Nocturnal, BK 1 of Lightwalkers (completed)

XIII - Seth

Seth

It was late afternoon and the main floor of the dojo was covered in kids in their starched white uniforms. Their belts were mostly white but there were a few that had different colors. I sat down on one of the chairs by the door, next to the few parents that had come in to watch their children, and set my book bag at my feet.

The man who stood in the front of the room, had glanced at me as I entered, but other than that, paid no attention to me as he continued the class. I pulled the photo out of my pocket, looking at it before looking up at the instructor again. He was definitely older, with a little grey at the temples of his dark hair. But it was him.

Bryson sounded different than anyone I'd heard before. The melody was slow, and the tone was high. Almost like a flute playing in the back ground. It wasn't as unnerving as Nick's had been to listen to.

I waited - as patiently as I could- until the class was over. The teacher waded closer to me through the sea of kids and parents, answering questions and giving technique tips here and there. Finally as the last few were gathering up their things, he stepped over to me.

"Can I help you?"

"I'm looking for Bryson Fisher."

"That's me," he said, throwing me an odd look. "When you first came in, I thought I'd seen a ghost. Are you, by chance, related to Elijah Lewis?"

I nodded. "He was my father."

Bryson's eyes widened in surprise, before he chuckled. "Just like him," he mumbled. "Come back to the office, I'll get us some drinks."

He lead the way to the back of the dojo, to a small office. It was cluttered and a very cramped place. He moved a stack of papers from an extra chair.

"Have a seat," he said, and reached to opened a little fridge. "Sports drink or O.J.?"

"I'm fine, thanks."

He shrugged and sat down at the desk.

"What's your name, kid?" Bryson asked.

"Seth."

"Seth, uh?" He watched at me closely. "So, what can I do for you Seth?"

I gave him a hard stare, weighing the odds of what I was about to say. In the end though, it was seeing his pendent, worn on a short chain around his neck, that convince me to take a chance. This was for Jon after all and he had known my father.

"Look, Bryson, I know about the Order." His mouth fell open but I continued before he interrupted. "I know that my father was the leader, but that's not really what I'm here about. My brother, Jonathan. He's in trouble and I was told that the Order could help."

Bryson sat up a little straighter. "What sort of trouble?"

"He," I stopped, the words caught momentarily in my throat. "He was taken by vampires. Couple of nights ago. We were out camping north of the city when they attacked. We were surrounded and I was fighting one, but when I killed it-"

"Wait, wait." Bryson held up a hand, leaning forward in his seat. "You killed it?"

"Yeah," I looked at him, confused.

"With what?"

I could see it in his eyes, what he was expecting. "I killed it with my father's knife. But," I said, continuing the story. "By the time that had happened, they'd already taken Jon away. I need help getting him back."

Bryson gave me a cold stare, before he spoke. "Your brother, is he older or younger than you?"

"He's younger, by two years."

He visibly relaxed, leaning back in his chair. "Are you hurt? From the fight?"

I shrugged the one shoulder that wasn't bandaged. "I got bitten later, during another fight. But it's fine. Can you help me?"

He shook his head, smiling. "You're just like you're father. Let me see the knife. I know you have it on you."

I pulled it from the book bag, but hesitated before handing it to him. Why didn't I like others having it? I watched Bryson inspect the blade closely. It still glowed faintly in the light of the office.

"About twenty years ago, your father walked away from the Order taking this with him. That was the last time anyone saw it glow in purity, as they call it."

He held it back out to me, handle first and I took it. When my hand touched the faded leather, the light intensified, glowing stronger with a brighter blue. I looked at it a moment longer, before tucking back into my bag.

"How much do you know about the Order?" he asked.

I shook my head. "I just found out about it. Last night."

Bryson sighed, looking at a cork board over his desk. Pin to it, I saw a copy of one the photos I'd found. It was the group of men gathered around my Dad.

"Orion's Order is the group your father lead. It's the group that you are destined to lead as well. All of us in the Order have some sort of supernatural ability. We train together, we fight together. But the main purpose of the Order is to maintain balance."

"What balance?" I asked.

"The balance of nature, and the balance between the supernatural and the mundane. Have you come into any of your powers yet?" he asked.

"I can..." I struggled for the words. Even though it seemed as if he knew all about the craziness in this world, I felt like a lunatic trying to say them aloud. "I can hear them, vampires and other things, like I can hear you. You all have a different type of sound. And-" I stopped short, thinking back to what had happened earlier when Nick was talking to me.

He nodded. "And?"

I shook my head. "No, that's it." The vision I'd seen earlier with Nick, that was probably a fluke. It'd never happened before. I didn't need to mention it. "What about Jon? Can you help me get him back?"

Bryson gave me an odd look, one that was almost sad. "Seth, you know...there's not that big of a chance that-"

"I don't care," I yelled at him. "I'm sick of everyone assuming he's already dead! I'm going to get my brother back. Can you help me or not?"

He sighed. "As leader of Orion's Order, you've an entire army at your command. You just have to take control of it."

"What do I need to do then?"

Wait for me, Jon. Just, wait for me.