sacrifice (Thia)

How long had we been here? I'd almost certainly fallen asleep at some point. When I woke up, the rain had stopped and I could see the stars through the glass ceiling. But there was someone else in the courtyard. Two figures I know very well. Was it them that had woken me up? They were mumbling something but I was still too asleep to properly listen. It was only when I felt my father's hand move that I was roused fully. Feeling him start to get up I took his arm, not wanting us to part.

He just looked at me sadly. "I have to, little one."

Brushing my hair with his hand, he gently tapped his nose on the top of my head (which for us was the equivalent of a kiss). Reluctantly, I let his hand slip out of mine and watched him leave, half of my question being answered when Noaba asked "Where's he going?"

James shrugged. "It's late though. You two should probably get some rest."

But I stayed put, looking at the floor, until Noaba came and gently put her arms around me. I returned the hug, starting to feel a little bit better.

"I think Jay and Sam are still in the lounge." She told me "Let's pick them up and then all go to bed.

Jay wasn't in the lounge though, but Sam was, still with the hollo-screen on.

"You're still obsessed with that show with everything that's going on right now." I didn't mean it to sound as cruel as it did. He didn't seem to notice though.

"No, just the wizard boy." I honestly couldn't blame him for that. Oscar had quickly become my favourite in that show.

Noaba didn't seem to share our views though. "And what's so interesting about him, other than he can do magic and is a one-in-a-million child of hope."

"No, it's nothing to do with that, it's just…I don't think I was expecting Oz to take the hits for him like that."

"Really, cause that's exactly what I was expecting." And then a sudden realisation struck me. I was just talking about wizard boy and his mind-soul-mentor. I knew my father better than anyone here (except for maybe Maggie) . I know how far he'd be willing to go to keep this place—and us—safe.

"Thia?" Noaba was looking at me with concern.

"What did you come to tell us?" Was all I said.

She looked down "It was a message for your dad."

"From?"

The look on her face was all the answer I needed. I turned and ran for the door.

"Wait!" Noaba called after me. I could hear Sam's confused voice calling "What is it, what's happened?"

"It might not be what you think!"

I stopped and turned abruptly right in front of the door. "You have no idea, but I do. I know exactly where he's gone." I made to turn again but she kept calling. "He's going to sacrifice himself!" And before anything else could stop me I ran out and made my way round to the woods. I don't know how I knew they'd be there but I did. If I run quick enough, maybe I can find him before he does. The forest was especially dark at this time of night, the trees blocking out both the stars and the moon in places, yet somehow, I found I could still see. There was an eerie red glow coming from deep within. I made my way towards that, not caring if anyone was watching or following or what might be waiting when I reached it. When I got closer, I started looking around more. When I looked back, I stopped in my tracks, my gasp catching in my throat, my eyes wide.

He had his back to me to begin with but slowly he started to turn, his eyes glowing red, to face me. I felt like this must be some sort of nightmare.

"So, it is true." His voice was deep and coarse, like something from a horror movie. "You found your way back."

I was too stunned to move, my ears dropping in fear.

"That is a bit annoying. I had hoped not to have to kill any more children. But…I did promise to destroy everything he loves."

Hearing him talk about my father like that made me angry enough to forget my fear. "You won't beat him. He's stronger than you think."

"How interesting. Your mother said exactly the same thing."

He paused after the word "mother" as if to give it a greater effect. It worked. I took a step back. "My…mother?"

He didn't even give me enough time to process that part. "She was wrong too."

Unbidden, images started flashing into my mind; of a house burning, a woman screaming, a cave…I held my head, closing my eyes tight shut and feeling tears escape them. Holding my head in both hands, shaking it to try and get rid of those pictures, weeping uncontrollably.

"Enough."

Hearing that voice was enough to bring me back to the moment and give me hope. I looked up and grinned to see my father approaching from the side. "You." His sword in one hand, he started circling around Troom. "You will not abuse my family any further." He stood in front of me and pointed his blade at him.

With my dad standing there, like a guard, I was no longer afraid. Troom just laughed softly. "Now, let's not go straight into it. I thought, with the little one here perhaps we could…have a show. Suddenly I noticed something in his hand. Some sphere type thing that appeared to have glowing images inside. "You didn't tell her the full story, did you." And before my dad could stop him, he threw the sphere on the ground between us where it shattered.

I looked away, shielding my eyes just in case, while around me a simulation was created. When I looked back up, there were two new figures in front of me. The same two that were with me now. There was a younger version of my father, the scar around his eyes still a fresh cut. And there was Troom, both horns still intact. And all around them was burning. This must've been from the last invasion, when the tru-beins took Serious. And my father had gone up against Troom, but the fight seemed a fair way in when the projection started. I saw him blook my father's sword with his spare but then he slashed it downwards, slicing off his horn. He doubled over in pain and collapsed but when my father came closer, he jumped back up, moving his spare quickly upwards and slashing him across the chest. The force of it threw my father backwards. For a brief moment I could see cloth, skin and flesh come apart where the spare had touched him. He landed on his side, with his back to Troom and moved no more.

This whole time, I'd been circling the scene. When I looked up, I saw my present-day father. He's been watching me watch, his eyes full of shame and regret. The scene was fading around us but I kept eye contact with my dad, until I noticed a half hidden by the simulation coming up behind him. I pointed at it with just enough time for him to turn and dodge out of the way. In his moment of distraction, I thought I saw something small, long and thin spin over my head towards him. He swatted it aside easily enough. Was that a fake wand? Turning over I looked in the direction it had come from and saw Jay just a few metres away, the others not far behind.