Renegade Reborn (19 page)

You remember how Drakearon told you that you were his weapon? Well, you will be a weapon all right, but not Drakearon’s. You will be a weapon of the people, the greatest representation of their potential. You will know good from evil, and evil from good. You will know when to intervene, and when to hold back. You will know when to start a fight and know when to end one. I will pour into you all the knowledge I have at my disposal, and IAM knows, there’s no shortage. After all, you’re talkin’ to the one man on Thera who beat Drakearon in a fight, and believe me, especially now, there is more to beating him then just a knuckleduster to the death.

You will need an army. You will need to win over the people. You will need other like-minded men and women beside you, not behind you. And when you do it right, you won’t be persuasive. Persuasion is Drakearon’s forte. No, you will simply speak the truth. Unlike the Dragon, the Phoenix believes that people are made to run on truth. Their bodies and hearts, respond to it. Unlike Drakearon, I don’t see a flawed race that needs fixin’. I see a people who just need a little hope, but hope by itself? What’s it good for?

That’s why you will take the role of the Man-Phoenix beyond anything that I ever could, because, you Gizzy, have something I’ve always wanted, but never had. You have grit, Gizzy, the same grit of your fathers, and just like him, you have the fall six times, rise seven times mentality.

When people see you, the Man-Phoenix, they will also remember the dog boy who grew up in a shit shack. Do you know how important that is? How inspirational a story that is to folks? Oh, Gizzy, when they hear your story, and spread it, it will go from story, to legend, and when people hear the legend of Gisbo Falcon, hell, they’ll believe they can shatter the sky! I mean that, and I’ll tell you right now, Gizzy, if I was put through what you’ve been, and I had that heated dagger hovering over my chest, unlike you, I may have gone through with it.” Vadid said. Gisbo knew it was a compliment, but he couldn’t take it as such. He stared at the ground when he answered.

“Suicide, will never be an option for me. Nina, she took that away from me, and, and . . .” Gisbo suddenly started, hearing his voice take on a dangerous edge.

“Malik Strife . . .” Vadid said. Gisbo’s eyes narrowed at the name.

“I know what he is. He’s like me. He’s the Man-Dragon, Drakearon’s next in line like I’m yours. But, why? Why him? He’s not related to you! He’s just some random assface! He’s . . . and Phil, he told me, told me when I was, somehow, channeling pure feral energy from the Phoenix in my anger, that I was injuring myself, because the Phoenix is supposed to be good, pure, but, ugh, this anger, this, rage I feel inside, it, it . . .” Gisbo started.

“It’s finally right,” Vadid said, leaning back in his chair, a thin smile on his face.

“What?” Gisbo asked.

“I said, your anger, it’s finally right. That’s why you were able to lift the blade. Before you wanted to fight Malik for personal reasons. Sure, what he did to Kinny was the last straw, but back then, when you charged him, and got your shoulder busted, you weren’t thinking about her. You were thinking of you, and your own injured pride. Not anymore. You channeled fury all right when you lifted the blade, but not a feral, misplaced fury. You channeled righteous fury, and that is one of the strongest powers within our universe.” Vadid said, then paused, and leaned back in his chair nonchalantly. “Oh, yeah. By the way, Ranto’s not your cousin. Malik is. Figured I’d let ya know.”

“WHAT!?” Gisbo bellowed.

“’Fraid so, and right now, he’s totally under the influence of another friend of yours, the Goat-Man, and before you ask, no, I have no idea who, or what he is. All I know is that he is behind most, if not all of what is transpiring right now. Lately, I’ve been feelin’ doors throughout the timescape, open, close, open again, then, be burned away forever, but there is one timeline that hasn’t been touched. Yours, Gizzy, at least, in your current, here and now life . . .” Vadid said.

“So, it’s the Goat-Man then? He’s doing this? I remember Vice, he told me that my timeline, where I am right now, it’s not the present, it’s the past, and that elsewhere, Drakearon, he’s already won, but, how is that possible?” Gisbo asked.

“Couldn’t tell ya, kid. I ain’t no Time Master. I’m a Space Master. There’s a difference, but I’m still connected. If anything, I’m a Time Novice, a high D, maybe low C lister when working and controlling Time, unlike Drakearon. Same goes for him working with Space, hence why he needed you to open the Reath.” Vadid said.

“But, if those with the Dragon’s powers are the only ones who can control time, then how is it the Goat-Man can?” Gisbo asked.

“No idea. I’m not even sure it’s exactly him, but, I do know that Malik doesn’t have the know how to do such. His mind’s barely holding together as it is, and Drakearon, well, Drakearon wouldn’t destroy the doors leading to this timeline. I’ve seen ‘em. There’s tons of ‘em, every decision you make, it makes another door in a series of webs, but, if someone were to destroy the lead door that started it all . . .” Vadid said.

“Then, it would destroy the rest in the line?” Gisbo asked.

“You ain’t as dumb as you look. Yes. That’s the gist of it, but to be able to take time, to be able to have the power, to warp it, and make everything a straight line . . . for a mortal to do such a thing, well, there’s a cost to everything. There’s a thing with Time Traveling, Gizzy. There’s lots of rules, and the number one rule, above all others, is to stay away from the start of the universe. To use Time to travel to a place where the laws of the universe do not apply? Well, it would allow a mortal to play God in every sense, but at a cost, a cost, that not even Drakearon is willing to take . . .

The mortal brain, there is a limit to what it can know, and what it can take. People are known to go insane from loss, truths, and lies, but to see the start of the universe? There are some things we as mortals were never meant to know. Knowledge is power, and some knowledge, can make you more than just a man, stretch your psyche, and your soul into something else, something, that your vessel, your mortal body may contain for a while, but eventually, it will break down. No one, and I mean no one who messes with Time, leaves unscathed . . .” Vadid said, this time, with actual worry to his tone.

“This Goat-Man, he killed my mother . . . that’s something, someone does out of revenge. He knows me personally!” Gisbo said, finding himself standing up and pacing. “I wish I never got those memories back. I see that horrible mask of his. I smell his stink. I see his joy as he, as he cuts at her, and it just leaves this festering fire in my stomach because, because I can’t do anything about it! I can’t find him! I can’t fight him!“

Only ‘cause he does things on his terms. You want him now, but he doesn’t want you. Not yet. But nobody does what he does, Gizzy, without wanting a piece of you. Soon, he’ll come for it. I know he will. He’s planning something, something big, and when he comes . . . well, let’s just say if you’re gonna even make it to Drakearon, you’re gonna have to go through him. I can feel it.” Vadid said.

“Before, Mom, she was just a word, but now . . . it feels as if I just talked to her yesterday. I remember how she smelled, her voice, her smile. Like, I don’t remember a lot of things from my childhood, even from Oak County. Only certain things stand out, but not Mom. She’s so fresh now in my mind that it hurts. It hurts just, so, so much. Who? Who the hell is he!? Why would he do this to me?” Gisbo yelled, slamming his hands on the table. Vadid took in a deep breath.

“Your mom . . . whenever she walked into a room, she just, lit the damned place up. She had this fire about her. Many said that, but this fire, it wasn’t about her, Gizzy, it was in her. Her heart, it was just so full of care, so full of love, so full of passion, that whomever she was with, her light, well, it didn’t make people jealous, or feel inferior; it made them believe that they could shine too. You may have gotten your Dad’s grit, and my eyes, but damn, Gizzy, you have your Mom’s heart, through and through, and at the end of the day, that’s what’s going to save Thera.” Vadid said, smiling a soft smile.

Gisbo felt himself slump into his chair, suddenly feeling exhausted.

“Why do I get the feeling that, just like before, nothing is ever going to be the same again? How bad is it gonna get?” Gisbo asked.

“As bad as it can. Got the grit for it, Renegade?” Vadid asked. For the first time in a while, Gisbo felt his heart beat in a way he hadn’t felt for quite some time.

“Your goddamned right I am!” Gisbo said. Vadid laughed.

“You were made for this! All right then, let’s get to work. I’ll explain everything as we go, but first, stand up, and stand over there.” Vadid said.

“Why?” Gisbo asked.

“I wanna see somethin’,” Vadid said. Gisbo shrugged but obeyed. Vadid then picked up the Phoenix blade, and held it out for him.

“Now, I want to see you swing this sword . . .“ Vadid said, handing the large Talon sword over to Gisbo.

“All right, lemme see that thing.” Gisbo said. He took it, and nearly dropped it. It was a whole lot heavier than before.

“Ah, just as I thought. Look at ya, you can barely hold it up straight, let alone swing it.” Vadid said.

“But, but why? It was, light as a feather on the island! What gives!” Gisbo said.

“You had a moment of clarity, just one, but it was enough to move and ignite the sword. But now, that moment’s gone, and all you’re holdin’ is a very big, very heavy sword. Tsk. Tsk. Tsk.” Vadid said, shaking his head.

“Ngh!” Gisbo said, trying to keep it steady, but it was no use. He felt his arms pop, and when they did, the sword fell to the floor with a crash, shaking loose a dish from the cupboard. It crashed right beside the blade in a burst of porcelain white.

“You’re cleanin’ that up.” Vadid said, folding his arms.

“I, damn it,” Gisbo said, taking in a deep breath.

“That moment, where you were sure of yourself, you were working with the light, not against it. The sword is made to destroy evil, because evil exists, and if you’re gonna do that, you can’t go at it with any doubt. You need to channel equal parts righteous fury, equal parts justice, and equal parts surety of who you are. Now, I want to see something else. See that big ass rock, over there through the window? I want you to cut through it.” Vadid said, pointing. Gisbo looked out the window, then back at him.

“What? You serious? But, that thing, it’s not rock! It’s not even a damn boulder either. That thing is like, the size of my old tree house! You just saw that I could barely even lift this damned thing!” Gisbo asked.

“Just try, Susan,” Vadid said. Gisbo frowned.

“Back to that again?” Gisbo asked.

“Sorry, you’ve lost the privilege of your name yet again. You doubt yourself, and when you do that, you don’t know who you are, so, neither do I. All I see, is a Nancy,” Vadid said. Gisbo stared at his Grandfather with a look of annoyance.

“Is this going to be one of those things where I try, can’t do it, then you just come right in and show me up?” Gisbo asked.

“Why would I ever do a thing like that?” Vadid asked.

“Because, that’s how teachers get off!” Gisbo said.

“Who said I was your teacher?” Vadid asked.

“You did!” Gisbo said.

“Oh, no, no. You got me all wrong, Susie. I ain’t no teacher.” Vadid said, leaning in so his face was in Gisbo’s. “I’m the last thing you’re ever gonna see should you not get your dumb little ass out there and hack away at that boulder!”

“So, top to bottom? Left to right?” Gisbo asked, swallowing.

“Top to bottom.” Vadid said. Without another word, Gisbo opened the door and made his way to the boulder, dragging the sword behind him. Vadid followed.

Gisbo looked up at the menacing boulder, gripped his sword handle tight, and took in a deep breath, trying to focus his jumbled thoughts into justice, righteous fury, and . . . he couldn’t remember the last one.

“This is gonna be embarrassing . . . but, here I go anyway, because my name’s Gisbo, I’m a dumbass, and this is what I do,” Gisbo muttered under his breath, closing his eyes, trying to remember the last part.

“I prefer, Susan,” Vadid said. Gisbo’s fragile focus shattered.

“SHUT UP!” Gisbo shouted.

Vadid chuckled.

Gisbo slung the massive sword over his shoulder, jumped high, and used his body’s momentum to slam the sword down atop the rock . . .

CRINK!

The top half the sword snapped off, went flipping up into the air like a giant coin, and fell neatly, point first into the ground.

Chapter Nine: The Ethereal Continuum

“I . . . CRAP!” Gisbo said, his heart beating fast, holding the now broken Phoenix blade. “I break everything I touch! EVERYTHING! I . . .”

It was then Vadid calmly walked over, picked up the broken sword piece, and gently placed it atop its other half. Once fitted together, he ran a finger around the seam slowly. A glowing blue fire pulsed from his fingertip, and within a minute, the sword piece was welded back on without a scar or scratch.

“How did you . . .” Gisbo stammered.

“Give it here, Tanya, before you hurt yourself,” Vadid asked, holding out an empty hand.

“See! I knew it! Now you’re going to obliterate the rock! You could have just done that from the start!” Gisbo said.