Part 15 (2/2)
”If I told you, I'd have to kill you,” Daniel smirked and left.
The ceremony was an hour and a half behind schedule. The crowds gathered again and the music and pomposity returned to its original zeal and vigor. This lightened the mood, especially for John, who was constantly thinking of his mother's condition. That was the problem with a coma. There was no certainty in it. All he could do was pray and have faith. Richard eyed him warmly as they sat in the room. John sat back with his head lifted, resting on the chair and gazing at the ceiling. He sighed, ”Why?”
Bacon didn't speak; he was totally transfixed by John's face, which was a picture of gravity and suffering. They were waiting for the doctor's permission to see Mrs. Howe. The rest of the visitors were asked to leave. Herbert promised he would take care of the ceremony and left to raise the spirits of the crowd. Angel and her parents wanted to stay, but the doctor was strict. So, they went along with Herbert to his office for some refreshments.
The doctor came into the hallway and said, ”It's alright. You can come in now.” John and Richard followed him quickly to the doorway. The two of them entered the room where Mrs. Howe lay. Her heart and brainwaves were being monitored. She didn't seem to be breathing, but there was an airway that went through her nostrils so that she got the proper amount of oxygen needed to sustain her body.
John cried. It was the first time Richard had ever seen him like this. John fell to his knees on the floor and sobbed. He covered his face and his hands m.u.f.fled his screams of anguish. Tears flowed down his cheeks and splattered to the floor. Richard didn't do anything for a minute, partly because this was unexpected. He had never seen John cry, not for his father, not for his wife, not for anyone. Richard felt that John needed to let it all out. It was a good and long-needed outpouring for a man who had suffered so many pains, worries and uncertainties.
Richard locked the door of the room. He sat in the chair next to John. He closed his eyes and relaxed. It was time for some contemplation.
Alex remained doubtful of what Nikolas had said. But he also knew that it all fit. ”Now, what do I do with this knowledge? How am I supposed to use it?” Alex asked.
Nikolas understood how he felt as did the others who watched the boy with humility. Joqetu spoke, ”Alex, this is something with which we will help you. You are our responsibility now. It's obvious Aidan wanted us to teach you.”
Varenkoff added, ”And now that you know it, what's stopping you? If anything, this knowledge will give you a head start with your training.”
Alex nodded. ”I know that I have to do these things but I need to take it slowly. How should we begin?” He turned to Nikolas.
”Like all trainings,” Nikolas said, ”this one begins with theory.”
”I was afraid you were going to say that.”
”Yeah, but I don't think in your case you need to study so much. You already know a lot of it, inherently. It just needs to come out through practical experiment.”
”Okay?”
”You know you were able to telepathically communicate with me, but you didn't know how. Somehow, you were able to create energy, but it happened as a reaction. When we were initiating you, you took our energy, which is something only a very powerful vampire can do. Now you did these things without any prior conscious knowledge.”
”Uh-huh,” Alex was weary of how slowly Nikolas explained things.
”That obviously means that you have power and it's coming closer, but I suspect something else. I think that your use of powers could be, perhaps, a direct relation to Anaxagoras's coming closer to the Earth, or rather to you. You have a link with him; otherwise how do you explain the incident, the dream, and so on?”
”I don't know about that. I have a feeling I can keep this power in control. I just need to concentrate.”
”Yes. You definitely need to control it. The last time you lost control you were killed.”
”So let's do it then.” Alex was fired up.
”Alright. Dante,” Nikolas said, approaching the vampire, ”give me your sword.”
”Wait, you're teaching me how to fight with a sword? What about magic and telepathy?”
”Patience is a virtue,” Nikolas said.
”Yeah, and time is precious,” Alex added.
Nikolas smiled and with a flick of his wrist he threw the sword at Alex, who instinctively grabbed it by the hilt.
”What the...” he looked at the Rebels in bewilderment. They too were surprised. ”How did I do that?”
”You see, it's innate. It just has to come out. Now...” Nikolas took a swing at him, but again Alex used his instincts and blocked the attack within seconds of getting sliced. Alex smiled. Nikolas escaped the lock of their swords and leaped from one wall to another. He attacked Alex in midair. Alex, who was now surer of himself, jumped in the air and kicked him in the chest.
”Wow,” he said and the others mouthed the same word. ”Sorry about that,” Alex said, grabbing Nikolas's arm and pulling him to his feet.
”That was good. But you need to be more alert,” Nikolas said. He suddenly kicked Alex in the ankles, making him lose his balance. He smiled, ”Remember this. Don't stress yourself when fighting. Be one step ahead of your opponent. Be alert. Don't get overconfident; and above all, feel the movements, don't force them. Use what's around you to your advantage, but don't inflict anger or force, as that's what you'll get back.”
”That's something I hear almost in all martial arts.”
”That's because we started these philosophies. We are the teachers of the humans,” he said, smiling proudly.
”Then I'll have to do my heritage proud,” Alex said.
”I think that's enough for now. There's something else that's of key importance. Do you know the best way to reserve your energy? Besides food, rest and water?”
Alex thought for a moment and said, ”No.”
”Meditation,” Nikolas said.
”Oh yeah!”
”Don't meditate on anything in particular. Just do it for its own sake and you'll get results faster. You have to let things flow and they will come to you.” Again Alex heard him echoing G.o.d's words.
”Right,” he said.
”We'll leave now,” Nikolas said, as the other Rebels started to vacate the room. ”Meditate for the next three hours and tell me what you see and feel during that time.”
They left him in peace.
Flicking a pen with his two fingers and gazing at the closed file inside a blue plastic folder, Daniel thought about the danger this knowledge would bring, not only to him, but to everything else in the prophecies. He had read them, as a relative to royal blood, but he didn't really understand much of them. As a child he thought it was all mumbo-jumbo. Was this boy, his distant cousin, really the Falsifier or was he something else? He had the Annals of the Kings of the Nyrax Dynasty with him and was tempted to read it. The pen fell and hit the blue plastic. Daniel smoothed his hands over the surface of the folder and slowly he opened it.
The door burst open and Daniel glanced up, quickly stuffing the folder into his desk drawer. Erik bellowed at the top of his voice. ”What's the meaning of this? Why did you order that wipeout and where the h.e.l.l are those scientists!” His face was a furious shade of red and his veins looked like they were about to pop any moment.
Daniel couldn't help smiling and acting calm. ”What are you talking about? By the way, you broke my door. Don't you know how to knock?”
Erik grabbed him by the collar and said, ”What are you hiding?” He scanned his mind but found it heavily s.h.i.+elded. He laughed, put Daniel down and turned around, ”You'll have your guard down some time or another!”
”I'm glad you came here.”
Erik turned back to face Daniel as he telekinetically moved the door and fixed the hinges.
”I've sent the ultimatum and they have a time limit of twelve hours.”
”And?” Erik sat down and so did Daniel.
”John Howe's coming here. To negotiate.”
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