A World With/Out Home

Chapter 12: Awakening (Part 5)

"Bravo Mr Barker," the Councilman let out a strained laugh. "I can see how you made it this far."

"Shut your mouth." The knife pressed against his skin releasing a bead of blood. "Now let Marisha go." The knights didn't react still holding their firearms ready to kill on command.

"They won't listen to you," Philius smiled amused.

"Then you tell them to let her go!" Kyle pressed the knife deeper.

"And if I refuse?"

"Then you die."

"I don't believe you," the Councilman called his bluff. "There are some who could but you are not one of them. You're too caring Mr Barker and you know your place. I'm the representative of Lavise. You're holding me hostage in a sealed room with no good witness to support you. But most importantly you know what I'm doing is for the greater good of our world."

Kyle couldn't refute him. Even as the old man spoke the knife in his hands shook.

"You see Mr Barker unlike you I am serious about my intentions," the Councilman's eyes turned towards the knight still holding Marisha. "Shoot off her fingers."

"No!" Kyle squeezed the man in desperate panic.

"You're right that's not enough. Shoot off her leg." The sound of the knight's gun clicked ready to fire and without hesitation he pointed it towards Marisha's thigh.

Kyle let go and dropped his last remaining weapon to the ground, "Stop! Fine you win." After all that had happened his expression finally collapsed to defeat. Escaping the cellar, dealing with Tibul and fighting Karster, in the end it was all useless. Things would have been better if he'd done nothing. At least that way he'd be ignorant to what would happen now.

The Councilman turned to face Kyle, "That's just how it should be. Now kneel." Kyle did as he was told and once more the Councilman's hand began to flow with mana. "This is a good thing Mr Barker. You're doing the world a favour."

As the hand curled against his forehead and scalp the first sensation that passed through Kyle's mind was one of terrible cold. Magic that affected the mind wasn't uncommon and when used could do terrible things but at the same time had severe faults. The first was the caster needed to be in deep concentration and the second was that the magic itself depended much on who it was used on. The stronger one's will the harder it would be to take control. With his defences down Kyle gave into the irksome feeling as his consciousness was prodded and probed.

Seconds passed to minutes as time in the basement room ticked by. The knights who stood guard simply stared at the ceremony with little care only keen to do their own duty. Marisha's tears continued to pool to the floor as she could only blame herself for what was happening. Yet through it all nothing changed.

Finally Councilman Tombre let go and glowered, "I said to let down your defences Mr Barker or do you really wish for the girl to die?"

Kyle blinked his eyes open and frowned, "I'm doing exactly as you said."

Annoyance marred the old man's face as he once more planted his hand on Kyle's head. Not even a minute passed before he let go once more, "Mr Barker if you're trying to buy yourself some time I'd think against it."

"I swear to you I'm not doing anything," Kyle bowed his head trying to show his honesty.

"Then why won't my spell work?" the Councilman glowered at him from above. "Do you really expect me to believe you?"

The tension in the room rose once more and seeing the knight's hand inch towards Marisha again Kyle grit his teeth and pleaded, "Please... I don't know what's wrong. Marisha has nothing to do with this."

"One last chance Mr Barker," Philius' hand landed and with it a stronger surge of magic spread across the room. Even Marisha who had barely any lessons in the art could feel the twitch of mana across her skin. The energy however didn't seem to penetrate Kyle's mind and instead crackled above his skin letting out a sharp zap shocking the Councilman. Angered he faced the knight, "Break her legs."

"Stop!" Kyle shouted. "It's not her fault."

"Your fault is hers," a dark sheen glossed over his eyes. "Break her legs."

"No!" It was too late as the knight's arm came down followed by a sickening snap as Marisha screamed and fell to the ground.

The Councilman looked between them with little remorse, "This is what you get for playing games Mr Barker. Why even go so far for a group of dolls. Just one would be enough and you could keep the rest."

His words caused a grating anger to cut into Kyle's heart, "Dolls? The children aren't dolls!"

"Face it boy. They're no more than half baked humans whose only good is as disposable tools. What you're protecting is foolishness of the highest order. There is no good in what you and the Church are doing. You're simply impeding the progress we all deserve."

"Progress? Foolishness?" slowly Kyle rose from his knees. "They're children just like any other. They deserve a life other than just being sacrificed for our sakes!" Their eyes met with neither able to understand the other. "I'll never give them up! Especially not to a soulless man like you."

A mix of anger and shock crossed the Councilman's face, finally ending in a callous pity, "You disappoint me Mr Barker. The girl won't be needing an arm."

"Like I'd let you!"

The knight raised his gun. Kyle charged forward. The wounds he had sustained felt like nothing against the burning desire to crush Councilman Tombre's plans. He and Marisha had suffered enough and by all that he believed in, he would never let the children feel any of the same.

A second was all it took. In that miniscule frame of time the balance of power shifted. As determined to succeed as Kyle was it wasn't him however that made the difference, nor was it Marisha. The room shook and with it the sound of a gun firing. The first shot was meant for Marisha, pushed back to narrowly miss as Kyle leapt surprising the knight with his strength and speed. The second shot was meant for Kyle but the bullet never made it as instead it collided with a solid barrier of glowing blue light.

No one could quite fathom how she appeared so quickly or really from where but it didn't change the fact that she had made it. Still half dressed in the clothes she had slept for weeks in, Lillia surveyed the room. In truth she had no idea what was happening. All she saw was a threat to Kyle's life and without hesitation her mana soared to heights she had never felt before. As the second passed the room was filled with an ice cold enough to burn. The knights were forced into the walls unable to move, leaving the Councilman defenceless as he gaped at the shining figure floating close to the ceiling.

"Lillia?" Kyle couldn't believe his eyes as suddenly relief flooded into his chest. All the pressure he had been under seemed to ebb away almost as if it had never been there at all.

"Thank god you're alive," without care for anything else Lillia dived into him and wrapped her arms around him tightly. "When I woke up and they said you were gone I didn't know what to do!"

"And yet you found me," he laughed unable to believe it.

"Barely...," she stepped back and wiped her watering eyes. "Just what happened here?" From all the fighting the room had been trashed. The floor was cluttered by fallen objects not to mention the bodies of Karster, Tibul and now the two knights. Councilman Tombre had backed away with his hands raised clearly knowing when to admit defeat. His eyes held a stern regret but were filled with an assurance that caused Kyle to want to punch him in the face.

Lillia held him back, "Hey listen to me. What happened? You disappeared. We've been looking for you for hours."

"He happened that's what," Kyle stared vehemently at the Councilman.

"And who is he?" hearing those words the air around Lillia began to swirl letting off sparks of static.

"Councilman Philius Tombre," the man himself said simply. "Now there's no need for violence. I'm sure we can get this all sorted out."

"Councilman?" Lillia's eyes widened in confusion. "Kyle what do you mean he- Kyle!?" Her hands shot out as he leaned over. "Kyle? Hey hang in there!"

In the end it was too much and the boy finally succumbed to exhaustion.