BRAYDEN
FIVE
Iwas having a hard time staying focused as I helped with the rest of the tour.
Thankfully, I didn’t have to do much. I answered any questions that the students had, but even then, I gave half-hearted answers.
My mind kept wandering back to those clear blue eyes and long golden hair.
I’d originally planned to just walk past her because I was already late for the tour.
Yet seeing her lost and alone made my protective instincts run wild.
Something about Lailah drew me in. I could’ve sworn that my powers reacted when I grasped her hand.
I had watched her face carefully as I told the story about the Elementi, and she listened with rapt attention. What would she do if she knew the story was true? Would she still see it as something so magical? What would she do if she knew the current five Elementi Warriors were actually failures?
In the last week, demons had been sneaking onto the school grounds more and more.
Every night, the five of us took turns patrolling the school.
There seemed to be something drawing them here.
The previous generations of Elementi Warriors had always been able to band together as a united front and keep up the wards guarding the school.
We had failed to find a way to work as a team and fuse our powers to recharge the wards.
With the lack of added security, the lesser demons had been able to sneak through the cracks.
My uncle was the previous Earth Elementi Warrior, but he died before I ever got to meet him.
He had been killed on a mission when I was six years old, but Michael, my older brother, was eighteen months older than me and had worshiped him.
What would Michael think if he could see the five of us now?
He would’ve been able to figure out a way to bond us together. I continue to fail every time I try.
My phone vibrated in my pocket and pulled me out of my melancholy thoughts. I looked down to see that it was a text from Micah.
Micah:
Beth has me patrolling with that idiot again
I sighed. Micah had been my best friend for almost my whole life, but I couldn’t understand the animosity between him and Parker.
Brayden:
It can’t be that bad
Micah:
How would you know? You always get paired up with Hudson or Jay. Why can’t you and I just be a team every time and call it good?
Brayden:
You know why. If we can’t get you and Parker to get along, then there's no hope for our group ever coming together. Also, you hate going on patrol with Hudson and Jay. You need to pull your head out of your ass and deal. The rest of us seem to make it work.
Micah:
Some fucking help you are.
I shook my head and put my phone away. If Synergy was really out there and Aiden Ryevick was right about it being human, I didn’t envy that person being stuck with this dysfunctional family.