"You have the recording handy?" Junho asked. Kendrick, who was sitting at his desk, nodded and pulled open the top drawer, retrieving his black iPad. We waited for him to punch a few numbers, which would block any chance of being hacked with some program Ethan had created. Then he opened the media player and began to play the message.
We sat there quietly as we listened to the message that was clearly in Korean. Junho and I exchanged looks as we continued to concentrate on what they were saying, our minds already translating the conversation.
"Boss wants us to find some Crystals of Mother Destiny or some shit. Look, I can't stay long on this line. Xerxes went all apeshit when I stayed on the phone with my girlfriend for three minutes. Just start looking for those crystals. He thinks with their combined power, we should be able to locate where the Stone of Awakening is. Once we have both of those, he should be powerful enough to claim this realm as his. Maybe then I'll get a fucking pay raise. Anyways, I'm out." The lackey hung up the phone, and the recording ended.
"Crystals of Mother Destiny?" I asked in utter confusion. I'd never heard of any such name for a bunch of crystals, but I was still new to this whole world, so I thought I was doing pretty well so far.
I noticed Jaxson frown, while Michael and the others exchanged looks. "Um...is that something special?" I asked, clearly out of the loop.
"The Crystals of Mother Destiny are rare gemstones that were guarded by ancient shifters for many cycles before their deaths," Christian revealed.
Michael nodded. "Before the end of their guardianship, the Starlight gods granted those individuals the knowledge of their approaching deaths. They were given enough time to either bestow the crystal to their next of kin, or place it somewhere for safe keeping."
"Anywhere?" I questioned.
"Anywhere as in the sea, land, a vault. Anywhere they think the crystal would be safe until the next guardians are chosen," Jaxson explained.
"What if the guardians aren't chosen and someone like Xerxes gets his hands on those crystals? Kinda reminds me of that movie...hmmm." I tried to think of which Marvel movie Ethan had been re-watching a few nights ago.
"Infinity War, Scar," Ethan replied with an amused grin on his face.
"Ah, ya. That one. Such a classic," I hummed. "Not like that, right?"
Kendrick chuckled while the others smirked, shaking their heads. Kendrick turned off his iPad, then got up from his chair. He walked around his desk and stood in front of it, claiming our attention with his full 6’5” frame.
"The Crystals of Mother Destiny are five gems that hold immense power when around one another. Essentially, their powers are normally contained, especially if their guardians have good intentions or pure hearts, as some like to say. However, if they are used in a negative manner, it can be rather catastrophic. They aren't as powerful as the Stone of Awakening, but they can influence the elements and come pretty close if the individual holding the Stone of Awakening is weak or unable to use its power correctly."
I nodded slowly, even as I mentally freaked out. Oh great. Total noob trainee in the Stone of Awakening department versus Xerxes, who's trying to collect all the crystals to find the stone, which is obviously in me. What a surprise that will be? Hey, royal Xerxes, look who's back from the dead?
"Should we try and calm her down?" Serenity whispered.
"I think we've lost her at this point," Aurora replied quietly while I continued my mental panic.
"Scarlet?"
I blinked, lifting my eyes to realize everyone was staring at me. "What?"
Junho leaned in to whisper in my ear. "Um, do you think you could perhaps set the furniture down gently or do you want me to do it?” he asked. Huh?!
I slowly looked over my shoulder and saw chairs and a few of Kendrick's books in massive bubbles, everything floating in mid-air. I gawked at the sight, slowly turning my attention back to Junho, who gave me a sympathetic look.
"I...can you do it? Pretty please?" I asked sheepishly. He nodded, his eyes immediately glowing a beautiful turquoise blue. The bubbles lowered, gently setting everything back in place before they popped. Junho's eyes returned to stare into mine. A little smirk formed on his lips, the slight glimmer of purpose in those orbs hinting that Junho wasn't in control. I was going to ask, but then his eyes dimmed back to normal, Junho taking back over.
I think I should go for a walk. "I'm going to go use the washroom," I announced, rising to my feet. Kendrick eyed me as carefully as the others did, but I didn't wait for them to stop me, giving Ethan's hand a quick squeeze before pulling my hand out of his grasp. I moved towards the door, opening it up and closing it quietly behind me.
I didn't think I could get to the women's washroom fast enough, sighing in relief when I entered and closed the door quietly behind me.
I walked over to the sink, pulling my glasses off. I didn't even get the chance to turn the tap, because the water came out on its own. I groaned, rolling my eyes at the fact I’d accidentally triggered the water flow, but placed my hands under the stream of cold water.
I splashed my face a few times before I sought to control my breathing, taking deep inhales and letting them out slowly.
"Scarlet. It's okay," Serenity whispered, remorse and worry in her melodic voice.
"We're gonna be okay, Scarlet. We'll figure things out soon," Aurora whispered, also sounding concerned by my mini panic attack.
Is it silly for me to be so frightened over something I have no clue about? I just don't get why I'm so scared. Or worried? What if Xerxes collects those crystals and finds me? What if I'm not ready to face him again? What am I even saying? I know I'm not fucking ready to face him. I'm scared shitless.
Tears pooled in my eyes. I tried to hold them back, not wanting the guys to realize I'd been crying in the washroom, but they began to flow regardless, running down my flushed cheeks.
I crouched down in front of the sink, just focusing on my breathing and wiping away my tears with trembling hands. It's going to be okay, right? I'm a private investigator. I can face him again. I have no choice if we end up taking this case. But what if I really can't do it? What if I freeze, or am too weak to stop him?
"Scarlet."
I didn't move, scared to face Ethan, whose quiet voice called out my name. A sob escaped me before more tears came rolling down my cheeks. I felt his hand land gently on my back, rubbing it soothingly.
I slowly turned to face him, noticing multiple floating bubbles around us, that surprisingly held fire inside them. My eyes went wide with shock.
I hadn't even realized the stream of water had turned off, but now I had no clue how to fix the bubbles with fucking fire in them.
Ethan moved his hand from my back to brush it along my cheek. He moved my head slightly so my eyes were on his and not the big dilemma I was currently in with my uncontrollable new magic.
"It's okay. Just focus on me,” he whispered, his calm expression leaving me confused.
"How?" I asked, my lip trembling. "The bubbles...fire...everything."
He lifted his other hand, brushing my left cheek before he leaned in, his forehead pressing against mine. "Just look into my eyes. Don't worry about anything else. Just try to match my breathing with yours."
I swallowed, as I slowly tried to calm down. He purposely breathed loudly for me to mimic, and after a few attempts, my breathing began to match his slower pace. Tears were still rolling down my cheeks, but I didn't feel as scared, especially now that Ethan was here; it felt really comforting to have him present.
"Good, Scarlet. Keep at it,” he whispered, pulling me into his arms. Soon enough, I was in his lap, while his back was pressed against the tile wall of the washroom, just inches from the row of sinks.
I kept my eyes closed, focusing on the rhythm of his breathing as I slowly began to calm down. I'd never felt so out of control, or so vulnerable in many years. With my visions, they were something I knew only I could do. Although they had some type of control over when they decided to impact my senses,
I'd mentally accepted that role and could now fight it off if I tried really hard.
This whole Elemental business was a different matter altogether. I had powers that I had no control over, elements I could feel and use, but didn't know how. I worried we'd never get the time for me to figure it out before it was too late. That was what truly frightened me: the sheer worry of running out of time and being unable to fight, or protect the people I loved.
"Someone may come in," I whispered to Ethan, who was playing with a few strands of my hair. I hadn't even realized he'd removed my hair tie, my orange neon locks now loose and free for his fingertips to do what they pleased with them. He fingered my hair idly as he held me in his strong hold.
"I locked the door,” he reassured me.
"But...the others?"
"Are discussing stuff. Don't worry about them, Scarlet. Just focus on yourself for now," Ethan encouraged. I slowly nodded, pressing my head against his chest as I listened to his heart and his steady breathing.
I didn't know how long we sat there in silence, with flaming bubbles floating around us. Eventually, I decided to speak up, trying my best to find the proper words to express what I wanted without revealing everything.
"Ethan...how do you cope when you're scared?" I asked.
"Depends what I'm scared about. Are you afraid of something or someone?" Ethan questioned.
"A little of both," I confessed.
"Okay. Well, when I’m scared, I try to think of methods to handle the situation. If I can't, I ask for help, whether from a friend or Nyx,” he explained. I swallowed the lump in my throat, wondering if I should tell him or not.
"You don't need to tell me everything, Scarlet. Just word it in a way that will allow me to help you," Ethan suggested.
I slowly nodded, taking a moment to find the right words before I opened my mouth to speak. "Since the incident...I've felt really out of control. I've been trying to act like nothing is going on and that I'm not afraid, but I'm terrified. When Makoto and her guys came, I guess it hadn’t really hit me yet? We were on break and it was more of a relaxing time, even with the craziness that went down near the end with that mall incident. During that time, I felt confident...in my own skin. I knew I could achieve anything and destroy anyone who got in my way, even though I was at a disadvantage and you and Mako had saved me. But..." I trailed off, needing a moment to take a deep breath. Then I closed my eyes, letting the words fly out.
"But with Xerxes...just the knowledge we may have to face him scares me. I'm terrified, Ethan. I watched as that sinister smile formed on his lips and saw the satisfaction in his eyes as he was about to kill me. He didn't have any regrets or second thoughts. He had no problem with taking a life, just like that, and I know he'll do it again. If we have to find these crystals...I know we'll eventually have to face him. What if he does collect them all and we have to fight him before he’s able to claim the Stone of Awakening?"
Ethan was silent for a moment, absorbing my concerns before answering. "Scarlet, it's okay to be scared. While there are those who think fear is a weakness, to others, like myself, it's what motivates me to better myself. Your fear is only a hindrance when you let it cripple you. If you allow yourself to give in and don’t attempt to fight back, that's when it becomes detrimental to yourself as a person. You're strong, Scarlet. I'm not saying that simply to make you feel better. You endured and surprisingly survived something many people don't. Instead of worrying about how to save yourself, you were more concerned about stopping the bomb for the sake of saving other people. That is an example of how you got up and fought, regardless of the fear you must have felt in that heated situation."
I lifted my head up to look up at him, and he gave me a small smile. "I get this part of the world is very new to you, and your reaction is perfectly normal. There are things that will take you only a few minutes to learn, and others that will take years. I just want you to know, learning and adapting is not a race. It may feel like you don't have the time or that you're not powerful enough, but that's why we're a team." Ethan lifted his hand up to wipe away a tear that had escaped my left eye before he continued.
"It took me a long time before I realized that, thinking I had to carry the burden and responsibility of my entire team when I first enlisted. It didn't matter if someone was better at one skill and I sucked at it. I thought that I had to be able to get on that person's level for the sake of everyone, instead of relying on my comrades that had already mastered that skill. So, I desperately worked endless hours trying to learn, and only found this out the hard way. I'd like it if you never experienced the kind of torment that I put myself through."
I shifted slightly in his lap so I could wrap my arms around his neck and hug him. I just hated how sad that smile was that lingered on those pink lips. I could hear the regret in his voice and how everything that he'd just said wasn't simple words of advice, but an experience he'd gone through, dealt with, and moved on from, with lingering regrets that he hoped I could avoid.
He returned my hug, rubbing my back, and ever so lightly kissed my neck. "I know everything is about to move really quickly and there are going to be times where you're afraid. I just want you to remind yourself that we're a team and all of us will support you. Doesn't matter if you want to yell, cry, or just curl up in a ball. We're a team that supports our own and we'll never leave you behind,” he reassured, holding me tightly.
"Thank you, Ethan," I whispered. He nodded into my shoulder and we held each other for another solid minute before we pulled away. I slid off his lap and he stood before helping me up.
I looked at the mirror, realizing how horrible of a mess I looked now with my tear-stricken face and loose locks, which were already beginning to regain their curl. "I look horrible," I mumbled, more to myself than to Ethan, who had a small appreciative smile on his lips.
He moved to stand behind me and began to fix my hair, running his hands through it a few times to help tame the curls. Then he put it back in a neat ponytail. "I'm not as good as Michael in the hair department, but I tried to pick up a few tips from him for the days he's barely awake and we have to get ready for another case," Ethan explained.
I smirked, feeling a lot better, especially now that my hair was back to looking close to perfect. I realized the bubbles with flames in them were gone and I glanced around the empty washroom, wondering when they disappeared.
Ethan grinned. "The elements around us react to our emotions the strongest. I figured you were nervous when the furniture was in bubbles."
"But...how do you come to that conclusion? That also doesn't explain why the fire was in the bubbles," I pointed out, using my hands to fan my eyes, in hopes they would be less red by the time we finished the conversation and had to return to the guys.
"When Junho's nervous, he makes bubbles too," Ethan revealed.
I blinked in shock. "Junho? Nervous? When?" I tried to remember a time when Junho was ever nervous. "He's the confident, cool, sexy model hottie that you'd wish would marry you, type dude," I mumbled, before blushing at my description of him.
Ethan chuckled. "I'm rather curious to know how you’d describe me now, but to answer your question, Junho gets nervous too. He has a bit of anxiety here and there, but out of all of us, is the best at not showing it. Christian is next up at having bits of anxiety, and Jaxson and Michael are pretty even in that," he concluded, reaching out his hands to wrap gently around my wrists, stopping me from my desperate attempts to fan myself.
I gave him a little pout, unsure why he stopped me. "Close your eyes for a moment." I did as he asked, unsure what he could do with my eyes closed, but I trusted him enough to go along with whatever he was planning.
I heard him take a deep breath and then a small stream of cool wind blew across my face. It wasn't strong enough to be frightening. In fact, it was rather soothing and I relaxed, enjoying the pleasant sensation of the cold air against my puffy eyelids.
"Okay, open,” he whispered. I blinked a few times, th
en turned to the left to look in the mirror. My blue-green eyes grew wide and I gawked at my reflection. My once bloodshot eyes from my tears now looked normal, like I hadn't cried a single drop.
"How..." I whispered in astonishment. Ethan grinned, sliding his hand into mine and began to walk us to the door. I didn't mind leaving the safe haven of the washroom, but a little prickle of fear trickled through me, wondering what the others would think of our long absence.
Ethan stopped, his hand inches from the handle, before he looked over his shoulder at me. "Want to know a little secret?"
I slowly nodded, intrigued by his sudden question. He turned back around to fully face me. "It took me close to five years before I was finally able to overcome some of my main issues with everything I dealt with, from the military to, well my life in general. During those times, we could be in the middle of a meeting and I wouldn't be able to concentrate. I'd have flashbacks and the simple mention of certain words we used to use as codes would trigger something, whether a flashback or an emotion. I simply couldn't hide what it did to me for long after a reaction like that was triggered. I'd leave quietly, using the excuse I needed some air or had to use the restroom. The moment I got to an empty room or a stall in the washroom, I'd break down,” he revealed.
I was speechless, my mouth hanging open a bit, as my mind was already picturing my Ethan and Nyx in a cubicle, crying their eyes out.
Ethan gave me a sad smile, leaning in to press a soft kiss on my forehead. "It wasn't too bad and I got stronger with time. But the first time it happened, I was so afraid to go back to the room afterwards. I thought to myself, if they see me like this, they'll think I'm weak. They'll judge me or maybe make fun of me for not being able to deal with my emotions. I stood right here, frozen in front of the door, waiting to work up the nerve. I finally decided I wouldn't go back. I'd just go home,” he explained.
"You...went home?" I asked.
He chuckled. "I wanted to, but when I opened the door, there Junho stood, doing his confident, cool, sexy model hottie thing, leaning against the wall facing the washroom I'd taken refuge in," Ethan revealed, looking like he was picturing that very moment.
Visionary Awakened Page 4
