The Shallium

    The living room was bright with light from the open window. The walls were colored with a dazzling color of dark purple, and the fireplace was blazing with warmth. Jayda’s father, Ronin, stood by the window with his arms crossed. Her mother, Venitia, sat in a chair by the fireplace and Stryker on the couch beside her. Jayda looked at her father as she leaned on the arm of the couch her brother was sitting on.

    “What was it doing in the house?” said Stryker, being the first to break the silence. Ronin turned and looked at his son then at his blood-stained and bruised daughter, then to his wife who was still full of terror and anxiety.

    “I have no idea”, said Ronin walking over to a chair and sat down. He looked down to his hands, then back up to his daughter, “Jayda?” Jayda turned to him with a concerted face, “are you alright?”

    “Yea I’m fine, just wondering what it was doing here”, she answered, as the phone began to ring from across the room. Everyone looked over at it, but Ronin was the only one who went to answer it.

    “Hello?” he answered the line, “yes I understand but-” he said before pausing then saying, “yes thank you” he placed the phone down gently and turned to his eager family.

    “Who was that?” said Venitia, saying something for the first time sense she’d sat down.

    “It was the Shallium”, he said moving closer, “they request a meeting with us, Venitia. At the Royal Hall.”

    “I see, and when is this to take place? Currently not now, we just had an attack in our own home-” Venitia replied but before she could finish, her husband spoke.

    “They would like to see us now. You know very well there is no arguing with the Shallium,” he said walking over to grab his coat off the coat hanger, “Now come on Vanitia, we should leave now”

    “What about us?” Jayda was going to say but it was her brother, Stryker, who spoke, “Are we to come to?” he said standing up, Jayda looked to her brother, but never had she actually looked at him. His hair was dark brown and short, still with the sign he had been in bed all morning. He wore a light grey shirt that formed to his body making him look older then her by years but there was only about two years difference between them. His pajama pants hung loosely around his legs, and his feet were bare.

    “No” Ronin replied, they’re father spoke in a harsh tone which Jayda had only heard when he was mad, “they requested only your mother and myself. Stryker, you watch you sister for me.” he spoke with an uneven tone, “Jayda, you need to take it easy, I suggest some herbal tea. There is some in the foyer, your mother made it just this morning,” Jayda stood up,

    “Yes, Father” she said now suddenly feeling as if she wanted to call him ‘daddy’ like she did when she was five. He turned and walked to the door, mother just to his left, strode inches behind him. As they shut the door behind them Jayda moved back to the couch and sat down slumping down to were she felt as young as ever, and incredibly small due to the enormous couch.

    “Well that’s a bummer” Stryker moved over to the couch and sat down by his sister,

    “‘Bummer’? Yea right,” Jayda said looking over at her brother, “I’d rather be here then at some stubby court hall getting talked at by the stubbies themselves.”

    “Well, I’d just like to know why they wanted a meeting with Mom and Dad, that’s all” he said back,

    “Either way, I’d still rather be fighting a demon then be in a court room with them. Bruised, battered, and bloody, it would still be a better situation then being summoned by the Shallium,” Jayda moved a little to get comfortable but to no avail. Her arm was wrapped with gauze but still she could feel the sting of the wound underneath. Her face was bruised and there was a slight burn mark on her right check that was left by the acid from the Raum Demon. Stryker was an excellent swordsman, artist, and big brother, however when it came to fixing up someone with demon acid in their skin, he wasn’t so great.

    Jayda leaned forward and placed her elbows on her knees and slumped her head neatly atop her hands.

    “What was it doing in the house?” Stryker said finally, leaning down on his knees.

    “No idea,” Jayda replied, “maybe it was looking for something” she suggested.

    “In our kitchen?” he said questionably.

    “Well you never know,” she said standing up, “I’m going to go change into some not-so-bloody clothes, and take a shower,”, Stryker looked up to her,

    “Alright,” he said wilting back into the couch. Jayda left and walked down the hall into her room, the familiar sent of cherry blossoms was in the air, and reminded her of her body spray that she used every day. However not even the aroma of wild flowers would get the smell of blood and dirt off of her. She stalked over to her dresser and opened the drawer moving over countless shirts until she found a black t-shirt with her favorite band on the front worth wearing. She through the shirt on her bed and proceeded to look for a pair of jeans. Pulling out a pair of light colored skinny jeans she picked her shirt up and headed for the bathroom.

    “The Shallium has called you, Ronin Peace and Vanitia Peace on the order of taking up an individual in Peace Manor. By the order of the Shallium, you and your family must embrace and influence a young demon hunter in training. Train him in the way of the Peace Family. We, the Shallium, urge you to take on the prospect of bringing up a young demon hunter in your home. Do you, Ronin and Vanitia Peace, except the conditions?”

    “Yes,” Ronin said firmly, “What are the terms of this agreement, council?”

    “Only that you bring up the young hunter in the name of the Shallium and in the ways of the best demon hunter family known in our world,” Ronin nodded then said,

    “I except the conditions and the opportunity to take the individual under my roof.”