“Never mind that,” Ray interrupted, “you say these pools lack potency. Why?”
Raza sighed. “When Oslo returned to Perihelion to save our daughter, he discovered that she was an integral part of the island and that there was a bond between them that couldn’t be easily broken. So Oslo collaborated with Excort and set about widening the cavern that led to Appalachia. He believed that he could wean our daughter from the island if he could increase the flow and pressure from the pools of Perihelion, to here.”
Ray’s eyes narrowed. “So you’re saying that you could easily travel from the island to here, inside these caverns?” He formed a fireball and began tossing it up and down.
Raza crossed her arms. “Swim underwater? I suppose you could, but I couldn’t hold my breath for that long.”
“But your daughter could, she’s like a fish. Breeze spent enough time with her, he would know.”
“I wouldn’t want her to travel underground for hundreds of miles in cold and frigid water. What sort of maniac would do that to their child?” Raza replied.
Ray pressed on. “Couldn’t Oslo have built some sort of submersible to get here? I mean, it just seems like there is more than one way to get to Perihelion.”
“What are you getting at?” Raza said.
“I mean, it’s sort of a vulnerability. If someone were to attack and take over the island, they could find those pools and the caverns that would lead them back here. Oslo said this place was safe, but I’m beginning to wonder.”
Raza took a step toward him. “I originally asked you for a demonstration of your ability and it seems like you handle yourself very well as you juggle those balls of fire. Are you always this calm and under control?”
Ray snorted. “Why wouldn’t I be? I was born and raised into a military family. My father is a commander in our territorial army.”
“Verhesen? That is your last name, is it not?”
“Yes. What of it?”
“The name rings a bell for me. I remember it being associated with a fifth column that formed an alliance with the Elephim. Perhaps I’m mistaken. After all, I am old.”
Ray formed two more fireballs and juggled them at a faster clip. “You probably are mistaken. So, are you going to tell us more ancient history stories that Oslo laid on us before? About the glory days of the superhuman Helios? Space travel and far flung colonies? Because we were never taught about any of these things.”
“Just because you were kept in ignorance doesn’t mean it never happened,” Raza said.
“Well, I don’t believe it.”
“Interesting, considering you are a part of their legacy.”
“Are you calling my family traitors?”
“I was referring to your gifts. Look at you, you’re a god walking amongst ordinary humans. That has to be exhilarating.”
Ray stared at her.
Raza locked her eyes onto his. “You’ve met Oslo and Excort and seen the wonders of Perihelion, yet you are not fascinated by them or the island? And what of the ships you’ve seen and flown in, do you recognize any of this technology? Doesn’t it seem quite fantastic compared to what you are familiar with?”
Ray shrugged. “I suppose, but there are territories and cities across the planet building all sorts of aerocraft. You’re bound to run into something different.”
“Different, yes, but as amazing as what you have witnessed? And what about Achilles? Have you ever seen a robot so capable? I’m willing to imagine the robotics in your territory is not quite so well developed.”
Ray let the balls of fire drop and splatter on the floor in a shower of sparks. “I don’t really care to talk about robots. In fact, I don’t even think about them. Personally, I think Achilles is dangerous.” He began to glow as he stepped to the center of the room. “My father told me enough about how robots with artificial intelligence can be dangerous and uncontrollable. It’s important to have control,” he said and fired a beam of energy toward the wall. It fizzled upon hitting the concrete.
“Control is important to you, isn’t Ray?” Raza stepped toward him.
“Yeah, why wouldn’t it be?”
Raza responded by shoving her hands forward and Ray immediately fell onto his backside.
“What’s the matter with you!” he shouted as he scrambled to his feet. His hands began to tremble as they pulsated with energy.
“Just giving you a little telekinetic nudge to see how you react. I would say not very well, considering you are the one who cares so much about control.”
Ray put his glowing hands together and pointed them at her.
“What now Ray? Are you going to blast away at a poor, defenseless woman? It’s okay, this is a training session and appearances can be deceiving.”
“Ray, don’t,” Sally said.
“It’s okay, sweetie,” Raza said, “I can handle myself. Raymond, fire away at me.”
Ray cut loose with powerful beam of energy that Raza redirected toward the ceiling. It dissipated with a flash, revealing a dome that had descended upon them.
Ray looked up at it with his mouth agape. “I don’t get it. That should have blown a hole into it.”
“I had Achilles install the dome. It’s similar to the one you probably used at Perihelion, though not quite as sophisticated. These domes were used on ships so that Helios who were on patrol in deep space could practice and remain battle ready. They’re really quite useful.”
Ray circled her. “Whatever. I don’t believe anything you say. In our territory, we’re just sending rockets into space. You talk about spaceships like it was an everyday thing.”
Raza smiled. “Oh, it was,” and she flung her hands toward him, and then brought them down in a swift motion.
Ray cried out as he was swept off his feet and sent crashing to the ground, then sat up quickly to rub his head. “Nobody does that to me,” he growled at her as he got back to his feet.
“Come now, Raymond, and give me a demonstration that I will never forget,” Raza taunted as she placed her hands on her hips, then glanced over at Sally and winked.
Ray took several deep breaths and narrowed his eyes. In a blink, he clapped his hands together and fired at the ground in front of Raza, sending chunks of stone flying everywhere as Sally shrieked and ducked for cover. Raza stumbled back, and bumped against the wall, then pushed off it, gliding up to the apex of the dome.
“I wouldn’t fire at me from there,” she said to Ray, “I’ll just deflect the energy back onto you.” She then tilted her head at him. “What now, Raymond?”
Ray grunted. “No girl shows me up like that.”
“I’m not a girl, I’m a woman, and an old one too. Think Ray, what now?”
He glared at her in silence, his hands at his sides, throbbing with energy.
“Yes, you have the right idea, young man. Direct the energy downward,” she instructed.
“Don’t tell me what to do!” he shouted, then paused to think about what she said. “Why should I fire at the ground?”
Raza shook her head. “Oh, my dear boy, so much you don’t know. I see that your father held back much from you and I can understand why. Son, push yourself up into the air.”
“I’m not a flier, leave that to head-in-the-clouds Breeze. It seems he’s becoming the golden boy around here.”
“This is not about him. This is your time to shine. Now impress me, Ray, and come up here.”
“I don’t know how.”
“Hence the training session. Practice makes perfect. Instead of firing away with high intensity like you always do, learn how to shape and mold the energy. Begin by holding your hands down with palms facing the ground, and then let the energy flow out. Slowly,” she emphasized.
Ray kept his eyes locked onto her as his body shuddered, then he lifted a
few inches off the ground. “Oh, wow!” he exclaimed.
Raza nodded. “There now, you learn something new every day.”
Ray slowly drifted upward then dropped suddenly. He arrested his descent by increasing power, but struggled to hover in place.
“No sudden movements with your hands, Raymond. They control your ascent and descent. You’re a trained pilot. You understand the importance of throttle control. Flying an aerocraft is more than just steering. You stay aloft by the amount of thrust you apply.”
He rose up until he was level with Raza. His pupils were dilated and he was breathing heavily as sweat poured down his face.
“Very good, Mr. Verhesen, you have cornered your quarry. Now, how will you deliver the killing blow?” Raza taunted as she orbited him.
“Stop it! You’re making me dizzy!” he shouted at her, then lost altitude. He steadied himself and drifted back to his original position.
“You’ve just discovered that you can hover. Curious. What else have you not learned? What else has your father held back from you?”
“Don’t talk about him that way! He is a man of great power,” Ray said as his eyes glowed with a fierce intensity.
Raza drifted past him with look of bemusement as he struggled to rotate and track her.
“Why do you keep asking me questions about him?” he asked.
“Oh, no reason. Just find it quite curious that such a powerful man would let his only son go from such a prestigious academy like Greenbrier, to a decrepit and run down military base like Perihelion.” Raza circled around him with increasing speed.
Ray was drenched in sweat. “He sent me away so I can complete my training in a military environment, with a great commander like Oslo.”
Raza threw back her head and laughed. “Forgive me, Raymond, but Oslo and I were instructors, researchers and academics first, and officers second. We were never considered powerful enough to be promoted as active duty Helios, only reservists at best. So tell me again, why were you sent away?”
Ray shuddered as arcs of energy streaked across his body. “He had his reasons.”
“Yes, a son he knew he could no longer control, so he sent you away to prevent you from harming yourself and your family.”
Ray screamed as a discharge of energy erupted from his mouth, narrowly missing her.
“Control, Raymond, control! With power comes a level of responsibility that no ordinary man could ever understand. I goad you just a bit, and you explode? Unbecoming of a student of the prestigious Greenbrier.”
“Oslo said the exact same thing to Sally. You and Oslo are so—”
“Alike? Yes, we didn’t come from wealthy families, we were just regular folk from our little corners of the globe, but we did witness first hand at what power and privilege can do to a young mind. Add paranormal to the mix, and it made for a deadly concoction.”
“Are you jealous of me, old woman?”
Raza drifted closer. “They were called the Elephim, a name that originates from an ancient tongue hardly spoken anymore. It means “by the thousands,” and that is exactly what they became, a hoard made up of many thousands. They primarily came from privileged families, although they were always quick to claim they represented the everyday man and his plight. They fell under the spell of an unseen force that insisted that all paranormal were to rounded up and extinguished, even the respected Helios, those brave warriors who had protected and served the people of Earth, were to be eliminated also.”
Ray’s head slumped as he drifted back. “Why are you telling me this?”
“Because amongst them were paranormals who were promised power and greater privilege if they agreed to help suppress the dissenters amongst the Helios who refused to surrender. They became the enforcers who led the downfall of what was once the greatest civilization this part of the galaxy had ever known.”
Ray lifted his head. His eyes were bloodshot and strained. “Why are you telling me this?” he repeated.
“Because I want to make sure whomever I am speaking to understands that I know what happened in the past. And I know that they are still here, keeping us under their boot. Whom am I speaking to?”
Ray quivered as spittle flew from his mouth.
Raza pressed on. “What were you doing with the comm unit? Why was there an open channel tuned to the Northeastern territories? And the rack you tipped over, the one with the signal boosters, did you activate it? Are you broadcasting this? Who exactly is listening in on our conversation?”
Ray’s head flew back and he laughed. “Stupid witch, did you think you could stay hidden forever?”
Raza’s face was pale as she drifted away from him. “Raymond, whoever is hitching a ride with you, you can tell them to leave.”
“The boy is a mere conduit. A vessel, if you will.” Ray’s mouth moved and a voice was heard, but it was not his.
“Whom am I speaking to?” Raza said as she made a hand gesture to Sally, who acknowledged her signal with a nod and instantly her eyes glowed.
“Who I am is not of importance. You only discovered me because of the boy’s weakness. His inability to control his anger is what exposed us, but it is also what made him so easy to access.”
“How much have you seen? What have you learned so far?” Raza asked it as she drifted toward the far side of the dome, granting her a better view of Sally below.
Ray’s body, under control of his possessor, glided over to her and spoke. “What incentive do I have to divulge anything to you? I do believe the proverbial shoe is on the other foot. You reveal your exact location to us, and I promise that we will be…gentle… as to how we dispose of you and your friends.”
Raza hovered to the apex of the dome. “Are you not able to find us? Curious, one would believe you have seen enough through the boy to pinpoint our location.”
Ray’s face grinned. “Don’t play the daft lass with us. You very well know the electromagnetic interference that surrounds Appalachia can make it difficult to see through. Much like the one that surrounds Perihelion. Or used to.”
Raza’s eyes widened.
“Oh, now I have your attention? Amazing how quickly the reality of a situation can sink in. You have no bargaining power here. We are in control.”
“What have you done?” Raza whispered.
“Or, you can turn it around and say what haven’t we done. Yet. Allow me to reiterate. Give us your exact coordinates so we may detain you, and let us bring this little charade of a rebellion to a quick and speedy conclusion. It would be best for all of you.”
“What makes you think we’re planning a rebellion? We don’t even know who we are fighting against.”
“Raza, Raza,” Ray’s head shook, “you and Oslo have been dormant for so long, we assumed you had perished. And even if either of you were found alive, it would be of no importance to us. We arrived at the conclusion that your spirits had been crushed and you’re no longer active.”
Raza raised her hands. “Very well, we surrender. All I ask is that you spare the children. Let them go. My husband is the one who brought them to Perihelion. He is the one who has stirred the pot and aroused your attention.”
“No, I think not, they have seen too much. And besides, where are they to go? To wander these lands, spreading dissent to any and all who will listen? Earth’s champions are a thing of the past. We shall endeavor to keep it that way.”
Behind Ray’s body, a shimmering figure suddenly appeared. It was Sally’s astral form and Raza signaled her plan of attack by slowly placing her hands around her throat.
“You are monsters, all of you. You have destroyed so much and yet no one has ever seen your faces,” Raza said to the entity.
The entity responded while oblivious to Sally’s presence behind it. “Oh, we find the use of surrogates and proxies to be quite efficie
nt. Why show our hand? It has proven to be quite useful over the centuries.”
Raza quickly removed her hands from her throat and held them up, signaling Sally to wait. “What do you mean?”
“Oh, my dear, dear charming old woman. Some of our best agents are those who can be easily manipulated to spy upon the strong ones we wish to tear down.” Ray’s hands moved up and down in a jerky manner. “This one was so easy to assume control, just like a puppet. Through the eyes of this young man we have identified another at Perihelion. She is so sweet and innocent.”
“Nina?” Raza’s voice trembled.
“Is that her name? Oh, my, how pretty. Yes, I do believe that is the one. Do you know her?”
The walls of the dome crumbled and cracked as Raza’s eyes turned a brilliant white and she shrieked in anger.
Ray’s head was thrown back as Sally’s astral form grabbed him by the neck and choked him. “Get out of him!” she yelled.
Ray’s body thrashed violently as he fired blast after blast of raw energy in every direction. The walls of the dome absorbed some of the blasts while others were deflected and ricocheted dangerously throughout the chamber. He reached behind him and tried to grip Sally’s astral form. “Yet another witch?” the entity howled with rage.
Ray’s body was then flung against the dome by Raza’s telekinetic wave as he continued to fire bolts of energy from his hands, mouth and eyes.
“What makes you think I would hesitate to destroy the boy now? I hold this one hostage, I will not relinquish. Away from me!” And to punctuate its point, the entity slammed Ray’s body hard into the dome repeatedly as chunks of stone fell to the floor.
Sally shrieked. “Raza, Ray is going to die! Do something!”
Breeze Corinth (Book 1): Sky Shatter Page 48