The Black Knight (A Mercury Black Story: Part I)

Chapter 9

    "So, do you want to tell me what the hell is going on?!" Mercury said frustrated as he fisted his sheet tightly in his hands. To be honest, I never wanted to tell him any of this, of what happened to me, and how I achieved this.
            "Mercury-"
            "How long were you going to hide this from me, huh? Were you just going to keep this secret forever?!"
            "No, not forever," I argued.
            "Then when? How long, huh? Jeez, how many people are after you right now, Zuri? You are possibly the only person in all of Remnant to have two semblances and you are hiding in plain sight! How did you even get this power?"
            "I got it from my mother before she was murdered by Salem's goons, okay? What else do you want to know?" I said as my blood started to boil to a point where I was almost about ready to explode.
            "Wait, I thought you said your mother died from a Beowolf attack?" Mercury questioned. I sighed and shook my head.
            "No, she died the same way my father died. They came into our house after the transfer to my body was done, and she was murdered while I used my natural semblance to run away. It was an incredible gift for my mother to give me, to give me her semblance, but now I'm stuck with a dark target on my back by Salem... and there's no getting around it. That's why Adam was after me that first night, it's because he has known about me from the start. Someone who is working for Salem told him that somehow."
            "But I don't understand," Mercury shook his head, "Why lie about your mother's death?"
            "Because I didn't want that fear on you and Marcus. Fear attracts the grimm, remember? And if something ever happened to you," I said placing my palm on his cheek, "I don't know what I would do." He gave me a soft smile and pulled me in close to his chest. I smiled as I buried my head against him, earning a small chuckle from him.
            "Zuri, I'll protect you okay? But, please, don't lie to me or keep things from me anymore, okay? I'm not going to let anything happen to you."
            "Mercury," I sighed, "You can't protect me forever, you know that."
            "I can try, though," he said as I sat up, looking at the determination flaming in his eyes, "But what about your father? I know that my dad knew yours at a young age, but why was he killed?"
            "He was trying to take down Salem," I said answering him, "Salem wanted my mother's semblance so she could heal herself and her armies in case of battle. My father loved my mother very much, so he swore to protect her and myself. It was confirmed by my parents a very long time ago that I was supposed to be the first human with two semblances, but now that Salem is growing stronger than ever, I have a bigger target on my back then my mother did before she died."
            "Wow," he said in disbelief, "I never knew that. So how did that transfer thing work, anyway?"
            "My father was on a mission with your father in Atlas, and along the way, they stole a transfer unit that would complete the process of transferring my mother's semblance to my body when I was ready to obtain such power. They brought it to a shed close to my house and left it there until I was ready. When my mother learned from Marcus that my father was defeated by Salem, she took me to the she and transferred the powers right away before they could get to us."
            "But wait-" Mercury began until the door opened, Marcus entering the room, "Dad? You knew about this all this time? You knew she had two semblances and didn't even bother to tell me anything about this?! How could you?!"
            "Mercury, meeting Zuri that day was no accident. I knew about Zuri ever since she was born, and I've known from the start what her fate was going to be. She was placed with this target from the very beginning."
            "And you didn't bother to stop it? What the hell is wrong with you? You just put my best friend in danger!"
            "Son, there was nothing I could do! If Salem obtained Demitri's power, do you know what the world would be like right now? There would be complete pandemonium!"
            "So you're saying my best friend is going to die because her parents' thought it would be a great idea to transfer her mother's power into her aura? Were they insane!?"
            "Mercury, you're not listening," I said grabbing his face, "If my mother didn't transfer her semblance over, there would be a lot of people dead!"
            "But... but-"
            "I'm okay, alright?" I said, giving him a reassuring smile, "I'm alright. Now that I'm better with Crystal Mayhem, I can protect myself a little bit better. I don't need your help as much anymore."
            "But still, Zuri, you can't do this on your own," Marcus interrupted, "You may be a little bit skilled at fighting, but you're still no match for Salem."
            "I know that, Marcus," I said, nodding at him, "But what is it that you wanted to talk about?"
            "We will talk about it tomorrow, Zuri," he said looking at Mercury, "I want to talk with my son about his leg though. Don't get me wrong Zuri, you did a lot to heal it, but it's still not a hundred percent."
            "Okay, Marcus," I said getting up from Mercury's bed, "I'll just go change into pj's then. Is it ok if I stay in here tonight, to watch Mercury?"
            "I don't mind, Child. Besides, your powers are stronger at night when you are sleeping then during the day, remember? That's why you always come out of your room with no bruises or scratches after a battle a day before hand, right?"
            "Right," I said smiling, turning back to my friend, "I'll be right back okay? Don't do anything stupid."
            "No promises," Mercury said chuckling while I walked into the hallway, closing his door behind me.