Descendants' Ascendance

“There weren’t always dragons in the Valley. There weren’t always humans either. Once, there were only the gods.

“After a time, they tired of fighting amongst themselves. They created humans and dragons and all the other creatures for their entertainment. It became obvious very quickly however, that the humans needed an advantage, something to level the playing field as it were. That was when the gods gifted the humans with magic.

“After that, the playing field was set, the match was even. However, there were a select few humans who decided it was their turn to have the advantage. They twisted and warped the magic, turning it dark and menacing.

“Once the dragons were destroyed, these few, dark magicians turned on the gods themselves. All of mankind paid the punishment for that mistake. Magic was taken back from all humans and the traitorous magicians, those who thought they could rise above the gods were marked. That mark would pass down through the generations to their descendants and their descendants’ descendants.

“But their story doesn’t end there-”

“Gramps, I’m sorry, but I really do have to run,” Kira interrupted the old man sitting across from her with an apologetic smile.

“Sit back down child,” the old man ordered. “I am in the middle of a story.” He smoothed down the bright blue blanket that hid legs time had destroyed. Legs that had taken Kira to the park as a child, and enabled him to give her piggy back rides and helped her to stand back up every time she fell. Time was cruel.

“I know you are in the middle of a story. It is one of my favorite stories. Because it is one of my favorites, I have only heard it a couple hundred times. It, well really, you made me feel so special when I was little. Instead of a lonely little girl, I was a descendant of good magicians, who fought the dragons with light magic and fought against the traitors. I was a little girl who, if not for the horrible, traitorous, dark magicians would be a magician myself. As an adult however, I know better.”

“Kira, if that is what you got out of this story, maybe you should be listening a little bit closer,” Gramps said seriously.

“Besides, aren’t you even going to ask why I am cutting my visit short?” Kira’s tone was purposefully indignant as she changed the subject. Gramps saw right through her ruse. He always did.

“Of course my dear,” he said with an eye roll. “Why are you abandoning your grandfather?”

It was Kira’s turn to roll her eyes. She stood and walked over to the dark purple calla lilies that were sitting on Gramps’ bedside table. Pouring some water from the pitcher into the vase, she realized it had been several weeks since she had brought them to him to add some color to the white, retirement home room. That witch’s spell must have worked, she thought, happy the longevity spell hadn’t been a waste of money.

“For someone who is trying to abandon me, you are taking your sweet time,” Gramps interrupted her thoughts with a sarcastic drawl. Kira turned back to him with a smile. She picked up her purse from the foot of the bed.

“I have a date. Also, I have already talked to that new woman at the front desk to come pick you up for dinner on Monday.”

“New woman? You mean that fairy?” Gramps frowned as he spoke.

“Hush Gramps. You know the fairies possess better healing skills than most. We should feel lucky that there is such a diverse staff here, all things considered.”

“So who is the lucky man?” Gramps asked. He had a slight blush on his cheeks from her reprimand.

Kira felt her own face heat at the question and ducked her head. “You don’t know them,” she said as she pretended to latch a clasp on her bag. “I met them online.”

“Online dating huh? You know back in my day, you had to dress up and go out to meet people.”

“What do you call this?” Kira asked. She indicated the midi skirt and blouse she was wearing. They were definitely nicer than the jeans and t-shirt she typically wore on her visits. Her grandfather tried to stand, but she waylaid him, leaning down to him and kissing the top of his head.

“I will see you on Monday,” she promised as she took her leave. It only took her moments to get out of the facility and into the weak fall sunlight. Pulling out her phone, Kira checked the time and bus schedule before deciding it would be just as quick to walk.

The walk gave her time to mentally review every exchange between her and Emma, her date. The other woman was a software engineer like herself, was also in her late twenties and her favorite hobby was spending time with her dog. She really didn’t know much about the woman she was meeting, but it was fine. That was what first dates were for.

Kira frowned as she approached the agreed upon meeting place, wishing she had been more decisive when asked if she cared where they went. The Den was a nice coffee shop, but Kira preferred the segregated shops if she was being completely honest with herself. The human-only shops were never as nice, but at least she didn’t have to deal with snobby elves and goblins looking down their noses at her.

I need thicker skin, she thought to herself as she pushed open the door. The sign read “All are welcome.” At twenty seven, she should be able to handle a couple of stares from creatures who thought of her as a second class citizen. Don’t worry about them. Worry about your date, she told herself. She adjusted her blouse, making sure it was tucked in at the back and moved the bracelet around the wrist, ensuring it covered up the ugly burns she had received in the accident.

Someone should tell him to read the sign on the door, Kira thought dryly as she approached the goblin behind the front counter and forced her thoughts away from the accident. Now was not the time. The goblin’s gaze turned into a distinct sneer as he impatiently waited for her to order.

“Just a latte please,” Kira said in a quiet voice. She jumped a moment later when a soft hand touched her arm.

“Sorry, sorry!” The woman, Emma, apologized. Kira recognized her from her profile pictures.

“No, it is my fault,” Kira said with a small laugh. “Just nervous. I’m normally not so jumpy. I haven’t paid yet.” She indicated Emma should add her own coffee to her order.

“Thanks,” Emma said. Kira paid and the two stood in silence for a moment before receiving their drinks.

“I’m Kira,” Kira said lamely as they navigated to a table near the back of the shop. “If you hadn’t figured that out already.”

“Surprisingly enough, I had.” Emma chuckled as she sat down. Kira sat down opposite her. It had only been a moment of silence, but to Kira, it felt like an hour of awkward silence had passed between the two.

“So do you come here often?” Kira asked. The blonde across from her took a drink of coffee before answering.

“No. I’ve never actually been here. I thought it would be nice to try somewhere new together.”

“I like it. Try something new with someone new. I normally go to that place over on- sorry, can I help you?” Kira interrupted herself as a serious looking man walked up to their table, with an intense look on his face.

“Did you tell her yet?” He ignored Kira completely, directing his question to Emma, who shook her head in response. Kira frowned.

“I’m sorry, what is going on?” she asked.

“We’ve been sitting down for all of two minutes Erik.” Emma’s response was irritated. She took another long drink of coffee.

“I’m nervous. We shouldn’t just be sitting out here like this. It is too open. Let’s just grab her and go. We can explain everything later.”

Kira frowned as her confusion melted into a feeling that was more akin to panic. “Grab her and go?” Surely she had misheard. The knot at the pit of her stomach however, made her believe she had heard correctly. Looking around the shop, Kira saw no one was paying the least bit of attention to the trio of humans. They were all minding their own business. It didn’t feel right and Gramps would tell her to trust that feeling.

“Look. I’m not sure what this is,” she pointed between Emma and the newcomer, Erik, “but I think you got the wrong idea of what I was looking for. Hey!” Kira ended with a protest as the strange man grabbed her extended hand. He flipped it, pushing her bracelet out of the way to reveal a swirling patchwork of discolored skin.

“Those traitors who thought they could rise above the gods were marked as such, as were their descendants and their descendants’ descendants,” Erik said in a quiet voice. Kira frowned as she heard the words from Gramps' made up story recited to her. Erik pushed up the sleeve of his short sleeve t-shirt revealing a shockingly similar mark on the front of his shoulder. Wordlessly, Emma pulled aside the neck of her shirt, exposing the same mark just under her collarbone. He dropped Kira’s hand.

“We are all descendants of the traitorous magicians. Kira, we have found a way to return magic to the humans. We found out how to take it back from the gods,” Emma said with a burning look in her eyes.

Kira nodded slowly as she tried and failed to comprehend the words through the rushing sound that was filling her ears. Standing, she did the only thing that made sense at the moment. She ran.