The most likely place Kameron would probably go to first is the forest on the edge of Mystic. There was a clearing there with wild flowers that Kameron liked to go to. Honestly, Darius had only gone there once when he saw Kam sneaking out. He had to admit the place had been beautiful. So here he was again, standing at the entrance to the clearing. Nothing looked out of place. Darius growled in frustration. Where could he be? Maybe Sam's house? No. His mom had already checked.
With a sigh, Darius plopped down on the grass, resting his back on the tree in the middle of the clearing. Why? Why did he feel like this? What was so captivating about Kameron that it made his heart flutter and his mind race? Suddenly he caught a glimpse of something familiar at. the edge of the clearing. Darius scrambled forward. It was Kameron's bicycle. So where was Kameron?
"Fuck!" Darius shouted. He punched the ground unaware of the heat radiating off of his fist. He just hoped that Kameron was okay. He didn't think he could deal with it if something happened to his adorable brother. Just the thought made his chest tight. Huh. That was the first time he had called Kameron his brother. Not stepbrother. The way people change....
Darius began to laugh hysterically. What was wrong with him? He liked girls! Where was this coming from? He wasn't gay! This shouldn't be happening to him. He shouldn't be getting a boner every time he saw Kameron in those grey sweatpants that made his butt look big. He shouldn't want to beat the guys who bullied Kameron to a pulp after he saw them when he drove Kameron to school. He shouldn't want to lick the kool-aid off Kameron's lips whenever he drank it and Kameron loved that drink.
He shouldn't want to wrap the boy in blankets and hold him close. He shouldn't want to have a future with someone he was legally related to. He shouldn't want it at all.
Yet he did. He yearned for it. And so it was then that he decided. That he would have it. That he would try. Maybe...just maybe Kameron would want to try too.
* * * * *
Kameron was currently trying not to hyperventilate and have a heart attack. They had done it. they had finally reached Xalladdiem. It was huge, a castle sitting on the top of a mountain and there were smaller clusters of buildings and castles around it. And at the bottom of the mountain right below the school was an actual city. A medieval fucking city. "Holy fucking shit." Sam whispered.
Zach grinned and Jia laughed. "Welcome to Xalladdiem." Zach said. Kameron grinned. This was awesome. "Come on. We need to get you some stuff and get you enrolled." Jia said leading them up to the large stone wall that surrounded the city. Standing in front of the gate were two soldiers who nodded at them before opening the gate and letting them in. It was even better on the inside. THe streets were smooth and paved and people were cheerfully walking a nd chatting. The air was filled with smells of food and drinks and merchants and shop owners shouted to the crowds promoting their businesses.
"This is amazing." Kameron said. "Yup. This is Davalta. It's a city under the school's protection. Most of the citizens are Xalladdiem alumni." Zach explained.
Jia nodded. "The city is surrounded by a barrier thats invisible to most. The wall is just an added precaution."
Sam smiled. "So pretty safe huh?" She asked. Jia nodded. "Yup." As the others kept walking towards the school Kameron was preoccupied within his thoughts.
'You want to see your family? Why?' Apep asked. Kameron sighed. 'Well i mostly want to check on a certain someone.'
Apep laughed.
'The redhead? Darius? That one is a piece of work.' The snake god said. Kameron could practically feel him grinning from ear to ear.
'Shut up! I just want to know if he's ok.' Kameron snapped. The god chuckled.
'You know I felt a magical aura from him when he was beating Brian.' Kameron frowned. 'That's impossible.'
The god scoffed.
'Let me get this family thing straight. Sally had Darius with a man named Stephen. Then she married Brian who had Molly. Then they adopted you.'
Kameron frowned. He didn't get how this was important.
'Look, you may not believe me but once we regain some of our old power we can head back to your dimension and see your family.' Apep said.
Kameron smiled. 'Thanks.'
The god scoffed again, feigning indifference. 'Whatever.'
Well it really seemed like the god cared for him. Which was surprising. He expected the god of chaos to be more chaotic. You know, more bipolar. But not at all.
'You know I can hear you right?' Kameron laughed nervously and jogged to catch up to Sam and his new friends.
"Come on." Zach said leading them up to the cliff face. Kameron frowned when he realized that the city and the mountain were separated by a huge river.
He could see bridges connecting the mountain to the city but he was confused as to why they hadn't used one of them. "Why aren't we using one of the bridges?" He asked. Zach smiled. "We aren't heading to the wilderness surrounding the school. We're heading for the school itself."
Zach turned back to the river and whispered a few words in a familiar language. Suddenly the river just...stopped. Every current. Every movement. Halted right in its track.
Kameron stared in awe as the water began to separate creating a path with a wall of water on each side. "Come on." Jia said and walked through the newly made path. Sam squealed and followed and Kameron yelped as Zach grabbed his wrist and pulled him along.
In the distance, Kameron could see huge iron gates embedded into the waterbed. They were the same color as the ground which probably explained why he didn't notice it before.
Kameron swallowed nervously as the doors slowly opened revealing a long stone corridor lined by flaming torches.
Jia was laughing with Sam up ahead looking unbothered by this whole thing. Taking a deep breath Kameron stepped inside. Suddenly a harsh pain erupted within his mind and he stumbled. Zach turned and caught him before he could fall.
"Whoa...you ok?" The older boy asked. Kameron nodded. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine." He said. Zach frowned, worried, but didn't argue.
'Apep what the hell was that?'
'I do not know. It may be due to coming back to the school.'
'Coming back? You've been here before?'
There was silent affirmation from the snake.
"Hey, Kam! Look!" Sam shouted, jolting Kameron out of his thoughts. Kameron jogged to catch up to them. They had arrived at another set of doors and with a grin Jia pushed them open and Kameron gasped. Inside was the largest room he had ever seen. People...no students, walked around chatting. Some were flying. Others were full on teleporting. And not all of them were even human. The hall was circular and multiple ceiling high doors lined the place. Each door was open and beyond them Kameron could vaguely see an almost different world. until he looked to the right and noticed the last door which was shut.
Dust and cobwebs were already formed on the surface and Kameron felt a sudden but of irritation that wasn't his.
"Welcome to Xalladdiem. This is Yolema Hall. Each door corresponds to each magic type. I'm in balance." Jia explained as they walked further into the hall.
'I'm in Order." Zach said grinning. Kameron nodded still in awe at the size of the place. "So how will we be sorted into these magic types?" Sam asked.
"In the Main Hall there is an object known as the Attribute Orb. It sorts you into your magic type and gives you any subclasses you might be good or skilled at. My subclass is Healing." Jia said.
"This....is amazing." Kameron whispered. "It is. And soon you'll be apart of it." Zach whispered next to him.
BUt then Kameron remembered what he wanted to ask. "What about the last door?" he asked. Zach frowned and Jia looked away. "That was for Chaos students. But it's closed now due to the fact that all Chaos users are gone."
"Ok, what would happen if another Chaos user came?" Kameron asked, narrowing his eyes. "Well, it would be a disaster. Chaos is a dangerous magic. Chaos users are versatile and powerful enough to manipulate time space and reality." Zach explained. "The last Chaos user went crazy and almost destroyed the school."
Kameron frowned. "A person's magic shouldn't define who they are." He snapped. This was starting to sound awfully like a messed up version of racism.
Jia cleared her throat before Zach could argue.
"Well come on. Let's get you two tested." She then led them through the huge door in the middle of Yolema Hall, which looked normal compared to the others. Kameron sighed. If the Attribute Orb exposed him as a Chaos user then he would accept it with open arms. If they were accepting then good. If they were scared, then fine. He would give them something to fear.
And so he marched into the Main Hall, wisps of red energy trailing off of him, and a vengeful god in his mind and soul.