The Chained Watcher

Backstory/Sidestory: The Heroes of the Elements

~~~

Something is very, very wrong with this place.

Such are the thoughts of Peter as he and the other Heroes of the Elements are instructed in magic by one of the smaller Watchers with only a single pair of wings. The others are excited, and yeah, he's also eager to learn more about magic, but the Watchers just fill him with this sense of dread that refuses to let him be at ease here.

Mark, the Hero of Fire, guides a stream of fire around himself like he thinks he's a firebender from ATLA. The Watcher chides mildly, "You are guiding fire, Hero, not water. The tongue of the flame follows the flow of air. Controlling its rebellious nature is important, yes, but rejecting its nature will only weaken it."

Its guidance comes off as aloof but helpful. And if he couldn't see the things he can see, he would believe their summoners to be just as good and kind as the rest of the Heroes believe them to be. The Watcher turns to him, and he fights the urge to flinch as phantom screams ring in his mind.

"Have you still not managed to manifest your magic externally?" it asks, disappointed.

He shakes his head. "No, I... I haven't."

"I cannot teach you more than the most generalized self enhancements when I do not know your element, Hero. Continue your sensing and circulation practice. I must continue the lessons for the other Heroes."

He just bows his head, trying not to look at the Watcher. After all, if he makes eye contact with the shadows reflected within its mask, he won't be able to keep a straight face.

Despite that, once it starts walking away, he can't help but glance at it, magic creating a film over his eyes and letting him see more clearly the blood filling its shadow.

Every step it takes leaves behind a trail of blood, silent cries of despair begging for mercy, for salvation, for anything to bring an end to their pain, even if that thing is death. The Watchers living here may not know what his element of magic is, but he's pretty sure he knows by now.

Karma.

His element is Karma.

And no one believes him when he tries to tell them of the Watchers' hidden cruelty.

As much as it hurts to admit, he probably wouldn't believe his claims either if he couldn't see karma. The Watchers' facade is perfect. A race of godlike beings wielding immense power, secluding themselves from mortal affairs, yet now needing help to defeat an enemy looking to eradicate them entirely. An enemy known as 'Listeners'.

Thirteen Heroes from another world, summoned to defeat the 'evil' Listeners who want to hunt down and kill all the Watchers, allegedly for their feathers and eyes. An organization targeting a species. Obviously the species looking to avoid extermination are in the right. Right? Surely there can't be a reason for there to be an organization to exist purely to exterminate one specific species, right?

He just... needs to convince the other Heroes of this. They'll believe him. He's sure of it.

~~~

Wheezing from the pain of what's definitely at least bruised ribs, potentially broken, Peter finally acknowledges the truth. The other Heroes are not his allies.

Mark sneers at him. "I can't believe you're still so ungrateful. We got summoned by god-like beings, given powers and training and just about anything we want, and you're still calling them monsters? Get lost. You're not one of us. You're just the useless extra who can't even cast magic right."