Chapter Four
I awoke to an empty room. I had wondered where Nicole was, but I decided to find her tomorrow. I had no idea what to do so I just laid there and relaxed all day. The next day I awoke and decided to find Nicole for questioning. I got up and walked down the lonely corridors until I came to an elevator. I stepped in and pressed the first floor button. I was not sure it I was on the first floor or not. The doors closed and the elevator shot upwards.
When the elevator stopped I got out and found myself in a mansion like room. I knew this had to be the school portion of this nightmare. I started off down a hallway and came across a closed door. I stopped, breathed deeply, and walked through the door. I ended up in a classroom with a ton of teenage kids staring at me along with Storm.
"Welcome Robert. See that you finally made it to class. Thank you for joining us. Take a seat there next to Jordan, or Void if you want to go by hero names." Storm said as she pointed to a big black guy around my age I guessed (Seventeen roughly).
"Um… Okay. I was looking for answers though." I said softly.
I walked over to Void and sat down in the empty seat. I looked up at him and he huffed at me. I shrank away as he stared daggers at me. I wished I wasn't there right then.
"Void, please step forward!" Storm commanded.
Void rose and stalked to the front of the room. Once there he turned to face the class and showed off a menacing grin.
"Please demonstrate your powers to the class." Storm said kindly.
Suddenly the room turned ice cold and everybody stopped moving except Void and me. I looked around and then back at Void.
"So you are the one that the Brotherhood wants. Come with me now! You really have no choice." Void boomed.
Suddenly the room returned to normal except Void was gone and I felt out of place. The rest of the class was clapping and cheering. Why?
"Good. Now Airy, Robert please step forward." Storm commanded.
Airy and I rose from our seats and moved towards the front of the class. Airy crossed her arms and stuck her nose up at me. I looked down at my feet and sighed. It was going to be a long day.
"Now these two will be the first combatants. Everyone please head to the elevator then down to the Danger Room. That is where combat training will be for today." Storm said and then walked out of the room.
I followed behind the crowd and listened to all of their snickering and laughing about how I was going to lose to a girl. I was smiling weakly.
When we finally arrived at the Danger Room I realized it was the same room I was previously chained up in. How nice. I stepped into the center of the room and was glared at by Airy. Great. I calmed myself and started thinking about a weapon. Scythe? I really needed a weapon. Suddenly my hands started to tingle and I put all my thoughts of a weapon into my hands. When I opened my eyes I was holding Death's Scythe. Fun. I relaxed and thought about fighting. My body automatically shifted into a combat ready stance. Maybe I could take her.
I watched as Airy spread her wings and summoned a Shepard's Crook. So she was Life and I was Death. This would be fun. We charged each other and swung. Our weapons connected and a shockwave sent her flying while I was pushed back a few steps. When the smoke from the collision dissipated I was standing and Airy was out cold.
My scythe vanished and I walked back into the crowd. Everyone was scared of me now. I was pumped.
"Good work Robert. Now you must come up with an identity to go along with your powers." Storm smiled.
"Nightingale. My family name. That is my identity." I challenged.
The day wore on and more combat exercises continued. I had no more fights that day so when it was over I returned to my room to rest. Sadly no rest came to me. I walked into my room and Nicole was there. I was about to walk back out when she stopped me.
"You were able to control your powers in that fight. Good job. Keep it up and you will be a hero soon enough." She smiled.
"Who are you?" I questioned.
"Cerebral. Why? Is my identity that important to you?" She asked kindly.
"Sorry. I meant your real name. If you were just looking for me then you must have been using a fake name." I said.
"Cerebral. I am born of the machine Cerebral. I am Cerebral." She retorted.
"Sorry. I did not know." I looked down at the floor.
"No you didn't, but now you do. Good bye." Nicole said as she walked out the door.