Chapter 2: "A Growing Fire"
The morning light filtered through the tall windows of the Salvatore School, casting long shadows across Landon's desk. He hadn't slept much the night before. Every time he closed his eyes, the images came rushing back—the flames, the strange energy within him. The memory of the fire in his chest was seared into his mind, the heat and the power like nothing he had ever felt before.
Landon sat at the desk, his fingers grazing the surface of the medallion that lay on top of his papers. It was still cold to the touch, but the sense of unease that had settled in his chest hadn't faded. It was as if the medallion itself had a story to tell, a history he was far from understanding.
As he turned it over in his hands, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was missing—something vital. And it was gnawing at him, relentless and uncomfortable. He needed answers.
A knock at the door broke his thoughts.
"Landon?" Hope's voice echoed through the door. She sounded concerned, but there was an unmistakable tone of determination behind it. "Can I come in?"
"Yeah," he called out, trying to sound as normal as possible. But even he knew that wasn't working.
Hope stepped into the room, her presence bringing a sense of calm, though her expression was anything but peaceful. "You look like you didn't sleep at all," she observed, her eyes scanning him with an intensity that made him feel as if she could read every hidden thought in his mind.
"I didn't," Landon replied quietly, shoving the medallion into his bag. He wasn't sure what to make of the way she had looked at it last night, like she knew something he didn't. "I... I can't stop thinking about what happened yesterday. The flames. The burning in my chest. I don't know what it was."
Hope's expression softened as she sat next to him on the bed. "I've been thinking about it too. There's something happening with you, Landon, something big. It's not just the medallion, is it?"
Landon shook his head. "No. It's not just that. I've felt... different for as long as I can remember. But yesterday, after the sparring session, I felt something I couldn't explain. I don't know how to control it."
"You've got something inside you, something powerful," Hope said, her voice thoughtful. "But it's not just a phoenix thing. I've never seen anything like it."
Landon's heart skipped a beat. "What do you mean?"
Hope hesitated for a moment before speaking again, her words laced with caution. "I don't know. But I've been around long enough to know that whatever's inside you... it's not just fire. It's something darker. Something dangerous."
Landon's stomach churned at the thought, his mind racing with the implications. What did Hope mean by "darker"? And if she was right, what kind of power was lying dormant inside him?
Before he could respond, a voice came from the doorway, interrupting their conversation.
"Are you two talking about Landon's little power surge yesterday?" Rafael stood there, his arms crossed, an eyebrow raised in teasing amusement. But Landon could see the underlying concern in his best friend's eyes. Rafael wasn't one to joke around when something serious was happening.
"Yeah," Hope replied, glancing at Rafael. "We were just trying to figure out what's going on with him."
"Well, I don't know about you, but I'm not about to let my best friend walk around feeling like a ticking time bomb," Rafael said, his tone firm. "You need to talk to someone who knows about this kind of thing."
"I'm not sure I want to," Landon muttered, though a part of him knew Rafael was right. He couldn't keep ignoring what was happening to him. It was starting to feel like it was controlling him, not the other way around.
Hope turned to Rafael. "You're right. But who are we going to ask?"
"There's only one person who might know something about what's happening to Landon," Rafael said, his voice low. He turned back to Landon. "Alaric. He knows a lot about ancient supernatural beings. He might know something about what's going on with you."
Landon's stomach tightened at the thought. "Alaric?" he asked, feeling a sudden weight settle on his chest. The headmaster of the school had always been helpful, but he never seemed to get too personal. What if this was something he wouldn't want to deal with? Something beyond his understanding?
"Yeah," Rafael said. "He's the one who trains the supernatural students here. If anyone can help us figure out what's going on with you, it's him."
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A New Revelation
Later that day, Landon found himself sitting in Alaric's office, the weight of the situation pressing down on him. Alaric's office was as imposing as the man himself—bookshelves lined with centuries of knowledge, dark wood paneling, and the scent of old paper and leather that seemed to permeate everything.
Alaric sat behind his desk, folding his hands together in front of him. His piercing gaze locked onto Landon as if trying to read his very soul. Hope and Rafael sat nearby, watching him closely.
"So," Alaric began, his voice calm and controlled, "you've been experiencing some unusual side effects lately."
Landon nodded, trying to control the unease that crept up his spine. "Yeah. It's... hard to explain."
Alaric leaned back in his chair, studying Landon. "The power that you felt yesterday during the sparring session—it wasn't just a burst of energy. It was something far older, something tied to your bloodline."
Landon's eyes widened. "What do you mean?"
Alaric paused for a moment, as if weighing his words carefully. "Landon, I know you've been told about your phoenix heritage. But there's more to it. Something darker."
Hope's eyes widened in shock. "What do you mean, darker?"
Alaric glanced at Hope, then back to Landon. "There's a hidden part of your lineage that you don't know about. A bloodline that has ties to something far more dangerous than a phoenix. I'm not sure how it came to be, but... you're not just a phoenix. You have the blood of a demon coursing through your veins."
The room fell silent. Landon could hear his heartbeat thumping in his ears. Demon. The word echoed through his mind, pulling him deeper into a world he didn't understand, a world he had no idea he was a part of.
A demon?
He looked at Hope, who stared back at him, her expression a mix of concern and shock. Rafael was just as stunned, his eyes wide as he processed Alaric's words.
"What does that mean for me?" Landon asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
Alaric's face softened. "It means that the power you've been feeling, the fire inside you... it's not just from your phoenix side. It's the demon blood awakening within you. And that could mean a lot of things—some good, some bad. But you need to learn how to control it before it controls you."