G's Chapters

         The next day, I was working on an experiment, trying in vain to codify the Gifts into the current understanding of physics, though I was quite stuck on the thermodynamics of the whole thing. While yes, no Gift has yet properly broken the laws of physics, the same laws are, by now, probably bent over backwards trying to cope with the illogical nature of these new powers.

 

         Heating and Cooling Gifts were by now already proven to be subsets of Speed manipulation by many experiments, and light, fire, air, simpler Gifts had been explained away quite satisfactorily, though the actual mechanism of the realization of the change was still unknown. I was trying to figure out that very mechanism, at least as far as my own Gift went. Through a series of scans during my usage of the Gift, I’d found out that the trick seemed to rest in my projection of an image into my perception of reality. To be more exact, I’d picture some change, my nerves would fire in a pattern that was unique to me, and then, the Gift would activate, with a few seconds delay. Those few seconds were what I was trying to figure out at this time. After a futile five hours trying in vain to figure out what possible part of my mind or body could be causing that delay, I gave up, and,slouching over, I fell into my bed. I didn’t want to go out on a walk and risk being mixed up in yet another fantastical problem, so I decided to stay in bed and use sleep as a change in environment.

 

         Almost as soon as I closed my eyes, I was plunged into a gray concrete room, very reminiscent of the room I dreamt up under the influence of that tranq, back with the cult. The same shadow of a guy was standing next to me, his head cocked to one side.

         “Hi! Welcome back! So, how’d you get in here? You –”

 

         Everything turned fuzzy, like I was watching a low-res video, and his next words were drowned out in static.

 

         I don't remember any of the other dreams,  but when I woke up, it was around three in the evening. I decided to set out after all, stretch my wings a little bit. As I was flying around, I saw a bit of a ruckus going on outside a middle school. Looking closer, I could see Ephraim parading about in front of the crowd, and figured that it was yet another of his self serving ‘recruitment’ drives.

 

          I swooped down, as flamboyant as ever, and landed in front of him, blasting him backward in a wave of Mana. He barely kept his balance, glaring at me, teeth bared.

         “You again! Why do you keep interfering! What do you have agai–”

         “Well, forgive me for not agreeing with you on such small details as human dignity. I hear even the rest of Adonai don't like your pigheadedness.”

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         I must have prodded a sore nerve, there, and he rushed at me with a barely human snarl curling his lips. His hands were twisted into claws, black fire flickering between his fingers. I realised then, Ephraim was quite dangerously mad, and the realisation chilled me. Looking back, I suppose I could have just summoned a Shield in his path and been done with the whole thing, but then, fear defaulted me to more traditional defense. I crouched into a defensive stance, and for quite some time, was pressed into blocking his wild attacks. I had just enough rational thought left to keep away from both the kids, and the other Adonai, who were looking at Ephraim with a tinge of fear. This kept on for four or so minutes, before some spectator, I couldn't tell if it was a student or Adonai, thought to throw in a splash of water at us, dousing Ephraim and putting the fires out. I blocked his next swing quite well, moving inside his swing and cracking him across the head with a left hook. He stumbled, and I stepped closer, swinging hard into his plexus with quite a bit of Force. He coughed once, then slumped against my shoulder. I let him slip to the ground, and leapt back to the students’ side. He curled up into a ball and just lay there, groaning. The rest of the Adonai hesitated a bit, then, seemingly reaching a consensus, stepped back. One of them pulled out a cellphone, and made a call. A little bit later, a car and two vans pulled up, the latter with the Adonai logo on their sides. Out of the backseat of the car, a youngish man, maybe 20 years old, stepped out. He had a full-sleeved formal shirt on under the Adonai cloak, and the cloak itself was more flamboyant, more like a coat. He walked up to me and offered a hand.

“Hello. I suppose you are the Gifted who stopped our recruitment. My name is Sarvesh. I am something of a leader in this branch of the Adonai. Well met, I hope.”

 

         His voice was low, and seemed to reverb. It sounded as if he was speaking using the lower keys on a piano instead of with vocal chords. I took his hand, and he gave it a short, firm shake.

         “Vidyut. Sorry about that, but he did attack me first.”

 

         I gestured at Ephraim’s still prone form with a nod. He smiled, shook his head as if to say, don't worry about it, and turned to Ephraim.

         “Get up.”

 

         His voice changed marvelously, into a sharp, growling bark that sent a hollow fear clutching my gut for a split second, before I gained control of myself again. Ephraim, however, wasn't as steely, and leapt to his feet,  trembling in abject terror. I pulled up my Sight, almost unconsciously, as he started talking, back to the honeyed voice.

         “Ephraim, my man, you were given so much! I forgave your eccentricities, I gave you  small band of my children to help you in recruitment, and what do you make of it? You degrade to violence, you threaten teenagers, and worst of all, you disgrace our benevolent name?! Ephraim, Ephraim, Ephraim…”

 

         His face twisted into a scowl, and his voice dropped to the rough one again.

         “How disappointing!”

 

         Ephraim cowered, flinching away from the words like they were physical blows. This guy’s Gift seemed to be related to the voice changes that affected Ephraim so strongly, and small ripples seemed to emanate from him every syllable. Every ripple that hit Ephraim made him shudder a tiny bit.

         “I'm, – that is to say, I – Sir–”

         “Quiet.”

 

         Ephraim stopped speaking, though his mouth kept moving for some time after, as if he wasn't able to speak.

         “Well, your demotion or banishing isn't mine to decide, unfortunately enough. We'll talk further later.”

 

         Ephraim dejectedly walked over to the vans, turning just at the footboard to snarl at me. Sarvesh turned to me again, a polite smile back on his face.

         “Well, now, Vidyut. I believe you have met others from our little group here. I do wish you'd make your impressions of us based more on them than that pitiful shell. In fact, why don't you consider joining? You would be a great countering influence on our more impressionable children.”

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         Even knowing the effect his voice had, I still found it difficult to resist agreeing so completely with him that I looked like a chettiyar bobblehead.

         “Tempting offer, sir, but I think I'll refuse. Afterall, mad Effie there’s still in your clique, and I'd rather appreciate staying away from him.”

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        His face source for a bit, then, with an effort, he pulled it back into a smile. A bit tighter than earlier, but you've got to give the man credit.

         “Well, it can't be helped, I suppose. If you happen to change your mind, we are quartered above the old Santhome Cathedral. I assume you know know the place.”

 

         I nodded, and he turned back and left, along with the rest of the Adonai. I was just about to leave, when a kid tugged at my sleeve.

         “Do you give autographs, mister?”

         “Why do you ask?”

         “That fight was amazing, that's all.”

 

         He pulled out a smartphone, and opened the camera.

         “A picture, at least.”

 

         I shrugged, then as he asked, summoned my wings for the pic. I saw a car marked ‘Official Reporter’ pull in just as I left.

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