Aegis: Catalyst Grove (37 page)

C
HAPTER
T
WENTY
-T
HREE

Revelation

Graham’s feet landed on the cold, stone surface.
 
He hadn’t realized that the attack on Portfield Manor had knocked him right out of his shoes.
 
The light from the bulbs around the cavern danced along the surface of the water in the large pool.
 
Graham tried to get his baring as he looked around.
 
Six of them who were trained enough to take out Cavaness and the others, against four kids who were largely undeveloped.
 
Their chance of survival was very grim.

Thick black smoky chains had already been placed around the hands of Kel, Damien and Ailey.
 
The Former was in the process of extracting more chains from his hands so he could shackle their feet as well.
 
They were lined up all in a row near the edge of the pool, with one of the men in black standing guard behind each one.

Silas shoved Graham, making him shuffle forward, almost falling to his knees.
 
He looked at his friends, now completely bound.
 
His eyes asked them if they understood what as happening, and each of their eyes confirmed they did not.
 
Graham stood there trying to process the events, trying to understand who these people were.
 
What did they want?
 
Why take us?
 
How did this guy know Cavaness?
 
Oh no!
 
Were Cavaness and the others even alive?
 
Surely the house had crumbled by now.

“I’ve been told you are the one that can tip the scales in our favor.
 
Is this true, boy?” said Silas in his controlled yet icy voice.

“I don’t have any idea what you are talking about.
 
I’m a nobody.
 
If there was someone who is strong enough to give you an edge, there is no way it could be me.
 
Please, just let us go,” said Graham.

“Go?
 
Now?
 
Why, we didn’t get to finish our conversation the other day.
 
I don’t think I even got to give you my full name.
 
My name is Silas Serene.
 
You know, my offer still stands.
 
I can still help you if you like, though I can see that you have already gotten started.”
 

Silas grabbed Graham’s arm and twisted it so that his forearm was facing upwards.
 
He hovered his hand above Graham’s wrist, making it illuminate.
 
Silas stared at Graham’s band and the empty circle that should house the emblem of his gifting.
 
He released Graham’s arm, letting it fall back to his side.
 
“Not there yet, I see.
 
No matter, we will make it come to the surface one way or another.
 
These things can be tricky.
 
Alex created your little training facility to develop you.
 
If have found the more direct route to be more effective.
 
We like to apply a more direct ‘cause-and-effect’ atmosphere.
 
You see, the real key is to find the proper motivator.
 
The most difficult part is to find the right fit when there are so many to choose from.”

Silas paced around Graham as he spoke, his hands joined together behind his back in a sophisticated strut.
 
“Public humiliation, physical harm, destruction of personal property, injury to loved ones….these are very effective methods.
 
Which one do you think will draw out your ability, Graham?”

Graham’s blood ran cold at the mention of the last ‘method.’
 
He could take pain.
 
He would prefer torture over seeing his friends being hurt.
 
He had done that once today already.
 
His pace quickened as his eyes combed the cavern for anything that would get them out of this and back with Aegis.

Silas must have noticed Graham’s change in demeanor, because he stopped his pacing and smiled.
 
“Ahh, something struck a nerve, didn’t it.
 
Now, it is just a process of elimination.
 
Very well.”

“Wait!
 
Just tell me what you want me to do and I will do it.
 
What is this special person supposed to do?
 
I can’t claim to be someone I don’t know about.”
 
Graham was grasping at any possibility to buy time to think.

“Do you really think I am foolish enough to give you time to formulate an escape?
 
Let’s just say that there is one special person who is rumored to have a gift of unlimited potential.
 
We will leave it at that.”

“And you think I am this ‘holy grail’ of limitless power?
 
I can tell you right now that you have the wrong person.”
 
Graham pointed to his friends.
 
“Ask them.
 
They will tell you.
 
I haven’t been able to save anyone or do anything to help this entire time!”

Silas looked at Graham, then the others, then back to Graham.
 
“So modest and humble.
 
I am touched.
 
Of course no one will think they have this much power.
 
That would be arrogant, and besides, you have just stepped into our world.”
 
Silas put his hand on Graham’s shoulder.
 
“I wouldn’t expect you to know your potential right from the start.
 
It has to be revealed.
 
That is what I am here for.
 
I am here to help you.”
 

His grip tightened, making Graham’s knees buckle under the pain.
 
“Now, you have bought enough time.
 
Have you found a way out yet?”
 

Graham was silent.
 

 
“No, I didn’t think so.
 
You’ve had your chance.
 
Now it is time for me to follow through with my promise.
 
Let’s begin our process of elimination, shall we?
 
I will not take you back with us until I am certain you are the one.
 
Don’t worry, though.
 
Our methods are much faster than Alex’s.
 
It will be like tearing off a band-aid.”

Silas held up his hand.
 
It ignited into a ball of purple energy.
 
He held his hand close to Graham’s head as he leaned in to whisper something in Graham’s ear.
 
Graham gasped.

“Ladies first.”
 
Silas fired a blast, hitting Kel directly in the stomach.
 
Kel yelled in pain as she doubled over and fell to the ground.

“STOP IT!
 
Just take me with you and do whatever you want to with me!
 
You don’t have to do this!”
 
Hot tears began to form in Graham’s eyes.

Kel lay there curled up in the fetal position as Silas threw three more blasts, hitting her in the small of her back and thigh.
 
Kel cried out in pain as she curled up tighter into a ball to shield herself from the attack.
 

Graham threw a punch at Silas, but his reflexes were too fast.
 
Silas moved his head to the side, dodging Graham’s paltry attack.
 
He then fired a blast into Graham’s ribs, making Graham stumble to the side.
 

“Physical harm won’t do.
 
You are much to stubborn for that.
 
Don’t worry though.
 
I can see what needs to be done.”
 

Silas began to walk over to the others.
 
Kel was still on the floor, and Ailey tucked her head into her shoulders as she shifted with her shackled feet away from Silas.
 
She knelt down beside Kel and threw herself on top of her to protect her.
 
Damien tried to summon the water from the pool, but the chains that were crafted from energy seemed to be blocking his ability.
 
He frantically swept his hands from side to side trying make the water rise, but the power of the Former’s chains were to strong.
 
Not knowing what else to do, he sprinted towards Silas and sunk his shoulder into his gut, knocking him to the ground.

“Stay away from them you freak!”
 
Damien tried to use his chains as a weapon.
 
He laced his fingers together and used them as one big fist to hit Silas, but one of the others fired a blast, sending Damien flying through the air and onto the edge of the pool.

Graham’s bands began to glow, and he fired at the man who hit Damien, but the man deflected his shot, sending it into the rock wall.
 
As the blast hit, it made a small explosion creating a hole in the cavern wall.
 
Small chunks of rock hurled through the air and fell into the pool.

Graham sprinted towards Silas, throwing his arm forward, sending a large wave of energy towards him.
 
The blast hit him in the leg, causing him to fall forward onto his face.
 
Graham sent blast after blast at Silas, not stopping until he could not longer see through the cloud of dust and rock.
 
At least twenty shots must have been fired at Silas as Graham yelled in anger.
 
He stood there with one hand still extended, panting for air.
 
Beads of sweat rolled down his forehead as he waited for the dust to settle, revealing the outcome of his attack.

Fifteen or twenty seconds went by.
 
Graham expected to see Silas’s body laying on the ground, but instead he saw a shadowy figure dart from the rubble and fire a purple blast into his chest.
 
Graham fell backwards, but let the momentum carry him over his head into a backwards roll, then scooting back on his feet.
 
Graham braced himself for an attack from Silas, but nothing came.

Silas stopped his attack as he swept the dust from his black shirt.
 
“You are strong.
 
I will give you that.
 
You have just begun, and you are already advanced beyond an average novice, but you are going to have to do better than that if you want to save your friends.
 
You think that I will stop at a couple of hits?”
 

Silas’s voice grew deeper.
 
His eyes seemed to have a flicker of madness in them.
 
“I will do whatever it takes to draw it out, Graham.
 
Whatever it takes.”
 
Another purple wave sprung from Silas’s hands at Graham.
 
Graham shifted his weight and ducked his head as the purple wave of light darted over his shoulder.
 
He stood up straight again and looked Silas right in the eye.

“This will not work!
 
I told you.
 
Take me and leave them.
 
As long as they are in danger, I cannot concentrate.
 
I know that about myself.
 
This isn’t the way.”
 
Graham had a pleading tone to his voice, but what he was saying was true.
 
He had to keep the others safe at all costs, even if it meant his own life.

Silas slowly walked over to Graham, lost in thought.
 
He reached down to retrieve his cane as he weighed Graham’s words.
 
He continued walking until his face was inches away from Graham’s.
 
“I’ll tell you what.
 
Why don’t we do this…”
 

Silas swiftly extended his cane and fired a purple ball from it’s tip into Graham’s chest.
 
His teeth were bared and his eyes were lit up in a consuming rage.
 
It was evident he was already tired of playing games.
 

Graham slammed into the stone floor.
 
He held his chest with both hands.
 
The pain was so intense from being hit point-blank that he could hardly move.
 
He felt like he had just been hit by a train.
 
He wanted to cry out, but the breath was knocked out of him.
 
All he could do was gasp for breath as Silas walked away from him towards the others.

The other men in black anticipated what was going to happen next, because they all moved together behind Kel, Ailey and Damien.
 
The men behind Kel and Ailey both grabbed a handful of hair and pulled their heads backwards so hard, that it made them fall to their knees.
 
One of the others walked over to Graham.
 
He grabbed him by the collar and pulled him up to his feet.
 
Graham’s knees were weak.
 
He did not know if he could stay standing, but somehow when the man let go, he stayed upright.

Silas grabbed Damien by the hood of his shirt, pulling him to his feet.
 
He dragged him sideways over to the edge of the pool.
 
Letting go of the hood, he then took a firm grip around Damien’s throat.
 
Damien’s eyes widened in the shock of it, his heart beating faster as his air supply was being cut off.

“Enough of the games Mr. Dawson.
 
It is time for your emancipation.
 
Does your best friend need to perish, or will you break free?”
 
Silas’ grip tightened even more.
 
Damien’s mouth widened and the veins bulged from his neck as he struggled for each breath.