The Prince of Warwood and The Rise of the Chosen

by J. Noel Clinton

  “What did you and Robbie do on your date?” he asked, digging into a small cooler next to him, producing two ho-hos, and handing one to Xavier.

  Xavier took the sweet and answered, “We had a couple of shakes and some fries.”

  “Oh,” Daniel replied, frowning.

  “What?”

  “I don’t know. Dates sound like the kind of stuff you’d do with your friends is all. I just figured there’d be more to it than that.”

  Xavier snickered. “Well, Robbie is my friend. But I like her differently than my other friends.”

  The smaller boy started giggling. “Yeah, cuz you want to kiss her, huh?”

  He laughed. “Yeah, I guess I do.”

  “Have you? Have you ever kissed her?”

  “Yeah, a few times.”

  Daniel made a face. “Sounds gross.”

  He smiled. “It’s not, believe me.”

  “Hey, can you make your electro-force change its shape? I saw Court with a force on his shoulder at school today during break. It looked like a dog.”

  “Yeah, I can.”

  Daniel sat up eagerly. “Will you teach me how? Please?”

  “I don’t know, Daniel. We’re not supposed to use our powers outside of school.” This had been a long-standing rule for students of Well’s Academy, but Xavier and his friends had never abided by it. However, after recent events, he wasn’t too keen on conjuring anything, and suddenly, he was thankful for the rule.

  “But you’re the Prince of Warwood! You can do anything!” he said with a measure of awe in his voice.

  Xavier smiled. “Thanks, but even kings and princes have to follow the rules.”

  “Oh, come on! Please? You’ve gotta show me!” he begged.

  “I don’t think it’s such a good idea, Daniel.”

  “But that Jonas kid keeps teasing me. He says I don’t belong at the Academy. He says I’m only there because my dad’s the headmaster and I’m royalty. I got to show him that I do belong there and that I can do stuff. Please, Xavier! Please?”

  He looked down at the smaller boy and sighed. Surely there wouldn’t be any harm in telling him how as long as he didn’t engage in his own powers. “Okay, okay. Stop looking at me like your puppy died. I’ll tell you how and help you practice.”

  “Yes!” Daniel cheered, punching his fist skyward in triumph.

  Xavier couldn’t help but laugh. “So, first you conjure your force and control it so that it stays in your hand.”

  “Okay,” Daniel replied, furrowing his brow in concentration as he conjured a force in his hand and worked to control it.

  “Good! Now, what you need to do is to think of an animal you want it to change into and concentrate on that animal.”

  Daniel closed his eyes, his brow furrowing into deep lines. The force changed shape, but not into anything recognizable. Panting, Daniel opened his eyes and his force evaporated.

  “I can’t do it. It’s too hard. Can you show me?”

  “No, just try again.”

  “But if I could see how you do it, I might be able to do it. Come on, Xavier! You’ve got to help me! It’s probably really easy for you to do. You’re powers are really strong.”

  Xavier smiled, feeling flattered and confident. “Well, I do have more powers than most men,” he bragged.

  “Yeah, I know,” the smaller boy replied with awe. “Dad says that you’re going to be a very powerful king when you grow up.”

  “Really? Uncle Mike said that?”

  Daniel nodded enthusiastically. “Yeah, he did. So it would be easy for you to show me how you do it, right?”

  “Well…yeah, in theory. Oh, okay. I’ll show you but just once, so pay attention,” he told him. Surely if he concentrated hard enough, he could maintain control of the force.

  “Okay, I will,” Daniel promised eagerly.

  “Okay, whenever I do something new, I meditate first,” he explained softly, closing his eyes and breathing rhythmically for several long seconds. “Then I picture in my head exactly what I want. I picture every detail: how it looks, feels, sounds, and smells.” He began picturing an electro-force in the shape of Robbie’s face.

  “Whoa! That’s cool. It’s Robbie!” Daniel exclaimed.

  Xavier opened his eyes and saw Robbie’s face a second before the force popped and fiery missiles flew in every direction, setting the fort on fire. Both boys sprang to their feet and Xavier stomped at the nearest flame, trying to put it out. It wasn’t working! The flames grew larger.

  “Xavier! What are you doing?” Daniel yelled. “Put it out! Put it out!”

  “I’m trying!”

  Picking up a magazine, he swatted at the flames, but only managed to catch the magazine on fire. He dropped the magazine, which then caused another fire. The fire was rapidly growing out of control! Xavier couldn’t stop it.

  “Stop it, Xavier! Stop it! I’m telling Dad!” Daniel whined.

  “I’m not doing it on purpose!” he shouted at the younger boy. “Come on! We’ve got to get out of here!”

  He pushed the smaller boy toward the fireman’s pole. Daniel slid easily to the ground and Xavier followed. He didn’t need to look at the fort to know it was completely engulfed in flames.

  “Why did you do that?” Daniel accused, tears streaming down his face.

  “I…,” Xavier looked up at the tree that now resembled an enormous torch.

  “What the…”

  Mike sprinted from the house, jutted his hand toward the fire, and a great wave of water crashed over the tree. The act put out the fire, but the force and weight of the water split the tree into two, and a large part of the tree toppled to the ground feet from where they stood.

  Mike turned to the boys, who both cowered at his furious face.

  “What happened,” he growled between tightly clenched teeth.

  The boys seemed suddenly interested in their shoes and neither answered.

  “Both of you, inside, now!” he spat.

  They didn’t hesitate and scurried into the house.

  “Sit!” he ordered, pointing to the kitchen table.

  It was then that Xavier realized his uncle was wearing an apron with yellow daisies on it, and he had to bite his tongue to keep the laughter from bubbling up inside him and escaping. Laughing at his uncle at this point in time would be suicidal.

  “Who’s going to talk? You know I don’t need you to in order to determine the truth. I can find out easily enough on my own.”

  Daniel darted a dark look at Xavier, but as angry as he was, he wouldn’t squeal on him. In an ordinary life, his cousin’s silence would be beneficial, but with an uncle who possessed telepathy, it was futile.

  “I did it, Uncle Mike,” Xavier muttered, trying not to look at his uncle in his ridiculous apron.

  “Explain to me what happened, Xavier?” he asked with a cold and hard voice.

  “It was an accident. I didn’t mean to set it on fire.”

  “You did too! I saw you!” Daniel yelled.

  “No I didn’t, Daniel! I wouldn’t do that! If you hadn’t yelled out and scared me, the electro force wouldn’t have gotten out of control!” he hissed at the younger boy.

  “Liar!”

  “I’m not lying!”

  “Okay, that’s enough, boys!” Mike ordered. He directed his attention to Xavier. “Why would you even consider conjuring an electro force in a wooden tree house to begin with?”

  He hesitated, glancing briefly at Daniel, who visibly shrank at the question.

  “I…I don’t know. I guess…”

  “Don’t. Don’t stammer around as you think up a lie. I don’t need telepathy to know that what you’re about to say isn’t going to be the truth.”

  “Daniel asked me to. He wanted me to teach him how to change his force into different forms and figures.”

  Mike looked down at his son. “Daniel, what have I told you about using powers outside of school?”

  “Not to,” Daniel muttered. �
��But it wasn’t me who started the fire!”

  “No, your cousin did because you coaxed him into conjuring his powers,” Mike concluded sternly. “I will deal with you later. Go to your room, son.”

  Daniel stood and slunk from the room.

  Mike walked to the phone and dialed a number. Xavier didn’t need to ask who he was calling. He knew he would call his father. He anxiously listened as Uncle Mike explained into the phone what happened. Then he went silent for several long seconds, his face impassive.

  Finally, he glanced at Xavier and spoke. “Okay, Jer. We’ll see you in a few minutes.”

  “So, how much trouble am I in?” he asked his uncle timidly.

  Mike turned with his hands on his hips. “What do you think? You are the older boy here. You know better. Why did you let him talk you into doing something you knew was wrong?”

  “I tried to tell him no! He wouldn’t listen! He kept begging me and looking at me with those big, sad eyes!” he blurted.

  “So you let a nine-year-old boy coerce you into doing something you knew was not only wrong but dangerous? Pathetic! That is absolutely pathetic, Xavier! What kind of king lets others make his decisions for him?”

  Xavier’s face ignited with heat and he bellowed, “You want to know what I think is pathetic? You standing there, trying to be all superior wearing that thing!”

  Mike gave him a quizzical expression, not sure what he meant. Then he looked down at his apron before glaring back at the insolent boy.

  “Watch yourself, boy,” he spat as he peeled the apron off and tossed it onto the table. “Your father will be here shortly. You stay put while I talk to Daniel.”

  Without waiting for a response, Mike left the room, and Xavier slouched in his chair. Sighing loudly, he stared out the back window at the charred remains of the tree house. “Could this day get any worse?” he wondered.

  Of course it could, and it did. When his father arrived, Xavier found himself staring into two pairs of hard, livid grey eyes.

  “First, I want you to tell us exactly what happened in the tree house,” the king demanded. “Then, I want you to explain to me why you would be so stupid that you would use an electro force in a small, enclosed, wooden tree house!”

  “Daniel said Jonas was picking on him because he’s not very powerful. I guess Daniel wanted to show him that he was powerful. So he asked me to show him how to make his electro force into a shape. I felt sorry for him. I know what it’s like to be picked on and teased. So I showed him. I guess he got excited and yelled when I showed him. Well, when he yelled, he startled me, and I lost control of it. The next thing I knew, the fort was on fire. It was an accident. I wasn’t showing off or anything. Really! It was just an accident. I tried to put it out, but it spread too fast. I got Daniel out of there before we got barbequed.”

  Mike sighed, ran his hand through his hair, and glanced at Jeremiah before speaking, “Xavier, are you supposed to use your powers outside of school?”

  “No, but everyone does!”

  Jeremiah bristled at his son’s response. “Everyone does, eh? Should a king do something he knows is wrong just because everyone else does it?”

  Xavier deflated and slouched in his chair. “No, sir.”

  “I understand you thought you were helping Daniel,” Mike continued calmly, “but that doesn’t excuse you from going against the rules. I’m sure your father has told you no one is above the law, not even the king.”

  Xavier nodded, still pouting. “Yeah, I tried to tell Daniel that.”

  “You did, did you? Well, I’m sure that message really sank in for him when in the next breath you disobeyed that rule,” Jeremiah hissed sarcastically.

  He slouched further into his chair. At this rate, he’d be lying flat on the floor in shame before too long.

  “All right then, all that’s left here is to determine an appropriate punishment,” Mike announced and looked at Jeremiah.

  The king gave his brother a nod of consent, and Mike squared his shoulders and faced Xavier with his hands on his hips.

  “Okay, for starters, you’ll have the same punishment as Daniel. You are grounded for four weeks; no TV, no computer, no hanging out with friends, no games.”

  “Four weeks!!” Xavier jerked upright with indignation.

  “Yes, four weeks!”

  He huffed loudly and slouched back into his chair.

  Mike ignored him and continued, “You’ll go to school, come home, do your assignments, and go to bed. The only entertainment you’ll be allowed to have is reading a book. Secondly, this weekend, you’ll come to my house and help clean up the mess you created. Got it?”

  Xavier didn’t answer and continued to sulk.

  Mike lifted his head so that their eyes met and repeated, “Do you understand?”

  “Yes!” he spat, feeling disgruntled, yanking his chin from his uncle’s grasp.

  “Xavier!” Jeremiah barked. “Show a little respect.”

  “You’ll only make things worse with your attitude!” Mike remarked.

  “Whatever,” he muttered so softly he was sure his father and uncle couldn’t hear him. He was wrong.

  The words barely left his lips when Michael grabbed him, hauled him out of the chair, and held him inches from his face. The unfurling fury Xavier saw in his uncle’s eyes sent chills down his spine, and he nearly whimpered.

  Mike’s hands dug painfully into his arms as he hissed, “I’m a breath away from busting your butt, boy. Do you really want to continue with your attitude and make things worse?”

  “No,” Xavier managed to choke out as his voice broke. Tears pooled in his eyes, and he quickly looked everywhere but at the man holding him. “I mean, no, sir. I’m sorry.”

  Mike relaxed marginally, set the boy on his feet, and nodded. “Ok. You can go home with your father. I’ll see you Saturday at 8 am to work on cleaning up my backyard.”

  He nodded, not trusting himself to speak.

  “Let’s go home, son,” Jeremiah told him, laying a large hand on his shoulder. Then, his father looked at Mike. “I’m sorry about the damages, Mike. I can send supplies or more manpower if you need it.”

  He shook his head. “That’s not needed. The boys and I will take care of it. Xavier isn’t the only person carrying the blame for what happened today. Daniel has repeatedly tried to use his powers outside of school. I’ve had countless discussions with him about it and why the rule exists. He was quite deviant to manipulate Xavier into doing it for him. When I’m through with him, he may regret wishing for a father for all those years.”

  “No he won’t,” Xavier muttered. He looked up at his uncle, blinking through the remnants of tears left unshed. “He wants you to punish him. It…it’ll make him feel…I don’t know. I guess it makes you feel normal.”

  Chapter 21: Invisibility

  The next day, Xavier walked to school with his thoughts swimming in a sea of anxiety. What he had told his uncle and father about the fire had been true, but he neglected to tell them the entire story. After being startled by Daniel and losing control of his electro force, three more forces had erupted from him, making it impossible to extinguish the fire. His abilities couldn’t be trusted any more. After lying in bed for over an hour trying to understand what was happening to him and his abilities, he was no closer to an answer. He was scared and confused. Maybe the King’s Key corrupted his powers when it drained LeMasters’ life force. It seemed to fit. All his problems began shortly after that confrontation. Had the key damaged his ability to control his powers or was it simply taking them bit by bit?

  “Are you okay? You’re awfully quiet,” Court noted, elbowing Xavier out of his thoughts.

  “Just thinking,” he responded as they climbed the stairs to the Academy.

  Daniel stood next to his father, looking sullen and grumpy.

  “Hey, Danny,” he called timidly to the younger boy.

  Daniel glanced in his direction, but quickly looked away without responding.
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  “Whoa. You just got snubbed by your seven-year old cousin,” Court exclaimed.

  “He’s nine, and he has a right to be mad at me. I burned down his tree house yesterday,” he muttered.

  “You what?” Court exclaimed, grabbing his arm and stopping him.

  “Well, I didn’t do it on purpose,” he snapped. “Most of what I do anymore isn’t on purpose!”

  “You mean it happened again?”

  He nodded, not meeting his friend’s serious stare.

  “Tell your dad!” Court pleaded. “God, Xavier! You could have killed yourself or your cousin! You have to tell him!”

  “No, I don’t! I don’t want him looking at me like I’m a disappointment. Besides, I can’t run to Dad for everything! What kind of king runs to other people for help?”

  “A good one,” Court retorted.

  “I just need a rest; that’s all!” he barked, glaring at the other boy. “Dad is NOT to know, Court. Do you hear me? Don’t you dare say a damn word!”

  His best friend scowled at him, mumbled something about him being barking mad, and stomped away. As he watched his friend walk into the academy, Xavier tried to convince himself of his own words that all he needed was a rest from his powers. With his decision made, he marched into the building, steeling his nerves for what would surely to be a long day.

  The morning went pretty well, but then there wasn’t a need for him to use his empowerments in his academic classes. His afternoon classes were a different matter. However, when Spencer found him just before lunch and told him that his telepathy lesson would be postponed until after school due to an issue at the Governing Hall detaining his father, Xavier thought for a moment that making it through the day without using his powers would be easier than he first thought. Although within moments after entering anima lingua class, he was volunteered to demonstrate infiltrating and terminating an opponent’s bond with an animal. His hopes crumbled.

  “Prince Wells has done this technique before,” Sir Blaire commented with a smirk. “Sire, would you please demonstrate it for the class?”

  Blaire referred to the bat attack incident on Drew last year at the Mountain. Growing tired of Drew’s taunts and teasing, Xavier had bonded with his bat and instructed it to attack him. He regretted the act now that he and Drew had worked past their differences and had become friends. Court, on the other hand, still loved to tease his older brother and remind him of the incident whenever he annoyed him.