The Immortal's Gamble

Chapter 24 Items

Within three large strides, he had reached my side and fell onto the sofa with an 'oof'. Placing the album next to me, I motioned for him to lie down and I moved his head onto my lap, my hands immediately went to play with his hair. His grey eyes seemed so much more silvery in the dim lighting. Between training, him being called away and school work, it's been so long since we had time alone.

"I'm sorry for being away." He breathed, hands coming up to caress my face. I turned and kissed his hand, taking them into mine. "It's alright."

"Do you want to look through the album? I'll stay here with you." He offered and sat up, I nestled into his side as he slung an arm over my shoulders. Moving so smoothly, you would have thought we have done this often.

As I opened the first page, the crisp sound of the page made my goosebumps stand. It looked as though no one has opened this for a long, long time. 

Dear Laura, I'm sorry I left you and your mum alone. But it's the only way to keep you safe. Nonetheless, I am always around to look out for you. Forever & Always, C. 

I let out a gasp as I recalled the stuffed rabbit, the tag said the same thing. Flipping through the album, various pictures were slipped in. Even after he left when I was five, the pictures of me continued. When I first started school, when I attended drama class, when I won second place in the baking competition. Every event I participated in was documented there. The pictures were all taken from the side where I wasn't looking. As I flipped, pictures of myself with Bri and Soren appeared all the same take from the side or behind people and so on. But at the last page, I was working in Level One, handing a cookie to a child. Forever & Always, C.

My father, he's seen it all. He's around me all the time and I didn't know. While my own mother abused me with her boyfriend. I was never loved in all the years he wasn't around. And this was all to keep me safe? How was leaving me with my abusive mother and her perverted boyfriend safe?

"Laura, it's okay." Arden rubbed my back as I started hyperventilating, tears were streaming down my cheeks as I sobbed. My own father left me, for reasons I don't know of. Now thirteen years later weird things are happening, only then he resurfaces.

"Arden step away." Alex ran down the stair with the others and shouted over my crying. A scream of anguish rippled through the room, but what came out wasn't just a sound. Alex, Bri and Soren flew backwards from the impact, Arden merely held his ground next to me, the chilling sound of his flesh being slashed echoed in my ear but I was too far in my emotions to ask if he was alright. Heat from the middle of my chest started spreading, a contrast from the coolness of the pendant that was now becoming a dark blue. 

"Enough Laura, calm down." As soon as the words were out of his mouth, my mind drew a blank.

I was smoking, literally as though someone doused a bucket of ice water onto a fire. Bri was helping Soren up and Alex was next to me. I could feel the overpowering calmness that was being forced onto me. The combined power of Alex's spell and Arden's manipulation forced my emotions to calm, turning the stone green again, Alex slowly released the spell's full power. 

I was still sniffling, but I was exhausted. Almost as though my emotions were pushed out through my tears and the calmness that was projected on me stopped me from going out of control again. 

I was swaying in my seat when arms came around me, "I've got you." Arden was holding me as the rest came down the stairs. Alex was already patching up Arden's arm, my eyes fluttering and I could barely open them. Sniffing the air, an overpowering burnt smell filled my nostril and I looked down slightly and realised that I had scorched the seat while in my breakdown.

Apologising, Alex merely waved me off and told me to move to another area of the living room where all three of us could sit. Once we were all comfortable, and I wasn't as pale as before, I started asking questions again, feeling calmer than before.

"Alex, tell me more about my father. So he's been watching over me? How did you get all these things?" I fired off tiredly and he held up a hand to stop me. 

"Alex, these things... Are all Laura's. Laura's godmother has pleaded with me to pass it to her. But you know the elders won't let me go." Lewis rubbed his face tiredly, being in the Grand Palace was taking a toll on him.

Administrative paperwork was never his cup of tea.

"But these are all toys?" I asked confused, last I checked Laura isn't an infant.

"Her father, made her godmother keep them safe in her possession. Laura is loved, even in this realm, I have found a couple of her father's old friends but I'm sworn to secrecy. I can't name them. Just hand all these to her. Especially this necklace, make sure she wears at all times, even during training, it will help her greatly. You or Soren will need to be there to help her control her emotions. The spells, do they work?" I nodded at his question and explanation.

"Who is her father?" The winning question that all of us wants to know. He seemed like a powerful being based on what the demons have been mentioning and with the type of powers Laura has, it's no surprise. Lewis looked at me and sighed once more before slumping down onto his chair.

"You know how in the Beginning, there were only a handful of Immortals called the Alphas created by the Guardians?" Lewis asked and I nodded, every one of us had to go through the lessons, well history lessons if you would, to help us understand who we are and what we do, seeing my nod he continued.

"After the Alphas were created, they learned spells and created beings like your brother and yourself. That very line of beings began with a man and a woman named Luther and Allura. They were taught like you were but Allura grew increasingly obsessed with humankind's sins, taking it upon herself to punish them. On the other hand, Luther matured, doing everything he can to reason with Allura, and eventually helping cover up her misdoings. 

Demons were running rampant, following Allura's orders to unleash chaos and destruction to humankind. Until the elders decided that it was time to step in despite Luther's persuasion, they just couldn't turn a blind eye to her doings. They lured her back and using Luther's power, turned her back to dust but as she turned to dust, she vowed revenge on them and promised extermination of humankind and Immortals for everything they have done. Luther then became the sole keeper of the demon's portal but being made from air and dust they were not perfect soon he started growing old and soon passed.

The Alphas started creating new lines of Immortals which has been perfected over the years and thus leading up to your generation. Recently, the gateway's power has weakened considerably and demons are trying to claw their way out. They have succeeded in opening portals with another's power, but the main gateway is where annihilation will begin if they manage to weaken it enough." Lewis took a sip of water and looked me straight in the eye, knowing that he hasn't answered my questions.

"So where does Laura's father fit in all of this? Well, before Luther's death, he created a line of Immortals using his own life essence, meaning they won't die and are just like Immortals perhaps even stronger since they have his essence. Her father belonged to that line. His name is Cameron. The first being created by Luther, he's older than you and me combined and has roamed Earth for at least 800 years. He finally found love in Annie, but once the elder's found out, he fled. No one knows what happened to him or what he plans to do. But one thing we can be sure of is that he is watching everything that is unfolding. Which would explain Laura's godmother's urgency in handing the necklace to her. So have I answered your question?"

"So you're saying, my father, is almost a thousand years old." I recapped, Alex nodded. I leaned back and closed my eyes, it was definitely a lot to go through. There is so much history to learn about the Immortals and here I am, turning eighteen and these things are just piling up, and more questions are just surfacing.

I opened my eyes and stared at them.

"Let's go to the Grand Palace."