different Landon

Chapter 3: Darker Ties

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The morning after his encounter with the creature, Landon couldn't shake the feeling that something had shifted inside him. He had always known he was different—his life had been full of oddities, the things he couldn't explain—but the fire, the power, the creature, and the undeniable truth that he wasn't just human anymore… it was all becoming too much to process.

He walked across the school grounds, his thoughts clouded. The sky was overcast, a cold wind biting at his skin, but the warmth that lingered inside him was undeniable. He could still feel the fire, that raw, uncontrollable power that had surged through him the day before. It wasn't just Phoenix fire. It was something more… something darker.

"Hey, you," Rafael called out, jogging over to him. "You okay?"

Landon stopped and smiled at his friend. Rafael had been there through everything, his ever-present calm a grounding force when everything felt out of control. But now, Landon wasn't so sure he could be calm about this. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just... still processing."

"Yeah, I get it," Rafael said, his eyes scanning Landon's face. "You're different now. I mean, you're a freaking Phoenix, dude."

Landon laughed nervously. "I don't feel like a Phoenix."

"You'll get used to it," Rafael said. "You've got this, man."

Landon wasn't so sure, but he didn't want to bring down the mood. "So, what's up today?"

"Another monster," Rafael said, glancing toward the woods. "They keep coming, and they keep getting stronger. Hope's out there with some of the others."

"Right," Landon said, feeling the fire within him flare in response. "Well, maybe it's time I learned how to really use this thing."

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The training grounds were busy when Landon arrived. Witches were chanting, casting spells to reinforce shields, and werewolves were running drills in their human form. Hope stood at the center, her sharp eyes scanning the area.

"Landon," she said, her tone brisk as she approached him. "I've been thinking. You've got power, but it's unpredictable. That can get you and others killed. You need to learn control. You need to focus."

Landon nodded, a pit in his stomach. He had been trying to ignore the dangerous part of him—the part that had just obliterated a creature without fully thinking. The power inside him was more than just fire. It was something darker. Something tied to the bloodline he didn't fully understand.

"I'm ready," he said, though his voice lacked the confidence he wished it had.

Hope studied him for a moment, her gaze intense. "We'll start simple. No monsters today. Just you, me, and a bunch of fire. Focus on the flames. Let them come to you, but don't let them control you."

She gestured toward a stack of training logs. "Set them alight."

Landon took a deep breath. He could feel the heat bubbling beneath his skin, a constant pulse of warmth. As he reached for the fire within, it didn't come as easily as it had the day before. His hand trembled slightly as he tried to summon the flames.

"Focus," Hope urged.

Landon's heart pounded, his thoughts scattered. He couldn't make the fire listen. It felt like it was just beyond his reach, like a door he couldn't quite open. He pulled at it, feeling the familiar heat surging again, but this time, it was different. Darker. It was as though something was holding it back.

"No, no, no…" Landon muttered under his breath.

The fire exploded from him without warning. It wasn't the controlled burst of heat he had experienced before—it was a wild, uncontrolled explosion that sent him stumbling backward. The logs were engulfed in flames, but the flames didn't stop there. They spread, swirling in the air, creeping toward Hope.

"Landon!" Hope shouted, leaping back just as the flames neared her.

"Sorry!" Landon gasped, trying to reign it in. But the fire wouldn't listen. It crackled and writhed, a chaotic ball of heat and fury.

Hope raised her hand, and with a sharp motion, the flames halted in mid-air, suspended by her magic. She lowered her hand, and the fire dissipated, leaving only smoke in the air.

"That was dangerous," Hope said, her voice tight with frustration. "You can't just throw fire around like that. You need control. Focus. Discipline."

Landon stood there, breathless, his heart racing. "I'm trying, okay? But it feels like it's… more than just fire. It's like there's something else inside me. Something darker. And I can't..."

Hope narrowed her eyes, studying him with a new intensity. "What do you mean by darker?"

Landon hesitated. "It feels like there's another part of me that's feeding the flames. I don't know where it comes from, but it feels... wrong."

Hope remained silent for a moment, her expression unreadable. Finally, she spoke, her voice steady but edged with concern. "Landon, there's something you don't know about your bloodline. It's not just Phoenix fire that runs through your veins. You're also tied to a demon's blood."

Landon's stomach twisted. "A demon?"

Hope nodded. "Your father's bloodline isn't just powerful—it's dangerous. Your Phoenix abilities are just one part of you. The demon side is… well, more volatile."

A chill ran down Landon's spine. "My father?" he asked, though the word tasted foreign on his tongue. He didn't know much about his biological father. All he knew was the name—Zachariah Kirby—and that he'd been absent from his life.

"Your father was a demon," Hope continued, her voice quieter now. "Not the kind that wanders around trying to destroy everything, but powerful, dangerous all the same. He must have passed something to you when you were born."

Landon struggled to process this new information. A demon's blood? It felt like the ground had been pulled out from under him. He was tied to something he didn't even understand, something dark and uncontrollable.

"What does that mean for me?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

"It means you're going to have to fight for control," Hope said, her gaze softening. "If you don't, you'll lose yourself."

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As the day wore on, Landon couldn't shake the weight of what Hope had told him. A demon's bloodline? He felt like a monster himself. The power inside him wasn't just a gift—it was a curse. And now that he knew, it felt like that darkness was closer than ever, waiting to consume him.

He didn't have time to dwell on it. That evening, more monsters arrived at the school, drawn to the growing power Landon had unleashed. But this time, he wasn't just a bystander.

This time, he would fight.

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End of Chapter 3