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~ Chapter 2: The Forethought Five (Part 2 of 2) ~
~ Flashback~
Jack 3rd Person POV
"Stay down you little shit and shut up!"
A young Jack fell to the floor, his face stony and angry as his mom, Stacy Jacques had just slapped him on the face. The woman could have been beautiful once with her dirty blonde hair and blue eyes but now she looked very different as her eyes were bloodshot, her skin was deathly pale and she was sickly skinny.
Most kids would cry from being hit by their mother but not Jack. He had gotten used to him having such a crappy mom. Most days, he would have to fix up his own food because his mom was too high. Most days, he would go to his preschool himself because that's one of the few places he felt safe. Most days, he just hated his life and did not understand why his mom was such a cruel woman.
"You hear me?!" shouted his mother,
Silently nodding, Jack stood up and as he did, a knock came from the door. Stacy looked at him and said, "Get the door"
Silently cooperating, Jack opened the door to reveal a lanky, tattooed man. He wore a beanie on his head and had a lot of piercings in his ears and one on his nose. The man reeked of cigarettes and alcohol and his smell just made Jack want to throw up then and there.
He gave a toothy grin to Jack and said, "Hey there little man, your mommy home?"
"She's here," said Jack quietly,
Grinning, the man entered their small apartment. Jack hated it there because it always smelled like a hotbox since his mom always had friends over who drank with her, smoked with her and did drugs with her.
Standing by the door, Jack heard the man meet his mother and he could hear her giggling as they talked. The young blonde angrily stepped out because he knew that the guy would always come to bring his mom drugs and they would always send him out when he is there.
The young boy pulled out his Gameboy from his jacket and sat outside the apartment room and in the staircase as he tried to distract himself with some video games. He could hear his mom and the man laughing inside.
As far as Jack knew, it was a different guy every week and his mom used to be a singer in the bars who would meet rich jetsetters who would pull up in Miami and this is probably how Jack came to be; one jetsetter who fancied his mom, had a night with her and left the next day to who knows where.
With a bored look, Jack continued to play as people passed by him on the staircase. Nobody really minded him and his mom since this was a dinky part of town and this is where the lowest of the low lived.
Holding his cheek, Jack could feel it sting as his mom's hit had let a bruise on his cheek. Biting his lip, he just set his eyes on his game hoping to drown out everything else. Suddenly, his Gameboy just beeped out as its battery was drained.
Looking left and right, Jack focused his eyes on his console and with a surge of blue sparks from his hands; the Gameboy booted up again and was ready for use. Smiling to himself, Jack never really understood why he could do that and his mom would be furious whenever he would do it so he always kept his talents hidden but at least that meant his Gameboy would never be out of batteries.
An hour went by and Jack looked up from his Gameboy to see someone who stopped right in front of him. He looked up to see an old African-American woman. She had curly grey and white hairs on her head, a slouched posture and a rather busted up looking cane. She carried a plastic of groceries and said, "Hello there sweetie, I'm Mama Hilda. I'm sort of new here in this place and I could use some help."
The old woman gestured to her groceries and Jack raised a brow as he pocketed his Gameboy and took the groceries from Mama Hilda and said she smiled at him and said, "Come with me blondie, I'll give ya something for giving me a hand."
Coming to her room which was a floor above Jack's apartment, the boy was greeted with a dusty smelling room with a beat up couch, small TV, a working battery radio and a well-kept but small kitchen. Jack settled the groceries on the counter and the woman picked up a bowl and said, "You from the floor downstairs?"
She opened a pot and scooped up some soup like dish while Jack said quietly, "Yes ma'am."
"Speak up sweetie!" called Mama Hilda, "These old ears can't hear ya too well!"
"I'm from downstairs, Room 409." Said Jack a little louder,
The old woman put the bowl on the table and said, "Here eat this, you look pretty hungry."
Jack's stomach growled as he looked at the food and nodded as he sat down to eat it. Mama Hilda sat across him at the short table and said, "Where's your mama and daddy?"
"I don't have a daddy," said Jack as he ate the food, "Mom is downstairs in the apartment."
"Wont she be worried you're gone?" asked the woman curiously,
Jack shook his head as he appreciated the good taste of the home cooked meal. He hasn't had a meal this good in a while and Mama Hilda noticed this and said, "Ah you like my gumbo? It's a recipe I made myself!"
The young hero nodded as he ate some more and she said, "Boy…are you alright? Does your mother hit you?"
Holding his cheek, Jack put the spoon down and said, "No ma'am, I just uh…ran into a pole from school."
The woman looked into his eyes and Jack nervously swallowed. His mom had told him to never tell anyone that she hits him otherwise he would be in so much trouble. Mama Hilda just shook her head and said, "It's okay to tell me sweetie."
Jack silently nodded as the radio in the room that played some smooth jazz fizzled out as its battery had died. Mama Hilda got up and said, "Dagnabbit I forgot to buy some new batteries!"
The young blonde got up and said, "Let me have a look at it Mama Hilda."
Walking over to it, Jack held the radio and felt his fingers crackle with power as he injected the machine with the crackling electricity in his fingers. Mama Hilda opened her mouth in shock as the radio came to life and she said, "Sweet lord blondie! You got a gift!"
Taking a step back, Jack looked at his hands and smiled as she continued, "You can use electricity or lightning like the old stories my momma used to tell me about Sogbo and Bade!"
"Who?" asked Jack curiously,
She nodded and said, "Back when I was a young girl and I grew up in Missouri, my momma would tell me of Sogbo and Bade the Loa spirits of lightning!"
Quickly, the woman fetched some tribal looking bracelet and said, "This is a bracelet that represented the two; the storm makers of the Voodoo legends!"
She handed it to Jack who gracefully accepted it and she continued, "The two would always work together to make the storms. They were very powerful but they were also very responsible with their power."
Jack wore it on his wrist as the woman put a hand on his shoulder and said, "Look sweetie, if you feel like you have no place to go, you can always go here with me okay?"
Looking at her genuine smile, Jack felt warm in the heart as he nodded and said, "Yes Mama Hilda!"
From that day on, whenever Jack would feel his mom was too high or busy to notice him, Jack would slip out of the apartment and stay at Mama Hilda's. She was very kind to the boy and told him stories and legends of the Voodoo Loa which fascinated the boy. She made him delicious meals and made him feel like he had a home and for a while, Jack was happy. The only thing he hated was that he had to keep going home and that was something Jack did not really like to do.
A month later, as Jack sat in the living room of Mama Hilda reading her old Loa story books, an aggressive knock was heard on the door. The old woman walked up to the door and opened it to see a very haggard and furious looking Stacy. She glared at the old woman and said, "Where is he you old hag?"
"Where is who darling?" asked the old woman innocently,
"My son you crone!" spat Stacy, "The little shit didn't do his chores."
Peering into the apartment, she spotted Jack and pushed past Mama Hilda and said, "Come here right now!"
Jack stood from his seat as his mom furiously grabbed his arm and slapped him across the face. She reeked of drugs and alcohol and her eyes were more frantic and bloodshot than normal. Mama Hilda saw this and said, "Hey darling, no need to hurt the boy!"
"So this is where you've been running off to," angrily said Stacy,
She tugged his arm and venomously said, "When we get home, you are in so much trouble for running out on your chores!"
With feat in his eyes, Jack pulled back as him mom tugged him full force. The older woman stepped in and took Jacks arm and put him to her side and said, "The kid isn't going anywhere darling."
"This is none of your business you old bitch!" spat Stacy with anger,
Mama Hilda raised her chin up as Stacy gave the woman a powerful shove which caused the older woman to stumble back into her cabinet. Jack ran to her as his mom walked up to him and grabbed his arm.
"Let me go!" shouted Jack, "I don't want to go!"
She hit him again, this time with her fist as Jack fell to the floor. She dropped his arm and scanned the area until she saw Mama Hilda's metal cane. Stacy picked it up and hit Jack with it, across his body causing him to crumple to the ground in pain.
Crying, Jack could hear thunder rumbling outside as rain began to pour. His mom glared at him until Mama Hilda said, "Don't hurt the boy!"
Stacy her eyes full of drug induced rage, put her eyes on the old woman and raised the cane and hit her with it. Mama Hilda cried out in pain as Jack began to cry and screamed "Stop it!"
On the window, it can be seen that lightning was crackling across the night sky. It was pouring out and the skies shook with powerful booms. Tears streamed down his face as his mother raised the cane again and hit Mama Hilda repeatedly.
Each hit made the old woman cry out in pain until she was making no sounds but Stacy continued to beat the old woman spitting out curses and insults. Jack stood shakily and screamed at his mom, "Stop it! Stop it! STOP IT!"
A powerful sound of thunder boomed while lighting flashed outside as Stacy stopped and turned to see Jack whose eyes had turned fully electric blue and was levitating a few inches off the ground with electricity crackling and arcing all over his arms, feet and hair which arced off to the floor and the ceiling causing things to start flying around him.
Stacy dropped the cane as Jack angrily extended his hands and looked his mother dead in the eyes. Her eyes were frantic and terrified and Jack could see no love in them. Jack had decided that this woman was not his mother. He had no family now.
"J-Jack," called Stacy,
The young boy growled as he felt energy focus to the palms of his hand and he released as a powerful blast of lighting shot from his palms and struck his mother, causing her to fly and crash right through the window screaming, down to the ground below.
Immediately, Jack's body dropped as his eyes and hands flickered with lightning. He gazed at Mama Hilda who was no longer breathing and moving and began to run out the apartment and into the stairs.
Each step was heavy with what he had done. He had killed his own mother out of self-defense and failed to save the woman who had given him kindness. The boy's breathing hitched as he ran down the stairs and off into the dark and rainy Miami night.
After running a few blocks, Jack stopped on the sidewalk and saw a tall silhouette across the street. Jack could not see his face until a car passed by briefly revealing his gaunt and scarred face by the short illumination of the car's headlights. Another car passed by and Jack clearly saw the man in a suit, holding an umbrella over his head as he gazed at Jack. Fearful for his life, Jack began to charge up and electricity crackled around his body as he prepared to attack.
Suddenly, he heard a man's voice say in his head, "Stand down boy, do not attack. I am here to help you."
Looking at the tall man in the tuxedo, he gave a kind smile as he walked forward and covered Jack with the umbrella. He got down to his level and said, "You are not safe here boy. I know what you can do."
"I-I hurt her!" said Jack with grief, "I hurt her!"
Putting a hand on the boy's head, Prometheus said, "Hush now child, it was not your fault."
Jack clenched his fists as the man said, "Come with me and I can teach you to use your power for good and for helping others. You will not be safe on your own, someone as powerful as you will attract many threats and it will be safe for you to come with me."
The young elemental looked up into the man's gaunt yet kind face and said, "I'm sorry."
The Titan of Forethought gave Jack a one handed hug and said, "Hush lad, it's over now. Come and you shall rest."
Pulling out a glowing sphere from his pocket, the rest was history.
~ Flashback End ~
"I'm sorry kid," said Talon sadly,
"Me too," said Jack with a forlorn expression, "Apparently the reason monsters couldn't find me was because my mom smelled so horrible that she kept them away and kept me hidden. If it wasn't for father, I'd be dead since Children of the Big Three; especially Children of Zeus don't last long out there."
Everyone looked at Jack with a new understanding of him and said, "It's my utmost goal to control my power and my goal after that is to use it to save others. Now that I have you guys, I also want to use it to help the team and kick some ass."
He ended with a grin which cheered everyone up a little and he handed off the stone to the normally silent Alex. The boy pressed up his glasses as the flames burned hotter and seemed to turn into a flaming crimson red. The red flames seemed to unnerve everyone as it was the same color as his sharp red eyes.
Everyone can see the now glowing red stone in his hand as he said, "I don't want to repeat this story again but if it proves essential for the team, then I shall comply. My name is Alexander Santiago and this is my story."
~ Flashback ~
Alex 3rd Person POV
Allen never knew his mother. As far as he knew, he was a bastard, orphan, son of a whore who was just sold off to pay a debt. That is how he ended up with the way things were for him now.
He had just been sold by his previous owner to another. This was about the third time he had been sold off and Alex guessed that this situation would not be better than the last. His previous owner had been some big time factory owner in La Habana and he had to work himself to the ground just to be fed so that he could work again the next day.
Eventually, they had to cut some of the workers out and that included the child workers and Alex was one of the children who were sold off.
A big burly man with dark skin had him by the arm as he led him through a building. The man grunted and opened a door and shoved him through it and said, "Stay here mocoso."
With that, he slammed the door shut and facing the room, Alex pressed his glasses up and observed his surroundings. The first thing he noticed was that he was sharing a room with at least six other children. Normally a child would make friends but Alex had gotten used to not making any friends as they would normally come and go and getting attached would only hurt him. The other most obvious thing in the room was that it was rather small and cramped to fit all the children as it was just the size of a small bathroom but everyone had their own corners or was at least comfortable enough to be next to their fellow children. Lastly, Alex could see that the children were mostly scared and terrified of the man who had put him through the door as they were still frozen in fear as if he would be coming back.
Picking a vacant spot, Alex lied down and closed his eyes to try and sleep as it was the middle of the night when he got there. As he closed his eyes, the young hero heard someone call out, "What's your name?"
Opening his eyes, the rest of the children were either minding their own business and were trying to go to sleep but one of them was looking at Alex. Since his eyes adjusted to the dark room, he could see that she was an older girl about the age of ten who had olive skin and short black hair that reached her shoulders. She smiled at Alex and said, "My name is Clara."
Alex sat up and noticed that she had a mischievous glint in her eyes as he spoke, "My name is Alex."
He paused awkwardly as she said, "Don't worry Alex; we don't know much about each other here either. Most of us just got here same as you."
"What is this place?" asked Alex looking around more,
"The man who brought you here," said Clara lowly, "he is a with the rebel groups."
"We heard gunshots earlier," continued the girl, "Everyone is scared and we don't exactly know what's going to happen here."
The young boy sighed and said, "There is not much we can do then but wait."
He laid back down and turned his back on Clara and said, "I'm getting some rest and you should too."
Closing his eyes, Clara's answer fell to deaf ears as Alex had already began to doze off. The next thing Alex knew was being aggressively shaken awake by a large and rough hand. Opening his eyes, the young boy was greeted by the face of the man who had brought him in yesterday and noticing the dog tags on his neck; Alex could read the name Aguilar.
Aguilar pushed Alex awake and said, "Get up mocoso,"
Alex gathered his bearings and focused to see everyone already awake and ready to move. Adjusting his glasses, Alex stood up as Aguilar turned on his heel and said, "All of you follow me."
The group of children followed the man out the apartment and down the building into a grey cemented open area. It had a metal fencing around the perimeter and had several dummies on the other end of the area. Coming to the area, Alex met eyes with Clara and he noticed that she had intriguing green eyes. Feeling a little self-conscious about his eye color, Alex kept his head down while being led to a tall man in a uniform.
When Aguilar presented them to the tall man, he cracked his neck and said, "Line up!"
Lining up the children, Alex stood straight as the man scanned each of them. He could feel that the rest of his fellow children were nervous as they seemed uneasy and shifted from foot to foot.
When the tall man stopped in front of Alex, he looked into Alex's eyes and said, "What is you name rojo?"
"Alexander," said Alex with a straight face and stiff tone,
"Well," said the tall man, "You look like the type of person who can get things done rojo."
Next to Alex was Clara and the tall man inspected her as well and said, "Why quite a beauty we have here. You look like a princesa."
Clara stepped back nervously as the man laughed and came back to his original position and said, "Children! I am Senor Malagon!"
Looking at him, Alex too was a little intimidated because he gave off a very commanding presence. He was about six foot four and he looked like a typical Latino who had a thick mustache above his lip. He carried a firearm on his belt and he wore a pair of camo pants and a rugged shirt where his dog tags rested on while being tied to his neck.
"You all belong to me now!" shouted the man, "Each of you will be trained to be one of my soldiers!"
He drew his gun, a Ruger Blackhawk, and said, "You will all learn to shoot a gun and shoot it right understand me?"
The children looked at each other nervously and then jumped in fear as the man fired a bullet in the air sand shouted, "Am I clear!?"
"Si Senor!" replied the children,
"You will all learn to follow my commands!" continued the man, "Those who disobey me will be punished!"
Taking a nervous gulp, Alex nodded as the man approached him and said, "Here rojo,"
The man handed Alex his gun and said, "Do you know how to shoot a gun?"
"I don't think so sir," answered Alex with some hesitation,
Their commander pointed at a target at a distance and said, "I want you to try shooting that dummy."
Holding the gun in his hand, Alex could feel how heavy it was but there was one thing he learned being a slave for the most part of his life. Follow your orders and you will be fine.
The young boy pointed the gun at the dummy as the rest of the children and his commander watched. Alex steadied it as the revolver felt natural in his hands and he centered the sights and the barrel of the gun towards the dummy and with a click, the gun fired and a loud boom was heard as the recoil sent Alex taking a step back.
Malagon chuckled and felt his mustache and said, "Why quite a marksman we have here."
The man extended his hand, asking for the gun, and said, "You did well rojo, I knew you would do as you were told."
Alex handed over the gun as the man continued to say to the children, "You are all soldiers now. Follow my orders and you will not be harmed. Disobey me and you will be punished. Understand me?"
"Yes sir!" answered the children nervously,
Malagon smirked and nodded towards Aguilar who held a baton and said, "Listen up! Your training begins now!'
Alex took a deep swallow and did what he did best; followed orders. Soon enough, two months went by with hard training coming from Aguilar and Malagon. The children were put under a strenuous and killer program by the two men but Alex remained to be the best of his group. Alex was beginning to respect Malagon as clearly, the man gave praise to Alex as he performed well and the boy had a sense of pride knowing he was impressing Malagon who seemed strict yet kind enough to him.
The training was painful as the children were forced to undergo physical pain as they were often pit against each other to fight until their commander calls off the fight. They were fed just enough to survive and they were often subjected to fear and threat of pain for being incapable to fulfil their tasks. Some collapsed due to exhaustion as they woke up early and ended very late and disobedience of orders was grounds for punishment to Malagon. Every single child in their group had been punished except one. That one child was Alex because the young boy was talented and a natural at everything taught to them.
During combat training, Alex was strong and efficient with whatever he was taught and given. In their lock picking, Alex could unlock any lock given to him by his commanders. Finally in their firearms training, Alex was a very talented marksman who rarely missed and above all, the commanders liked him because he would always follow orders.
The problem was though, Aguilar would often be left to train the children and the man loved to antagonize Alex and the rest of the children. He would often pick on those who could not follow his orders but he had a specific liking to Alex in the sense that he would use Alex as a tool to discipline and harm the other children.
Alex did not want to harm the others but when Aguilar tells him to, he has no choice but to follow his commands. Whether it be hurting his fellow trainees or humiliating himself, Alex was tuned into doing what he was told.
"Like a good soldier," said Alex to himself whenever he was in doubt,
One night, training had ended and the children were sent to their quarters. Alex had been resolved early and was leaning on the wall, taking a small nap before the others got back. He was shaken out of his nap by Clara who had a rather nervous look on her face. Slipping his glasses on, Alex focused on her shaken face and said, "What?"
"I can hear someone commotion," said Clara nervously, "It has been pretty noisy downstairs and I can't find Tino anywhere."
Looking at her, Alex felt a little worry and urge to calm her down. The situation was that the children had been distant from one another as they were often put against each other and especially Alex who was Aguilar's tool when it came to harming them meaning the others were weary and scared of him but despite this, Alex got close to only one person; Clara.
She was an odd girl to be sure. Alex was at first hesitant to talk to her or associate himself with her but she was very persistent. The young boy eventually grew a certain respect for her as she always treated everyone fairly despite the distance between most of the children, she was rather skilled enough that she was also one of the best among them and she would encourage Alex and accompany him in their sneaking around the compound to steal and give food to the rest when they were rather short on it. He was also glad the she never held it against him that he sometimes had to harm her and she understood that he had to follow orders. Alex could call her his friend and for some reason, the young boy was sure that he could trust her with his life.
Focusing around the barley lit room, the lone light bulb on the ceiling gave him enough light to see Clara standing in front of him and noticed that there was nobody resting in Tino's spot.
Tino was a young boy about the age of five. Tino had a lot of energy but he could not follow the sequences and commands given to him as well so he was often punished for it. He was another one of the people in their quarters who Clara looked after and him being missing was really concerning to her.
She came closer and said, "Alex can you help me sneak out with me? We have to find Tino before Aguilar or Malagon finds out he is gone."
Alex glanced at the locked door and said, "Clara this is a bad idea, I'm sure he'll turn up soon."
"Please," said Clara pleadingly, "You don't have to go with me. Just open the lock and I'll find him myself."
"We were ordered to stay here Clara," said Alex defiantly,
"Alex please," said the girl hopefully, "for me?"
Looking at her, Alex gave a sigh and reached for her hair where he pulled a small hairclip from. He approached the door and began to fiddle with the lock. Clara and some of the others watched intently as Alex expertly twisted the hairclip and the next thing they knew, Alex was just holding the unlocked doorknob with his hand and faced Clara saying, "Its open"
He gestured for her to come closer and said, "Come on Clara I'll check if the coast is clear then go. Make sure to get back quick."
She hugged Alex and said, "Thanks Alex, I won't be long."
As she exited the room, Alex sat by the door and waited for her to come back. Minutes turned to hours as Alex's worry grew and said, "Damn it Clara where are you?"
"She's probably been found," said one of the kids Clara's age, "This was a bad idea."
Suddenly, heavy footsteps came from outside and Alex locked the door once more and scrambled to his area as did all the other children. The door clicked and opened to reveal Aguilar who looked absolutely livid. His face was stern and trembling with rage and he called out "Which of you unlocked the door?"
Everyone stayed silent as he surveyed the room. Alex kept his head down as Aguilar scoffed and said, "None of you brats are talking huh?"
He pulled out his gun, a Colt M1911A1, and pointed the gun on one of the children and moved his arm left and right as if to sweep the room and said, "If none of you confess, I will start shooting a few of you."
The kids started to panic and start to shift in feat and Alex took a deep breath and said, "It was me!"
Aguilar walked up to him and grabbed him by the arm and said, "Come with me rojo!"
The large man started to drag him out the room and the last Alex saw of his fellow children was their terrified faces. Alex followed as Aguilar crudely pulled him through the corridors of the building and stopped in front of a dark, wooden door.
Aguilar squeezed his arm and said, "Malagon will deal with you brat!"
Opening the door and throwing him in, Aguilar closed the door shit leaving Alex slowly standing up as he heard a click which meant the door was locked. Looking up, he saw Senor Malagon peering at him in the barley lit room. Alex could see him well enough but oil lamps around the room made him visible but the lights were weak and flickering. Behind Malagon were three figures; two were young while the one between them was one of a grown man. All three had a sack over their heads and their hands were bound so they were kneeling on the ground, immobilized.
Malagon gave Alex an impassive stare as he held out a hand and said, "Come rojo"
Taking his hand, Alex got up and nervously followed Malagon to the three people. He could hear that they were trying to speak but were gagged underneath the sacks. Alex's commanding officer looked at him intently and said, "Do you know why you are here Alex?"
"I disobeyed orders senor," answered Alex,
Nodding, Malagon turned to the three and said, "I am disappointed in you rojo, I thought you would follow your orders."
Nervously, Alex said "It will not happen again sir,"
"I don't believe that," said Malagon with a sneer, "You're going to have to prove that to me."
The man took off the sacks over the heads of the three to reveal Tino, Clara and a man Alex had seen on the grounds as a soldier. The three looked beat up and Alex was worried for Tino and Clara as both had wounds and were visibly in pain and in surprise as their eyes fell onto Alex. The man looked terrible as he had a swollen eye and his curly hair was cluttered and his eyes looked scared and frantic as cuts and bruises were all over his body.
Malagon watched Alex take a step towards his friend as he snapped "Hold it boy! You have to prove yourself."
He walked behind Alex and pulled out his gun, a Ruger Blackhawk, and held it out for Alex to take it. Malagon nodded at Alex and said, "Take the gun boy."
Taking it into his hands, Alex looked at Malagon as the older man pointed at the beat up solider and said, "He was planning to desert us; I punish those who disobey me and I want you to prove your loyalty."
The man spat at the solider and said, "I want you to kill him."
Alex couldn't believe what he was hearing. He knew he would have had to do this eventually but right now, in front of Malagon, Clara and young Tino; Alex was asked to kill this man.
"S-Sir?" asked Alex shakily,
"Kill. Him." Said Malagon with spite, "Do it and you will be forgiven for unlocking the door."
Facing the beat man, Alex shook his head as Clara and Tino looked at him in fear. He held the gun two hands as he juggled his choices in his head. He did not want to take this life but he had to, in order to be forgiven by Malagon otherwise he would be punished.
"Do it boy!" spat Malagon with fury behind him, "You are a solider now!"
The beat up soldier was shaking his head frantically at Alex while he screamed behind his gag. Malagon had been training him for this, he had to prove his loyalty now to make something of himself. He was a solider now and he had to do as he is told.
With a click of the hammer, Alex pointed at the man's forehead while the man's cries grew louder as tears fell from his face in sheer terror. Making a stony face, Alex did as he always did in the firing range; he took in a deep breath, steadied his arms, and pulled the trigger.
A loud gunshot resonated through the room as the soldier dropped down on his back, a hole on his forehead and his brains splattered behind him. Exhaling, Alex felt adrenaline running through his veins as Clara and Tino looked away and Malagon gave an approving grunt and said, "The first kill is always something special, you are forgiven."
He put a hand on the catatonic Alex's shoulder and said, "Now time to prove your loyalty."
Malagon stepped back and said, "These two have disobeyed me! The boy had tried to escape and the girl tried to free him."
"You have to choose!" said Malagon, "Kill one of them and then you and the one you spare will be forgiven."
Clara and Tino looked at Alex pleadingly as the boy was still shaking from his first kill. He shook his head as Malagon said, "Kill one of them now or I will kill them both."
The young solider looked at the two kids and considered his options. Killing Tino would be easier as he barely knew the boy but if he did that, Clara would never forgive him. Killing Clara then would be the other choice but Alex could not bring himself to do that. She was his only friend and she cared for him and everyone but she would rather die than having someone killed for her life and right now, the choice was up to Alex.
"Make your decision boy," said Malagon angrily, "I am ordering you to shoot one of them. Do as you are told and follow your orders!"
The young hero had a few tears in his eyes as it was sinking into him the he had just killed a human being and now he would have to take another life. Looking at Clara who was tearing up and Tino who was furiously crying, he could see that Clara was begging Alex to just shoot her but she was just as terrified.
"Shoot one!" spat Malagon,
Holding the gun forward, between the two of them, Alex was distraught. He had orders and that's the rules that he lived by; follow your orders and you will be fine. Though this is terribly difficult, every fiber of his body said "follow your orders" but this was not right. Malagon had trained him to follow his orders but this was enough, the man had made a mistake letting Alex experience his first kill, when he started, he could do it again.
Turning around and pointing his gun at Malagon, Alex had tears in the corners of his eyes as he held a stony and furious face as Malagon raised a brow and said, "What are you doing boy? Follow your orders!"
"No!" shouted Alex as his red eyes gave a fiery red glow,
"Give me the gun soldier!" shouted Malagon as he extended his hand,
Holding the gun up, Alex pointed it at Malagon and said, "You made me kill someone. I never wanted to kill someone. Now you are asking me to kill one of my friends!?"
Malagon frowned as he growled and shouted, "You are mine boy! You are my solider and I own you! Now do as I say and shoot one of them. Prove to me your loyalty!"
With a decision, Alex gave an angry look to Malagon and said, "You think you can influence me like that? I am not your tool and you do not own me!"
Clara and Tino looked at Malagon clenched his fists as Alex pointed the gun at him and the young boy continued, "Though you are correct senor, I am a solider now and what I learned was this."
Clicking the hammer, Alex steadied his foot and said, "A soldier does what he needs to do,"
Malagon took a step forward as Alex pulled the trigger and another loud gunshot was heard and Malagon was kicked back onto the wall grasping his chest as he bled out from the mount on his chest. He leaned onto the wall and gazed at Alex with hate as he looked at his bloody hand and slid down to the floor, leaving a bloody smear trail on the wall as he died.
Alex put away the smoking gun on his pants as he briefly thought about how easy the second time was and approached Malagon. He took his combat knife and cut loose Clara and Tino who ungagged themselves. Clara hugged Alex and said, "Oh Dios mio Alex, you saved us. You killed him!"
They nervously looked at Malagon's corpse and Tino said, "W-What now?"
Putting the knife in Clara's hands, Alex nodded at her and said, "I will draw them away, get the others and take them away from here."
Clara shook her head as Alex nodded and said, "Do this Clara, save the others and I will buy you some time."
She clicked her teeth angrily as she said, "I will see you when you escape as well."
Clara grabbed Tino's hand as Alex said, "When they pass here when I draw them away, go to the others and escape."
Opening the revolver's chambers, Alex saw three more bullets. He nodded at Clara who said, "Cuidate Alex,"
Giving her one last look before he opened the door, Alex nodded and smiled as he pushed up his glasses and said, "Cuidate Clara,"
Opening the door and running down the opposite of where he came from, Alex shot a bullet in the ceiling and shouted, "Come and get me bobo!"
This alerted some soldiers as they were flocking to his location and Alex ran and turned on the corridor and shot another bullet. He had one bullet left and Alex entered a wooded door to a bedroom with nobody in it. He locked the door and pushed a bed to block the door and shouted, "I am here! Come on!"
Alex heard Aguilar's voice from outside shouting, "We are going to torture and kill you brat!"
The door started to back as Aguilar and the rest of the soldiers tried to push it open. Alex stood in front of the door, waiting for it to open and checked the chamber of the gun.
He had one more bullet.
Fearing for his life and what they would do to him, Alex closed his eyes and hoped Clara and the others escaped. He had taken someone's life and did not deserve to have his own life anymore. Thinking this was the best solution; Alex set the gun's chamber and put the gun to the side of his head and closed his eyes as he felt the hot metal of the barrel on the side of his head.
Clicking the hammer, Alex prepared to pull the trigger until he heard a voice, a calming and kind voice speak to him as it said, "This is not the way lad. Do not take your own life."
Alex turned to see a tall man with a gaunt and scarred face wearing a dark purple suit. He had a ponytail and held a cane in one hand. He knelt down to Alex's level and said, "I was watching you lad. You are brave and a solider."
Glancing at the budging door, he gave a kind smile and held out his hand and said, "I need someone like you. You are a fighter and a solider but what was not taught to you was that a good solider fights for something worth his life."
He seriously looked Alex in the eye as grey met red and he said, "I can give you something worth fighting for. You can save others and be more than the solider you think yourself to be."
Tilting his head, the man smiled and said, "Will you join me?"
Alex, thinking this was rather weird and mysterious but it was better than what fate awaited him from Aguilar and his men. He took the large man's hand and said, "Good choice lad."
He tapped his cane and said, "Now come, this is no place for a hero like you."
When Aguilar and his men entered the room, Alex was nowhere in sight and they had lost all of the children they had in the compound. Shouting to the sky, Aguilar could not make sense of where the red eyed brat could have gone.
~ Flashback End ~
"Then that is how I ended up here," said Alex with a solemn nod while the crimson flames behind him roared, "A few moments from ending my life but father stepped in and showed me something else I can do."
"Bollocks Alex," said Cat with a surprised look, "That was quite a story."
"I really hoped they got away," said Felicia, "Father was right Alex; you are a hero."
"I don't know what happened to them after that but father said they escaped and as the solider I was, I am glad they did," said Alex, "I am a true solider now as father told me that a true solider fights to protect something, not to destroy."
Listening to him, he continued, "I will protect my new brothers and sisters with what I have. I am willing to do what it takes so you can all count on me."
Talon looked at Alex with respect while Jack looked at him with awe. Percy gave him a pat on the back as Alex tossed the stone to Cat who eagerly caught it. She focused and the dark crimson fires died down into a crackling violet flame. Her different colored eyes, violet and brown, glittered with interest as she smiled sadly and spoke in her British accent and said, "I don't like going back to my past but for everyone I will do so. My name is Catherine Loveridge and this is my story."
~ Flashback~
Cat 3rd Person POV
"Tell me what happened Catherine,"
A young Cat looked down as she swung her legs back and forth while mumbling to herself. The woman in front of her, a nun named Sister Cecilia who was an elderly woman in her late fifties dressed in a nun's attire. The nun sighed as she got down to the young girl's eye level and said, "I cannot hear you young lady."
"I didn't do it," softly spoke Cat,
The nuns tiredly massaged the bridge of her nose and said, "Then please explain to me how you managed to ruin the classroom?"
Looking around, the classroom where Cat studied with her classmates was in quite a mess. Tables were flipped, chairs were broken and the ceiling was dripping with water. It was as if a cyclone passed through the room and Sister Cecilia could not explain why.
The rest of the children gone to their rooms and it was Cat's turn to clean the classroom. Being left by herself, the nuns in the catholic school heard a commotion coming from the room and found Cat standing by herself in the now devastated room.
The little girl's eyes flew onto the scarlet notebook she had on her side. Cat slowly glanced up to the nun's strict glare and said, "I-I was just cleaning then things got out of control! Simba came and messed up the room!"
"Simba?" asked the nun as she raised a brow,
Cat opened her notebook and flipped through the pages and showed her a drawing of a lion with a mane. It looked like a child's drawing of a lion but what was interesting or in this case, horrifying to the nun was the different symbols littered around the sketch. They looked so alien and foreign that it scared the nun and while Cat flipped through the notebook, she saw odd drawings with assorted sigils and symbols she did not recognize.
"This is a drawing child," chastised the nun, "You are lying once again."
"I'm really not Sister!" said Cat, "Simba really was here!"
Looking at Cat, the nun could not really stay mad at the girl despite the mess that she had created. For as long as she knew, Cat was just a child who was left at the St. Joan Orphanage. The young girl had been a peculiar babe as she had pink hair and a rather unique pair of eyes, one amethyst violet and one honey brown. Her appearance was special but there was always something different about Cat.
The nun had been looking out for her ever since then but Cat had always been a special case. In St. Joan Orphanage, it was an all-girls orphanage and the girls grew up with each other but the thing is, Cat was never really like the other girls.
They would play, attend their classes, do their chores and go to mass and prayer sessions on a daily basis. Sister Cecilia knew that girls in the orphanage would come and go but nobody would adopt Cat.
The girl was weird as she just draws, scribbles her usual mysterious symbols and has an affinity for doing magic tricks like sleight of hand and the such to entertain her peers and the adults who would adopt her but the way she looked and acted just really drove them off. The nun was convinced that Cat was also quite the liar as things would happen and she would always blame it on her drawings as she was doing now.
Cat's peers in the orphanage were amused by her tricks but the incidents had been giving her some heat from the other nuns and her peers as once she entertained them but now the girls just seem to stay away from her and call her a witch because of her obscure appearance and rather withdrawn personality.
Cat was gazing at Sister Cecilia who blankly looked at her. The young girl was worried the nun would snap and kick her out every single time she messed up but the kind nun never did that and she was grateful. Truth be told, she really was not lying because Cat would see that her drawings often became a reality as they seemed to spring to life out of her notebook of sketches.
The nun looked her in the eye and Cat could still see the kindness in them. She was glad to have Sister Cecilia because her fellow orphan girls have been staying away from her and always called her a witch because of her magic tricks and looks. Cat closed her notebook as Sister Cecilia sighed and got up and said, "Come then child, let's clean this up before lunch then."
Cat's grew a wide grin on her face as she put her notebook inside her bag and reached for a broom while Sister Cecilia grabbed a mop. As the two got to work, the nun glanced at Cat and said, "Have you prepared yourself Catherine? There are people coming in to adopt children today."
A smile found its way to Cat's face as her eyes glimmered as the nun continued, "Who knows, maybe you will get adopted again love."
"Oh sister," said Cat, "I will get adopted, I am just that amazing isn't that right you old crone?"
The nun shook her head and chucked as none of the things that happened to Cat had really changed who she was. She was still friendly, kind, confident and a sweetheart who liked to sass back and the nun was sure that she just needed the right family because what made Cat so notorious in the orphanage was that she would always be so eccentric and different that most of the adults who would adopt would stray from her and the other nuns would report peculiar incidents and reports bordering on the supernatural were often consorted to the young girl so Cat hadn't been adopted the years she was in the orphanage but none of these crushing moments brought her down to the joy of the nun.
"Of course you will love," said Sister Cecilia smirking, "Just show them how amazing you were."
After an hour of tidying up, Cat wiped some of the sweat off her forehead with her arm and looked at the nun who racked the broom and said, "This is enough for now love, tidy yourself up for the adults coming today."
Nodding happily Cat ran out of the room leaving the nun to herself. Walking through the orphanage's dank halls, Cat made her way to the bath where she cleaned herself up and went into the room she shared with three other girls.
The other girls weren't in the room at the moment but it was just a small room that had two bunk beds, four small cabinets and a window. It was small but it sufficed for the girls who lived in the orphanage as this was the usual format of the rooms.
Sitting on the bottom bunk of the left bunk bed, Cat remained in the silence as she pulled her bag to her lap and sighed. Looking at her bunk, it was a simple design with the brown sheets and white pillow given to each orphan and the only thing different was the symbols and glyphs she had doodled and drawn on the bottom end of the mattress above her which was seen if she looked up.
Cat never knew why but she would always have to write down or scribble whatever came to her mind and she swore that sometimes, those glyphs would glow at night. Pulling the notebook out of her bag Cat flipped through the pages of the things she had drawn. The lion from earlier, a sword, a wolf and countless other sketches and drawings passed by her eyes when she was flipping through her notebook but it came to a stop at one specific page.
Holding the notebook on that page was a drawing of Cat between a male and a female. They were holding her hand and above it was a word in a different language but Cat could read it as clear as day and it said "Family".
Like most of the girls in the orphanage, Cat never really knew her mother or father but the other nuns and the other orphans always told her different stories but the one she was used to was that she was born looking different and her parents were afraid of what she might be so they left her at St. Joan's orphanage so that God may guide her.
"What does that even mean," whispered Cat, "Guide me where?"
Hearing something from the window, Cat hopped off her bed and looked out the window to see visitors entering the gates of the orphanage. Men and women in their thick warm clothes for the winter were entering the orphanage to adopt a child into their family and home. Taking a deep breath, Cat gave a wide smile and took off down the stairs into the main hall wearing her pink hair in pigtails and wearing her denim overalls.
Taking her place next to one of the orphans who were in a crowd, the group of children greeted the visitors collectively and proceeded with the visit. Cat was always hoping that one day, her parents would come back for her and she guessed any one of her parents would have the crazy hair or eyes that she has so she always kept an eye out for them.
Looking into the crowd of visitors, a tall man in a purple suit was conversing with Sister Cecilia. He was gigantic as he would have been about seven feet and he had a gaunt face that was riddled with scars and he wore his dark hair in a ponytail. He leaned on his massive cane while Cat raised a brow at him as she felt something oddly weird about him like she felt something that the man was emanating; a certain aura or a specific type of vibe if she would put it.
Standing close to the man was a girl who looked older than Cat and she presumed she was the man's daughter. She stood close to the man and was wearing a dark blouse and pants. Her long white hair was tied in a ponytail as she shifted from one foot to the other which showed her evident impatience.
Her attention was taken away from the man as a tall woman with pale skin and fiery auburn hair stepped into her view. She had misty green eyes and she looked lavishly decorated with pearls, velvet lipstick and rings on her fingers. She wore a thick fur coat while the man beside her looked stoic and was void of any emotion as he wore a dark suit.
The woman flashed a bright smile at Cat and said, "Hello there little one, what is your name?"
Cat perked up and smiled as she said, "I'm Catherine Loveridge! Nice to meet you!"
The woman swooned and said, "Oh you are just adorable! Isn't she Laurens?"
The little girl focused on the man and noticed his eyes were grey and was almost seemingly blank. He gave a smile that unsettled Cat and said, "Yes she is dear,"
The red haired woman gave her a kind smile and said, "Nice to meet you Cat, I am Lara Mia, you can just call me Lara."
Taking the woman's hand in greeting, Cat instantly felt uneasy as Lara's hand felt cold, like a snake. Cat could feel a strange type of energy coming from her and it felt familiar; so familiar that Cat could only identify it with one other thing and that was the energy she felt whenever one of her drawings came out of her notebook.
Focusing, Cat felt herself give back some of the energy Lara was emanating and looking at the couple, the pink haired girl bit back a yelp of surprise as the couple before her flashed into a different image where Laurens looked like a mannequin with lifeless eyes. Lara on the other hand was an absolutely horrifying sight for the young girl as the once beautiful woman's red hair was now an inferno of red flames and her green eyes became sharp and malicious with serpentine slits. Her perfect smile formed into a set of horrible crocodile teeth and her skin became shriveled and scaled while her fingers were rough and the hand Cat held showed Lara to have sharp nails which looked like they could rip into steel.
Seeing this, Cat took a fearful step back while Lara's face shifted into one of questioning and asked, "Is something wrong dear?"
"I-I have to go," said the young girl, "I f-forgot something."
Before the woman could say anything else, Lara took off back up the stairs and headed for her room. There, she lifted her mattress and pulled a paper under it to reveal a drawing which, down to the details, was an exact match to what the woman, Lara had looked like.
Taking a swallow, Cat remembered the nightmares she would get of the monster which was Lara chasing her and telling her that she would find her. She would awake at night in tears and shaking in fear in worry but Sister Cecilia had just told her that the nightmares would pass but they never did and now, the monster had found her, just like she had said.
"I have to tell Sister Cecilia," said Cat to herself,
Exiting the room and closing the door behind her, Cat came face to face with Sister Cecilia. Growing a smile on her face, Cat said, "Sister I was about to look for you!"
"Catherine," said the nun, "Good that I found you, someone was looking for you."
The nun turned around to reveal Lara and her husband a few meters away in the empty hall, the woman giving a wide and darker grin. Cat shook her head and said, "Sister I don't want to go with them, she's the monster!"
Holding the drawing of the monster, Cat showed it to the nun and said, "Look! It's her!"
Looking at Lara, Cat's vision became cleared as the woman's form shimmered to reveal her monstrous and reptile like form. She gave a large, fanged grin as she hissed, "Oh you drew me? I'm flattered."
The thing that was Laurens evaporated into smoke as Cat's eyes widened and said, "H-How!?"
"You can see me now," said Lara dangerously, "you begin to see through the mist."
She tilted her head and said, "Laurens was not my husband, he was but a doll mistform I made."
Taking a step back, Cat held the nun's hand and said, "Sister we have to go!"
She looked at the nun and saw here normally strict yet kind eyes were dull and devoid of emotion. Cat let go of her hand as Lara said, "No…"
The monster gave a cackle and said, "It's amazing what the mist can do to mortals like her; so easy to control and so fragile."
She gave a sinister grin to Cat as she extended her hand and said, "She is under my command so come to me and meet your fate or she dies."
"What?!"" gasped Cat,
"I am losing my patience sister," spat Lara, "comply or she dies."
"I'm your sister?" asked Cat nervously,
Lara slapped her forehead in humor and said, "Of course! You don't know!"
Extending her claws, Lara said, "You know me as Lara, but I am better known as Lamia, Daughter of Hecate, Goddess of Magic and a sorceress; just like you."
The monster waved her hand and formed a knife and said, "You see? All the things you create come from The Mist, this force which makes mortals see things differently but being a demigod, you can see through The Mist and being a daughter of Hecate, you can also use it to create things and so much more."
Lamia let her long tongue escape her mouth and scowled as she said, "I am mother's most powerful child and I kill those who may surpass me in the arcane arts. You sister are rather dangerous as it was hard to find you but the stories of what you do have echoed and I have finally found you."
The monster waved her hand and symbols of fire erupted in the air in front of her and Cat could clearly read them and she said, "Control"
"I hold the nun's mind in my hands," said Lamia, "Come with me."
Looking between the monster and Sister Cecilia, Cat knew that she had to save the nun's life. She was terrified, scared to death really but Sister Cecilia had helped her so much and she needed her now.
Putting on a brave face, Cat started walking over to Lamia until the young girl pulled something out of her pocket and dug deep into her gut and called out "λιοντάρι!" (Lion)
The girl had thrown a ripped page from her notebook which contained the drawing of a lion into the air. The page gave off a bright glow and the next thing the Lamia knew was that a fully grown male lion was in front of her and pounced to attack her.
Cat immediately ran to the nun and held her hand and said, "Sister! Sister! It's me! We have to run!"
As she said that, Lamia had torn through the lion and cut it in half as it evaporated into mist and formed into the page Cat had thrown. Lamia stepped on the paper and laughed as she said, "Gods you are powerful! The ancient language gives us power and you are just using them out of pure instinct! I was right to find you as soon as I could."
Taking slow steps, Lamia watched as Cat tried to stir the nun and she continued, "Us children of magic, the ways of the arcane and the ancient languages come to us easy. It is in our instinct to use The Mist."
Seeing her come close, Cat raised her hands to her and screamed "Φωτιά!" (Fire)
A torrent of fire erupted out of the air to incinerate the Lamia but the monster raised a hand and said, "εμπόδιο!" (Barrier)
A purple glow beamed in front of the monster and took the attack of fire until it dispelled. Cat felt her chest tighten after her attack of fire had ended and the monster cackled and said, "Foolish child, the use of The Mist is to conjure but to use spells to attack is to create and that uses the energy in your body and the more you use, the more likely you will burn up."
Lamia extended her hand and said, "αστραπή! (Lightning)"
Cat followed what her sister did and raised her hands and screamed "εμπόδιο!" (Barrier)
Green lighting erupted from the monster's hand the loud and powerful blast of energy stopped as a dome of purple energy surrounded Cat and Sister Cecilia as Lamia held her hand up and said, "Stubborn brat,"
The young hero felt herself weakening as the stoic nun was still immobile behind her. Her body was hot, flaring up because of her use of magic and she could not drop the barrier otherwise Sister Cecilia would get killed. Sweat dripped from her face as she stubbornly glared at the Lamia across her barrier as the green lighting crackled and hammered her shield.
"Go on sister," hissed the Lamia, "Either I kill you or you die burning up in your own spell,"
Taking a deep breath as she held the barrier, Cat shook her head as she glanced at the nun and decided that she could not lose when the woman who had taken care of her was at risk. She would protect her no matter what, even at the cost of her life.
Focusing with resole in her eyes, Cat growled and said, "Go away! εκραγεί!" (Explode)
A powerful force detonated outside the shield which caused Lamia's spell to end and cause her to fly back a few meters away and the hall shook as walls broke and doors shattered. Cat dropped the shield and fell to her knees, weak and drained.
Turning around, Sister Cecilia was no longer controlled as she collapsed onto the ground, unconscious. Cat was glad she managed to save her surrogate mother but a malicious hiss caught her attention as Lamia, who had burns on her body growled and spat, "I'll give you that sister you have talent but this is the end of the line."
Looking up, Cat grew tears in her eyes as she realized this was probably the end for her and watched as Lamia picked up her pace and brandished her claw. Watching her come closer, the monster stopped in her tracks as a voice behind Cat spoke, "Not today witch."
Cat turned to see the man in a suit earlier with his daughter. The tall man had a frown on his face as he starred down the Lamia and said, "Daughter, tend to them."
The young girl approached Sister Cecilia and put glowing hands on the nun's head as Cat fell on her bum to sit in exhaustion. The tall man rested on his cane as the Lamia said, "Titan! Be gone from here! You have no affairs here!"
"I am here for the girl," said the man, "I have been looking for someone like her and her life will not be thrown away and taken by a beast such as yourself!"
"I will not stand for this!" said the Lamia angrily, "Die Titan! διακεκριμένη αποσύνθεση!" (Arcane Disintegration)
A violent storm of purple and green energy fired towards Cat, Sister Cecilia and the other girl but a whirling sound was heard as a massive axe flew over Cat's head and cut through the storm of energy until it sank and stuck itself in the Lamia's chest.
Looking towards the man, his cane was gone and he had his hand forward as if he had thrown something. Lamia spat blood which burned through the floor and pulled the axe out of her chest and said, "This isn't over Titan!"
She vanished in a haze of fire as Cat sighed in relief. She fell on her back with heavy eyes as the girl with white hair put her hands on the side of her head and she felt a soothing and warm sensation. She slowly relaxed and said, "Who are you? Why did you help me?"
"I'm Felicia," said the girl who was healing her, "That is my father, Prometheus the Titan of Forethought."
"I saw you," said Cat weakly, "Bollocks, what took you so long?"
The Titan huffed at Cat's sass and said, "Lamia knew I was here and she put a rune which prevented anyone from coming up here but I just managed to break it."
He gave a kind look at the resting Cat and said, "You are strong to have defended not only yourself but the nun as well."
"We can take you away from here," said Felicia, "Lamia was just the beginning; we can take you somewhere safe so you can learn to fight and protect what you care about."
"I can also offer you something you want dearly," said Prometheus kindly, "A family."
Felicia grinned at Cat as she rested on her lap and gave a smile as she lied down and said, "I would love that."
"Great!" said Felicia happily, "I've always wanted a sister! Now let me finish healing you and her so we can be on our way."
~ Flashback End ~
"That's my tale," said Cat with a small smile as the violet flames danced behind her.
"So you're like a magician?" asked Percy with awe,
"Sorceress," replied the girl with pinkette,
"That's amazing," said Jack, "Alex told me that the Lamia is one of the notorious monsters out there and you held it back by yourself!"
"I gotta admit," said Talon with a smirk, "I don't like magic in a fight but you are strong."
Felicia gave Cat a kind smile as the pinkette tossed the stone to Percy and said, "Sister was right and I now have a family and I intend to protect it with all I have; whether it be The Mist, my own magic or anything I need to use."
She scratched the back of her head and said, "Thought I experiment a lot so I'm sorry if I turn any of your into animals."
Everyone gave a hearty yet quiet laugh at that and Percy smiled as he massaged the stone in his hand and looked at his new family. Like him, they had all been through so much and Prometheus trusts him to lead them and they all trust him to do his best. He would not betray and forsake what had been given to him and he was genuinely happy, happier than he had ever been in a while that he now truly has brother, sisters and a father who love and care for him.
Percy funneled his energy into the stone as the fires danced and shifted into a sea blue color. He nodded at everyone and said, "I'm so amazed that we have all been through so much and we are all here now, together and as a team. I did not expect this but I am to be your leader and I promise you all that I will do all I can to protect and fulfill my duties. You are my family now and I will never forget that."
Everyone gave Percy a warm smile as Talon poked him in the chest with his tail and said, "Well? Your turn to tell your story fearless leader,"
Felicia slapped Talon on the back of the head and smiled at Percy and said, "Go ahead Percy,"
Giving a grin, his past did not feel so heavy anymore as there were people to share his burden with now as they shared theirs. While Percy begun his story, around the corner of the hall and in the darkness, Prometheus leaned on the wall, smiled and said, "Well put lad, well put."
End of Part 2 of 2
Darion: That is a wrap everyone! This was a mind blowing 12k words and we proceed with segments of the training and story and transition into the main plot!
Niya: Hope this was worth the wait! Updates will follow smoothly now as break has ended!
Luna: Please leave a follow, favorite and a review below! It really does help us a lot! Till next time!