Apotheosis (Song of Sophangence Book 3)

by E. I. McAllistair

  Striding out of the building to the horror and disbelief of everyone around, he set his sights on Will Jasper. Will was the youngest of the bosses, and his power was easily the most unstable. He had a love of golf which made him easy to find. Yefferson contemplated leaving him alone since he was so young, but playing favorites would not work well for someone as weak as he was. There would be no way he could survive the fallout anyway. Yefferson took the golf ball that had just landed nearby and threw it directly at the man’s head. With the amount of force, it lost no momentum, leaving a gaping hole in the center of his face. Yefferson always had good aim, but he smirked as he walked off, particularly proud of this feat.

  By this point the word had gotten around to the remaining two men that Yefferson was on the warpath. They both took measures, going to ground as they prepared for crisis situations. They led a dangerous life, so it was expected for them to have such plans in place. Unfortunately for them, career criminals were not nearly as loyal as they had hoped. Each of their seconds gave them up without any more than a promise their money would not be harmed.

  Yefferson found both men quite easily, but by this point he had gotten bored with all the theatrics, feeling that everything he had done up to then would suffice. Neither men had contingencies in place for an absurdly powerful Demolitionist, so to cap off his day, he made a pyrotechnic show that made Independence Day celebrations look like children’s parties. In all his work he had not paid attention to the flood of calls and messages from Conrad. When he finally did call the man back, he was in a state of panic.

  “What do you want Conrad, I’m a little busy.”

  “What the fuck are you doing?! Are you insane?! Actually, I know you are insane! You have done some wicked shit, but this takes the cake! Why would you kill all the leaders of the gangs?! Was Ace not enough for you!?”

  “They had to die to set an example. Everyone is just going to work directly for me now.”

  “Do you know how much work that is going to take?! The restructuring, the allegiances, you’ve fucked decades worth of infrastructure!”

  “Guess it’s a good thing I have you to clean up my messes. I expect everybody to be on board and shit to be tight by the time I get back.”

  “Get back?! Get back from where?! You can’t just destroy everything and then leave!”

  “That’s what I normally do, and it’s none of your fucking business where I am going. Just have this shit taken care of by the time I’m back or you and everyone you care about is next.”

  “That’s it. I can’t-”

  Yefferson hung up the phone on the frenzied man, certain he would calm down eventually. He had done his part, now it was time for Conrad to prove his worth. He had another mission that needed his attention and it was finally time to start it. He looked down at his ticket wondering what he would find in Middlebury, Vermont of all places. Just then his section was boarding, so he strode onto the plane with satisfaction. He thought to himself he would need to look into a private jet in the future.

  The wind rippled through Yefferson’s hair as he reminisced about his journey and sped down the highway headed back home. Months had passed since he started this adventure and he could finally return to rule his kingdom in peace knowing that the disturbance that was Anaar was finally gone. He thought to himself that he might have wasted time with the detour he took, but now that it was all done, he was sure he had gotten everything just right.

  31

  A light morning dew had begun to settle across the naked expanse as the sun sluggishly rose in the sky. The field was a rocky garden with ragged patches of grass and weeds in between. If the area had been utilized by humans in any way, someone surely would have been shocked to find a large male body, face down with an ocean of hair covering him like a blanket. The first thing Anaar came to hear was the sound of Hobb screaming at him.

  “Anaar! You have returned! Shall I get Mother? I am trying to respect your wishes, but it has been such a long time since you last responded!”

  The mass underneath the mop of hair twitched slightly, then gasped as it seemed the entire world had been amplified a millionfold.

  Hobb… Stop shouting… It is unbecoming of you. I think my synesthesia is out of whack because I can sense like… everything.

  “Yes, I am aware. This is much more potent than I am used to.”

  How can you psychically yell anyway? I don’t think our bond is actually psychic, but you know what I mean.

  “Perhaps it is another byproduct of your hypersensitivity.”

  With a groan he bumbles to his knees, his body still feeling foreign to him. Looking down he noticed he only had on the skintight blue bodysuit and his Vizer. Brushing the hair from his face he looks around in utter confusion. For some reason his mind was drawing a blank as to where he was and why. Whatever the situation, he was certain he should not be in what looked to be the middle of nowhere essentially naked.

  Hobb, where am I, and why am I naked?

  “Geolocation places you near the town of Eakley, Oklahoma. You are also not naked, you are quite clothed.”

  You know what I mean. This suit is practically a part of me by this point. Since it regenerates with me it would be safe to say I am naked.

  “Your statement is illogical. I shall allow it, considering you were so thoroughly defeated by your brother it temporarily severed our connection.”

  When Hobb said the words, it suddenly came flooding back to him. He had somehow sniffed Yefferson out like a bloodhound. Unfortunately, he was not in the mood to talk. Had he even gotten out a full sentence before he was attacked? The details were still somewhat fuzzy and his body felt as if he had gone days without sleep.

  How long was I out?

  “I was able to reestablish contact with you 96 minutes ago, however you have only just begun to respond.”

  How much time has passed since you first lost contact with me?

  “14 hours, 33 minutes, and 26 seconds”

  I have been out for a whole half a day?!

  “Perhaps you now understand my alarm.”

  Wait… That asshole killed me! Like really killed me! Well, I guess not, since I still yet live, but he damn sure tried! I am sure that would have killed any normal Immortal. Maybe his Invulnerability and my Immortality are one another’s counterparts. They don’t work like the typical variety. He must have dried out the entire area in an instant. I shouldn’t have been able to regenerate because my genetic material would not have had water droplets to be stored in. Maybe because of my Air attunement it negates that? I should probably not die while out in space if that is the case…

  “Riveting your musings may be, perhaps you should seek a better locale than the one you are currently situated?”

  Good call. I can spend more time trying to figure out just how my powers work later. For now I should probably go back home. I am still incredibly tired. I guess that type of regeneration has its cost. At least I didn’t have anything on me other than my clothes. Replacing my wallet and all of that would have been a nightmare.

  Anaar stood and brushed himself off, the sudden change in elevation making him slightly disoriented. When he attempted to open a portal, he found something strange happening to him. Trying to open the portal to home was like trying to open a jar where the lid was stuck fast. No matter what he did, he could not seem to get a proper hold on the portal to open it. Even though he only had the ability for little over a year, he was confident something so trivial as a jump back home should not give him problems.

  Huh. Well that is new.

  “Is something amiss?”

  Yeah… My powers aren’t working. Well that isn’t true. My synesthesia is still way too amped up, but I can’t seem to dampen them right now.

  “Perhaps your fears about the two of you canceling each other out were founded?”

  I don’t know. My biggest fear was that he would kill me, which happened, but that I wouldn’t come back. That wasn’t the case so why would some of
my powers not work?

  “I have a hypothesis.”

  I’m listening.

  “Your regenerative abilities, though passive, may tax your body and mind in accordance to how much work needs to be done to make you whole again. The last time this happened I only lost contact with you for a few minutes. If I am to extrapolate the time our connection is severed to the time your body is under repair, this was an exponentially greater feat than you are used to.”

  Basically you are saying I’m too tired to make my portal?

  “The evidence points toward that.”

  You know what… You might be right! Ripp used to talk about her limitations all the time. I never understood what she meant since it never applied. Maybe this is what she is talking about. I never suspected it would work like this.

  “Like what?”

  I don’t know, like normal physical activity. It isn’t like I have even a fraction of Yefferson’s or even Phavian’s strength, so if I tried lifting something that was beyond my capabilities, I just wouldn’t be able to. Somehow I thought there would be some feedback, like an error message or something…

  “What shall you do?”

  I guess wait it out? It didn’t feel that out of reach, so maybe if I just push harder…

  With an audible heave, Anaar was able to open the portal to his room. It felt like the world was resting on his shoulders, so he quickly dove through, letting it close with a snap. It was to his benefit that his room was so small because just after making it through the portal, he fell face first onto his bed, unconscious from exhaustion.

  A familiar aroma pulled Anaar from his deep slumber, his senses still extremely heightened. The scent of his mother’s cooking was as tantalizing as ever, especially to his overly sensitive nose. It occurred to him all at once that if his mother was home it must be rather late. Looking at his Vizer he found he had been asleep for another half a day.

  He climbed off the bed and melted from his body suit, standing naked in front of the rack that was his makeshift closet. After grabbing some underwear and a t-shirt, he slipped on a pair of jeans and found a hair tie for himself. His senses were driving him crazy, the feel of his clothes closer to sandpaper than cotton. Sitting back on the bed he took a moment to try to get his abilities back under control. To his relief it was no feat at all, and he could once again enjoy his clothing.

  Curious, he tried opening a portal to the farthest distance away from him, and found he could manage it with no problem. There was only the slightest bit of strain that he was not used to, but otherwise things seemed to be back to normal for him. He figured with some good food and another few nights of rest he would be back to his original form.

  He stepped out of his room, walking down the short hallway past the bathroom and his mother’s room, entering the kitchen. When she saw him, she nearly hit the ceiling with shock and fright. It took everything in her to restrain herself from throwing the hot pan at him.

  “Anaar what are you doing home?! When did you get here? I did not hear you come in.”

  “Hey mom, I’ve actually been here all day but I’ve been asleep. The trip took a lot out of me.”

  “I bet it did! It is so far away, I’m happy to see you!”

  Now that she had established the intruder was none other than her son, she seemed to remember herself, and rushed over to give him a hug. He leaned down to give her a peck on the forehead, with her quickly scuttling away right after to stir her food. Once she was satisfied it would not burn, she turned back to him with a gleeful smile.

  “This is perfect! I was going to cook for the week, but now that you are home, I have enough food for you too! What brings you back to visit? I thought you said it was unlikely that you would return home until you graduated.”

  “Well mom, there has been a lot going on and I was hoping you could help me fill in the gaps. I’ll be home until I finish up what I am doing.”

  Still stirring the simmering mixture in the pan, she checks the oven as she speaks to him. “How long is that going to be?”

  “I honestly have no idea. A few days, a few weeks? It isn’t really something I have the best plan of action for.”

  “That doesn’t sound like you. What about your classes?”

  “Oh it is fine, I can do the work just reading the book for the most part. I can take any tests once I get back.”

  “This sounds serious, should I be worried?”

  “Maybe, but let’s not dwell on that for right now. Let me help you finish cooking and we can talk about it over dinner.”

  Together they finished up dinner while engaging in lighthearted conversation. Though he talked to his mother regularly, it was good to simply catch up on all the small things. He found himself feeling somewhat ashamed he had momentary disgusted feelings about the small kitchen with none of the amenities he had grown accustomed to. He could not believe he had so quickly forgotten where he had come from.

  Pushing the thoughts out of his mind, he continued to listen to his mother talk about work and how she had started taking a new sewing class while he set the table for them. With the food ready and served, they sat down to continue their conversation. Yet another awkward instance was occurring where he had no clue how to start the discussion into what he needed to know. Once his mother stopped her updates, he cleared his throat and simply dove right into the topic.

  “Mom, do I have a twin brother?”

  The sudden change in the conversation to something so surprising caused her to choke on her food. “Where would you get an idea like that?! You are my only child. You don’t have any siblings, nevertheless a twin!”

  “Mom… I really need you to be honest with me. I’m not a little kid anymore. Are you sure? I understand what that would be implying, but trust that I would not ask this lightly.”

  “Anaar, I am fairly certain you do not have a twin brother!”

  “Okay, how about this one, did you know that I am a Water Affinity?”

  Her fork stopped midway to her mouth and then she placed it down on her plate, folding her hands in front of her. “Of course I knew. Fire Affinities don’t just heal from anything or never get sick. Honestly it was because you were such a healthy child I was able to save money and not get health insurance. Also, when your baby turns into a being of water and back again, only to find it funny, you get the hint.”

  “Then why did you go all my life allowing people to think I was a Fire Affinity?”

  “How exactly was I supposed to explain my child was True Quintessence with two attunements? They would have tried to take you away from me!”

  “So then you knew about my dual nature too.”

  “Yes, that is why I kept you hidden until you came to be cautious of your own abilities and not display them. I struggled for years how to have the conversation. Usually people do not manifest until after puberty! Here I had a little boy doing more than most adults could dream of. You solved that problem yourself though. You always were reliable.”

  “All this time and you let me go through this alone?!”

  “Of course not! You have always been so strong willed though, so I knew simply forcing you into something would not work. I never wanted to make you feel like you needed to conform to anything or anyone, even me. I think I was able to allow this because you have always been this sweet, responsible child. If you were a troublemaker, things would have been different.”

  “Knowing all this, you don’t think it is possible I have a twin?”

  “Sweetie, you surely know how children are made by this point. I think I would know-”

  “There is a man who looks exactly like me and he has two attunements too! He even called me his brother. What other explanation could there be?! Mom, I won’t love you any less, so please just tell me the truth!”

  “How do you know he has two attunements? They say everyone has a twin out there!”

  “Because one of my powers is Affinity Detection.”

  The dismissive smile Brighid had bee
n wearing vanished immediately when she heard those words. Though it was slight, Anaar was able to pick up the quiver of her lower lip, something she did whenever she was hiding something that was difficult. For a long beat they sat in silence until she finally began to speak, tears formulating in her eyes.

  “I hoped this day would never come.” She reaches across the table, grabbing his hand in a tight squeeze as she lets out a heavy breath laced with burden. “I am not your birth mother.”

  Shock coursed through Anaar’s body as if he had been hit with Codi’s heaviest attack. His own breathing became belabored and his mind became clouded with questions.

  “But… your name is on my birth certificate. How is that possible if you didn’t give birth to me? Surely the hospital could not have made that grave an error.”

  “You were not born in a hospital. Tika, your birthmother showed up at my door with you when you were but a few days old. Under those circumstances where the baby comes before being at a hospital, you must go take care of everything manually. No one suspects anything if there is no one to contest the claim.”

  “Why?! Why would she not want me? Why even bring me into the world just to throw me away like trash?!” He could see the shock and pain in his mother’s eyes when he said the words and immediately regretted them. “I… I’m sorry mom. I didn’t mean to make it sound like being your son was something less than. I just… I don’t know how to process all of this.”

  The two once again sat in silence, Brighid’s face a continuous stream of tears. Anaar stared at the woman for the first time in his entire life and took in everything he knew about her. The more he saw and thought about, the more obvious and foolish everything became.

  Looking into her now reddened, cloudy blue eyes, he scanned her very light blonde hair, more gray then blonde now with her age. The redness of her eyes was only surpassed by the blotchy redness of her face and neck as she wept softly. She was extremely fair skinned and pale, burning easily in the sun. When compared to his own deep golden brown hair, full of red highlights, crystal clear gray eyes with a rainbow of color swirled into them, and rich dusky skin with reddish undertones, they could not be more different.