Tributes

Chapter Twenty

Silas curled under his covers, not wanting anything to do with his brother at the moment. Abel was special, he wasn't. So why did Abel have to ruin everything he achieved? The frog had been a good first attempt. Everyone had said so! Then Abel had to come and destroy it. It wasn't fair! Tyreol was kind to him sure, but Silas wasn't supposed to be here. He was just Abel's baggage. His twin brother that Abel wouldn't stop clutching to or hiding behind. Then Silas had to speak up and say he'd go alone. Their mother had been so upset and Silas was regretting it now.

"Right," an unfamiliar voice declared from the doorway. Silas blinked surprised, he hadn't heard the door open. "Let's see where the puppy is hiding..." Footsteps walked towards the bed and suddenly he was upside down in the air. A strange man grinning at him. "There you are, Pup!"

"Who...Who are you?" Silas yelled, yelping as he was dropped. Magic twisted him and he landed on his bottom on the bed safely. The blanket he had been hiding in folded neatly to the side.

"I'm Luke," the man chuckled, flicking his hair slightly. The stranger wasn't tall like Tyreol or Chris. He was built more like Heilan, lean and small. His hair was blonde like his, styled strangely and his eyes were green but they glittered with something. Not just amusement but something more. "I'm one of the older tributes," he grinned amusedly.

"Power... You have magic. But you look human?" Silas said almost uncertainly. Ignoring Abel, all the magic users Silas had met were different. Hair bright strange colours, or their eyes for that matter, mages seemed to be different from their core. This man wasn't obviously. 

"Immortal," the man winked. "I took a road which gave me a few perks, including magic. Sadly, I'm no mage. I have a few tricks is all." His fingers waved and magic flowed between them for a brief moment before disappearing. The magic was green and small vines were left in its wake. "Now, let me introduce myself. I'm the current youngest of the Immortal tributes. I thought I'd come to meet my new brothers and sisters," Luke explained slowly, pulling the vines from his fingers and pocketing them for the moment. 

"We're not brothers and sisters," Silas said darkly. 

"We are the same. Bound to a god who is possessive and will never let the hold on us go," Luke countered, presenting his right hand. Scars were clearly visible from where Tyreol name once glowed dimly. Once a tribute was no longer 'active', the name stopped glowing the scars faded in time. If a person was reclaimed, it appeared fresh again. Then there were people like Fiear whose scars were almost gone now after so long of loyal service. Luke looked at it and then at Silas and his active mark. "It's hard sometimes to play this role but it's a simple fact that we are all bound together now."

Silas took Luke's hand, studying the scar closely, before looking at his own flowing with Tyreol's power. The mark was the same, ignoring the lack of magic running through it. "He will never let us go?" Silas said, sounding a touch lost. 

"No," Luke shook his head. "It's not a bad thing either," He reassured, laying back on the bed next to Silas and making himself comfortable. "You're never alone. There are always people you can go to for help. And," Luke looked up and tilted his head slightly, a fond smile on his face and amusement in his voice. "It's never boring."

"I disagree," Silas pouted, throwing himself down next to Luke and kicking his legs slightly. "It's very boring."