Paige Flip

Chapter 3: The Harbingers I

You'd think I'd get there really quick but I tend to not go faster than 10 miles per hour when I'm not in a hurry since I can get dizzy or I could get a zap. Also it was the good part of my song so I was taking my time. I decided to stop at the supermarket to grab a soda on the way. The fridge was all the way at the back of the store, I went to grab the handle and...

"Oh for fuck's sake, why am I here again?" I shouted into the abyss. I had fainted again. "Just reveal yourself already", the figure appeared. "Can you tell me who you are? Why you look exactly like me? Or like what you want from me maybe?" I asked with slight aggression in my voice. "Since this time I called you here to stall, we'll have all the time in the world to answer your questions." The figure exclaimed, "I am you, or what you would call your alter ego, another version of yourself with heightened intellect appointed to keep you from doing dumb shit.". "I thought alter egos are just made up.", "Everyone has one, it's the voice you talk to in your head, though we can't really communicate well that way due to free will." He explained.

"What is this place?" I asked now more curious. "This is your sub-conscious, only I can summon you here. Most people can't be summoned here but you could say you're a... well.. special case.", "Why do you keep bringing me here and why haven't you brought me here before?" I had my suspicions about the figure but all I could do now is ask. "I didn't have a reason to summon you here before and I couldn't prior to your little incident. I told you the first time not to go to the address but you don't seem to want to listen." He said while looking into the sky. "What's stopping me from getting out of here.", Before he could say anything I forced myself awake.

I grabbed the soda and kept going, and it wasn't long before I arrived.

The shack I found was worn out, nearly falling apart. I looked through the window but I couldn't see through the grime built up from the inside. I knocked on the door and the door creaked open. I turned on my phone's flashlight and looked in but it was empty, "Hello? Is anyone in here?". I walked in and inspected to see if I could find anything, when I spotted a small hole on the floor, then I realized it was probably a trapdoor. I pulled on it and lo and behold it opened, it led down an eerie staircase down into darkness. My phone was on 20%, "I really hope this'll last me the whole trip." I thought to myself.

I started going down, there were unlit candles every couple of stops with freshly melted wax. There was a weird odor in the air but I thought nothing of it. At the end of the staircase was a hallway extending for a bit further. I thought about using my speed but I didn't want to miss anything, plus I noticed that I usually faint only when I use my power so that was out of the question. There were several dusty paintings on the walls of people whom I couldn't recognize, but one thing stood out to me, each of the paintings contained The Harbingers' symbol. I may be dumb but even I could figure out that I'd be invited into their den, but it was too late to turn back now. Maybe I'd see Axel here.

I finally reached the end of the hallway and was faced with a door and four tiles. Each of the tiles contained a picture of a body part. One was a head, one a hand, one a torso, and the final one was a foot. I tried opening the door but it wouldn't budge, I stepped on a tile and it sunk a little. "A puzzle huh.". After 5 seconds the tile resurfaced meaning I would have to step on them fast, but in what order? I thought for a bit and looked around me. Then I got an idea, I rushed back to the first painting, a photo of a masked man with the back of his hand facing away as if he's waving, and at the palm of his hand was the symbol. Once I figured out the basis of the puzzle it was easy. Next painting it was a symbol on the back, then a symbol on the mask, and finally was a symbol on the side of the shoe. I zoomed back and put it in the right order, "Hand, torso, head, foot.", The door opened slowly.

What I was met with was not at all what I expected, the room ahead was luxurious. Chandeliers and fancy red patterned carpets, a big dining table filled with food and drinks with exactly 6 seats.

"Have a seat.". 5 of the seats were occupied. In each seat was a masked person, they all stood up in unison with a bow towards me, a sign of respect. I noticed that each of them had the symbols like the people in the photo except the one at the head of the table. "I was sent the location of this place by an anonymous number..." I said while still on edge. "We can discuss over dinner, now have a seat." One of them said in a rather demanding tone.

As I sat down I was hit by the smell of all the delicious food that was prepared. "Welcome,         Paige." "You know my name?" I asked. "Why of course. We've had our eye on you for quite a while now." Said one of them. The head of table stayed silent through all of this, "Oh but how rude of us not to introduce ourselves."

To my right stood the first as he presented his symbol in the palm of his hand, "Qasim, it's my pleasure." His voice was intriguing and friendly. He had long black hair reaching his shoulders.

To my left stood the second, presenting a mark on the side of his shoe, you'd think it'd be Axel but this doesn't seem like a shoe he'd wear. "Doran, greetings," He had cross earrings and spoke in a calm and collected manner, a devout possibly?

I noticed that the 2 beside the head were most likely women.

To the right of the head stood the third, one of the eyes of the mask was missing and replaced by the symbol. "Kira." She sounds confident, I should try to gain her t- "No need for trust." I nearly choked on my spit, I'd forgotten that everyone here had powers.

To the left of the head stood the last, she turned around revealing her symbol. The sizes of the symbols varied between each one of the members but that didn't seem like an important detail at the time. "Myia." She was a bit taller than the rest and had an unserious tone, as if she was about to burst out laughing.

The head stood to speak, "You can call me Nad for now." Her voice sent shivers through my whole body, she seemed confident in her abilities and I wasn't too excited about that.

"As you can see there was an extra seat in which you are currently occupied, it's Axel's seat, but he won't be coming back for a while." Myia said, I just knew she was smirking as she said that.

"Now that the introductions are out of the way, let's speak business." That was the last thing I heard before I fainted. It wasn't like all the other times though; I wasn't transported to my "subconscious", rather I could still hear, as if I had fallen into a comma.

Then, I heard his voice.