A Hero In The Dark

Chapter 133: Battle at Engelberg

Chaos ensues hastily.

A single bullet from a bolt action sniper rifle hovers in front of the face of Einar; stopped by a telekinetic force. Who?

Who did it?

I look around at all the faces that possess the same telekinetic power that I have.

Nigel. Jiao. Five. Melanie.

Nine.

He smiles and says, "How shitty can you get? Taking out a kid that only wants to put an end to Garde oppression? Sad really. Fortunate that I got here in time, right Em?"

I mirror his smile; reply, "Right. Let's teach these Foundation pricks a lesson about recruiting innocent Garde against their will."

Just then, another shot sounds out from a soldiers' assault rifle. One that I realize is not completely under the effects of Einar's legacy and is off to the side and out of direct line of sight.

It penetrates Einar's thigh and he grunts and falls.

Only after it happens, do I realize that Einar must not have had full control over every threat that stand in our way. That or his legacy faltered.

"Einar!" I shout, and as I do, Bea elbows me in my midsection hard enough that I lose my grip on her.

A weight knocks into the back of my knees and my legs give out from under me. When I look behind, I see Jiao standing tall with her hands on her hips. She reels her foot back like she might if she were going to kick me in the side. I brace myself.

"No," says Bea, the British lady as she kneels down to my level. She rests a hand on my knee and locks our gaze. Then addresses me with a certain slyness, "I had a hunch that your story didn't check out like you said it did."

I tighten my fists, ready to unleash a wave of rippling rageful energy at her at a moment's notice; only holding back because of Nigel.

"If so, then why didn't you make any preparations?" I ask in response, teeth gritted. "Why help me? Why bring me here? Why let me believe that you trusted me?"

"Oh, I did make preparations dear," she says. "Have you not felt it?"

"Felt what?"

Bea smiles an amused smile and stands, seemingly entertained by my confusion. "So desperate, you were. So eager to get your legacies restored. So needy to find a cure. So needy to do anything to save yourself and survive. It didn't even occur to you that anything else was done."

"What are you talking about?" I ask, turning my stare to watch Nine tend to Einar for a brief moment before returning my attention to Bea.

"If you have not figured it out yet, I trust that you will soon Emily," Bea states with satisfaction. "By then, I'm afraid it will be too late."

And by simply listening to her talk, it clicks.

Perhaps my mind just finally pieced together the puzzle or perhaps the thought just randomly came telepathically without intent. Either way, I understand.

Magdalena.

In the time that I was unconscious being healed from the toxin in my system, she did something else. Something that Bea told her to do. Something that she did not tell me.

All of a sudden, it makes sense.

When I thanked her; her only response was, "I am sorry."

She was sorry because of what Bea asked her to do.

Anger spreads through my veins now. An anger real enough that it wants to kill. An anger strong enough that I wonder if I can hold it back. Should I? Or should I unleash it?

I want to unleash it. Nothing is too late. I can still save the future. Our future. The future of everyone on this planet.

All she is doing is trying to get into my head; trying to distract me from what I came here to do.

I need to focus. I need to breathe.

And that is what I do.

Close my eyes and breathe.

And when I open them, my vision is cobalt.

I stare at Bea and she stares at me. There is confusion now in her eyes and resolve in mine, yet she is unafraid.

Then as calm as can be, I take a deep inhale. In through my nose and filling my lungs until they cannot be filled any further.

The same trick I pulled with Phiri Dun-Ra and the Shadow Mog a year ago. The same trick I accidentally pulled on Nine when I first discovered it.

I breathe and I pull her energy away.

It is easy but not so easy.

Easy because I know I have done it before. Not so easy because I feel the need to remember how to use it at all.

Regardless, I am still able to do it.

Bea wavers and stumbles and eventually falls. Lifeless to the ground though continues to breathe. Slowly and steadily. At my feet.

Nigel shouts, "Mum!" and hurries to her side. Sinking to the dirt with her to see if she is alright. Though she does not wake. She breathes in his arms but lays comatose.

At that point, I make my way back to my feet. Only then do I realize that I did not only drain Bea of her energy but everyone else also.

Jiao, Einar, Five, Nine, the Mercenaries, Sydal, Melanie.

They all lay in the dirt.

All but Nigel, whom stays by his mother's side and clutches her hand. I can tell he is trying his hardest not to cry. I have no idea how successful he is, for now I feel lightheaded. I want to tell him that she will be okay, but I do not have the energy.

I put a hand up to my head and my vision returns to normal. I am dizzy and unsteady and drained and tired. I do not think I can stand much longer.

Until I don't.

Until I fall.

I take a single step toward where Nine's body lies and then my knees hit the ground. My hands rooted all the same to attempt to stay conscious. I stare at them; watch them shake in the mud.

I can't hold on any longer. I don't know why, I know I should be able to, but I can't.

There is a faint voice that I can barely recognize. Sounding from near above.

"A deed well done. Onto the next," he says.

The voice belongs to John. Though he sounds different somehow; not exactly matching the tone or pitch I have always heard from him.

I look up to him, my eyelids nearly closed.

There he floats ahead several feet over the ground. His skin seems more pale than usual and his eyes seem less blue and more distant than I've ever known. Yet that isn't the strangest part.

His hands. His hands are covered in blood. Red hot blood. As is his Loric dagger. He wipes it off on his dark polo shirt; looks into my soul with none of the love and kindness I've seen him to carry. Then speaks again in a deeper manner.

"Abomination."