The last time Darren had seen Sung-Hyun was at their high school graduation. Sung-Hyun was a classmate of theirs, who graduated from Northview Academy of Sciences a year ahead of them. He was a former member of the NorthEasters as a keyboardist until Chantel went in his place. Sung-Hyun left the band when Chantel and Jesse became permanent members of in the band. He was also the one that convinced Darren to join the group. Sung-Hyun went to pursue college like the NorthEasters’ former guitarist, Dana Mills was as Jesse replaced him. Since then, the band has been just Linda, Trenton, Darren, Chantel, and Jesse with this lineup to be far more successful than the first.

The three friends settled in the car chatting with Sung-Hyun while he drove the group to their destination. Darren and Chantel originally planned to just go to Rise of Light’s (ROL) baking sale and just go back home. However, Jesse called them last night about that Sung-Hyun scoring  four tickets to go to Millie Horne’s memorial concert. So Jesse invited Chantel and Darren to go with him. Still, hearing Millie Horne’s name over the phone made Darren feel a large drop in his stomach. That same feeling he felt years ago, when he heard she passed away for the first time.

Darren sat in the car's backseat with his face looking into the window. He ignored all the talking that was going on, then daydreamed, not saying a word throughout the entire trip. Suddenly, Chantel patted his shoulder to get his attention. That is when Darren stopped daydreaming.

“We’re here.” Chantel announced.

Sung-Hyun’s car went to stop at a small, white church and a group of people surrounding a large table in front of it.

“Great. Thanks for dropping us off here. We’ll meet you guys down at the Millennium Concert Hall when we’re done.” Darren popped his side of the car door open. Then Chantel did the same with hers.

“No problem. We’ll meet up around three o’clock with Jesse. Do what you need to do and leave.” Sung-Hyun said bluntly.

Darren rolls his eyes at him and joked, “Yes, Dad.”

Then Darren waved to them and saw a hint of irritation coming from Sung-Hyun’s breath before he drives off with Jesse still in the car.

“Welcome, lost ones!” A voice rang in Darren’s ears as he saw Mercedes holding a pie, walking to the table full of other tasty treats like; small cakes, cookies, and brownies. Darren watched her place the pie on the table as Mercedes turned around to face the two. She looked different from when Chantel and Darren saw her at the meeting. Mercedes is wearing a long, bright, white and orange flowered dress with a black leather corset in the middle, hugging her waist. This is a dressed down event for the Rise of Light. “Our teacher and leader, Mikel will like to see Chantel and oh, someone by the name of Raishin Kestrel needs to see you, Darren.” She said in her pleasant voice and led them inside the church.

Darren and Chantel followed the young woman where they saw a few people that they didn’t know hanging out in the worship area of the church. Mercedes stopped in the middle of the hallway, then spoke, “Mr. Cross,  Raishin is waiting in that room. Ms. Delisle, our teacher is downstairs and I will take you there.” She pointed to a mysterious-looking man in the room behind her.

“Wait, why can’t Chantel come with me?” Darren stated before Chantel followed Mercedes downstairs.

“Mr. Kestrel would only like to see you. He says that you are his family.” Mercedes answered.

“D, don’t worry. I’ll be fine. You just meet the guy and we’ll meet up back here.” Chantel smiled as she left Darren upstairs where he had to meet this so-called, mysterious guy, Raishin.

Darren walked into the room then sat himself on the same bench as the mysterious man is sitting. He inspected the man and opened his mouth in shock. Raishin is wearing a face mask with only half of his face uncovered. The man had a well-built body structure matching his outfit, which is a long-sleeved jacket, t-shirt, and tight pants. All the colors of the outfit are only black, even his boots!

Darren felt an intense Aura coming from Raishin. Grabbing his stomach as he felt like he was going to puke. That aura was so intense that it felt like misery and dread.

“Darren Cross…. We finally meet.” Raishin finally spoke a couple words that got Darren’s attention again.

“Mark told me ahead of time that I was going to meet someone. He said the same thing as Mercedes said. You are family.” Darren crossed his arms and glanced at him, still trying to keep his focus off this horrid Aura energy. “What are you, our uncle or something?” He asked Raishin.

“You are half correct. I am your uncle; but I am your older brother’s father.” Raishin explained, then Darren sat back up when he heard that answer.

“Wait, you’re Mark’s father? You mean my mom did both my dad and his uncle?! What the…?!” Darren exclaimed.

“Boy, where do you think Mark got his handsome good looks from? However, you are the spitting image of your father, except for the hair. Your sister looks like our dear sister and  your aunt, Susan.” Raishin kept eye contact with Darren.

“So you’re my uncle? Why didn’t you bother to come see us at all? Do you know where my mom is?!” Darren shot Raishin with questions, leaned closer to him.

He needs to know more about his uncle.

“I have my reasons for staying away. Most of the reasons are because of your father and mother. Darren, I need your help. Your parents are up to no good.” Raishin fixed his mask, making sure that it stayed in place.

“No good?” Darren raised his eyes and almost opened his mouth in shock.

“Your aunt is helping them. There is a reason your father and mother left, and that is that they are on a hungry quest for power to destroy all the Magic Users. They have done some unspeakable things to other Magic Users. I captured your mother, but your father is the one I have a hard time tracking down. Mark and your sister, Olive, are trying to help me as best as possible, but I need your help, boy.” Raishin explained.

“Woah, woah, hold up!” Darren moved his hands, waving them in forwards and backwards motion to interrupt Raishin’s speech. “You’re saying my parents are evil and yet Mark is trying to be a good guy? That explains why Mark hated my father so much and didn’t care so much for our mother, but that doesn’t explain why he was such an as—I mean, was mean to me.” Darren had to keep himself from cursing as they are inside a church.

“I apologize for Mark’s behavior on his behalf and Olive, but they now realize that they need your help. I am a consequence of your father’s evil ways and I used to follow him, but now I know he has gone too far. I’m trying to save our family name. The Kestrel name. It is your chance to save it…” Raishin continued to speak as he got up from his seat.

“What can I do? I can’t use my magic well and obviously, I can’t fight my evil dad.” Darren spoke in a shaky tone, still sitting on the bench.

He stared down at the ground with his shaking hands on his legs.

Raishin came over to touch Darren’s shoulder and whispered in his ear, “It’s very simple. You have the Kestrel amulet. Give it to me so we save our family. Our name together.”

“What? The amulet that my mother gave me when I was a baby? I don’t know… Aunt Michelle…” Darren slurred his last words, then Raishin moved back and smiled.

“Your father is the reason. Your father cursed you from the day you were born. You’re doomed to fail at magic, so he wants that amulet back to continue his mission. So, what do you want to be? A hero or a criminal accomplice to your father?” Raishin grabbed both of Darren’s shoulders, “You can make things right without using your magic. You will be a hero in the eyes of the magic community. You will also be free to do whatever you wish and good things will happen.”

“I don’t have it with me… But if you say that my father is evil and you’re a good guy trying to make amends, I’ll help you, Uncle Raishin. I’ll give you the amulet!” Darren answered, then he got up and straighten his wrinkled white t-shirt.

“Good. I know I can count on you, Darren, in restoring our family name. You are truly a Kestrel at heart.” Raishin pat Darren’s head, then walked away from Darren to leave the room.

As Darren watched his uncle leave, he looked down at his wristband to think about the information that he absorbed. Maybe going to this group wasn’t a bad idea. They connected him to his magical family, so he got something out of this hipster group.

For once in Darren’s life, he wanted to do something right and not be a failure. He felt at ease again when Raishin left the room, since his aura is driving Darren nuts. Darren left the room to wait outside for Chantel. He hoped that Chantel’s meeting with the leader of the Rise of Light turned out well for her.