“What flight are they all coming on again?”
“Flight 129,” James replied. “Looks like they both booked the same flight by sheer luck.”
Edward let out a snort of laughter. “That’s gotta make the pilot nervous, knowing that he’s got so many Nexians on his plane.”
Several of the Fire Nexians in attendance laughed as well. They’d all had some experience traveling through cities that weren’t home to a Nexus by now, so they were familiar with the unease and fear that they had towards the Nexuses. Humans that didn’t spend a lot of time in close proximity to Nexians often only remembered the brutal rumors and thought that the Nexians were still free to do what they like. That pilot likely feared that their plane had a high risk of never reaching its destination.
“Eric and the Council have done a good job sharing the new Nexuses with everyone,” Kenta said stoically, putting an end to the speculation of the others that the pilot might be fearing for his life. “We’ve talked with the airline for this trip, and assured them that we’ll all be on our best behavior.”
That was certainly true, but it did little to erase the others’ suspicions. It was Jerik, of course, that voiced his doubts first. “You might have convinced the owners of the airline, but not everyone involved in the trip will be comfortable with it. I’m sure the pilots and flight attendants are nervous.”
“Can’t blame ‘em,” Edward said, nodding his head in agreement with Jerik’s point. “Remember when we went to Miami last month, Eric? That clerk in Tenessee nearly passed out when she realized she had to book four Nexians for a flight.”
Eric nodded his mind clearly elsewhere. He’d been distracted during the entire trip to the airport. Actually, Edward thought, he’d been distracted ever since his father had told them that they’d soon play host to members of the Earth, Air, and Water Nexuses for a joint training camp. It had even affected his training.
“I don’t know why you’re so nervous,” he told his newest friend. “It’s not the first time we’ve trained with another Nexus.”
“It has been some years since the Air Nexus made the journey here,” Kenta offered, looking thoughtful. “They don’t like to leave their home often.”
“The Earth Nexus is even worse,” James said. “They’re a stuck-up bunch. They think their powers make them almost divine, I swear.”
Jerik and Eric shared a glance then, resisting the urge to grin. That description fit Grimr very well, though they couldn’t share that joke with anyone else. Understandably, both of them were feeling the nerves of the moment stronger than the others. On top of meeting members of other Nexuses, this would be the first time that all four members of their mission had met in one place.
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Nick had known that the small boy with shaggy brown hair and a necklace of fangs was strange from the first sighting. He didn’t know any of the history the figure had, but he knew that, apart from being a Nexian, there was something different about that one. Strangely, he reminded Nick of an Elder Menoran, an impression he hadn’t had since he’d returned to Earth from that strange world.
All in all, he knew better than to engage with this strange figure. He had a convenient excuse, as he wasn’t the only Air Nexian traveling on this flight. Kiera, their lieutenant, was seated beside him, constantly sharing memes from her phone to make him laugh. But no matter how funny the pictures and videos on her phone were, he was keenly aware of the source of immense power sitting no more than two yards away from him.
Was the boy aware of his observation? Common sense told him no, as he’d failed to notice the half dozen backward glances Nick had thrown his way. But something continued to weigh on his mind over that short flight from Seattle to Fairbanks. At least he didn’t have to do a layover in Anchorage for a fourth and final flight to the territory of the Fire and Thunder Nexuses. Still, he wasn’t comfortable being in so close proximity to this strange boy. Surely he knew that Nick was constantly aware of him.
Indeed, he was. Grimr had seen the tension in the young man’s body from the first time the two Nexuses had met in Seattle. Several people who met Grimr had the sensation that he was wise beyond his years, and they had no idea how right they were. He was ancient compared to these people, having already lived more than a thousand years. But in this world, he was younger than any of them and had to play this carefully.
Grimr was occupied by other thoughts in any event and didn’t spare more than a few moments for the young man seated several rows ahead of him. He was fascinated by the technology of an airplane, a complicated machine that was capable of carrying up to a hundred people and their luggage across vast distances in the ocean. Even if Earth was slightly smaller than Ahya, he was surprised to see that a machine could remain in the air for so long.
When he’d first arrived on Earth, appearing on the peak of a mountain in Tibet, he’d seen one of those planes flying above. At first, hearing the roaring sound and thinking of a dragon, he’d taken cover, keenly aware of his lack of power on this new world. But it had been a metallic beast whose wings hadn’t moved, yet it flew high through the sky, as high as any dragon he’d ever seen.
Where were the gods of this world, and why did they let mortal contraptions fly so high without being attacked? Or was the relationship between mortals and their betters closer than that of Ahya? It was only a matter of time before he’d learned that, as far as much of the world was concerned, what gods did exist were far from the comprehension of humans, and their interaction with the people under their command was next to none. They didn’t even offer the occasional sign or answer prayers in tangible ways.
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Grimr had decided from the beginning that he didn’t want to tempt the power balance between mortal and god on this world. He was here for a mission, and nothing more. If he were lucky, he’d never have to face the gods of Earth. Though he would have plenty of interaction with the god-like powers that were the Alphas of the Nexus. That conflict was unavoidable if he wanted to complete his goal.
He’d be meeting with young Eric and Megan soon. He would have been comfortable completing this mission on his own, of course, but adding them would speed up their timeline significantly. Samuel had spoken highly of Megan’s skills as a mage, and he knew that Eric was a prodigious talent within Issho-Ni. Even Shigeru was impressed with his growth.
This new name, though, was a problem. Jerik, was it? Yes, that was his name. Grimr hadn’t been able to sense his arrival in Ahya. In any other time, he would have investigated that strange occurrence, and see how he could eject Jerik back to where he belonged. Outsiders should only arrive to his world by invitation. That was how they’d got Eric and Megan, the two whom he trusted more.
The young man a few rows ahead of him in the plane seemed a promising prospect as well. Or else a credible threat to his mission. The uncertainty of which role he’d play troubled Grimr, for he disliked uncertainties. They created an imbalance deep inside him, and if there was one thing he could never stomach, it was imbalance. He’d been a servant to the concept since the day he was created. He’d even killed his own elder brother when it was necessary.
Normally, he wouldn’t bother with the imbalance of another world, but the Nexuses presented a unique threat. As soon as Jerik had told him of its presence on Earth, he recognized the powers as belonging to another of the primordial figures in the universe. Naturas. What he was doing on Earth, Grimr didn’t know or particularly care. But if he could get out of his own planet and onto Earth, then he might be able to invade Ahya. So Grimr had to cut off the growth here, at the base, and send Naturas back home.
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It was a source of amusement to the Fire and Thunder Nexuses to see how cold their visitors seemed. Clad in thick parkas and scarves, they were still shivering head to toe. Eric had to admit that this was a particularly blustery day, and while he had some sympathy for the other Nexuses, he still thought their reactions were a bit of an overreaction. He stood with the rest of his Nexus members, a few feet behind Kenta who was the head of the welcome party.
They’d received advance notification that the incoming Nexians would also have a Lieutenant in their midst, a woman named Kiera Lawrence. She was Alpha Kevin Williams’ adopted daughter, and rumored to be more powerful than the other Nexians. They were just rumors, of course, but meeting her in person seemed to lend them a certain degree of truth.
One thing Eric had learned during his time with the Nexians is that the more powerful one became, the more you could feel their element around them. For Fire Nexians, it was a general area of heat. For Thunder Nexians, the air smelled of ozone, and you seemed more prone to receiving static shocks. When the doors to the commercial plane opened and a long staircase descended to the cold ground, he had no trouble sensing that someone powerful was on board.
For the Wind Nexus, as the newer members were about to discover, the effect that a powerful Nexian had was a loose circular breeze that blew around them. The natural current of the air seemed to divert around them. The woman with light brown hair and a long-sleeved robe was the center of a near-gale-force breeze. It was a wonder how the plane could have flown safely through the air, Eric thought, bracing himself against the newly reinforced gust of tundra air.
“Kenta,” Kiera Lawrence said, beaming in greeting as Kenta stepped forward. It wasn’t until his own Lieutenant moved that Eric noticed the smell of ozone getting stronger. “By the gods, it’s cold here. I don’t know how you guys put up with it.”
“You get used to it after a while,” Kenta assured her, bowing in the manner of his people. “Welcome to Fairbanks. Will is excited to see you again.”
“He’s not the only one that’s looking forward to this,” she admitted. “It’s been ages since I last had his cooking! We need to do these camps more often.”
There was a young man, maybe twenty-four or twenty-five, standing at her right side. When Kenta turned his attention to welcome him, he surprised them all with a graceful bow from the waist. “It is an honor to meet you, Kenta-san.”
Surprised, Kenta nonetheless returned the gesture. By way of explanation, Kiera indicated him with a lazy wave of her hand. “This is Nick. He’s one of our most promising recruits. He’ll be a Captain by the end of the year, mark my word.”
Nick flushed at her praise, but said nothing in reply, merely casting his gaze past Kenta to the rest of the welcome party, comprised of Fire and Thunder Nexus members. Eric saw his eyes narrow slightly as he regarded the heart of the Fire Nexus, but before he could try to decipher the expression it was gone, and he had a polite smile firmly plastered onto his face once more.
Now the Water Nexus was disembarking, and Eric quickly recognized Megan. She was identical to the Megan he’d known during his time in Ahya, of course, though she was now dressed in the loose, flowing outfit of the Water Nexus. Still, she seemed happy. Certainly happier than he did, knowing that this was the first official meeting of their group. Megan stepped forward with a tall black man with many white tattoos on his forearms to greet Kenta. It was only when the blast of cool air hit his face that he realized the man was also a Lieutenant.
“Jose-san,” Kenta said, bowing then embracing the man warmly. “Good to see you again.”
The man grinned, transforming his stern face into one of unbridled joy and happiness. “Kenta! It is good to see you too, my friend. It’s been too long!”
“A common theme, it seems,” Kenta replied. “Who is this new face beside you?”
“One of our most promising new members,” Jose said. “Even managed to knock Felix off his feet in her first month!”
“Now that is an achievement,” Kiera Lawrence said, looking over at Megan with new interest. “He’s quite a fighter, that one.”
“I got lucky,” Megan said, bobbing her head in recognition of the praise. “My name is Megan Richards. Pleased to meet you.”
Megan’s eyes lifted then, meeting Eric’s, and her mask of relaxed calm slipped someone. He could read the nervous energy in her set face, and she inclined her head to the side, directing his gaze to the right, where four figures were stepping out of the plane.
Eric wasn’t even aware of the heavy sensation that settled over his body as the Earth Nexus Lieutenant stepped close enough for his presence to be felt. He missed too the twins that stood behind him, their arms folded neatly in front of their stomachs. His eyes locked onto the fourth and smallest member of their group, the boy dressed in the ornate uniform of the Earth Nexus but still bearing a strong tribal essence.
Grimr was here. The peaceful months of learning as much of their powers as they could had passed, and the work was about to begin. Their mission, an abstract concept since their arrival back in Ahya, was starting now.
*Nick, full name Nicholas King, was one of those 10,000 humans transported to the world of Menora to fight against the evil that was threatening to take over the planet. He was a close ally of Jerik’s, and a member of the Smoke Brigade, the army that Jerik had amassed in his journey to take over a city and complete their quest. Nick has no experience with Ahya.
*Grimr, full name Grimr Longfang, is a being born in Ahya. He is a member of the Ancient race, the first people to live in the world. In addition, he is the eldest currently living Ancient and serves his mother (Ahya) in keeping the balance of the world. He has taken on this mission of ridding Earth of the foreign power of the Nexuses in order to keep another primordial being of another world in check.
*Naturas is the name of both a world in my shared universe and the primordial being that rules it. It’s a world dominated by natural powers of fire, water, earth, air, and a few other less tangible elements. There are no stories written inside Naturas at this moment, but it is a future prospect I hope to show off to you readers in good time. It just needs a little more world-building before I can start to show it off.