Maurius paused, staring at Kellan and it took every scrap of the young Sentinel’s will to control his external reaction.
He’s completely off his rocker. We’re talking a classic cartoon villain. All he needs is a handlebar mustache and a suit. No, wait, he already has the suit.
“I’m pretty sure that the real God wouldn’t like that too much, Maurius, and the last time he dealt with an insurrection, it seemed to end pretty definitively. I’m equally sure that your friend, Asmodeus, wouldn’t take too kindly to our ascension.”
Maurius barked out a laugh. “Asmodeus and I are far from friends. I am a curiosity to him and a means of advancing his goals. A talking, hairless ape for his amusement.” He paused. “Just as you are to Raphael.”
“I certainly don’t know Raphael well, but he and Micah seemed close.”
Maurius waved a hand dismissively, “Illusion only. Trust me, Kellan, the entire war in Heaven started because of humans and no Angel will ever forget that let alone, forgive it. No, we alone stand apart from both humanity and the Angels. We two, Kellan, have the unique ability to wrest from God and His Angels, both fallen and in heaven, control of creation and our destinies.”
Kellan shook his head and saw Maurius become tense with anxiety. “I just don’t see how this is possible or even why we would want it to be so. I feel quite unprepared for the Sentinel’s mantel I’m just now wearing. I have no interest in adding God-like responsibilities to my plate.”
Maurius visibly relaxed and his cheshire grin returned, “Ahh, my young Sentinel, that is where I can help. I have spent nearly a millennia thinking this through so it is more than understandable why you would have doubts. If you will indulge me in just a few more moments, I think I can allay your concerns on both counts.”
Kellan brightened. “You have a plan, then?”
“Of course. May I?”
“Yes, please.”
No fucking way! He’s totally going to monologue This dude really needs a ‘Villains for Dummies” book. Don’t smile. You almost smiled. Look interested and earnest, while slightly stupid and vacant. Perfect!
Maurius again took to his feet and walked silently to the edge of the precipice, looking for long moments into the distance. “Let me start with the easier of your two concerns. You won’t have to worry too much about any specific responsibilities.” Kellan purposely furrowed his brow slightly and opened his mouth, but Maurius held up both hands, “Not at first that is. Overtime, of course, you would need to become as comfortable with our new roles as I would be at the start. After all, the power can only work if combined so obviously its use should likewise be shared. I only bring this up so you can be at peace, not having to worry about too much, too soon.”
“Very considerate,” Kellan answered with an award winning amount of sincerity.
Maurius bowed slightly, “Think nothing of it. We are brothers of a sort are we not? Now, with that concern set aside for the moment, allow me to turn to the actual dilemma we face. The how’s and why’s of it all. Creation begins, endures, and ends all based on the combination of opposing forces. The asian philosophers really had a great deal right with their concept of Yin and Yang, or, for us, Order and Chaos.”
“As I mentioned, all things begin, endure for a time, and then end at which point something else begins. Throughout that continuum there is always an aspect of both Order and Chaos. While it is not always true, generally speaking, there is more Order at the beginning of a creative act and more Chaos at the end. During time in-between, the two forces battle for dominance while keeping some semblance of balance.”
“Like us,” interrupted Kellan.
“Hmmm, oh, yes. Like us. We were set on paths where I command the power of Chaos and Micah, now you, control the power of Order. Although, I hope by now you no longer believe we must be adversaries or battle against one another except, perhaps, in the metaphorical sense.” Maurius smiled. Kellan was quite sure that sharks looked less threatening.
“No, of course not. To be honest, I never liked the thought of having an eternal adversary. It all seemed very old-school biblical to me.”
“Just-so, Kellan. Just so! I’m impressed at how quickly you take to these complexities. Micah never could grasp them. Now where was I?”
“Yin and Yang.”
“Ah yes. Yin and Yang. Now, perhaps the easiest way to perceive all of creation is as if it rested on a massive wheel, like a mill wheel. How does that wheel turn? What force propels it?” Maurius paused and stared at Kellan pointedly.
“Oh. The force of Order.”
“And?” asked Maurius.
“And Chaos.”
“Exactly. Order may push on one side of the wheel, but a moment later Chaos pulls on the other side. As those two opposing forces work in unison, the wheel turns and, as the wheel turns, so continues creation.”
Doctor Evil just described the plot to “Wheel of Time”. Kellan bit down on the inside of his cheek to maintain his serious composure despite his continued inner conversation.
“Now, just as one hand cannot clap neither can one half of the power turn the wheel. This is why we cannot create, but only influence that which has already been created.”
“So you are just suggesting that we work together rather than against each other. That sounds good and all but—”
“No, no,” interrupted Maurius, “I am suggesting nothing of the sort. I am suggesting we fuse our powers together once and for all. We cease representing an aspect of creation and represent it as a whole. Let me explain. You have, no doubt, experienced the lake of power within you?”
“Lake?”
Maurius cocked his head. “Yes, you must have seen it or, at least felt it. A massive lava lake roiling with power from which you can draw. While the size of my lake, I’m sure, dwarfs yours as does my ability to draw from it, the principle should be the same. It might appear somewhat differently to you, perhaps green?”
Kellan made his face light up as if in sudden recognition. “Oh, yes, the green lake of energy. The color and size confused me. Mine is, indeed, green like liquid emerald, but quite different in size as you suspected. More like a small pond. Is the size significant?”
“Not at all,” Maurius lied, “Remember, we are the epitome of balance, you and I. My red source may be larger than your green one, but our strength will be comparable. Were it not so, then one of us could prove a grave danger to the other, and that cannot be.”
Oh, that can most certainly be.
“Of course not,” said Kellan, “Thank you again for clearing that up, but, forgive me, I still do not understand how, apart from cooperation, we can affect one another.”
Maurius walked back over to Kellan and rested his hand warmly on his should while looking down. “Nothing at all to forgive, my friend. The answer is simple in explanation, but somewhat difficult in practice. We simply must fuse our energy together and then each draw from the combined violet source.”
“Violet?”
“Yes, the color of creation as it turns out.” Maurius’ eyes suddenly blazed to life, glowing a brilliant red. Kellan started in surprise, almost snapping a shield in place out of instinct. With no small amount of effort he allowed the alarm to play across his face but otherwise made no other reaction.
Maurius laughed but raised both hands in a placating gesture. “Peace, Kellan, I don’t mean you any harm. I’m just trying to demonstrate. Now you. Draw on your power so I can illustrate.”
Kellan silently applauded his masterful demonstration of ineptitude. He furrowed his brow. Nothing. He channeled enough power to cause a slight glow about his eyes, then released it. Finally, he channeled sufficient power for them to glow brightly but then released and took up the power in rapid succession to create an almost sparking effect. This latter demonstration made him the most proud because it brought on the patronizing response from Maurius.
“Perhaps if you cleared your mind a bit first. Take a breath, then grab hold of the power and force i
t inward. Do not be gentle. You must master it, not be mastered by it.”
So he’s half Doctor Evil and half Sith Lord. Kellan nodded to himself, his mind locking away the distinctly different method of channeling Chaotic energy from that of Order. Finally, feeling like he had fully demonstrated his complete lack of mastery, Kellan allowed himself to channel a steady stream of power.
“Good, now take my hand,” said Maurius, but Kellan balked. “It’s alright I need to show you this. Nothing will happen to you, I promise.” Kellan had himself on full alert but did not want to end the charade just yet, so he cautiously reached out a hand and took hold of Maurius’.
Immediately he felt a jolt of energy, almost like an electrical shock and then pressure as Maurius pushed his power towards Kellan and into him. He could feel it entering him from his extremities and slowing making its way to his core—towards the emerald river of power.
“As our powers approach each other, you will feel resistance for they are not designed to merge. We will force them together and forge something new, but not yet. Right now, I am just trying to show you what it is and how it feels. Do you feel the pressure?”
“Yes, and it feels…wrong.”
“Ignore that feeling, Kellan, it is the nature of things to resist change and these powers have been separate since the dawn of creation. There. Do you feel that? They are now close enough to act on each other.” Kellan did feel it and, he had to admit, the feeling was intoxicating. Incredible power or at least the potential for it. He looked up noticing Maurius’ eyes had grown a much deeper color of red. “Yes,” he said, “Your eyes, too, are changing. I see the tint of purple in them now. If I were to but push hard and you not resist, they would touch and the merger might take place.”
At his words Kellan immediately released his hold on the power, feeling it wink out and with it the sense of potential as well as Maurius’ energy. The elder Sentinel rocked back as if slapped. He glared menacing at Kellan before regaining control of his features.
“I…I’m sorry,” stuttered Kellan, “I’ve never been able to channel the power for very long and I lost concentration. Do you need me to be actively holding the power to try that again? If so, I might need a bit of a break to recover.”
Maurius stared at Kellan intently, taking his measure as he had done several times before, then brightened. “Yes, you do. Without you actively holding the power there is no way for the two forces to meet. Certainly, you can rest. I can remember how tiring it was to gain control of our abilities.”
“Thank you. It shouldn’t take me too long, but I wonder…”
Maurius had retreated back to the stone throne and settled in it as he looked back again, wary. “Wondered about what?”
“Haven’t you tried this with Micah? Surely he was far more adept than I?”
Maurius shifted his weight and threw one leg over the massive stone arm of the throne in what Kellan identified as an overcompensating gesture of relaxed unconcern. “We dabbled once or twice, but Micah had little interest in such things. He was very much a, what is the term I’ve heard used from your time? A Boy Scout. Yes, that’s it. Micah was far too much the Boy Scout to have pursued this with much vigor. As you say, it certainly wouldn’t endear us to either Angel or God.”
“Speaking of that,” began Kellan, “you never really answered me on that score. How do you think the real God will react to us if we’re successful. He seems pretty emphatic about that whole ‘no God before me,’ thing. After all, it did make #1 of his top 10 list of things not to do.”
“He will learn to adapt, Kellan, or we will make him learn. You fail to appreciate the amount of power to which I’ve referred. Once I posses the power of creation, He will need to deal with me as an equal. With only the power we now posses, we can be killed just as any other mortal, but with the full power of creation, we become one with it and thus only affected by similar unified power. If God chooses to get nasty, we can fight, but I’ve been fighting much more and much harder than He has of late. With us both wielding the full might of creation, He will find himself quickly on the losing end of utter destruction. I wonder sometimes what it will feel like to kill a God.”
And that’s the end game folks…smoke ‘em if you got ‘em. Kellan inhaled deeply, trying to calm his nerves at the revelation of his inner mind but outwardly, Kellan simply said, “We…”
“We? We what?” asked Maurius.
“You said once you possessed the full power of creation, God would have to deal with you as an equal. I assume you meant we. As in, once we possess the full power of creation.”
Maurius shifted uneasily and showed his teeth. “Semantics. When I said “I,” I was referring to us collectively, of course. As Sentinels.”
“Of course,” replied Kellan, “but indulge me a moment. How exactly will we share this power?”
“Don’t worry yourself about it. There are complexities of balance and interchange that make it all very difficult to understand. Suffice it to say that once merged, we will both have access to the fused power and all its aspects.”
“If you say so, but I have to tell you, without understanding the process more than I do, there is a very real chance I won’t be able to channel the power very long at all. You see, my ability to channel it is directly related to how fully I understand the underlying cause and effect associated with what I’m trying to achieve.”
Maurius straightened up and leaned forward. “I don’t understand what you mean. Explain.”
“Sure, as an example, one of the more impressive things I can do is start a cook fire. Well, I can almost always start one. Regardless, the reason for me being so successful with this use of the power is because I fully understand what I am trying to accomplish, how it should be accomplished, and why. This understanding allows me to channel the power much more effectively than I am able to do otherwise.”
Maurius narrowed his eyes and shook his head slightly. “That doesn’t make sense. I don’t see why it would matter.”
Kellan just shrugged his shoulders and spread his hands looking every inch the bewildered acolyte.
“Very well, let me try to put it in the simplest terms possible,” began Maurius.
Kellen gave him a long blink as his inner thoughts raged about screaming. Because I am an idiot who has no idea of your evil plan.
Maurius continued. “As you felt before, there will be a sense of pressure as the two powers converge on each other. Eventually, that pressure will build to a breaking point where the two contrasting forces are juxtaposed with one another and only the slimmest barriers between them. It is at this point that you must will that the Chaotic power I possess be allowed past that barrier. In doing so, the barrier will drop and I will draw the power of Order into myself where they will fuse together into the violet power of Creation.”
“So, all I need to do is drop the barrier that prevents your power from reaching mine?”
“Yes.”
“Then you will be able to draw my power into yourself.”
“Yes. Now you have it.”
“I believe I do,” said Kellan with his most innocent smile, “but, then where does that leave me once you have siphoned all of my power?”
“Hmm, what? Well, then we would just repeat the process and I would infuse you with one half the power, of course.”
Kellan rose, stretching, “Ahh, I see. Yes that makes sense, but I have a bit of a wrinkle we could try.”
“A wrinkle?” asked Maurius, looking wary and also rising.
“Sure. No big deal really. How about we do just as you suggest, but instead of me lowering the barrier, you do that part, and I’ll draw your power into me?” Kellan grinned. “I like that approach a lot more.”
Maurius closed the distance between them, his demeanor shifting dramatically. Kellan immediately saw the predator Micah had warned him about so many times. Still, the young Sentinel showed no outward alarm, even as he began to draw just enough power to heighten his senses, reflexes,
and manifest the armor beneath his clothes, all unbeknownst to Maurius. “It won’t work that way,” said Maurius through slightly gritted teeth.
“Really? Why not?”
Maurius let out an exasperated breath. “I have neither the interest or time to explain everything to you. Suffice it to say that you do not have the control to manage such a delicate process. Now, are you rested enough to begin?”
“Yep, quite rested.”
“Good. Then grasp—”
“But,” interrupted Kellan, “I don’t think now is a good time to try this. I think I’d like to learn a bit more about exactly what you are trying to do and what it would mean to me. Perhaps we should meet back here another day. Maybe Halloween? We could decorate and carve pumpkins.”
Maurius stood dumbstruck for a moment and then the mask of geniality broke as he sneered at Kellan, eyes blazing red.
“You insufferable Idiot!”
Here we go. Kellan tensed as his inner warning bells all went off simultaneously.
“You have no idea with whom you are dealing. I am going to give you one more chance. Grasp my hand now and do as your told”
“Or?” asked Kellan.
“Or,” continued Maurius, “I will use an alternative method to extract your power from you and that method will leave you dead rather than my partner in wielding the energy of creation.”
Kellan casually wandered a few feet away while keeping watch on Maurius from the corner of his eye. “You know, color me cynical, but I just have a hard time believing you will ever share that creative power with me once you have it. I think it’s much more likely you will vaporize me and then try to kick God’s ass. But hey, that’s me. What do I know?”
“You know, nothing—”
Jon Snow. Kellan winced at his own internal comment, biting his cheek to regain his concentration.
Sentinels of Creation: A Power Renewed Page 23
