Reaching his head, the outside hardens like a shell. Cracks flow over the newly made shell as an explosion of fire erupts. Adonis stands there transformed. Streaks of lightning that shoot across the arena floor to his feet, his body and legs covered fire, arms and hair covered in lightning, as his eyes shine a bright blue.
***
Both Tyler and Alexandria are watching closely. Ready to interject at a moment's notice.
Alexandria asks, “This kid is like nothing I have ever seen. It's like he isn’t even human. You said you trained with him before?”
“Yes I have. I have to take his to keep up." Tyler holds up a vile of golden liquid labeled Ax2. “I’ve never seen him like this before. I didn’t even know that being a dual elemental was possible.”
“Do you have more than one of those vials?”
“I have a few yes.” He says as he reaches into his coat pocket and grabs another vial.
“Good because we’re going to need them.”
***
Vernon watches as his pendant shatters around Adonis’ neck. No longer being able to contain the raw power flowing from him, and the clouds within the shield ignite.
Adonis screams with a twisted voice, “Now you will burn!”
Vernon calmness is still with him. There is a voice of fear in the back of his head telling him how he should be scared, and how he should be running away. He pays no heed to that voice and focused on the calm.
A warmth flows from it and sheds light over him, and he imagines his inner doors open wide. It's almost as if every cell of his body is reacting to the warmth that is growing inside of him. Vernon’s eyes shine white, with a glowing white aura that begins to envelope him.
The cameras though out the coliseum begin to break and shatter as the cloud of molten and fire melt them. The coliseum begins to crack from the stress of the fight below.
The clouds come down and place themselves onto Adonis' back. The black and molten sky becomes his wings. He flies with blinding speed toward Vernon, but he is able to see it all. The fire clouds follows behind Adonis' arm as if it was an extension of his body, forming into a large fist.
Without dodging, without swaying, Vernon receives the attack in his hands. Adonis fist is in his own, and Vernon gathers the light from around him. Conviction fills his eyes, as he releases the light into Adonis.
The beam takes Adonis into the wall and expands to cover the whole coliseum floor. The shield protecting the crowd flickers, sparks and shatters.
The clouds over head dissipate as the wave of light touches them. Adonis falls to his knees, then to his face still ablaze. Vernon drops to his knees as well, and looks to Marie. She’s safe. Vernon is relieved, but feels like he is about to pass out.
The lightning around Adonis fades into fire. He props himself up and slowly stands. Wobbling as his does. Vernon can see the rage on his face as he takes a deep breath to gather his strength. Nothing comes. The fire surrounding him swirls around and fades away.
Adonis screams with spit flying out of his mouth and his face turning red, “What did you do to me!?”
Alexandria and Tyler appear on either side of Adonis. Together they strike from both sides, hands filled with magic. Unable to brace or prepare for the massive force of both attacks Adonis gets smashed between them, and falls to the ground. His eyes go blank.
Vernon still on his knees watches Adonis fall to the ground and the stasis cocoon cover him. Vernon closes his eyes, knowing his mom and Tyler are there to make sure Marie is safe.
***
The crowd erupts in wild cheers, and everyone goes silent as Tyler walks toward Vernon.
“Well folks I wouldn’t believe it if I hadn’t see it for myself. That was a bout for the ages, the history books even. The Fire Cats win!” Says the announcer as Tyler holds up Vernon’s hand.
The crowd’s cheers return.
Tyler says, “I’m going to have to make him a Paladin now, you know that Alexandria. It will be the only way I can keep him safe. I can take him under my wing, and train him personally while in the academy. He would be my apprentice.”
“I know Tyler, I know. Just keep him safe and I know you will keep the promise you made to me and Eugene.” replies Alexandria.
“I have for the last seventeen years, and I don’t plan on changing that anytime soon. It just got a bit more difficult.”
27
Four years, and it all comes to this.
His last trial before becoming a paladin. There are no smells here. Everything looks alive as nature ever has in this space. Nature won the battle, reclaiming everything built. Green vines filled with white flowers covering homes. Gigantic trees in the middle of streets, and all manner of different creatures living in homes made for humans. Vernon knows all this is just a shifted area for his final trial but the sight is unreal.
Tyler blindfolded Vernon and toss him inside. Saying he has four days. After those four days, a location beacon will go off signaling to them he failed. With the trials only happening once a year, he would have to wait till next year for a second shot.
Vargas and a couple of other recruits heard the reclaimed city is the hardest to complete and only given to the top students. Vernon knew he could complete this trial with no worries before he got here. Now he isn’t so sure. You can’t eat or drink anything here, because it isn’t real. Then the space inside this shifted area is uncanny. Most he has ever been were no more than a few acres, this is way more.
Tyler gave Vernon an old brown coat of his, and told him to remember his training. He only had thirty minutes from the time he was told to get his gear ready to when Tyler blindfolded him. It didn’t take him very long, he was waiting for it. He had pre-packed supplies, his gunlet and folding sword. Then Tyler blindfolded him and lead him to the trial.
On the walk over, Tyler turned on paladin level access on Vernon’s HaLO. He said he would need it. Asking what that meant only got the reply ‘It’s all a part of the trial’. Standing here now in the middle of a park surrounded by buildings covered in plants is where Vernon begins his life as a paladin. All he has to do is get out of there.
The park where he entered is empty save for a few small animals like squirrels and birds. Vernon looks around trying to find some clue of which way to go. He pulls the hood from his coat over his head. Across his overlay he sees, hood active scanning area. The HaLO starts to map the area that he’s in. Feeling he hit a lucky break, he watches the virtual map fill in and grabs it in his hands. Stretching, and manipulating the map he sees the entrance that he came in from. It's unreachable because it's now shut, but there is an exit in the sky. He still looks up at it giving some thought to how unlikely it would be to reach it, and if he should spend time trying.
The map finishes with a thirty mile radius and Vernon is the center. There are three exit points, the sky, the far east and west of the map. A monumentous roar echoes across the city. Vernon flinches and activates his gunlet by tapping his middle and ring finger into his palm.
The handle releases from under his wrist, flipping into his hand. The metal around his wrist starts to open and curl around forming a barrel. It flips over his thumb to attach to the handle with a click. The barrel extends and locks into place. The large barrel is covered in runes and a non-reflective bluing.
A circled crosshair appears over his right eye, and he starts to scan the area to see where the roar came from. Thud after thud after thud are getting closer. The trees shaking, leaves rustling and branches breaking switch to a trees breaking away. Vernon wind bursts over to a large metal slide and kneels underneath it. Watching carefully as disappearing tree line comes closer.
The thumping noise ceases and the trees stop rustling. No birds chirping, or wind blowing as the area falls silent. Vernon feels like he can hear his own heart beating. It's going a hundred miles an hour, adrenaline pouring into veins.
He starts to hear a sucking noise from the tree line that sounds like sniffing. A massive head pokes through fo
llowed shortly after by a body the size of a small building. The arms on the creature tiny, but the head and teeth were disheartening.
He looks at the creature and his overlay gives him some information on it. It's called a Tyrannosaurus Rex. The speed and strength of the creature are amazing for its size and starts Vernon's mind racing on what to do. The creature is looking for something and is sniffing the air intently.
It’s coming closer and closer to where Vernon is hiding, and as it does the sniffing gets deeper and deeper. Vernon squeezes the grip of the gunlet as he holds it over his heart. Scent. He smells Vernon. That is what it is sniffing around for, because there is no other smells.
The creature swings its head and knocks away the slide, and Vernon stands. He can sees the creature’s eyes dilate and as it opens its jaws. Vernon focuses and aims at the back of the beasts throat and pulls the trigger of his gunlet.
The explosive rune at the back of the chamber was charged and released, forcing out a rune covered slug of metal. As it passes through the barrel it's infused with magic to the point of bursting, leaving the barrel humming. It shimmers with a trail of lightning from behind and connects with the flesh of the T-Rex. It explodes with a burst of fire mixed with a few streaks of electricity. The creature jerks it head back and to the side while letting out a scream of pain. It continues to turn, dropping its tail low to the ground and swings it at Vernon.
He raises his left arm and catches the tail with a loud clap and stands his ground. Aiming one more time, charging the gunlet he focus right above the burnt hole in the back of the neck that is oozing with red blood. Firing the next bullet, it connects and freezes the back of its head. The third shot flies through the ice and explodes the creatures frozen head.
The body falls and topples over. It bursts into smoke flying outward and then the smoke implodes into a key. Vernon goes to the key and picks it up. The key vanishes adding into his digital wallet and activates a GPS location on his map. Which is on the far north end.
Vernon releases the gunlet from his hands, and watches it disassemble and wrap back around his forearm. He thinks to himself, that he doesn’t have time to go treasure hunting. He lets out a sigh, and starts heading for the location the key put on his map. It was the one he earned, which might be the real way out.
Walking through the heart of the dead city gives Vernon an eerie feeling. He still can’t hear any noises save for the occasional chirp of a bird flying by. There is also constant feeling of being watched that is starting to nag at him. He knows Tyler's probably watching him from somewhere. That has to be the reason for this feeling, but then again it could be something else like another T-rex.
Twelve hours have passed since he has started walking toward the location provided by the key, and he is about halfway there. The day is starting to slip by, and he decides to pick up the pace before night hits. He jumps onto the broken highway he was walking beside and starts to wind sprint across it. The roadway is mostly demolished, but he is able to clear the gaps without much trouble. He reaches the edge of the city before nightfall and is getting hungry. There is open fields and a forest ahead of him, and a destroyed city behind him. He feels like he’s in one of his video games.
He jumps to the ground and looks for a place to camp. Finding an small open area under a dilapidated part of the highway he crawls into it. On the other side there is a large open area completely sheltered from anything that might be out there, smelling him. He puts down his backpack and rummages around for his tent. Pulling out a metal disk with a button in the center.
The area seems to be pretty clear of debris, as well as dry and its small enough to where he shouldn’t have to worry about large reptiles. Flipping open the cover and pressing the button activates the portable housing unit. He places it on the ground in a non-grown over spot of concrete and it swirls open to form a square base. The sides fold upward followed by the unfolding of a steeped roof. The whole process takes about two minutes to finish, and Vernon just stares at it and watches it works.
Once finished he opens the door into the shelter to find a bed and cooking station. The shelter is about one hundred square feet and is the perfect size for a temporary living situation. Reaching back into his pack he pulls out some of his rations to see what he has to eat. Macaroni and cheese, beef stroganoff, beef nachos, and venison jerky. The toppings are sriracha and ketchup. He picks up the mac and cheese and puts it on the cook station. The small cube is placed on the receptacle and gets scanned. The readout shows ‘macaroni and cheese’ and time to cook at thirty seconds. He hears the machine warming up and the water running into it.
He thinks about the last four years without being able to talk with Marie or his parents. Wondering what Duke has been up to and if Emma went off to college like she wanted too. He doesn’t know what Flint has been doing. The last he saw him, he wanted to stay in Saint Anthony and hopes he is well. Marie told Vernon before he left she was going to college, but didn’t know for what. Once he completes this place, he can see her again, and they can talk to each other about everything that happened over the last four years.
Vernon had decided to try for Dragon Squad because that is what he wanted. To fight monsters and hunt down people for abusing others with magic. Vargas had joined him in his goal to get accepted into Dragon.
The grade requirement alone kept most from getting in, but then you had to pass the physical exam. It is a grueling training program for most. Vernon had it a little easier because he had gone through some of what the training was thankfully. Now he and Vargas were the only two that were qualified to get into Dragon, and both of them had to go through this test. Vargas was able to finish it within two days and Vernon wants to do even better.
The cook station dings and the side of the box opens to reveal a hot macaroni and cheese dinner with bacon. He grabs his water bottle that is carrying all his water. Pressing the button to release the straw he takes a sip. As the air hits the powder it turns back into water. The container hold four days’ worth of water, which should be more than enough.
The macaroni is good, but not as good as his mother makes. He likes it more creamy and less watery. Memories of when he was younger dance though his mind as he curls up in bed. It’s already one day down, and he is going to need to move fast tomorrow.
28
A dark figure floats above Vernon, skeletal wings of electricity filled with fire spread wide. They are in a desert with nothing else around. Vernon looks worn out and at the breaking point. The figure raises it hands and fills its palms with a torrent of fire and lightning, condensing into a ball ready to crack of the seams. Vernon is covered in a white light as the ball comes crashing down. The ball begins to expand against his palm and Vernon falls to his knees. Vernon looks back to Marie and she has tears falling down her face. She tries to speak, tries to yell but nothing. She reaches out as the shroud of light fades from Vernon and the explosion takes his life to leave nothing but ash.
Marie wakes up screaming in sweat soaked sheets, and her heart racing a hundred miles an hour. Her whole body is shaking as she gets out of bed to get some water. She hasn’t had that dream in over two years. She thought she was finally past all the fear from that final match in the tournament all those years ago. She walks over to her desk in her little one bedroom apartment and picks up the handwritten letter from Tyler about Vernon. How he's almost completed his trials and will be getting his commission soon.
She grasps her hand around her promise ring and starts gets excited all over again. To finally get to see Vernon for the first time in four years. Going back to her bed she crawls under the covers and starts thinking about all the things she wants to tell him. Like her freshman year when she gained twenty pounds because she was eating too much fast food, and the year and a half it took her to lose it all. The one history class where the professor was hitting on her the whole semester. To only find out with three days left in the semester that he got arrested for forcing girls to have sex with him for better
grades. How she has spent every Saturday over the last four years with his mother training and learning. So she can fight and protect herself. The bond that she and his mother have now. How it only took her three years to get through school working her tail off.
Most importantly of all, how alone she has felt without him being there and how she has misses everything about him. His smell, his touch, his horrible not funny jokes that only he gets. She can’t wait to see the man that he has become and prays that he hasn’t changed too much to where she doesn’t recognize him anymore.
***
A loud crashing sound wakes Vernon and instinctively he activates his gunlet. He cracks open the door, with nothing on but his boxer briefs, and looks around. There is nothing there. He goes back inside and starts to get dressed. A small card falls out of his pack. It’s the other sealed card that Fortune gave him years ago. He picks it up and doesn't remember packing it at all. He had left it in his room back at home, and wonders how it got in there. Seeing it brings back the memory of when he got it, and what Fortune said. After a long night open it. He opens the card and it has a simple phrase.
‘She won’t wait forever.’
As his eyes pass over the words he hears the crashing sound again. This time he can tell it coming from above him on the highway. He packs his backpack and leaves the portable housing unit, in case he needs to come back. Walking out from under the broken underpass, he makes sure to have his gunlet drawn and hood over his head.
Cypher Theorem Series Box Set: Books 1-3, The Zero Class, Shadow Moon, Dragon Fire: A Science Fiction Fantasy Page 18