Rising Power (#1 of the Canton Chronicles Series)

Dreams Connected-John

Canton Western Outskirts – 9:00, 20th July, 250 A.D

The man stared outside his window, his eyes absorbing the magnificence of the scenery. Dark brown soil and black granite stones with peaks so sharp, they could cut a man to tiny pieces. That was the landscape of his beloved home, the Sky Mountains. The ground zero of the Great War, where the mortal Wagner had spilt the blood of all those heathens, alongside his beloved Goddess Magenta. So many proclaimed Heroes, so many false prophets, all fallen from Wagner's Power and indestructible army.

And then, a mistake. An abomination straight out of the Institute's Laboratories who turned the great warrior into dust and trapped Magenta into her ungodly prison. So many years had gone by, but the man was unable to forget. The memories were as clear as the light of day, and so was the pain in his heart.

Despite his sorrow, he found himself smiling. The slight movement of his lips always caused his scar to twitch. Irritated, he traced the thick line with the tip of his finger, all the way from his forehead to the base of his neck. A reminder of the lost war. It didn't matter anymore. The Institute was gone, closed down for defying the most basic of human rights. The old Council of Thirteen was gone too, replaced by a bunch of dimwits acting as the new Counsellors. And the Heroes...

The man's smile turned into a laugh that escaped the back of his throat. There was none able to oppose him and his ever-growing army. And when the time came, every corner of this land would belong to him.

***

John Lucas shook up from his uneasy sleep, his dream still vivid in his mind. Despite the terrifying nightmare, he didn't scream, shiver or cry for help. He had accepted his fate a long time ago. Unfortunately, his bodily functions disagreed with his already trained mind. His bed was wet from sweat.

Need...cold...water.

He dragged his feet towards his bathroom, his shaking hands turning the shower on. John's river of memories was impossible to hold back, as the cold water purified his body and soul.

The dreams he had were an anomaly. In a time where every bond with the Deities was cut and the Powers were forgotten, he was the only person in Canton possessing something that resembled the ultimate gift. He caught glimpses of other people's lives in his dreams. The things that had happened and things yet to come. Past, present and future.

John was oblivious to the reason behind his visions. Maybe his blood had something to do with it, the last descendant of the founding father Jonathan Lucas himself. No matter the cause, his extreme perception had brought lots of joy and privileges throughout his life. He always knew what his parents wanted, what his friends loved, even how to avoid his enemies in any given situation.

But there was also pain in his dreams, sorrow and suffering, but no one was allowed to be aware of the fact. His huge circle of loved ones knew only the mature, highly intelligent and "fun-to-be-around" John. No one wanted crazy talks about evil men or abused girls...

Stop it. Stop thinking about her.

Despite his exceptional mind control, his mind couldn't help but go back to her. The girl of his dreams. The very first prophetic image that popped into his mind in the tender age of ten, causing him severe physical and mental pain. This mysterious individual had been his secret companion ever since, through happiness and hardship. Her beautiful eyes, blue like the deep ocean, never left his mind and even though the girl had no idea she was being watched, John considered her as a dear friend. Maybe even something more.

A buzzing sound brought him back to reality. His cell-phone. He hastily exited the shower, wrapping a towel around his waist. His still wet fingers touched the screen and the name appearing there brought a smile to his face. He accepted the call.