Simon Dawn

Power is intoxicating.

I’ve been on a high since the moment I could feel my soul energy. Everything around me felt different. The aura which encapsulated everyone seemed to fade away from my vision which was strange at first as I had gotten used to it but I knew it was probably because my energy was running low.

I watched as the Enforcers finished up with taking statements from witnesses. It didn’t even look as though they tried to find out any real information. They seemed to just want to leave the school as badly as me. They picked up Jason’s lifeless body and disappeared. The whole process took a little over ten minutes. With how fast they left I was sure their leader lied to Laureline about how long the traveller needed to rest. I wonder how she’s feeling now.

I looked towards her direction and noticed Laureline had a contemplative look as though deep in thought. She didn’t even notice as I approached her. I really wanted to know what was on her mind at the moment but I could ask she suddenly spoke.

“What ability do you think you have?” she asked, serious face long gone and replaced with her usual smile.

“Honestly I’m not sure. I don’t think I’ll be able to know without an oracle of some sort” I replied.

Oracles where ability users whose main ability consisted of analysing another ability user, this isn’t to say they did not have other abilities most had precognitive abilities and clairvoyance to boot hence the name “oracle”. Strangely enough oracles could only be found under the sorcerer and spiritualist categories. Oracles may not always be powerful but they are in high demand from any organization looking to make a name for themselves. Most people use their abilities instinctually but actually being told what your ability is, what category it belongs to, what class your ability is currently in and if there was any room for further growth. all this and add the fact that only the leaders and the individuals who want to know their ability want to keep such secrets to themselves most oracles work only for one organization their entire lives and live lucratively.

Most ability users offspring tend to have the same category of abilities as their parents as most souls resemble the souls of their parents with minor differences here and there and of course just thanks to evolution the chance of a having a completely new ability in the family is low but not unheard of.

“But I must be a warrior, look-” I said pointing to my arm “I grew back my arm and it’s obviously now the strongest part of my body” I declared proudly.

“You might be right about that but still check with your clan’s oracle just in case” Laureline replied with uncertainty.

I don’t know why I hesitated but I managed to ask her “Do… Do you want to come to my estate?”

Laureline didn’t reply immediately so I panicked but before I could take the offer back she said” sure there are a few things I want to check out”

“Like what?” I asked smirking to the fact that the answer wasn’t a no

She said“you don’t need to know why I do everything I do, now make the call for the car I’m getting bored” I response had so made no sense whatsoever but I just let it slide. No use starting an argument and risk her changing her mind when I already got the response I was looking for.

Soon after I made the call at the office a hover car came to pick us up. I told the driver to take us to the eastern section of our estate where the oracle lives. I could barely contain myself as the excitement of finding out my full capabilities loomed over me.

Beside me Laureline shifted uncomfortably. She didn’t seem excited at all. I thought nothing of her display of indifference after all when I heard she awakened I felt nothing but jealousy. So I’m guessing when an awakened hears of another awakening it probably doesn’t appear on their radar. Yes that must be what’s happening she just expected this to happen.

We arrived faster than I thought. I tripped as I got out the car. I’ve got to be calm. I immediately picked myself up while Laureline giggled behind me and continued to head straight to the oracles house. The walk took 10 minutes, it’s not like we walked slowly or anything. The distance from the entrance to the oracles estate was about 8km.this is because each major clan has an estate about the size of a large city mainly to accommodate the large number of subordinates belonging to the clans. Each clan city was about the same if not more advanced than a normal city run by the world government.

Some subordinates of a clan can actually live their whole lives within the confines of the clan base and still manage to live a fulfilling life. The oracles home was a modern mansion with walls all made of glass.

“Doesn’t this guy care for privacy” Laureline said as we entered his home” and why doesn’t he lock his doors”

“to answer your second question ,it’s because no one is foolish enough to steal in a clan territory” a calm reassuring female voice replied “as for the first question” [clap] [clap] the rooms glass walls immediately tinted black and the indoor lighting activated.

We looked in the direction the voice was coming from to find a fragile old lady walking down the stairs. Her Hair was pure white and she looked one breath away from death.

“those aren’t nice looks to be giving a senior member within the clan, Argents son or not he’ll kill you right away if I requested it” she said with her voice more lively than I thought could be possible considering her frail form.

“I’m sorry, didn’t mean to offend you oracle I’m just here for-“she cut me off “I know why you’re here, let me hold you and get this over with”

“Wait what?” Laureline asked confused

“Kids just keep getting stupider and stupider” the old woman mumbled taking my hands

“stupider?”Laureline asked and I gave her a look to let it go

My heart raced waiting for the results. The old oracle gave me an odd look. I couldn’t place it maybe loss or nostalgia?

“You are like your grandfather in many ways foolish and powerful” she said

“you have his exact ability of a psychic energy physiology, in the spiritualist category and class 8 , this means your body is slowly transforming into pure psychic energy .worry not this transformation will not hinder your interaction with the physical world like having sex” she paused looking in Laurelines direction.

I felt my face go hot and quickly blurted out” I never asked that”

“it was the first thing your grandfather asked when I told him of his gift” she said with a hint of a smile on her face “as your ability progresses more and more minor effects will show themselves, as of now you have access to Disease and Contaminant Immunity, Oxygen Independence, Intangibility, minor Invulnerability, Pain Suppression, Limited Psychic Energy Manipulation, Telekinesis and minor Telepathy”

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I froze as she spoke, the possibilities where limitless I will rule this world!

As if reading my mind she spoke “boy even with all these abilities and more your grandfather died a dog’s death. Having so much to choose from can also lead to your downfall, ‘I fear the man who trains a single kick a thousand times than a man who trains a thousand kicks once’ ”

“You are quoting one of Asia’s most powerful ability users” Laureline said knowingly

“maybe you aren’t as stupid as I thought, yes more abilities just means more options which can confuse you in a fight and when you complete your transformation you will move from class 8 to 9 just like your grandfather and gain a few more minor abilities.” the oracle replied

“If he was so strong how did he die ‘a dogs death’ then” I asked confused and worried

“Make your way to your fathers’ throne room and you will find all the answers you seek” the oracle replied in an ominous voice.

“Your dad has a throne room? That’s stuff only crazy villains have” Laureline looked as if she heard something crazy.

“Every clan leader has one; it’s not like my fathers the only crazy warlord out there. Plus lots of politicians and kings have them too!” I replied sounding a little bit offended. Not because she called my father crazy but because I planned on having one when I established a legacy of my own.

“Ok, whatever floats your boat. Let’s get to the throne room as fast as we can” I didn’t miss her enfaces on the use of the words throne and room as she rolled her eyes.

I ignored her and started running. If only I wasn’t low on energy I would’ve tried using some of the abilities the oracle told me of. It took us 15 minutes on a hover car to get to the medieval looking castle at the centre of the clan territory.

Laureline gave me weird look and I replied “the interior is very modern, plus it suits the whole Argent Knights theme right?”

As we entered the castle we were greeted by a hologram of Vague informing us to wait a few minutes before entering the throne room. Laureline looked around us said “wow it really is modern on the inside”.

I sighed in relief and vowed never to tell her about the dungeon underneath the building.

“Didn’t the man in the hologram look familiar to you” Laureline asked

“That’s vague my dad’s best telepath. Everyone who meets him is left with a vague description of him. Even if you think you’ve seen him before it’s probably just your mind trying to remember him and failing. Oh and I don’t think it’s a hologram it felt more like a mental projection of himself, never noticed that until know though”

I couldn’t help but feel like I’ve felt Vague's mental energy before but after years of interactions with him and knowing his penchant for mind games I tended up reasoning it was just his power messing with mine.

The real Vague walked out the throne room and bowed as I passed him.

“Strange” I said

“What is it?” Laureline said ready for an attack

“He’s never bowed to me before, it fells invigorating” I said soaking in the fact that in this clan I was akin to royalty.

“Whatever just keep it in your pants were about to meet your dad” she replied annoyed at my lack of focus.

Point of view change

As Simon and Laureline walked into the throne room a feeling of fear and weariness gripped them. They looked towards the source and found Argent watching them from his throne. The feeling of dread and death left just as quickly as it arrived and Argent spoke.

“So how does it feel to have power from what I have heard you are a class 8, very impressive?”

Simon smiled with pride and was cut off before he could reply.

“Of course awakening your ability is a good thing but don’t let it get to your head, I heard you wanted to know how your grandfather died, right?” Argent smirked as he saw the smile on his sons face disappear only to be replaced with fear.

Simon replied without confidence “ye- yes I want to know how grandfather died”

“I killed him. It wasn’t easy though. The old fool had so many tricks I thought he was a magician. As it turns out he was blessed with particularly strong spiritualist ability at class 9. I had challenged him to a one on one fight and he accepted! Can you believe that? Maybe it was his pride or overconfidence which led him to that foolish decision. I was the highest rated mercenary at the time and after some thought decided it was time to carve out a legacy of my own. Your grandfather had no offspring with abilities so out of the various clans on this planet his was the best to takeover.”

As Argent spoke Simon and Laureline listened in utter silence. They felt that if they interrupted while he was reminiscing they would die.

“Did you know your grandfather underestimated me because his spies found out my real class? I’m actually a warrior class 4, augmented appearance with enhanced strength and constitution. Pretty basic when you consider the fact those ability users like you and your grandfather can do all that I can do and more without breaking a sweat. What your grandfather failed to take into account was how such a weak ability user came to be the top mercenary on earth prime. As you already know earth prime might have been the first planet humanity inhabited but it was not the last. Earth prime is now a minor player in the intergalactic stage. Many clans have gone out and taken over solar systems! My home planet was once annexed by such a clan. You heard me right I was not born on earth prime like my records say. I am actually a member of a superior species found in the Blackheart solar galaxy. We are only one of many civilizations at war with the humans. Well I not exactly at war, a peace treaty was signed and ambassadors from each race set up embassies on any major human planet. Of course only the world government and the clans powerful enough to have been on the frontlines in battles against their ‘alien’ counterparts know of our existence and identities. ‘Alien’ species have almost all the same categories and abilities as humans. The only difference is that some species have ‘trump cards’ which give them and added advantage against their opponent. Mine just happens to be this-“

At this moment a giant blood red war hammer began to materialise in front of Argent. The war hammer had various tribal markings engraved onto it. It was the definition of fear and beauty.it was death incarnate. The pressure being given off by the hammer forced Simon and Laureline to kneel.

“This is my soul, my or should I say our race has the ability to manifest our soul in the form of a weapon or tool. All of our members have red skin and silver hair. We all have enhanced physiques which is why your government considers me a ‘warrior’ but I prefer spiritualist. My true strength and abilities can only be shown when I wield my soul. The only setback is that our race failed to advance technologically so had no choice but to accept being integrated into “the collection”. Sorry if the name is unsatisfying I used the closest words in the Earths vocabulary and I still feel as though it falls short. The collection is the equivalent of humanities world government. The only difference is that they rule the blackheart galaxy and humans the Milky Way. Unlike the Milky Way every other galaxy has thousands of species unique to themselves. Each galaxy has its own “collection” or “world government”. Our role as ambassadors is simple. Keep the humans in line. Humans tried to tip a balance which has been in place for millions of years and we have been placed here to monitor and restrict them. Of course that’s just on the surface. In reality ambassadors are here to try and claim a new galaxy for their respective leaders. I will lead the charge and you my son will be one of my generals! Your sister has already matured and shed her human genes and your brother will soon follow but you my son are special. Your psychic energy physiology is already an expression of your soul meaning your body is your soul weapon. I was hoping this would happen when I started breeding with your mother and now I can reap the rewards. I will send you to planet Kebth; you will be a student at the prestigious Kebth tactical university. Make connections and kill enemies. Your only support will be your current servant. You picked well by the way, she will be perfect for infiltration and subterfuge. I will cease communications with you until you have made significant progress and don’t worry about finances your dear father will never stiff you on cash. Do me proud son, live and die for the collection! Live and die for our race the DRAKEN!”

SILENCE…

“Oh the hammer” Argents hammer dematerialised and Simon and Laureline could stand again.

Simon looked into his father’s eyes and said “tell me why my mental state has been all over the place, I can’t seem to think straight ever since I awakened”

Argent looked annoyed but still responded “it’s because when you awakened not only did you activate your soul but your dominant genes replaced your human half, so you’re a full Draken now. Our species has psychopathic tendencies which resulted in planet of powerful bloodthirsty warriors, but like I said before it hindered out technological growth drastically and limited us all to being warrior spiritualists. I have wasted enough time with these useless explanations in 4 years’ time we will return to our planet for an assessment, at that time you can research all about our history and genetic traits”

“We will never agree to that!” Laureline shouted “we will be heroes of justice not some aliens pawns!” As soon as she finished her sentence Laureline was slammed halfway through the wall behind her.

“You bastard!” Simon shouted as he ran towards his father body. His body began glowing red and he felt a surge of power go through him.

Argent smirked and said “you truly are worthy of carrying my name” in an instant Argents war hammer was summoned in front of him. All Simon saw was Argent reaching for his hammer and his world faded to black.