My eyes flutter open in a delirious stupor that only comes with an interruption of hard sleep. 

"Nicolas! Nicolas, wake up!" The hurried voice pulls me from the depths of my dream world. I see Lotta's face hovering over mine and startle, recoiling from the woman who didn't much care for me. "Good lord, you sleep like the dead." 

I want to argue for myself, usually I'm a pretty light sleeper. I'm just exhausted from carrying the weight of the world on my shoulders. 

With a stretch and a groan, I force myself into a better position. "What's wrong?" I can only imagine she's upset that I slept in. With a quick glimpse of the clock, I see it's nearing 9 am. When was the last time I allowed myself to sleep in? But, then again, I usually went to bed quite early. 

My eyes feel heavy; my lids argue against my body to stay open. I rub my eye with my hand, stifling a yawn. 

"Magic-users are destroying the city." 

I yank on my clothes with a speed I don't even comprehend. Pulling on the thermals under my clothes was quite the task in my panic, but I couldn't spare the exposure. "Stupid!" I snap at myself, shaking my head. "I'm so stupid!" 

Pushing past her, I shove the door open to find Pascal and Ryan still clambering into their clothes. "No one stood watch last night." I remind them sharply, glad to see they're at least mobile. 

Pascal looks ashamed, glaring at the ground to avoid making eye contact with me. "I'm sorry, Nicolas. Mr.Mercer usually arranges a protection detail... I've just gotten lazy. We just assumed the other... there's no excuse." 

Shaking my head, I can't allow her to take the fall, or I'd blame her forever. "No. No, it's my fault. I'm just too reliant..." My voice trails off as I depart the room and march down the stairs into the main room of the pub.

The older man is waiting for me, arms crossed as he peeks out the boarded-up window. 

"No guard, huh? Caught ya with yer pants down?"

 I startle, staring at him in bewilderment yet he gives me an awkward look as if my reaction is unjustified. I say nothing, narrowing my eyes to look out the slit into the road. The street trembles as flames engulf one of the stores across the street. People scatter, and our superhero friends are nowhere to be found. 

It would seem today people had a reason to be afraid, nobody slouched in the street as these, seemingly, civilians laid waste to the bustling city.

A loud screech makes my hands go over my ears, and all the glass breaks out around us. The man throws his arms around me, shielding me from the spray of glass. "What do they want?"

"You, I'd imagine. I hope you wanted to draw attention because that's what ya got. I think ta big question here is what're ya gonna do about it?" 

My first instinct was to blow them apart for interrupting what was supposed to be peaceful. How could we progress with a horde destroying the city? Thinking back, I recall the face of the first woman we met when we came to this city and she tried to appeal to my better nature when it came to the life of her children. 

"Does this happen often?" I keep my voice low, flinching when a pale-haired man glares in our direction. 

He shrugs, "Only when something happens that they don't like. For ta most part, Caspian has been quite tame." 

As the man on the street begins to approach, I push energy into my fingertips, and in a firm motion, I jut my fist up and form an ice barrier in front of the pub. "Caspian? Why would you say that name? Why wouldn't you say Gabriel?" I was still fighting it, he couldn't be here, he couldn't exist in this time. 

It occurs to me I don't even know this man's name. "I'm sorry, I think we haven't even met each other acquaintance properly."

The bushy eyebrows were pulled down, the rough face was worn and weathered from years of hard labor, pensive as he assesses me. "With all due respect, it's not your job to know who I am." The ice shield groans as blows are dealt against its surface. Fire erupts over the edge, and I heighten the barrier, with a quick mutter of a few short words, I clench my fist and deflect the center of the barrier in the direction of the firey assailant. Quickly, I lift my hand to reform the center once more. "Your job is to do exactly what you're doing."

Irritation boils in my veins, "You said yesterday I had no people skills! This is my attempt at people skills." I grimace at the heat emanating from my palms. Extending my hand out to my side, I pull a gust of wind through the open window and shove it down the street. The satisfying shout of surprise assures me I at least hit one of them. "Who are you?"

"Harrison." He tilts his head, equally irritated. "Did that help ya at t'all?"

"No." I scowl, sighing in relief as Ryan joins us with Pascal followed by Lotta and Sulema. "Get out there. Figure out who these people are, don't hurt them, but let's get them restrained if we can. Protect yourselves first and foremost." They climb out the boarded-up windows, making their way quickly down the street. "Why do you think they aren't aligned with Gabriel? Why Caspian?"

Harrison considers this, casually stroking his beard. I hear gunfire outside and know my time here is short; I must get to them and help them. "'Cause I asked Gabriel." He's effectively caught my attention. My lips part, and Harrison smirks slightly. "Gabriel's actually a very nice guy, much like his father."

Bewildered, I parted my lips, but it didn't take much to know that he meant me. "How?"

"He's a spittin' image, lad. However, ya are a bit young to be a sire. I don' believe that Gabriel is an evil man." 

My hand merely opens to gesture to the boarded windows and the blazing buildings. As if on cue, a desk flies through the air and smashes against the pavement. Fire blows towards the windows, and I use a gust of wind to blow it back out. "Yes, this is quite peaceful." The fire spirals and kicks up a notch, I flinch at the heat. The wind would do little good with fire.

Harrison shrugs, not willing or not wanting to argue. "People can be misguided at times, it's true. But, can we not forgive them when they see the light? He wasn't interested in talkin' to me about strategy, but I did pick his brain about the attacks. He says he's not behind it, I reckon to believe him." 

Feeling that I needed more info, the aged man sighs. He steals a glance at his empty coffee cup, dumping out a shard of glass and longingly gazing at the emptiness. 

"There was a time when a man had breakfast before someone blew up his business..."

I impatiently wait, fearing I may go mad before he can answer. Finally, he glances back up. "He was just standing there, watching. Not helping but not stopping them either; looked like he didn't know what to do, really."

"Nicolas!" Lotta calls, wondering what I could be doing. 

My name might as well be a target as the barrage of attacks reins down on her, and she runs for cover. I use an ice barrier to protect her from a blast of fire as she shoots around the corner with her handgun. "So he's not a bad man because he didn't help them destroy people?"

 Harrison chuckles, shrugging. "I'm not to say one way or the other. Just keep it in yer mind. Now. Go save mah building; that one looks fit to be tied with ya." 

Lotta glares at me over her shoulder, and I jump out the window to race to her side. 

She punches my arm in frustration. "Did you have a nice chat?!" 

I rub my bicep with a grumble, "Harrison thinks these people are working for Caspian, not Gabriel. If that's the truth, then Caspian never left the city, which means we are here with no support. If he gets a hold of us, he's going to kill us, and it will be horrific. I hope you've made peace with whatever god you subscribe to; I'd rather end my own life before letting him have me." While I talk, I cycle through the handgun I'd shoved in the small of my back. "Save a bullet."

Lotta frowns, taking in my solemn expression. I don't need to say it out loud; she's a trained military agent, and she knows exactly where my mind is going. If Caspian's workers are here, Gabriel must either have remained in New York or he was following my decoy to Spain. 

I shut my eyes for only a moment, trying to push the image out of my head. This was the best outcome; Verando struggled with the concept of beating Caspian on his own, but perhaps he could stand to eliminate Gabriel for us, should the man be foolish enough to engage him. 

Verando had been the one to kill my father; if he could arrange an army, there would be little to stop him. "If this is Caspian's doing, then shouldn't we be surrounded by lycans?"

"Caspian's not an Alpha." The fire dragon soars through the sky; a deafening roar makes me cover my ears, yet Lotta only looks intrigued. 

"I must say, it's quite beautiful.. what your people can do. I wish you didn't use it to destroy."

Shaking my head, I stand up from our crouched position. "Just help me figure out why they're here."

As if it were apparent, she gestures to the crowd of people huddling in the square for cover. "Isn't it obvious? They're here to make a statement. They want humans to give you up."

Gunfire echoes through the streets, and I start running for the square. The shrill shrieks of terrified civilians push me onward, and I deflect incoming attacks as best as I can. Lotta quickly catches up to me, running alongside to offer cover fire. I use the fresh snow to shove unsuspecting magic users off their feet. 

We're surrounded by quite a variety, from simple mages to a variety of morphs, I wish it was a force we had access to. 

"Down with the Good King!" A man yells, firing a round that nicks my shoulder. I flinch, snatching the injury as Lotta quickly fires a round into his leg. He falls to the ground, writhing in agony, and she grumbles a quiet curse. 

"Bloody idiot. He's trying to save your sorry hide!" She shouts over her shoulder, taking up a defensive position with her gun ready. I'm shocked that she defended me, and my face must reveal this as she rolls her eyes heavily at me.

 "Oh, get over it, I might not like you, but you're our only chance. Save these civilians, and I might like you a bit more."

Helping humans was something I was quite capable of. The fire dragon follows behind us, with Sulema and Pascal tailing. Lotta protects my back as I slide into the square, her own pressed to mine. With her at the ready, I feel a sense of safety even if she were only human. As the magic users surround us, I see their exposed faces, and I'm hit with remorse. 

They are unprotected, dressed in civilian clothes; I can see why Gabriel didn't want to claim them. 

The Black Hood was mysterious, scary, and accurate. These were not soldiers, these were angry civilians who had been told a falsehood in order to get them to waste their lives on a lost cause. They were much like Lotta; they were scared of what would happen to them. Their bodies didn't bear an ounce of protection, they didn't even hide their identity. 

They were standing before us in nothing but what they would wear to the market, and my heart went out of them. This didn't feel fair; it felt almost cruel in a sense. 

My hands raise, trying to show innocence. "You can not win this fight; you only further the divide. You must listen, and use your senses to see who is truly deceiving you."

"Be quiet!" A voice thunders, firing a strike of lightning at me that Pascal quickly deflects. It hits a post and melts it into a burnt heap. I swallow hard, forcing myself to remain in my place. I can not be moved; I must protect these humans. 

"You are being deceived. There is no ending where this doesn't result in the loss of your life! You are hurting the humans, you are proving to them that we are dangerous and we can't control ourselves. Look at the destruction you are causing!"

The crowd begins to murmur. "He's threatening us!" A woman screams, her hands blazing. "You're a traitor!"
"Traitor!"
"Solomonari are supposed to be on the side of good!"

I send a pulse of energy to my hands to prepare myself, "Solomonari stand with nature, which involves all of us, humans and magic users alike. We must live in harmony; one can not exist without the other. I implore you to think about what this means; if you attack the humans, they will never stop hunting us. We must rally together; to bridge this divide. The rumors are true; I was brought here from the past; learn from the mistakes of my time!" 

The crowd appears almost unsettled, as if they were not expecting to speak to me. 

Caspian had hardly known me.  All he could tell them was outdated information about a boy who was too spoiled and prejudiced to realize we were enslaving living beings. I feel a presence behind me, and Lotta elbows me in the back. With a glance, I see that the small force of civilians slowly works their way out of the crowd. 

They are armed only with firearms but not raised in aggression. It's an act of defense, an act of a truce. They cautiously approach us, eyeing Lotta for support. 

Pascal quickly joins my side, "A lot of people here have guns..." She mutters to me quietly. 

It was always our biggest fear. Our magic could not stand against human technology. When it comes to guns and sheer power, we don't hold a candle to the weapons of man. Our bodies were not bulletproof. "Surprising as guns are illegal..." Lotta grumbles. 

My blood threatens to boil in my veins, "Everything is illegal. We need reform and a new system. We must stop treating each other like criminals and start looking at each other as brothers." I speak to all of them, not daring to turn my back on the magical group before me. "We do not have to fight each other but fight the system designed to conquer us. Join us." I plead with them; they almost seem to consider their options. 

The crowd is alive with murmurs, filled with questions. The firewoman aims her finger towards me, and a streak of blue flame erupts from her fingers, "Down with the Good King! We can not trust humans!" 

Lotta shoves me to the ground, crying out as her back is singed. I quickly place my palms on her exposed back, healing it as best I can. She grits her teeth, shielding me with her body. 

"We need to get you out of here." She hisses through her teeth. 

"No!" I demand, carefully working my way out from under her. "We will take back this city. This is where we make a stand. The likes of Caspian will not bully me." 

I try not to allow it to affect me personally, but as the rage burns deep in my stomach, I feel my body responding to the call to arms. I motion to Sulema, who quickly gathers Lotta and pulls her back to safety. With Pascal on my side, I instruct her to follow me as I raise my hands. 

"I don't want to kill anyone; I'm only defending my friends just as you are. If you would stop trying to kill us, we'd help put out these fires." 

Motioning to Ryan, I take a deep breath. 

"Cover fire, they're not going to like this." The human militia cautiously stands behind me; I need to protect them. This is the world that Xavier must grow up in; if he were a human or a lycan, it needed to be safer than it was now.

With a flick of my wrist, I extend my reach to the fire hydrants placed uniformly down the street. Carefully, I twist my fingers in one swift motion to pop them loose and allow the water to burst onto the open expanse. 

"Take the water; we're going to send them right out of town." As the water fills our barriers, I feel the power surge through me in a way I haven't felt since Corina took possession of me. 

Using in such a way makes my heart race with excitement, every hair stands on edge, and my body sings with a long-forgotten vigor. I trained for years at a relentless school and survived when others didn't. I am not weak; I am powerful. I tilt my hands up, and Pascal follows, her jaw tight with the strain of holding up an immense wave. It towers taller and taller, the roar of the water drowning out all else. 

The magical army begins to still, the realization of their fate dawning on them. I call Ryan, who quickly dives for cover as he shifts back into his human form. 

"Return when you can carry on a true discussion," I tell the militia as I swing my hands to direct the wave down the street. 

The buildings sizzle and steam as water erupts over them. In a quick maneuver, I direct the tidal wave away from us and send it cascading over the small force. It sends them down the street with immense force; the spray of the passing water dampens my clothes, and I feel the shiver coming on as my magic begins to waver. 

Finally, after what seems like an eternity, the wave is gone. The streets looked cleaner; the smell of the city washed away and replaced with a damp but fresh aroma. The buildings have lost their moldy appearance, no longer roasting in their pollution. The colors look more vibrant while the snow fizzles away to expose dark streets. 

The crowd of humans gathers around as Pascal slips to her knees, and I quickly support her. We're met with timid applause, only sullied by the deep-seated fear of what I was now going to unleash upon them.

A person from the past had just saved their lives; I can't say I blame them for their uncertainty. "Now what?" Pascal whispers. 

"Well... in my time, we'd call it the start of a war..." I respond in a hushed tone. 

"What side are we on...?" She asked as Ryan quickly joined us, followed by Tiberius, who had made himself quite scarce. 

He grins happily, waving to the crowd like a celebrity. "That, my good man, is exactly what this is. We are on the good side, of course, all-inclusive, so chic and trendy!" 

Somehow, I find it hard to believe that everyone considers us good. Where there is appreciation, there is also fear.