Affinities

Chapter IX

POV: James

Dalia passed out before us. I quickly rushed to her side to check on her. She was still breathing as I saw her chest rise and fall ever so faintly as if she was sleeping. She could be or just passed out from whatever rush of memories White Sky did to her. I laid her head on my lap and had the urge to lightly brush my hand on her face.

Seth cleared his throat ever so loudly. "This is not the time for sentimentality." He put two fingers on Dalia's right wrist to check on her pulse. "She's fine. She's not dead."

Not that I want to be sentimental but I do, thing is Seth is clearly being rude or just straight to the point that we do have a problem.

"Ok." I said in an irritated voice. "So what do we do now? You have a plan?"

I matched his gaze with mine, waiting for him to break away from it. But he did not.

"Head back to HQ." He suggested. "Regroup. We have an advantage now that we have Black Wings and White Sky."

Seth was right again. I did not have a plan in mind. Even if I did I would probably have taken the task to use Black Wings alone to fight against Vren. I have Dalia resting on my lap, Seth awaiting  for me to follow his lead and me..not caring about what's around me. I finally have her with me and that's all that matters. I knew that I always liked her but never felt strongly, deeply attached to her. Maybe it's just sentimentality is what I'm feeling. I'd like to think that. Years, thousands or hundreds of years have gone by and in those times I have grown to be mature and think using my head and not my heart. But there's that part of me that still lingers, that part where I have this crush...yes, crush on Dalia. I have to dismiss is as some infatuation and go back to reality. 

"Seth, you take Black Wings and I'll take her with me and use White Sky." I gave out the orders. 

"You aren't serious. I don't know how to control a vessel." Seth said. 

"I'll command it. Now where's the HQ?"

"Phoenix Islands, Pacific Ocean. The vessels can track the base. HQ will know if we are on the way."

I gave the orders to Black Wings. The vessel carried Seth on it's right palm and guided its hand for Seth to get into the chamber on its chest. I faced the vessel, White Sky. "White Sky, we need to go to Phoenix Islands. You've heard it during our conversation. I am not in the liberty to command you," I hope that the vessel will listen to me. "Dalia is unconscious now. I'll be with her until she wakes up."

White Sky understood the situation. The panel on its leg closed up and it laid its right palm up for me and Dalia to climb aboard. 

For her to get her memories was too much...I know what must be done.

I heard the vessel's voice, a woman's voice in my head talked to me. 

I carried Dalia as I got on the vessel's hand. The hand slowly carried us in front of the chest. The chest panel opened to reveal the chamber. It was similar to the chamber of Black Wings so I assumed that the controls would be the same if we would be in a combat situation. I slowly climbed inside the chamber while I carried Dalia inside. I placed her on the seat while I stood beside her. I then opened a panel on the arm rest. 

There's no need for that..I know where to go.

I heard the voice again. I closed the panel and let the vessel fly us. A few seconds was all it took for us to head out to HQ that I have never been to ever since. The screen in front me showed that Black Wings was following us from behind. 

Dalia was still unconscious when I looked to check up on her. She was the same Dalia as the first time I saw her. I'd say after all these years, centuries, I still have a crush on her. I admit it was a stalker-kind-of-move to follow her to her school. But I had to know if she still remembers who we are. We are the last of the Affinities. 

"We are 10 minutes away from the base." The voice, the woman's voice. This time it wasn't in my head anymore. "I am White Sky, the woman you've been hearing." I looked around but of course there wasn't anyone. "I am speaking to you directly, James." How could she know? 

"Yes, White Sky. You know my name because...." I let the words end right there. I wasn't sure how to react. 

"James, the owner of Black Wings, the true elite of the vessels created by the Elders." She spoke as if ticking of the list of accomplishments I had. "You have your memories ever since and it is now time that you learned to use your powers to prevent Vren from bringing forth another destruction."

Destruction? Possibly the same one which has destroyed my home. Home, that sounds weird thinking about it. 

I stood up straighter. "Yes, but I am still starting out and it was just a day or so ago or few days ago that I found Black Wings. So you could give me some slack." I didn't want to say that I haven't been able to fully control my powers. But Black Wings did give me this sense of renewed energy. "Also, I need to take care of her." I looked down on her, Dalia. Still unconscious. I did my best to hold back from brushing the hair from her face. 

"James, are you being sentimental?" White Sky asked. "I can sense that you are beginning to feel deeply about Dalia." She chuckled a little bit. 

I snorted. "Whatever, anyway, you said we are almost there." The screen in front of me showed the base. I thought it was empty then the ground opened up to reveal the rest of it. Concrete and metal. No vegetation, no greenery. We landed shortly and there we saw people and a few vessels, plain ones unlike ours. The vessels were on guard, ready to strike us if we did anything out of the ordinary. 

The panel of White Sky opened. I waited for Black Wings or for Seth to go down before I did. We locked eyes then proceeded to walk towards one of the person in charge. 

"Seth, welcome back." A man hugged Seth, he was tall and had white hair. "And this must be James."

"Excuse me? But who are you?" I asked. 

"Alto. Leader of the last of the Affinities." He answered. The ground started to sink and soon we were deep in the heart of the stronghold of the Affinities.