The Mercury Wars: The Clearing

Chapter 12 - Joshua

Connor follows the same path that he did the night before, this time without the assassin-like movements trying to conceal his identity.

He does, however, move quickly. He knows that Link will be forced into telling people where he has gone. He doesn't even blame the guy for the fact he knows he won't even lie. He feels bad for making him do it though, it's not fair to make Link be a part of this like that. But Connor has to get answers.

He feels heavy in his stomach as he draws closer towards the ruins. Anticipation makes him start to shake slightly as his breathing becomes uneven.

He's not sure what to expect, he just knows that every time he has been here, something is calling to him. He knows that this place is more than just a random location on the map. It has meaning. Allison was wrong, it means something to him, he just doesn't know what that meaning is.

He kneels in front of the disc and places his hand in the centre circle. He tries to conjure up every emotion he can to force his mind into opening up.

He thinks about his dreams and visions. About the dream with the laboratory. How he can envision it so clearly and sense every fear and emotion that ran through the person's mind. Still unsure as to who it was that he was seeing through the eyes of during it.

He thinks back to the office he saw. The bright light seeps through and hits the black wall behind. The same logo and large circle on the wall. The hand that placed on top and opened whatever was there.

He closes his eyes and tries to shut out the senses as he listens to himself. Slowly the sound of the wind and the plant life around him dies down. The heat of the summer rays dulls at he just feels numb. He slowly stops smelling the grass and the decay of the ruins.

He is without senses, all except the feeling of the metal beneath his hand. Strong, polished and cool to the touch.

He listens to his own body. The sound of the blood pumping through his veins whilst his heartbeat pushes it with every beat. He feels it rushing through him as it reaches every space within. He notices his lungs, filling with air and then emptying them in a pattern of calm and regular motions.

He slowly opens his eyes to see the black wall again. The man's hand is placed onto the large circle as it opens.

This time he notices a small detail on the hand. It has a ring on the middle finger, but it is turned around so that the silver band is facing outwards and the decoration of the ring is pressed flat against the wall.

As the wall opens, the hand reaches inside to grab something from within the dark.

Connor's heartbeat picks up as he watches. Waiting to see what will be revealed from the darkness. What will be presented to him as new information this time around?

He doesn't get the chance to find out as sudden pain to the side of his head, snaps him out of his trance-like state. Every sense returning to him at once as he sees Benny standing over him, stick in hand, a scowl on his face.

"What are you doing?" Benny growls at him.

Connor rubs his head where the stick made an impact, wincing at the pain as he stands to face his accuser.

"Me?" He cries, losing his cool. "You just whacked me with a stick! All because I was trying to learn who I am!"

Benny's eyes widen and his lips tighten as you can start to see him boiling in front of Connor.

"You need to drop this," He warns carefully. "Drop it now, or you'll hurt everyone."

"What the hell does that mean?" Connor screams. "Me finding out who I am doesn't affect anyone else. Why do you have to be so cryptic all the time?"