The Rise of the Dark Sun

Chapter IV

"Welcome back, everyone. I hope you all had a good break. Classes are going to be a little different today. Normal class times will be shorter because we have been surprised with a school assembly meeting," Mr. Alkyer said as he turned his back to us to write the new times of the periods on the chalkboard. I glanced around the room for Ava, but she had her nose in a book, just as she usually did at school. She was probably trying to distract herself. I sighed and searched for Cronus, who had already been staring at the clock, shaking his leg anxiously. I wouldn't bother with Burnly, because I knew he had been hiding in the back of the room, probably drawing in his notebook. I literally wouldn't see him anyway. His ability to reduce his presence was on at full power at school anyway. Scanning my classmates, however, my eyes paused on Zachariah. What was it about me that interested him so much? Or better yet, what was it about him that interested me so much? He glanced at me. Had he been a mind reader? I didn't really know what his powers were. I blushed and sank into my seat.

I glanced out of the door to see the two guards. It wasn't a good sign that they were here. I don't remember the last time the third sun rose, but I knew the Mazmurox always came early to test potential candidates. That had to be what this was. They were here to test our powers.

Sometimes I hated that we had powers. I hated that nothing could truly be hidden from anybody. Secrets were a thing of the past, or so it seemed. It was so easy to manipulate other people with your powers to the point where I didn't even feel safe. I was filled in a room full of people who had so many different powers, each strong and unique in their own way. It had made me wonder what powers actually reached the standards of the Mazmurox. It made me wonder why I was considered such a threat to them, or at least, that's what I was told.

I could answer part of that question, though. I had never met anyone who had been born with the opposite powers that their parents possessed. When I was younger, I had joked that Cole had taken all the power when he was born, and I had to have something. I was unusual and I hated it. I guess what bothered me most of all is that I couldn't really hide from anyone. Everyone knew who I was, and I didn't really know why. I had never thought that having the power to manipulate someone into seeing their entire past and controlling their mind had been such a lethal combination. It had made me wonder if people were scared of me. I never really thought about being scared of someone like me; someone I hardly knew. It sent a chill down my spine, just thinking about all of the power we really had.

I couldn't focus on Mr. Alkyer's lesson. I couldn't stop looking at the guards. My stomach turned into a knot as the bell rang to dismiss class. I gathered up my books quickly and met Ava and Cronus at the door. They both had the same look on their faces. They looked worried, but they also looked scared. Had I been sharing my thoughts? I was so damn clumsy when it came to my thoughts. They are loud. Looking at all of us, I was sure they had the same fears that I did. I didn't question them; we just left the classroom and began walking down the hall. None of us spoke, even when we broke away from each other for a different class. I slumped into my seat and opened my notebook, pulling out a pencil. I had been thinking so much that it literally began to hurt my head.

The boy who sat in front of me turned in his seat slightly and leaned towards me. His name was Eisley. He was also friends with my brother and Zachariah.

"Why do you think they're here?" he asked quietly. I opened my mouth to answer, but my teacher began her lecturing and Eisley turned away. He knew. Everyone knew, but no one would say anything. We were going to be tested. I was going to be exposed. I would see the powers of other people in which I did not know much about, and powers I knew little of but never had seen its full potential. I didn't want to be tested. I didn't want to be exposed. Should I have pretended to be sick and go home? No, I couldn't leave Ava, Cronus, or Burnly. I squirmed uncomfortably in my seat. I started shaking my leg and biting my nails. I was so nervous I couldn't stand it.