Young Writers Society

I am back, but she is gone. I have failed.

The thought tumbled around Sebastian's head as he stared at the pitiful group in front of him, all of them looking at him with wide, fearful eyes. At least there was some confidence hidden deep within Ezekiel. Maybe he couldn't see it; but none the less it was there. The Council Members backed away rapidly as his name slid into the open for all to see

"You Council Members are a bore." He rolled back his shoulders, his wing flexing back and glinting in the sun. "Can't even recognize a 'lost heir', as you so graciously put it." He pulled a short black blade from his belt running it over his fingernails lightly. His silvery eyes followed the blade as it made its way down his hand, his brown hair hiding part of his face. "I'm going to ask one more time." His hand shoved the blade back into its place at his belt. "Where is my sister."

The center Council Member spoke directly to him, his bald head glinting with sweat. "Mr. Dare," He said, his voice still strained. "I am Council Zayne. This is Council Octavia," he gestured to the women on his left. "And this is Council Sage. We regr-"

Sebastian stepped forward in one fluid movement, his blade out and pressed against Zayne's neck in a heartbeat. "Wrong answer." He hissed. His eyes shifted to where Ezekiel and the other boy stood, wide eyed and unsure of what to do. "Ezekiel, where is Rae."

He blinked several times before he was finally able to answer. "She's gone Sebastian." His pale eyes were fixated on him. "The Mutants. They took her."

The second boy stepped forward, his red hair shinning copper in the sun. "And my sister. They took my sister Emmany. "

"And Garren, an Earth Elemental." Ezekiel added, slight guilt flashing in his eyes. "Everyone keeps forgetting him." He added quietly.

Sebastian stepped back from Zayne, ignoring the horrified look from Octavia and the outraged one from Sage. "Finally some answers." He muttered.

His blade slid back into its holster, though his twitching fingertips still remained near it. He threw open his wings, taking pleasure in the gasps of forced awe that came from the Council Members. He made to take to the sky, but a word from Ezekiel stopped him.

"No." He said.

Confusion light in Sebastian's eyes. "No?" He slowly turned his head to look at the boy.

"You're not going after her alone." He amended quickly, pushing past Zayne and the Council. "She's my sister." A pleading note had entered his voice.

Anger raged inside Sebastian, fast, unexpected, and deadly. She's not your sister! He screamed inwardly. Instead he said; "You're too slow. You have no wings."

Ezekiel moved forward and grabbed his arm, holding Sebastian in place with an iron grip. "I have a horse." He hissed. "Whatever you think about my family, don't hold it against me. I've looked out for Rae since you left." He spat the last words.

Sebastian closed his wings slowly. "Left?" He echoed, tipping his head to the side, a deadly calm filling inside him. He looked at the Council Members once more. "If I remember correctly, I was taken from my home and dumped outside of the wall, left to die in the Outcasts. Didn't even leave me my wind breaker." He sniffed.

Darren stepped forward until he was side-by-side with Ezekiel. "What? We were told you left, that you abandoned Rae."

"Abandoned Rae?!" He shouted, throwing up his hands in aggravation. He pointed an accusing finger at Council Zayne, his eyes dark and smoldering. "You're the one who gave the order. I should have been here to protect her. But you had to get rid of me."

Zayne's shoulders tensed his forehead crinkling as his face twisted with barley contained rage. "I had to." He hissed. "Your father was a traitor." He spat. "I would have gotten rid of that irksome girl if you hadn't hid her in that boy's room."

Octavia and Sage gasped with slight horror, stepping back from him, their eyes locked on the scene that played out before them.

Ezekiel turned around slowly, the veins along his arms jumping out along his skin as he curled his fists. "You...stole Sebastian from us?"

Zayne stepped back suddenly, his hand going to a short blade at his belt. "I had no choice." He snarled. "I should have killed them both when they were first found."

Darren lunged forward, shoving his forearm against Zayne's throat and throwing him against the tumbling gray wall of 7-C. "Don't you dare talk about Rae like that." He spat.

Ezekiel moved forward quickly, grabbing Darren around his forearms, pulling him back forcefully. "Darren come on man." He hissed through gritted teeth. "We can't kill this jack ass. He's still a Council Member. We'd be charged with Imperial Treason."

"So what?!" He yelled, struggling to break free while Zayne looked on with frightful eyes. "He would have killed her Ezekiel!" He shoved his fists into his friend's chest. "She's your sister for heaven's sakes! Do something!"

Ezekiel's eyes flashed but he remained calm. "She's in trouble now, Darren. What happens is what we do now."

Sebastian came forward, laying a hand on Darren's shoulder. "He would have. But he didn't. Ezekiel and I saved her. But he is right." He added reluctantly. "Getting charged with Imperial Treason won't help Rae. We need to find her."

"Get off me." Darren threw them loose finally, but did not lunge for Zayne again. He turned to Sebastian. "Lets go find them." He growled.

Sebastian nodded and turned back to Zayne, his hands trailing along the hilt of his blade. "Try to follow us." He said. "I dare you." His voice lifted at the end, as if he were genuinely curious about Zayne's attempt to stop them.

The three of them turned to walk out the gates, Darren's fists still clenched by his sides. Suddenly, the click-click of quick moving heeled boots sounded behind them. Sebastian turned around in a flash, his hair flying around his shoulder, his hand hovering above his blade. Councilwomen Octavia stared at them, her eyes wide and slightly glazed.

She wrapped her long, thin fingers around Ezekiel's arm, holding him in place. "I cannot say that I will be able to do much," She stated simply, "But I will do what I can to give you as much time as necessary to find your sisters."

Her kindness surprised them all. Ezekiel nodded his expression hard. "Thank you."

Octavia nodded and released him, walking back to where Zayne and Sage still stood. Together, the three of them made their way through the ruins of 7-C and through the surprisingly empty Courtyard. Sebastian stopped at the entrance of the Compound, his eyes fixed on the tall, steel gates. The bars glinted in the sun, shinning harshly into their eyes. Sebastian grunted slightly, leaping into the air with a fluid beat of his wings. Ezekiel let out a shout of protest, but Sebastian hovered above them, slight annoyance in his eyes.

"Give me your hands." He instructed his voice an icy calm.

"Why?" Darren's voice held firm suspicion.

"They'll never let you two walk out." Sebastian's eyes were cold. "Sure that Councilwoman said she'd find a way to give us time, but the mandate still stands. Shoot anyone who tries to flee the Compound. Do you really think that would have changed?"

Darren's eyes went wide with slight fear, but all the same he raised his hand up to Sebastian, glancing over at Ezekiel. Ezekiel looked up at his foster-brother with slight disdain. Arrogant. He hissed inwardly. Sebastian swooped down, taking both Ezekiel and Darren by the wrist, lifting them into the air. Darren gave a shout of surprise, his mouth a dark 'o' of surprise as the boy lifted them farther and farther off the ground. Sebastian grunted with effort, his sun-tanned skin glimmering slightly with sweat. His dark wings beat slower and heavier, the feathers catching the sun. He rose steadily, hands twisting tighter around Ezekiel's and Darren's wrists. Finally, they were high enough to see above the razor wire that topped the thick walls of the compound. Sebastian shot forward, his wings pressed against his sides as they raced over the fence. Ezekiel let out a cry of alarm as his feet grazed the wire, cutting a shallow, but long cut into the soft skin the surrounded his ankle. He glared at Sebastian, anger blooming within him. He did that on purpose. Ezekiel thought, wishing he was on the ground.

Sebastian seemed to share his thoughts. He grunted with strained effort as he descended towards the ground, his massive wings fluttering around his shoulder as he tried to steady their fall. Below them was a heavy canopy of trees, a thin patch of dirt winking at them playfully though the thick green canopy. Sebastian maneuvered himself carefully so he could drop through the small opening, his wings rustling as they brushed a little too close to the sharp branches. He set Ezekiel and Darren on the soft earth, and raised himself above them, landing gracefully on the soft earth. He spun around in a quick circle; examining his surroundings. His eyes followed the wall of the compound, pity for Rae setting a fire of rage through his body. She was held prisoner here... His boot slammed against a rock in frustration, sending the pebble flying into the gray fortress. In front of them stretched a long, black paved road, the inky road mocking him silently. The clouds had long since begun to clear away, and now was a near-empty, cloudless blue. He stretched out his wings, lashing them against the air. There had been nothing he could do for Rae while she had been held here, and once again, he could do nothing to help her. What kind of brother are you? His self-pity got the best of him for a moment. A snide voice chimed into his thoughts in the back of his mind, invading his thinking and consuming him internally. The kind who abandons his sister. Face it, that's what you will always be. She doesn't even know you're ALIVE.Sebastian winced as a hand dropped on his shoulders, his body shaking with a barley contained fury.

"Sebastian," Ezekiel's voice came to him from a far off place. "We're wasting time."

Sebastian whipped around, his silvery eyes flashing. "Don't tell me if we are wasting time or not. I'm not an ignorant fool."

He stepped back, throwing up his hand in defeat. "Calm down, man." His pale green eyes were wide.

Sebastian's eyes wandered to the other boy, looking him over for the second time. Darren Fall was of average height, somewhere around five feet six inches. He was exceedingly thin, his pale skin stretched out over his bones. The lines along his face were sharp and steep, dark shadows highlighting his high cheek bones. Light green eyes stared back at him, sizing him up silently. Strawberry blond hair fell down his forehead, a trade mark symbol of the Fire Elemental. Sebastian tipped his head, his black hair brushing his shoulders. There had always been something about the Fire Elementals that puzzled him. He had spent years in the Outcasts of Amora, trying to pinpoint the cause of the rebellion, to find out just how deep the corruption ran. It had led him back to the Fire Elementals, though the trail, ironically enough, had gone cold there. He shifted his weight to his other foot, standing lightly on his toes. Finally, after a long silence, he nodded, spreading his dark wings as he prepared to their himself in to the air once more. Darren grabbed his arm, his eyes dark and determined.

"You have to walk with us until we can get to our horses. Nobody knows, your still alive," He added in a hurry,seeing the look is disdain on Sebastian's face."if you take of flying above the city everyone will know, or will think your a Mutant. It's best if you stick to walking for now."

Ezekiel locked eyes with Sebastian, dipping his head in agreement with his friend. "Darren is right Sebastian."

Sebastian jerked his arm from Darren's hand, folding his wings against his back. "I need a jacket." He growled, tugging his black shirt down in an order to rid it of the wrinkles.

Ezekiel glanced down at the torn dark blue hoodie that hugged his body, irritation spilling through him as he pulled it off over his head,

"If you rip this I am going to kill you." He growled, narrowing his eyes.

Sebastian snatched the hoodie from his hand, pulling it over his body, his sleek wings pressed to his back. He pulled the hood up over his head, adjusting his black hair with a deft hand. He let it fall over his face, a shadow casting over his fair features. He shoved his hands deep into his pockets, making his way down the road. The landscape bursting with life, dark spruce trees growing as far as the eye could see. Shadows criss-crossed the road, splattering their faces with an intricate design. No birds filled the air, not a rustle of a creatures stirred through the thick trunks. Sebastian wondered if there were even any animals out here, or if all of them had fled or been domesticated. Or shot. The voice added, smug with a satisfied horror. Shut up. He snarled inwardly, fighting an battle with himself. His sharp ears could pick up on Ezekiel's light and steady feet, and Darren's heavier ones. He winced inwardly, wishing the Fire-Elemental could walk quieter. There is no need to walk silently when you can destroy all the enemies in your path. Sebastian could find no argument for this. He shook his head silently, glancing up to the sky. Walking was tedious for him, it always had been. A image flashed through his mind, bringing with it the not-so-distant memories of his past.

A gold tower stretched high into the sky, a pavement of silver stretched out across the snow-white earth. Fine, misted clouds engulfed elegant houses and the distant whinny of horses could be heard through the half-light. Thin rays of sunlight stripped the air, dust-particles swimming through the air like a fish through the sea. Sebastian pressed his chubby face to a thick-framed window, a child-like smile upon his face. He leaped down from the couch, his bare feet slamming against the smooth marble that was the floor. he reached for the door, his hand closing around the doorknob an-

Sebastian stopped, his foot slamming down onto the black road, his hands clasped firmly over his ears. "No!" He screamed. He crumpled to his knees, his left thigh burning with a red-hot pain.

Ezekiel lept forward, fear plastered over his face. "Sebastian?!"

Darren ran up beside him, his lips turned down in worry, but his eyes tinged with a barely-suppressed suspicion. "What's going on?"

Sebastian breathed heavily for a few moments, throwing a tight-knuckled fist into the ground. Slowly, he pushed himself to his feet, throwing Ezekiel off once more as the young man placed his hand on the boy's shoulder. He looked over his shoulder at the two, his face a sickly white, his eyes standing out even more vividly. His black hair obscurered half his face, but his lips were pulled back in a sinister expression.

"Keep moving." For a moment, the voice inside him burst forth from his mouth.

The tone in which he spoke now was unlike any they had heard before. It was raspy and deep, filled with anger and loathing. Ezekiel stepped back, his eyes wide and his hands once again held up in defense. His gaze narrowed slightly as he looked at the air around Sebastian, noticing what seemed to be a thin shimmer of black mist. It twisted and churned, staining the air around him, filling both Darren and Ezekiel with a reluctant, cold gripping fear. What is he? Darren thought, stepping closer to his companion. The shadows seemed to grow darker, stretching away from them. A strange shudder ran through Sebastian's body and the shimmer vanished, replaced with Sebastian's usual aurora; a dull, steel-tinted blue. He stood a little straighter, his shoulders pushed back with his usual arrogant pride. Nodding slightly to his companions, he moved forward, the shadows once again returning to their former state.

"Who's wasting time now?" His voice was sarcastic, but nothing like the raspy, mind numbing one it had been seconds ago.

Ezekiel and Darren spared a glance, but followed all the same.

Sebastian tried to keep his ragged breathing under control, tried to ignore the rapid pulses of pain that scorched through his body. It was as if a hot-iron had been pressed against the outside of his left thigh. His hands itched to tear the clothing away, to run his nails along the skin until it bled and the pain stopped. But, he kept walking. He raised his eyes to spare a glance at his shadow and his footsteps flattered for a moment, his eyes widening with a deep-rooted horror. The shadow was darker than the others around them and longer as well. A burly shaped figure with a pair of wide wings. The wings stretched farther than Sebastian's ever could, engulfing the entire road around him. Narrow objects protruded out of the top of his head.

"Get back." He hissed, stepping closer to the tree line and trying to force the others to do the same.

"Why?" Ezekiel's voice dropped with suspicion.

"Listen to me." Sebastian's voice was laced with a layer of pleading.

Ezekiel eyed his brother steadily. He searched his expression until he found whatever it was that he had been looking for. "Darren come on."

Ezekiel ignored Darren's small noises of protests and dragged him deeper into the woods, crouching behind a wide oak tree. Close enough to see Sebastian but far enough to be out of the way. What's going on? The thought tumbled through his mind as he pinned his gaze on the black-haired boy. Slowly, Sebastian removed the hoodie, placing it rather ungracefully on a nearby bush. He stepped back, pulling the black-curved blade free from his hip.

"What do you want?" He screamed into the shadows. "Haven't I done enough for you?!" Sebastian's silvery eyes gleamed with fury.

"I'm looking for your lovely sister." A voice cooed, rumbling and shocking like the growl of a wolf.

"Show yourself, you coward." Sebastian stalked forward, slowly unfurling his dappled gray wings.

"You guys are a lot alike you know." The shadow trembled with laughter. "I wonder if she'll scream as much as you did."

Fury fed the beast that lived inside him. Sebastian's eyes grew darker, tinged with black as he moved forward. The shadow stepped forward, revealing a dark-skinned boy. Devilish wings lifted across his back, the fragile skin of his face melding with the muzzle of a wolf. Glassy blue-red eyes met Sebastian's defiantly.

"Where is your sister, Sebastian?" He taunted. "I wasn't done playing with her."

"Akien, back off. I don't want to hurt you." Another step forward brought shadows that leaded from his body.

Akien smiled grimly. "On the contrary, I think it will be I who hurts you."

Sebastian took another step forward and lost control.

It was time.

Time for the demon to be set free.