"That feels much better." I breathed out as I laid on the couch, Louis' hands using his healing talent to dull the pain of the marks that were spreading on my feet. Apparently according to Dad the marks were called runes, and the only way to stop the pain they brought was from a healer's aura.

"Thank the spirits the curse is finally broken." Dad sighed in relief as he collapsed in one of the armchairs and turned on the television, flicking between various channels before settling on the news. "Healing you in the hospitals was exhausting."

I rolled my eyes sarcastically. "Sorry, I would've totally healed myself if I could have."

Dad had finally told me the reason why he had to curse me in the memory I saw when I blew my birthday candles out: to keep Nox off of our trail until I was ready for my powers to develop. Apparently I had been a protector all along, the curse only hid it. I was never going to die from heart problems, my protector talent having kept my heart safe from too much damage.

Louis had finished healing my feet and had moved onto my arms when Dad spoke again.

"I think it's time you learned everything about our family. And I mean absolutely everything." He said seriously, making both Louis and I look at him. Was this it? All the mystery surrounding the Lanes would finally be cleared up, just like how I had wished for on my birthday.

I sat up and allowed Louis to sit next to me on the couch to continue his healing, my attention completely focused on Dad. He took a deep breath before beginning his story.

"What you must understand, is that we are a very powerful family. You are related to both the greatest figures for good in Lux, and unfortunately the greatest figures for evil in Nox. The Lane legacy has Luxiens on both sides." Dad started, running a hand through his hair as he explained.

"Your mother's maiden name was Amelie Lexie Floreus, and she was possibly one of the greatest telekinetics to ever be born." Dad sadly said, Louis' posture stiffening as he heard my mother's name.

"Wait...if her name was Amelie Floreus..." Louis started, his eyes wide with realization.

"She was the only daughter of Minerva Floreus, the founder of the Rift. Minerva is also, as I understand, your current teacher Louis." Dad said, making my eyes widen as well.

Mom was the daughter of Louis' teacher. Minerva was my grandmother on my mother's side.

"Minerva is your grandmother, Mira, and my plan was to take you to the Rift to see her and train once your twentieth birthday passed." Dad explained, all the puzzle pieces falling into place. "I mean, who in their right mind takes their daughter with a heart we problem to a cabin in the middle of nowhere for no reason? No one."

"Your grandfather is where you inherited your protector talent from. Theodore Floreus was a protector who could also see the future." Dad said, his face turning stoic.

"But in order to understand where your place is in Lux, you have to understand the dark part of our family as well."

"Uncle Allister." I interrupted, Dad seeming surprised.

"How did you know?"

"I saw him in a memory. He was in a jail cell." I told him, Dad sighing.

"Allister is my older brother, who is the current leader of Nox. He and his wife Marissa have launched Nox into the powerful position it's currently in, mostly due to his rare talent."

"Rare talent?" I was confused. Did this have anything to do with the blindfold over his eyes in my memory?

"The technical term for it is telekinetic soul transporting. The slang term is a soul skipper. Allister can transport his soul out of his body and into another, thereby possessing the owner and using their body in whatever manner he pleases. It's how he has kept Nox so strong, and how he had managed to break out of every prison cell we've put him in."

"How does he do it?" I asked, Dad sighing.

"Once he sees someone, he telepathically pushes his soul out of his body, and the soul rushes into the other person's body. He keeps the body captive as long as he pleases mostly through the use of fear and guilt. Once his soul leaves the body, traces of it stay and infect the host body's mind. That's how Allister keeps getting more followers of Nox, once he possesses them, they're practically his puppets." Dad spoke as if from experience.

"How do you know so much about this?" I asked, fearing the answer.

Dad reached for the collar of his top, lowering it to let me see a jagged thin pink scar across his chest. I had seen it before when he took me to the beach when I was little, but I had always thought he had gotten it in a fishing hook accident like he used to claim.

"He possessed and tried to kill me when your mother I attempted to stop his work with Nox a few months before you were born."

My heart sunk as I realized just how terrible my uncle must have been in order to try and kill his own brother. How could anyone be so horrible? But...if Dad said people who had been possessed were like Allister's puppets, how was he fine?

"Wait, how are you not one of Allister's followers if you were possessed?" I asked, Dad smiling a bit.

"Your mother was pregnant with you when I was possessed, and I guess you already loved me before you even met me, because you used your talent to help me. Allister could possess me, but he couldn't ruin my mind because you had protected it." He softly spoke, the smile growing before it vanished when dark thoughts returned.

"Allister was infatuated with the idea of being almost god-like compared to Terrans, and he was willing to dispose of anyone who tried to stop his mass extermination of them."

"But why was he trying to kill them?" Louis asked, apparently this was new to him as well.

"He believed the world should become stronger, and that he needed to exterminate the Terrans who could never evolve to be as great as Luxiens. He wanted to kill them all and then move on to become almost a king of Lux, and who's to say he couldn't? With his talent, he would be able to get even the strongest leaders to bow to him. That's his goal as leader of Nox."

"What's Marissa's talent?" I wondered, remembering Allister's mention of her in my memory.

"She's a shapeshifter, so you can imagine she's helped him escape numerous guarded prison cells."

"So where does Mira fit into all of this?" Louis interrupted, his glowing hands still healing the skin on my arms.

"Mira is the only one who can stop him, since she's a protector. Allister knew protectors couldn't be possessed and would keep portals safe, they were the only way Lux could stop him." I started to get a bit anxious as Dad explained everything, I was starting to sound like some prodigal child destined to save the world.

"He's killed them all, Grandfather Theodore included, except Mira. Amelie and I escaped the Cavern with newborn Mira when Allister broke out of the prison there to look for her. I don't even think he knows she's a protector."

Realization hit me hard. The memory with the burning city and Mom holding me as a baby, that was when Allister broke out of prison and was coming for me. It all made sense.

"Once all your runes come in and you're a full protector, we'll go to the Rift to train and strengthen your talents. I have no doubt Allister is coming for the Rift soon, the evidence is all over the news channels." Dad pointed to the news story about numerous murders happening in towns close to Briarwood. Allister was getting closer.

Oh my God, Allister was getting closer.

The weight of the situation suddenly felt overwhelming, sitting on my shoulders like heavy bricks piling up one by one. I was supposed to stop him, me. Was I going to be able to do it?

Dad must've noticed my worry, because he smiled gently and took my hand that was healed already, the golden marks glistening and glowing.

"Hey, don't worry. You can do this." He reassured me, my mind still a frantic flurry of thoughts. I was glad Harry wasn't here, he would probably tell me to shut up in my mind.

"How do you know? What if I'm not good enough? What if I fail?" I released all of my pent up worries. The golden runes that had already developed on my arms and feet began to dull, a dark gold replacing the previous sparkling and shimmering bright gold. Louis stopped his healing to look up at me.

"Hey, you'll be fine. I don't think you give yourself enough credit." Louis told me, my wide eyes looking into his.

"How do you know?" I mumbled, fearing the results that would happen if I did fail.

"I know you're stronger than you think you are. You've already mastered parts of telekinesis that take people years to understand. You'll have the best teachers to help you, and you'll have us." Louis gestured to himself and Dad as he calmed me down. The golden marks began to sparkle and gleam again, Louis smiling as the color changed with my feelings.

"You can do this. If there's anything I know about you, it's that you can stop him."

A/N: Dedication goes to @StepherMurillo for their great comments on the last chapter.

Vote and comment! -Maddie