Generations

Chapter 27: Veil of Illusions

Chapter 27: Veil of Illusions

Even as the dark walls surrounded them, flames of the past still leaving the scars along the sides of the room, as they went deeper, with Justin’s light guiding them; but each of them knew how dangerous this was. Brandon thought to the last time he was here, in a fight to get his daughter back, thinking that it would be the last time he’d ever have to set face in their realm again.

“Stay close,” Justin said, knowing that the Nightwings would be ready, everything they had put into this defense. The Nightwings were close, and if Justin knew his brother like he thought he did, Zack would do everything he could to ensure the portal was opened.

“How much longer do we have?” Jason asked, not allowing his light to leave him since he entered this strange land, where magic seemed to dance along the ground of a land once occupied by the great war, remnants of the battle still remaining throughout the ages.

“I don’t know, but with both Simon and Ashley awakened to their powers, it can’t be long,” Justin said solemnly.

Heather followed along in silence, letting her mind ponder what the Nightwings were really after, what all these strange things added up to beyond what she was told. Why them, why now? She knew a fight was coming, she knew that danger loomed, but even so, her mind couldn’t process it, all the chaos just dragging her along. She couldn’t believe her mom was dead. She couldn’t believe that her brother could be next, that her family was some kind of heroes that had to save the world from the Nightwings.

She knew it was true.

But couldn’t make herself believe it.

And she couldn’t believe that her family was being completely honest with her.

“What exactly are they planning?” she asked softly, not sure if she meant to say it, but it came out just the same. However, to her family, they thought it would only be the Nightwings she was wondering about.

Justin took in a heavy sign, his son knowing exactly what this was, the evil they had to fight against those many years ago. He wasn’t sure if they could do it again, despite everything he told himself, there was no denying he wasn’t as young as he used to be.

“The Nightwings were sealed by the power of the Guardians 20 years ago,” Brandon explained, knowing that he condensed way more bloodshed and struggle than such an event deserved.

“And somehow they’ve found that they could use Simon and Ashley’s powers to destroy the seal. Ashley has the power of annihilation, able to destroy anything she wants, and Simon has received the powers of the Nightwings through a seed planted in him just after the time he was born,” Justin said, relying what he learned through his time with the Guardians, able to see this war in all its facets, the strikes from the shadows, the placement for this.

He had been a fool, assuming that the Nightwings would just stay down. He should have known better, but even after all the attacks, he had hoped the final battle had ended it, let that life slide.

Now he knew better.

He just hoped it wasn’t too late.

He was ready to make the sacrifice if needed, but his family, those who hadn’t asked for this, they shouldn’t have to. And here he was, dragging them into the hell of war once more. If the Nightwings broke free, then he’d have no way to protect them, no matter how strong he was or how far he told them to run.

“They want to combine those powers, use Ashley’s to destroy the barrier while Simon works as the conduit, using his body to funnel the power into the barrier, destroying it.”