Ascension (20 page)

“I was so close, I could feel it.”

“You were,” Monica agreed, “But you allowed yourself to become distracted.”

She heard two more sets of footsteps moving within the space; dawdling from where she'd envisaged the water faucet to be. With a full pail in one hand, Blake soon trudged toward them.

“Good morning Blake,” said Monica. “Good morning Kulullu.”

Blake yawned back. “Morning….”

Kulullu soon materialized next to him; she bowed before both Katherine and Monica, and proceeded to follow Blake over to the other side of the facility.

Monica resumed her instruction, trying to correct of her inconsistent focus. “This time, rather than balance your energy from different directions, I want you to allow your energy to flow and encircle the pencil.”

Despite being initially confused by this change in approach, she went about reworking this new strategy in mind. As she guided the pencil through the air, allowing it to soar toward the rafters, she shaped her energy around it like a bubble and caused it to rotate.

“Excellent work Katherine, now maintain your control and build up the speed over each revolution,” said Monica. “Keep it up…now faster, and again faster.”

“Like this?”

“Yes, that's it,” replied Monica, excited. “Now add your own celestial element to the mix.”

“My own element?”

“That's right, let the pencil ignite,” she instructed. “Sustain the revolutions, and set your own energy alight.”

Sure enough, the pencil smouldered and she'd generated a spark. But she felt herself lose control in face of Monica's mounting demands, and the pencil snapped; with its remains falling to the floor, she could see a series of little embers running up and along its delicate wooden body.

“Absolutely astounding,” said Monica, stamping out the flames. “There is little doubt you are a natural.”

“But I failed. The pencil snapped; I couldn't sustain so many rotations.”

Monica fetched yet another pencil from the bundle. “Yes, but you've accomplished so much in such a short time. You needn't question your own abilities, the talent is clearly there.”

“This fusion of energies…I've done this before, haven't I?” She asked. “The night when those Corrupted attacked…, is that your desired outcome for this training? So that I can do it again whenever I feel the need?”

“Yes, in a sense, but with greater control you'll be able to unlock your element's true potential. Let me show you what I mean,” Monica said, glancing about the facility. “Blake, would you be so kind as to provide us with a demonstration on fused energy control.”

Blake, now positioned at the opposite end of the facility, stopped his work and lumbered toward them while grasping a half full pail of water. “Don't you think it's a bit soon to be teaching her about something so dangerous?”

“You can use Kulullu for this exercise,” Monica responded, openly ignoring his concern.

Kulullu stepped forward. She stood facing the nearest facility wall with her webbed hands raised, and generated a pool of water in open palms.

“Just single spears then?” Blake asked, now channelling his own energy.

“For now, yes,” Monica asserted. “We shall build on your efforts from there.”

Katherine watched as Kulullu shaped the water into a spear.

“Watch closely Katherine,” said Monica.

Through the channelling of Blake's energy, Katherine could see the water freeze before her eyes. Once crafted, Kulullu hurled the spear of ice against the facility wall with such ferocity that it pierced the iron frame.

“Now, if Kulullu would be so kind to show us the potency of her own element at full force.”

The water spirit did as instructed, and fired a powerful burst of water from her open palms. Katherine looked on as the stream of water smashed against the facility wall with such power that it dented the surface iron and caused it to buckle.

“Blake is working on his own control so that when Kulullu uses the full extent of her energy, the surging water of her attack will become a stream of solid ice,” said Monica. “You will remember on the forming of your bond that Anzu became immersed in flames and appeared to breathe fire. That too was the fusing of your celestial energy with his element of wind, unleashed in a single combined attack.”

The organisation must certainly go through a lot of walls
, she thought to herself, unable to avert her eyes from the damage of the destructive energy.
But now at least I somewhat understand the true power of a celestial bond.

Monica now set her sights upon Anzu. “Thank you Blake and Kulullu, you may return to your training. It‘s your turn this time wind guardian, let us see what you can do.”

Katherine watched as Anzu stepped forward to face what remained of the facility wall, and vigorously thrashed his wings, conjuring up a howling bluster of razor sharp winds that tore up and through its iron coat.

“Not bad, and keep hold of that momentum,” Monica responded. “Now Katherine, I want you to fuse your own element of fire with the powerful gusts of Anzu's attack.

She stepped forward.
How can she possibly expect me to do this, when I still have so little control over my own element?
She wondered.
All I'm going to do is embarrass myself.

“Discard any self-doubt. Focus your mind on sensing the energies of your guardian.”

She stretched out her hands toward what remained of the wall, trying to catch the winds movement and set it on fire. But she could see or sense nothing, no matter how much energy she exercised.

“Concentrate on the wind. Search for the pattern in its direction. You must let your energy flow with Anzu's own.”

She tried to listen for the sound of Anzu's energy moving through the air, to search for it as if his energy were visible for all to see.

“Do not solely rely upon your own senses. They will only serve to deceive you from your intended focus. You must gauge your feelings and those of your guardian. You and Anzu must become one in both body and mind.”

She closed her eyes to concentrate. She could hear the wind roaring and blustering throughout the space with such anger. Soon, she found herself able to share in Anzu's emotions; she could feel his desperation, and she could sense his desire. Before long, she could also smell and taste the seething smoke of fire. She opened her eyes; the winds before her were laced with flames, lightly scorching the facility's iron wall.

“You're doing it, but sustain your focus and maintain the intensity of your energy. You must keep building up your own energy to enhance the fire's vitality.”

But despite her wishes to fight through, the strain from such exertion had become overwhelming. Her arms were aching. Her breathing had grown laboured, and she'd lost all feeling in the ends of her fingers. Not long after that her concentration finally broke. The struggle had proven too great to endure, and the flames of her energy were instantly consumed amidst the wind.

She gasped for breath and fell to her knees. “It was just too much. I couldn't sustain it.”

“You've done extremely well,” said Monica. “More than anyone could ever ask of you.”

“Monica, they've returned,” Lance blurted, as the operative charged forth into the facility. “Walter has ordered for us to mobilize.”

“I hadn't sensed anything out of the ordinary,” Blake responded from across the other side of the facility.

“That's because these Corrupted's energy is particularly difficult to detect,” Monica replied. “Lance, what sort of damage are we looking at?”

“Considerable, and its coming from within the city's centre,” he said, urging them to hurry.

Monica nodded. “Katherine, we can resume your training on my return.”

“Where are you going, and what exactly do you mean that their energy is difficult to detect?”

“These constant tremors that plague Anabasis are the work of an Earthen Corrupted,” Monica said, as she rushed for the facility's exit. “Both you and Anzu are to remain here.”

Katherine followed after her. “But we can help you. Isn't this why you've been training us?”

“Training of which you've only just started,” Monica quickly reminded. “Neither of you are ready yet to confront the Corrupted.”

“I will not fail my master; her safety is assured for as long as I draw breath. Let me help you,” said Anzu, as he hustled after them both and along the corridor toward the facility's vehicle bay. “Monica, you have my word.”

“Monica, we must hurry,” Lance beckoned, as he parted the back doors of the nearest utility so that Blake and Kulullu could jump inside.

Reluctant, Monica glanced back at them. “Since time is of the essence, you may both come with us. But you are to stay close to me at all times, understood?”

Both Katherine and Anzu nodded in agreement before they leapt in the back of the parked utility. Without hesitation, the vehicle accelerated up the tunnel and out from beneath the desert's sand. Inside, Katherine observed the others adjust their uniforms and forage amongst a number of crates for their allotted weapons. As they went about equipping themselves, she too sought to prepare as best she could. She tugged at the synthetic material of her cloak and felt around the collar where she'd noticed a bulging of fabric.

“There is a cowl sewn into the collar,” said Monica, as she pulled at one from within her own uniform. “It's a flimsy cover, but it does help to conceal our identities from the odd surveillance camera we might come cross.”

Why worry about us, it's the guardians that are a bigger problem,
She thought.

People had grown accustomed to seeing armed operatives roam the jurisdiction since the city's recent crises, and they would likely take little heed of their presence, she had reasoned. But guardian spirits were a different story altogether; a story that would prove more difficult to conceal from so many watchful eyes, and would be even tougher to explain.

“What is it that's so special about these uniforms?” She asked, deciding to ignore the other concerns, and deciding to assume the organisation knew what it was doing.

“Not a lot, really. Only you'll find that they're rather resilient in face of the elements,” Blake replied, as he fastened his own from beneath what appeared to be some kind of combat vest.

“You mean they're fire-proof?”

“Fire-proof, water proof, wind resistant, and can absorb electricity…,” he responded, before he abruptly diverted his gaze toward the roof.

Katherine also noticed that now Monica too had her eyes fixed on the vehicle's ceiling.

“Did you feel that?” Blake questioned, his cloak draped over one shoulder.

“How could I not?” Monica responded.

“Felt what?”

“A dark source of energy…,” said Monica. “For a brief moment we sensed the presence of a Corrupted in flight.”

“It's the winged Corrupted, I'm certain of it,” Blake replied. “This is the same energy that both Kulullu and I fought off a few weeks ago. Do we need to inform Walter and give off pursuit?”

Monica glanced down at her wrist communicator. “We can't afford to. We must first neutralize the current threat.”

“You claimed earlier that the Corrupted were responsible for all these earthquakes. Then why hasn't anyone seen them and exposed of their existence to the world?” Katherine questioned, believing it the right time to learn about how both guardian's and Corrupted had remained hidden from public scrutiny for so long. “And this sensing of energy you keep talking about, is that something that everyone can do?”

“In essence, both the guardians and Corrupted exist within a spiritual form and thus can conceal their existence from humankind. At times we experience the sudden brushing of a cold wind against our skin, the sensation of a shifting in temperature, and the swelling of the earth's crust from beneath our feet…These changes to the natural environment can often be attributed to the presence of another,” Monica responded, as she continued to equip herself with strange gadgets and military field attire. “As for the sensing of their energy; those whose senses have ascended, and who transcend the different dimensions, can detect of their presence. However, there are other spirits adept at hiding within the world making this sensing of energy no easy task.”

“This sensing of another's energy, how is it done?”

Monica looked at her. “Once you improve the control of your own energy, I will teach you how to feel out the energy of others around you.”

“If the Corrupted can choose to reveal themselves to humankind at their leisure, why is it that they've decided to remain hidden?” She asked, finding it frustrating that for every answer it seemed there were always two new questions that followed. “If Namtar is so powerful, and has so many minions to follow his rule, why would he even care if humankind knew of his existence?”

“I'm really starting to tire from all of your questions,” Blake replied with a groan, as he retrieved a pair of orb shaped devices from the nearest supply crate and fastened them to his belt. “If we had all the answers, then we'd act accordingly. But we don't. It's sickening to admit, but we probably know little more than you at this point. But consider how the world would react if they knew about these spirits. I can tell you that mass hysteria would result; where each government's armies would engage an invisible enemy, blasting everything to smithereens in order to ensure the Corrupted's destruction. I can't imagine even Namtar would want such an outcome, as there'd be nothing left for him to rule over.”

Having risen to her feet, she wanted to lurch forward and slog him, but his brandishings had made a lot of sense. She could envisage it, a single nuclear warhead fire and miss its target, causing significant damage and death to an innocent neighbouring nation. And thus a great war would begin; a war where the chances were high that the world itself would be reduced to nothing more than a crater of smoke and ash.