by Brian Carmen
Awaking several hours later, the dreams were still vivid in her mind. Somehow she felt that all of these events were connected and that she was a part of them. She dared not say her thoughts out loud, however she had a strong feeling the Civil War was not really over. Utaru and Lauren came to mind as she wondered how many more would die if she was correct.
Nia gathered her family members and told them about her visit with the Glassmaker. She made a point to leave out the part about Olivia’s vision. Instead she wanted to focus about the knowledge she had gained about Marcus and his group of friends. Somehow her dream had helped her piece the Glassmaker’s vision together so that she now had a clearer idea of what she had seen.
Marcus Solbid was the leader and could transform into any living thing, even if it wasn’t real. Ellen could teleport herself or anything including organs. The criminals from the coliseum were Ghost, Darius, Cedar, and his younger brother Croons. Nia wasn’t sure what their abilities might be; Venus was quick to fill that part in for her.
Ghost could phase through solid objects, Cedar had pyrokinetic abilities though it wasn’t nearly as powerful as War’s had been. Croons could create armor and weapons out of anything that he touched. Darius was the most powerful of the four and could create illusions.
They all now had an idea of what they were going to have to face in the days to come. Olivia; however did not believe they would strike again anytime soon. She thought it would be too reckless of them and suggested that they tried to relax until they were sure another attack was happening. Ebony agreed but was quick to voice her desire for them to show up so she could put a bullet in their brains.
Nia hoped that Olivia was right. She wanted to focus on the things that meant more to her. That was why she decided to use that moment to announce that she and Victor were leaving that day. It surprised everyone in the room but it felt right to Nia. They needed to leave Loc Moines and never return.
Chapter Eighteen: Future Dreams
The clock switched to midnight in the dark room where the young man slept. He lived in a nice neighborhood with parents that both worked hard to provide the comfortable life that was all around him. Everything was quiet as a police car drove by the houses, ensuring that everything remained nice and peaceful. Nobody could be aware that someone was looking up at the house where the young man slept.
The other man stood with skin as white as marble and hair as black as coal. The black trench coat and the quick movements allowed him to avoid attention. There was a black aura that surrounded the man, it kept him from being detected by animals among other things. He was tall with a slightly bulky frame that showed off his well-defined muscles. Everything about him said that he was a hunter of extraordinary skill. The man was someone that was always able to get the prey he was searching for.
For two weeks he had stood in the very spot that he was in now; waiting for another to appear. The only things that made him move was feeding and to avoiding the sunlight. His ability protected him from many things however it was not able to completely protect him from the burning sun. He would return everyday as the sun went down. He knew the young man in the house was special and soon he would come for him.
“What brings you here Grave? I honestly never took you for a peeping Tom, however I have been wrong in the past” a gentle and calm voice said from behind him.
Grave turned around with remarkable speed as he looked at the familiar frame of the Glassmaker. Grave had known the Glassmaker would return even if nobody knew. The Glassmaker had been just as careful as Grave in avoiding detection. Grave would have been impressed if he hadn’t been annoyed with the man’s comments.
“Obviously, I’ve been waiting for you. After all, every month you return here to this very house. I’m curious as to what makes this place so important that you would take time to visit” Grave answered in a cold tone that would bring chills down people spines.
The Glassmaker merely shrugged it off as though it were a gesture of greeting. He was used to the way Grave spoke so it didn’t affect him in the slightest. “If you are here, than you already know why I come here. The true question is, would you like to join me?” the Glassmaker asked with a pleasant smile on his face.
Grave looked at the man without a word for a moment as his Polong appeared from the shadows. It was a large panther with brilliant yellow eyes. Like Grave; this creature was also a remarkable hunter that was able to track and capture its prey. The grass crunched under its heavy paws as it moved effortlessly towards the two men. Inside of the houses a few of the animals awoke as their senses alerted them to an unknown threat. Something prevented any of them from making a noise as a black fog began to appear throughout the neighborhood.
Grave was able to understand his Polong’s thoughts and feelings. Shade was a cautious creature and extremely loyal. It was obvious that he was unable to see why his master and the Glassmaker would bother coming to a place like this. Grave understood his feelings however the Glassmaker did not seem willing to explain what purpose this house had.
The Glassmaker did not wait for an answer. Instead he walked towards the back of the house and opened the unlocked door with ease. The father would not remember sleepwalking in the night and unlocking the door because he never did once he awoke. Nothing in the house ever gave the appearance that someone was visiting them every month when they were asleep.
Slowly, Grave followed him while Shade stood outside and kept watch. Together the pair of Volstir walked inside the spotless kitchen .It was a large kitchen that was clean and filled with shiny new appliances. Grave had never been inside a human kitchen, however he was sure that this one was special. Stopping, he found himself looking at a coffee maker that was surprisingly interesting.
Instead of a coffee pot, it had four cups underneath four separate chambers so that one could make different beverages at once. Grave opened one of the chambers and found himself smelling the fragrance of grounded French Vanilla beans. If they had more time, Grave would’ve been interested in trying a cup.
“It’s called a coffee maker, I understand humans enjoy them” the Glassmaker said with a smirk causing Grave too turn towards him.
“I know what it is!” Grave hissed, he was secretly grateful for the darkness since it would cover the red that was covering his face. “I was merely admiring the craftsmanship that this one displayed” Grave added however there was something added in his tone that made the Glassmaker chuckle. The young man was not used to being caught off guard in one of his rare private moments. The both walked out of the kitchen with Grave muttering under his breath.
They walked past the living room and up the stairs without stopping. Grave didn’t want to give the Glassmaker any more room to try and poke fun at him. Together they walked towards the end of the upstairs hall and stopped outside a door. Inside they saw the muscles of a shirtless and very handsome young man. He couldn’t have been more than seventeen however it was obvious that he had matured earlier than other humans.
Grave ignored the young man for a moment and instead looked at a shelf full of trophies. Andrew Silhoue was the name that was on all them. He picked up the fragile gold metal and stared at it; it was obvious by the size that it was an important baseball trophy. Everything about him would make others feel inadequate about themselves. The young man was seemingly perfect making Grave Instantly hate him.
He could feel the blood pulsing throughout the man’s veins; he was healthier than many humans. People probably thought that he was better than most but that was far from the truth. Nothing made him particularly special except that life had given him a good start. He did not have to live in a time of great famine, watching others starve to death while the rich loomed over them. It took a great deal of self-control not to shove the trophy down the young man’s throat as Grave slowly placed it back down.
“You hate him, is it because he‘s well endowed?” the Glassmaker asked with a chuckle as he motioned towards a spot in the blanket.
The blank
et did not provide much modesty as Grave noticed the size of his manhood. He turned away while scowling at the Glassmaker whom made no attempts to lower his voice. Honestly Grave did not care how endowed the young man was, however it did provide another reason to hate him.
“Hate does not begin to sum up my feelings and it does not have anything to do with his physical features” Grave responded in a lower tone that was filled with fury. “Why are you here?” he hissed at the chuckling Volstir.
The Glassmaker stopped laughing and instead sighed as though he was going to have to try and explain to a four year old why the sky was blue. “This young man is special; he means a great deal to her and I’ve been trying to speed up the mating ritual” the Glassmaker answered as he took a hold of Grave’s arm.
Instantly Grave was able to see inside Andrew’s dreams. At first they were all hazy, as though Grave were looking through a fogged window. As he looked on, everything became much sharper as he found himself standing in the middle of a field. Andrew was sitting on a blanket with a woman that he recognized as Helaina.
“My ability is related to dreams and the past, I can see anything that has ever occurred whether they are real or merely abstract visions such as the light” the Glassmaker explained as they began walking towards the couple.
“What does this have to do with anything?” Grave asked however there was frustration in his tone.
Being inside of someone’s light seemed intrusive, it was a private thing that all Volstir could relate too. The Glassmaker was blatantly admitting that he could find anyone’s light just by thinking about it. Grave had never met anyone that could do that, it made him feel nervous. Instead he tried to focus on the world they were now in.
The vision was more real than anything Grave had ever seen before. He was able to feel the warmth coming from the sun along with the gentle breeze that caused the grass to move beneath his feet. He watched the couple and their private moment as they sat oblivious of the onlookers. Grave looked into Helaina’s eyes and was able to see true happiness.
Her light was common and simple; yet Grave was able to see the importance behind it. She wanted something that could only be described as ‘normal’. She was not the first Volstir to desire such a thing however it was not something that could ever be achieved. Grave turned away from the couple as he focused his attention solely on the Glassmaker.
“When Nia meets Andrew, she will know that she loves him. He’s been with her for as long as she can remember. I’ve been ensuring that Andrew will feel the same. When he sees her for the first time, he will have literally found the girl of his dreams” the Glassmaker explained with a voice that made him sound like a calm but still dramatic lover.
“What does that have to do with-“before Grave could finish his question, he was interrupted by the Glassmaker.
“Nia will reject everything until she has found her light, this boy is her light. History often repeats itself and I’m quite certain that he will be the key to everything. Trust me Grave, you don’t live for three thousand years without picking up a few things” the Glassmaker explained with a smirk.
“How many times have you showed this boy Nia’s light?” Grave asked angrily as he glared at him.
The thought of this man showing the most sacred thing to a Volstir to others was disgusting. No matter important the Glassmaker was; it did not justify this type of invasion of privacy. Grave’s power worked inside of the dream world as a dark aura flared around him. Andrew and Nia were completely unaware of what was going on nearby.
“I could do something else instead” the Glassmaker smirked as the world around them changed.
They were both inside of Andrews room watching as a naked Nia appeared from under the blankets and awoke him. Andrew immediately smiled as the two of them began messing around under the covers. Grave had seen enough as he grabbed a hold of the Glassmaker and demanded to be let out of the dream.
The two of them were brought back into Andrew’s room. The Glassmaker seemed almost offended as he remarked that things were just starting to get interesting. Grave was furious at the Glassmaker’s manipulation; it was one thing to enter someone’s dream and another to manipulate them. Grave wondered how many wet dreams he’d created for his perverted amusement. It gave new meaning to the term ’Peeping Tom’.
It was disturbing thinking that the mastermind in their plan was capable of such things. Grave followed the Glassmaker without paying too much attention. He could feel Shade’s thoughts as they walked closer towards him. The Black Panther understood why Grave was uneasy; it also reminded him of what they were doing. Now was not the time to question the plan that he’d worked so hard on though he still had his reservations.
“I don’t think we need the girl” Grave admitted as they walked out the kitchen door and back into the green grass towards the streets.
“Of course you don’t given your history with her” the Glassmaker responded with a smirk.
Before Grave could respond, the Glassmaker held his hand up to cut him off. “She is essential, Olivia saw it and I have seen it through her. It is not our job to question why; but merely to ensure that she is ready for the future that is to come. You may not like the things we do and the people we use however it is too late to turn back” he explained casually as the two started to walk down the street.
The Glassmaker’s tone was kind but also determined. There would be nothing Grave could do that would change his mind. What Grave had just witnessed was only a small part of everything that was taking place. He could pass judgment if he wanted; however it was based off a misconception. The Glassmaker would need to understand his past before he could properly show him what they were going to be up against in the near future.
Grave was powerful by himself; however he had been forced to endure many hardships. This type of life had hardened him into someone that could not think in terms of faith and hope. He only knew action and that would require the Glassmaker to show him the importance of their work.
“Come with me, I have a couple things to show you” the Glassmaker said as they walked out of the neighborhood.
Together they made their way towards the highway with the black panther following behind. Underneath the bridge they were concealed from any prying eyes. There the Glassmaker showed Grave the visions that haunted his own dreams. The first was of a place not far from their location. An underground dome filled with brilliant white light that matched its white buildings.
The facility was known as Salvation though it provided little for those trapped within its walls. Groups of children were being brought from one building to another. They was all linked together by chains as Volstir in hazmat suits guided them. The enslaved children were not the only things that Grave was able to see.
Thousands of Soulem were being kept in another building along with several hundred Polongs. Everything was controlled like a well-oiled machine. Grave had tried to see if he could recognize any of the things he saw. Unfortunately, hardly any of the guards walked around without some type of facial covering. No matter how hard he looked, Grave was unable to see what he was searching for.
The vision allowed both Grave and the Glassmaker to see more of what was going on. They could feel the suffering that was thick in the air. Images of the children being taken from their beds to be locked up in a cell with ten other children. Each of them had various medical instruments and probes used on them. Large monitors showed information in regards to blood pressure, blood type, and brain wave information.
He turned at the sound of a loud train as it came out of a large tunnel at the western end of the Tunnel. More Volstir and prisoners were being led out of the train as soon as the doors opened. The noise from the train caused the vision to break apart. Everything was starting to become less clear as Grave continued searching the dome for something that could help him. He needed to know where they were located if he was going to be able to destroy it.
Within seconds however he found himself back in the
night with the Glassmaker staring at him. “What was that place?” Grave asked through gritted teeth. From what he saw, Grave knew that the facility was preparing for all-out war.
“They call it Salvation and it’s been around for more than fifty years. I only discovered it about twenty years ago. I’m sure you can see that it is heavily guarded but I assure you there is even more dangers than what that brief glimpse afforded you.” The Glassmaker said as he turned away from Grave.
Without another word the Glassmaker began walking away, leaving Grave alone in the darkness. He had not expected to learn so much about the enemy. It didn’t matter since he still had his own plans to see through. The Volstir believed that the civil war was over however that was only what the two sides wanted everyone to believe. In the shadows the two sides struck at each other while secretly preparing for the final battle.
Nia was going to be instrumental in the war however Grave still didn’t know why or how. He didn’t need to know because he was only a soldier in all of this. He would allow the strategies and countermoves to be left up to the more intelligent members such as Olivia and the Glassmaker. Looking up at the night sky he silently wished for Nia’s safety in her quest to find her light; if anyone deserved happiness, it was her.
End of Book One
Book Two Preview: The Failing Light of the Volstir
Chapter One: The Breaking Wall
The sun was starting to set as Gabriel turned on the large flat screened television in his living room. He was a fair skinned man, with short black hair that curled slightly at the end. On the outside he appeared no older than twenty-six. His true age was closer to one hundred and fifty years. He had stopped aging the day he was turned into a Volstir.