“Ladies and gentlemen, this stunt should not be tried at home. This event is under professional supervision and it is highly recommended that you follow the safety guidelines and do not exceed the hovering height outlined in the manuals,” boomed Tim’s voice over the speakers. The voice through the speaker faded, allowing Max to concentrate, closing down all his thoughts and emotions.
“You’re one crazy kid,” muttered Phil as he looked up towards the building in anticipation.
Max activated the board, leaned over the edge and jumped off. Phil was shocked, not thinking for a moment that he would actually go through with the stunt.
The crowd roared, taking Max by surprise. His feet clung to the board with a fantastic grip as he shifted his feet placement on the two separate boards.
Then Max released his electricity into the board, watching as the current in the board turned blue. Adrenalin pumped through his veins as the wind blew past his body at speed, creating a slight whistle that tickled his ears. What a piece of equipment! he thought, as he felt the energy flow around him.
The power of the board grew substantially and he blew past the crowd at speed to screams of pleasure and astonishment. The analyst of the prototype questioned the blue electricity as Max passed, arguing about what they were witnessing.
Max quickly got to grips with the controls, gliding between the buildings as he left the expo. The board felt natural, his power being the key to the flight of the board.
Eventually, he slowly descended to the soft grass of the dojo. The two pieces of the board dropped apart as Max stopped the flow of electricity, laying it against a tree as he squinted into the shadows at a movement which had caught his eye.
“So, this is where you have been hiding,” said a familiar voice and a figure stepped out towards him from the gloom.
“Stuart!” Max replied with pleasure and surprise. “How did you find me?”
“Well, I was the one who rescued you. It was just a matter of tracking you down after I talked to Chris,” he replied looking over at the dojo.
“Thank you,” said Max with feeling.
Stuart followed Max for a tour of the dojo, noting every burn mark he could, filling out a notebook as he passed through the rooms.
“I know a wood user who can nurture this wood back to the way it was, if you like,” said Stuart, watching Max’s face light up.
“How much would it cost?”
“For you: free. Just train me in this dojo and it’s settled.”
Max nodded as he agreed, providing a loaf of bread and some raw nuts for lunch. Stuart ate and looked at Max with pleasure. He had changed since the last time he had seen him, which was either down to the Dark Lord or to his recovery. The confidence in his eyes was contagious and Stuart was filled with joy, knowing that his friend was happy.
He took a mouthful of bread, half choking as he caught sight of Max’s scar.
“What on Earth is that?” he barked abruptly.
Max spun around with a knife in his hand, expecting the Dark Lord to be standing behind him.
“Don’t do that!” shouted Max, jamming the knife into the table.
“Your scar! It has two rings!” gasped Stuart, trying to control his shock.
“You wouldn’t believe the story,” sighed Max.
“Try me.”
The next hour was dedicated to Max’s telling of the story, from rescuing Jimmy to the events of today. Stuart listened in astonishment, as he inspected Max’s scar for the third time.
“So, what’s next?” Stuart asked.
“We forge a brotherhood to defy the Dark Lord,” Max replied heavily.
* * *
Max played his time alone to his advantage, finding a quiet spot in the middle of the dojo fields. He had spent a whole day cutting the grass, maintaining the field he remembered. It was peaceful and the air was motionless as he meditated; something he hadn’t done in a while. It was the perfect release. There were no students to interrupt him as he filled his lungs with air, clearing his mind as he purified his body.
His electrical particles responded to his relaxed mind and leaked out of his body, covering the whole field. Sweat rolled down his face and he extended further, pushing his mind. He could feel everything, from a leaf dropping from a tree to the vibration of a bird’s wings. Each animal glowed, touched by the electricity emitted by Max.
His eyes were closed and he was blind to the world, and yet his senses were greatly heightened, as if he were seeing the world for the first time.
Time passed slowly as Max increased the number of particles in the field, adjusting to the energy lost from the duration of the exercise. He remained completely still, twitching as his body began to heat, deepening his breath. His breath caught as he felt a faint movement in the air. Each particle sent Max information as they floated in the air, analysing everything they touched. The particles to his left filled his head as Stuart re-entered the area. Max drew his sword and he pounced on Stuart.
“Blimey!” he yelled in fright as he pushed Max off. Max began laughing as he pulled away, rolling on the ground as a feeling of great satisfaction swept over him.
“How did you know I was returning from there? It must have been a split second before I appeared,” he complained. “Fight me,” he teased Max as he picked up the dojo sword.
Max could ‘feel’ the sword as it coasted towards him. Stuart focused as he looked down upon him, trying to channel the skills he had learned from Gabriel.
He took a deep breath and his first strike was fast. It was blocked by a flick of a wrist and he pressed in, trying to gain advantage over Max.
Stuart could feel the electrical impulses sent out by Max, leaving him no choice but to fight fire with fire. He teleported while Max hesitated, striking him from behind, but Max’s particles had sensed the vibration in the air, allowing him to counter Stuart as he reappeared. Stuart’s teleporting became quicker, forcing Max to defend from all sides. He could see triple of Stuart as he teleported, striking with persistence.
Max began to feel overwhelmed, falling behind the attacks as he spun in all directions to block. He reached out for Stuart’s sword and caught it, feeling his second scar take control as a burst of energy flung them apart. He lay in the dirt, panting and searching for an explanation. Stuart stood slowly and crossed the field to Max.
“What was that?” Stuart questioned, giving Max a helping hand.
He hadn’t experienced anything like this before, it was something Cleon had done; he knew it.
“I would love to find out,” he replied, catching his breath.
“Class dismissed,” ordered Alexander. He waited for all the Elites to retire to their drink bottles before approaching Hilary.
“Can you please go get Jimmy and head to my office?” he asked, pointing towards the accommodation block.
She left with a nod, wondering why she was being summoned; she hadn’t spoken a word to him since the incident with Maximus.
Jimmy swayed into Alex’s office behind her, slouching into the chair next to her. She felt nervous and cursed herself for it. They sat in silence and Jimmy played with his thumbs, apparently uninterested in the conversation that was fast approaching.
“I have some good news,” said Alexander.
Jimmy bolted to attention with a snap, now all anticipation.
“Go on,” Jimmy urged, reading Alex’s mind before he could speak. Jimmy had been too fixated on Maximus lately to read anyone’s thoughts but his own. His shock ran over his face and Hilary jumped.
“Maximus,” Jimmy whispered. Hilary didn’t know what to think, as she had heard Jimmy very clearly. His whisper was the equivalent of a shout to her eager ears. She could feel her heart beat harder in her chest and for a moment dizziness swirled around her. She began to notice her breathing, each breath digging deeper into her lungs.
The occupants of the room were oblivious to the slight crack in the door and the figure who crouched there to also hear the news: Ben kn
elt with his ear pressed against the gap in the door, absorbing the conversation within.
“Yes, there may be a possibility he is alive; the computers don’t lie,” responded Alex.
Hilary’s grip tightened on the chair arms as she leaned forward. “Meaning…?” she replied, finding it almost impossible not to burst into tears, her emotions running wild.
“Meaning, the electricity levels are a match for the first time we found him,” Alex explained.
She sat back in her seat. This news was huge. She didn’t know what to believe. Deep down, she knew he wasn’t gone; she felt sure she would feel it if Max were really dead.
She watched Jimmy’s lips move as he replied, but the buzzing in her ears cancelled out his words. She zoned out to the thought of Maximus, leaving her body as her mind roamed to find answers to all her questions.
“Hilary,” repeated Alex, snapping her out of it.
“Where?” she replied, suddenly alert.
“The first place you met him.”
Taking her back to the park where she first settled on him.
Ben returned hastily, meeting Jonny at the entrance of the villa. The looming building sent chills through him as the darkness began to consume the sky. The flickering lights hadn’t helped as he’d pushed through the steel gate to meet him.
“What news?” asked Jonny, embracing him with a handshake as he followed him up the path.
“It’s true,” Ben replied. The door swung open and he met Victor’s gaze.
“He will want to read your mind,” said Jonny, referring to the Dark Lord. Ben stood still, looking around for the dark figure. Something felt wrong about this situation; he was really not prepared to deal with the Dark Lord. He had heard the stories… What had Jonny got himself into?
Now Ben looked at Jonny more closely, he could see that his appearance had begun to change; he looked exhausted, deep bags beneath his eyes.
“Hurry,” he muttered, pushing Ben forward.
Ben’s eyes never left the ground. He could feel the power emanating from the throne and held his breath, scared to move. He gasped as the Dark Lord touched his mind. The whispers drove him mad and he tried to fight the dark power.
Images rushed into the Dark Lord’s head as he scanned Ben. His shock ran deeper than the blue lightning, fighting against the idea of Maximus’s survival. How had he survived the poison? No one had escaped his grip – ever. His fury swept into a rustling whisper that echoed through the room.
“Find him.”
“Yes, my Lord,” all replied with a bow to the floor.
“Do not fail me.”
Ben left the villa at speed, running out into the garden where he spewed the remains of his lunch. He could barely talk as Jonny bent to pick him up off the ground.
“Do not falter, my friend. It’s the Dark Lord’s will,” he said lifting Ben to his feet.
* * *
Maximus stood on the edge of the building, scanning the city. His white hood darkened his face as he watched the flashing red and blue lights. The police cars beamed like specks of light as they raced through the small streets, approaching their destination at high speed.
Max leapt from the building, reaching back with both hands to pull the two parts of his board from his backpack and connecting them. His shoes softly touched down on the magnetic surface and the board glided through the air towards the location of the incident.
At first glance, the situation was taking place at a large apartment block, cordoned off by ten police cars, A crowd emerged from the building, looking nervous and worried. SWAT teams had been deployed, ripping through the entrance with skill.
The crowd pointed up at the electrical interference in the air as Max flew past, straightening his approach and smashing through an apartment window. All sniper units radioed Max’s position as he entered.
“Who the hell are you?” a man bellowed.
Max slowly assessed the situation: two exits, one man, one female and one weapon. His eyes slid to the pistol, which was pointed at the female’s head. The man was nervous, a twitch under his left eye confirming the fact. Max’s astounding entrance had clearly thrown the man and he jittered as he faced Max.
“Put the gun down,” Max ordered.
The man hesitated, his gun hand shaking perceptibly, but then straightened and grasped the gun grip harder, sweat forming in his palm.
“You listen to me! You’re not the one with the gun!” he yelled, pulling on the woman’s hair. She whimpered and tried to pull away, but he yanked even harder and she stilled once more.
“Let me guess; she cheated on you?” Max said as he watched the woman’s frightened face.
“Is it that obvious?” he replied, turning to the woman in disgust.
“She’s not worth it. Plenty of women out there,” said Max.
The woman glared at him in disbelief. “Whose side are you on?” she spat.
“I’m trying to help you,” he sighed.
“Stop talking!” the man shouted, pointing the weapon at Maximus.
“That’s not a good idea,” said Max. “I will give you two options: One, turn around and give yourself to the police who have now entered the building or two, wake up in jail,” said Max, counting on his fingers.
The man regained his composure, placing his finger on the trigger. “You and what army?” he laughed.
“Option two it is,” smiled Max.
An electric shock dropped the man in an instant, his fingers releasing his weapon as he shook uncontrollably.
The woman looked around her, stunned, screaming as SWAT broke through the door. Max quickly stepped to the window, releasing his board as he retreated and hovering away from the stunned onlookers.
“Electric Man! Electric Man!” the chant echoed. His face was hidden by his hood, but he wore a smile that stretched across his face.
He settled onto a power box to watch the man being dragged to the police car.
“Electric Man. It has a ring to it,” said Alexander, appearing from the shadows.
“It’s catching on,” said Max with a smile.
“How did you know I was here? That is why you chose this rooftop isn’t it?”
“Electric particles in the air. I knew you were here before you did,” Max replied, looking back. Alexander observed the particles flickering around him, angry he hadn’t picked up on them before.
“You have come a long way,” Alex admitted, taking up a position next to Max.
“I will not return,” said Max.
“I could tell that from the first time I met you,” replied the Head Master. “I have many questions and there are many answers I need in order to fully understand you, Maximus,” he continued.
“You and me both,” said Max, truthfully.
“You would be safer at the Pillar.”
“I am done hiding. It’s time for the Dark Lord to answer for his crimes.” Max released his board and disappeared into the mist surrounding the building, leaving Alexander speechlessly watching him go.
Chapter 27
Jonny’s Strategy
Victor inspected his sword as he ran his fingers down towards the tip. The silver surface flashed in the sunlight as he angled it here and there.
“Ben Clay has been imprisoned for criminal acts against the Ministry. It is suspected that he is under the influence of the Dark Lord and will carry out a life sentence in prison,” said Seth, reading from the newspaper.
Ben had long been a spy under the Dark Lord’s banner, passing on user movements within the Ministry. It was a big risk, possibly angering the Dark Lord. The Ministry had become bold in these past years of silence from the Dark Lord, mistaking his absence for a new generation, but it was simply his invincibility that caused his inactivity: no one was a match for him.
Seth stood on a rock and looked down upon a city full of life and energy. He tossed the newspaper to Victor.
“Maximus grows in power,” he said, scanning the treeline. There was more than a
hint of anger in his voice and he cursed the boy for their unequal encounters.
“He has changed everything,” Victor muttered in reply.
“I will eradicate him from Earth,” interrupted Jonny.
Victor had noticed the change in Jonny; he felt the darkness swirl around him as the Dark Lord’s sword swung on his back. The sword had been Dartholemue’s personal weapon, used in many battles and executions. It had grown heavy over the centuries, absorbing darkness as time passed. The Dark Lord had given this sword to Jonny with the expectation that he would evolve with the new power.
“What is your plan?” asked Seth.
“We trap him.”
A dark-cloaked figure glided from the forest, joining the group and Seth and Victor bowed low towards the ground.
“Master.”
“Bow, you little shit,” spat Victor.
Jonny drew his sword, feeling the darkness overpower his thoughts. His smile widened as he pointed the sword at the stranger.
“I bow to no one,” he replied.
The stranger had earned his name through old tales of war and now Raze lifted his hood slightly to take in Jonny’s features. His razor sharp teeth parted as he inhaled Jonny’s scent. Jonny caught a lightning glimpse of a monster, dark grey skin with pure black eyes before it once again vanished. His appearance twisted his mind, his senses reeling from the monster’s breath.
“Bow! It is the Dark Lord’s clone!” demanded Seth.
Jonny instantly bowed, his nose inches away from the ground as he bent as low as possible, avoiding the figure’s gaze.
“My sword has taken to you nicely,” Raze hissed.
“My Lord,” Jonny murmured.
“You have absorbed my darkness with hunger.”
Victor and Seth stood tall, allowing Raze to assess the situation. The clone had part of Dartholemue’s mind, but was unable to tap into his full power. His scarred body was forged by many battles and he was known for swiftly killing any target assigned to him, like a ray of darkness from the Dark Lord.
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