The Vex Chronicles

(3) Alec: Flashbacks

It’s so cold here, well what can you really expect from a place like this? As I make my way through the mud-covered ground, I hear soft footsteps make their way towards me. It was Barry. “Hey! Alec! That was amazing! You’re the best!” Barry shouted towards me. “Thanks.” I replied with pint-sized excitement. Barry scurried to my side, as if he sought safety. “I need my space.” I crudely say. Barry stays behind for a few seconds and continues to walk. “Sorry, sorry. Um hey…so when will we get home.” Barry asks as he tries to avoid the muddy floor to protect his new, cobalt shoes. “If I were you, I’d worry about enjoying the scenery instead.” I reply. Barry then stops walking and stays behind. Almost like he lost all hope. “Listen…if we die, we can always go on.” I say to Barry. Confusing him will take his mind off his fears, even if it’s for a second.

I make my way towards a tree and throw a left jab towards it. The tree bark breakdown and there is an enormous dent inside the tree. This way if we get lost we have checkpoint. Gavin strolls up towards the tree and punches it once. It is a medium-sized dent; he quickly grabs his fist and starts to exhale on his hand. “Hurt yourself Gavin?” I say tauntingly. He looks at me with a furious look. “I’m just getting warmed up! Ya hear me!” He says wrathfully. “Yeah…of course. That’s what I would do too.” I say sarcastically. Barry tries to contain his laughter out of respect for Gavin, or maybe just out of fear for him. Gavin shots towards Barry and smacks him behind the head. Barry lets out a whimper. “That’ll teach you not to laugh!” Gavin screams. I ignore it and keep moving, noticing everything around me. The immense trees, the obscure and unnerving atmosphere, it was soothing in a sense.

Suddenly, my body comes to a complete stop. This motion was involuntary. I couldn’t move a muscle, not even my eyes. Then the sight in front of me starts to fade into a black nothingness. I feel relaxed, not alarmed but tranquil. After a few moments in complete darkness, I start to see a white light. It begins to grow fast; in just a few seconds it covers everything around me. A white void, it blinds me. I open my eyes and I’m back home. I’m tucked in my bed with a book. “What the hell!” I scream. I take a look at the book and read the title. “Vex History” It was a book about my own race. I knew little to nothing about my race. I opened the book and looked at the table of contents. “There are only 10 pages?” I say to myself. I skim the book and read many interesting facts about the Vex race.

        “Vexes are naturally robust creatures that live to fight and develop in strength. Vexes can have many different abilities, the most common ability for the Vex race is telekinesis and having a Gravimetric Field this allows them to fly at will. The uncommon abilities are Ice manipulation, Fire wielding, Wind expressions, and Lightning possession. These abilities can only be acquired by Vexes who have reached a certain threshold in their strength. Once they have reached their threshold, they can transform in and out of an Alpha form. An Alpha form enables you to use your abilities at will. The Alpha form is unlimited but takes away from your stamina and energy. Vexes develop large fangs when they enter their Alpha form due to their ancestries. Vexes evolved from an animal called “the forerunner vampire bat” it is rumored in mythology that there is still forerunner vampire bats in the wild today that can possibly evolve into vexes over time." 

I turn the page and laugh to myself at how ridiculous the mythology sounds. Suddenly, I feel a very rigid hand strike me across the face. I hear a faded voice call out to me. “ALEC! WAKE UP!” It was Gavin’s voice. Why is he smacking me! I try my best to wake up. The scenery of my room begins to dissolve into the blackness again and I feel my eyes begin to open. Another assault from the very firm hand strikes my face. As my head lobs to the right I catch a view of my surrounding. It is the Daylight Forest. I was back in reality. No longer inside a flashback,

I realize Gavin cocking back his hand once more. “ENOUGH! I’m up!” I shout at Gavin. I kept my cool on the outside but on the inside I was enraged. I slowly get up and begin to walk past Gavin and Barry. They looked concerned. I wish I knew why the hell that happened to me. I had no control over my body. This was no accident.