Rise of the Young: Warriors are not made; they are forged (The Ascended Book 2)

by Bygott, Hugo C.

  “Come,” said Zero. He climbed the ladder back into his office and pushed back the carpet which covered the trap door. Kry followed him up and closed the door beneath him.

  From the bookshelves to his desk, there were books everywhere. When Kry had first entered his office, he could not even see Zero at first with the high stack of books blocking his view. Books were piled up on the floor, too, and each book looked like it had been read multiple times with the way their edges were ragged and dirty. Zero had told him reading was power. The more you read, the more power you would have. Each book recorded history, emotions, and knowledge that sharpened the mind, and the sharper the mind, the greater the User.

  “Sit down,” ordered Zero, pointing to his red leather Chesterfield sofa.

  Kry pushed aside the pile of books stacked on the sofa so that he could sit down. Zero took a seat behind his desk and leaned back. A large diamond-shaped window was behind Zero, and Kry could see the winter snow falling as strong as it ever had on the top of the university barrier.

  “Distractions are a bad thing,” said Zero. “A clear mind is a sharp mind. If you are distracted, it will be used against you, and your enemies will use everything they can to expose your weaknesses. If you do not rid yourself of this, then I do not know I can help you any further.”

  Kry leaned forward on the sofa. “You’ll stop teaching me? But we have only just started!”

  “I thought I could teach you, but your display below has proved that you are still far from being someone who can be trained efficiently,” said Zero.

  The anger inside Kry was returning. “You’ll turn me away so quickly? I’m stronger than most here!”

  Zero began to laugh. “Do you think being an Ascended makes you entitled? Are you stronger than most here? You were beaten by the champion of the Cube! And she wasn’t even an Ascended.”

  Kry objected. “She caught me unaware. I almost had her, but she tricked me!”

  Zero’s shadow seemed to grow behind him, making the room darker than it was. “You were stupid, outplayed, outsmarted, and distracted!”

  Kry shrunk back from the shadow and saw the fury in Zero’s eyes.

  “And what of Abel?” asked Zero.

  Kry was surprised.

  “Yes, I know of the fights that you and Abel have had. He has beaten you every single time. Both mentally and physically, perhaps even emotionally,” said Zero.

  Kry gripped the sofa tightly, pressing hard against the leather.

  “If you break my sofa, it will end badly for you,” warned Zero.

  Kry released his grip and looked at the floor.

  “Don’t lower your eyes to me. Look at me. You are an Ascended, so act like it,” said Zero.

  Kry looked up directly into Zero’s eyes. Zero was now as dark as his shadow.

  “Distraction. You will remove it because it is holding you back. You lost to Abel because of distraction. You lost to Aiyax because of distraction. Your mind is filled with distractions, and I want you to remove them,” said Zero.

  Kry rose from the sofa and made his way to the door.

  “Sit back down,” demanded Zero.

  “You said you would no longer teach me, so why should I remain?” asked Kry.

  “I said if you cannot rid yourself of your distractions, then I would stop. Not before,” said Zero. “Now, sit down.”

  Kry removed his hand from the door handle and returned to the sofa. “How?”

  Zero’s shadow expanded across the room. It might have been a trick of the light, but it seemed to have a life of its own.

  “This might be difficult for you, but the things you care for and the people you love will only hold you back. They are distractions. If you wish to be strong and reach your potential, then you must remove all emotion from everything. No more love and no more friendships, because in the end they will become your weakness, and your enemies will use them against you. But, a man with nothing is a man in charge of his own fate; he is not ruled by the desire of others,” explained Zero.

  Kry was silent.

  “I learned from Professor Himura that your parents died. Is that right?” asked Zero.

  Kry recalled the memory of Dominus killing his parents. It was a painful memory.

  “That is a distraction,” said Zero.

  We love you, Kry.

  Tears began to well in his eyes.

  Zero was unperturbed. “Your tears are a distraction.”

  Kry held his tears back as well as the pain.

  “I have seen your anger toward your friends; there is anger toward the friends you came here with and also to your new friends who you have made here. The connections you have created are all distractions,” said Zero.

  We will get stronger together.

  Kry continued looking into Zero’s eyes.

  “Lovers, the other sex, girlfriends, and wives are all distractions. At the party, it seemed you were distracted. Was it a female student?” asked Zero.

  Kry was embarrassed by the question. “I was not distracted!”

  “It is unwise to lie to me,” warned Zero. “I know a man’s eyes when there is a pain over a woman.”

  “I’m not lying. There is no woman here distracting me,” retorted Kry.

  “You are lying to yourself if you believe that,” said Zero. “Your eyes tell me your suffering and even your longing.”

  Kry turned away and no longer cared to look at him.

  “Is it that pretty student who spends her time in the library? Athena is a top student, very beautiful, and smart,” said Zero.

  Kry saw the image of Athena and Abel sitting by the bar. It made him jealous, but he did not know why.

  “Or is it Eclipse? Your friend. She is resilient and beautiful in her own way. She looked exquisite last night at the party,” said Zero.

  His headache was getting worse as Kry tried to forget everything.

  “Perhaps not. Athena seems the more likely candidate,” said Zero.

  “You know nothing,” replied Kry.

  Zero’s shadow grew once more. “You are wrong. I know many things, and one thing I am good at is understanding people. Regardless of who it is, women are a distraction. Athena, Eclipse or anyone else, they are holding you back. Cut yourself off from these mindless things and focus on you—you!”

  Zero was not wrong. Kry was growing more attracted to Athena ever since he started studying with her in the library. It was slow and unexpected. He did not know if it was because she looked like Rhea or because he truly enjoyed spending time with her. It did not matter, though, because of Abel.

  “I can see in your body gesture that you are thinking about a woman now. It must go, all of it. Wipe your mind clean from these distractions, and you will see how far you can grow,” said Zero.

  Kry was confused. “You’re telling me to cut off a part of myself—my friends, my memories, my emotions.”

  “Yes, that is exactly right. You saw your friends having a meeting behind your back. Did they invite you? No, they did not. Regardless of their intentions, it has only caused you to become more distracted. And your memories? Well, they can shape you and guide you, but if memories are so painful that you cannot move forward anymore, then they are distractions which also need to go. And emotions are the worst of all because they can dictate your actions, and love is but one emotion,” said Zero.

  “And what of you? Did you do the same?” asked Kry.

  “I do not have friends. I do not have emotions that control me, and I do not have a woman in my life who holds me back. My mind is clear, and my power stems from a clear mind,” said Zero. “Let me tell you a secret.” Zero looked at him intently. “Can you keep a secret?”

  “It depends on what it is,” replied Kry.

  “Good. You are not stupid after all. A man who questions a secret is a wise man.” Zero swiveled his seat and looked out of the window toward the distant snowy mountains. “Long ago, I loved a woman. I thought she was everything. Everything I did was for
her and her alone.” Zero’s voice was soft and gentle, unlike his usual tone. “From the time I rose from my bed to the time I slept before the dark night, I thought of her. She was always on my mind. She was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen.” He continued to look out toward the mountains watching the snow fall. “After a time, she returned my affections, and we married. I continued to think of her night and day.” Zero turned back to Kry.

  Kry could see there was a pain in his eyes and wondered if Zero had truly removed all emotion. Was such a thing even possible?

  “But it was not meant to be. She betrayed me for another man, and everything I had worked for became meaningless. When I was with her, I was distracted, when I was not with her, I was distracted, and when she betrayed me, I was the most distracted I had ever been. It was not until I moved away from the distraction and cleansed my mind of those memories was I able to achieve my full potential. I can tell you without a shred of doubt, I became stronger and more focused than ever before.” The pain in Zero’s eyes vanished. They were now cold and cruel. “Do not make the same mistake I did. Begin now, and spare yourself the pain and the unnecessary distractions that will most certainly hold you back. She held me back. And I was free when I was out of her grasp. The same can be said for friends. The only person I rely on is myself. It is you who decides what happens and how things will be. You are the greatest motivator, and when things need to be done, you are the only one who you can rely on—yourself and only yourself.”

  The memory of Dominus killing his parents tore him up, but he pushed it aside. Zero was right. He could only rely on himself—not Eclipse, not Rush, not anyone. “What was her name?” he asked Zero.

  Zero’s eyes softened for but a moment. “It no longer matters. A distant memory, and a distraction which I wish never to worry about again.”

  “How can I remove these distractions from my mind?” asked Kry.

  Zero squinted and then leaned forward. He placed his hands together. “Look deeply into your mind. Bring forth the images, the memories, the emotions, and everything that has been causing you pain or distraction. Once you have them, force them back with your energy, and lock them away deep inside the recesses of your mind. They will not trouble you there, and you will feel free. However, the energy you must use has to be dark matter.”

  Dark matter was dangerous. The red glow it produced could destroy even the strongest mental barriers. “I’m not sure if I can do this,” said Kry.

  “Yes, you can, Kry. I know you. I have seen your struggle and the pain in your eyes because of all that you hold in your mind. I do not wish to see you in pain anymore. I want you to be strong. I want you to be a champion!” said Zero.

  Champion. Could he be?

  “Do you want to beat Abel?” continued Zero.

  “Yes,” said Kry, looking at him with great motivation.

  “Do you want to beat Aiyax?” asked Zero.

  “Yes,” said Kry with increasing excitement.

  “Do you want to be the strongest User there ever was?”

  “Yes!” shouted Kry.

  “Good. Then find those distractions and wipe them out, boy.”

  He would beat Abel, and he would beat Aiyax. Zero was right. They were all distractions. His friends were holding him back, and so was his feelings for Athena. Everything had to go.

  “Focus,” said Zero, guiding him. “Bring forth one image at a time and lock it away. Each distraction that is removed will make you stronger.”

  Kry took a deep breath and looked inside his mind. The first image was of his friends. Whisper stood inside the tunnel in Baker Street Station with the pile of wallets and purses he had stolen. He had loved Whisper like his own brother, and he was so happy when Dr. Rhodes and Whisper had been reunited.

  “Form the dark matter in your mind,” instructed Zero.

  The energy glowed red in every corner of Kry’s mind.

  “Bring the matter toward the image, toward the memory, and it will be locked in a place where it can no longer distract you,” said Zero.

  Kry was hesitant. If he did this, then everything he felt would be gone, but if he did not, then he could never be strong. He had to defeat Abel, Aiyax, and the Shadow Government. It was the only way. He directed the dark matter toward the image of Whisper, and it crackled in his mind as they connected. The dark matter wrapped around the image like a spider creating a web, and then the image was gone. He could already feel the change within him.

  “The weight is less, isn’t it? No more burdens or distractions. Continue until your mind is crystal clear,” said Zero.

  Kry no longer felt anything for Whisper. He was just a stranger. Whisper was someone with whom he had shared time together, but that was all. He brought forth the image of Eclipse and their battle with Dominus. She had been a good friend ever since they had met and had stood by his side. However, she questioned him at every turn. It was a distraction and a weakness he could no longer have.

  The dark matter formed again, and he brought it toward his connection with Eclipse. It crackled as it did before, and everything he felt for Eclipse was gone; the trust, the worry, and the mutual bond of loss was now no more. He felt a huge weight lifted from his mind. The pain was lessening.

  “Again!” commanded Zero.

  Kry continued with his memories of Michael, Sarah, and Cole. His guilt for leaving them vanished when the dark matter connected with the images. They were holding him back as Zero had told him.

  “Again!” said Zero.

  The memories of his past life came in a multitude of images: Mean Bean’s death, his meeting with Rush, and the stress of finding out about being a User. They had all disappeared into a locked box inside his mind.

  Rush had not shown his face once since they had arrived, nor had he tried to make contact. The anger he had toward Rush vanished just as his respect and admiration for him left, too. The empathy was gone, locked away by the dark matter. The red energy went from memory to memory, zapping around on the strings of light inside his mind; his emotions, his worries, and his weaknesses all faded away.

  “The last are always the hardest,” said Zero. “But you are almost there. Love will hold you back.”

  Kry saw his parents smiling at him, showering him with love, and then the image was smashed into pieces as Dominus struck them down in front of him. His eyes became wet as he thought of the love he had for them—love and anger. But his parents had lied to him, too. There was so much pain. He wished it all to go away.

  Remember, we love you more than anything.

  Kry’s heartbeats increased as the warmth of his tears rolled down his face, remembering the words of his mother. He brought forth the dark matter toward his memories of the past. Every distraction had to go. “I’m sorry,” he whispered under his breath. The dark matter touched the memory of his parents and their deaths. The emotions that Kry once had were gone. There was only a vacuum left behind. He felt no pain for his parents, nor any anger.

  “Almost there,” said Zero.

  Zero had spoken of betrayal by a woman he had loved. Kry might not have loved Athena, but somehow he felt betrayed by her. He guided the dark matter to connect with the emotion of memories that united them all—Abel, Athena, and himself. His jealousy and rage toward them were no more.

  Kry took a deep breath. “It’s done.”

  Zero looked into his eyes. “No, there is still pain there. You are missing something. It must go. The most painful memories will hold you back.”

  Kry closed his eyes and searched for the pain. There was a scream from a far corner of his mind. A new image began to form. The raging water of the River Thames crashed against Tower Bridge. Dominus held Rhea by her neck, and Kry could do nothing as he watched her drop to her death. The scream would not stop. He had never told her how he really felt.

  “No more distractions,” said Zero.

  Rhea’s face appeared before Kry, beautiful and angelic. The memories of Rhea came all at once: their time togethe
r at Bellum, how he first met her at the Globe Job Fair, and their subsequent meeting at Royal Albert Hall. All the memories and emotions were blended together—joy, sadness, and anger.

  “Do it,” commanded Zero.

  Kry channeled the dark matter and moved it slowly toward his memories of Rhea. There was a sound of a snapping string as the energy touched each of the memories. Each snap eased the pain in his heart until the snapping finally came to an end. Now, he could not even recall Rhea’s face, and there was no more pain. He took another deep breath.

  Zero looked into his eyes and waited for some time to say anything. “How do you feel?”

  “It’s incredible. My mind is as clear as ever,” said Kry.

  “What do you feel about your friends?”

  “Nothing.”

  “Your parents’ death?”

  “I don’t feel anything.”

  “And your feelings for someone?”

  “There’s nothing, only clarity of mind.”

  Zero looked deeper into his eyes. “There is something still. I see it.”

  An image of two boys playing in a field appeared in Kry’s mind. Kry pushed the image away. “It’s nothing.”

  Zero clasped his hands. “Tell me.”

  Kry was angry as he thought about the boys. He looked at Zero with purpose. “I found a book in the library written by Jaeger Mattius.”

  Zero narrowed his eyes. “Jaeger has written many books.”

  “This was stacked on the professors’ shelf,” said Kry.

  “That should not be available for students,” said Zero, suspiciously. “How did you know about that?”

  “I was lucky,” replied Kry.

  Zero smiled. Kry knew that Zero could tell he was lying.

  “So, tell me what you found,” asked Zero.

  Kry tried to suppress his anger. “Jaeger was connected to two young boys many years ago who were killed by the Shadow Government.”

  “Go on,” said Zero, quietly.

  “I feel anger toward the Shadow Government for what they did. Those boys were innocent!”