Fledgling (The Vampire Manifesto, Book Two) (22 page)

Connor was leaned up against the locker next to me.

I glared at him “I told you that if I ever saw you again I would kill you.”

“I need to talk to you.” He said.

I walked off, heading to my class. There nothing he could say that I wanted to hear. Connor trailed after me, refusing to leave me alone.

“It’s important Madison.” He appeared in front of me. “You’re in trouble.”

“I told you to stay away.” I said.

“I’m here to help you.” He explained.

I was at my classroom door and I turned to face him. “I don’t want your help Connor.”

He just smiled and shook his head. “You say that now…”

“Listen to me.” I interrupted. “I don’t want your help. I don’t want anything from you. Ever.”

“Madison…”

“Just leave me alone.” I headed into class and Connor followed after me. I took a seat next to Abigail. The bell rang and students were rushing in as the teacher closed the door. Connor walked to the seat behind me.

He grabbed the kid sitting there on the shoulder and pulled him out of the chair. “Go sit somewhere else, tubby.”

“Uh…okay.” The boy exclaimed as Connor sat down.

Abigail looked up. “What’s he doing here?” She mouthed silently, pointing towards Connor.

I shrugged my shoulders.

The teacher was walking back to his desk when he saw him. “Looks like we have a new student here today.”

“Um…yeah. Hi, my name is Conner…” He waved to the class. “…and I’m a Pisces.”

“Do you have your paperwork from the office?” Asked the teacher.

“I’m not going to be here that long.” Connor said. “I’m just here to watch.”

The teacher seemed puzzled. “Watch what?”

All the power in the class shut off.

“That.” Connor stated.

None of the computers in the class were working and even though it was bright outside, the classroom still got considerably darker. The teacher went to try the office intercom, but that wasn’t working as well. Abigail gave me a worried look.

I turned around in my seat. “Connor what’s going on?”

“Remember when I said you needed my help?” He asked. “That you were in danger?”

Celestial energy matrix detected…

“I meant today Madison.” Connor leaned back in his chair. “They’re coming for you now.”

The door opened and a man entered, his physical manifestation causing everyone to scramble towards the rear of the class. I’ve only seen two Celestials before. Once in a dream and once on the shores of She’ol when I died. I’ve never seen a Celestial in real life. It was huge, almost ten feet in height, yet built bigger than football player. Its skin was extremely transparent, more so than Thanatos or Oneiroi. Even its hair lacked pigment, being the same color as the rest of its physique. Inside of its body was an obsidian lighting storm, which you could see much more clearly than the Celestials I met previously. Everything it wore was black; its shirt was only buttoned midway, so you could see the fusion at the core of its chest clearly.

“Hello Madison.” It stopped at front of the class. “And Prometheus as well, what a surprise. It’s like a two for one.”

I got up from my seat. “The Translucent Man.”

“I never really liked that name.” It smiled. “But it has served its purposes.”

“I believe you have something that belongs to me.” The Translucent Man raised his hand and as he did, the volcanic rock that surrounded my forearm began to strip away, streaming in the air towards him encasing his wrist and hand

Attempt at biomolecular degradation has been detected. Initiating counter measures…

There was a small detonation, the stream of black oil and volcanic rock imploding at the midway point between the Translucent Man and myself. I looked down at my forearm and found that everything that had been stripped away was reconstituting itself back while the Translucent Man watched as the pieces of black oil and volcanic rock that had wrapped about his forearm turned white and began to flake away.

Counter measures effective…

“This doesn’t belong to you…” The Blade formed inside my hand. “…anymore Osiris.”

That’s who he was. The reason people called him the Translucent Man is because his skin was translucent, just like all the Celestials skin were. Nevertheless, I knew who he truly was now.

I knew his name.

“Osiris.” He repeated. “Then I guess the time for games have come to an end, haven’t they?”

Connor was beside me in an instant.

“Don’t!” Osiris called out. “Don’t put yourself between a bullet and a target.”

“I don’t have any choice in the matter.” Connor replied.

This caused Osiris to pause. “You know I have miscalculated you at every step Prometheus and I must admit, you play the part of formidable opposition exceedingly well. Yet instead of me just…approaching you, talking to you directly….”

Osiris took a step forward. “You do comprehend there is nothing for you here, don’t you? You realize that she would never love you, not after what you have done, no, never after what you have done. She despises you for that. It disgusts her. All she can see is the monster you were. But me…”

Osiris pointed to himself. “I recognize the potential for power in you. I don’t see you as what you are or what you were, like she does. I look at you and witness what you are striving to become. I am Osiris, Celestial of Death. Look upon me and equate what that signifies. What I can offer you.”

He was trying to make some type of deal with Connor, as if he would ever make a…

“What?” Connor asked. “What can you offer me?”

“Well power for one.” The Celestial smiled. “Real power. What you have now, that is but a parlor trick. Sleight of hand sorcery at best. Come with me, Prometheus. Let me show you what real magic is.”

“I…” Connor looked at me. “…I want more.”

Osiris crossed his arms. “Of course you do. You wouldn’t be any use to me if you didn’t.”

“Connor!” I yelled. “What are you doing?”

“Surviving.” He answered.

“I know what it is you want.” Claimed Osiris. “I offer the one thing that you crave most in this world.”

“Don’t listen to him Connor.” I grabbed him. “It’s a trick. He’s trying to deceive you.”

“I am the Celestial of Death.” Osiris roared. “I have no need for deception. I can give you what you desire Prometheus. I can give you her.”

Osiris was pointing at me.

“No.” I said.

“Do you think that you are the only you?” Osiris asked. “I ride realities like the phoenix does the wind. I walk through the bleed of dimensions like the Pharaoh does the summer rain. Come with me Prometheus and I will find you that Madison, that perfect Madison who will love you for all eternity. Take my hand and let us begin this journey together.”

The Celestial held out his hand.

Connor turned to me. “Do you love me?” He asked.

“Connor….” It was as if he was staring into my soul itself.

He wasn’t beside me any longer.

I turned and he was standing next to Osiris and then reality seemed to overlap and then the both of them were gone.

I looked at Abigail. “What just happened?”

“I don’t know.” She replied.

“World Mind.” I called out.

Awaiting incoming query.

“Scan for Celestial energy matrix.” I demanded.

Initiating scan… processing… processing… scan complete. No Celestial energy matrix detected as far out as Jupiter.

“No.” I whispered. “Where did they go?”

World/Mind detects a faint bleed in reality. A quantum dimensional parallel shift has occurred.

“Can you track it?” I asked.

Insufficient soul consumption for tracking beyond current dimensional sphere.

“Damn it.” I yelled.

Abigail was to her feet. “What’s wrong?”

The front door open and Aiden rushed in. “Madison!”

“They’re not even in our dimension anymore.” I turned towards Aiden. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine.” He came over to us. “But when the electricity went out…”

“We need to get out of here.” Advised Abigail.

“Couldn’t agree with you more.” I exited from the classroom, Aiden and Abigail in tow. It was dark, none of the lights were on, yet it didn’t affect my vision in the least. I was heading for the stairwell doors by the window when I heard movement behind me at the other end of the hallway.

“Madison!” It was Principle Girard.

I turned towards her when the stairwell door opened and there was a gunshot. The sound of it reverberated throughout the hallway. Abigail flew backwards, slamming into the lockers then slid to the ground.

There was a bullet hole in the middle of her head.

“No!” Aiden screamed. He ran over to her, but even from here, I could sense she was dead.

A person stepped from the stairwell into the hallway, gun in hand.

“Ethan.” I hissed.

“Bullseye.” He declared.

Girard appeared beside me, her speed was just as fast as a Vampire. I went for Ethan, but he jumped, crashing out the window next to stairwell. We were three floors up. Ethan Blackwood landed on the roof of a car in the parking lot, crushing the windshield. He looked up at me and then saluted before sprinting off.

“Madison!”

I know that voice. I spun around and saw them. Graul. Amastacia. The Marauders had found us.

“Who are they?” Girard asked.

“Get Aiden to the car.” I demanded. “I’ll take care of this.”

Staci went to grab Aiden but he wouldn’t move. He was in a state of shock. He just sat there cradling Abigail’s lifeless body.

“Come on.” Girard pleaded. “We have to go.”

“We can’t leave her.” Aiden cried. “I can’t. I won’t.”

“Then take them both.” I began walking towards the Marauders, the Blade of Osiris flaring to life in my grasp. “Just get them the hell out of here.”

“The Blade of Osiris.” Amastacia stated. She took a step back then pressed the device in her in her ear. “Bodyslide by one.”

Incoming teleportation frequency detected…

Amastacia faded into nothingness.

“Your buddy there skipped out.” I announced. “Looks like your all alone now.”

He didn’t even flinch. “She was just the distraction.”

A woman landed on my back, her claws raking at throat. “Hello pretty.”

I went to reach for her but she pushed off my shoulders, landing on the lockers, yet she didn’t slide off. Her fingers dug into the metal, as did her feet as she scuttled along the row of lockers. From there she jumped to the ceiling, crawling across that, moving above my head, dropping down next to Graul.

“Nice one, Komchot.” Congratulated Graul.

I’ve never set eyes on this woman before. She was an Asian, though the specifics behind her exact linage, I was uncertain. She sported a cerulean, avant-garde, cybernetic glove and boot interface on each hand and foot, some form of interconnected, monofilament lattice, interlaced together with synthetically reinforced, electromechanical hard-light, that was straight-razor sharp at the tips. She was attractive; I’ll give her that, the Translucent Man evidently harvesting his Marauders based on calculated warfare proficiency as well as alluring bodily characteristics. Her hair cropped short, just above the shoulders and as she surveyed at me, she licked the tips of her hard-light sheathed fingers, savoring my lifeblood that was spilt upon them.

Normally a wound like that would have torn my throat out, but it barely even left a scratch. I dived towards Komchot, but she vanished just as Amastacia did. Graul fired his weapon and it seemed as if I was able to track it, bringing up the Blade of Osiris up to deflect the bullet. Out of instinct, I kicked behind me and struck Amastacia in the chest as she teleported in behind me.

Her body flew down the length of the hallway then vanished just before she hit the back wall.

“Ambrosia.” Graul exclaimed. “The World Mind injected you with it.” Amastacia and Komchot blinked into reality next to him.

I pointed the Blade of Osiris at them. “How do you know that?”

“You think you were the first person to ever wield that weapon before?” He said.

Attempting to isolate teleportation frequency…

Graul disappeared along with Amastacia. Komchot rushed me, ducking beneath the Blade as I swung, hitting me twice in the chest, then attempting a spin kick meant for my head. I brought my arm up and blocked it, then swung the Blade of Osiris towards her, but she vanished just as I drove it through her chest.

Amastacia appeared at my side, punching me in the face. I swung a haymaker, but then she vanished, Graul appearing on the opposite side of my punch, grabbing my arm and twisting, using my own momentum against me, knocking me to the ground.