A strange scene
Chapter 5 - A Strange Scene
Rex's teeth gnashed as he fiercely resisted the intense mental attack unleashed by Kevin. Despite the attack being intended to utterly shatter the sanity of a twelve-year-old, Rex somehow managed to withstand its effects.
With a sudden burst of determination, Rex sprang to his feet and swiftly made his way through the main exit of BLOCK 244B, located in the bustling marketplace.
"He's escaping! Let's go after him!" Jace exclaimed, while Jared smirked confidently.
"I can manipulate the void. He won't get far," Jared boasted.
Raising his hands, Jared commanded the void to respond to his call. Layers of it shattered, forming a barrier that enclosed a particular distance in front of the trio. However, when the void opened up, only Rex's backpack fell out.
"What?!" Jared exclaimed in disbelief. No one was supposed to escape his void prison. Moreover, Rex had intentionally left his backpack behind to create a diversion and buy himself more time.
"He managed to escape your void prison?" Even Jace and Kevin were astonished.
"We need to find him. He's getting away!" Kevin shouted, sprinting in the direction Rex had taken.
Meanwhile, Rex continued to run with remarkable speed and agility. His movements seemed to grow swifter with each passing second, fueled by an adrenaline rush. His stealth became almost impenetrable, as if bolstered by unseen forces.
Glancing back, Rex pushed forward, eventually losing his pursuers and escaping the confines of the marketplace. However, he had sacrificed his backpack to evade Jared's void prison. As he let out a sigh and began to lower his guard, something unexpected occurred.
Rex's vision suddenly twisted, revealing a swirling darkness that enveloped him. The dark tendrils of the ominous shadow coated his body, sending an unwavering chill throughout his being. Desperately trying to break free from the encroaching darkness, Rex found his body immobilized and overcome with bone-chilling cold.
Fear surged through Rex like never before, and within moments, consciousness faded, and his vision plunged into darkness.
When Rex finally regained consciousness, he found himself in an unfamiliar space. It wasn't a room, but rather the back of a moving van. Hastily getting to his feet, Rex rushed towards what appeared to be a door, banging on it urgently.
"Hey, open the door! I have to go to school! My brother will be worried sick about me!" Rex screamed, but the people in the other room paid him no heed.
Then, a soft male voice broke the silence, freezing Rex in his tracks.
"They'll never listen to you," the voice murmured. Rex swiftly turned, surprised to find someone else in the van—three people in total, including himself.
"What's going on?" Rex asked, approaching the mysterious figure.
"You've been kidnapped. Forget about school and your brother. None of us are getting out of here alive. A Supreme Druid needs our souls to cure his severe defilement," the stranger revealed.
Rex's face drained of color. "My soul? But I haven't awakened yet... I don't possess any special soul."
The other boys sighed. "That's the problem. We are rare individuals, you and I. We either come from one lineage or another, and as such, we already possess the Nexus soul."
Rex pondered for a moment, then sank down to the floor. What was he to do? Was he destined to be the cure for this vast corruption?
Running his hands through his silver hair, Rex contemplated his options. What other choice did he have?
Silently, he rose to his feet and approached the door, peering through the thin metal poles to see what was happening outside.
...
"Master intends to develop the few souls we've found. By awakening the powers and abilities of the children he has gathered, he plans to absorb their souls and acquire their aspects and abilities as well."
The room was dimly lit, with a large machine occupying the center. On the left side stood a tall man, his attention drawn to the cell where a young man named Rex was held captive. Rex, with his pitiful face, beautiful silver hair, and striking golden eyes, possessed a rare quality among them all – his Nexus soul, which had the power to cure their master.
"Call out that pretty boy. I can awaken him in an instant," the tall man commanded, turning to the others in the room.
His words caught the attention of a robust man dressed in pure white. He hesitated, observing Rex with caution. The mere act of looking at Rex triggered a cacophony of shattered mirror pieces in the robust man's mind.
"Do we really need to awaken him? He could become a significant problem," the robust man voiced his concerns.
The tall man remained silent, his unwavering gaze fixed upon the young lad. Meanwhile, Rex stood frozen, taken aback by the attention directed at him.
"He's staring at me," Rex thought, attempting to maintain his composure despite the internal shock coursing through him.
Slowly, the tall man approached Rex, and with a swift motion, he unlocked the cell bars and grabbed hold of Rex, ignoring his pleas to be released.
"Hey, let me go! I'm not a toy or your lab rat!" Rex shouted, his voice filled with desperation.
However, his protests fell on deaf ears as he was quickly strapped behind the very machine he had seen the robust man activate earlier.
"What are you doing to me?" Rex demanded, his confusion and fear evident.
"We want you to awaken!" the tall man responded, causing Rex to furrow his brow.
"Isn't that supposed to happen naturally? Forcing it could corrupt me, turn me evil," Rex argued, his cries growing more desperate. But the tall man and the robust man paid him no heed.
Their plan was simple – once Rex awakened, they would have means to control his powers and suppress any evil tendencies. He would become a pawn until his soul was ready to be absorbed by their master.
A wheezing sound emanated from the machine, intensifying Rex's fear. These people were true monsters, showing no regard for his well-being. They didn't consider his feelings or inform him of the potential pain he might endure; they only sought to awaken his powers and exploit them.
Rex let out a sigh, a mix of resignation and defiance. Perhaps, this was his fate. Perhaps, this would mark the beginning of his extraordinary journey. He might even escape the clutches of a Supreme Druid's attack, if destiny permitted.