Gareth placed each piece of Utrium in Stefan’s hands. They felt warm to the touch, but not because Gareth had just been holding them. They emitted small but noticeable amounts of heat. The cracks across the rocks revealed pulses of flashing purple light.
“What do I do now?” Stefan asked. His arms trembled with fear, but he did his best to hide it from Gareth.
“Squeeze the rocks as hard as you can. Don’t stop, even when it begins to hurt.”
“Wait. It’s going to hurt?” Stefan inquired.
“This is why I said you’ll want this to go by fast. Enough questions. Squeeze. Imagine they were the throats of Titanians. Would you stop even after they pass out?”
No, he wouldn’t. He applied pressure to the rocks slowly. More heat began to release from the rocks. The light in the cracks glowed brighter and brighter. The surfaces felt rough and sharp against Stefan’s skin, but he kept squeezing.
“It’s getting a little hot.” Stefan noted.
“Good. That means the Initiation is going as it’s supposed to. Keep squeezing.”
A certain kind of resolve took over Stefan’s mind. He was getting closer and closer to his goal of getting his hands on the Angels. He was nearer to finding out which one of his three loved ones was shot and the fates of the two others. The greater his resolve to find them was, the more stressed it made him. His body became warmer, and he started to breathe heavily. The rocks became even brighter, glowing like two tiny stars in each of his hands.
“Gareth,” Anwen said. “His hands are starting to bleed.”
“That’s fine. That happened to me when I had my Initiation. It’s supposed to happen.”
“Why didn’t that happen to me, then?” Anwen asked. “His palms are completely red!”
“Yours was a different kind of Initiation. You remember, don’t you?”
“Yes.” Anwen simply confirmed. “But why?”
Gareth thought for a bit, deciding how to say his next words.
“Humans are not really meant to go through the Initiation. Since you were very young at the time, I didn’t want to risk you getting hurt badly with full Initiation. That’s why yours was toned down.”
“I see.” Anwen simply nodded.
“You never needed full Initiation, anyway,” Gareth stated. “I’d never allow you to fight the Titanians, especially in your condition.”
“I know.” Anwen said, looking down at her feet. She shifted her legs slightly.
Suddenly, a piercing screech filled the library. The haunting sound bounced off the walls and reached Anwen and Gareth’s ears.
“Gareth, look!” Anwen pointed in front of her. She held his arm for comfort. The sight in front of her was terrifying.
Stefan’s head was slumped against the back of the chair. His mouth was open widely, letting out an awful, animalistic scream. He didn’t even sound human. His eyes didn’t have their normal white sclera and dark irises and pupils. They were completely taken over by the same kind of light that radiated from the Utrium. They were like bright lamps in darkness. It was impossible not to notice. His medium-length brown hair whipped around wildly due to the concentration of energy around him.
“That isn’t normal.” Anwen muttered, squeezing Gareth’s arm even tighter.
“It is normal,” Gareth said in his signature calm tone. He didn’t attempt to calm her down, simply stating the truth. “Him and the Utrium are becoming one. It’ll be over soon.”
If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
The light coming from Stefan’s eyes prevented him from seeing anything. He was practically blind externally, unable to perceive anything around him. He couldn’t even hear his own horrible cries. Instead, what he saw were memories. Not his own, but those given to him by the Utrium.
Images of a laboratory entered his mind. People laid unconsciously in vats of liquid as men and women in white lab coats circled around them. It was followed by a spacecraft drifting about in the cosmos. In the far, far distance, a speck that could vaguely be identified as Jupiter was in the background. He saw kings and queens leading people from different eras, delivering motivational and inspirational speeches in a foreign tongue. Armored soldiers fought against each on battlefields, painting the barren ground a deep red. He saw people holding the same type of rock that he presently held, loading them into minecarts with their bare hands in an unbearable, hostile and frigid environment. It was just like the dream he’d had the other day. But this was different. No one’s face was visible. They were all covered in shadows, making them impossible to identify. Even in the off chance that he might have recognized someone, it wasn’t possible. What were these memories, and where did they come from?
Stefan’s screams slowed down into labored wheezes. His eyes shut, and his head fell forward. Stefan’s hands loosened, and the Utrium he held cluttered to the ground. His hands left bloody drops, staining the floor.
-
“It’s been a while.” Someone told Stefan softly.
“J-Joakim?” he asked as the light coming from the bedroom lamp trickled into his eyes, his vision returning to him.
“Jeez, did all those things you saw make you lose your mind?” Anwen giggled.
“You? Damn it, of course it’s you,” Stefan said, putting a hand to his forehead in disappointment. He felt something soft graze his fingers. He looked at his hand only to see that it was wrapped in bandages, and his broken arm completely healed. “Holy shit. My arm’s fixed?”
“That’s the power of Utrium for you,” Anwen explained. “Your body must’ve unconsciously absorbed Pool while you knocked out.”
“Well, that explains that. But also… what things? I don’t remember seeing anything. Was it during the Initiation?”
“You don’t remember? Gareth said that the Initiation is supposed to make you see stuff that happened in the past. I don’t really get it, but he said it was normal to forget them.”
“Where is Gareth, anyway?” Stefan asked, noticing the absence of the man.
“He went to a village nearby to trade for things we need.” Anwen answered.
“Ah, I see. How long was I out for?”
“Two days. We thought you’d never wake up,” she laughed. “Well, just me, but—
“Were you waiting for me that entire time?” Stefan interrupted.
“What am I, your babysitter?” Anwen said with a sudden vicious tone. “Of course not! I was going to change the bandages on your hands, but you decided to wake up and now I’m having this pointless conversation with you.”
“It seems like you’re enjoying talking with me, though.” Stefan noted.
“Why’d I want to talk to you willingly? Gareth and Esperance are both gone, so I’d be bored otherwise. I’d talk to literally anyone else if I could. Now shut up for a bit and show me your hands.”
Stefan placed both his hands on his lap. Anwen carefully sliced off the wrappings with scissors which smelled strongly of rubbing alcohol. She then applied some kind of paste from a small glass jar to the new pink skin on Stefan’s palms, causing him to flinch.
“It’s just antiseptic balm. Stop being a baby.” She scolded.
‘Before I thought she sounded like Joakim for a sec, but now she’s acting a lot like Mum.’ Stefan thought, as Anwen replaced new bandages on his hands.
“All done. Try not to move your hands around too much or the scabs on your skin will open again. You should be all healed up in a couple more days.”
“Question.” Stefan said, raising one of his hands.
“Yeah?”
“How am I supposed to eat if I can’t move my hands?” he asked.
“Someone’s got to feed you. And unfortunately… that someone is me.” She sighed.
“I guess it’s better than starving. Also… how am I going to use the bathroom?”
“Maybe you can hold it in until Gareth’s back tomorrow afternoon. It’s only the evening, so… you’ll have to wait 16 hours, at most.”
“I’d rather not soil this nice comfy bed.” Stefan said in a firm tone.
“Man, do you not get jokes? I obviously am going to help you in the bathroom. I have much better things to be doing, but Gareth’s orders.” She shrugged.
“That’s quite a cruel joke to say to someone who’s as helpless as me.” Stefan muttered.
“Well, if you need anything, just scream my name. I’ll be four rooms over.” Anwen said, taking the discarded wrappings, scissors and balm jar with her.
“Hey, wait.” Stefan said.
“Hmm?” Anwen whipped around.
“Are you Initiated, too?” Stefan asked.
“Why do you ask? How is that important right now?” she scrutinized.
“If Gareth and I are both Initiated, it would make sense for you to be as well.” He deduced.
Anwen paused for a bit before speaking.
“Not in the same way as you and Gareth are, and not for the same reason, either. But yeah, I did go through the Initiation. Now, leave me alone unless you really need something, please.”
She made her leave from the room, which was when Stefan made an observation. She had a very subtle, barely noticeable limp when she walked. He hadn’t seen it before the Initiation. It was as if one of her legs was heavier than the other underneath her baggy pants. Had the powers of Utrium enabled him to perceive something so marginal?