Harbinger (The Bleeding Worlds)

by Justus R. Stone

  Pridament held up his hand, “I needed to explain things to her Gwynn. I needed her to understand what you were going through.”

  “What did you do?” Gwynn’s fists balled tight.

  “Nothing. I just showed her a few things. She’s fine, just a bit…overwhelmed. She asked if I could wait for you. Let you know that she’s not angry anymore. She just needed to get some rest.”

  Gwynn flopped into the other chair and rested his head in his hands. He breathed slow and long through his nose, counted, and let the air out through his mouth. He stretched the exhale until he had counted ten. “I guess I can understand. This…thing, it’s too much for me too.”

  “It doesn’t have to be Gwynn.” Pridament reached out with his hand. He stopped just short of touching Gwynn and let it rest on the table. “I can help you. If you’ll let me.”

  “I still don’t know about that vortex. I don’t think I can fix something like that.” I can’t fix that. “You say I have the power, but I don’t feel it.”

  “Don’t worry about that for now. What’s most important is making you comfortable with your abilities. When things don’t feel so foreign, then maybe you can decide what you want to do about the other things.”

  Gwynn shook his head. “There isn’t time. I was in the park. I was…” he drew a breath, tried to think about whether he should mention Fuyuko or not, “attacked, by two creatures. I think you would’ve called them Curses.”

  Pridament’s mouth went slack, but his eyes remained intense. When he spoke, he measured each word. “Was there a tear?”

  Gwynn shook his head. “No. Not that I could see or feel.” He added quieter, “I don’t know much. I might’ve missed it.”

  “Let’s assume you’re right, and there was no tear. What are your thoughts?”

  A chill ran down Gwynn’s spine. In the midst of staying alive, it hadn’t been something worth thinking about. Here, in the kitchen, safe, he recalled their eyes, the way they sniffed the air, and their determination to get him. Fuyuko had just been in their way. “They were hunting. Probably me.”

  Pridament nodded. “Yes, I think that’s right.” The man’s eyebrow lifted in puzzlement. “You were able to defeat them?”

  “I did.” It wasn’t a lie. Fuyuko had fought them, but in the end, he had finished them both. Right? The details became wispy and difficult to hold.

  “How?”

  “You’ll think I’m going insane.” Gwynn had already convinced himself.

  “Adrastia?”

  Gwynn shook and a cold sweat broke out on his brow.

  Pridament nodded. “I heard you mention her name at the Cameron house. Right after you started channeling so much power you convulsed. I interrupted it.”

  “Do all Scripts see her?”

  Pridament shook his head. “No. She’s all yours.”

  Gwynn ran his hands through his hair, grabbing a handful, as though pulling out his hair might pull out the madness. “So I am going insane.”

  “No, I don’t think so. I’ve known of Scripts who had similar experiences; they would have a vision of a person or thing that offered them power. Most Scripts awaken at six or eight years of age. It’s young to gain almost godlike powers. By creating a gatekeeper who controls the power and doles it out at a manageable rate is possibly a way that they cope.”

  “So this is normal?”

  “Well,” Pridament dragged out the ’l’ a little too long, “I wouldn’t say it’s normal. But it isn’t something that’s never happened before either. So, in other words, it’s a little odd, but you’re not insane.”

  “That’s not as comforting as I had hoped.”

  “The point is you saw her. She offered you power and you took it. And with that power, you defeated two Curses.”

  “No.” Gwynn shook his head. “She said I wasn’t ready for the power. She just… sang.”

  “What did that do?”

  “I don’t know. It was like I could see clearly. The doubts, the fear, it just went away. I tore the Veil and it gave me a sword. Then I killed the Curses.” Gwynn trembled. The word ‘kill’ hit him like a fist. “I killed. I used a sword and I… I killed.”

  “Things that would have killed you Gwynn. Those creatures aren’t of our world. You said it yourself; they attacked you. What you did was in your own defense.”

  “Still. I’ve never…” Something in him broke. The darkness, where his sorrow and the sword, lived, whispered to him. That’s a lie….

  Pridament put his hand on Gwynn’s arm. It comforted him, grounded him. Like his father’s had.

  “Let it go Gwynn. You’re alive.” Pridament smiled. “And the reason is because you defended yourself.”

  Gwynn’s throat constricted with the choking back of tears. “I need you to show me how to control this.”

  Pridament squeezed his arm. “Good. Yes. We can start tomorrow.”

  “I should probably check with Jaimie.” Gwynn sniffled.

  “I told her you would need training. She said that I could do it if you were willing. You still off school tomorrow?”

  “Yes.”

  “Then I’ll see you in the morning.”

  Pridament rose from the table and moved toward the front door.

  “Do you really think those things were hunting me?” Gwynn asked.

  Pridament looked outside. “We start your training tomorrow. Get some rest.”

  “That doesn’t answer my question.”

  Pridament went rigid, his eyes sad. “My priority is to teach you to defend yourself. Does that give you an answer?”

  §

  Gwynn awoke to the ringing of his cell phone.

  “Hello.” His voice hoarse and cracked.

  “Didn’t I tell you we would start work this morning?” Pridament’s voice said. “Get up.”

  Gwynn turned to the clock. It said ten. “Shit.”

  He tumbled out of bed and moved with the grace of a drunken stupor to the closet. He struggled into some pants and yanked a sweater over his head.

  He opened his bedroom door. Down the hall, Jaimie’s door was wide open. He found her room empty and the bed made.

  Right, ten. She would’ve left for work a long time ago.

  Gwynn trudged down the steps, his chest heavy. The sight of a piece of paper lying on the table made him feel a little lighter. He picked it up. For a brief moment, the terror crossed his mind that this wouldn’t be a good thing. He forced himself to read.

  Gwynn, I thought after everything you went through yesterday, I should let you sleep. Your friend explained a lot. I’m sorry I was so angry; it wasn’t all your fault. I’ll be home around dinnertime. We can talk more then. Love you, Jaimie.

  After he’d read it, the tension in his chest eased.

  The doorbell sounded.

  “Well, you look like crap.” Pridament beamed. “Ready?”

  “Sure.” Gwynn grumbled. He opened the closet for his usual coat, but found it missing.

  “That thing was torn to shreds, remember?” Pridament said. He held a bag out to Gwynn. Inside, a new black coat waited.

  Gwynn didn’t know what surprised him more, that it fit, or that he liked it.

  “Thanks.” He said. “I can pay you back.”

  “Don’t worry about it. Consider it my way of starting to apologize for wrecking your life.”

  “It’s not your fault. You didn’t make me a freak.”

  A pained grimace flashed across Pridament’s face. “No, no I guess I didn’t. Thanks for not shooting the messenger.”

  Gwynn shrugged. “No worries. Let’s go.”

  Walking to the car, Gwynn looked skyward. Overhead, the vortex growled. “How long will that thing last until, um, everything goes?”

  “There’ll be signs before the end.”

  “Like what.”

  Pridament stopped and turned to the sky, seeming to inspect the anomaly he couldn’t see. “Horrors of biblical proportions.”

  “Do you mea
n that, or are you making a sick joke?”

  Pridament sighed. “Honestly? Most of the people in town will turn to Taints, any bodies of water will boil and there will be earthquakes that will turn this town into a crater. After that, similar events will repeat worldwide until the planet tears itself apart.” Pridament raised an eyebrow. “Glad you asked?”

  “At least I got a straight answer.” Deep down, though, Gwynn began to understand why adults sometimes sheltered kids from the truth.

  They were in the car traveling south on Kennedy, heading toward the industrial district.

  “I know you’re helping me by doing this, but could you try and drop me off by three at my house?” Gwynn asked.

  “Do you have a date?”

  Twinges of guilt pricked at him. Sophia in the hospital. She wasn’t his girlfriend, but what if the events at the Cameron house hadn’t happened? She might be. Somewhere inside her fractured mind, she might want that. No, he wasn’t going on a date with Fuyuko. He just hoped to find out more. Maybe he wouldn’t have to stop the vortex with just Pridament’s help.

  “No. Just meeting a friend about the work I’ve missed.”

  “I’ll do my best. We’re not doing anything too fancy today; I need you to learn the difference between drawing from your own power reserves and tearing the Veil. I also want to make sure you can seal any tears you create.”

  Pridament pulled into the driveway of a derelict warehouse. He travelled down a lane way that ran the entire side of the building and pulled around the back. He hopped out of the car to open a large door and then drove into the warehouse.

  The space was empty, except for a table with a chair and a laptop.

  Gwynn pulled his coat tighter around him. “Going to be hard to concentrate with this cold.”

  “I’ll take care of it.”

  Pridament went to the table and reached underneath. A moment later, the hum of a small generator filled the space. Pridament stretched out some extension cords with heaters attached.

  “It’s not ideal, but it should help. See the circle on the ground, go stand in the middle of it.”

  Gwynn moved to where Pridament had indicated the circle drawn on the ground. Getting closer, it turned out a cable formed the circle. In four places, the cable met with small black boxes. Separate wires ran from the boxes to a generator and the computer.

  “What’s this?” Gwynn asked.

  “A Prometheus circle. It’s used for training new Anunnakis. If your power starts getting away from your control, I can activate the circle and it will negate any Anunnaki’s powers within its perimeter.”

  “How’s it work?”

  “Honestly, the science is a little beyond me. Something about wave canceling or something. The only thing you need to know is that you don’t have to worry about things getting out of control.”

  Gwynn stood in the center of the circle. Despite Pridament’s assurances, his throat tightened with anxiety. He kept scanning the warehouse, waiting for Adrastia to make an appearance. He wasn’t sure whether he considered it lucky or not that she had yet to appear.

  Pridament sat at the table and punched a few keys on the laptop. An electric hum buzzed around the warehouse. He stood up and approached the edge of the circle.

  “So, there’s a few things you should know. First off, the Veil is everywhere. Right now, you and I are standing in an abandoned warehouse. Also in this same spot, dozens of men are working. As well, it’s an open field where animals are grazing. All those things and countless more are happening right here, right now. The thing that keeps us all from crashing into one another is the Veil.”

  “You said the Veil is also where our…souls live?”

  Pridament nodded. “Right. Think of it as a battery. The soul of a living thing is energy. If energy cannot be created or destroyed, it must come from somewhere and then return there when we die, correct?”

  Gwynn shrugged.

  “Well, the Veil is that place. Its energies give life. It is the power source of every cell in your body. Put out your left hand.”

  Gwynn hesitated, but then put out his hand as Pridament asked. In a shift movement, Pridament pulled a knife from behind his back and slashed it across Gwynn’s palm.

  “Fuck! What the hell did you do that for?”

  “First lesson.” Pridament replied. “Use the Veil to heal yourself.”

  The cut stung like hell. “How do I do that?”

  “On Halloween, a Taint attacked you and broke several of your ribs which in turn punctured you lungs. Yet you walked out of the hospital without even a scar several days later. Yesterday, Elaios beat you nearly to death, but now you’re standing her without a bruise. How do you suppose that happened?”

  “You said,” Gwynn replied, “that it was because of my connection to the Veil.”

  “Right. So tear the Veil now and will its energies to close the wound on your hand.”

  He’d only torn the Veil in moments of desperation. How did he just leisurely tear into it?

  Sensing his hesitation, Pridament said, “Just imagine the Veil as a waterfall right in front of you. Then, plunge your arm in, breaking the flow. The symbols on your arm are your pass. The Veil will respond to it and your intent. Remember, the energies of the Veil are the same energies that live within you. Your desire, your will, is born of that energy as well. Now, heal your hand.”

  Gwynn took a deep breath.

  Tear the Veil.

  He plunged his right arm ahead of him. Was it the image Pridament had placed in his mind, or had it always felt this way? Maybe he had lacked the words to explain. It was like plunging his hand through water. At first, some resistance, then as his hand passed through, a chill ran along his arm. But once his hand pushed through, warmth brushed his fingertips. The energy of the Veil rippled up his arm.

  Use my will…?

  He imagined the energy moving from his right arm, passing through his torso and then down his left arm. The energy pooled there, prompting his flesh to knit back together. The sensation of pins and needles danced across his hand.

  “That’s enough.” Pridament said. “Use your mind. Tell it to sever the connection.”

  Gwynn focused his thoughts. Withdraw. Close.

  The tingling in his left hand ceased and the warmth against his right ceased.

  Pridament grabbed Gwynn’s left hand and raked his thumb over the wound.

  “Wait… What?” He inspected his palm. Pridament had wiped the blood away, revealing clean flesh. All evidence of the laceration had vanished.

  “Good.” Pridament said. “Now, what about that sword you used last night? Can you show it to me?”

  Gwynn tried to remember what he had done. He tore the Veil again, this time willing the sword to appear. A bead of sweat broke from his forehead and traced down his cheek and jaw. No matter what he imagined, begged, or swore, the sword wouldn’t reappear.

  “Stop.” Pridament said.

  Gwynn willed the tear to close. “I don’t know what’s wrong. I swear. I did it last night.”

  “Most likely you were acting on instinct, desperation. It’s not uncommon. You’re just having a bit of performance anxiety today.”

  “So what’s the Viagra for an Anunnaki?”

  Pridament shook his head with a smirk. “Practice my boy, just practice. You should also know the weapon an Anunnaki draws from the Veil is personal. Most believe it represents the Anunnaki’s inner nature. Even though it appeared to be a sword, don’t be surprised if it has other abilities the more you use it.”

  “Do our weapons…have a mind of their own?”

  “Sometimes it can seem that way.” Pridament smiled. “It might appear to impart knowledge and skills unique to itself, but in reality it’s just revealing a hidden part of ourselves.”

  “Mine made me…scary.”

  “Then there is a part of you that is scary. You’ll need to learn to control it. It’ll require practice to control. That said, too much practice is dange
rous. We walk a fine line using our powers. Too little, and you’re just a normal person. Too much, and you risk losing yourself. Over time, you must learn balance. You need to learn the point where you feel stronger and the point where you feel like you’re being overwhelmed.”

  “Okay. Don’t overdo it. Too much of a good thing is a bad thing. So what next?”

  “We’ll do more practice. Try to speed up your process of drawing energy from the Veil. Get you used to finding your breaking point. Then you can try and draw that sword again.”

  Gwynn spent the following hours practicing drawing energy from the Veil. After several sessions, he had to rest, allow the energies to subside. Pridament kept a close watch on him, watching for any abnormalities.

  “When you’ve strengthened your abilities, you can eventually allow parts of your body to change.” Pridament said. “The more you draw from the Veil, the more you become an image of your other self. Perhaps you’ll have a very powerful hand, or legs that can run faster. Anunnakis have honed these techniques for years. But you shouldn’t even try it right now. The problem lies with letting too much in without being able to control it. If you do that, you might never be able to go back. Do you understand?”

  “I guess.”

  “For now, just know that if any part of you starts to look different as you draw energy from the Veil, you need to stop. That’s getting to the point of danger.”

  The hours wore on. Pridament held up his hand. “I promised you’d be home by three, so we should call it a day.”

  Gwynn’s muscles ached. The constant pull and give of energies had left him ready to crawl back into his bed. He hoped whatever Fuyuko had planned would require him to sit.

  When they arrived at Gwynn’s house, Pridament opened his window before pulling away.

  “We’ll need to do some more work tomorrow. You go back to school, right?”

  “Yes.”

  “Then I’ll meet you here after school. That thing over our head isn’t going to wait forever.”

  Gwynn gave a halfhearted grunt of agreement and waved goodbye. When Pridament had pulled out of sight, Gwynn made his way to the school.