@TheWritingFireBird Contest Entry

        Everything in this house is too bright. It's like the light is reflected twice as powerful on every shiny surface. The smell of flowers and perfume is so strong it burns my nose and brings tears to my eyes while I try and examine the area around me. 

Our target, The High Healer, sits upon his golden chair at the head of his long golden table. His neatly brushed white hair is pulled back and his amber eyes are soft and focused wholly on the person sitting beside him. His wife, Kyra, holds his hand and smiles at the joke he told her. Her hair is gold, her eyes are emerald green, and her skin is tan dusted with gold. She looks like a Goddess woven of sunlight. 

It's disgusting. My uncle has no taste. I rub the bridge of my nose feeling a headache coming on. 

A flower blooms on the rafter nudging my face. It glows faintly in gold. It's glittery and shiny. I roll my eyes. 

Looking to the side I see where Void is crouched on one of the ceiling rafters across from me, watching me in the intense manner she always does. An intense look you wouldn't expect from a slim pinched 16-year-old. Like if I were to simply nod my head she would go on a killing spree and no one would make it out alive. Her eyes are different colors. Her left one is green and the right one is blue. She is cloaked in her dark clothes and hood. An assassin of lethal proportions. 

Past her, Blade gives me the signal that he is about to start his task. I watch intently as he secures his cloak and pulls his hood over his dark red hair so only ice blue eyes can be seen. He turns away, scales down, and turns invisible. 

This is my crew. There are five of us in total. The superheroes call us kids. The outcasts. The unwanted. Not worthy of their time. The Villains know us as hitmen. The kids in the dark. If you pay us right we can kill anyone. Anyone and we don't take credit. We let the Villain take credit for our kills so that we remain concealed from the world. 

Which is what we are doing at The High Healers house. No supervillain has been able to kill him because he just heals and gets back up again. Because of that little fact, he has been causing problems and pissing off a lot of very powerful people. Not just his nemesis the Dead King. Now we are here to solve the problem and kill someone who doesn't really die. But he will if I have anything to do with it. 

Loud crashes and banging sound in the hallway and The High Healer stands up his eyebrows drawn together in confusion. 

“Stay here.” He tells his wife walking briskly through the doors and out into the hallway. She stands up facing the door, her arms folded. I meet Void's eyes and nod. I can’t see her mouth but I’m sure she is smiling underneath it. Like the fearless bird she is, she divebombs off the ceiling rafter where she lands behind The High Healers wife on the table. With one swift motion Void uses her power to freeze Kyra's body and hold a dagger to her neck. 

I lean forwards and let myself drop from the rafter I was on. I probably don’t look nearly as graceful falling as Void did but I do my best to land evenly. Once I land I knock all the dishes of the table with my foot. They shatter as they hit the floor and I sit down in The High Healer’s seat keeping my feet propped up on the table.

The High Healer rushes back into the room looking disheveled and annoyed. When he sees Void with her dagger against his wife's throat his eyes widen and he pales. I remove my cloak and mask so that the High Healer can see my face. My sunny blonde hair falls down nearly over my eyes.

“Nice place you got here. Though I’m really not a fan of all the flowers you have indoors.” I say running my finger across the edge of the gold table.

“It's making my allergies act up.” I sniffle a bit for effect. The High Healer narrows his eyes at me.

“What are you kids doing in my house?” He growls. I shake my head at him. He doesn't recognize me. Though I don't know why I expected him to.

“You’ve been up to quite a lot. And people aren't very happy with you. So  my crew and I are here to take care of that, little problem.” I raise my hand and snap. On my cue. Blade appears at my side. Rich and Shorty fall from their places taking their stance behind The High Healer not allowing him to retreat. He looks behind him and scoffs.

To be honest I understand his reaction to us all. We are kids. Shorty is very thin and short, not unusual for a 12-year-old who used to be abandoned with nothing to eat. 

And Rich despite being 17 looks like he might be blown over by even the smallest of gusts. He is long and spindly and the cloak and dark clothing do nothing to help him. He and Void look like twin wraiths coming to kill you and steal your soul.

Blade and I are the only of our crew to look normal. Healthy. But still, we are just teenagers and thus we look like kids to others. 

“You have got to be kidding me. You think you're going to kill me? Not even the Dead King himself can.” I smile.

“But we aren't the Dead King. We are someone who got paid a whole lot to take care of you.” I explain pulling off my black glove. The High Healer goes to move but Void shakes her head and presses the dagger against Kyra’s throat so that small droplets of blood roll down her neck. He stops moving, staring at the knife at his wife's throat. 

“You can’t kill me, I am a Healer.” He explains. I roll my eyes and step in front of him blocking his view from his wife and Void. 

“Actually I can, Uncle,” I admit flexing my pale fingers in front of me. My energy begins to buzz under my fingers hungry for The High Healer's magic. He pales looking over me with recognition.

"Don’t move and your wife goes free. There was no order to kill her.” The High Healer looks from his wife to me and in the end, decides not to move. A wise decision on his part. 

“If you kill me they will know. You will have people coming after you. Once you enter the game, Ari, you won’t be able to exit.” He warns trying to avoid what's to come. I don't appreciate him using my actual name but I smile at the info that the super’s still have no clue about the activities of my crew. We don't use our real names. We haven't even used them with each other for a long time.

“We have been a part of the game for a long time High Healer and no they won’t come for us. Because they will think that the Dead King killed you.” His eyebrows furrow and then his eyes go wide like he made the connection. 

“You? You have been helping the villains. You're why they have been able to kill more of us.” I nod. “No. You haven't been?” I grin.

“Oh yes, I have.” As quick as a snake striking I reach out and grab the High Healer by his throat. As soon as my skin touches his I thrum with energy and power. His power and soul, it tastes delicious. I continue to absorb it, eating it, and basking in his healing light till it snuffs out. I back up and The High Healer kneels over no longer High. His white hair looks grey and I see his lifeless eyes are a dull brown. 

“What have you done to him!” Kyra screams clutching her chest. I back up and snap my fingers. A small yellow ball of light floats above my fingers. 

“I took his soul, his power, Aunt,” I say reaching under my cloak and bringing out my Rubix cube. Well, it looks like a Rubik's cube but it was created to contain magical energy and it's where I stash the soul seeds I’ve taken from the super’s I have killed. Right now I have 17 soul seeds. 

Void lets go of her control over Kyra and she crawls crying to her husband. She cradles him.

Void looks over at me and I nod.

“It was great seeing you again Uncle. You to Aunt. You know what to do,” I tell my crew, stepping over The High Healers legs. Rich and Shorty open the doors for me to pass through and I do, listening to the cries and pleads of Kyra.

`~`~`

“Sit down Angel!” Void demands. I glare at her in reply. I have been pacing my office for hours after our task was finished. It always takes a while for my energy and adrenalin to calm down after a mission. Too much time and it annoys me. 

“I can’t sit down and you know it. So unless you have another idea I suggest you leave me be Void.” I growl continuing to pace. She stands up gracefully and swaggers over to me. I stop pacing when she places one of her hands on my chest and another stroking my glove covered hand. She smells like blackberries and fire and I want to bury my face in her hair. She looks up at me. Her shiny licorice black hair is pulled back into a long braid but there are a few strands that have escaped and lay on her pale freckled face. She smiles. 

“If you don’t stop pacing I’m going to murder you.” She says that devilish gleam shining in her eyes. I hide my amusement with a frown.

“Kill me and you won’t get your money Void.” I tease and pull away resuming my pacing. She sticks out her foot as I walk by and trips me.

“Void!” I growl sweeping her legs out from under her as I fall. But she doesn't fall with me, instead, she pulls off one of her acrobatic tricks and flips herself onto my desk. 

“So go fight with Blade so I don’t have to kill you. He is in the yard training. Work off some of your steam.” She bosses crouched on the edge like a predator. 

“Blade is good but he offers no challenge.” I drawl rolling my eyes. 

“Then have all three of them fight you. They could use the training. Use your brain, Angel.” She says hoping of her perch and standing over me. I look up at her to see amusement in her mismatch eyes. 

“Very well my lady, I suppose you leave me no choice. I will have to destroy the three of them to preserve my own life.” I say with a false lachrymose attitude.

“Idiot!” She huffs rushing from the room her cheeks red. Her cheeks always flame when I call her my lady. Ever since I discovered it I use it every opportunity I get. Seeing her blush is the loveliest thing I have seen in my life.

There is barely any sound besides the cheerful chirping of birds and my office is filled with the scent of relaxing lavender. To help my nerves remain calm. Of course, when I am already on edge it doesn't work. I sigh and stand up dusting myself off. 

“Get off the cabinet, you Idiot!” Void screams from downstairs and a grin spreads across my face. I exit my office into the cool hallway. 

After our first few jobs, we had enough money to by ourselves a home. Something we had never had before as orphans and outcasts. We found an old but large house on the far edges of society far away from the capital and supers. As soon as we saw it we all fell in love. It's beautiful with dark sturdy wood, marble floors, and sweeping arches with long corridors and huge windows. I walk down the winding wood stairs and into the living room. There are soft couches that sit in front of the biggest window in the house. An arched one that goes from a foot off the floor to the ceiling. Letting in the golden light of the dying sun. 

“I swear if you touch that I’m going to bury you alive!” Void yells louder this time and there are three responding laughs. I walk through the hallway and lean against the archway watching the scene in front of me.  Void is holding Blade by his shirt collar. A muffin is in his hand, a chunk bit out of it. He is glaring at her but there is teasing warmth in his iced eyes and if Void really wanted to kill him Blade would be dead. His large muscular stature and height advantage would not save him from her shadowy wrath. I look over to the table where Shorty looks like he's about to die from laughter, his curly chocolate brown hair covered with smashed muffin pieces, blueberry bits smeared on his dark skin, and his warm hazel eyes brimmed with tears. Rich on the other hand seems to be ignoring them all, focused fully on the files in front of him. His hand threaded through his honey blonde hair and his brown eyes are tired. 

“What are you guys doing!” I ask and they all jump in surprise except for Void who snags the muffin back and stuffs it into her mouth.

“H...St...Msydsmufin.” Void says with the muffin in her mouth giving Blade a pointed glare. The corners of my mouth lift with amusement. 

“Don’t talk with your mouth full Void. And have you guys been watching the news for info on what they have found out about the High Healer?” I admonish and I’m sure if she could she would have her tongue stuck out at me. To my astonishment, she chokes the muffin down.

“Just because you're 18 doesn't mean you're the boss of me!” She growls and bounds into the entertainment room. 

“Well, all of you follow her,” I say pointing after her.  All three of them race into the entertainment room and I walk slowly after them. 

"You know these superhero council members are such douche bags. On their high horses." Shorty complains. "Why do we even watch the news we know they aren't going to get anything on us." I laugh softly but the sound dies on my lips when I see Void frozen gaping at the TV. 

"What's wr..." That's when I see what's on the TV screen. Kyra is weeping in front of the camera talking about how a group of kids killed her husband.  Everything in my body goes deathly cold and still as I watch my whole life's work unravel. I turn slowly and grab Shorty by his shirt. He's pale as a sheet but I don't care in my returned dark apathy.

"What did you do Shorty." I hiss yanking him up. "You let her remember!" I yell suddenly and Shorty flinches. 

"I didn't! I didn't! I swear Angel!! I would never!" There are tears in his eyes.

"Then how do you explain that!" I yell yanking him towards the TV. 

"I don't know!! I don't Angel!! I took her memory!! I stole it she should not know." Shorty pleads. I radiate with the cold furry.

"Stop it, Angel. This is Shorty we are talking about!" Blade says holding his hands up in my peripheral vision. Suddenly I am yanked back and I stagger back growling as Void stands between me and Shorty. 

"Don't you dare take this out on him Angel!" Void says and she lets me truly see her. Her anger at me and her fear for Shorty. This snaps me out of my rage and I begin to breathe regularly again the ice retreading. I feel ashamed for grabbing Shorty and lower my head. She and Shorty have to now I would never hurt any of them. I would never hurt Shorty. I am not like those people that abused her. 

"I'm truly sorry Shorty. I hope you can forgive me?" I say standing up straight and looking Shorty in the eyes. Then I turn to Void. "My lady," I say with a bow of my head before briskly exiting the room leaving the silence and dread behind me. 

By the time I get to my room, I feel extremely hot and my energy buzzes under my skin. I collapse on my bed and place my face in my hands. I don't know how I am going to fix this. Kyra wasn't supposed to remember, just like all the others she was supposed to forget. We revealed things to her in front of The High Healer. All the superheroes will look for us. 

My thoughts are interrupted by the creaking of the door and soft footsteps which stop in front of me. 

"I wasn't going to hurt him," I say softly. "I'm sorry Void. I swear it won't happen again." She doesn't say anything for a while but eventually sits down next to me.

"I know, Angel." She says with a sigh. "I know you're not like them. I trust you." I relax at her words. Voids trust is the rarest thing in my world and I would have hated to lose it. 

"And what about Shorty?" I ask. 

"He is shaken up but he understands. We all do. You have worked so hard to keep us safe. But he feels guilty enough wondering how she still has her memories so don't make it any harder." She says and I nod my agreement. Her shoulder touches mine as she leans against me and I enjoy her warmth and firey blackberry sent. "So, what are we going to do about it now that it's out?" She asks and I shake my head.

"I don't know." I sigh. 

"Well, then I'll tell you what we are going to do." I look up at her in surprise. "Now they know who had been killing them all. They know who has been helping to exterminate them. So we use that to our advantage and use our new reputation as hitmen to grow."

"So your saying we continue to take out hit contracts?" I ask and she nods. "We won't have the element of surprise and mystery on our side anymore." I point out.

"We don't need it. We are a good team and we have you. No one will stand in our way."  She says softly before returning to her hard predatory side. "Now go to sleep." She says pushing me over and leaving my room quickly. I sigh and close my eyes but after a few minutes, a loud ringing sounds in my room.

It takes me a minute for my sleepy brain to realize that the ringing is from the phone, not an enemy. When it finally computes I grab it and hold it to my ear. 

"Who is this?" I growl into the phone. I don't like phone calls at night.

"Why Angel. Is that any way to talk to an old friend." The Dead Kings says and I stiffen. 

"What is it?" I ask a little less irked. 

"I just wanted to congratulate you on finally having the balls to stop hiding. You did a good job with The High Healer. Though I would have liked some credit in his death." He says and I try to sense any anger or vengeance in his voice but hear none. "I have another job for all your infamous kids. This one I will pay 2 million dollars for." My jaw drops.  

"Who do you want us to take care of?" I ask. 

"The High Healer's brother the Sun Lord. I can't very well have him coming after me for revenge for hiring you." The Dead King says with a laugh. My blood freezes. "Is that going to be a problem for you?"

"No," I say curtly not letting him get under my skin. 

"Good. Do this tonight by midnight and you have you 2 million. The location is the Red Castle Festival. He will be there tonight. Good luck." With that, the phone clicks dead. I throw it on my bedside table and lay back down. My pillow now smells like Void and as I breathe in I wonder how that's possible. 

`~`~`

"Come on guys move it! I expect everyone to be in the van in 5!" I yell opening the front door. Blade breezes past me soon followed but Shorty who skips out the door shouting incessant insults at Blade.

"Get out the door Rich! Don't make me break your computer!" Void yells as she walks calmly past me. Rich appears a few seconds after, his laptop clutched firmly in his lithe fingers. None of them are wearing their usual assassin attire. Instead, they are dressed in normal kid clothes. Colorful shirts, jeans, skirts. I am even wearing jeans and a long-sleeved t-shirt.

"Come on Rich. Chop chop." I encourage looking around for things he might trip on before lightly pushing him out the door. Despite looking like he might be tall and agile, Rich somehow manages to trip on anything available. It's one of his many talents. The only thing graceful about him is his brain and hands when he is typing away at his laptop.

With him, out the door, I shut it and lock it. I suppose it's a good thing no super knows where we live. Not even the Villains. So I don't expect our house to be broken into except by some desperate farmer. But still Void and Rich worked to put extra security measures on the house so that if a super does come knocking he won't be for long.

I rush over to our green van and hop in the driver's side. Shutting the door I pull on my seat belt and examine everyone in the back.

"Everyone in?" There are a bunch of yes's thrown out. "Everyone buckled?" I hear the clicking of buckles and discontent grumbles. "Alright, here we go."

I back out of our long driveway and onto the narrow country road. The sound of gravel under the tires feels comforting like this might end up okay. That it doesn't matter that everything is different now.

"How long is this drive supposed to take, again?" I ask Rich who is in the passenger seat his laptop still clutched to his chest.

"Four hours to the Red Castle Festival," Rich says, and everyone groans. 

"Did Kyra do a good job describing us?" I ask Rich and he gives me a shrug. 

"We all had our hood and masks on except for you. So yes but no. I'd wager that you're the only one at risk of truly being recognized." 

"Alrighty then. No gas stations just in case." I declare wishing I had grabbed some snacks before locking the house up. 

"I already got you all covered." Void says waving a bag of what I assume to be food in the review mirror. "Yes, I know. I'm the best, most prepared, smartest person here." She says with a smile. I laugh and put the car into drive starting our long four-hour journey. Shorty taps me on the shoulder and asks for the windows to be rolled down and I oblige him. 

The wind blowing in my face helps me to relax as we pass acres and acres of lush green farmland and baby animals. Out here in the outer farmland, it smells like rain and fruit. Dirt and sunshine. Not like the highly perfumed unnaturally shiny nature at the High Healers house. This is a soft, strong, brilliant nature were the weak die and the strong thrive. Just like it was meant to be. If you took any of those flowers from his house and tried to plant them out here they would die.

The Superheroes are like the High Healers flowers. They are shiny, glittery, and perfumed. Everyone loves them they are helped and held in high esteem. But try and take them back out to plant them in the wild and they die. Because they are weak, incapable of change or growth. Just a pretty flower destined to be overtaken by the weeds, overshadowed by the long grass. 

Which is why my crew always wins. They lack creativity and the willpower they once had. All of these age-old feuds were the villain plans world destruction, kills a bunch of people, and then the hero inevitably saves the day and locks away the villain has made everyone weak. So much less than they could be. Even the Villains. Which is why they always lose and can't seem to kill there Hero's. Of course none of us mind. That just means more money for us.

Each of us found each other with a different reason for wanting to take out supers.

Blade was the son of a lesser super family. Sidekicks. They help the superheroes in battle when needed. He trained for it but one day his older sister Amanda was appointed by the council to help The Earth Riser. She got caught in a trap during the battle and couldn't escape. The Earth Riser could have helped her but deemed her life to be less important than the Villain. She was killed and her body was brought back broken. The council said that she did what was required of her and died with honor. The sidekick's purpose. He used his invisibility to run away. He joined me wanting to make the council pay and the superheroes see that they can die too. That they aren't more important.

Shorty was abandoned by his mother at the age of 4 when she realized he had powers. She had a fling with a Villain she refused to tell him about. When she got pregnant she thought it would be one of her other lover's child. Shorty tried to find out who his dad was to no avail and lived as a thief in the dirty allies of the Dark City. He used his memory stealing powers to keep himself safe. When Blade and I found him he joined for food and in hopes of finding his dad.

Void was next. One of the illegitimate children of the Dead King with the ability to suspend anyone's bodily animation. She had been causing trouble her whole life and was on top of one of the councils apprehend list at the age of 6. She was taught to kill since she was born, learning from being beaten senseless and attacked when she least expected it. When she found us she got us our first big job. She joined to prove that she could be greater than her dad and that she could kill the hero's no one else could.

After that, there was only one more. Rich with the ability of technology manipulation. He was abandoned to young to remember anything. Not his parents. Not where he came from. His earliest memories were those of being taken care of by two boys who found him and took him in. As he grew he became the right hand to one of the boys. They had created a gang of mercenaries. Robbing and hacking into places. But when we found him he wore a tarnished suit and lots of blood. The two boys that raised him were overthrown and murdered. He would have been to if he hadn't of ran. He just wanted a place to belong and a place to live.

For me, however. I was hated since the discovered my power. When I was born to the Sun Lord and the Lady of Dreams they thought I would be a great and powerful force for good. But at 2 when I accidentally took away my Nana's soul things changed. They feared me and the council decided that I needed to be watched at all times. Instead of teaching me how to control it, they put gloves on me and locked me away from people and my parents let them do it. So when I got the chance I ran.

I look out the window as we pass the last bit of the country. We have already been driving for an hour and now there is arguing in the back between Shorty and Blade. 

"No way. It's obvious that it's better to live in the desert than the artic." Shorty says.

"But you can't grow food in the dang Dessert." Blade argues.

"And you can grow food so easily in the artic?" Shorty asks and Void snorts. 

"Umm yes. Easier than in the dessert pipsqueak." Shorty scoffs and Voids head peaks between me and Rich. 

"I was thinking, did Kyra tell them your name? I mean that could mean the council knows exactly who you are and that you're involved. Your father could see us coming." She says her face analytical. "Here wear these." She says pulling out a pair of sunglasses and a long jacket.

"I don't think anyone will recognize me. I'm not that unique looking and my own uncle didn't recognize me." I say making her frown and give me the death stare. 

"You can never be too safe. Besides, I would definitely remember golden eyes like yours." I smirk and she rolls her eyes. "With your Honey hair, golden eyes, and tan skin your practically a golden boy. Girls will be staring." She says with a slight pout she tries but fails to hide from me. 

"Oh don't worry there are tons of golden boys at this festival. And if it makes you feel better I'll wear the clothes." I say with a smile. She rolls her eyes. 

"I don't care. I just don't want you to get us arrested idiot!" She says disappearing into the back seat where the argument on which place is better still draws on.

It's funny. We each got our nicknames based on first impressions and they kinda stuck.  

Blade was named after an incident when we first met Void. I told him to turn invisible and go around. So he stole Voids dagger not knowing it was magic and wouldn't turn invisible with him. So when Void turned around there was just a floating Blade in front of her face. 

Shorty's is obvious. He was so small and short when we found him. 

Void was because when she used her power on you it feels like the life's been sucked out of you and your floating in a void. 

Rich was because when we first saw him in the torn suit we thought we were some poor unfortunate rich boy.

And for mine, when we found Shorty I sorta divebombed from a roof down on the ground and Shorty thought I was an Angel.

"Angel! Angel, did you hear me?" I snap out of it hearing Rich call me. 

"Umm, what? Sorry." I say and Rich rolls his eyes. 

"I asked you what information The Dead King gave you." I snort. 

"Not much like usual. Just time and place."

`~`~`

"Alright! Where is he?" Void asks tapping her foot impatiently. She looks uncomfortable in her yellow skirt and red flats. 

"He and the other council members that come will have thrones in front of the Red Castle where they will watch the festivities. We will have to wait for him to go off somewhere alone." Rich says pointing through the large crowd. I peer and can barely make out five old-timey looking thrones in front of the Red Castle. They are all full. And in the center is my father. The Sun Lord. His golden hair shining in the sun and his gold eyes are twinkling but sad. I feel a touch of empathy for my father but quickly brush it away.

"Alright, then we wait," I say spotting a table near a large tree. Keeping an eye on the thrones I make my way over to it and sit down in the shade the tree gives. The other sit down too and we look around enjoying the music around us. 

When Void huffs and lays her head down on the table screaming starts. Absolute panic breaks out around us as security and police surround the area. I want to get up but Blade puts his hand on my shoulder keeping me down. Sitting at the table surrounded by people we have less of a chance of being seen. The speaker's buzz and squeak. 

"Ari we know you and your friends are here and we know everything you've done." The voice belongs to my father. "You made a grave mistake Ari. Now come out before things get worse." 

"How did they know? We got set up." Void hisses leaning down to avoid being seen. 

"The Dead King set us up! Why on earth would he do that?" Shorty whispers.

"What do we do?" Blade asks leaning in. 

"I'd rather die now!" Void hisses.

"I say we fight. There is a one percent chance we live." Rich calculates.

"Promising," I growl looking around. "So we fight and there is a 99 percent chance we are going to die or we can turn our selves in and see what happens."

"And still probably die." Void growls. 

"Technically if we turn ourselves in there is less chance of death and there is a chance only a few of us will die," Rich informs. 

"Vote?" Shorty asks his voice soft and scared. 

"It's alright Shorty. I vote we turn ourselves in." I say.

"Same." Rich votes.

"Yup," Shorty says looking around.

"Well, I vote we fight." Blade growls. I look over at Void.

"We turn ourselves in then." Void says with a nod. I stand up drawing the attention of the people around me. 

"I don't know that I would call it a mistake!" I call out toying with my black gloves. My father focuses on me looking disappointed. 

"Ari you and your friends will come with us and then you will hand over the soul seeds." The Sun Lord says walking through the crowd towards us. 

"Why would I do that?" I ask feeling my Rubix cube on the inside of my jacket. 

"We can bring back all those supers you took. Just like how we brought back Nana. You all can make this right. Your only kids."  I roll my eyes. We stopped truly being kids long ago. "We can bring back your Uncle."

I look over at Void, Shorty, Blade, and Rich. My family. My actual family. I would do anything for them. 

"Okay, father. I'll give you the Rubix cube on the condition that you let my family stay together unharmed." I say placing my hand on Shorty's head. "If you don't you won't see the Rubix cube ever again." I bluff. The Sun Lord looks at each of my crew around the table and then looks to the other council members before nodding. 

"They are kids Ari. We won't hurt them but there will be punishments. If you come with us willingly I'll make sure you all stay together." The Sun Lord says. "We will figure this out as long as you give us the souls."

My father stops in front of me. He is a bit taller than me and far more golden. He holds out his hand looking me in the eye. I reach into my jacket and grasp my Rubix cube looking over at Void. She nods in sadness. With a sigh, I place it into my father's hand, and the sea of security swarms in on us.