Chapter 3: THE RIFT..

His anger caught me by surprise. In the two years we been on the street he has never acted that way. Looking at his face I could see it. The anger he felt towards her could only be one of love. After an awkward moment of silence he spoke again. This time calmer, but still furious. " Everything I have done was for you and your mother. Why are you here?"

For the first time I saw her face age before my eyes. As she was lost in some distant memory I saw the sadness, the pain, that painted her face. I wanted to say something, anything, but when I looked at Aeon he was crying. Tears streamed down effortlessly. He made an attempt to wipe them off only to leave clean streaks thru the filth that layered his face.

She turned to him with rage in her eyes, "Nothing you did mattered. They were at the house when I got home from school. They were looking for something when I heard her tell me to run. A man grabbed me, so she rushed him. Mom was always a fighter..." Athena's voice trailed off, and when she was able to speak again all she said to him was " It wasn't enough."

She started to push me thru the door without a second glance at Aeon. Once through the light improved showing off, what looked like, a huge ballroom. It was old and enormous, filled with webs and dirt. Looking up, it was impossible to tell how high it went. Progressing to the center of the room was a group of people, watching us like animals in a zoo. A voice filled my head as I tried not to jump out of my skin. ( THIS LOOKS BAD, SHOULD I KILL THEM?)

( No! We don't know what they want and right now I'm feeling kinda dizzy. I don't know if I can fight in my condition.) Looking around I could see one of the men eyes locked on me. Never blinking or smiling, just staring. A small girl left his side and approached me, grabbing my arm with strength I didn't think she would have. With a nod from Ariel, she started to lead me off down a different hallway.

Finally, the man staring at me blinked and looked to Ariel. The moment his eyes left mine I felt as if a weight had been lifted. ( WELL, THERE ARE SOME INTERESTING CREATURES HERE AFTER ALL.) I felt his smile inside my head, leaving an eerie feeling. As we walked I decided to get some answers. ( Who are you and why am I the only one who can hear you?) After a moment of silence it finally responded.

( THERE ARE NO WORDS IN YOUR LANGUAGE THAT CAN DESCRIBE MY TRUE SELF OR NAME. AS FOR WHY YOU CAN ONLY HEAR ME, THAT'S SIMPLE. YOU ARE MY HOST, THE ONLY ONE I DEEM WORTHY ENOUGH OF MY WISDOM AND POWER.) At the word power my mind flashed back to my dream. ( TWAS NO DREAM LITTLE ONE. I CAN NORMALLY ONLY ACT WHEN YOU GIVE ME PERMISSION, BUT THIS WAS DIFFERENT. I THOUGHT THEY WERE GOING TO KILL YOU AND I CANT HAVE THAT. I NEED YOU MORE THEN I CARE TO ADMIT.)

Fear filled me at the memory of the night in the alley. What did they want with me? why me? ( YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW IMPORTANT WE ARE, DO YOU?) The question took me by surprise. We? ( WHERE I AM FROM YOU WOULD CALL ME 'KING'. YOU..... YOU ARE SPECIAL. IN ALL OUR TIME TOGETHER THE ALLEY WAS THE FIRST TIME I HAD TO STEP IN. I WILL ADMIT, IT HAS BEEN ENTERTAINING.)

As I tried to process the information we came to a stop. The girl looked to me and for a second I could see it. She was, I'd guess, about 20 years old. Her jet black hair looking like a ravens nest. Her face, save for a few blemishes, was smooth and plump. But those eyes... Eyes are the window to the soul my ass. Even thou she smiled, it never reached her eyes. Looking more like a serial killer then an innocent girl she said " Ariel will be here soon, so have a seat and get comfortable. The show will start soon."

A few minutes passed before I heard it CLICK, CLICK, CLICK. The sound echoes up and down the hall getting louder and louder. My heart started racing, wondering what was about to happen. As the sound stopped the door flew open, revealing Athena and the same man from earlier. As soon as he looked at me I could feel the weight of a thousand suns on me. The force became so unbearable I felt as tho i would be crushed flat.

( SO YOU WANT ME TO HELP? I NEED YOU TO SAY IT.) Even with it being in my head, it was like a child struggling to speak. After a few tries all I could do was stutter ( Y-Y-Y-es.) Just as soon as it hit me, it was gone. I felt as if my whole body was buzzing with electricity. Opening my eyes was as easy as breathing again. Realizing I had fallen to my knees, I stood up and looked around. All eyes in the room showed shock and amazement. The man, clearly upset, walked to me and grabbed my arm. For a split second I feel the weight again, before it disappears.

Clearly upset, he squeezes harder and harder. By this time I'm trying to free my arm, but my struggle upsets him more. Athena's voice reaches my ears " Anthony that's enough!" By this point his grip hurts, but not like the weight I did feel. In a split second he was on the ground, clawing at his head. Then he went limp whimpering quietly to himself. The little girl grabbed his arm, throwing it around her as she hoisted him up. They began to shuffle to the door when the man stopped and turned to Athena. There is anger in his eyes as he takes a bow. When he rises all emotion is gone.

With a wave of Athena's hand the girl leaves him standing by the door as she exits. That same expressionless look in her eyes, and that smile on her face. Anthony made no effort to close the distance between us. He simply went back to the cool collected man he had been a moment ago. (THIS IS GOING TO BE BAD. DID YOU NOTICE WHAT HE BROUGHT WITH HIM?) Looking around I could see a duffle bag near the door, almost blending in with the darkness.

As Anthony walked over with the bag I could hear a loud clanking sound. Upon reaching us he let it fall to the ground with a loud CRASH. He stared at me with no emotion as he pulled tool after tool out the bag. Last, but not least, a pair of jumper cables clanked in Athena's hands as she turned the bag upside-down. The look on her face was one of sadness and anger. She held my arm while saying, in an almost mother like tone, " I need answers and I cant trust anything you say." There is a slight pause before she says " please forgive me."

ZZZZAAAPPPPPPPP!! Electricity courses throughout my entire body. Making me spasm uncontrollably. With each zap I hear the voice in my head grunt. Almost immediately, I feel fresh and new as if I had just woke up. For a moment I wondered how this could be, only to hear the answer in my head. ( I CAN ONLY KEEP THIS UP FOR A LITTLE BIT. I CAN LEND YOU SOME OF MY POWER, BUT AT A COST TO MY LIFE FORCE. WITHOUT RESTING THIS WILL EVENTUALLY KILL ME.)

After what felt like hours, they finally took a break. While I was gathering my thoughts, preparing for what was next, I felt a pull on my brain. It was a weird feeling, like someone was in my head flipping switches. All the shapes and colors of the world started to blend together, till only light remained. It kept building and building making me feel like I was floating. A familiar hand rest on my shoulder as Aeons face started to come into view.

He looked scared for a minute then it was gone. Replaced by a looked of relief and concern. I could hear him talking as he took his hand off me to say something to them. As soon as his hand left I could feel it again. That feeling of weightlessness filled me. I struggled to look at Aeon. Willing the feeling to leave me, but to no avail. I started to feel strange when I noticed something. Amidst all the light there were little black spheres floating around.

Reaching for one, I moved it only slightly yet it locked in place. Then another and another till a picture of a black door started forming before me.

( What is all this? why do I feel like I need to do this?) The only sound I could hear was the whoosh as the tiles kept moving with my hands. As the door was almost finished forming I felt hands on my arms. Despite the attempt to stop me, my hands kept going. Faster and faster as an eerie sound echoes throughout the room. Finally, my hands stopped as I heard the voice again ( I'M SORRY TO DO THIS TO YOU. I CANT HANDLE ANYMORE OF TH--)

The abrupt stop made me shudder, then shake and then... growl? I was suddenly watching myself from above, but it wasn't me. I had noticed they had me strapped in the chair again. Anthony walked over to me with a syringe in his hand. The body in the chair ( my body) didn't look like me. The hair on its head began to grow. Changing colors from brown to green. Next was his skin, becoming darker and harrier till it seemed to stop, leaving a purplish hue with little green hairs.

With Aeon franticly fighting her Athena started to take him out of the room. CLICK... CLICK... CLICK.... I listened to the sound of her heels as she left the room and rounded the corner. As I faded into blackness I had no idea whether this would be the last sound I heard or not. One last gasp of air. One last look at the man standing next to me; pushing the plunger down. Just one last thought entered my mind ( How could this happen to me?....)

What happened next is a little hard to explain. ( ZAXXLAR) said the voice in my head, flinging me back into my body. It was like all the sounds of the world died away. There was no pain, no heat or cold. It was as if I was in space, void of everything but an eerie noise, then silence. The silence was only broken by a blood curling scream. Opening my eyes I could see Anthony on the ground clutching his hand. For a second I was lost. Looking around was like a bad acid trip. Black sand layered everything. Staring into the horizon was like looking into the empty void of space.

Looking to the sky I could see a very disturbing sight. A green sun and a purple moon were overlapping in the sky. ( WILL YOU DO SOMETHING ABOUT THAT NOISE?) It took me a minute to realise he was talking about Anthony. ( PLACE YOUR HAND ON HIS HEAD AND FOCUS) I did as he said, hearing his voice ( SLEEP.) Anthony went limp as I kept focusing. With a little bit of help from the voice I began to imagine Anthony's hand. Three of his fingers were gone leaving only his pinkie and ring finger. I watched as the bones started to sprout from his nubs, stopping the bleeding. After much effort I was done and Anthony was resting.

( VERY GOOD. YOU ARE GETTING THE HANG OF OUR POWER. NOW IF YOU COULD JUST DO IT ON COMMAND MAYBE WE COULD GET SOMEWHERE) After a moment I began to wonder about the voice. He reminded me of a character from a show called " BLEACH". Kenpachi was a name given to the strongest member of the soul society. With a slight chuckle he said ( THATS AS GOOD A NAME AS ANY) this time I spoke aloud before the thought could even form. " Where are we?" With one word he stopped my blood cold.... ( HOME)