*ELEVEN YEARS PRIOR*

A bubble of laughter spilled from the young girl’s lips as her father swung her into his arms and threw her in the air, chuckling along with her as she fell back into his warm embrace.

Her mother’s stern gaze softened as she looked up from her sewing to smile gently at her daughter. It was a nice change from the usual misery that consumed the family. She almost always felt as if she would be crushed by the heavyweight of stress that pressed down on her. Her beautiful daughter was not meant to be alive. According to the law, any infant that possessed unusual powers was sent to a fate of execution. She wished constantly that she never packed up and left their comfortable home in the heart of the capital, but she knew that her daughter would not survive with the lurking government officials.

She jumped as the door banged open, a tall, slim figure ducking into the small living room. Her worst fears confirmed, the woman screamed and grabbed the lantern sitting on top of the fireplace. She held it in front of her warningly, her eyes narrowed with fear.

“Mama?” The figure questioned, his dark face furrowed in surprise as she shined the bright flame into his face.

“Oh thank god, Adam!”

The cheeky teenager grinned, “I hope I didn’t scare you, Mama.”

“Of course not, it’s just early that’s all.”

The woman placed the lantern back onto the ledge and collapsed in the worn armchair heavily.

“Rhea, all you alright?”

Rhea nodded and rubbed her forehead tiredly, clearing her throat as she answered her husband, “I’m not feeling well.”

The man frowned at Rhea’s response but didn’t pursue the matter further. Adam ignored the sudden tension and smiled at the girl wrapped around her father.

“Come here, you little monkey.”

The young girl pushed herself away from her father and ran to her brother, nestling her face into his shabby jeans.

“I love you.”

Adam grinned and slowly forced the child’s curled fingers away from the cloth so he could kneel at her level.

“How’s my favorite sister doing today?”

The girl smiled, her pearly teeth shining in the dim light, “I am your only sister!”

Adam laughed, “I got something for you.”

“Really?’ The girl’s eyes shined earnestly and wandered over the burlap sack strung over her brother’s shoulder.

Adam reached into the bag and pulled out a strip of leather, waving it around his sister’s face teasingly.

The girl tilted her head and stared at the object, “What is that?’

“It’s a bracelet. Look, I have one too,” Adam turned his arm so his wrist was exposed, the red leather blending in with his earthy skin, “Now we just have to put yours on.”

The child held out her hand obediently and Adam tied the bracelet tightly, “Now we won’t ever lose each other.”

Rhea sighed, “Adam, don’t make promises you might not be able to-”

“I won’t ever leave you, Aethera.” Adam interrupted.

Aethera smiled, “Never?”

“Never.”

***

Gaia flinched as the angry man backhanded her across the face, sending her flying across the room. A soft grunt left her lips as she struggled to get to her feet, wincing as she cupped her raw cheek. Her eyes watered with pain, but she didn’t dare let the tears fall. Her hazel eyes were lowered with shame and fear and her oily hair stuck to her face as she shivered.

“You ungrateful, little piece of-”

“I’m sorry!” Gaia gasped, “I didn’t mean to!”

The man glared furiously at her, “That was your mother’s favorite vase, and you broke it.”

He picked up one of the shattered glass pieces of the large crystal vase that had stood on the wooden table.

“You see this?” He screamed, grabbing the girl by her brown braid and pulling her towards him.

“I’m sorry!” Gaia repeated desperately, scratching at the man’s hand as her face scrunched with pain, “I’m so sorry!”

Her attempts to escape her father’s hold became more frantic as he held the shard to her face, the sharp tips glinting dangerously. His breath reeked of the vile liquid inside the bottles that filled the cupboards and her nose wrinkled in disgust as she shuddered.

“Please! I’m sorry!”

“Freak,” The man spat, “You’re a freak, you know that? You are nothing. You are no one. Do not forget that.”

Gaia nodded, an agonizing sob tearing from her throat as the man cut her cheek with the glass, a deep cut opening on the side of her face.

“Repeat it!”

Gaia whimpered, “I-I am a f-freak. I-I am nothing I am n-no one.”

“Damn right!” The man barked, “I should go report you. But then they’ll kill you. And there are so many worse things that you should fear than death.”

Gaia cringed as he shook her, her scalp burning like fire as her hair parted with her head.

“Please.” Gaia whispered, “I’m sorry.”

“Shut up.” the man said, his eyes rolling back into his head as he stumbled. Gaia screamed as he collapsed on top of her. Heart-wrenching sobs echoed throughout the large room as she pushed the man’s heavy body off her. The young girl crawled to the corner of the room, behind the large armchair where he wouldn’t look for her when he woke up. By the time she sat up again, her hands were bleeding from the glass embedded in them. She wiped her stinging palms on the chair, hoping that the bloodstains wouldn’t show up against the dark fabric.

Gaia curled into a ball, pressing her back against the peeling wall, and let her head fall in between her knees. It was always so much worse to hide, but she didn’t know if she had the strength to face him again.

The occasional hiccup escaped from her tight lips as she finally let herself cry.

As her eyes finally started to slide shut with exhaustion, she fell victim to her father’s words.

I am a freak. I am nothing. I am no one.

***

Hestian shuddered uncontrollably as he wrapped the thin blanket even tighter around his tiny body. He was only five years old, yet he knew the harsh reality of life. The sky was getting dark, and soon, the sun would disappear completely. Any other child would freeze to death in the bitter coldness of the night, but Hestian had a secret that helped him adapt to the difficult lifestyle.

The young boy shifted his position on the hard, cement curb and inhaled sharply, forcing himself to remove his shaky hands from the warm enfold of the blanket.

It took him a few tries until a small flame appeared in his palms. Glancing around nervously to make sure no one was watching him, he lit the small pile of trash next to him. He had only been caught using his ability once, and it was not an experience he wished to repeat. The paper ignited instantly, and Hestian winced as his face tingled at the sudden heat.

He hummed quietly to himself as the warmth enveloped him, making the small child drowsy. His head slowly lolled forward as his bright emerald eyes slid shut. With a jerk, he snapped awake again, shaking his head as he forced himself to stay awake. If he wanted warmth, he could not go to sleep. He had to be on his guard in case one of the townspeople walked outside.

The damp paper started to burn out and Hestian sighed as he threw shards of grass into the dying flames, hoping that it would help. Alas, the boy’s luck had run out and Hestian watched as the warmth slowly deserted him. He could easily create another flame in his hands, but it would be harder to explain himself if someone glimpsed him using his powers.

Hestian suppressed a shudder as he slowly got to his feet, clutching the edge of the chain-link fence that surrounded the small town. By age two, most of his former friends had learned how to walk but Hestian had always been a bit behind the others. Lack of food and water had also had its toll on the starved boy. He lived off scraps and anything he could scrounge from the garbage bins. But, more often than not, the bins were covered by heavy, metal lids to keep out raccoons and squirrels. If he had enough energy, Hestian would attempt to lift them, but the child was not physically strong enough to do much damage.

Hestian whimpered softly at the sharp pain in his abdomen. It had been two days since he had last eaten and he didn’t know how much longer he could go on. It had become very dangerous to eat other people’s foods, especially with the sickness going around. In his weak state, he knew that he would not survive the fatal disease.

Sighing, Hestian squeezed the fence in his tiny fist to keep from falling and tottered slowly towards the dark alley in which he called home.

***

Triton glanced at his mother as blood splattered her fingertips. She was bent over from coughing, and her frail body was shaking with tremors. He wanted to comfort her, stop the sickness plaguing her body. But, his toy trains seemed a lot more interesting at the moment and he amused himself by making truck noises out of the corner of his mouth.

“June?”

A short, plump man strode into the room and stared concerningly at the woman wheezing and choking on the floor next to the boy.

Triton looked briefly at his uncle before rolling the trains across the edge of the sofa.

“June, are you alright?”

The woman shook her head, pounding on the wood as dry, raspy coughs continued to torment her body.

“T-take the boy...and leave.” June rasped, “Take him. I have...I have...the sickness, we all know it. Save...yourselves before it infects y-you too.”

The man frowned, “Don’t talk like that. You’ll be fine, it’s just a cold.”

“Fester, you h-have to take Sarah and Triton and leave.”

“No, I can’t just-”

June gagged as she started to vomit, the foul stench turning Triton’s stomach upside down. She shook her head once more, pointing weakly towards the door. Triton frowned. He could sense the high tension in the air and his mother was speaking in a loud tone that she only used when he did something wrong.

“Go.”

The man seemed at a loss of words as he hesitated, biting his lip hopelessly.

“G-go!”

“I can’t-”

“You can and you will...get the hell out of my….house!”

The man’s gaze flickered to Triton. The boy cocked his head and stared at his mother with wide, azure eyes.

“What’s wrong with Ma?”

“Nothing,” the man, blinking furiously to clear his teary eyes, “Nothing at all.”

“Take him. Take him and Sarah. Go.” June begged, her voice raspy.

Triton’s uncle hesitated before grabbing the toddler’s upper arm and guiding him gently to the doorway. Triton’s tiny face scrunched up for a moment before a wail tore out of his throat, “No! I want Ma!”

The man cringed, “We’ll see Ma soon, okay? We’re going to go pick Sadie up and go to my home.”

June nodded, her chest heaving as she retched, “G-go with Uncle Fester.”

“No! I want to stay here with Ma!”

“You will see her in a bit! Just come with me!”

Triton fought his uncle’s grip as tears rolled down his chubby cheeks, “I WANT MA!”

June sobbed as she shook her head, nodding towards the door.

“I love you,” she whispered hoarsely.

“I WANT MA!” Triton screamed, “DON’T TAKE ME AWAY FROM MA!”

Uncle Fester grunted as he picked the boy up, trying to keep his grip as Triton punched him in the back.

“PLEASE! I WANT MA!”

“Enough, Triton! Get in the wagon!”

After a few more minutes of consoling, Triton finally calmed down and Fester was able to guide him past the horses and into the wagon. Fester sighed wearily and used the heel of his hands to wipe the edge of his eyes.

“Fester…”

The man glanced back at June’s weak call.

“The-the boy,” June coughed and her bloodstained hands reached up to massage her throat, “Triton. Be careful with him. He’s not like the others.”