FATE - The Legends Of Elements

The Picture, a prophecy and many Burned Ones

Simon lay on the couch in the living room. The Nintendo game on the TV was paused. Instead, he held the book in his hands that he had found in the library. The pages felt old and fragile, and the words on them seemed to exert a mysterious attraction on him. He had already read some sections. It was as if the book could give him answers to all the questions swirling in his mind - about the dragon, about his strange dreams, and about the significance of the mark on his forehead.

The slamming of the door broke the boy from his thoughts. Hastily, he hid the book under a cushion and reached for the controller. It didn't take long before Saul emerged in full army gear in the room.

"Are you going out?" Simon asked curiously. "If so, and you don't have time to cook, can I order a pizza?"

"Yeah, you could put it that way. I doubt any delivery service is out and about in the current situation," Saul replied as he sheathed his sword on his back. "I'm going hunting with the specialists, Farah and Ben."

"Before you go," Simon said, jumping up from the couch, "I still need some answers. You promised to tell me the truth."

"Not now, I'm in a hurry," Saul interrupted.

"I'm not normal," Simon blurted out. "The mark on my forehead didn't happen by accident. I see strange things before my eyes, and not without reason! Tell me what's going on with me!"

"Simon, we can talk about everything tomorrow, but I have to go now!" Saul cut him off. Simon knew his father wouldn't listen unless he used something Saul Silva feared.

"What happened in Aster Dell?" Simon asked the next question. His dad stood frozen before him.

"How...?" Saul tried to find the right words.

"I was there," Simon revealed, "I saw what you did. Beatrix says you, Farah, and Ben murdered the residents. Is that true?"

"It's not like you think..."

"Rosalind had concerns. She didn't want to kill people, but you didn't listen to her!"

"That's a lie! Rosalind was the one who wanted to kill innocents! We didn't know, okay! We were lied to by her too!" Saul burst out angrily. After all these years, this woman still managed to manipulate people.

"And that's why you're lying to me? I want to know the truth!"

"I'll tell you everything, but not now," he agreed, "I have to go now, but you have my word. Farah and I will tell you everything tomorrow."

Simon let him go, but in his heart burned the desire for answers and clarity stronger than ever. And he wasn't sure if he could wait until tomorrow.

Simon grabbed his Switch and put on his headphones, leaving the apartment, ready to seek answers. Answers he would find in Saul Silva's office or Farah Dowling's office. The only two places that were always locked once the adults left their offices.

Simon crept through the empty corridors of the school, his heart pounding loudly in his chest. He had never done anything like this before, but the necessity of knowing the truth drove him on.

Finally, he reached his father's office. The door was locked, as he had expected. With trembling hands, he pulled a lockpick from his pocket - one he had taken beforehand - and began to pick the lock. It took several minutes before he finally heard a soft click and the door opened.

He entered the office and looked around. The room was dark, illuminated only by the light filtering through the half-opened curtains. His gaze fell on the desk, littered with papers and stacks of files.