Chapter 19: The Vainglorious

The moon glimmered as Cliff, Eden, and Vance made their way to the mine. In order to kill time, Cliff and Eden told Vance about their journey so far. Then, Cliff decided to try and teach Eden how to harness some of her newfound power.

"Now, Eden, try focusing psynergy into your right fist," he ordered.

"Alright," she said nervously, holding out her fist and concentrating on it. After a few moments of silence, it began to glow in a faint orange light. Her eyes widened, and suddenly it disappeared.

"Not bad for your first time." Cliff gave her a smile of encouragement. "Most newbies can't even concentrate it into a certain part of their body. Now all you need is firmer concentration. You'll get it down eventually, so keep practicing."

"What does that stuff do, strengthen her fist?" Vance asked.

"Exactly," Cliff confirmed. "Watch, I'll demonstrate." He held up his fist, and instantly it erupted into a bright tan glow, illuminating the evening landscape. "It can also be used as a source of light."

"Interesting," Vance said, not waiting for Cliff to give him a turn. He stared at his fist intently, mimicking what he’d seen Eden just do. Soon, his whole arm erupted in a purple blaze. He shouted in surprise, waving his arm in fright and consequently losing his concentration. As the flames faded, he was filled with a mixture of nostalgia and fear.

"Holy..." Cliff stared at Vance's arm, now empty and hanging limp at his side. "That can’t be. You’re an Earthling..."

"But so am I," Eden cut in nervously. "Right?"

Cliff gave Eden a concerned look. "You’re...special, Eden. The events yesterday proved that to me. The truth is, Earthlings - that is, people born on Earth - can't use psynergy. Being born in a dimension where there's a psynergy vacuum must have something to do with it. I don’t know the details, but one thing is clear: Vance, if you were born on Earth, there's no way you could have done what you did just now."

A smirk crept across Vance’s face. "You're telling me..." he said slowly, as if hypnotized, "that I was born somewhere other than Earth?"

"I guess that’s what this means," Cliff said, still incredulous. "This can’t be mere coincidence. Maybe it was some greater power that brought us together like this."

"Maybe," Vance said, grinning ear to ear for the first time in a long while. "This is so cool."

"Well, don’t get ahead of yourself just yet," Cliff said, smirking a bit at Vance’s awkward show of gratitude. "All you've done so far is create a little light. If we run into anyone, you need to let me handle it. All you two will be able to do now is pad your fist or arm for a normal punch. You've yet to truly enhance it with psynergy."

"Man, stop getting all dramatic on us!" Vance shouted, letting his excitement get the best of him. "Let's just go in and get the clock. Whoever's in there can come right at me! I'll kick their ass."

Cliff’s frustration returned to his face as he watched Vance walk toward the cave's entrance alone, concentrating psynergy into his arm and shadowboxing.

"Well...maybe he does have a point." Eden shrugged. "You said we're good for beginners. Besides, Cliff, you can’t push yourself either."

Cliff let his irritation seethe inside as he gestured for Eden to enter the cave ahead of him. On their long walk, he’d listened to Vance and Eden talk about their hometown and childhood memories at length. Eden seemed to happy to have found a friend with a similar background, and was also visibly affected when Vance spoke of his mother’s disappearance. But to Cliff, every word out of Vance's mouth seemed like a trap designed to ensnare the woman he wanted to protect.

He just seems like a cocky, edgy little brat...why do I have to babysit him?

Carefully, the trio moved deeper inside the cave, each with their own lights glowing in their fists.

"Vance, wait up!" Eden called out.

"Yeah, slow down, we have to stick together," Cliff added. "And don't waste your psynergy if you don't need to. Here, allow me." Cliff proudly powered up his fist, creating a smaller, yet significantly brighter light source than what Vance had mustered.

Cliff’s aura illuminated the entire tunnel, removing any need for Vance or Eden to try and light it up themselves. Weak-looking wooden slats nailed together into a frame held up the grey bedrock as they continued deeper down. Eden looked around vigilantly, keeping herself close to Cliff's bright light. Vance seemed bored, kicking up dirt and rocks as he moved downward, acting unimpressed with Cliff’s light. Finally, they reached the bottom of a slanted passage, which opened into a larger room. As Cliff stepped forward, his aura spread through the room and illuminated it.

"I'm emitting my psynergy in streams now," Cliff elaborated. "Anyone can do it with a little practice. In more extreme cases, you can make it destructive. Expanding your aura like this allows you to sense other psynergy auras that you normally wouldn't be able to, as long as they aren’t being masked. This should let me find the other members of the 4th division."

Vance lit up his fist once more. Then, after a few minutes of concentrating, he shot a marble-sized ball of psynergy at the wall. It smacked into the bedrock as if it had been thrown, leaving a small burn mark behind.

Cliff paled. "How’d you learn that?!"

"I was practicing when we were coming down here." Vance shrugged, letting a conceited grin slide on to his face. "I can do it in my arms, legs, and head now. Channeling the psynergy seemed pretty easy, but I didn't wanna embarrass you by doing it before you explained it to us."

"Right. Of course." Cliff’s face contorted, and his aura pulsated with irritation.

This kid is infuriating! I’d like to give him a psynergy lesson he’d never forget...

Eden was a quick learner as well. Her citrus psynergy spread out into the room with ease, mixing in with Cliff’s. "I don’t sense anyone," she mentioned. "Do you?"

Cliff searched his mind’s eye for any other signs of psynergy. "No, now that you mention it, I don’t. But they could be masking their auras in order to stay hidden..."

"Oh, they were," a male voice cooed, as its owner stepped into the light. "But I still found them. Made quick work of them, too."

A young man with pale blond hair and a butterscotch-colored frock coat stepped forward, now in the center of Cliff's glow. He smiled invitingly and raised a hand to his chest.

"I am Winslow Bandeaux, 11th of the Dark Zodiacs. I see that you are all novice psynergy users. This should make things simple. First things first: you will not reach the clock you so desperately seek. I advise you all to turn to back immediately, or I will use force to remove you from the premises. Do not attempt to fight me, as I will easily crush you. I have graduated from-" Winslow stopped abruptly and turned his eyes to Vance, who had just let out a loud, obnoxious yawn. "Excuse me, you inferior trash! Your very life depends on my grace and pity, so I would advise you-"

"I would advise you to shut the hell up!" Vance shouted. "I don't care where you graduated from, you egotistic prick."

Winslow scoffed. "How dare you? Don’t you realize how much stronger I am? I graduated with highest honors from the legendary Vonnornoth Psynergy Research Institute. Surely you’ve heard of it."

"I don't really care," Vance spat, then looked up to Cliff. "Are all the Dark Zodiacs this stupid?"

"Vance!" Cliff shouted nervously. "Shut up!"

"For your information, boy," Winslow continued, "I joined the Dark Zodiacs because they were the only ones who could possibly stand up to my power. You really don't know a thing, do you?"

Vance rolled his eyes. "Are you kidding me? Cliff, come on! This is one of the infamous, uncatchable criminals you people are afraid of? He's a nutcase. You know what, actually, this'll be perfect. I need a punching bag to test my psynergy on," Vance sneered, and began walking toward his adversary.

"Vance, get back here!" Cliff demanded. "Whatever he is, he’s still stronger than you! Let me take him!"

"Screw you!" Vance retorted. "I've spent my entire life listening to assholes like this. Conceited assholes who think they're better than everyone else, and never seem to get any punishment for it. Now I finally have a chance to teach one a lesson...I’m gonna make him beg for mercy!" Vance declared, cracking his knuckles forebodingly.

"No!" Cliff shouted. "You don't know what you're getting yourself into, Vance! Stop! Help me out here, Eden!"

"Help you? How?" Eden’s thin eyebrows curled upwards. "He won’t listen to anything we say!"

"I don't believe this!" Cliff grabbed his head in vexation. "Vance, you have to stop! You could die!"

A twisted smile crept on to Winslow’s oddly child-like face. "Come, boy. Allow me to know your identity before I rid you of your worthless existence."

Vance took off his ragged jacket and tossed it onto the ground behind him. "I'm the guy who’s gonna kick your ass."