Playing With Fire

2. Magic Keychains and Hydrophobia

What I wanted to do was stay there in shock and think about what I just discovered. Unfortunately, Brian called us for meeting. We were not biologically related to each other, but were like a family closer than most. Some bonds run much deeper than DNA. If any person had something to share, they could call for a meeting. This would be on weekends only. The person calling the meeting had to make either crepes, pancakes or waffles. Naturally, we all loved the meetings.

I crept down the slightly creaking stairs, a page from the scrapbook tucked into my pocket. This would be a special meeting, about our powers. We would know so much more about ourselves. I was curious about that. I was also curious to see what Brian had made. I hoped they were crepes, with Nutella. I saw the others already digging into the crepes.

"Since we're all here now. You can ask me any questions about your powers, the test, et cetera, et cetera," Brian started, eager to get started.

"First things first, tell us what our 'official name' is. There's got to be one, right? And how we are trained," Kate asked curiously.

"We are called the Allegiance, like an organization that keeps the world safe from monsters called Leviathans. Each person is an Allegiant. We are called Allegiants because we are allegiant to a certain element or dimension. New Allegiants have sprung up due to modern problems such as Illusionists and Seers or Oracles. Most Allegiants are orphaned because their parents are killed by Leviathans. They, too, can be killed, but the adult Allegiants find the orphans and at 16, they come of age to undergo the first test and begin their training. At 18, They can go to their respective Allegiant Capital. "

My head was reeling. The unfamiliar terms, held the slightest tinge of familiarity and it gave me a slight headache. Leviathans. Perhaps they were the dark shadows that had penetrated our safe house. Maybe there never were murderers. "What's an Allegiant Capital?"

"Well, Ashley, I'm glad you asked. There are five main and common Allegiant Powers and they have their own secret capitals around the world, with different ways to get into them. There's Neptune, for Water Controllers like Julian, Vulcan, for Fire Directors, Jupiter, for Weather Changers, Terra, for Earthens and the most important, Iris Fen, for Light Benders or Illusionists." Whoa Brian was emitting teacher vibes during this whole thing.

"Oracles?" Julian questioned.

"A lot of great poems are actually prophecies. Robert Frost, Edgar Allan Poe, William Yeats, etc, are some famous Allegiants. Their famous works are the prophecies that guide us. There had been a war between the colder side of the Allegiant against the kinder and new Allegiants called Illusionists joined us and we won the war. As we were kinder, we are called the Light Allegiance and they are the Dark Allegiance. Since the war, a lot of poets have prophesied about events and these prophecies are allotted. You all will be given one after a month of training."

"Just a month?" Julian said with some surprise.

"All Allegiants are naturally talented. Enough questions, now. Let's go and train," concluded Brian with a gleam in his eye.

I let out a breath I hadn't known I was holding. The one thing I had been waiting to see was where we trained- the Weapons Room. It was not at all like what I thought it would be. The entrance was covered in weird knick-knacks and clothing items. There were vintage floral scarves, old fashioned shoes and sandals, gleaming red high heels, shiny metal knee pads, flowy, glittery skirts and thin veils. The most amazing things were the jewellery items – shimmering bangles clanking against each other, golden and silver charm bracelets, thin chains with stone pendants, navy sunglasses and small anklets.

"All these things are weapons. They're inactive but if you concentrate or are in physical contact with them, your powers will activate them. Some of the bracelets are whips, the shoes and knee pads for kicking and speed, the skirts have spokes on them and the navy sunglasses are for lasers but they're quite inconvenient."