Edan & Hima: The Awakening

Chapter Fifteen

Edan removed his foot from Taryl's back. The young shifter scrambled away only to look at the spirit in disbelief. Her body shuddered upon looking into his bright red eyes. She felt uneasy as he stared her down. A shaky breath escaped her lips while she tried to muster up words.

"W-what," she hoarsely asked, "what do you mean? You chose us?"

"Yes," Hima answered. "We knew the calamity would return, and someone would wake up the Goliath again at some point. But we didn't yet know who would be receiving our spirits."

Victor looked at Hima with bewilderment. "But why us?"

Edan held his hands out while taking a step forward. His expression changed from his exasperated one into passiveness. "Because just like us, you aren't true shifters."

Taryl drew her head back in surprise. Her eyes flicked across the black floor as she processed his words. "I am a shifter," she growled under her breath.

"No, you're not," Edan scoffed. "You are the product of an experiment gone wrong. Your brother told you the story." Edan stepped back to the shifter before crouching in front of her. Taryl looked back at him and felt a cold sweat break across her body. "You were born human. So were we." He averted his gaze to the floor when his eyes changed to show regret. "We were stupid and cursed all our friends because of our ignorance and naiveness."

Victor attempted to crane his head forward. He felt a soft prick against his throat. His breath hitched, and Victor drew back. "What do you mean?" he croaked nervously.

Hima sympathetically stared at her friend. She glanced at Victor and soon turned to face Tiana. "900 years ago--before the curse--Edan and I were troublemakers. We were the misfits of our tribe."

"And our great performance was to find the Tomb of the Goliath," Edan said. "We didn't mean to release him into this world or any of the Dark Entities. But I was curious. I messed with the totems and accidentally released him, along with the curse that our people sealed away hundreds of years before."

A gasp of air came from behind, and Victor fell forward with a hand protecting his throat. Hima finally released him from the icy restraints. She stepped to the side with a twinge of annoyance painted on her face.

"We fought to seal him away 900 years ago," said Edan--looking up at the twins with a burning rage. "But now someone has gone and woke him up again."

"It practically throws away the hard work we put in to put him back in that pathetic tomb," Hima scoffed.

Victor looked at Hima with unease. "B-but you just said you knew someone would wake it up again," he said.

The spirit of ice scoffed, and she turned her head to the left; her skin still somehow glistened in the darkness. "That doesn't mean we wanted it to break lose again." She heaved a sigh while turning her head back to the three. "But as they always say, history will repeat itself."

Victor sat himself up on his knees with his hands extended forward. "Well, what are we supposed to do?" he asked. "I'm still kinda... new to this whole shape-shifting thing."

The two spirits now stood next to one another. They radiated massive power, which frightened Victor a bit. He looked to his sister, who looked at the two with slight awe.

"You have to fight the Goliath," Edan said.

Victor quickly turned back to the two. His face was with disbelief. "I'm sorry, what?" He climbed to his feet while shaking his head. Once on his feet, he began to shake his hands in the black air. "No, no, no," he let out a laugh, which was dry. "You've got to be kidding. We're just kids. W-we can't go off fighting a demon!"

Hima looked at Victor with her piercing eyes. "We did it when we were your age."

The young shifter threw his arms out. "You woke the damn thing!" he yelped. "Sorry for having the logic of 'if you wake it, you put it back to sleep!'"

Edan sighed, and he shook his head. He stepped over to stand by Hima's side. "Unfortunately, you both have no choice in the matter," he told the twins.

"And how come?" Taryl dared to ask. "As Victor said, we're just kids. Why should we be burdened with putting this monster back to sleep?"

Edan turned his gaze to Taryl as she sat on the black floor. "You harbor our spirits," he told them both again. "But with our spirits, you are both gifted with abilities other Quattons do not hold." He looked at Victor. "You are gifted with Hima's freezing abilities," then to Tiana, "and you, my flames. The both of you have heightened senses way beyond that of a shifter, along with telekinetic abilities. These should help you along the way of bringing the Goliath down."

Victor still shook his head. "Abilities or not, we barely have the training to take down some demon."

"He isn't just some demon," Hima spoke, her voice still chilly. "He's the Demon of demons, practically the father of demons."

Edan stepped to the side as he began to pace. He rubbed the scruff on his chin. "As for training, we will teach you in your dreams. You both have yet to find your other forms, which will be important."

Victor shook his head again. "Our other forms?"

"Yes," said Edan. "Each Quatton has four forms. You've only discovered one, which is like your base form." He continued to pace. "That, and you will need a team."

Taryl scoffed while laying an arm over her knee. "You think anyone will want to join this insane scheme?"

"To ensure the peace of the entire world, absolutely," Edan shot back. Taryl and Victor both perked up. Edan saw their expressions, and he sighed. "The barrier wasn't just to keep the Dark Entities out of the First Village. It was also to trap them from the rest of the world. There were two barriers."

"So the collapse," Taryl began, her voice growing shaky, "it... it was a collapse of both barriers?"

Victor's face sunk into horror. "What?" A heavy breath fell from his mouth. He turned to look at the two spirits. Their expressions were also sunken with remorse. Then Edan nodded his head. "So these freaks are going to just rampage through other cities?"

"Not if we stop them," Hima said. "That's why you also need a team--support for your journey."

Taryl turned to look at her brother. He was now looking at the floor with distraught written over his face.

He's worried about his parents, Taryl thought.

Taryl now heaved a sigh. She turned to look at Edan and Hima. Their eyes were filled with worry as they gazed upon Victor. Edan noticed Taryl turn her attention to them, and he looked forward. "How do we even start this training?" she asked them.

Hima glanced at Edan with a glint in her eyes. Edan flashed her a relieved, but small, smile. He turned his head back to Taryl with slight determination. "When you set out, every night you sleep. You will be here with us. We will train you how to use your abilities to the best of your advantage."

Taryl gave a brisk nod of her head. "Then we'll do it."

"Good," replied Edan. "Then there isn't any time to lose. The moment you both return, find a team and set out."

Victor lifted his head finally. His eyes were different. They now held determination and anger. Taryl looked at him and she could read his anger. She knew his main concern was for his parents and the others outside of the village. She was willing to do this to protect those they both cared about.