by MJ Schutte
Rage won the battle in his head.
Brighton screamed as dozens of pure white bolts of light shot from his body. It hit the walls and the roof of the house and instantly set everything alight.
Brighton got up and walked out of the burning house leaving Clarissa’s lifeless body behind. He headed straight back to Thomas’ place. The old man will provide answers even if Brighton had to beat it out of him.
Brighton was certain a Dark One was responsible for this. He will find them and kill them all starting with Thomas.
Lilian made sure she was a few paces behind Seth before she lifted her hand. She summoned her talent.
The energy link slammed into the back of Seth’s head.
Lilian felt the tingling in her hand. Energy started flowing into her through the link.
I did it, she thought.
Did you now? popped into her head.
The energy flow stopped. Although the link was still there, she didn’t feel any more energy flowing into her. Instead, she felt her own strength fading. She immediately understood that Seth had reversed the link.
He was now killing her.
She severed the link.
Seth turned around, smiling.
‘I was just….’ Lilian stammered.
‘Trying to kill me?’ Seth finished.
Before Lilian could think of an answer, Seth spoke again.
‘Good. You’re a fighter but also very clever.’
‘You’re not angry?’ she asked.
‘No.’
‘I’m confused. You try to kill me, then stop and show me a way to save myself. When I try to kill you, you are pleased?’
‘Yes.’
‘Are you going to kill me now?’ she asked in a small voice.
‘No.’
‘Do you ever give better answers than just “Yes” and “No”?’ she asked angrily.
‘I answered your questions. If you want better answers then ask better questions.’
Lilian thought for a moment and said, ‘While I was connected to you a random thought popped into my head. Why did that happen?’
‘Did you now?’ Seth said slowly.
‘That’s not a proper…..’
She slammed her mouth shut. Those exact words popped into her head.
‘The thought came from you,’ she said.
Seth smiled. ‘Indeed a very clever child. When you are linked to someone, it is not just energy that travels through the link. Thoughts travel too,’ he explained.
‘So you can read the other person’s mind?’ Lilian asked.
‘Not quite. You simply hear the thoughts the other person has at that moment. You cannot hear or see their memories.’
‘Why aren’t you angry that I tried to kill you?’ was Lilian’s next question.
‘Only one of your siblings ever tried to kill me. He was stupid and kept trying even after I reversed the link. None of the others ever had the guts to try. You realized you could not win and broke the link. A very good decision.’
‘Siblings? I have no siblings,’ Lilian said.
‘You have many,’ Seth corrected.
‘What happened to the one who tried to kill you?’ Lilian asked.
‘I killed him. My talent is much stronger than that of my children, grandchildren or their descendants. When two gifted people battle, the one with the stronger talent will always win,’ he explained.
‘Am I your daughter?’ Lilian asked through trembling lips.
‘Yes.’
‘How do you know?’ she asked.
‘I recognize my own talent in you,’ he answered.
He turned and started walking again.
‘Come.’
Lilian followed Seth immediately.
She realized that for now she couldn’t do anything about the situation, she would have to be patient.
Chapter 5
BRIGHTON BURST THROUGH the door.
Thomas was standing at the table squeezing lemons.
Brighton lunged forward, his fist flying straight for Thomas’ face.
The old man moved like lightning. Brighton’s fist found only air where Thomas’ face was a moment ago causing him to over balance. He crashed into the wall with such force it made the roof shake.
‘You seem upset, young man,’ Thomas said calmly from the other side of the room.
Brighton got up and lunged for Thomas again. Again, he found only air and crashed into the other wall. Thomas had moved around the table and now had his thick oak walking stick in his hands.
He held it square in front of him in a defensive position. Brighton approached more carefully this time. His fist flashed through the air again. This time it made solid contact with the walking stick.
Thomas had tried to use the stick to deflect the blow to the side but the thick oak snapped like a twig under the force of the blow. The deflection tactic did work partially.
Brighton’s fist continued but instead of hitting Thomas in the face, he made contact with the old man’s shoulder.
Bones snapped.
Somehow, Thomas kept his balance and was able to move away from the hail of fists coming his way.
His right arm was useless.
‘BRIGHTON!’ he shouted. ‘What’s gotten into you?’
‘Mother is dead. The Dark Ones killed her,’ Brighton said through clenched teeth.
‘Clarissa is dead?’ Thomas gasped.
Brighton lifted his fist again but Thomas made no defensive moves this time. He simply stood waiting for the final blows.
Just before Brighton let his fist fly, he thought he saw genuine sadness in the old man’s face.
Brighton hesitated.
He dropped his hands. The rage left him.
‘What happened?’ Thomas asked softly.
‘I don’t know but I’m certain a Dark One killed my mother. There was a black handprint around her throat.’
Pain washed over Thomas. He knew most of the bones in his right shoulder were crushed. The old man sank to the floor.
‘Thomas!’ Brighton exclaimed. ‘What’s wrong?’
‘You broke more than just my walking stick,’ Thomas managed through the pain.
‘Oh no,’ Brighton said, hands in his hair. ‘What have I done?’
‘It will heal,’ Thomas lied.
He knew he would never use his arm again.
Brighton kneeled next to Thomas.
‘What can I do?’ he asked.
‘Help me to my bed,’ Thomas whispered.
Brighton gently picked the old man up but the pain was too much and Thomas’ world went black.
Thomas woke up. Light was streaming in through the window. He tried to sit up but a dull pain in his right shoulder reminded him what had happened. He looked around the room.
He was alone.
Gently he reached over with his left hand and touched his right shoulder. He braced himself for the pain but it never came. Next, he tried to move his right arm and strangely, it functioned normally with only slight discomfort. He tried to use his talent to sense if there was anybody around.
Nothing.
It wasn’t that he couldn’t sense anyone; he simply couldn’t use his talent. It was gone.
He tried again.
Still nothing.
He sat up and inspected his shoulder. Last night he was certain that his shoulder was crushed.
‘Perhaps I was wrong,’ he muttered to himself.
‘Wrong about what?’ Brighton asked entering the room holding a tray.
‘Morning, Brighton,’ Thomas said cheerfully.
‘Morning, Thomas. Wrong about what?’ Brighton repeated.
‘My shoulder. I thought it was shattered but it seems it isn’t,’ Thomas replied.
‘It was,’ Brighton said. ‘Here, I brought you some lemon juice and biscuits.’
Brighton put the tray on the bed and sat down on a chair he brought from the kitchen earlier.
‘I found the biscuits….’
&nbs
p; ‘What do you mean, “It was”,’ Thomas interrupted.
‘Your shoulder was broken but it healed,’ Brighton replied.
‘Overnight?’ Thomas asked.
‘Sure looks that way,’ Brighton said.
‘That’s impossible. Nothing can heal that fast,’ Thomas exclaimed.
‘I’m just telling you what I saw,’ Brighton defended. ‘You’re a Dark One. Maybe you got some energy from someone and that helped heal your shoulder,’ Brighton offered.
‘From whom? You were the only one here and we both know I cannot steal energy from you,’ Thomas countered.
‘Did you do something?’ Thomas asked looking into Brighton’s eyes.
‘No,’ Brighton answered looking down.
‘You’re a very bad liar,’ Thomas observed, ‘You did something but you don’t want to tell me what,’ he accused.
Brighton did not answer.
Alarm rose in Thomas’ mind.
‘You know that my instincts will take over and try to steal energy from anywhere when my life is in danger. Did you bring people here and force them to touch me so that I could steal their energy?’ Thomas asked.
‘No,’ Brighton replied looking straight at Thomas.
‘That looks like the truth,’ Thomas said.
Brighton remained silent. Thomas could see that Brighton wasn’t going to share any more information. He decided to leave it for now; maybe later Brighton will be more forthcoming.
‘Where did you learn to hit that hard?’ he joked.
‘I’m so sorry,’ Brighton apologized. ‘I was angry and…..’
‘Relax, young man, I was joking with you,’ Thomas soothed.
‘Come to think of it, it’s not a bad question. I’ve never seen anybody with that much strength,’ Thomas said.
Brighton smiled slightly and said, ‘Maybe Lily was right. She said I’m as big and strong as an oak tree.’
‘Stronger,’ Thomas laughed. ‘You snapped my oak walking stick and crushed my shoulder with one blow.’
‘I’m sorry about that and about the walking stick. I’ll make you another,’ Brighton apologized again.
‘Stop apologizing. It’s over and the damage has been repaired,’ Thomas said flexing his shoulder.
‘As for the walking stick, I have three more just like it.’
Brighton got up.
‘Will you be all right?’ he asked Thomas.
‘Yes, of course,’ Thomas replied. ‘Where are you going?’
‘To see Lily,’ Brighton replied.
‘Yes, that’s a good idea. Go be with someone you love,’ Thomas said.
‘Where will you go then?’ he asked.
‘I don’t know,’ Brighton said sadly.
‘Do you want me to come with you to your house? I could help you bury Clarissa,’ Thomas offered carefully.
‘No,’ Brighton said sadly. ‘The house burned down.’
Before Thomas could ask Brighton said, ‘I set it alight.’
Thomas decided it was best to leave the subject for later.
Instead, he said, ‘You’re welcome to stay here for as long as you like. I’ll even share my lemon juice with you.’
That brought a wry smile to Brighton’s lips.
‘Thank you, I might just do that,’ he replied gratefully. ‘But you can have all the lemon juice.’
Thomas smiled at the joke as Brighton got up and walked out.
Martha opened the door almost immediately after Brighton knocked.
‘What?’ she snapped at Brighton.
‘Is Lilian here please?’ he asked politely.
‘No,’ Martha barked and slammed the door shut.
Brighton knocked again.
‘What do you want?’ Martha screamed as she flung the door open again.
‘Could you tell me where she is please?’ Brighton asked still trying to be polite.
‘Gone!’ Martha yelled.
Before she could slam the door again, Brighton stepped inside pushing Martha back into the house.
‘Where?’ he growled.
He was getting tired of her rudeness.
‘I don’t know. A man came last night and took her,’ Martha said.
‘Took her where?’ Brighton asked.
‘I don’t know.’
Panic started to fill his mind.
‘What did this man look like?’
‘Almost as tall as you, thin, white long hair, eyes deep in his head,’ Martha said fearfully.
‘What did he wear?’ Brighton asked, the panic rising even more.
‘A black robe with a hole on the chest,’ Martha replied.
‘Oh no!’ Brighton exclaimed.
He turned to leave but thought of something else.
‘Which way did they go?’ he asked Martha.
‘There is only one way out of Four Mountains,’ she said. ‘That’s the way they went.’
Brighton’s mind was overcome with grief. His mother murdered, his only friend gone. The only two people he loved gone in one day. He slowly turned again and walked out.
He was almost at Thomas’ house when four figures approached him.
‘Look, it’s one of the lovebirds,’ Garth mocked.
Brighton ignored him. Garth mistook the grief on Brighton’s face for fear. This gave him courage and he stepped right in front of Brighton blocking his path.
William and Brent flanked Garth on his right with John on the left.
‘Time to teach you a lesson,’ Garth said.
He slapped Brighton with an open hand across the face.
‘Come on coward, aren’t you going to do something?’ Garth mocked.
‘Leave me alone,’ Brighton said softly.
His mind was filled with grief and this was the last thing he needed.
Garth tried to get a reaction from Brighton, ‘I like it when little girls beg. I’m going to find that girlfriend of yours and make her beg right before I….’
He got more reaction than he bargained for.
Blind rage exploded through Brighton’s mind. His left fist flashed.
Garth’s nose was crushed in an instant. Before the others could move, Brighton’s right fist found Brent’s jaw. It snapped with a sickening sound.
Brighton turned to his right to face John but immediately knew that was a mistake. William was still behind him.
John put up his hands and stepped back.
‘Please don’t hurt me,’ he whimpered.
He turned and fled.
Brighton spun around uncertain why William had not attacked him from behind yet. William was lying on the ground clutching the back of his head. Old Thomas stood right behind him leaning on a walking stick.
‘Nothing a stiff knock to the head can’t fix,’ he winked at Brighton.
‘Thank you,’ Brighton muttered.
‘Come, let’s get going,’ Thomas urged. ‘John is probably already telling his father what happened. Violence is not well received in this town. You might just have an angry mob chasing after you soon,’ he said.
Without a word, Brighton followed Thomas to his house.
Inside Thomas asked, ‘What happened out there?’
Brighton seemed not to hear.
‘Wasn’t Lilian home?’ Thomas tried again.
Again, Brighton didn’t respond.
Thomas gently touched Brighton’s arm.
‘Where is Lilian?’ he asked.
‘Gone,’ Brighton said past the lump in his throat.
‘Gone where?’ Thomas pressed.
‘I don’t know. Martha said a man came and took her away.’
Trying to keep his voice calm, Thomas asked, ‘What did the man look like?’
‘Tall, thin, deep eyes, white hair. He was wearing a black robe with a hole on the chest according to Martha,’ Brighton replied. ‘I saw him yesterday.’
‘That’s a very general description but it could just be……’ Thomas trailed off, deep in thought.
‘Could just be wha
t?’ Brighton asked.
‘Not what, who,’ Thomas said. ‘That description fits Seth, the oldest of the Supremes. I haven’t seen him in a very long time but he is not someone you forget easily. Where did you see him?’
‘In the field, where I take the goats everyday.’
Brighton told Thomas about the whole episode leaving nothing out. When he finished Thomas looked gravely concerned.
‘A white light shot from you and knocked him backwards?’ Thomas asked.
‘Lilian seems to think it came from me. I’m not sure where it came from,’ Brighton replied.
‘This is very disturbing,’ Thomas said.
Brighton walked to the door.
‘I have to go,’ he said.
‘Go where?’ Thomas asked.
‘I’m going to find this Seth person, knock his head off his shoulders, and bring Lilian back,’ Brighton declared.
‘And how do you propose to do that?’ Thomas asked.
‘I don’t know yet but I’ll work it out as I go along,’ Brighton said defiantly. ‘Don’t try to talk me out of it, it won’t work.’
‘I wasn’t going to,’ Thomas said. ‘I just think you need to have a better plan than simply knocking his head off his shoulders.’
‘Any suggestions?’ Brighton asked.
‘For starters, you should stay here until tonight. No use getting into another fight with some of the town folk. I can guarantee you they will be looking for you before long.’
‘Makes sense,’ Brighton conceded. ‘Anything else?’
‘Plan your moves. If you simply rush headlong into a fight like before you don’t stand a chance.’
‘You already think I’m going to get killed, don’t you?’ Brighton accused.
‘Not at all,’ Thomas replied. ‘In fact, I think you’re the only one with a chance of actually doing a Supreme some damage.’
‘Why? I’m nobody special,’ Brighton said.
‘Ah, but you are,’ Thomas said. ‘I can’t feel your energy, remember. Hopefully other Dark Ones can’t either.’
‘Hopefully?’ Brighton exclaimed. ‘That’s not very comforting. And besides, what does this help me?’
‘If I’m correct you could get close to a Dark One without them knowing. Even if they see you their biggest weapon is useless against you.’
