A Hero in the Dark: 2nd Edition

Chapter 49: Glistening Pink, and Red

"Nightmare much?"

"What?"

"You screamed when you woke up," Five explains, nonchalantly. "I assume you had a nightmare."

"Oh." I'm surprised he sounds so worried. I wish he wasn't. I'm tired of being handled, be it by Setrákus Ra or John or him. I shake my head. "I don't want to talk about it."

Five walks into the room ahead of me. Ella and Setrákus are already here, him holding his staff and Ella holding a dagger glistening pink; I squint to make sure I'm seeing that right. I look away as soon as she meets my gaze. She makes for the door on our approach, but Setrákus catches her elbow. "Let go," she cries, but he only shakes his head. "I'm not staying anywhere with them! They can go die!" I drag in a breath. I've never heard her talk with so much hatred before.

"We're training together," Setrákus spits. "You will practice on them." What?

"No!" she shouts, clutching her dagger tight in her palm. "I won't."

"Yes, you will." He turns to me and rests a hand on my shoulder. "Emily?"

"What?"

"Ignite your ergokinesis," he says, but initially, I stand and gawk at him. I don't understand why he wants this now. I look towards Five, who nods a simple nod, and do as I'm told. I jostle my hands and they bask in the blue. They seem brighter than before.

"Now what?" Without answering, Setrákus turns to Ella, who's grip on the weapon tightens. She wants to do it: to attack me. "Ella," I say, carefully, unsure what else to say. Part of me believes I deserve this—whatever Setrákus Ra has planned—but my body claims it doesn't. "I didn't mean to. It was an accident. Please, don't listen to him."

"Granddaughter..." he urges, "this is the only time I will allow it."

She flips the blade over once, then again, swiping it through the air almost carelessly, then takes a small step forward, reminiscing, I think. "I'm sorry too." My breath catches in my throat as she whips it at my chest. I shield my face and it smacks into my forearm. It doesn't penetrate, but it scrapes, bad. I suck in air through my teeth while it stings.

Blue fades immediately, my palms receding to normal. I try to shake my hands to turn them on, but they just don't. It's a weird feeling, an empty feeling. Ever since I discovered this Legacy, I felt strangely whole, not only with myself, but with everything around me, like I was one with my environment. Now though... I'm empty, limited, blind, robbed. Weak. I hate this feeling. "What did she do to me?" I ask the Mogadorian Leader.

"It's called Dreynen," Ella spits. "You know, the Legacy that lets me take away other Legacies? But you already knew that, didn't you? It's the same one he has, the same one he used on us, and the same one he almost killed us with. How does it feel?"

I don't answer her, just stare, almost cry... for the longest time. "Is—Is it permanent?"

"No," Setrákus replies. "But as with all Legacies, the greater the experience, the stronger it becomes. Ella is new at the power. You should receive your Legacies again in an hour."

"Why would you make her do something like that?" Why would he add to Ella's anger, and not lessen it like he did with mine? I don't get it. "Are you insane?!"

"She must practice with the ability, don't you agree?" he asks, and he's right. If there's any way for Ella to learn what she's capable of, it's by practicing on another Garde—or a human that's like a Garde—and who better a target than the person she's upset with? "Five," he states then, turning to him with a strictness in his voice. "Fly."

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me, boy. Fly. Now. As high as you can." It's a domed ceiling, one that must spread fifty feet in height in the centre. It's like any other room; big, wide, grey, and metallic. Five does as he's told. He shoots up like a rocket and stops when his head brushes the ceiling. Setrákus turns to Ella. "Now, try it again."

"But—But Five needs his Legacy to fly. If she takes it away, he'll fall!"

"So be it," he says, which takes me aback. "I expect nothing less for a traitor."

"A—A what?" Ella mutters, but Setrákus wipes her confusion away with a wave of his hand. He hands her the dagger again and waits for her charge.

"Ella, don't," I say, a profound desperation gone into my every limb. Having her act against me was one thing, but Five? He didn't do anything! He'll be seriously hurt from a fall like that. He might even die! "You can't do this! I deserved it, but Five doesn't! You can't attack him and make him fall to his death! It's not right. I know you, Ella."

"You are overcomplicating things, Emily," Ra states. "If you don't have the stomach for it, I can have you removed; all you must do is say the word."

"Removed?" As if on cue, two Mogs stride into the room.

"Beloved Leader," Five calls. "Can I come down?"

"No," he spits, and turns to me. "Well?"

I stare at him crudely, my body refusing to move. As much as I don't have the stomach for this—I really don't—I need to know what happens. "I'm not going anywhere," I say.

"Very well." Again, he turns to Ella; she's charged the weapon with her new Legacy. It glistens like it did. "Ella, let's pick up the pace, shall we?"

I watch her like Setrákus does, but she doesn't give a hoot about me now. In fact, for the most part, she ignores me and stares up at Five, reels her arm back, and I hold my breath. The blade, sharp, extended, and glowering an otherworldly crimson, sails through the air as fast as Five did. It happens so fast and lodges straight into his eye, and as soon as it does, he begins to waver and fall, waving his arms for balance, crying out. "Five!" I scream.

This wasn't what I expected. Even Ella takes a small step back. I try to catch him with telekinesis, but like the ergokinesis, the Legacy doesn't respond.

SKATCH! —UD!

I sink to the ground beside him, turn him over, shake him, beg him to look at me, but his eyes remain closed. "Five, look at me! Wake up!" I rest a hand on his chest while the other holds his cheek, waiting, watching, listening for a heartbeat, but all I hear is mine, pumping faster than it has in a while. "C'mon, Five. Wake up, please..."

Two firm hands grab me from behind. They pull me to my feet. "Hey—!" It's the Mogs.

Setrákus draws closer. "I've had my suspicions of your true loyalty, Emily. This reaction of yours only confirmed it. Your affection for this boy was growing since before your first studies, and thereby, I knew you would break if Five had undergone a terrible fate. I must be honest, I cannot risk the chance of your betrayal at a future date, but you are of too much value to me to dispose of too early. I'd say stay out of my way, but I'm afraid I can't afford that."

"What're you saying? I can be loyal! I—I just, I lost my head."

"Yes, well, if 'losing your head' is going to happen again, I'm afraid I can't allow it." Ella's watching me. I can't tell if she's still mad or not. "Prepare for augmentation, Emily. I will be with you shortly." He nods to the Mogs behind my back, and they drag me out.

"STOP! I'll listen! I swear," I cry out. "Don't—!"