Will went straight to the dining room, he knew that Michael probably wouldn"t be there but it was a quiet place where they wouldn"t be distracted during his conversation. Taking out his phone, Will inserted his flame into the screen and thought of his uncle. Within moments he showed up on the screen.Michael was in his room reading when he felt his nephew"s presence. "I would refrain from using this form of contact in the future William," He said as he looked up from his book. "You don"t know what the person you are contacting might be doing." he put his book down and stood up. "What do you need me for?" Will had to think for a second. Bianca never knew when he was there unless he spoke. The fact that someone could actually sense him was something he would have to keep in mind later on.
"I"m in the dining room, we need to talk." Finally able to find his words, Will watched as Michael exited his room before he let the image fade. He only had to wait a few minutes before his uncle opened the gla.s.s door to the dining room. He greeted his nephew with a smile before he sat in the chair facing Will.
"What"s the emergency?" He asked, more curious than he was worried. Will told him of the events that happened during his friends training session. With every word, Michael"s smile grew wider as if he were antic.i.p.ating the results the whole time. By the time Will was done explaining, Michael was beaming. "William this is great news," he said with excitement. "Do you understand how rare flame users are now?" Michael couldn"t hold in his excitement any longer, he launched himself out of the chair and ran to Will"s side. "Since the king had closed himself off in the castle, the amount of flame users had reduced only to the royal family." His expression turned from pure joy to disappointment. "He had made it possible for his advisors to take all the power to increase their position, it was how they practically seized the throne." Michael stayed quiet for a while, thinking about what the return of flame users could mean for the future.
"That"s great and all," Will said with a little hesitation. "But how exactly did I give them the power?" That was the only thing Will could think about. He had done nothing but train them the way he had been trained by Michael, he couldn"t think of how it could have transferred just by teaching them swordplay.
Michael stayed quiet for a time, thinking of a way to tell his nephew what he had done. "While you were training, what exactly were you thinking?" He asked, obviously intrigued as much as Will was. "What did you want for them?"
"I just wanted there to be a way that they could even out the threat, instead of me protecting them I just wanted to give them a way to protect themselves so I wouldn"t have to watch all enemies going after me and them at the same time." Giving the explanation, Will started to understand what had happened. "I wanted them to be able to help me instead of me being their own source of salvation." Michael nodded at his description. It seemed like he came up with the same conclusion as Will did.
"You gave them the flame so they could stand with you." Michael looked Will in the eyes with a look of respect. "You unwittingly gave birth to the first two of the next generation of flame users." Michael couldn"t help but laugh. "Anyone you wish to stand with you will now have the ability to do so, you and your father alone have the King Flame which allows you to give the power to anyone you deem worthy." He said as he sat back down.
Will couldn"t believe what he was hearing, he himself was now responsible for choosing who he thought was worthy of power? Not knowing how to take this new information, Will remained silent for a time. It was true that he needed help in order to get his vengeance on wraiths, but after that happened, what then? The advisors would still be in power instead of the true king. He remembered the state that Maya had lived in. He remembered the Crimson King guards who were trying to take her livelihood. He remembered what they were planning on doing if she didn"t pay. Will"s face wrinkled in disgust.
Will now not only had the power he needed to fight the wraiths, but he also had the power to help others like Jake in the other world. He could give others the chance to fight for what was rightfully theirs. He could forcibly have his father look at what his kingdom had become. With a new generation of flame users, he could take the corruption from the land and purge it. Finally he could ensure that what happened to him as a child never had to happen to another one so long as he breathed.
As Will was lost in his thoughts, Michael received a call. Stepping out of the room, Will barely noticed he departed. His mind was still spinning with the information he had just gotten. He needed to make sure that Bianca and Jake were prepared enough to be able to support him on another journey.
"William, it seems you have a visitor at the gate." Michael said in confusion. With the announcement, Will was broken from his thoughts. He hadn"t told anyone where he was, there shouldn"t have been anyone who could find him.
"Who could have found me all the way here in New York?" He thought to himself as he went to the speaker for the gate. "h.e.l.lo?" he said awkwardly, he honestly didn"t know who to expect. If it was Jonathan, Michael would have just sent the driver.
"Ello," A familiar voice greeted him through the speaker. Will was shocked speechless. "So you planning on letting me in anytime Will? It"s kinda cold out here." Leo said as he chuckled a bit at what Will could only a.s.sume was his shocked silence.
Will turned to his uncle as he turned the corner. "You can let him in," He said as he could almost read the confusion on his face. "It"s only my best friend." With that, Will went outside to wait for Leo to get to the driveway. Sure enough within a few minutes the car came into view.
As the vehicle parked, Will could see the usual Ma.s.s Effect sweatshirt clad best friend exiting the car with his usual satchel holding his laptop. His hair as s.h.a.ggy as ever as he straightened his gla.s.ses. "Didn"t think you could really leave me behind did you?" Leo said as he walked up to Will. "All joking aside man," Leo grabbed Will in an embrace, "It"s good to finally see you again."
Will was still shocked speechless as his friend went to the front door of the manor. "Are you going to let me check out your new awesome home or are we just going to stand here?" Leo asked, trying to break will from his stupor. Almost working, Will opened the front door and led him to the dining facility.
"How in the world did you find me?" Will blurted out, of course he was astonished at his friends sudden random appearance. Leo was the one person he hadn"t contacted since he got back. He by all means shouldn"t even know Will was even back from his supposed "abduction."
"I told Bianca I"d keep an eye out for you," Leo said as he took an apple from a nearby fruit bowl. "I was also keeping an eye on her GPS. When she disappeared a couple days and suddenly appeared in New York, I figured this would be the place to hit up." He said as he took a bite out of the fruit.
Will could only smile. Leo had done exactly what Bianca had asked. He had kept an eye out for when he popped up. Not only did he do as he was asked, but he went even further beyond and somehow made it to New York to meet up. Looking back on all the other times Leo had kept tabs on him since he left Minnesota with Jonathan, he knew he shouldn"t be surprised. The conversation he had heard while he and Bianca were at Java Joint had given Will the impression that Leo had given up on him. He should have known that could never happen, lifetime friends couldn"t be broken up that easily.
"So tell me what kind of trouble you"ve gotten yourself into this time." Leo said with a smirk. He had known Will couldn"t have disappeared for so long without having gotten in some kind of trouble.
"Well let"s see," Will innocently put a finger to his head as if he were thinking. "I now have flame magic," he said as he summoned a small flame within the center of his palm. "I"m apparently something called the Crimson Prince in another realm, oh yeah here"s the big kicker," Will said with a big grin. "I can give this gift to anyone I want." Leo didn"t seem at all surprised. It would have to be this much trouble to have disappeared for so long.
"Continue." Leo said as he took another bite of his apple. He tried to play it normal, but Will could tell that the flame had gotten his attention. He knew his friend well enough to know how much he loved to experiment. Any kind of knowledge was a gift to Leo, he would let nothing past him without first taking a look.
"Well I have a group of things called wraiths trying to kill me, does that count? Will asked innocently. That truly grabbed his best friends attention.
"So what can I do to help?" Leo had cut straight to the point. If everyone else was in, of course he would be too. When Will said he went to another realm, he knew he had Leo"s attention. This was the kind of stuff he was born for. Who needs boring normal when you have magic and danger? Will chuckled at the thought.
"I believe you already have everything you need in order to help," Will said with a c.o.c.ky grin. "I"d say the moment you got out of that car, you were given what you are already thinking of." Will couldn"t help but chuckle when Leo started patting himself down. Completely amused, Will watched as Leo closed his eyes.
Almost instantaneously Leo felt something different within him. He had instinctually found the abnormality. Within moments, opened his palm to show a silvery flame. "That"s interesting," Was the only thing he said as he closed his hand over the small candle like flame.
Will looked at Leo incredulously. He didn"t even want to ask how Leo knew how to do what he just did. He didn"t even try to do it again, he was perfectly content with once. "Got anything else to eat besides fruit?" His friend asked as if he didn"t do anything out of the ordinary. "It"s been a long flight, and an even longer walk." He said as he put an apple core down. "And I"m pretty sure the flame I made is supposed to sap my strength right?" Will couldn"t even think at that moment. Leo had just completely blown his mind and then asked for dinner. What else was new?
"So do you at least need a crash course guide in how to use the flame?" Will asked as he went to the counter to grab some food for his surprisingly well informed friend. Leo just chuckled a little as he accepted the plate of spaghetti Will had brought back for him.
"No worries mate," Leo said between a few mouthfuls of food. "I already got your crash course from Bianca"s speakerphone earlier while you were training." He said with a wink.
"I don"t know why I should expect anything different from you." Will said with a sigh. Leo had already known everything and had agreed to help before he even got to the door.