humans just believe there's only one kind."

He also said I was a special breed of Elf. he thought to himself. He didn't dare tell his friends until he had proof. His ears were odd shaped. They weren't pointed. They looked like they could be, though. People kept pointing that out to him, and he was bullied for it too. How could he be an Elf? He was raised in Everglade. His doubts came back with some new ones. Who was he? What was he? Did what he was have anything to do with why he was so strong? Did it have anything to do with why he got Eclipse? Did she sense that he was different than all of her potential Partners? He never bothered to ask her. It felt private. He decided to chance it.

Eclipse, why did you choose me? Luke asked Eclipse.

Do good things. Meant to. She answered. That was what everyone told him. He wanted to ask Fionntan if his mind felt different than Forwin's, but he wasn't sure if he wanted to know. It might make his doubts worse. He didn't want to put more weight on his own shoulders.

I feel so... different. Like I'm not what I think I am, who I think I am. He told Eclipse.

You who you meant to be.

Who is that? An Elf or a human?

You who you meant to be. Don't matter what you are. Don't doubt you.

Thanks. Luke rubbed her moon. She was right. It didn't matter if he was an Elf or a human. He was glad to have Eclipse. Still, he felt his ears, just in case they'd changed since he last looked at them. They felt the same. He felt relief flood him. They weren't pointed like Damianus's. He laid down again. Eclipse laid down next to him, blocking him from the others. He snuggled close to her stomach. He tried to sleep, but there was too much noise. The others were still debating if they should trust Damianus. He wanted no part. Ailwin came over to him. Luke put his face in Eclipse's feathers.

"Luke, what all did you find in Damianus's head?" Ailwin asked. Luke ignored him. He wanted to sleep. He felt something poke him.

"Luke?" Luke continued to ignore Ailwin. It was quiet now, he could sleep. The thing poked him again. He ignored it. He continued to ignore the poking until he fell asleep.