Renegade Reborn (34 page)

Falcon put a hand on his shoulder and squeezed, but couldn’t find any words to say in reply.

“And you . . . all of this, because of you, because, because of me defending you, and don’t you think for a moment that I blame you. I can’t blame you, because, even if we went back in time, I wouldn’t have done anything differently. It’s all my fault. I misread Lamik, only saw what he wanted me to see . . . I knew not what future my choices would bring, I . . . I . . .” Purah started.

“Nobody knows what the future brings. We make a decision and on it comes, we can’t control the end, we can only get there. We’re not Gods, Purah. These are the rules of the universe.” Falcon said.

“No, we’re not, but there was someone who tried, someone who could have prevented all of this . . . changed the rules . . .” Purah said, a blank look in his eyes.

“Don’t, Purah, don’t even . . .” Falcon started.

“Think about it? Why not? I mean, look at this world. Good and Evil? What is it really? If there is no IAM, then this world began as an accident and will end in an accident. If there’s no higher power, there’s no such thing as destiny, purpose, morals, or good and evil. They are but opinions . . . like yours, one I believe. As you said, I believe there are rules, and I believe that someone, something, higher than us all, put them there . . .

What’s to stop us from making our own rules? Our own morals? Our own good? With the powers of Phoenix and Dragon at our disposal, what’s to stop us, from changing them?” Purah asked.

“I don’t think I like where this conversation is going, you’re tired, Purah, you’ve been through much, you aren’t yourself, come on, let’s . . .” Falcon started.

“Oh? Maybe, this is the first time I am thinking clearly. Maybe this is the first time it all makes sense. Maybe, for a greater good to come about, there needs to be someone like Drakearon or Vadid with the power to make the hard decisions, to take out the weakest link, to slaughter the sheep so the wolves may feed . . . maybe, they were born with such powers for a reason?

There’s so much talk of changing the world, and yet, those men, literally, had the power to! One wanted to change Thera, and one wanted to prevent the change. I made my decision, to stand with Vadid, to preserve my current life, only to lose it.

Perhaps, if I chose to stand differently . . .” Purah started, then, stopped himself, closed his eyes, and breathed the forest air in deeply. “ . . . I’m sorry my friend. My mind got away from me. You’re right of course, you’re always right. I’m not myself right now. I just . . . Charley . . .”

Purah then broke down into tears, his face falling into his hands. Falcon wrapped his friend up in a hug.

“This pain, it is so terrible. I hope, for your sake, I hope nothing ever happens to Nora . . .” Purah said.

“Nothing ever will,” Falcon said.

“Or to your son,” Purah said.

“That on the other hand, I can’t promise,” Falcon said. They then broke free from each other and Purah looked at him oddly.

“What do you mean?” Purah asked. Falcon with a smile, reached into his pack, pulled out his wallet, and from it, he retrieved three pictures and handed them to Purah, who took them. Purah held up the first. It was a picture that showed a toddler aged Gisbo trying to drink from a cup held upside down with a frustrated look. The second showed toddler Gisbo trying to listen to music with ear buds plugged into the wrong end, and the final picture showed toddler Gisbo hovering a metal fork over a yellow, glowing, electrical generator with a gluestick shoved firmly up his nose.

“What, why do you keep these?” Purah started.

“They’re hilarious, that’s why,” Falcon said.

“But, Falcon, these are, just a little sick . . . they’re . . .” Purah paused. “Is he seriously trying to plug the wrong end of the earphones into his ear?” Purah said, a faint chuckle exiting his throat.

“That’s my boy! Believe me, Gisbo’s going places . . . probably not a library, or a school graduation, but places for sure . . .” Falcon said.

It was then Purah’s face lit up and he laughed, laughed so hard that it was infectious and Falcon joined him, but Purah’s laugh was just an echo, an echo of a man who inside, had already died.

“An exciting time, is it not? To see and test this newest generation of Renegade?” Moordin asked.

“Mm,” Purah muttered.

“I must say, I am quite interested, scientifically speaking, how essential energies, when passed down, if it becomes stronger, or waned? And how our teacher’s sacrifice with Code Risinyu, affects the offspring? Such an exciting time, such an . . .” Moordin started, and that’s when men, clad in green, entered the room, and Moordin’s face turned to that of humility. “I . . . oh, Purah, I’m so sorry, no doubt, your thoughts turn to your daughter. I’m so sorry, I was thinking out loud, I really didn’t mean . . .” Moordin started.

“It’s fine old friend, really. It is,” Purah said.

“If your daughter were here, no doubt she would be among the elite. If it’s still too soon for you to be among these Strife and test their children, I could step in for you.” Moordin offered.

“I’m fine, Moordin, really. It was my idea, after all. I know, firsthand the horrors of war and I will do anything I can to keep the peace, and to keep the peace, is to be an example of it.” Purah said, forcing a grin.

“Then, you’re a better man than I.” Moordin started.

“Greetings my friends,” A man said, walking forward, standing in glistening, golden armor.

“Sybil Honj,” Purah said. He and Moordin, out of respect, issued out the traditional Renegade greeting and he returned it.

“Let’s get this started, shall we?” Sybil Honj said. Not bothering to stop and make small talk, he walked through the mass of people and began pacing in front of the line of Renegades and Strife’s whose children waited in the adjacent room behind closed doors.

“I’ll be honest. I’m finding it, difficult, to keep this smile off my face, fellow Renegades and guests, and I find it equally difficult to withhold my excitement, so, let’s get right to it, shall we?” Sybil Honj asked as he turned about, and walked toward a pool filled with bubbling, churning, black water, whose surfaced sparkled in hues of red, blue, green, and yellow.

“What you see before you, is a treasured Renegade Relic and nearly as old as the Soarian race themselves, the ones who crafted this device, a device used for measuring essence and the potential for Elekai’ output. I have no doubt that your offspring will prove, just as their parents have, to be ready and able for Elekai’ Training.

Every one of us, if you can remember, has entered this symbolic pool. It is symbolic, because it requires each element just to exist and function, much like Heaven’s Shelter itself! Earth, holds the pool in place and provides it a foundation. Water, fills the pool and surrounds the child to test every part of his body. Air, keeps the water churning and moving and lively, through pipes, and lastly, Fire, keeps the water hot, to get the child’s heart beating and to open the pores for pristine testing.

This ritual, required for every Renegade, should serve as a reminder that it takes all of us, of every race, to keep this world moving, give it purpose and protection. One by one, you will call your children in from the next room and request them to enter the pool, this pool of blackness, mixed with the dust of every elemental stone. When your child arrives, this pool will represent the unknown in the mind of your child. It will be . . . interesting, to see how each child reacts and handles the unknown.

Once the child is in the pool, the device over here, run by Narroway, Purah, Shax, and myself, will show the score of each child, calculated by adrenaline maintenance, growth potential, and spaces within the cells themselves.

So, without further ado, let us start in random order. Purah, would you go and retrieve Niffin? She will be the first,“ Honj asked. Purah nodded, walked across the room and opened the door and called for Niffin. She slowly walked out, closed the door behind her, and then noticed all the eyes upon her. With a little shriek, her gaze found the floor, then, upon hearing the voice of her mom and dad, she looked up and found her courage.

“Niffin Roarie, if you would, please, get yourself into the pool,” Honj ordered. Niffin looked at him, then at the pool, and stood in place for a long moment. She looked up at her parents one more time, then shuffled forward slowly, and placed a toe into the pool, testing its warmth, then, sat down on the outer ridge, and slowly, placed in one leg, then the other, and slowly, waded herself into the pool until only her head showed, in silence.

“Now, keep still for me, honey, it’ll be over in a minute.” Sybil Honj said. A few moments later, there was a series of rapid fire beeps upon the monitor, then, the beeping ceased and Sybil Honj walked over, saw the results, smiled and raised his voice, looking at Niffin’s parents.

“As you know, the minimum score required, is 2500. Niffin has scored . . .” Narroway started, pausing for emphasis. “A whopping 4000! Her output for energy is amazing, but, as you know, essence is not all that is needed for battle. Still, be quite proud. Niffin, will be a Renegade. Will the parents of Niffin please come forward and retrieve her. Purah, would you please retrieve Jackobi next,”

Purah nodded, did as requested, and out came Jackobi, looking up, eyes narrowed, not in surprise, but in interest at all the people gathered and the pool, laying below him.

“Jackobi, if you would please make your way into the pool,” Honj said. Jack’s eyes narrowed again, and his gaze went up and looked the Sybil right in the eyes.

“Why?” Jackobi asked. Several giggles came up from the line of people.

“If you must know, we have gathered here to test your output for Elekai’ essence and see if you are capable of Renegade training,” Honj said. “So, if you would, please enter the pool,”

Jackobi looked at him, then across and met the eyes of his father, who nodded. Jack made his way forward and dropped to one knee and moved the water about with his hand, then, brought it up, staring at the sparkling shards of Elekai’ crystals sparkling on his palm. He narrowed his eyes again, shook his hand off, dove into the water as cleanly as an arrow and came up in the middle. A few moments later, the monitor buzzed and beeped, and upon finishing, all men viewing the monitor were at a loss for words on the results.

“Just say it,” Foxblade demanded, arms folded.

“As you know, this machine can only measure up so far. Your son, he has scored . . .” Sybil Honj paused. “Over 9000!”

The line of people began muttering to each other as Jackobi walked out of the pool without being told and stood beside his father.

“The only other person to score so high, was Vadid the Valiant himself,” Purah said. “Is it possible? Could it be that . . .”

“He’s not Flarian, but, we have no idea what the Phoenix could attach itself to next. It may be a creature of fire but its powers go beyond the elements themselves and for such power to attach itself to a human, they would need adequate energy space. The Man-Phoenix, it is coming this generation, Vadid told us so. We need to keep a close eye on that one, to be certain. So, next, would Knob come out and join us,” Shax said. Knob, hearing his name, came out of the door with a curious glance, looking all about at the people about him.

“Knob, if you would get yourself into the pool,” Shax said. Knob looked all about, seeing that Jack and Niffin were already wet, shrugged, walked toward the pool, stood on its edge, only to slip and fall in with a splash and a yelp. He quickly recovered, and made his way toward the middle.

“3100, very good,” Shax said.

And in this fashion, on and on it went, with a Ranto Narroway, and Malik Strife receiving the matching score of 9000, along with a few choice others until only one boy remained in the room, by his lonesome, and upon hearing his name called, ran out excitedly for what awaited him and stared at the pool with immense fascination.

“Gisbo, if you would, please, make your way into the pool and . . .” Shax started, but before he could finish, Gisbo, without a look at anyone for approval, ran toward the pool and jumped high into the air.

“CANNONBALL!” Gisbo screamed, as he landed smack in the middle of the water and soaked everyone, head to toe within distance, including the monitor, which began sparking, and smoking, and flooding with random symbols before a number flashed just once, then died away in a sizzle.

Falcon and Nora, together, let out a sigh and palmed hands down their faces in embarrassment, as everyone erupted into complaints and pointing.

“So? What did it say?” Falcon piped up, when everyone simmered down.

“Your boy, by IAM, Falcon . . .” Honj started, trying to keep his frustration and anger down.

“Just, tell me the number,” Falcon said.

“To be sure, it flashed quickly, I didn’t see it in time. Did either of you?” Honj asked.

“I saw 2700, I’m sure of it,” Shax said.

“Purah?” Honj asked.

“I saw a 2 as the first number, that much I’m sure, but the next number, at my angle, it was either a 7, or it could have been a 1,”

“Really? That’s it?” Falcon said.

“Well, honestly, it could be anything! The number still could have been rising before the machine shorted out. Either way, until we get this fixed, we’ll never know. We’ll have to wait until tomorrow until we . . .” Honj started.