Dusk

Six

My lungs were already burning, and I began to panick. Kierce was five feet away when one of the brown cloaked man grabbed the back of my sweater.

I tumbled backwards, unable to stand my ground. Kierce reached out as he ran. In my struggle with the brown cloaked stranger, I flailed, kicking the man. The man loosened his hold on me slightly which allowed me to kick at his groin.

By then, Kierce was within reach and I grabbed his arm.

Whoosh.

I fell on top of Kierce as he transported us elsewhere. Immediately my stomach lurched. I was about to climb off of Kierce when a hand touched the back of my neck. I sighed in relief as my sudden illness disappeared.

"Nyla. Can you move?" Kierce groaned under me.

I pushed myself off of him, "Please tell me I'm not seeing things! And why I am lying to my best friend!" I paused, just noticing that we weren't alone. A girl took her hand off of my neck and there was a lady and two man standing around us. One man helped Kierce up. I looked at the man in the eyes.

"Nick?" I said. Nick just nodded his head. The other three I didn't know who they were.

The second older man came up to me. He looked a lot like Kierce, except older. "Hello Nyla. My name is Kennedy. We've been waiting for you for a long time now."

I looked at Kierce, then at Nick, and back at the older man again. "You- you have? Why?"

Kierce stepped closer to Kennedy. "She doesn't know anything. I didn't have time to explain."

I stood there, gaping like a fish with its mouth open. What was happening.

"Oh, well in that case, please follow me." Kennedy turned and walked out the door. Only then did I notice where we were. The wall, ceiling and floor was a crisp white. There was nothing else in the room other than the five of us here. It was really weird to be in an all white room with no furniture. Nick and Kierce came by my side, I guess to escort me.

I whispered to Nick, "Where are we?"

His only reply was, "Family mansion."

I kept quiet, following Kennedy in the hallways. The halls were normal as you would see in a house. There were pictures hung and dim lights lit everywhere. After going down some stairs we turned and went into another room. This room was furnished and better lit than the hallways. Nick pointed at a recliner chair by the fireplace. I took a seat, looking around. There were couches and end tables, but not a single tv in sight.

Kennedy started the conversation. "I don't want to scare you anymore than I already do, so I'll leave you alone with Kierce and Nick. Okay?"

I nodded. The man wasn't wrong, I was kinda scared. But scared as in, what is this place and why am I here.

The moment Kennedy closed the door with a loud click, I turned to Nick.

"Why are you here?'

"I live here." He said. "Now, be quiet and listen to us."

I was taken back by his sternness. Where was the charming Nick I met yesterday?

Kierce started, "We've been watching you for a while now." He held up a finger, showing that I needed to shut up. I had almost voiced my concerns for being watched.

"We were watching you, because we think you might be a target for a group of bad people called the Order. The Order wants to get rid of the Moon Clan. The Moon Clan is what we call ourselves.

I raised my hand. Kierce ignored my raised hand and continued. "The two people in the brown cloaks were from the Order. I just didn't realize they had found you so soon. That was my mistake. It won't happen again."

I cut in, "How do you do what you do?"

Kierce sighed, annoyed that I had butted in. He pulled out a chained necklace from around his neck. I hadn't seen it before since it was hidden.

"This necklace has been passed down in the Moon Clan for centuries. This is what gives me the ability to shadowzap from one place to another. The more I use it, the more I tire. And yes, bringing people and objects affects me." Kierce tucked the necklace back inside his shirt.

I turned to Nick, "So how are you involved? I didn't know you could do stuff too?"

Nick replied, "Ah, well, I'm training for a specific ring, I won't receive it until I am of age. Kierce and I, we're-"

"Don't say it!" Kierce groaned.

"-brothers".  Nick finished. "Well, we think of one another as brothers, but we're cousins."

"So you two are cousins that are in the Moon Clan with magical trinkets that gives you powers. And the Order is after me, why?" I said.

Nick and Kierce looked at each other. Kierce responded, "That's the thing, we don't know. We have some theories as to why considering what happened this summer."

"This summer?" I said, "What does summer have to do with anything?"

Nick grinned. "Because we believe you'll be able to weld the master stone."