Globe Tracers 3: Heritage of Triad

Chapter 6: Genesis of a Trickster: First Deal

Regent and I made our way to the hot sands. There was an instinct in me to not believe the incredibly hot sands could protect us, but I had to trust the plan.

Everyone gathered as I looked back, watching all we had worked for being turned to ash.

Where... where was he? My heart started to race as I bit my lip. "I'm going back," I announced.

Regent had my hand before I could jump. "Don't you dare!" he shouted. "If he just gave his life it wasn't so you could just die too."

"If there's a chance..."

"I-I don't want to be alone Xao..." Regent said. He looked at me with pleading eyes.

I looked back at the town, a wall of fire had already consumed it, now pouring into the fields around it. I looked down. Those words were what I would have said to my family, had they listened. I stopped, tears starting down my face.

I heard someone huffing and puffing next to me. "What... what ya'll crying about... oh right everything's burning- that makes sense... right... well that being said-"

"DARIUS!" Regent grabbed him and hugged him tightly.

"Let me go- AHHHHKKK!" Darius screamed, Regent, dropping him.

"You get the kid?" I asked. He pointed, sobbing on his knees. I looked in the direction of his finger, seeing Maria watching us and holding Derrick in her arms, kissing her crying son.

Darius had a burn all the way down his right arm.

"Darius..." I started to spin around, looking at everyone. "It could kill him... c'mon... someone has to have..."

I heard John. "We all have nothing. The nearest town is miles- c'mon, we all have to walk." The people around were starting to move. Darius dropped to the ground on his left, sobbing at the pain. "I'll carry him gladly," the man offered.

I reached down to my friend, but he screamed in protest. The group around us was rapidly moving away. John knelt down. "Boys... I'm sorry... I don't think he's gonna last..."

"What!?"Regent demanded. "We saved your son, don't you dare-"

"I didn't say I wanted this!" John shouted back. "If he dies and...boys just hold his hands... I don't think he has long."

We both put our hands on our crying friend. "You... you could go with your family," I said.

"You'll need a guide to the next town I'm guessing," said John. "Besides, I owe him at least this much. I'm not leaving." I looked up at John. The brown-haired man with a large brown coat, right now, he was my only hope to save my friend, my hero... and he had nothing.

I looked up again, seeing so many had already left. Several people we knew were standing around like they wanted there to be something they could do. John waved them off. "I'm sure they appreciate the thoughts, but this isn't a spectacle."

Soon it was just the four of us.

The man then stood up, holding his hat in his hand. I couldn't believe this was happening.

"Thought I would use this on my family someday," said the man. He pulled a card out of his hat. "But- it's the least I can do." He held the card high in the air and stated boldly, "Stars in the sky, fall to the earth, show me the power of the universe itself!" He pulled the card down and ripped it in half.

I looked at him, a look of confusion on my face.

Smoke surrounded us. Fear filled my mind as I thought the fire was around us. I let out a scream as someone said, "Scream, cry, scream, cry- just one time I'd like to be summoned to a birthday party." I turned.