Chapter 6 - Abel60Please respect copyright.PENANAVPfzwzn1fE
As I walk further into the darkness, my heart begins to beat harder and faster, thump, thump, thump, thump with each step. I press my hands to the wall and allow it to guide me. I feel the cracks underneath my fingertips, the trim around doors, I’m too afraid to open. I tell myself, “I should go back”, “I should tie myself back into the gurney and take my chances when Dr. Syd and Nurse Penny do their daily rounds,” and a barrage of other thoughts which rise to the surface as the doubts and fears grow. Just as I am about to give in and turn around, my hands slip off the wall, and I fall forward, tumbling onto the ground. A loud thud follows. I shut my eyes and lie still, expecting the alarms to go off, waiting for anybody to come rushing towards me to throw me back into that room, but I hear nothing.
Slowly, I open my eyes and find a red blinking light flashing down the hallway ahead. I turn my head to see down back down the way I came and begin to quietly lift myself up onto one knee. I shake my head and open then close my eyes, wondering if what I’m seeing is real. The red light continues blinking, and I grunt as I get back onto my feet. Still hard to see, but between the flashes of red, I can make out a doorway at the end of the hall. “Okay, Abel… you're almost there.” Sighing, I gravitate towards the doorway, gaining speed as I feel hope, as I think of the warm sun on my skin, as I think of busting out of this place and getting as far away as humanely possible.
I begin to smile as I see the door, and tears blur my vision as they stream down my face. I go from a job into a full sprint and lower my shoulder, bracing for the impact. When my body connects with the wooden door, I burst through into an open space, and I’m met with a pungent smell. One of death and decay. This large, oval-shaped room is illuminated with a dim, warm light, casting down yellowish rays. In the center of the room is a metal grate with faded crimson stains leading from several gurneys wrapped around the room. Dozens of gurneys with bodies underneath white blankets covering them from head to ankles.
I walk to the closest gurney to my left and read the tag placed on the big toe of the deceased's right foot. I pick up the tag and read aloud, “Dennis Monroe. Age 15. 5’ 9”. 155 lbs. Captured outside of Nashville, Tennessee.” The description underneath read, “Experimented, Dissected, and found no evidence of extraordinary powers.” I let the tag slip from my fingertips and move onto the next gurney. “Hunter Gunfrey. Age 17. 6’ 1”. 175 lbs. Captured outside of Atlanta, Georgia.” I begin to feel sick as I continue reading, “Experimented, Dissected, and found no evidence of extraordinary powers.” I panic and make my way to each gurney, reading the information off the name, age, height, and weight of each victim.
An extreme wave of nausea floods my body, and I run to the center of the room, puking over the metal grate. “I… I…” I can’t believe all of these people, these kids have been in my shoes, maybe even worse, then murdered and dissected to be thrown on a gurney with a tag and nothing else. The inhumane treatment of dozens of kids, they all had fathers, mothers, siblings, some kind of family out there hoping one day they’ll come home, instead they are lying in a room filled with other carcasses who will never breathe, let alone live to see another day. That’s when I hear him, I hear them. “Hello, Abel.” I turn to see the Dr. Syd and Nurse Penny standing in the opening of the room grinning from ear to ear. “I’m so glad you to see you here. You are the first and last guinea pig to see the collection of my work… and I can’t wait for you to be apart of it.”
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Chapter 7 - Abel60Please respect copyright.PENANAtEy62UILYy
I wipe the vomit off my mouth and stand up, swaying from side to side. I glare at Dr. Syd, then dig my fingertips into my palm so hard that they begin to tear into my skin. “That’s it, Abel.” Dr. Syd laughs, then sighs, “Despite your impressive attempt to escape, I’m extremely disappointed and quite dissatisfied with the results from your experimentation.” I grit my teeth and tighten my fist even harder, feeling a warm trickle of blood drip onto the floor. “You have shown much promise, and I was explicitly told you were the one we’ve been looking for… I mean, as you can tell, you aren’t the first one to be tested and evaluated by Nurse Penny and me.”
I spit on the floor in disgust and move towards Dr. Syd, “You sick fuck!! Why?! You are tearing kids like me apart, and for what?!” Dr. Syd chuckles, “Torn apart, you mean… past tense.” I scoff, jamming a finger into my temple, “God, you are sick in the head! What the hell do you want from them and me?” Dr. Syd begins to approach me, but stops about 5 yards away, “We want the results, we’ve been looking for for the past 18 years… You see, Abel, there is only one abomination known in existence, and someone from higher echelons of our society believes it's you.” Dr. Syd takes a few more steps toward Abel. “I had my doubts in the beginning, and as time went on, you did show several characteristics from extraordinary recovery all the way to being able to endure pain on a scale that none of my subjects were able to, but your powers never revealed themselves even in life or death situations.” Dr. Syd looked down, shaking his head and then inhaling sharply before continuing, “For a moment there, I did believe you were the abomination we’ve been desperately searching for, but it seems to me that you are blessed with lycan blood, but not Aldric… We are looking for someone who has a particular bloodline, a human hybrid with the DNA of both lycan and aldric, the one written in the prophecies long ago that would either bring the end to the clans or the rebirth.” He moves forward, taking a few more steps, “You see, Abel… this hybrid, this human holds the key to P.U.R.A.'s future to prosperity and ultimate power, giving them the ability to govern the human realm and the supernatural one.”
I grit my teeth and begin to step forward, “Dr. Syd, I hear what you want from me, but look around this room… You’ve killed so many innocent teenagers for what?! For P.U.R.A.’s gain or for your own sadistic pleasure? I may not be the “abomination” you are looking for, but this ends now. It ends here… You won’t hurt anyone else anymore, and I promise you that!” Dr. Syd chuckles and closes the distance even more, to the point where we are a few feet apart. “Abel… my new promising project. What the hell are you going to do about it?!” I glare at him and stare into those hazel green eyes, imagining a thousand scenarios where I rip his head off and throw it down the grate in the center of the room. Dr. Syd laughs, “You think you’re special? You believe you are more than what we’ve made you out to be?” He lowers then shakes his head, “No… You are nothing!!! Your parents were nothing, and so was your Uncle, so what do you believe is going to happen now??”
A burst of energy swells inside me, and a light pulse enters from my fingertips, extending to my core. My heart feels this tugging sensation and raw power, a tank of untapped energy I never knew existed. I pull harder on what I can only describe as a string, and I feel a transfer of energy go from my core into my hands. At first, the palms heat up, turning an orangish red like steel reaching its melting point. My face becomes warm, then hot, I raise my hands as they spark, and I feel this power I’ve never felt before. I see Nurse Penny’s face begin to shrink inward, and her grin turns into fear, then I scream as electricity swirls around my body.
Dr. Syd takes a step backwards, fear written all over his face. I smile and start to realize that he was wrong about me. This power, my power, doesn’t come from what they thought I was, but what I am beginning to believe I am. All of a sudden, an electric pulse bursts from my chest, and it knocks Dr. Syd and Nurse Penny backwards. Fear was shown on their face like never before. I grin and begin to harness the power within. I feel my bones strengthen, my skin tingle, and in one motion, I shoot an electric rod into Dr. Syd’s chest. He stumbles back, then wavers, looking down at his chest with a gaping mouth, and falls to his knees. I walk up to him and place my hands on the bolt of lightning shot out of my chest. “Dr. Syd, your torture, 'experiments', and treating other life as if it were a toy you could play with is over!”
Dr. Syd gasps as he coughs up blood. “You are and were always a sick fuck! This whole operation is done. I promise you here, and now, you will never touch another human being again.” As blood begins to pour down his lower lip, I smile, feeling vindicated for all the horror he’s put me and all of the dead around me through. I look up at Nurse Penny with disdain, and she starts running out the door, but she’s not fast enough. I materialize another bolt of lightning and hurl it towards her. The bolt tears through her chest and escapes through the doorway she believed would be her exit. 60Please respect copyright.PENANAlhkPerzf4w
If I can’t live for me, I’ll live for them.
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Chapter 8 - Abel60Please respect copyright.PENANAd8sg25RsKR
A few hours ago, Tre found and rescued me from the laboratory. He was suspiciously quiet since he did not mention how he knew my location and how he could get me out of there and somehow not be detected by either the doctor or the emotionless, possibly mute lady with the clipboard. I have many questions, but Tre wouldn't even look at me; he stared blankly at the ground. The kid seemed like his whole world had fallen apart, and from this moment forward, nothing could change the speed or trajectory of what would come to pass. The silence is too loud, and the longer I sit on the curb next to a sidewalk filled with trash, the more time I have to keep asking questions while receiving zero answers.
I wasn't in the best condition, but I stumbled my way onto the road and managed to stay on my feet while trying to find the North Star to lead me to some town or a restaurant at least; my stomach is growling, and the hunger pains would not subside until I got a something with calories in me. A cheeseburger with fries or a cheese pizza with ranch dressing as the dipping sauce, and I'm now regretting the last handful of minutes daydreaming about demolishing the first cheeseburger I get my hands on. A few more steps, I have to keep telling myself, a few more steps, one foot at a time. All I can do is close my eyes and continue moving forward despite the pain, lack of company, and a simple conversation; any conversation would be Magnifique.
At this point, I have been walking for an hour and probably went a few miles north, actually south… I now realize I don't know where I am going. I need to slow down, backtrack, and find Tre. He's probably still sitting down, counting how many cracks there are in between the asphalt. I have to head back, reluctant, but he saved my life, so I do a 180 and begin dragging my feet, eventually making my way back to Tre. As soon as I was an earshot away, I immediately heard footsteps approaching me, so I stop for a moment to really get a good listen… "Tre!" There was no dialogue, no response, but the footsteps continue moving towards my end of the road. "Tre! Is that you? I really need you to respond now…"
Suddenly, the footsteps slowed down until I could barely hear them moving in any direction. Don't get me wrong, every cell in my body screams for me to run, but this is Tre. Despite my lack of answers and the secrecy behind the absolute mindfuck of a situation, I take one step forward, then another. As I walk up the road, the fear and uncertainty wash away; before I know it, I see Tre. He's still sitting in the same spot, on the sidewalk's curb, with one light hanging over him. "Tre? What's going on? You haven't said a word and continue sitting here silently." Tre didn't move a muscle.
"Look, man, I gotta be honest with you. I'm scared… I was taken, placed in a lab, and heard noises I would rather forget; then you showed up. You saved my life, and I am eternally grateful, but I need you to say something. I need you to help keep me from freaking out before I have a complete meltdown." Tre took a few moments and finally stood up and walked my way. He placed his hands on my shoulders and then took a deep breath. "I couldn't—I mean, I didn't want you to see me like this, and besides, I wanted to give you some time before both of our worlds completely change." I close my eyes and take a breath in slowly, then exhale. "What's going on, Tre? I may not be ready—actually, I know I'm not ready—whatever may come next, we are in it together."
Tre took time to muster his remaining strength and patience about the situation, then spoke without pause.
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"Abel… I'm far from Human. My people, or what mortals would call "kind" are known as The Lycan, but technically, I'm a halfblood. My mother was human/mortal, but my father was a mix between Lycan and Aldric. Neither Lycans nor Aldrics will accept me into their clan… the mortal world is relatively the same but much more accommodating than my realm. I'm the only one of my kind, so I thought. There are legends told to this day by the ancients about such a creature. A creature who would bring about the end of days for all realms, including this one. I—I have lived a life of shame, and after my mother passed, I had no one to protect me anymore, just like you. I had no idea why we ever became friends, maybe because of the devasting losses we've experienced, but it's more apparent than ever before… Our fates have intertwined, and the Gods have led us to each other. We—"I had to interrupt him so my mind could process all of the information Tre sent me. "W-Wait, so you are telling me and let me know if I'm off here… Werewolves and Vampires are real. You are a third Lycan, a third Aldric, and Human or mortal, as your "kind" calls us. Am I hitting all the right notes here?" Tre nodded his head in agreement. "Okay, wow…" My only response was to begin pacing back and forth, stroking my stubble or lack of one, hoping this would help trigger something to make this all make sense.
I can't believe what I'm hearing right now; there are no words. I want to think Tre's a liar who made up this story to protect himself from whatever happened back at that creepy place, back at that lab where I thought my days were over. The worst part is that Tre wasn't a liar. In the past couple of years, we grew to know each other well. Other than his questionable taste for foods like fries dipped in mayo mixed with Frank's Red Hot Sauce or the occasional order of fried pickles—absolutely gross—our bond was always strong. I'd like to believe stronger than most as if we were brothers in a past life or some form of history together, maybe even ancient history.
"Abel, what questions do you have for me? We are safe now, so I can answer whatever you throw at me. This entire week has been insane, one I'd like to forget. It's like walking into a mental institution and admitting yourself to a lovely stay in a white bedroom with four aesthetically pleasing white walls to stare at for the next 72 hours." I chuckled at his analogy. "You paint an image that actually sounds more normal and quite appealing compared to our conversation," Tre smirked, but it faded just as quickly as it came.
"Okay, I mean… why am I here? What do I have to do with any of this? Lastly, why was I so important to kidnap?" Tre lowered his head, taking much longer to answer than I'd like. "I never thought the day would ever come, much less did I think there was someone out there like me… possibly more valuable than someone like me…" Tre shook his head as if to shake off the overwhelming distaste for whatever thoughts continued to fester. "I-I have no idea what you are saying… I-I'm no one special; I never was and never will be. My whole life has been a series of tragedies, a series of several unfortunate events. You can't t—". Tre cut me off; his hands shaking, he clenched his hand, and it turned into a fist; he was beginning to lose his patience.
"Abel, people like us… beasts like us will always have a tragic tale; we will only live with uncertainty and fear for the rest of our lives. However long that may be, there is no time for us to be any less than what we are now. Trust me, I have been there! Questioning every moment of my existence and what kind of Gods what kind of twisted minds could bring such a brutal fate to anyone… let alone someone with no one to lean on or receive any answers for the millions of questions I've asked over the years. It is not fair, but life has never been fair. Now that we are together, all we can do is survive and stick to what we know is true, not what we'd like to be true. I—I'm so sorry this is happening to you. T-There is only one question we can ask ourselves: Do I want to live or die? And this is a question only you can answer; no external force can change or make this decision for you." We stand in silence for a few minutes, then I look up at Tre and pitch him pretty hard, then pinch myself for further confirmation; this is not a horrible nightmare but my reality.
On cue, this is where my mind wants to check out permanently. What can I say? Zero answers can quench this thirst for knowledge I cannot attain tonight. At the moment, I want to lay in a bed, get under the covers, and then curl up into a ball, praying this all goes away in the morning. "I hear you, Tre… there is nothing more to be said, and I'm exhausted. We need to find a nice place to sleep for the night. I don't care where we have to go. I will walk for however long it will take to get to a hotel or motel. We both need the rest." Tre nods his head and changes the conversation. "Alright, on my way here, I don't remember passing any motels, but I saw an RV Campground, which usually has some cabins available for a few nights to a week. Maybe we can get lucky and convince the manager or the owner to let us stay for the night. A campground is much more discreet than a motel or hotel. Most of the time, families or retirees head over during the summer. Sound like a plan?" I nod, and we begin going towards the Campground on the neverending, frightening, pitch-black road to end this brutal night.
We arrive at Dale & Tina's RV Campground. The slogan underneath says We Treat Our Guests As Familly with lifesize cutouts of who I can safely assume are good ole Dale & Tina. In the daylight, I'm sure this was cute for families and other guests driving through the entrance, but at this hour, I swear, those cutouts had the Mona Liza effect. The eyes of Dale & Tina seem to follow us as we head towards the front Office. I keep having this nagging thought Tre and I are being watched. I am so uncomfortable; I already want to turn around and take our chances sleeping in the woods; no amount of comfort is worth waking up in the middle of the night with Dale & Tina's cutout staring at me with that smile through one of the windows in the cabin.
As I keep looking over my shoulder, Tre and I reach the Office and start walking up the old and creaky steps, which is the cherry on top, or as they say in French, piece de resistance. Tre opens the door, and we both enter. The smell of the damp carpet, stinky feet, and low lighting make it hard to see the appeal of this place. At the front desk, we see no one, not a single person. The building seems abandoned; the dead mice in the corner might be the last sign of life this Office has seen since Y2K. We cautiously approach the counter, ensuring the eyes in the back of our heads stay alert and ready to flee at any moment. I ask Tre if he can watch my back as I take a quick tour through the Employee's Only Office.
"I am going in the back to hopefully find someone or a set of keys to a cabin. Are you good here?" Tre is looking as nervous as I feel on the inside right now. "Yeaahh, let's get this over with… nothing about this place feels right. I can't put my finger on it, but Dale & Tina's lifesize cutout… enough said." Tre and I would not have entertained staying here in another situation, but we have no choice. I leap over the counter, hoping it doesn't come crashing down, getting a face full of deteriorating carpet carcass and whatever that stain had been in its previous life. I make it to the door down the hallway and turn the knob, thankfully, it is unlocked, but as I push the door, I meet an unmovable object. "Tre, I need you for a moment; something is blocking the doorway, and I can't move it on my own; it's not budging anymore than it was a couple of minutes ago." He leaps over the counter and approaches me; we both place our right shoulders on the door and then push. I look at Tre, and we both have the same expression of fear, but he must have read my mind because he takes the lead.
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Chapter 9 - Abel60Please respect copyright.PENANACScdhoVlug
We walk through the doorway, and surprisingly enough, the room is pristine. Compared to the rest of the Office, this area is considered heaven, and out there is hell. "I'm not sure why it's so clean and alive in this room, but the entrance is the exact opposite. Besides the couch blocking the door and this lone set of keys hanging on one of the pegs on the wall, I see nothing else useful to us." Tre shrugs his shoulders and grabs the keys, speeding back towards the entrance. I did not hesitate to follow and shut the door behind us. "Yo, dude! Wait up; I don't want to be the latest victim of Dale & Tina's RV Campground, where "We Treat Our Guests As Family."
I finally reach the entrance to head out and see Tre standing out front, just looking at the sky. "Hey man, you ready to go? We should get some rest before—". He lets go of the keys, and they hit the gravel lying next to his right foot. I nudge Tre, then pick up the keys, wondering why we aren't getting as far away from that building they call the Front Office. I look over at him and decide to follow suit; at first, I can't make out whatever rattled him. "Tre? I'm not sure what you are looking at, but we should head over to our—"Out of the corner of my eye, a grayish-white flash illuminated my peripherals, and slowly, I turn towards the light, then drop the keys.
I realize everything Tre explained earlier had to be 100% true… In the light, I don't have to squint, nor do I feel any strain in my eyes or a blur in vision. All around us, the Campground's electricity comes alive; as the light approaches us, the lightbulbs begin to pop one by one until there is a surge of energy. The force of the shockwave throws me at least 20 feet back into the Office, but this time, I enter through one of the windows. I become one with the counter, take a few minutes to get up, and then shake the glass off my clothes. I see no sign of Tre; I rush outside and find him unconscious with a piece of wood sticking out of his left shoulder. I shake him as hard as I can, screaming at the top of my lungs with no response.
My instincts take over, and I pick up Tre; I run as fast I can while carrying him, and as soon as I pass the edge of the Office building, another shockwave sends us barreling toward the first cabin. Fortunately, Tre rolls underneath the cabin and out of sight, possibly away from any more danger. I catapult into a few electrical boxes; I sit up, but this time, I don't recover fast enough, and a wave of pain goes shooting through my right arm, then my shoulder. I reach over with my left arm; first, I feel some rod, and this is when I feel the shock of electricity run through my body. Strange enough, I don't feel weaker or in pain… just different.
I hear Tre groaning under the cabin, and then, out of nowhere, someone pushes the rod deeper into my shoulder and proceeds to rip the rod out from my arm. I have no clue what this thing is, but it begins to descend and lands on the ground. The size of this thing has to be around 8 feet tall with a muscular build that would make Arnold Schwarzenegger look miniscule in comparison, and I'm talking about his bodybuilding era. I can offer zero references to describe an image of this magnitude because crossing paths with a creature so terrifying would scar you for life. I am talking about a type of trauma that even David Goggins couldn't overcome.
This creature went from standing on two limbs to transitioning to four, crunching the gravel underneath its four paws. On its back, I see two golden spears with a black glossy tip, but one is still painted with blood, which I can safely assume is mine. As it slowly creeps toward Tre, another burst of energy runs through my body. I start seeing a light purple aura around my hands, with sparks crackling on my fingertips as they zip from one finger to the next, forming a cross over each palm. I stay pinned to the electrical boxes, grabbing the spear with my left hand and pulling.
As the pain becomes more excruciating, I continue tearing my shoulder apart inch by inch until the spear is entirely out now. At this point, the creature is a few yards away from Tre; at any minute, it would have him in its grasp, and whatever follows may take both of our lives. I manage to stand on my two feet, stumbling forward, lopsided, leaning to the right with blood running from my shoulder to my arm, trickling down my hand. I turn and bend over to pick up the spear; I genuinely believe my human strength is not enough to hold and then carry.
Now, my heart drops; I hear Tre struggle. I hope the small opening he flew into would be enough to stop the creature, but then there is the sound of claws tearing through a lattice fence that shelters him. As the splinters fly my way, I move closer and closer, dragging the spear behind me. The weight of it seems to be getting heavier and heavier with each step. I feel the warm drops of blood continuing to run one by one; my shoe begins to soak, then collect each drop, seeping into the tan cotton material. The rest make a trail; when the police arrive, they can track us down solely by following the red path tethered to my fading life source.
The creature crawls through what used to be a fence, then grabs Tre by the leg, kicking and grunting; he yells, "Get off me!!". I can barely get a word out, so instead, I use the last of my energy to lift the spear with both hands. The entire right side of my body burns, and I feel my muscles tearing apart, one fiber at a time. Inhale… Exhale, Inhale… Exhale, each breath feels like it'll probably be my last. Despite the previous several hours of bewilderment and the fantastical nightmare of a situation, I can bet my life on one truth: Tre saved my life. The rest of the tale is a subject for another time, but at this moment, his sacrifice and pure selflessness remind me of who and what Arther was. The familial presence is protective and unconditional love for someone you care for or can't live without.
Clarity washes over me; I understand what I must do. "Hey! Ugly! My goodness, you smell worse than the Front Office. I'm unsure if I should be impressed or repulsed, maybe both. Either way, You left your spear, and apart from the pain, you've really pissed me off. Why don't you come my way so we can handle this as a couple of pacifists would." The creature had Tre in his hands, ready to rip him to shreds, but at that moment, whatever I said struck a chord, and in the worst way possible, he chucks Tre aside. It begins to move towards me with ease; I can hear his paws crunching on top of the gravel, making the tiny rocks shift with every step. "You must be stupid or have a death wish. I'm assuming both." The creature speaks; it sounds male; his voice is raspy and filled with darkness, an unsettling and cringe-worthy tone that makes my entire body shiver from head to toe.
"I know you… Sons of Electi, the chosen. Your existence is blasphemous! Every breath you take insults those who've come before you. I told Master he's been too generous, but he kept saying, the timing isn't right; we need them alive just a bit longer." "Your master sounds quite reasonable with his whole plan in keeping us alive," I said. Hoping the creature might come to his senses, which he didn't. "Foolish boy! You know nothing. We are the ones who took everything away from you and everyone you loved. We were the force behind those accidents that claimed the lives of your parents and uncle. These tragedies were not coincidental; they were manufactured and executed perfectly. I led all three expeditions, and it was a pleasure to watch them each fade away. I enjoyed every second, especially knowing the despair that would encapsulate your entire life from that moment onward." "You Freak!! You stupid beast!! Come over here so we can end this. It will either be you or me digging a grave for the other; quit wasting my time so I can rearrange your face. Trust me, you'll look a lot prettier afterward." The creature snarled, flexing its upper body, making himself look two times the size he just was.
"Is that a threat?" He smiles, amused by my blind courage and willful ignorance of what will happen next. His back two paws dig into the gravel, and his form reminded me of one of those Olympic sprinters, waiting for the sound of a gunshot to set them free. "Enough," I said. I dig my shoes into the gravel and hold up the top half of the spear at a 45-degree angle. Praying to the Gods, any god willing to listen, asking them to have mercy on my soul and help save and protect Tre after this deathmatch is over. The creature and I lock eyes, waiting for the other to make a move, surrendering themselves to the interwoven strings of fate. "Savor those last few breaths, Son of Electi. My name is Serverus, Son of the Unclaimed and the right hand of King Plaga" In a dash, almost at the speed of light, the creature tears through the air, lunging at me with all its might. The last thought I have before closing my eyes is, "I'm so dead."
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Chapter 10 - Abel60Please respect copyright.PENANAnNH2Ydv8rt
How brilliant of me to close my eyes as I face Serverus, the creature almost triple my size and so terrifying that old nightmares seem like some of the fondest dreams I've ever had. The gods must have answered my prayers because when I open my eyes, his claws are inches away from my neck, ready to slash my throat, then shred the rest of my body into itty bitty pieces, giving him all the satisfaction he desires. Strangely enough, Serverus is barely moving, as if frozen in time. Before making any moves, I analyzed his face with excruciating detail.
He has a wide grin, gums as black as night, and teeth as sharp and shiny as a scalpel. The gray part of his eyes surrounds the red pupils with a light blue iris in the middle. It's hard to look away momentarily; I lose my current thoughts entirely. Next, I notice his palms have several wrinkles from years, maybe hundreds of years, leaving trails of the body behind. I look at his muscles rippling from the wrist to his shoulders. As I begin to examine the rest of his body, I feel a sharp pain from two of his five claws reaching my neck. I pull away, forcing myself to come back to the present.
As I feel the rest of his claws entering deeper, piercing my throat. I look down at the spear, Serverus's golden spear, to be exact, which, if I make it out of this alive, will make the victory that much sweeter. Grayish-white sparks collect and form an aura of energy around my hands; then, I see the tip of the spear glow. I feel the same energy flowing through my body from head to toe, reminding me of when I felt pinned against those electrical boxes again. I guess the rod must be charging up because the metal is getting hotter and hotter, where my hands maintain their grip. Now, the rod continues to glow brighter and brighter, resembling the color of molten lava, an orangish red with speckles of black popping from the surface. I can't tell why or how I knew to thrust the spear into Serverus's chest, aiming for his heart, wondering if he even had one.
The tip of my spear collides, and then I twist the rod as it runs through his chest. A pulse of energy flows through me and up the spear. The energy goes into Serverus, and then time reverts back into its original state; I see bewildering and fearful expressions as if our fates were set in stone long ago and someone had just flipped the script. As he steps backward, I can smell the hair on his body singe; the grayish-white sparks dancing around him, and a hole in his chest where a golden spear should be. Serverus falls to his knees, looking down at what used to be his chest, grunting and wheezing as he inhales and exhales. His upper body begins to give out, gravity pulls him to the ground, and he extends his arms with his front paws, keeping him from traveling headfirst into the gravel. He starts panting and continues to try to catch his breath. "How? Th-This can't be… I haven't seen this kind of… power in ages" Serverus takes one last look at me; remember my words ?… "There. Can. Only. Be. One."
Shortly after his ominously cryptic message, roots came out of the ground through the gravel, and the earth swallowed Serverus. In my peripheral, Tre slowly gets up; I can hear his foot dragging through the gravel. By the time he gets to me, I collapse, gazing at the Stars under the moonlight. For some reason, the night sky looks different tonight, or maybe I feel different. I may not be able to accept everything that has occurred in the last 6 hours, but at the very least, I gained a new perspective. "Now, I know my parents and Arther's death wasn't an accident caused by coincidence; I don't believe the universe itself was conspiring against me any longer. There is more than what meets the eye; nothing and no one will continue to hide the truth. I must learn to accept reality and face it head-on. From this moment, I vow to dedicate my entire existence to figuring out who I am, what planned this, and why." My vision becomes blurred; every breath feels like I barely get enough oxygen. Before I realize what comes next, my vision's outer edges get darker until the darkness consumes the stars and the night sky. I slowly close my eyes; then I take in one last breath before going unconscious.
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