Upon their entry, Rabisu sneered at them while he rocked back and forth in the chair with delight. “You both look poorly.”
“You stand in no position to mock us,” Lilith responded. “Already we’ve confronted these heirs of the Naacal and secured a strong vantage point from which to operate. If I were to guess…all you’ve done is waste time preying upon weaker sources of celestial energy.”
“My dear Lilith…you are absolutely correct. I can also attest they proved such exquisite morsels of raw energy at that. And through this frivolity, this time you say I have wasted, I’ve been duly rewarded. Also, please don’t presume yourselves more worthy of exerting greater efforts. After all, I was not the one who was bested by children.”
The masked Corrupted reached out at him with his gloved hands. “I’m tired of listening to your filth.”
“And still you underestimate my power. What gives you the nerve to challenge someone of my calibre?” He replied, raising his clawed fingers before both Alu and Lilith.
From out of Rabisu’s open palms, vortexes of sharp coursing winds shot forth. The winds encircled the sibling pair, pinning them both against the far office wall, and ripping and tearing away at their ragged cloaks. With the pair disoriented, the winged Corrupted honed in on them and grasped at their necks, binding them in place and at his mercy.
“Soon, I alone shall become powerful enough to rid Namtar of both guardians and put an end to their entire organisation for good.”
Lilith squirmed, trying to wriggle free of his clutches. “Just words! All we hear from you are empty threats and mindless talk. It may serve you to know; even Namtar has grown impatient with your lack of progress.”
Rabisu released the pair; and he felt his zeal over his own power quickly fade and his dominant stature before the Corrupted siblings start to wane.
Why do I still buckle in fear at the mere mention of his name aloud? He wondered.
“I’d intended to present you both with a chance of redemption,” said Rabisu, having collected himself. “You two are to assist Asag in his fight against the guardians” –
“You have wasted enough of our time.” Alu had been quick to cut him off, adjusting at the collar of his cloak. “We have more important objectives than to take part in your games…particularly since you’d only use us as a distraction to further feed.”
“Then why have you come?”
With a look of satisfaction, Lilith glared back at him. “To inform you that we’ve been summoned and now work under our Lord’s own Indigo. He is to be our leader during what remains of this endeavour.”
“He has an Indigo?” Questioned Rabisu, bemused. “He has formed a celestial bond with a human?”
“His strength now grows greater by the day,” said Alu. “Of course, the boy is only his puppet. But even you can imagine the potential that a celestial bond might bring to his already inexhaustible supply of power. I suggest you change your ways Rabisu, for you will never be anything more than his lap dog.”
He looked on as both Alu and Lilith abruptly turned round and pounced atop the balcony’s railing.
“You dare turn your backs to me,” Rabisu cried. “When I could so easily end your existence from right where you stand?”
“Just as your life shall soon end upon our Lord’s choosing,” Alu coolly responded. “Believe me Rabisu when I say: nothing in this world would bring me more joy than to see you drown, immersed in shadows. But I will have to be patient.”
“You’ve mocked me time and time again, claiming my threats to be meaningless. Yet you offer the same in kind, promising that you’ll one day supposedly put me in my rightful place. There is no time like the present. Once more I offer you the opportunity to redeem your lost pride, your self-respect. As a child of darkness, I implore you to punish me for my insolence.”
“Much as your offer might tempt me, I have my orders. We now work directly under our lord’s own Indigo, and he knows of every move we make,” Alu responded, before he and Lilith leapt off the balcony and into the night sky.
Asag glanced back at him, failing to conceal of his pleasure. “So, even the great Rabisu has yet to become acquainted with our Lord’s Indigo. What’s worse is that you, a Reaper of Seth no less; has lost in his favour, and you now stand to lose so much more.”
“Most insightful, one might even go so far as to think you played a part in our little exchange,” Rabisu replied, his voice growing hoarse. “We shall proceed as planned. Don’t forget that you carry a similar burden, and must work thrice the amount if you are to also redeem our lord’s favour.”
But what I’ve learned this night could ultimately prove a real hindrance to my ambition, he feared. How could he stomach the thought of being bound with a human?
Having recently experienced it, he’d already grown aware of the power that forming a celestial bond brought its user. But he also knew that this came at a steep cost.
By joining with another, the lord of shadows must have sacrificed his immortality, he realised; for a Corrupted’s life was everlasting. That is, unless it could be ended by another’s hand. But by forming a celestial bond; both life forces become intertwined.
“He has finally made a mistake,” he proclaimed. “This is my chance.”
“Your chance for what…?” stammered Asag, shards of stone trickling down his chin.
“Never you mind, just make sure you follow my instruction carefully. I promise if you can do as much, you shall be rewarded beyond your wildest dreams.”
Chapter 16
Within the later hours of morning, Katherine found herself seated at the centre of the training facility before a plethora of broken pencils. She placed a new pencil down on the floor and positioned her hands outstretched over it. With her eyes closed, and straining to sustain her mind’s focus, she raised her hand through the air and the pencil slowly followed. But while floating in mid-air, the pencil violently shook, and soon bounced heavily on the ground below. With her eyes opened, she wiped the sweat from her brow and picked up the pencil to try again.
“I think I’m slowly starting to get the hang of this,” she mumbled to herself.
Before she tried again, the sound of heavy paw pads echoed around the facility’s walls and disrupted her concentration.
“Most impressive,” said Anzu, as her guardian squatted down beside her. “But why waste so much time and energy if you’re going to leave at the first chance that presents itself?”
“I wish you’d just let it go,” she responded, believing he must still be reading her thoughts. “And I haven’t made up my mind about anything yet.”
“Master, forgive me if I somehow betrayed your confidence,” said Anzu. “But there is just too much at stake for me to sit idly and say nothing.”
She briefly glared back at him, before she placed her full attention upon pencil. The pencil arose into the air; calm and still she succeeded in having it hover slightly above the ground, only to once more lose control over it and watch as it soared high up into the facility’s rafters.
“Outstanding Katherine, to have progressed so far, and in such a short period of time is unprecedented,” Monica cheered, as she descended the control room’s winding staircase.
“How long have you been watching?” Katherine asked, worried Monica might have witnessed or heard part of her and Anzu’s prior quarrel.
Monica rubbed her eyes and glanced down at her wrist communicator. “I must have fallen asleep at the monitor. And it seems I must have also overslept. But what a pleasant surprise it is to find you already up and hard at work.”
Katherine looked at the array of broken pencils, and down at her own new wrist communicator.
Monica went about collecting up the broken pencil remnants that littered the floor. “I can see that Lance has also provided you with a communicator; it really suits you. As for these pencils, we now need to focus on maintaining your control.”
“See, that’s where I continue to struggle. How do I keep the
pencil under control and not force it too far in a single direction?”
“It’s a matter of finding the perfect balance,” said Monica. “If you force your energy against an object upward and without counterbalancing, then the pencil will fly straight up and into the rafters.”
“The thing is, every time I’ve tried to find that balance the pencil does exactly that; crash into the rafters…, or it falls to the floor…, or just snaps apart in mid-flight.”
“You’re still too tense,” Monica replied, passing her a new pencil. “Try to relax both your body and mind. Take your time. Let your energy course from within, then release of it from your fingertips.”
She did as instructed. She closed her eyes to avoid the sight of any potential distractions, and sought to calm her breathing and relax of her muscles. As she focused to clear her mind of any unwanted thoughts, she could feel the pencil swiftly rise through the air, an extension of her own being. The pencil glided through the air; smooth in its movements and slowly rotated in one place.
But soon she felt her focus suddenly wander. I can hear the sound of running water, she listened, the dripping of a faucet.
With her concentration disrupted; the pencil splintered down its middle and plummeted toward the floor. She opened her eyes, gazing back at Monica with a look of disappointment.
“I was so close, I could feel it.”
“You were,” Monica agreed, “But you allowed yourself to become distracted.”
She heard two more sets of footsteps moving within the space; dawdling from where she’d envisaged the water faucet to be. With a full pail in one hand, Blake soon trudged toward them.
“Good morning Blake,” said Monica. “Good morning Kulullu.”
Blake yawned back. “Morning….”
Kulullu soon materialized next to him; she bowed before both Katherine and Monica, and proceeded to follow Blake over to the other side of the facility.
Monica resumed her instruction, trying to correct of her inconsistent focus. “This time, rather than balance your energy from different directions, I want you to allow your energy to flow and encircle the pencil.”
Despite being initially confused by this change in approach, she went about reworking this new strategy in mind. As she guided the pencil through the air, allowing it to soar toward the rafters, she shaped her energy around it like a bubble and caused it to rotate.
“Excellent work Katherine, now maintain your control and build up the speed over each revolution,” said Monica. “Keep it up…now faster, and again faster.”
“Like this?”
“Yes, that’s it,” replied Monica, excited. “Now add your own celestial element to the mix.”
“My own element?”
“That’s right, let the pencil ignite,” she instructed. “Sustain the revolutions, and set your own energy alight.”
Sure enough, the pencil smouldered and she’d generated a spark. But she felt herself lose control in face of Monica’s mounting demands, and the pencil snapped; with its remains falling to the floor, she could see a series of little embers running up and along its delicate wooden body.
“Absolutely astounding,” said Monica, stamping out the flames. “There is little doubt you are a natural.”
“But I failed. The pencil snapped; I couldn’t sustain so many rotations.”
Monica fetched yet another pencil from the bundle. “Yes, but you’ve accomplished so much in such a short time. You needn’t question your own abilities, the talent is clearly there.”
“This fusion of energies…I’ve done this before, haven’t I?” She asked. “The night when those Corrupted attacked…, is that your desired outcome for this training? So that I can do it again whenever I feel the need?”
“Yes, in a sense, but with greater control you’ll be able to unlock your element’s true potential. Let me show you what I mean,” Monica said, glancing about the facility. “Blake, would you be so kind as to provide us with a demonstration on fused energy control.”
Blake, now positioned at the opposite end of the facility, stopped his work and lumbered toward them while grasping a half full pail of water. “Don’t you think it’s a bit soon to be teaching her about something so dangerous?”
“You can use Kulullu for this exercise,” Monica responded, openly ignoring his concern.
Kulullu stepped forward. She stood facing the nearest facility wall with her webbed hands raised, and generated a pool of water in open palms.
“Just single spears then?” Blake asked, now channelling his own energy.
“For now, yes,” Monica asserted. “We shall build on your efforts from there.”
Katherine watched as Kulullu shaped the water into a spear.
“Watch closely Katherine,” said Monica.
Through the channelling of Blake’s energy, Katherine could see the water freeze before her eyes. Once crafted, Kulullu hurled the spear of ice against the facility wall with such ferocity that it pierced the iron frame.
“Now, if Kulullu would be so kind to show us the potency of her own element at full force.”
The water spirit did as instructed, and fired a powerful burst of water from her open palms. Katherine looked on as the stream of water smashed against the facility wall with such power that it dented the surface iron and caused it to buckle.
“Blake is working on his own control so that when Kulullu uses the full extent of her energy, the surging water of her attack will become a stream of solid ice,” said Monica. “You will remember on the forming of your bond that Anzu became immersed in flames and appeared to breathe fire. That too was the fusing of your celestial energy with his element of wind, unleashed in a single combined attack.”
The organisation must certainly go through a lot of walls, she thought to herself, unable to avert her eyes from the damage of the destructive energy. But now at least I somewhat understand the true power of a celestial bond.
Monica now set her sights upon Anzu. “Thank you Blake and Kulullu, you may return to your training. It‘s your turn this time wind guardian, let us see what you can do.”
Katherine watched as Anzu stepped forward to face what remained of the facility wall, and vigorously thrashed his wings, conjuring up a howling bluster of razor sharp winds that tore up and through its iron coat.
“Not bad, and keep hold of that momentum,” Monica responded. “Now Katherine, I want you to fuse your own element of fire with the powerful gusts of Anzu’s attack.
She stepped forward. How can she possibly expect me to do this, when I still have so little control over my own element? She wondered. All I’m going to do is embarrass myself.
“Discard any self-doubt. Focus your mind on sensing the energies of your guardian.”
She stretched out her hands toward what remained of the wall, trying to catch the winds movement and set it on fire. But she could see or sense nothing, no matter how much energy she exercised.
“Concentrate on the wind. Search for the pattern in its direction. You must let your energy flow with Anzu’s own.”
She tried to listen for the sound of Anzu’s energy moving through the air, to search for it as if his energy were visible for all to see.
“Do not solely rely upon your own senses. They will only serve to deceive you from your intended focus. You must gauge your feelings and those of your guardian. You and Anzu must become one in both body and mind.”
She closed her eyes to concentrate. She could hear the wind roaring and blustering throughout the space with such anger. Soon, she found herself able to share in Anzu’s emotions; she could feel his desperation, and she could sense his desire. Before long, she could also smell and taste the seething smoke of fire. She opened her eyes; the winds before her were laced with flames, lightly scorching the facility’s iron wall.
“You’re doing it, but sustain your focus and maintain the intensity of your energy. You must keep building up your own energy to enhance the fire’s vitality.”
But des
pite her wishes to fight through, the strain from such exertion had become overwhelming. Her arms were aching. Her breathing had grown laboured, and she’d lost all feeling in the ends of her fingers. Not long after that her concentration finally broke. The struggle had proven too great to endure, and the flames of her energy were instantly consumed amidst the wind.
She gasped for breath and fell to her knees. “It was just too much. I couldn’t sustain it.”
“You’ve done extremely well,” said Monica. “More than anyone could ever ask of you.”
“Monica, they’ve returned,” Lance blurted, as the operative charged forth into the facility. “Walter has ordered for us to mobilize.”
“I hadn’t sensed anything out of the ordinary,” Blake responded from across the other side of the facility.
“That’s because these Corrupted’s energy is particularly difficult to detect,” Monica replied. “Lance, what sort of damage are we looking at?”
“Considerable, and its coming from within the city’s centre,” he said, urging them to hurry.
Monica nodded. “Katherine, we can resume your training on my return.”
“Where are you going, and what exactly do you mean that their energy is difficult to detect?”
“These constant tremors that plague Anabasis are the work of an Earthen Corrupted,” Monica said, as she rushed for the facility’s exit. “Both you and Anzu are to remain here.”
Katherine followed after her. “But we can help you. Isn’t this why you’ve been training us?”
“Training of which you’ve only just started,” Monica quickly reminded. “Neither of you are ready yet to confront the Corrupted.”
“I will not fail my master; her safety is assured for as long as I draw breath. Let me help you,” said Anzu, as he hustled after them both and along the corridor toward the facility’s vehicle bay. “Monica, you have my word.”
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