I woke up the next morning to the sounds of my friends eating a breakfast of eggs, water and some beef fried in dough. I was surprised. I did not know they would have anything other than fish. Unless these foods came from another village. I rinsed out my mouth with a cleanser pack and water that I had stored in my knapsack, where my machine normally lay dormant and I began to eat with my friends. The meal was filling but lacked any flavor. Luckily, we still had some of the dry seasoning Maverick had given us when we had met at my house. They were three separate bottles. A red one, green one and black one. We were told to only use the black one on seafood and soups and the red one was only if you desired to eat your food spicy. I tried the green which accentuated the flavor of the meal I was eating. It was perfect - I was able to thoroughly enjoy the fullness of the flavors in each bite.
Once we were all finished with our meal, we began to pack up our things and headed out. The little boy and his two grandparents stood outside the barn, waiting for us with some extra provisions that we took and placed in our own knapsacks. I looked away from the village and down the hill towards a wharf by the ocean. There was a small village there close to what looked like a city; newly built. Strange, I thought. There was smoke coming up from a large distance away. A large ship seemed to be coming towards the wharf and by my calculations it would be there much later in the day. It was going at a terribly slow pace. I had not seen boats coming from that direction at any point in time, so I wondered what the purpose of it was. No matter. We needed to find these children and specifically the grandparents' daughter. We set out towards the wharf and it turned out to be a short journey. Once we neared the destination, 4536 also showed up. Supposedly he was able to find me specifically because of my own DNA signature.
He had a moose-skin sack with him that carried some shoes that helped us walk on the snow instead of in it. It distributed our weight evenly so that we did not sink waist deep, which made the journey much easier and faster for us. The tricky part was pulling us out of the snow and onto the topmost layer so that we could put the shoes on while 4536 used his flight capabilities to keep our bodies hovering over the snow. It did not seem like he struggled much as he lifted us which was to our benefit. I just wish he would have brought these snow shoes earlier. By the time we got into the small fishing city, the people seemed to be getting up and heading to work. Most of them were fishermen and women. I noticed a few people in business attire, but they were most likely Pariah that had created businesses out of the humans' misfortune. That is how I felt anyway. I knew them as the Behemoths Oscuros. My father did not know much about them. Neither did the village as they were never around or rarely seen only for a moment. But most people considered them a myth. It was interesting that there were so many of them and only today.
"Who are they?" I overheard a child say to their mother.
"Stay away from them, Cherise. Stay away from the heart men!" the mother responded.
"Heart men?" I whispered.
"Hey you! Are you four officials? Where are your Behemoth Jackets?" A man walked up to us, demanding answers.
"We are only students. We just came here on our way back to our school to buy some fish." I replied.
"Why do you want to know, human?" Shaki asked.
"Ha. Sorry. Thought you were here for something else. I will leave you alone then," He replied nervously and ducked away.
"What was that about?" Maverick asked.
"Not sure, Maverick. But I have a bad feeling about this," Carlos replied.
"The Behemoths," Shaki growled.
"I saw them earlier, Shaki. I do not know much about them. What do you know?" I asked.
"Nothing that you would want to hear, Jared. Let us keep moving and find these children as soon as possible, you three. We need to find them before it's too late!" Shaki exclaimed.
"Why are we in such a hurry?" Maverick asked bewildered.
"Let us just focus on finding these children. We can talk about this later," Shaki said quietly.
"Human. I am only speaking to you telekinetically. At the moment, we are moving towards a large building near the end of the wharf. There seems to be an enormous amount of short energy signatures there. It may be in our best interest to move towards that direction."
"4536. What do you mean by short?" I asked in my mind.
"I mean, human, that they are children. But there are also grown men. And some of those children seem to be in a bad shape emotionally. I have a feeling that who we are looking for might be there. Just know you will not like what you are about to see. Please remain calm."
I looked over to my three friends and nodded my head, then continued to pace towards the wharf as they followed me. I noticed as we did the men in suits began to look in our direction and one was quick to speak into a device on his hand. Soon after a floating vehicle began following us, but we had all noticed it. We just pretended not to pay it any attention. I knew immediately that something was wrong. This was not normal.
"So, should I..."
Maverick did not even get to finish his sentence. A black fireball covered in white flames was hurled towards the vehicle, nearly missing the human from earlier who dodged out the way. Some smaller flames were hurled in the direction of the men in suits, the Behemoths. As if by instinct we all began running in the direction of the wharf with Maverick far ahead of us. He glided straight towards the building as if he knew where he was going; and immediately ignited the structure with ice. Men in suits began pouring out the building and rushing towards the wharf with Maverick and Shaki hot on their tails. Then I saw it. The large boat with smoke coming from its top. It was what I had seen from a far distance away. The men who had tried to escape however were stopped dead in their tracks with the children in their arms. Their bodies were up to their necks in thick, hard ice and black flames surrounded them. The flames did not touch the children. If they knew anything about Shaki, and most likely they did, they knew movement and touch of the black flames would mean instant death by explosion.
The ice seemed to creep up to the children, pushing them further away to a safe distance so that they could escape. Carlos began howling in their direction for all of them to run towards him, and they did. They seemed as fearful and traumatized as I thought they would be after such a distressing experience. Looking at them, I remembered the little boy in the cave. I could understand his anger towards all Pariah. I wondered how these children would grow up trying to understand what these Behemoths had done to them. Or would they remember what a few Pariah and a "human" had done for them? Would the good we did triumph over evil? I would not know.
I turned towards the building and swung open a broken wooden door. It was dark inside, but my machine flew out of my knapsack immediately and woke up the room with a bright light. There were still a few children there huddled in the back near another doorway. I walked over to them slowly as they pointed to the closed door with a Red Behemoth statue standing guard over the doorway. The children continued to point and did not speak. Something was off. All the young boys had been taken away. These were all young girls. I was not sure what was going on but there was a warning bell going off in my mind. I placed my hand on the door handle and opened it slowly, revealing something I had no desire to see.
A young girl and a man who now lay sleeping next to her. I gasped then covered my mouth with my hand. Tears began to flow down my cheeks as I looked on in disgust. As if by instinct I grabbed onto the long pole that was strapped to my back. My Guandao was swift. It was justice as I watched his head roll to the other side of the room. Everything in my belly came up immediately. I turned away; using the wall as a crutch as I walked out the room, closing the door slowly as I went. I ushered the children to go outside and I followed. Tears welled up and I just stared off towards the sun, wishing the light would burn through my pupils, my brain and destroy what I had just seen.
"Are you ok, Jared?" Carlos asked, concerned.
I could not think. I did not even desire to answer. There was something growing inside of me. Anger. No, not anger. Something more. Something more sinister. I smiled at the thought of each of these men leaving this earth by my hand and I could feel myself growing stronger.
"Hey. Where are you right now? Come back, Jared!" Carlos screamed as he shook me.
"What? Where am I?" I was confused.
"I don't like what happened to you just now. There seemed to be something covering you. It honestly scared me. It was so dark," Carlos said, his hands trembling. "What did you see in there?"
"I...I don't want to talk about it!" I whispered. I could feel my body shaking intensely. I could not stop it.
Just then Maverick and Shaki strolled up towards us; they both wore thick pleasant smiles from cheek to cheek. Some of the children followed and they danced and shouted. Maverick ran up to Carlos and I and began talking about what had happened after I had left them - something about an epic fight on the boat, but I was not really listening. The image of that child on the bed. The same one I had seen in the photo at the grandparent's house; everything was swimming before me. I began to feel myself falling away. The last thing I saw was Maverick and Carlos reaching towards me as I fell, before everything went black.
When I came to, all three of my friends including 4536 were hovering over me in a hospital room. I looked beyond them; my face covered in sorrow from the dreadful scene I had just witnessed. I turned away from the old couple and the little boy who was also in tears. But I knew the boy had not turned away from me. He glared at me with a hatred I knew too well. He did not need to speak. His eyes said everything. "Why didn't you save her?" I could not answer him. I did not know what to say. I stared through a nearby window and watched as parents held their children. Children that I had helped save. But out of the 99 I could not save one.
"LEAVE ME ALONE!!!"
At first, I thought it was the little boy. I thought I heard his little voice in anger and pain screaming as his desire to be left alone, hurting, to deal with his own issues by himself had poured forth from his lungs in rage. But as I continued to look out the window, I realized that the voice that had burst from these lungs like a raging tornado was my own. I felt like a failure. I clenched my fists and imagined opening the door and watching the man's head rolling over and repeatedly. This image made me smile as my friends left the room and the door closed, taking the light that once poured in with them.
I woke up later, once again in a cold sweat. My father was sitting on a comfortable chair to the right of me near the window. He had opened the blinds and lay there with wet cheeks and a soaked bedside. He must have been crying all night. I sat up and stared out into the cold, dark, star covered sky. I looked down again at my father. I could not protect one little girl. How was I supposed to protect him? I got out of the bed and walked down the hallway. The whole hospital was silent. I found my friends sleeping on a couch in the lobby, near the end of the hall. I walked past them and continued moving until I finally reached another room where some of the kids were. I found a chair and sat there until the morning came and my friends and father showed up, looking for me. I had wanted to sleep but I could not - the entire night had been my own nightmare.
"Are you OK, Jared?" my father asked.
I looked up at him with cold, dark eyes then turned away and continued watching over the children. I did not have words. I knew if I spoke, it would only follow with emotions and spluttering, coughing and more tears. I could not do it. I stared off towards the window and even as I did, I saw the image of the young girl in the picture smiling, staring back at me. She stood there and continued to stare. Her face had turned to scars and blood. I closed my eyes then turned my attention to my friends and my father.
"Jared - can you hear us? Are you OK?" Carlos asked again.
"I am fine," I replied, sullenly. I then thought the better of it and put on a fake smile that seemed to deceive my friends.
"Good! We thought we would have to leave you here," Maverick said jokingly.
"I'm glad, son. Nothing can hold the Graves men down!" My father exclaimed.
"That's for sure," Carlos replied as he flexed his muscles with a smile. "Real men don't cry!"
"We are going to grab some food. Do you want anything?" My father asked.
"Yeah of course. I will eat whatever you are eating. This hospital food might be gross." I said with a smile.
"Horrendous. But better than dying," Maverick said with glee.
They all left except for Shaki who looked at me for a moment and shook her head.
"Wish you could be honest with us and yourself," She said as she turned away, following Carlos, Maverick and my father.
"I wish you would leave me alone," I whispered as Shaki's back retreated from the room.
"And here he is! The savior of children."
"SHUT UP 4536!"
"Hey don't blame me. I am just a machine who asked you to go on a mission, but you ignored me. Now that young human child is dead. So sad, is it not? That's what happens when you don't listen to me."
"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?" I was livid.
The machine began to light up as it glared back at me with its one-eyed camera.
"I warned you, human. And you ignored me. Because of you, that child is dead. How do you feel?"
I knew if 4536 was human I would have seen a grin spread from across his features. I could not even label it as evil as it was a machine and had no concept or understanding of emotions. But it did seem to want something from me, but what was it? Yes! That must be it. What I felt when Carlos first shook me. 4536 was attempting to bring me to that dark place. Looking back, there must have been a new power arising in me that 4536 desired to explore. I was not going to allow it to get to me and have me bend to its will. I would have him bend to mine.
"I know what you are trying to do and it's not going to happen," I growled.
"Have it your way, Jared. You could possibly use those powers in the future to save others. If you learn how to use them. It seems despair will awaken even more of your ether. I need to see you in misery!"
"You are wicked!"
"HA! And you are not. Your actions were the direct cause of her death. Now I will leave you here so you can smoulder in your own disgusting humanness. I grow tired of your filth."
The machine floated out of the room and I turned away to the window where I saw the image of a young girl whose dress had been torn and blood was dripping from her clothes. She reached out to me but there was nothing I could do. Everything went black and I woke up again in bed with my father standing over me.
"What happened? And this time do not lie to me and tell me you are OK. 4536 said you were acting a little strange," my father said angrily.
"I am fine," I replied as I glared at my machine.
"Do not look at him!" My father replied. "Look at me."
"I AM FINE, DAD. LEAVE ME THE HELL ALONE!" I screamed.
"Boy! I don't know who the hell you are screaming at!" Ezekiel's voice bellowed.
"Alright guys. Enough of this testosterone and ether...I mean testosterone!" Shaki said as she pushed my father out the room.
"You don't know who I am! I'll take off this belt and show you who I am. YOU BETTER ASK SOMEBODY!" Ezekiel said from the other side of the door.
"I'm guessing I was talking in another language because I see you three still here..." I said.
SMACK!
"Owwww...What was that about, Shaki? How are you going to just smack me in the face like that?"
"Your father cares about you. Not many of us can say that, so wake up and stop feeling sorry for yourself. Now what is going on with you?" Shaki asked, concerned. "You better start talking, Jared," she threatened.
I decided it was best to tell them what had been bothering me. I really did not feel like catching another backhand to the face. And I knew Shaki was right. I needed to allow myself to talk through it and not bottle it up. I had a feeling that in doing so, something more sinister, a power I did not desire to experience would come forth. I told them about what I had seen in the room. What I thought had happened to the young woman I had sworn to protect and bring back safely; all through tears. Luckily for me, they were patient with me. I told them about the feeling I felt, and Carlos added that he had noticed it too. It was as I feared. A darker power that lay hidden within me. Even Carlos was uncomfortable with whatever he had seen from me.
He thought something horrible was about to happen. He could see and feel the murderous intent that vibrated from my dark brown eyes. I spoke to my friends about the visions that I had seen of the little girl that continued to haunt me; more so when I was near those other children. To my surprise, they all just gave me a hug and there was no judgment. I was able to cry and feel what I was feeling with them and in a way, it caused me to feel comfort; to feel safe. Even as my body began to shake uncontrollably after the experience, they just allowed my body to go through the motions then hugged me again; Shaki's idea.
Shaki explained to me that she could not speak to me about what had happened, but there were others in the building that would be more than capable of helping me through the experience. She left the room and returned with a doctor I had not seen before. He was not a regular doctor. He did not wear doctor's clothing but was in a plain uniform. He only smiled and listened. He asked me to see him for the next few weeks and I told him yes. I wanted to get out of this feeling as quickly as possible. After the man left, my father and three friends entered the room as well as the Dean of the school.
"Congratulations students on your first victory in the field. I have so much love for all four of you. It must have been quite challenging to see the things you have seen. As it would be difficult for anyone. I am only glad you came out of this situation even stronger than before. Just next time be a little more careful on these missions and do not be afraid to ask other officials or even the students for help," the Dean said with a wink.
"We will," we all replied.
My father sat next to me and placed his arms around my shoulders, and I placed my head on his chest. I smiled. I felt safe in his arms. I made a promise to myself that I would protect my father. I will protect my friends.