Aegis: Catalyst Grove

by Nathan Roten

  Graham breathed a sigh of relief. “What about the Manor?”

  “Portfield Manor is gone, along with the entire training facility. It has all been laid to waste.” It was evident that Alex was holding back some heavy emotions. “But never you mind about all that. You are all safe and alive, and that is all that matters right now.” Alex stood up and gave Graham a few light pats on the shoulder. “Come. I know of a few eager people who would like to see you.”

  Alex draped his arm around Graham’s shoulders, ushering him into a large living room area. Kel and Ailey were sitting on a grand leather couch positioned beside a massive stone fireplace. They were in the middle of a board game until they heard Graham and Alex walk into the room. They both sprang from their seats, spilling the board and game pieces all over the floor. They ran to Graham, throwing their arms around him.

  “You’re okay! Thank God you are okay!” said Kel.

  Graham squeezed them tight. “Yes, I’m okay. Better than ever, actually.” He bent down and kissed Ailey on the top of the head, then looked Kel in the eye. “You took some pretty hard hits yourself. Are you okay?”

  “I am now,” she said. “You have been out for a while. You had us all worried. We were starting to think you were in a coma or something.”

  “How long is a while? Was I out all day?”

  “Try three. You never moved a muscle unless someone was trying to give you water or soup, and even then it was only a flinch or a moan,” said Kel.

  “Three days? Holy cow. No wonder I feel like a million bucks. I’ve never slept more than seven hours at a time. We never even got to wake up on our own at Greenwood. Anyway, I am glad to see that you are both okay. When I saw you both slumped over Cavaness’ shoulder, I thought the worst.”

  “We were pretty beat up when we first got here, but Alex fixed us up. Remind me not to get on your bad side from now on. What was that, anyway? I thought you had exploded.”

  Graham shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t know. Everything pinned up inside just broke loose. That is about the only way I can describe it.”

  “That is as good of an explanation as any,” said Alex. “…except for one small detail.” Alex picked up Graham’s arm with both hands and rotated it, so that his forearm was facing the ceiling. Two small ripples of light flowed from Alex’s hands into Graham’s arm, causing his band to illuminate. Everyone gathered around, staring at the Aegis sun emblem filling the perviously empty circle in the catalyst band.

  Alex held Graham’s arm up a little higher so that everyone could see the emblem. “Congratulations, Graham. Your catalyst is finally complete.”

  Graham’s entire body began to tingle. He had finally come through for once. He stared at the sun in the circle for a few seconds until his excitement began to turn into curiosity. Looking back to Alex, Graham traced the outline of the sun with his finger.

  “What does it mean? This is the same emblem that is on the other side. It is the Aegis Sun.”

  “It means that within you lies the full measure of the Aegis Power. It means that once you are trained to use and control what you have, you will be without limit. It also means that you will have a very different life than what you are accustomed to. Silas saw what you are, and now, they will stop at nothing to get you back. Your life is no longer your own. It will now be lived in the service of your fellow teammates and the battle with the opposing side that is now sure to come. It is a lot to ask of a fifteen year old boy. Is this something you are prepared to accept?”

  Graham weighed Alex’s words carefully. He did not really know what hardship looked like. He was always sheltered at the Orphanage, though he knew perfectly well what meaninglessness felt like. If this meant being a part of something bigger, something worthwhile, then he was willing to accept the danger that it came with. He may regret it later, but right now, as he looked into the eyes of his new family members, he was willing do anything for them.

  “Yes, I am - or at least I think I am,” said Graham. “Not that there is much chance of going back now anyway,” he said with a grin.

  Alex returned the smile. “You don’t know how glad I am to hear it. We are all here to help you carry the weight of this new responsibility.”

  “I do have one question,” said Graham. “We were lucky last night that everyone did not get buried after the explosion. How long will it take me to control this?”

  “Believe it or not, you already are, though I think it is on a subconscious level.”

  “How? I almost killed everyone?”

  “You did more to protect them than you realize. When you let loose, the magnitude of your transformation should have extended out in every direction, but it didn’t. Somehow you were able to channel the power upwards, only destroying the ceiling of the cavern instead of everything around you. You have great instincts, Graham. It will not be an easy or quick process, but give it some time.”

  Detecting Alex’s desire to speak with Graham alone, Cavaness herded the others back into the living room.

  Alex’s tone turned more serious as the smile faded from his expression. “From what I gather, Silas has made clear the degree of your importance.” He picked Graham’s arm up once more and ran two fingers over the length of the glowing band. The lines holding the circle in place had changed positions. The two lines above the circle widened into a triangle shape, while the two lines below merged together into a point.

  “This does not happen to everyone. It is the mark of someone truly unique,” said Alex. “You are an exceptional young man, Graham. You may not believe it now, but this gifting would not have been given to you unless you had the physical and moral capacity to wield it. You mustn’t allow an open door for corruption. A power of this magnitude will sway entire armies at the proper time. Part of your responsibility to this power will be to keep yourself and motives pure. Do you understand what I am telling you?”

  “Yes and no.”

  “Pure devotion is the force behind the power. It is the degree of loyalty to the cause that will keep you strong. You don’t have to fully understand it now, but keep it tucked away in your mind. It may prove useful in the near future.” Alex stood, his typical smile returning to his face. “Now. Enough serious talk. Let’s celebrate your return to the land of the living before I take you and Damien back to Greenwood.

  Graham had forgotten all about having to go back to the Orphanage. He had almost forgotten about the destruction of the Manor as well. Graham looked all around him, at the timber framed architecture and the grand fireplace.

  “Where are we anyway?”

  “It is called ‘Falcon.’ It is our headquarters for the eastern region of the United States,” said Alex. “We have facilities like this all over the world, each named after a bird of great valor and skill. We never know who is listening in on our conversations, so we use these coded descriptions to protect our outposts. Plus, birds are such majestic creatures. I like to see it as a simple reminder of what we should all hold inside.”

  “Is it safe? Is it part of Catalyst Grove?” asked Graham.

  “No. It is never a good idea to put all your eggs in one basket. This is a secretive, secluded facility. Well out of reach of Silas or any of his friends,” said Alex. “Why don’t you have a look for yourself.”

  Alex walked Graham through a few rooms, until they came to a fourteen foot tall arched doorway. Alex grabbed the thick metal handle and opened the front door. Graham walked outside to find himself surrounded by a forest. Looking to his left, he saw that the entryway of the building was made of stone. It looked oddly familiar. He ran his hand along the cultured stone, inspecting the shape of the rock and the moss that covered it.

  Alex smiled at Graham, enjoying his curiosity. Staying inside, he closed the door in front of him, leaving Graham to inspect the exterior. As the door shut, Graham turned back around to see that the door was gone. All he could see were trees and undergrowth. He took a few steps back, and to his amazement, he realized where he was. It wa
s the stone arch in the woods beyond Greenwood. It was his place of solace, where he had taken shelter when he got lost years ago.

  “Impossible!” He ran through the opening of the arch where the door had just been, continued around the side, and back around to where he had first stood. “What is going on?”

  Alex pulled the door back open, revealing the inside of the Mansion. “I told you it was secretive,” he said. Graham ran back inside, then back outside to take another look. He could clearly see the tree line and blue sky, just above the arch, but when he ran inside, he could also clearly see the twelve foot high ceilings, knowing there was at least another floor above.

  “How? What? I don’t understand,” stammered Graham, in a very incoherent sentence.

  “It is a long story. I’ll be sure to explain later. For now, just be glad it is concealed, though I think you have always known that there was something special about this place.”

  Alex was right. Graham did always feel at peace here. He could never put his finger on the reason, but there was always something magical and comforting about the arch. Now he knew why. There was a secret Mansion behind it.

  Alex showed Graham back into the living room. He explained to the others that it was time to take them back to their Orphanages. The destruction of Portfield Manor had made headline news, and naturally each Orphanage Director and Matron was concerned for the welfare of their kids.

  “I have met with Ms. Winstone and Mr. Pitman. I assured them that you are all perfectly healthy and in tact. They are eager to see you all.”

  “What about the adoption? Where will we go now that the Manor is gone?” asked Kel.

  “Everything is still in order. I have many homes here in Portfield. We obviously cannot have the in-home visitations required for the adoptions here in the Falcon, so for the next few months, we will have to be at the other end of the county in the Millstone District. Once everything is finalized, we will remain here at The HQ. Until then, you will need to be on your guard. No one else will be able to see your powers or catalyst bands, but don’t give them an open door to rumor or ridicule. Go about your business and daily routine until I return for you.”

  Everyone gave their good-bye’s and wishes of good luck for Graham, Damien, Kel and Ailey during their final days at their Orphanages. Alex told them to go back upstairs, where a new set of clothing was provided for each of them to change into. The sweatsuits with the golden sun emblem would obviously raise too many questions.

  Once changed into normal clothes again, Chase had a car parked at the edge of Wellington, ready for Alex to take the kids back.

  Addressing them all, Chase said, “It will go by faster than you think. Trust me. You will all be back here before you know it.”

  Chase walked the kids through the woods and loaded them into the car. He waved goodbye as the car faded into the distance, then disappeared into the woods towards Falcon.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

  Scattered Pawns

  It was late, and everyone had turned in for the evening. Only Alex and Cavaness sat at the large dining room table made from two giant slabs of oak. They were deep in conversation and thought. The lights in The HQ were all off, except the chandelier hanging over the table, making the seriousness of their conversation tangible. An air of tension filled the room as they discussed what had just taken place. Alex stared at Cavaness, his fingers wrapped around the small handle of his coffee mug.

  “That is what he said,” said Alex, breaking the silence between them.

  “Are you confident he was in his right mind when he said it? The boy did have quite a time. When that much power flows through a person, sometimes it makes ones’ recollection disjointed and unreliable,” replied Cavaness.

  “I am sure Cavaness. Both Kel and Ailey corroborated his statement.” Alex stopped as he lifted his cup to his mouth. He let the steam dance under his nose for a moment before taking a sip. “Graham told me about Silas’ remarks. He knew information about their time in Catalyst Grove that no one else could possibly know.”

  Cavaness sat there with one arm on the giant table and held his other hand to his mouth, running his fingers down the sides of his goatee.

  “I just can’t imagine it being anyone here. Silas was a psychology professor in his former life. You know how he messes with the mind. Maybe he was mentally trying to tear Graham down.”

  “Of that I have no doubt, but I also do not believe that is the whole story. Silas knew the giftings of Kel, Ailey and Damien. He knew about Graham’s inability to let his power come to the surface, and there is the most obvious fact that they knew about our facility and it’s location.” Alex gently pushed his mug aside, as he shifted his gaze from the table to Cavaness.

  “No my friend. I know we do not want to believe it, but we must. We have a traitor among us.”

  Cavaness let out a deep and heavy sigh. “And what of Portfield Manor and The Grove? Are we to rebuild it?”

  “No. No, I don’t think we can. It has been exposed now. They would just burn it again. We need to send a message to the other facilities. I will get word to Corbin and he will tell the rest to be on guard. You know just as well as I that once you step foot here, you can detect it’s energy signature. If Silas had enough time here, then he will know how to find the rest. Our first priority is to warn the others. Only then can we focus on developing our final recruits and flushing out the one who has turned against us.”

  “Agreed.”

  Alex took hold of his mug and held it up to Cavaness. Cavaness took his cup and clanked it against Alex’s mug.

  “We dodged a tremendous disaster today, and for that I give thanks. Moments like these are few and far between these days. Let’s enjoy them while they last.”

  “I’ll drink to that,” said Cavaness.

  They both took a sip from their cups in acknowledgment that they were all safe and healthy. A trying time was upon them. Tomorrow, they would begin their hunt for their betrayer, but tonight, they were going to celebrate a victory, no matter how small it may be.

  He limped trough the dimly lit stone corridor in haste, stopping at the large wooden door to knock. Two resounding thuds of the metal ring bounced off the door. Silas impatiently tapped his foot against the floor, the scroll in his hand repeatedly tapping in the hollow of his empty hand.

  “What is it,” said a deep, icy voice. The ’s’ drug out, as if pronounced like a hiss from a snake.

  “I bring good news, my Lord,” replied Silas.

  “Then by all means, come in,” said the voice from the other side.

  Silas opened the door and shut it gently behind him. Pulling his cane from underneath his arm, he continued walking into the room, his limp obvious and pronounced. He flinched with every step, trying to hide his injury, but so far unsuccessfully.

  “What is this? What has happened to your leg?

  “This is proof that the boy, Graham, is the one we have been searching for.”

  “And where is this boy?”

  Silas lowered his head in shame, like a dog about to be scolded. “He has escaped. We barely made it out alive. We were in a cavern, and when he went off, the whole place imploded.”

  The man’s face grew dark, and his eyes lit with anger. “So, what you are telling me is that you failed.”

  Silas’ voice was now beginning to quiver. The one thing worse than bringing bad news was to look as though you were making excuses for your failure.

  “No, my Lord. We did confirm that he is indeed the one we have been searching for.” Silas brought the rolled up scroll over the the vacant table in front of him. “We also have this.”

  The man in the shadows stood from his chair and walked over to the scroll. Silas unrolled the scroll, revealing a map displaying a detailed sketch of the seven continents. Hundreds of small orange dots were scattered throughout the land masses, most of which had a small purple flame hovering over top.

  “We believe we have found all of them. 40 percent have alre
ady been destroyed, and the others will be overtaken by dawn. As soon as I escaped that cavern, I sent the details of the energy signatures of their training facility to our teams. Every Former blanketed the sky in search of the specific details I provided. They were all found within hours. The Aegis recruitment pool has just dried up, my Lord. They will be devastated.”

  The faint glow of the purple flames casted a sinister glow on the man’s face, making his grin look exceedingly evil as the flame’s reflection danced in his pupils. “This is good. This is very good.”

  Silas put his hand to his chest and bowed, almost falling as he shifted his weight from his hurt leg to his strong one. “Thank you my Lord. It has not been an easy mission, but it has been a successful one.” Silas paused, trying to choose his next words carefully.

  “May I humbly ask a favor from your Lordship?”

  The man was still staring at the purple flames, his grin fading a way in annoyance of the request. “What is it?” he spat.

  “It is….my leg. I have tried to heal it myself, but the injury is too severe. In light of our victory tonight, I was hopeful you would see fit to restore it.”

  The man looked intently at Silas, deep in thought of how to handle the situation.

  “You have done well tonight. Alex will be most devastated by the news of his fallen facilities and personnel. In this, you have made me proud, and for this I commend you.”

  Silas stood high, taking pride in his Lord’s contentment.

  “However, your mission was to verify the boys’ ability and bring him back with you. In that you have failed. It is only because of the destruction of the training facilities that I will not completely tear your worthless leg from your body. Leave now, and let your handicap be a constant reminder that I expect the orders I give to be completed.”

  Silas stumbled back in fear, catching his balance against the stone pillar behind him. “Ye..yes your Grace. Thank you for your kindness. I will not fail you again.” Silas regained his composure and limped to the door, closing it behind him.