Amity

Chapter 40: Hiro Yamasaki

There was a frantic pounding at the door, almost as if someone was trying to break the door down trying to get inside. With a deep sigh the old man awoken from his nap and swung his legs out onto the carpet, grabbing the sheathed katana from beside his bed. He wasn't exactly sure why he'd grabbed it since he could simply create one from ice, a technique he'd discovered in his youth. Then again, considering how desperate the knock sounded, he may not have gotten enough time to forge one.

Dressed in off-white pajamas contrasting his dark skin, the old man made his way towards the front door, passing war medals and awards he'd collected in his prime. Above all else, he'd passed by the insignia of his sect mounted on the wooden wall; a black raven holding a cyan orb in its talons. The Kurai Elite. Stitched inside the orb was the man's name: Samuel John'nel Wolf.

The pounding continued. "I'm comin', I'm comin'," Samuel yelled. Unsheathing the katana, he cracked the door open and peered outside. He frowned as he saw both Abigail and Raheem on the other side of the door, their eyes red and puffy as if they'd been crying. "I thought y'all were the police or somethin'," he said as he opened the door to let them in. He sheathed the katana and placed it on the kitchen table.

"Y'all thirsty?" Samuel called as he grabbed two peach sodas from the refrigerator before walking back to his son and daughter-in-law. They both sat on the wine-red sofa, consoling each other. "I wish that y'all had called me ahead of time or somethin'. I would've already been up. I'm guessin' that this isn't just a random visit." Samuel sat beside the two, handing them the bottles of soda.

"No sir, it's not." Raheem took a drink before he said, "We just found out something about Dré and we really needed your advice on it."

"Advice?"

Abigail nodded. "Dré... Dré's the King of Elements."

"I see," Samuel said slowly, rubbing his scruffy chin. He looked away from Abigail and Raheem, not wanting them to see the concern etched across his wrinkled face. After forty years? That's impossible. Regaining his composure, he turned back towards his children. "When did you two find out about this?"

"Earlier. Before we came over," Abigail clarified.

"Yeah. Toney called me. He said that he went through the tests. Dré not only picked out the correct ring, but he also had the reaction," Raheem added in.

"So we came over to see what we should do about it. I don't want to lose my baby. Not to Aggaron." Abigail grabbed her arms, as if there were a sudden chill in the air. "I can't."

"Hmm..." Samuel mumbled to himself as he stood up and began pacing, his hand cupping his chin. "I wouldn't worry about him too much."

"Wouldn't worry?" Abigail interrupted. "But, dad-"

"Let me finish. I wouldn't worry because I know he's in good hands. He has the both of you to protect him, as well as Loyalty, and your friends and family. Hell, he'll even have the planet backin' him up once the rest of Amity hears about him. No, I wouldn't be afraid for Dré's well-being. On the contrary, I'd be proud. It's not every day that you can say that you raised a legendary hero, right?" He looked back at the hall, at the many awards he'd received from the years of combat he'd endured. Years he'd taken leave of. At least, he thought he did. The work of an elemancer is never over, even after the war. "How far along is Isaiah in terms of his elemancy?"

"Not that far," Raheem said. "He just gained admittance to Reiax Academy not too long ago."

"Figures," Samuel simply said. "I guess that I have some work to do."

Both Abigail and Raheem's heads snapped towards Samuel in shock. "What do you mean?" Abigail asked.

"It means I've got a grandson to train," Samuel answered with a grin.