Children of Sun (Oracle's Legacy)

by R. B. Holbrook

  The room was still and uneasy as Granger stared off into the distance. They said it was a focus. Granger reached for the amulet around his neck and looked down at it. It was the same symbol that was burned into Ellis's chest. Granger could hear the past and see Ellis screaming from the pain of the mark being burned into his skin with the heat of the Devil's energy. No wonder Ellis was so uncomfortable about it.

  The Oree is the symbol that represents the Oracle. I was told that any person who is not Moon yet serves the Oracle must have that symbol branded on the body. It means you are not only in service of the Oracle but you are also under the protection of Moon. I don't answer to Moon, but I do answer to the Oracle. And for all my knowledge, I believe I am the only one with this privilege.

  The Oree wasn't for Granger to focus. It was for those around him to focus on him. The Oracle had passed it on to him so that he would be the next Oracle. The very position he didn't want.

  "Damn it." Granger stood up to leave.

  "Don't you want me to conclude the story?" Ellis said calmly. Granger wanted to know more, but that was his level-four enlightenment that thrived for knowledge, not the human man who wanted to hurt something because of this manipulation. "Have a seat, and I will inform you of what I know."

  Ellis closed his eyes as his thoughts began to flow. Instead of telling Granger, he showed his thoughts in a long string of events. From what Granger saw, he was beginning to understand the need for secrecy and Moon's involvement in the Structure.

  If what Ellis was showing him was correct, everything Granger had been taught before was being tested--even what he had learned from Mary just a few days ago. After Ellis received the seal, he and his sister were told the true history of the Structure. The violence and conspiracies that the Structure committed in the name of a united humanity made Granger see that the Structure then was far more corrupt than their civilization was now.

  At the beginning, when Uni'ki was first established, the only known energy was environmental energy. There was no distinction between the types of energy that could be manipulated. Environmental energy was everywhere and could be manipulated in many forms. But as the Uni'ki grew, it was found that internal energy was more potent and easier to control. Using internal energy, the core principle of energy use was formed. Enlightenment had not been born. None of the individual powers that were now established existed then. Everything was connected. Though the idea sounded unifying, Granger found that it was a nightmare.

  Connectivity was considered the one and only power. It allowed the members of Uni'ki to be connected to one another, sharing energy, emotions, thoughts, and so much more. This connection of energy grew with every child born and every powerless human converted. And with the increase of energy came the increase of a hive mind with one collective thought and one collective goal: to dominate the earth and make all humans see the truth about the world. The crusade became a bloody turn for Uni'ki as it grew more powerful and more feared. That is when the humans without powers rebelled and destroyed Uni'ki. Connectivity was ultimately destroyed, taking down over half of Uni'ki.

  The surviving members struggled, but they learned that what they had done was wrong. So they created the seal and divided the members into Houses to teach enlightenment. That was when the individual powers were born as well as the hierarchy that created the Structure.

  "Connectivity still exists," Ellis finally said after a long silence. He had his head back, looking up at the ceiling. "Every Oracle that has ever been chosen is taught the secret. That is why no matter what power level they are at, they become the most powerful in the Structure. Because the Oracle alone can share power. Mama was a mere level-two telepath when she was chosen to be Oracle. Now she is connected to everyone in the Structure through energy, though no one would ever know it unless told. That energy, that unlimited supply of energy makes her almost invincible, except for her human failings and her seal, which makes her age at the rate of a Level Two." Ellis lifted his head and looked at Granger, smiling.

  "You will be even more powerful than she is, because you are a Level Four. And if you become a Pillar, you will be the longest-living Oracle to ever rule." Ellis sighed. "But with that knowledge--" comes a story that I was told is very real.

  Ellis rubbed the back of his neck. The seal was not created by a member of the Structure.

  What?

  Ellis nodded. His name was Volorii. His eyes shone with amusement as Granger's jaw dropped.

  The void? "That's just a ghost story. A myth."

  "Just like Demon's Wrath?" Ellis smirked. "Remember, all myths are based on some truth."

  Structure folklore stated that Volorii was one of the original humans to learn about energy manipulation. He helped build Uni'ki, but when he refused to connect to the other members and become stronger, they cast him out in a style that was considered barbaric: living death. They stripped him of his ability to manipulate energy and even his energy. Volorii became the living dead. It was a story that Structure parents told their children that misbehaved. If they didn't behave, Volorii would come to suck the energy from their bodies, because he didn't have any of his own.

  All this time, Granger had thought it was the classic boogeyman story.

  Why did they turn to him if he was an outcast? Granger looked down at the pile of books. What was Ellis studying?

  Because Volorii found a way to endure the harsh punishment and still manipulate energy. The power called the void was born in him. It is the opposite of connectivity. Instead of sharing, it strips the energy, limits it, and devours it. If you want to destroy connectivity, what better way than to have a seal created by someone who can never connect? And who better to kill an Oracle who masters connectivity than with the opposing power?

  I heard that Uni'ki was destroyed from the inside out by someone who could not join. Granger watched as Ellis smiled.

  Yes, that was Volorii. He understood what they were doing and tried to stop them the first time. When they stripped him of his power, he had to learn from scratch how to live. He scraped his way back a thousand years later and slowly wove the threads of Uni'ki's destruction. The void is far more powerful than we may believe.

  Is the void how Dietti died? Granger could only fathom how something that powerful could kill the Oracle.

  Ellis shook his head. Yes, according to Bones.

  "Bones." Granger frowned.

  In his notebook that he left me was … I don't even know where to start. In two weeks' time, he created a timeline of events, cause and effect and … he mapped out why Dietti was killed and what is probably coming in the future.

  He wrote that Volorii was the one who first led Moon in aiding the Oracle. Volorii was said to have powers that no other could have, not Moon and the Oracle combined. Powers that could ultimately destroy the Structure as it did Uni'ki. But Volorii died long ago… dead.

  Ellis sat quietly face drooping. "I miss her so much," he said finally. "It has only been two weeks, but …" He rubbed his hands over his face again. He was trying to focus, but his sister was a constant burden on his mind and heart.

  "She was … happy. Not the way a normal person would be happy, with material things or with achieving goals. She was happy just to be around her family. That is all she ever wanted. I never saw that before. I never thought she was okay, but she was … No, that's wrong." Ellis laughed, covering his face, wiping away tears. He groaned, hating his sorrow. "There was a time she was even happier, if you want to call it happy. It was almost like she was … at peace. Beyond blissful." Ellis's mind reached to the past. "She never was meant to be normal," he said, remembering the first time she took a life. That was the first time Ellis ever saw Ollie completely serene.

  ()()()

  Ollie was eight, living in a house in a small town in Maryland with Mama, Ellis, and Cee. Geo had come home to visit, and someone had followed him. The man wasn't a friend of his; Ellis had no idea what their relationship was, but it wasn't friendly. Ollie had picked up on tha
t immediately and perked up.

  The two men were exchanging words on the front porch, and Geo told him to leave. The man threatened him. Geo welcomed the challenge. Ric came outside to pull Geo into the house, and the man followed. That was when Ellis saw it for the first time. His sister took on an unusual position on her feet, almost crouching. Her face was ever-watchful. It was the only time she ever showed real interest in anything. Even with the danger in the air, Ollie was not the least bit scared. The moment the man launched in Geo's direction, so did Ollie. She kicked a chair in the man's way, tripping him, and a blade no one had seen fell from his hand. Scooping up the blade, she plunged it into his chest without hesitation, too fast to be normal for an eight-year-old. And faster than Geo or Ric could stop her. She didn't look like she had any regret or mercy. The eldest brother picked her up to get her out of the room. Ollie didn't fight; she just watched with complete satisfaction while the man died. She looked completely sated.

  "She just killed him, Mama." Geo told the shaman. "Like she's been doing it all her life."

  "Yes, because she knew you wouldn't have," the woman said, not a bit fazed by any of it.

  "Mama, she's not normal."

  "I know. She's not meant to be normal. Ever."

  ()()()

  Taking a deep breath, Ellis continued. "There was a warning that followed the story." The void would return, and death would follow. The Structure would be destroyed.

  Though Ellis looked hopeless, Granger saw everything click together. The pieces fit. So Moon isn't killing the seers and historians to protect the Oracle, but to protect the void, their leader.

  Ellis thought for a moment. "Bones …" The word rushed from his mouth in a gust of wind. "He… He said that he was part of the void now, and--" Ellis stood up, rubbing his hands over his curly hair. "He knew. He already knew. That transfer of energy. Somehow he learned it from Ollie." Ellis looked startled. He said he was disconnected and that death had claimed him. Ollie was never meant to be normal. She created the void. Death had claimed him--her death. Her death--that transfer--it claimed him and changed him. Is Bones the void?

  "So what does this have to do with me, and what does this have to do with the future of the Structure?"

  Ellis shook his head.

  "I apologize, Granger. I …" Ellis folded his arms in front of him, grasping his forearms. "Allow me to clear my head first." Ellis was trying to hold on to the few threads of composure he had. His brother was gone, and now he was finding out his sister's death had been a tool to bring back the void. It was tearing him up inside.

  But what bothered Granger was what the return of the void represented. Was the Structure really going to be destroyed?

  ()()()

  After dinner, Granger returned to the library to find Ellis with a menacing scowl on his face as he flipped through a small notebook. Bones's notebook.

  "Anything new?" Granger asked.

  "I got the information you left about what this … Pillar woman said." Ellis was a lot more coherent than he had been earlier. "What Bones wrote in his book." He laughed. "Dietti died trying to save the Structure. Three thousand years ago, Volorii was already on his deathbed. So he used his last bit of life energy and killed her when she stopped the Structure from being destroyed during her reign."

  "How did she stop it?" Granger asked.

  "She killed Volorii's great-grandson, the next void. That is why the Grand House accused Moon of a first offense. They were guilty. And Moon never tried to dispute it, because they knew their crime was true. But they still evaded the punishment, so that they could try to bring back the void again.

  Ellis looked up at Granger and smiled. "Moon is going to do everything it can to halt Marissa. They won't allow the Structure to become as it once was. Moon understands how destructive that 'unity' was. And they are preparing to make sure the Structure is destroyed one way or another. But Bones will not cooperate with their plans. He has found another way. It is the way he wants us to follow."

  Granger nodded. "By finding Creed."

  "Precisely."

  "But isn't Creed Moon?"

  "Yes, but Creed has the Eyes of God."

  Chills ran along Granger's skin. "What?"

  Ellis smiled. "That is why he is in hiding. Creed inherited the power of his great- grandfather Tesen. He has the Eyes of God. That is why he remains hidden and why even the Pillars can't find him. Only me and Ollie. And I suppose Bones now."

  "So this Creed knows, what?"

  "Well, if I am interpreting this correctly, he knows the true path to uniting the Structure with the rest of humanity. And it requires death? I'm not sure what that means. But what I am convinced about is that we must get you to Creed. I don't care about the why. I just care about getting my brother back." Ellis spoke honestly.

  "Fair enough. And I definitely want to meet this Creed. His power could have averted this damn mess--"

  There was a knock at the door, and they both turned to watch it open. Arjun came into the room. "Augustus," Arjun held up a phone.

  Granger got up and took the phone, putting it to his ear.

  "G," Joc's voice came in over the phone. "The word is out that the Oracle has disappeared. River has just handed all of its power over to a woman claiming to be a Pillar named Fiala. From what I can tell, she was once Nikolai's and Mary's personal assistant, Marissa Ivanski. Breath and Flame have joined forces again and are actively taking offense to Marissa's claim to power. Blade is siding with them. But the real problem is Stone and Sun. They want you to be their spokesperson. Granger, they're calling on you to step up and take the position of Oracle before Marissa does."

  Granger cursed, not wanting the position. He projected the information to Ellis, who cocked his head to the side with worry. "Thanks. I'll have to think on this," Granger said.

  "Since the Oracle's missing, both sides are ignoring protocol and declaring an all out war on each other and you. G, be careful, because Blade and River both have assassins gunning for you," Joc said before hanging up.

  "It seems the Structure is already destroying itself," Granger said, giving Arjun back the phone.

  "It's not the first time. But what's Mama's part in this, and whose side will she take?" Ellis said, groaning.

  Arjun looked back and forth between them.

  "If Marissa is right, the Oracle believes that the fall of a civilization will bring the rise of an even greater one." Granger put his hand on his chin, rubbing it in thought.

  Ellis shook his head. "No civilization lasts forever. Rome fell, Egypt fell, Uni'ki fell. Maybe it is time we fell as well. One thing is for sure--we can't let Uni'ki repeat itself. Bones said not to trust anyone. So I need to take you to Creed. I have a feeling that he's the one who can figure this out. If he hasn't already." It was clear that Ellis did not trust this Creed any more than he did the rest of Moon. The only reason Ellis considered his help at all was because Bones had instructed him to. But Granger saw that there was more to Creed than just being an esteemed leader of Moon. It seemed that the only people the recluse trusted were Ellis and Ollie. In Granger's eyes, that was enough reason to trust him.

  "I need to make some phone calls," Granger said, walking past Arjun.

  Granger. Helicopters incoming. His navigator grabbed his attention.

  From insult to injury. This was getting old fast. If the Grand House wanted him dead, they were going to work real damn hard to get it.

  "We have company." Granger said, taking off his wind jacket hanging it on the doorknob. "Stay here. This won't take but a minute," he told them, ready to take on the world.

  ()()()

  Ellis and Arjun looked at each other; both were skeptical. They quickly followed after him, trying to figure out what he was about to do. Ellis went to the main deck and saw several helicopter lights in the night sky. They were heading straight for them.

  "We have to--"

  Arjun put his hand on Ellis's arm to stop him. "No. He must stand on his own," Arjun said,
looking at his student. Ellis turned to see the helicopter lights spotlight Granger. It was in that minute that Ellis saw what everyone feared in him.

  The moment they got close, a chorus of bullets came down on them. Ellis's heart skipped as he hit the ground, Arjun by his side. Ellis began to crawl to safety. But something was… off. The bullets were dropping in front of them. He looked up to see an unmoved Granger holding out his left palm facing forward, stopping each and every bullet that threatened them. His presence was so serene, Ellis couldn't tell if the man was conscious of what he was doing.

  Lifting his right hand, holding it at the same distance as the left, he made a quick pulling motion, as if he had grabbed something and jerked it hard. The act was so violent that Ellis could feel the possessions take place. He felt the energy being sucked through the air. Even the water around them kicked up when the unnatural wind blew by. Arjun patted his chest and arms, as if checking to make sure his own soul was intact, before looking up at Ellis, eyes wider than plates.

  "Damn." Ellis's curse was so tangible that it grabbed Granger's attention, and he looked back at him with unfeeling eyes.

  "You're fine," he said, walking toward them. Ellis looked out into the night sky and saw the helicopters flying out of control. His possession had knocked them unconscious, and now none of them were able to gain control of the helicopters about to crash into the ocean. "We need to find this Creed. Tell my navigator what course to plot," Granger said to Ellis, leaving him behind to look at the bullets on the deck floor.