by Navi' Robins
I knew I was in for a very unique experience training with Jaffrey but I had no idea it would be like this. Everything was a test, everything I did, every choice I made, every thought process was analyzed, tested, and graded. It was like I was being made into a whole new Aiden. Transforming me from a cat into a lion. I slowly walked over towards the other side of the room again. After getting so angry at his laughter and convincing myself that I didn’t have the power to do what he asked I was reluctant to try this again. But what Jaffrey said made perfect sense. I always complained about people doing things just because someone told them to instead of doing things with a mind of their own to think as they pleased. And here I was suffering from the same mental disadvantage as so many in the world. I didn’t want to be this way. I wanted to have my own reasons to learn from Jaffrey, my own purpose.
I stood there and closed my eyes and began to breathe slowly. Jaffrey was now singing “Living La Vida Loca” by Ricky Martin; a song I loathe with all my being. How did this man know what would get to me? I continued to breathe and concentrate completely on my breathing. Soon he started teleporting himself all over the room, still singing, sometimes even popping up right next to me screaming in my ear, “She will turn you out, living la vida loca!” Man, he was so annoying. I continued to breathe and concentrate and soon the annoying sound of his singing started to fade until it was only a whisper. I began to reflect on all the things that made me happy or proud to be Aiden Storm.
What made me tick, what was my driving force to be better and much to my surprise the only image that popped in my head was Sarah. At first her image made me uncomfortable and confused and Jaffrey’s singing temporarily got louder. I couldn’t understand why Sarah, “the troll princess from the north,” would be the only image that popped in my head. We argued constantly and rarely saw eye to eye. But when I thought about that night in my mom’s room with horror and darkness all around us, she was the reason that something awakened inside of me. Protecting her and the love I felt for her were the deciding factors. Yes, I loved my mom more than I could ever express but Sarah was my little sister and regardless of how annoying she could be, I loved her and it was my duty to protect her. I never wanted to see her cry, have her heart broken, or feel pain.
I wanted to protect her and would give my life to do so. She was my reason and it all made sense to me now. I always wanted to impress her and when she was impressed it made my day so much better. I wanted to be a great example for her and because of her high standards impressing her was truly something to be proud of.
Soon a warm vibration started flowing through my entire body and I began to feel focused and relaxed. Everything was silent now even though I was aware Jaffrey was still bouncing around the room, singing that horrible song at the top of his lungs. He and his actions didn’t matter, I was completely within myself and even with my eyes closed I could feel and sense everything around me. The room, the box, Jaffrey, the area outside the room and outside of this place. I then realized where I was. Jaffrey’s hideout was located underground beneath a Buddhist temple. It was daytime outside, almost noon and the monks were going about their day, oblivious of what was going on beneath them, unaware of the power that was about to be unleashed right below their feet. There were hundreds of children here as well, training, learning, and doing chores. The temple was beautiful and tranquil. I made a mental note to come to this temple one day and just enjoy the atmosphere. Now I understood why Jaffrey chose this place; it was full of positive energy twenty-four hours a day.
These monks only wanted to live in peace and teach those willing to learn. It was a perfect sanctuary for anyone needing this kind of energy and environment. Then I felt myself being whisked away beyond the temple, beyond China, beyond the seas and mountains, until I came to a place very familiar to me. My grandparents’ home in Spain and there she was; Sarah sitting in her room just staring out at the coastline with tears running down her face. She was afraid and I could hear her whispering something and then I heard my name escape her lips. She was repeating the same thing over and over again, “Aiden, where are you?” I’ve never seen or felt Sarah’s emotional energy the way I felt it that day. She was in pain emotionally and the only person she felt she could relate to and could ease her pain was me. At that moment I decided to make sure that I would always protect her and I was willing to move entire galaxies to ensure my baby sister’s happiness and safety. That was a life-changing experience for me; while my physical body was standing in that training room, my consciousness was standing next to my inspiration and my reason to fight.
I then realized she was the reason why I burst into a flaming torch and destroyed the threat that was Jason. Her fear in that closet had awoken something in me that led me here. On that day I began to realize my purpose and what being a big brother really meant and how it could change or destroy everything depending on the decisions I made. I wasn’t a hundred percent clear but I was beginning to see clearer. And just like that I was back in the room with Jaffrey still singing that horrible song, and the box. At that moment I began to feel the power surge that made me Baraqu vibrate through my entire body. Every organ, every inch of me was feeling the rush of this strange yet powerful ability. I looked at the box and soon I saw things I never thought possible. It was like the box was there but wasn’t, it was no longer completely solid. I could see everything that made the box a box. All the man-made elements as well as the atoms that made up those elements. It was an amazing yet scary image. I refused to look at Jaffrey for fear of seeing him the same way. That would have broken my concentration completely.
Suddenly the thought of relocating that box wasn’t impossible and just with a thought the box was gone, leaving an empty space where it once sat. By now Jaffrey had stopped singing and was staring at me with a smile on his face.
“What? Why are you staring at me?”
“I’m not staring at you, I’m looking behind you. Turn around.”
I slowly turned to behold the exact box that had disappeared sitting on the opposite side of the room. A feeling of monumental success came over me. I could feel the positive energy flowing through this place. I could also feel the monk’s energy as it fueled my powers. It was an indescribable feeling.
“You feel that?” Jaffrey asked.
“Yes, I do, it’s wonderful!”
“Now try to imagine that feeling a million times more potent.”
“Oh my God! How could that even be possible?”
“It is and that is the feeling a Shadow gets when they absorb the energy of pain and suffering.”
“That is an impossible feeling to even comprehend.”
“Yes it is and now you have a fraction of an idea of what the Shadows are fighting to maintain and how they could be led to destroy this realm without a second thought of the consequences. It’s a feeling and power that should never be allowed to continue. This is what the Baraqu are up against. The addiction of power, power that has been tainted by the pain, death, and suffering of the life we were chartered to protect.”
Considering what Jaffrey just told me and the wondrous rush I just got from tapping into the positive energy around me, I started to understand how someone could become enslaved by this power and the feeling it gave. This was my first time and I was already anxious to feel that rush of power again and if a Shadow’s rush was even more intense than what I just felt I could fully understand why that would drive anyone to madness.
“But why doesn’t the Baraqu become addicted to their power?”
“Who said we aren’t?”
“Are you saying that even the Baraqu are addicted to their power source?”
“That is a simple question that has a complicated answer.. How do you feel right now?”
“I feel great! I feel like I can do anything. Like nothing can touch me and I have no worries or burdens tying me down; preventing me from doing anything my mind and heart desires.”
“Now tell me, Aiden, when was the last time you�
��ve felt this way?”
“Never! I’ve never felt this great in my life!”
“Now tell me, would you like this to be the last time you feel this way?”
“No! Of course not. If I could I would feel this way all the time.”
“Would you be willing to do anything to keep having this feeling?”
The question of what I was willing to do for this power made me pause and think. What would I do, what was I capable of doing for this power and feeling? I couldn’t deny my excitement and connection to this energy that flowed through my body and how it affected my physical, mental, and emotional state of being. I was like a boy experiencing sex for the first time; the world seemed different now. Everything seemed enhanced and I now had something else to pursue that made me feel incredible.
But what was I willing to do to keep this feeling alive? Would I lie, deceive, murder, and betray? The same things people today are willing to do for sex, money, fame, or other carnal desires. I could say no I wouldn’t but in reality would I be lying to myself and Jaffrey? The sound of Jaffrey calling my name awoke me from my deep thought concerning his last question.
“Relax Aiden, the fact that the question made you think is a good thing. If this same question was asked of a Shadow they would respond almost instantaneously that they would be willing to do anything. As Baraqu we cannot be willing to do anything. We must have a code of honor and ethics. What helps us to reign in our unbridled desires of power and conquest at all costs is the source of our power. Positive energy, whether it’s emotional or natural, the source that feeds our powers engulfs us in an aura of peace and positive thought. It keeps us grounded and focused on what’s important. It helps us shed selfish intentions and aggressive actions. We want to protect and heal, not destroy. Sometimes to do so we must become a force of power but only to protect those who can’t protect themselves from forces far more powerful. Are we immune to selfishness and abuse of our powers? No, but we are more suited to fight those desires because of the source of our powers.”
“But I just noticed you made a difference between emotional positive energy and natural—what’s the difference?”
“Emotional positive energy is the positive output that living things exude when they are experiencing euphoria or guiltless satisfaction.”
“Guiltless satisfaction?”
“Yes, you see, even though having sex with a beautiful woman may give you a good feeling, if that beautiful woman is someone else’s wife then that energy cannot be used or harnessed by a Baraqu. We can’t use the feelings of satisfaction that derive from an act of negativity. If we could then that wouldn’t make us any different from the Shadows. Natural positive energy is what scientists refer to as the building blocks of creation. The energy that creates the perfect scenario for life to begin. The energy that allows things to grow, the energy that creates tropical paradises and perfect weather. It’s the energy of creation itself and it allows the birds to fly, the seasons to change, and the trees to produce the oxygen we breathe. It is the energy of order.”
“So that would make natural negative energy the opposite?”
“No, natural negative energy is not destructive in nature; you have to look at it as the other side of the same coin. You can’t have a coin without two sides. Natural negative energy causes the change from night till day. It causes the coldness of winter and for the trees to lay dormant. It causes volcanoes to erupt and it causes the thunderstorms and severe weather we experience every day. Is natural negative energy evil? No, it is not, but how it’s used can be. It is an aggressive energy, full of passion and force and can cause the person that harnesses this power to mimic its energy. Before the great fall and divide when the Immaru were whole and complete, they would use cosmic negative energy on the field of battle and would use positive energy to heal the wounded and for protection. We were never meant to be divided and to solely use one kind of natural energy.”
“But what’s so special about natural negative energy? I mean like you said before positive energy is more powerful, right?”
“Yes, but when it comes to matters of war, the power of a singularity or a black hole is more useful than sunshine, don’t you think?”
How so? The sun is so hot it can burn entire planets!”
“That is true, but a black hole can consume entire galaxies, including your sun.”
“Oh yeah, you got me there. So it’s like rock, paper, and scissors, huh?”
“I guess you can say that. You use the energy that best suits the situation and in war natural negative energy is perfection.”
“So if the Immaru use both energies, why is what the Shadows are doing so evil?”
“Because they are not using natural negative energy but negative emotional energy created by the pain and suffering of mankind. They are purposefully causing humans and this planet pain so that they can harness the negative emotional energy. It’s not natural nor is it an energy that should have ever been introduced in this realm to be harnessed for power.”
“But Jaffrey, people suffer every day, that has been human history from the beginning. Pain and suffering, death and war.”
“Yes, as humans they are one of the most violent species ever created but only because like sheep they’ve been led to relate pain to reality by men of power who are puppets of the Shadows.”
“They? Are we not humans as well?”
“No, Baraqu or those blessed with the bloodline of the Immaru are not human. We are something more.”
“But how can we save a race of people we refuse to relate to? We have human blood running through our veins as well, Jaffrey. Don’t you think it’s kind of arrogant to believe we are more?”
“How is it arrogant to state facts about our lineage? We are not human nor are we from this realm.”
“So are you saying that your goal is to go back to where the Immaru are from?”
“If the Creator wills it…yes! We will attempt to return to our place of origin.”
I was very confused because on one hand I was being given the keys to save humanity, but at the same time I was being torn from it. I felt human; even with all this power within my control I still felt in essence human. I could tell Jaffrey was worried about how I was taking everything so he called it a day and said we could continue training tomorrow.
Another sleepless night trying to make sense of everything I was taught today. What was even more amazing to me was that I was able to comprehend all this madness. Most would have been driven crazy by now and honestly I could relate because it was definitely an information overload. But the vast amount of information didn’t worry me. Not even the fact that I was now able to manipulate time and space. What disturbed me the most was Jaffrey’s outlook on the human race. Even though he said we were given the responsibility to protect humans, I could still sense resentment from him. As if he was sworn to protect us but didn’t like the idea of serving an inferior species. That is the very thing that causes so much division and death in the World today. Racism being one of the worse by products of that kind of thinking. My best friend is African American and I have sat through many angry rants from him concerning how the color of his skin creates fear and resentment in others who have no idea the type of person he is. And here I was in the company of probably one of the oldest and knowledgeable men on the planet; but he seemed to still have some hang-ups about the charter of the Baraqu bloodline. And to make matters worse he possessed a power that could lay waste to the entire planet and he felt like this planet was beneath him.
I already had reservations about joining their cause and his attitude towards the human race didn’t make it any better. His outlook on his responsibility was similar to a police officer from a bad neighborhood who now patrols that very neighborhood. It’s his job to “serve and protect,” so he does it but he hates and resents the people and area he’s protecting. It’s not a good combination and we’re reminded of this in the news about cops abusing their powers. I hope his comments we
re another test and he would come clean and say it was to see how I would respond; because if he was for real I feared that if the oldest of the Baraqu felt like this, I could only imagine what was in the minds of those who looked up to him or shared his views.
Even if we were the descendants of a superior alien race, we were still part human and I kind of doubted that if there were any Immaru left that they would welcome half- breeds like us. But what did I know? I was only seventeen and a few days into my revelation of who and what I was. Over the next few days my training with Jaffrey became more intense and he continuously pushed me beyond my physical, emotional, and mental limits. I went from boxes to relocating an entire battalion of tanks from a military depot in Russia to the Alps and back; all within the same time-and-space bracket. Instantaneous teleportation is what he called it. I learned how to not only teleport things but myself as well. It didn’t matter if the object was alive or inanimate. If it was made up of time and space, I could manipulate it.
My favorite lessons were those using the elements of the periodic table for aggressive combat. From fire to actually creating a safe made of titanium out of thin air and then changing that safe’s make up from titanium to water. I also learned how to change landscapes and shatter entire mountain ranges. Most of the time I was terrified of the power I displayed and I would either hesitate or hold back; which made Jaffrey pretty angry. I had to keep reminding him that not less than a few weeks ago I thought I was turning into a serial killer and today I was a real live action figure with powers included. Kung Fu grip sold separately. Sometimes I would do things beyond what Jaffrey would expect or ask. I would ask him, “Isn’t that badass?” He would just roll his eyes and warn me to stay focused and humble and continue as he instructed. Before long I became very comfortable tapping into the positive energy that surrounded me and using my powers. I began to lose the concept of time and had no idea how long I’d been training with Jaffrey. It could have been weeks, or months. I had no thoughts of the outside world, my school, friends, or even my family; just training and all the knowledge that Jaffrey was sharing with me about the history of our bloodline.