The Elemental Aspect (Book 1 of the Caster Project Series)

Chapter 11: A Departure Not Forgotten

The young woman refused to listen and continued to struggle against the man's grip. "Let me go, you piece of crap! I'll kill you!"

"Aliana!" another voice shouted. The sound of her name caught her attention. That voice sounded familiar. She slowly lifted her head and saw two young men standing in front of her. She didn't recognize the first one, but the second was very familiar.

"You," she said. Aliana pointed an accusing finger at the second person. She didn't know whether to be angry or relieved.

"Yeah, me," Joseph said. "You trust me, right?"

Aliana pursed her lips. Did she trust him? She didn't know, but he was one of the only people she knew. "It's not like I have a choice," the young woman said.

"Do you trust me?" Joseph asked again. This time, more firmly.

She scoffed at him. "Sure."

"Aliana, do you trust me?" He asked one more time. The young woman looked him dead in the eye. He was serious in his conviction. His voice showed no malice, and he did not attempt to hurt her. Finally, she said, "I trust you."

Joseph looked at the man restraining her and nodded. The man released his grip on the young woman, and she quickly stepped away from him. She rubbed her wrists and looked at the person who restrained her. Her hands began to glow purple as energy crackled between her fingertips.

"Who the hell are you?" She demanded.

"My name is Vitiate," the mage calmly said. "I come from a world called Aralion that exists parallel to Earth. Although my actions earlier say otherwise, I am not your enemy Aliana. However, I must say that your whole being has been touched by darkness. You are not of this world."

Silence settled upon the small group. The last of the sun's light had faded away, leaving a clear dimming sky. The other teenager who was standing there looked at the mage with an uneasy look on his face. "What are you talking about, Vitiate?"

Vitiate looked at the young man and answered. "Aliana isn't from Earth, Damian. She's from Aralion. How she got here is a mystery, but I believe that all of this is the work of the Shadow." He looked at the young woman and continued. "Darkness surrounds you, Aliana,' the mage said. His voice was full of worry. The teenagers could see that the man was thinking of what to do. "What is the Shadow trying to do?" He asked aloud. "We know his ultimate goal is to free his master, but nothing connects." Finally, he turned to face the three young adults. "Damian, you must gather the rest of your friends. It is imperative that I take you all back to Aralion now."

Damian and Joseph looked at each other, the latter asking, "Well, if it's so important, what do we tell our parents? We can't leave, not without an explanation."

Vitiate pursed his lips until he made a sly smile. Both teenagers looked at the mage with unease. "Um, what are you thinking, dude?" Damian asked.

"Oh, nothing," the mage said. "Just have your bags packed by tomorrow morning."

"And what about me?" Aliana asked. "Since you said I'm not from here, what am I supposed to do?"

"You'll be coming with me back to Aralion. Hopefully, we'll get this whole situation dealt with," Vitiate said. He clapped his hands together and said his last words for the night. "Now, let's get you all to bed. Tomorrow's going to be a big day for you all."

===

It was the next day. Damian had woken up a few hours before his normal time. Already, he could hear the shuffling of feet outside his room. He knew his mother was usually up at this time, making breakfast for him and his sister. The young man looked out his window and could see the rays of sunlight poking out from behind the cloudy sky. Wasting no time, he grabbed a backpack that had plenty of space and proceeded to stuff it with clothing. It was then that he realized that he wouldn't be home for a long time.