Power

by Theresa Jones

  ***Allison***

  The whole place amazed me, but David most of all. Everything about him made me feel good, even the annoying parts. Not to mention the way I felt when he touched me. Obviously, he had meant to take away the uncomfortable stiffness, but with his hands also came a tingling sensation that sent a shiver up my spine and butterflies to my stomach.

  He started laughing. Just being around someone when they laugh usually makes you smile, but around him, I had to start laughing too. It was contagious. But instantly felt dumb for doing so. He smiled and said, “Yes, Allison, I did use my power. I thought it would be nice of me. What is the point of you being uncomfortable when I can fix it?” Another priceless smile flashed before he turned and began walking, motioning for me to follow him. I did, and again his hand slipped to my back. “Besides, that is the only way I can use my power on you right now!” he winked and continued talking. I realized this break wasn’t really a break at all. He would still teach me our history, just walking instead of sitting.

  He began right where he had left off, “So you now know about the demons, and the women they impregnated. Those children grew to be the first members of the Rising. It is said that the deeds they did just in their first 20 years of life were unimaginable.” He paused and I shuddered, thinking of what they may have done. “So, after these demons came to earth and their children grew to be nearly demons themselves, God chose to retaliate. He sent Michael to earth to find nine good women; women that were good in virtue and grace, women who seemed to have proven themselves worthy of glory, and most importantly, who were already pregnant. Each woman had great amount of virtue and a unique gift already, so when Michael came, he simply intensified what was already there. Unlike the members of the Rising, these children were all the same in the strength of their power. When the demons had come, some were more evil than others, so their offspring differed in the amount of power they had. These women were all given power directly from Michael, unadulterated power. We define it as the pure essence of strength beyond that of human capabilities.”

  We had reached the edge of the room and he paused again, pulling me to a bench against the wall. To emphasize his point, his eyes changed from hazel to deep emerald, his already tousled hair started to rise with nonexistent winds and the tips turned green. It was as if there was an aura of green light around him like a halo above an angel. It was beautiful. And if my jaw had not already dropped at the scene, when he topped it off with one of his award winning smiles, I know it did.

  Almost as instantly as it appeared, his smile was gone. “You will learn to control your power just as well as I have. The feeling is phenomenal, almost addicting once you have it under control.”

  I believed that! Just seeing it could be addictive. However, when I recalled what it felt like to have my power flowing, I shuddered at the memory. David saw my reaction and reassured me, “Allison, I promise you will be able to control it. I will teach you how. It will not hurt you once you have control.” He looked so concerned and yet so very sure of himself. Despite my discomfort at the thought of that pain again, I wholeheartedly believed him. He was just so believable.

  “So, I suppose I can just run down the list of the recipients of Michael’s gifts, I think that might be the easiest way.” I told myself to focus, since he was trying to teach me something. I nodded in agreement. “We call them the Primitus, which is Latin for first one or first time. As I said before, there were nine, and each had a prominent virtue. Their descendants had abilities corresponding to the virtue of who they descended from.” He hesitated, making sure that I understood.

  I was not entirely sure if I did, so I asked, “So, someone who descends from one of these… first people will have different powers than someone who descends from a different of one of the first people?” It felt so hard to explain.

  “Okay, well, firstly, they are called Primitus, not first people. Secondly, not different powers, we all only have power, but we manifest different abilities from said power. I think you have the basic understanding though, so I will continue. Peony was the first; she was the most charitable person on the earth at that time. So, she was given the ability to heal others, as do her most powerful descendants.”

  I had to ask, “Only others, not themselves?” It seemed unfair that they would be able to help other people and not themselves.

  “Correct, only others.”

  I sighed. I couldn’t help it. It didn’t seem fair that you would have enough power to help and heal other people but you couldn’t heal or save yourself. I supposed there would be no use in arguing the point. I was very sure that David did not make the rules. In fact, probably no one on this earth decided what you could do with the power given to you, so I nodded for him to continue.

  “Next was Minerva who was the wisest Michael could find. She was gifted the ability to teach someone things just by touching them.” He paused again. I guessed he was going to pause after every one. I wondered if he really thought I was that stupid.

  I smiled and nodded again, and again he continued, “Arabella was the most beautiful and elegantly graceful person he found. Her power allowed her the ability to be an amazing artist, not only with mediums on paper, but with dance and sculpture as well. Her descendants are the dancers Sam is staying with and were the ones who did all the wonderful paintings and sculptures throughout the Compound.” Aha… another answer I craved was finally answered. I closed my eyes to remember the doors to the Compound, the intricacy, the beauty of them.

  “Beatrice was the most joyful and patient person, and she was able to affect people’s emotions. For example, if someone was angry, she could take the anger away, or if someone was scared, she could make them feel brave.”

  I was beginning to feel the stiffness from before. I knew, once again, that we couldn’t have been sitting any more than 15 minutes or so, yet again, it felt like hours. Despite being uncomfortable, I was too interested in what he was telling me for me to interrupt.

  “Idadurant was a hard-working, diligent woman, and thus her power made her become fierce in battle. Her descendants are rarely beaten when they are at their prime. Castafonda loved her enemies as much as her neighbors, and thus was able to inspire love in people. Almost like a Cupid, but without the arrow.” He chuckled at himself and I chuckled with him, as the image of a grown woman flying around in a diaper, but with no arrow, casting love spells on people passed through my head.

  “She was a little more than that though,” he resumed. “She was not just love… but pure love. It’s hard to explain.” He paused, thinking about something he wasn’t sure how to voice.

  Moving on, he continued, “So let’s see, we have done Peony, Minerva, Arabella, Beatrice, Idadurant and Castafonda. That’s six. Next is Temperence, she had extreme amounts of self-discipline. After she was given power, she was able to move objects with her mind.”

  “So she was a telekinetic? Are all of her descendants also?” I had to ask, not even waiting for him to pause this time. Being a telekinetic would be awesome.

  “Yes she was, but no, not all of her descendants are.” I thought about that for a minute. What if I was a descendant of hers? I might be able to move things with my mind; that thought prompted my next question. “So, David, who do I descend from? How do we know?”

  He leaned back to think deeply on that question. Did he know who I descended from, or would it only become apparent by what I would be able to do with my power? “How about we save that question for later. Would that be okay?” I could tell he knew something, something more than he was willing to share, or maybe more than he was allowed to share with me. I had never liked secrets; however, I could tell by the look in his eyes, he was also uncomfortable keeping them. He’d even asked ‘would that be okay?’ Well, what if I were to say no? What then? I wanted to know, and even more than that, I wanted to know why he would not tell me.

  I sighed, much louder than I needed to, just to get my unhappiness with the situation across. He looked do
wn, then slowly up again, “Allison, we can find out exactly who you have descended from, they are working on it now, okay?”

  Hmm… okay. I suppose, ‘they’ whoever they are, were trying to find out the answers to my questions, so yes. “That sounds good,” I admitted.

  Having glossed over what was obviously a touchy subject, he continued with my lesson. “Esperance was the most hopeful of all. She had hope like no other, and was able, even without power, to instill hope in others around her. After receiving power she was able to generate a force field around herself and/or others.” He paused, gathered his thoughts, and then continued, “You know how, when we use our power, the colors around us change?” I nodded. , “Well, a force field is like that. It is our power, just impenetrable. It can not only protect against material objects, but against enemy power as well.”

  Sounds cool…

  He continued, “Lastly, Verefidel not only had the most impeccable faith, but was the most loyal woman Michael found. She was able to read the minds of all those she was loyal to. Some of her descendants have actually been able to go beyond that and read the minds of their enemies. Also, a very select few have been able to see visions. Visions of the past, present, or future.”

  I just had to ask, “Can you read minds, David?” The smile that crossed his face then was most definitely a wicked smile, it could be defined in no other way. His right eyebrow lifted slightly, and he was once again, gloriously gorgeous.

  “I suppose I have to be honest with you?” he stopped, maybe to make me think of all the things he could have overheard in my head. All the times I had thought about him, all the times his smile made my knees weak, all the times I was scared and desperate that no one know. He seemed to notice the expression on my face changing from a playful grin, to a worried grimace, as the fear started to show on my face.

  He quickly added, “Yes, I can read minds. However, one of the most important rules here at the Compound is that we are never permitted to use our powers on each other except for one’s health. I can heal your body without your permission, but I cannot read your mind, unless of course it was to save your life. The only exception is training. We can use our power against each other as we learn to control it and master it. And only with the permission of both parties can one engage in a training session that would allow us to use our powers on or against each other.”

  It kind of bothered me that he had the power to read my mind, even right now, but David seemed like a man that was true to his word, and always followed the rules. So I supposed I shouldn’t worry about him or anyone else reading my mind while I am here.

  Before I could speak again, he said “That is why this lesson is taking so long. I mean, I could merely touch you and with my power, I could let you know all that I am telling you. It would take less than 5 seconds for me to show you everything that you need to learn in these lessons. But rules are rules, this session does not affect your health, and it would simply be more convenient for me to do that.”

  Interesting… voicing my thoughts I said, “So, now I know that you can read minds, teach people things by touching them, and heal people… but that must mean that one can descend from more than one Primitus.”

  He gave me another breathtaking smile. “Yes Allison, one can be a descendant of more than one Primitus."

  Chapter 9

  The Enemy

  ***Damien***

  I stood there, looking around wondering what the hell I was doing. I hated life, everything about it. I didn’t understand why I was even put here; to kill as many people as I can? To hate and spread hate? To hurt? Ugh, where was the glory in that?

  I cannot even tell the world what I am, what I could be. And this damn girl, she is supposed to be more powerful than I am? The bile began to rise in my throat. Not even close. I will kill her. Squish her to the ground. Show everyone how puny she is compared to me. No more playing around. Next time I see her, she will suffer. But only for a little while, I just want the wench dead. Then I will forever more, and undisputedly, be the most powerful being on this wretched planet.

  As I was sitting in the lounge, wallowing in my own glory, Lilith walked in. Lilith was the most manipulative and beautiful roach I had ever met, and one of the most powerful beings I had come across. She was going to play a large part in my next plan. Finally her skills would prove useful.

  “Come in, Lilith, I have a challenge for you.” Challenge? Not likely, she would master this easy enough. Though she needed to have the proper motivation to succeed, and a couple of lashings wouldn’t work this time. “This task is of the utmost importance. Please tell me I am right in choosing you to perform it?” I loved the sound of my own voice, so velvety and smooth. I resisted the urge to sigh in appreciation, as that would put a damper on the atmosphere of fear I was trying to create.

  She stepped back, just slightly, realizing what it would mean if she failed. Her head dropped as I let her remember the last time she and her partner at the time had failed at a task; I could almost still smell the aroma of his burning flesh…

  I raised my right eyebrow slightly and took one step back, not one person, Rising member or not, had ever refused a job I had given them.

  Lilith, are you having doubts? I did not have to speak the words, as I knew she was fully capable of hearing my thoughts when I allowed her to. I was not accusatory in my question, though so many had been tortured and killed for the mere suspicion of disloyalty.

  Every member of The Rising knew how we worked and had an absolute understanding of fear-based loyalty. Do as you are told, or die; unless you are able to kill the one making the demand. That is how I rose to the very top. I was born with the ability to kill – quickly, easily, and absolutely. I have more power than anyone else and people respect that or die.

  Hearing my unspoken words, she stepped forward, stood up straight, and confidently said, “You have no need to worry, neither about my loyalty to you and the Rising, nor in my ability to perform any task you have for me.” Her words dripped with sincerity, though I had to remind myself that she was the best deceiver in the world.

  I nodded, intentionally thinking loudly, Wonderful…

  I turned and began walking toward my study. We did not own the cliché “bad guy lair.” It was not spooky and did not have coffins or demonic statues. It was not draped in black and red from top to bottom. We had no need for such things. What we did have to do was keep up the pretense of being normal people. Ugh, normal… So, our “lair” consisted of a high rise building in New York City. There was not a better place in the entire world to be. With the stuff that went on here, we could blend and mingle just fine.

  When I reached the door, I placed my palm down on the scanner. The door opened and allowed me access to the most prestigious room in the world. This room was made for and used by the Leader of The Rising. Oh how that just rolled off the tongue. I had to stifle the urge to say it out loud.

  She sat just in front of my desk, in a chair that was much too large for her small, supple frame. I too sat, trying to sift through the thoughts in her brain. She was focusing on the Rising, her loyalty, and her new passion for the task she had not yet received. There were no thoughts of doubt, some curiosity at what her new task would be, and no other anxieties, or misgivings. Undoubtedly, she could feel me wandering around inside her head, looking for any qualms, but she held back, allowing me to search within.

  I could feel the taste of her power entangling with mine, smell the aphrodisiac aroma that was seeping out of her. For the briefest of seconds, my shield went down; my power succumbed to her magnetism. She drew me out, and for that brief second I was vulnerable, nearly allowing myself to be taken by her appeal. I blocked her then. Pulling myself together and leaving the confines of her thoughts.

  A fury was raging inside me then. How could I be so weak as to let this promiscuous fiend tempt me into letting my guard down? I felt the urge to burn her, to kill her where she sat, to rip her head from her neck and pull out that brain that ha
d captured me. Obviously I could not do that, I still needed her. This was my mistake, a mistake that would never happen again. I took a deep breath, realizing I had definitely chosen the correct person for this job, and tried to hide that she had rattled me. As if to prove my point, she leaned back in her chair, raised an eyebrow, and crossed her left leg over the right, allowing her skirt to shift and her leg to be seen nearly all the way up.

  “Lilly, my dear,” I oozed, allowing for absolutely no discomfort from the previous few seconds to show, “how much do you know about my last trip?” Pausing for a response, I read her features, not allowing myself to be tempted by her mind again.

  She looked at me, still confident, and stated, “I only know that you went out to rid us of a potential problem.” Hmm… that was exactly how much she should know, though I would almost guarantee she knew more than that.

  “I see… well, let me elaborate for you.” I had to be careful, I could not let her see the fear I had about this… ghoul; the girl who haunted me.

  Focus, Damien! You are fearless! No one can touch you!

  “Do you remember a legend from when you first joined The Rising? Up until recently, we believed it to be just that, a legend.” Her eyes opened just slightly wider. It had always been taught that the tale of the woman – a descendant of all the Primitus - who would take down the Rising was ridiculous; a tale of false hope for the Order.

  Right before I killed Malachai, my predecessor, he warned me that the legend was true, and that the time would come for her to rise to power. He told me that I had to destroy her before she could find out who she was and what she was capable of if she were to appear while I was still the leader. He also stated that I was bound by Decree of the Office to pass this on to the next leader before I died.