“Your father held the legacy for Earth. Now it’s with you.”
Aaron looked from his dad back to Neriah. “What does that mean?” he asked. “Holding the legacy? What does it do?”
Neriah smiled, but it held no humour. “It marks you,” he said. “For great power – and for death.”
Aaron swallowed back the fear that bubbled up. He saw the way his dad was raking his hand through his hair, ready to tear it out. “That sounds like a rough deal,” he said. “Power but with a death sentence.”
Neriah’s eyes glinted, a look that Aaron didn’t understand. “Most things that are worth having come at a price,” he said. He straightened up, shaking whatever moment had come over him. “Being born an Elemental is a privilege, but being a legacy holder is an honour.”
“Why?” Aaron asked.
“Because legacy holders are the only ones who can wield the Blades of Aric.” Neriah smiled at Aaron’s frown. “I’m not surprised that you’re confused. I was certain you wouldn’t even know about Aric, never mind his Blades.”
Aaron’s gaze flickered to his dad, in time to see the pink spots appear in his cheeks.
“Legend has it that after Aric’s fourth child was born, Aric melted his mighty sword to create four smaller blades,” Neriah explained. “Each one was blessed and carved by Aric’s own hands. His eldest four were given a sword each and those became the Blades of Aric. Each Elemental family has its own blade.”
Aaron remembered the conversation he’d had with Scott, the day he learnt about the Scorcher. Scott had said something about the Scorcher wielding the Blade of Aedus and that only Hadrian’s son could do that. He forced back the memory of Kyran, seated right next to him while the discussion was taking place.
“These swords are not like other weapons,” Neriah continued. “The Blades of Aric are extremely lethal. There is nothing in this world that could block them, defeat them.” He held Aaron’s gaze. “Mages were made for the sole purpose of fighting evil. The Blades were created to make sure legacy holders didn’t fail that task. When a legacy holder raises their Blade, nothing can stand in their way.”
Aaron nodded. So far, he was following. “So how does the death sentence come into it?”
“The legacies are our power, our future – they’re passed from one generation to the next,” Neriah started. “Legacies give power to the mages who share an affinity for their element. So as long as the legacies exist, every mage and Elemental will stay strong. The legacy holder is the only one able to use the Blades of Aric – the most powerful weapons against demons.” He paused for a moment, collecting himself. “Look at it through the eyes of our enemy, and you’ll see why legacy holders make such tempting targets.”
Aaron stiffened, his eyes growing wide. His dad was still pacing, looking closer and closer to losing his nerve, but Aaron couldn’t focus on anything but Neriah.
“But legacies are like anything else – they strive to survive,” Neriah continued. “If a legacy holder dies before leaving an heir, the legacy races back up the bloodline, going to the former holder. If that person isn’t there it will go further back. If it can’t find a previous holder, the legacy will try to attach to another in the same Elemental bloodline. If it can’t find anyone, only then will the legacy die.”
“What happens then?” Aaron asked.
“Without an active legacy, all those that shared that element’s power would grow weak and lose their powers.”
“They would become human?” Aaron asked with shock.
“No, Aaron,” Neriah said quietly. “They would die. Our powers are our life. Take them away and we have nothing to sustain us.” He took in a breath. “Which is what the demons want.”
Aaron stilled in horror.
“Three hundred years ago,” Neriah continued, “the leader of the Lycans decided the way to cripple mages was to hunt down the legacy
Aaron looked from his dad back to Neriah. “What does that mean?” he asked. “Holding the legacy? What does it do?”
Neriah smiled, but it held no humour. “It marks you,” he said. “For great power – and for death.”
Aaron swallowed back the fear that bubbled up. He saw the way his dad was raking his hand through his hair, ready to tear it out. “That sounds like a rough deal,” he said. “Power but with a death sentence.”
Neriah’s eyes glinted, a look that Aaron didn’t understand. “Most things that are worth having come at a price,” he said. He straightened up, shaking whatever moment had come over him. “Being born an Elemental is a privilege, but being a legacy holder is an honour.”
“Why?” Aaron asked.
“Because legacy holders are the only ones who can wield the Blades of Aric.” Neriah smiled at Aaron’s frown. “I’m not surprised that you’re confused. I was certain you wouldn’t even know about Aric, never mind his Blades.”
Aaron’s gaze flickered to his dad, in time to see the pink spots appear in his cheeks.
“Legend has it that after Aric’s fourth child was born, Aric melted his mighty sword to create four smaller blades,” Neriah explained. “Each one was blessed and carved by Aric’s own hands. His eldest four were given a sword each and those became the Blades of Aric. Each Elemental family has its own blade.”
Aaron remembered the conversation he’d had with Scott, the day he learnt about the Scorcher. Scott had said something about the Scorcher wielding the Blade of Aedus and that only Hadrian’s son could do that. He forced back the memory of Kyran, seated right next to him while the discussion was taking place.
“These swords are not like other weapons,” Neriah continued. “The Blades of Aric are extremely lethal. There is nothing in this world that could block them, defeat them.” He held Aaron’s gaze. “Mages were made for the sole purpose of fighting evil. The Blades were created to make sure legacy holders didn’t fail that task. When a legacy holder raises their Blade, nothing can stand in their way.”
Aaron nodded. So far, he was following. “So how does the death sentence come into it?”
“The legacies are our power, our future – they’re passed from one generation to the next,” Neriah started. “Legacies give power to the mages who share an affinity for their element. So as long as the legacies exist, every mage and Elemental will stay strong. The legacy holder is the only one able to use the Blades of Aric – the most powerful weapons against demons.” He paused for a moment, collecting himself. “Look at it through the eyes of our enemy, and you’ll see why legacy holders make such tempting targets.”
Aaron stiffened, his eyes growing wide. His dad was still pacing, looking closer and closer to losing his nerve, but Aaron couldn’t focus on anything but Neriah.
“But legacies are like anything else – they strive to survive,” Neriah continued. “If a legacy holder dies before leaving an heir, the legacy races back up the bloodline, going to the former holder. If that person isn’t there it will go further back. If it can’t find a previous holder, the legacy will try to attach to another in the same Elemental bloodline. If it can’t find anyone, only then will the legacy die.”
“What happens then?” Aaron asked.
“Without an active legacy, all those that shared that element’s power would grow weak and lose their powers.”
“They would become human?” Aaron asked with shock.
“No, Aaron,” Neriah said quietly. “They would die. Our powers are our life. Take them away and we have nothing to sustain us.” He took in a breath. “Which is what the demons want.”
Aaron stilled in horror.
“Three hundred years ago,” Neriah continued, “the leader of the Lycans decided the way to cripple mages was to hunt down the legacy
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