Wayward Mages

Chapter 30

Charlene

I haven’t seen Kaira since the trial but  I hope she's fine. Though my other fellow cyborgs have told me that they have seen her with Luke (also known as Kyle). So, I guess I wasn’t wrong about the whole thing going on with Kaira and Kyle. I just hope she manages to cooperate with Jonathan and his army so she can be safe...

Jonathan’s asked me to have my ‘Cyborg Simulation Test’ a bit earlier than planned. By a bit earlier I mean today. That test just makes sure that my cyborg training and abilities are going as planned. We usually have the test the first Sunday of every month, but this month Jonathan wanted it earlier. I’ve been trying to figure out the reason for the preponement of the test, but so far I can’t think of a reason that sounds logical. It makes absolutely no sense!

A bang sounds on the metal door of the room and seconds later a very heavy built muscular man enters.

“Who over here is Miss Charlene Burns, Jonathan is waiting for her in the Test Center,” said the man in a deep bass voice.

I raised my hand. “I am,” I said in a strong, unquivering voice.

“Well, come with me.” He leads me to a door at the end of the corridor and I find myself confused. This isn’t the way to the test center! Something’s wrong with this picture.

I open the door hesitantly and slowly peer inside. The room is extremely small and the only illumination is coming from a candelabra at the far end of the room.

I can see a shadow formed on the wall, shaped like a lightning bolt. Hmm, that's odd. I turned to the man who'd brought me in,  but he'd disappeared.

I ventured further into the room,  and the door slammed shut behind me. Meh. Guess I'll have to deal with that when the time comes.

I looked around, waiting for Jonathan to step out of the shadows to attack. Each cyborg is assigned a mage to duel with as part of the test,  and I got him.

Lucky me, right?

Someone steps out of the lightning bolt shaped shadow halfway, but it doesn't seem like Jonathan. The person's fair represents another mage, I don’t think I’ve ever seen him with other duelers. I don't know his name, though.

“Why are you here?” I ask, slightly confused. “Jonathan's my opponent for this duel.”

“I'm here in his place. He has some important business to attend to, and will only be available in two weeks,” the guy says.

I shrug. “Fine by me. But do you know anything about my sister's whereabouts?”

He shook his head. “Sorry, cyborg. I have not been informed of her well-being.”

He spoke in an emotionless manner, and when he called me cyborg, as if I wasn't human, it made me feel degraded. Oh, this guy was going down. He has no idea where Kaira is, and treats me like an inferior?

Hell no. I am not liking this guy.

“Okay then. Sparring first?”

“No. During this test, I want to work on your mental capabilities.” Huh that's funny, his words remind me of something, but the memory is faded.

“What are you proposing?”

The guy circles around me, still letting his face stay in the shadows, but I can see his eyes gleaming.

“I've heard that you have certain...skills, similar to those of your sister. Is this true?”

“No.” I'm telling the truth. Kaira and I have completely different powers;  I'm just tweaking my answer a little.

“Oh really?” He still circles around me.

“Yes.”

“So you have no magical capabilities? None at all? Keep in mind that if I discover that you are lying, I will kill your sister without a second thought, right in front of you.”

“Well…”

“Exactly. Do not try to deny it. I want to hone these skills. I know what these skills are, don't try to hide them. You can increase the temperature of a certain body, make it enough to create even a supernova, demolishing the earth. However, we are not on the earth, and this dimension can't be destroyed. But when you create this supernova, elements will still be created. According to many chronicles and annals, this has happened only once before. We want one specific metal that is created by that process…”

“Byrakir,” I breathed.

“Yes. No other element will give us that power.” He now spoke as if he was in a reverie, reveling in the amazingness of the substance. “The supplies of the last nova are exhausted.”

“So you want me to make more.”

“Quite on the contrary, Miss Burns. I want you protect your power. Your sister's as well.”

I frowned. This was unlike Jonathan. He would never do this, being the power hungry bastard he is. That means that this person is acting in their own accords.

“Who are you, really?”

The person steps out of the shadows fully, but still wears their hood. “I'm someone who you may or may not know, depending on Kaira.” He removes his hood. “I'm the date to the dance who ‘ditched' her. I'm Jake.”