The Search For Peace 2

Chapter 38

There were three G3's in every clan. It was a custom all twelve groups followed, no matter how many differences came in between them over time. The term G3 meant 'The Great Three', and they were usually people who were below a leader's potential power. And...they were often just children.

The younger you were, the greater your magical power was inside you. That was the reason why the leaders and the G3's of the Clans were of tender ages. Once a person grew older than fifty, or maybe fourty, their magical power began to decrease. Such individuals were given the priveledge of becoming members of The Magic Legislation, but that was all.

Austin Leo was only twelve when he became one of the G3's for the Leo Clan. Originally, the ontaker of that title was to be his sister, Harmony, but due to her 'curse', Austin was provided to take her place.

For as long as he could remember, Harmony had been the perfect one. The better one. They were siblings, yet he hated her. He hated her so much.

Because no matter how hard he tried, she was always better than him.

"Your sister did so well. Why couldn't you?"

"Look at Harmony, making friends. What are you so shy for?"

"Why do all the kids pick on you? Harmony's doing fine."

"If only you were as smart as Harmony."

Harmony, Harmony. It was always about her. Their parents only ever spoke to him if they wanted to compare the two. His teachers, the Elders, everyone seemed to be admiring her all the time.

He hated her. He was jealous of her stupid smile, and when they weren't looking, he'd pinch her and also her and ruin her things. She wasn't his sister. No, she was his enemy.

But then, 'perfect Harmony' cracked. He watched from the sidelines as she broke apart. She came back one day, all bruised and torn, and was never the same again.

She wouldn't eat unless you forced her to. She stopped going to school altogether. He often wondered if she had stopped breathing, lying on that bed for hours, unmoving, unfazed.

And suddenly, Austin was the special one. He was the prodigy, the golden child. Instead of Harmony, now he was becoming G3. Now he was receiving all the praise. Maybe his parents loved him afterall. Maybe they just weren't showing it because....because...What?

It was then the boy realized something. As his sister shattered into a million pieces, and his parents completely denied her existence, he realized so.eguing important. It wasn't Harmony he hated. She didn't even do anything wrong.

And now, now that he had all the attention, he came to the conclusion that he didn't even want it anymore. Not like this. Not with her hurting in the corner.

His parents and their games never seized, though. And he, being the idiot he was, played along. Who was he to question what they did? The were the adults of the house...right?

Austin's eyes flew open, his thoughts awakening him from his slumber. The low hum of the plane's engine buzzed at his feet, and he tried to straighten himself in the cramped dear of the economy class. In the attempt, he ended up elbowing the man beside him.

Cesar Moon, who was also a G3, and had also been sleeping, awoke with a slight shudder, looking over at the boy. He was a head full of mousy brown hair, a large part of it covering his left eye.

"Sorry." Austin mumbled the apology, to which Cesar shook his head. He let out a big yawn, before turning to look at the dark sky thorough the oval window.

"We're almost there." Cesar had the voice of a twelve year old, while the man himself was twenty. He was an odd one, Austin had to admit, and this was the first time they both were working on a mission together. All he knew was that he liked birds, all types of birds, and his left eye had a big scar scratched over it. No one could really notice it since it was always covered by his fringe. Even so, he had to wonder how he got it.

"By a hawk." The boy had succeeded in casually asking him the question, while they proceeded out of the Transylvanian airport, and the man answered him just as casually.

"I was trying to get it on my arm, when I was about ten." Cesar spoke very slowly, Austin realized, but his stride was lengthy and swift enough to make up for it. "But it got angry and gauged my eye out." He pulled back a gift of feathery hair and showed him the pinkish scar.

"Gauged your eye out?" Austin was skeptical, because his eye seemed to be intact, albeit it wasn't brown like his right one, a pale, eerie blue instead.

"Yes." Cesar let his fringe fall back into place. "This eye is fake. Can't see a thing through it."

Now he was impressed.

When they made it out into the parking lot, they were greeted by a gust of cold, winter air, the sky a faded purple as the day blended into night. It was a good thing they didn't bring much luggage; Austin holding his backpack, Cesar with his trolly. It made it easier for them to move, and if all went well, they'd be back home the next morning.

As Austin searched the road for a taxi, Cesar tilted his head back, gazing up at the sky. He scanned the endless canvas for a bird, any bird, and found a flock of pigeons soaring in unison towards the west. "Damn." He wondered out loud, amazed by their beauty. "I wish I could fly."