Dominions

Chapter 19: Asher

 Asher used to joke about everyone in this town being a zombie. From a young age, he learned there were very few people of substance in Saffron. Nothing could have prepared him for what he and his friends walked into.

Everyone in the school had their eyes glazed over. Some had their mouths open, others had bits of drool falling down their chin. Even the weird look of the town couldn't distract him from the freak of nature that was Ander. The blue skin glossed in the light, and Asher couldn't help but think he saw slime lathered on him. The long talons that graced his hands were even more perfectly tended to than Chantel's.

"Well, now that the gang is all here! It's time for the party to begin. Firstly, I'm under strict orders not to kill you, so you don't have to worry about losing your life. However, they," he indicated to the student body and faculty in the bleachers, "Are fair game."

"What do you want with us?" asked Elle.

"Isn't it obvious?" asked Ander as he danced around the room. He circled them like prey lightly adding a twirl here and there for extra pizazz. "I work for the vein which in turn makes me work for"

"Gedeon," finished Judah.

"Someone is keeping up," said the gargoyalesque creature. "And because I work for him, I've been instructed to bring you to him so that the Dominions can be transferred to him." Asher couldn't help but notice the graceful way this man moved throughout the gym. Each move seemed calculated as if he knew exactly where he wanted each foot to land and planned it ahead of time. 

"With all that being said though," Ander continued, "I think it's time for us to wait for further orders. So feel free to have a seat and I'll let you know when it's time for us to take you back." 

The five teenagers stood there in awe of the situation they were in. Here they were, barely finding out about who they really are, and just like that, everything was going to be taken from them. Asher knew that they had to do something. Letting Gedeon get the power of the Dominions was not an option. 

At least not in his mind. 

He felt pressure in his head and instinctively closed his eyes. He gripped his forehead and winced, but when he opened his eyes he could once again see the water particles in the air. He began to form a puddle when he heard a squeal from someone next to him. Asher turned his head to see Ander holding a blade to a random student's throat. The student, who Asher had never seen before in his life, had the same zombified look that all of the other people in the gym had. Completely oblivious that they were just moments away from death. 

"Let her go!" Selena screamed.

"I warned you no funny business!" said Ander annoyed. "I never understand why people don't follow orders. Drop the waterworks or I slit her throat." 

Asher reluctantly closed his eyes and squinted as hard as he could. When he opened his eyes he could still see the water particles. He squinted his eyes again, but nothing could turn off his power. He looked at the others helplessly and kept scrunching his eyes together. 

"I told you to turn it off!" screamed Ander.

"I'm trying!" Asher responded. He fell to the ground. "I'm trying! I don't know how! I didn't even want the power to turn on. It just happened!" 

Tears welled up in his eyes, and it didn't help that as they fell down his cheeks he could see tiny particles join the ones already present in the air. This girl's life was in danger, and he could do nothing to stop it. He closed his eyes as hard as he could hoping that this time, it would work.

"I'm giving you to the count of 3," said Ander. He stood stoically next to the girl. blade firmly pressed against her jugular. "One, two-"

Asher braced himself for the number three. He waited on the ground with his eyes closed, but the word never came. When he opened his eyes he gasped. He was no longer in the gym. He was in the middle of a field. A field with a stream dancing through it, and beautiful flowers as far as the eye could see. He could hear a faint peaceful melody trickle through the air as the breeze whipped by him.