Eight

Chapter Eight of The Watchtower Chronicles - Water

I come to and find myself in the front seat of Coach’s white truck.  I hear Jax humming to himself in the back seat, and everything that just happened comes back to me .  I bang on the window of the car, feeling the entire contents of my stomach gurgling up my throat and threatening to eject from my mouth.  Luckily, he gets the hint and pulls over, and I fumble with the door and fall to my knees.  Jax jumps out of the back and barely has time to grab my hair before I retch up everything I had eaten that day and perhaps the day before.  Coach respectfully waits without watching until I finish, then offers his hand to help me up.

“This is a lot to take in Serenity,” he says softly as I hold onto his and Jaxs’ arms to steady myself.  I give both of them an incredulous look as they load me into the back seat, where I immediately lay down.

“That’s an understatement,” Jax mutters under his breath, and all of a sudden I am giggling uncontrollably.  Coach exchanges a glance with Jax, then looks back down at me.

“Perhaps, Serenity, a short, peaceful rest is in order,” he says, then pulls out a small vial of golden powder from his pocket.  I open my mouth to protest, but he quickly blows it into my face, and everything goes black.

 

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When I come to for the second time, I realize I am lying on a lounge chair next to a roaring fire.  A glass of water is sitting on the side table next to me, and I pick it up, gulping down the cool water greedily, as if I had not been hydrated for days.  A scuffling near by alerts me to Jax’s presence, who is holding a tray of roast beef sandwiches and a bag of ruffled potato chips.  I shift forward as he sets the tray down and grab a sandwich.  Jax jokingly backs away as I take a bite.

“You sure you’re all clear to eat that Ren?” he teases.  I gesture at him rudely then swallow my bite.  Whoever made this added the horseradish cheddar I so greatly enjoy, and I busy myself by savoring the food before deigning to answer him.

“I’m alright jerkface,” I say.  Jax nods approvingly and perches on the end of my chair.  A throat clears and we both turn towards the doorway, where Coach is now standing.  He looks perfectly normal, wearing his usual deep blue tracksuit; he even has a whistle glistening around his neck.  But as I continue to stare, I notice an almost ethereal glow surrounding him; the air seems to shimmer around his person.

“Are you feeling better now Serenity?” he asks.  I nod, and he crosses over to a winged armchair opposite of me.  I notice as he settles in that he is holding a small, ornately carved wooden chest.

“Sir, what is-” I begin, but Coach puts a hand up to quiet me.

“All in good time my dear, don’t worry you will know what this is by the time we are done here today.  But we have so much to cover before you go back to your families tonight,” he says, then sighs.

“So you’re going to tell me everything then?” I ask cautiously, not daring to believe that I am finally about to get answers.  Coach sees through my caution and smiles tiredly at me.

“Of course, you deserve that.  Well, I suppose we must begin at, well, the beginning.  I know over the past few weeks you have been researching the legends of the Watchtowers,” he begins, and I straighten up.

“The library...Mr. Werner...you sent me the text, didn’t you?” I ask, and he nods approvingly.

“Yes, very good Serenity.  After Nerine’s dark minion found you during the swim meet, I knew that it was only a matter of time before she figured out a way to get you on your own.  I had to lead you to the correct book to begin to comprehend just how nasty of a being you were dealing with.”

I hesitate, then ask “so what is Mr. Werner then?  Is he just someone who is a friend of yours or is just really interested in fables and mythology?”  Coach smiles mysteriously and then closes his eyes.  His face begins to ripple, and after a flash of white light I see Mr. Werner sitting before me.  Out of the corner of my eye I see Jax slide off the end of the lounge in shock.  I nod slowly, allowing the realization that Coach could easily change his form as Nerine did wash over me.

“You weren’t kidding then when you said you’d been watching out for me since I was young then, I suppose,” I say as his face ripples again, transforming back to the face of the Coach we know.

“I am your Protector Serenity, I would never let anything happen to you if I can help it,” he says.  I feel flattered that someone that has no relation to me would feel so protective of me.

“So...protector Coach Alden,” Jax begins, sitting back down and helping himself to a sandwich.  “Let’s get back to starting at the beginning.  Why is my darling Ren here so important?  And why can she move water like a magician?”

I shoot him an indignant look, but Coach Alden laughs.

“Well, in the scenario I imagined telling you your story Serenity; I must admit I did not see Mr. Funke here accompanying you.  But now I realize that his devotion to you will prove most useful, if you trust him wholly.”  I look over at Jax, who is staring back expectantly.  He sticks a hand on his hip and I laugh.

“I trust him with my life Coach,” I say.  Coach nods in agreement, and takes a deep breath.

“So Serenity, your story begins like you think does, eighteen years ago.  But the circumstances surrounding your birth were...let’s just say much more complicated than you know,” he begins.  Jax looks questioningly at him, and my mouth gets the better of me.

“You mean...actually, I don’t know what you mean; my parents, they are my real parents right?” I ask meekly.  Coach sighs, and shakes his head.

“You always were intelligent Serenity, but no, they are not your real parents, though they do love you very much,” he says, sounding sympathetic.  Jax reaches over and squeezes my hand.  I bite my lip to stop it from trembling, but I nod for him to continue.

“You were born to a man and woman who were absolutely madly in love with each other.  Yet their love was forbidden, as their families despised each other so much it made Romeo and Juliet look like a weak and piteous excuse for a love story.  Even though your parents’ families tried to talk them out of being together, they ran away and went into seclusion so they could be together in peace.”  As Coach pauses, I dare to interrupt again.

“You’re related to one of my parents, aren’t you?” I ask, and he nods.

“I’m your father’s older brother.  Lux, his name was Lux,” he tells me.  

“Lux…sort of means light doesn’t it?” Jax asks. 

“Yes, it would make sense, seeing as we are the Sons of Light,” Coach says with a chuckle.  Jax looks bewildered, but I am beginning to put things together.

“So, my father is a Son of Light,” I say.  Coach sighs, a troubled  ook coming across his face.

“He was,” he says.  My brow furrows as I lean forward, my half eaten sandwich forgotten next to me.

“Was,” I whisper.  Coach rubs his eyes with a big hand of his, and then looks back at me.

“You are no ordinary child...woman now I suppose Serenity.  You were one of four born to Lux and your mother, and because of their powers you were given the gift of possessing and having complete control over an element.  If you could guess, which I am sure you have, your affinity is the water element.  It is why you feel so safe and powerful when you swim, and it is why you can control the water in both Jax’s pool and in the brook when you faced Nerine.  It is your power..as a Watchtower,” he finishes.  I sit there for a moment, my mouth hanging open, and Jax speaks first.

“Watchtower, you mean like those big towers the military uses?” he asks.  Coach begins to speak again, but I hold up my hand.

“No, of course not, he means the magical kind.  A watchtower is a powerful being who can control one of the four elements; Earth, Air, Fire and Water, which is apparently what I am, and can do,” I explain to him.  Jax lets a strangled noise out of his throat that seems to be a mixture of a cough and a grunt and goes silent.  I turn back to Coach with another question popping into my head.

“I thought watchtowers were things of myths and legends?” I ask, and Coach laughs.

“My dear, you do realize that myths and legends are nearly always based on fact?” he says, and before I can concoct a retort he continues.

“You are the first group of Watchtowers to be born in centuries, almost millennia.  And due to your parents, we have reason to believe that you are THE Watchtowers, the ones that will finally be successful in settling the fight between the Sons of Light and the Daughters of Darkness in one final battle.  You and your siblings will use your powers to crush the darkness or.”  Coach hesitates, but I almost know what he is about to say.

“Or we could extinguish the light forever,” I finish for him.  He nods solemnly.  Jax, who has been quiet while Coach had explained, speaks up.

“But Fallon is a good, wonderful person, why would she ever want to fight for those nasty Daughters of Darkness like Nerine?” he asks.  I look back at Coach and realize that there is something he has been leaving out of his tale about my life.

“Coach, what about my mother?” I ask.  He hesitates before answering, as if he is unsure how to best describe her for me.  I realize she must have been a Daughter of Darkness, which is why the circumstance of my birth is so important to him.

“You must understand Serenity, that the Sons of Light and the Daughters of Darkness have been battling each other for several millennia.  Our fathers Zaine and Zalaph were brothers, always competing with each other over everything.  You can imagine that with other wordly powers, things can get pretty devastating.  The current Bible took some liberties from their endless quarrels,” he explains, rolling his eyes and scoffing.

“But - “I begin to say, but he interrupts me.

“Zaine and Zalaph had many children of their own over time.  Zaine had only sons, which he dubbed the Sons of Light.  Back when civilization was new, you know that fathers always wanted sons over daughters, for whatever reason.  It was the same with Zaine and Zalaph, only Zalaph would have all girls.”

“The Daughters of Darkness,” I say, and Coach nods with a small smile.

“Yes.  I often wondered if their father hadn’t been around if they had been different, but that is neither here nor there.  Their father was involved in every aspect of their upbringing, and taught them to hate Zaine and the Sons of Light, to recognize them as their sworn enemies.  Of course they had powers as well, which as you can imagine led to an endless battle between the two families.  But as we are so evenly matched in power, so our battles would end in stalemate.”

Jax raises his hand, and Coach looks at him, slightly surprised at the gesture.  He puts his hand down sheepishly and lets out a nervous laugh.

“Sir, is this where the Watchtowers come in?” he asks.  Coach smiles and nods in agreement.

“Yes Jax, the first Watchtowers came into existence some seven hundred years after Zaine and Zalaph.  They were born from a forced union between a Son of Light and a Daughter of Darkness.  While they had the elemental powers both sides craved, being born from a loveless union slowly tore them apart from the inside out, making them a liability not only to us but to the entire mortal world.  We were forced to eliminate them, and then the Daughters got the second ones when the exact same thing repeated itself,” he tells us, bowing his head as if ashamed of his past deeds.  As if a light bulb went off on top of my head, I sway back.  Jax reaches for me, clearly concerned that I was about to vomit again, but I steady myself.

“Both born to a Son of Light and a Daughter of Darkness?  So I am right in thinking my mother, my real mother was a Daughter of Darkness?” I exclaim.  Coach tries to raise a hand to explain, but I ignore him for the first time.

“No Coach, this is too unbelievable.  How would, no how could one of you love someone like Nerine?  You tell me that my real parents loved each other, but then go on to tell us how your fathers taught you to hate each other!  How am I supposed to believe you?” I protest, my voice rising higher and louder with every sentence.  Coach sighs, and asks if I am finished before replying.

“It is true, the Sons of Light and Daughters of Darkness are known for despising each other.  And it is also true that your mother, Tamesis, initially tried to seduce Lux for the same purpose.  But to be fair, Tamesis was not all that evil; she was forced into the idea by her sisters, Nerine especially.  Imagine their surprise when they discovered their dear sister had not seduced the youngest Son of Light, but in fact had fallen in love with him, and he returned the sentiment.  I admit, our side of the family was not pleased either, so the two disappeared without a trace one night.  For nearly two years we tried to search for them, but they would not be found.  Until one night, when we received some unexpected visitors; Lux and Tamesis, the latter whom had decided to fight for the light. She was with child, and she felt that her children carried immense power.  We knew that if four were born to them that they would be another incarnation of the Watchtowers.  Sure enough, four months later, we felt the presence of the four Watchtowers walk the Earth again; Terran who possesses the affinity with Earth, Incendia with fire, Aeron with wind, and you, Aquaria with water.”  Coach pauses to take a breath, but I do not want him to stop speaking.  I am entranced by his tale, by the true story of my life.  The dream I have of when I was a small child suddenly floats through my mind, and my stomach clenches as I realize what part of the story must be coming next.

“What happened to my parents Coach,” I ask softly.  I am only slightly surprised to see tears beginning to leak out of the corner of his eyes.

“We were not the only ones who realized you had been born.  Your mothers’ family did too.  Let’s just say they are not as understanding as we were.  We tried to reach the cabin where your father had sent up a signal for help, but we were too late.  Your mother was taken by her sisters, imprisoned somewhere in the darkness which she was born from.”  A sudden memory flashes before my eyes.  The woman from my dream, not Nerine, but the sad, lucid woman trapped in the depths below the sea.  She had looked at me so lovingly; she must be Tamesis, my mother.

Snapping out of it, I realize Coach is still speaking and quickly return to paying attention. 

“Your father, well, your father had realized that his brothers would not arrive on time.  While there was nothing he could do to protect his wife from her own flesh and blood, he cast a protection spell around the four of you; if he was killed, his light would surround you, and protect you from the grasp of the Daughters until your eighteenth birthday.  As he predicted, they showed him no mercy, and he was no match for the entire force of Daughters.” Coach stops here, stifling a dry sob that seems to overcome his body.  He holds his head in his hands for a few minutes, then looks back up at us, eyes red and wet with tears.

“I’m so sorry Serenity, even after seventeen years it’s still difficult to talk about,” he whispers.  I reach out before I really know what I am doing and take his hand in mine, squeezing it gently.  Renewed from my act of sympathy, he wipes his eyes and continues with his tale. 

“He was destroyed, and his protection spell came into effect.  Though you were right in front of the Daughters, screaming in your cradles, they could not see or hear you.  Realizing this, they fled, swearing to find you once the protection spell warded off.  I arrived mere moments later with three of my brothers, and we knew that in order to maintain your protection, we had to spread out across the world, as it would be too dangerous to try and keep you four together.  So I took you here, and entrusted your care with two normal parents who could not conceive a child on their own.  I explained to them your powers and importance, and entrusted them with a chest that you were to open on your past birthday.  I believe the years of raising you as their own daughter have blinded them into thinking they could protect you for as long as they were alive.”  

My parents’ reactions the past several weeks make more sense now.  They are just trying to protect me from something they cannot even begin to protect me from, like any parent would try to do.  I know my father must have realized that I am ready to learn my true heritage, while my mother wanted to keep me her baby forever.  I realize with a pang how emotional it must feel to inform your only child that she is not really theirs, and resolve to treat her better from now until whenever I have to leave her.

“Serenity,” Coach says his tone more urgent now that my backstory has become complete. “You are part of the third incarnation of the Watchtowers, born out of a union of love and true happiness.  You are the most powerful Watchtowers our world has ever seen.  You and your siblings will be the deciders of the battle between Light and Dark.”

I slowly stand, only eye level with Coach as he sits.  He looks at me, patiently waiting for what I have to say.   Reaching for my sapphire pendant necklace, I twist the stone between my fingers nervously.

“So....the fate of our world rests in the hands of me and my siblings, who I have never met?” I ask quietly and he gives me a sympathetic smile.

“Yes.  To put it as overwhelming would be an extraordinary understatement, but you must believe in yourself and your powers and you will succeed.”

I find myself nodding slowly, still absentmindedly twisting the jewel in between my fingers.

“What do I need to do?” I ask.  Coach stands while at last grabbing the chest, and beckons me to follow him.  I walk beside him through the hallway into the library.  He pulls a book back and the whole wall shudders and creaks open, revealing a secret door.  I raise a brow, and Jax gasps.

“Secret passage, very cool,” he whispers.  I can’t help but giggle, and we follow Coach down the spiral staircase.  We enter a large room, devoid of any furniture except for a large wooden desk in the middle.  Coach takes the chest and sets it down on the desk.  For the first time I notice that the chest is fitted with teardrop shaped hole where a lock would be.

“What is this?” I ask.  Coach smiles at me and nods at my necklace.

“This my dear, is the beginning.  I think you know what to do,” he says.  I step forward, removing my necklace as I draw closer.  I crouch down and place the stone in the hole of the chest.  Seconds pass, and I hear a click.  I slowly open the chest, and Jax hurries to my side as we look down to see what is inside.