The Order of the Elements 01 - Breaking Point (33 page)

Cassius set the heavy book on his desk with a loud thud and flipped it open. He shuffled through the pages for several minutes before an impatient sound burst out. It took Ethan a few moments to realize that he himself was the one that made the sound. Cassius looked up from his searching and seemed surprised to see them all there. Evan took advantage of Cassius’s distraction.

“Well, what happened to her?” he asked.

Cassius considered for a moment. “I do not know. I can only guess.”

Now was not the time for riddles. “What’s your guess then?” Ethan’s voice was a bit harsher than he had meant it to be. “Did she get possessed or something?”

That was his last theory, that Phoebe had been possessed. Cassius went back to his book before he answered. “Not exactly, no, but in a certain sense, yes.”

Was it so hard to give a simple answer to anything? Ethan howled in his head.

“What is that supposed to mean?” Cynthia asked.

Cassius gave up on the book for a minute and settled down in his chair before speaking. “She was possessed, but not by another person or entity. She was merely possessed with anger.” Everyone looked completely confused by this, aside from Dorian, who hadn’t ever looked away from Phoebe’s face, or moved at all for that matter. “Often when one is consumed by a strong emotion, most notably grief or anger, it can take over and change you. Under normal circumstances, what happened in the arena would not have been nearly enough to send anyone over that delicate line between rational and irrational. Most people will never experience grief or anger to the extent that Phoebe has today, and therefore will never experience what it is like to become possessed by their own emotions. Grief and anger are vicious demons waiting inside each one of us, ready to consume us at the first opportunity we will let them.”

“But she can’t have gotten that angry. She knew that we would be all right,” Jared said reasonably.

“You don’t understand. With Phoebe’s talent of Truth Seeking, it makes her more vulnerable to being taken over. Today she felt her own anger along with all of yours. Whatever was said by Kali before the match started seems to have pushed her fury over the edge, and she let her anger take over and control her.”

“Wait, are you blaming this on her?” Ethan asked. This wasn’t her fault. Phoebe would never have knowingly let that happen.

Cassius shook his head. “No, if anything I blame myself for not warning her about what could happen if she lost control. I never would have imagined that she would be put in that situation, not here at least.”

He shook his head again, clearly disappointed by his niece’s behavior that led to this situation. It appeared that if there was some sort of justice system, Phoebe would be getting a pass on this one. That was good news, if she ever woke up for them to tell her.

“So, what happened when her anger took over?” Ethan still didn’t quite understand.

Cassius eyed Dorian’s back for a minute as he thought over his answer. Dorian hadn’t moved, and Ethan was beginning to wonder if he was still alive. “There are certain amounts or intensities to the emotions that we feel. Some people have a higher tolerance level for fear, anger, grief, and other emotions than other people do. Phoebe undoubtedly has a high tolerance for every emotion. With her talent, she has to have a high tolerance or else everything she did would be ruled by others’ thoughts and emotions. However, everyone has a breaking point.

“When a person reaches their breaking point, they often let the emotion take over. They cut themselves off from the emotion that is causing them pain and surrender to it, letting it take control of their body and actions. Often people aren’t aware of how or when this happens, nor do they remember much of it. Anger is particularly powerful in the sense that it has no sense of right and wrong, it gives the body superhuman strength and speed, and enhances power. Sometimes there is no turning back when this happens.” Cassius’s voice was very soft for his last sentence.

However, Dorian flinched as if he had been screamed at. Ethan looked down at Phoebe and wondered if this all she would be forever—an ice cold, barely alive figure. Would they keep her alive if that was all she would ever be? He felt sick to his stomach at that thought. He briefly remembered television shows that had families grieving over the choice to take someone off of life support when there was no hope left. Was there no hope left for Phoebe?

As if he could hear Ethan’s thoughts, Dorian groaned and leaned forward. He rested one hand on Phoebe’s cheek and laid his head on her chest. Ethan took one of her freed hands and rubbed it between his own, trying to warm it.

He was hit by another thought, one that brought hope back to him. “You said sometimes there was no turning back, but Phoebe did come back, sort of. Before she passed out she was herself again.”

Cassius’s brow furrowed. “Yes, that’s true.” He seemed lost in thought for a few minutes.

“How did you stop her?” Evan asked.

“I didn’t. You did, along with Dorian and Lucy,” Cassius replied.

“Why did you want us all to come down?” Cynthia asked, “If it wasn’t going to do any good, what point was there in us all being there?” Cynthia was angry and had started pacing.

Cassius sighed. “Another theory.”

“Would you care to share that?” Ethan asked sharply.

They were wasting time. Surely the longer Phoebe stayed like this, the harder it would be to bring her out of it. Dorian was as still as a statue again. Ethan felt Phoebe’s pulse in her wrist, and he heard her heart beating quickly to match. Dorian’s ear was right over her heart. He had no doubts that he could hear it just as well there as across the room, but the way he was positioned made Ethan panic again. Was he waiting for her heart to start slowing and then stop? Was he staying close to the last sign of life that Phoebe had before that, too, was gone? Ethan almost forgot he had asked Cassius anything by the time he answered.

“I thought that maybe, with her particular talent, if she were to feel that your concern and love for her overruled your feelings of anger, that it would bring her anger back to a bearable level and she would be able to take her control back. I was right and wrong at the same time.”

“Wrong?” Jared asked with an edge in his voice.

Cassius nodded. “It appears that it had the effect that I wanted, though it seems the collision of the two powerful emotions has put her into an unresponsive, unaware state. However, she is still there, as is her anger.” A loud clap of thunder sounded outside. “I’m just not sure how to bring her back yet.”

“I think I have a theory of my own, if you will permit me to try, Cassius.” Lucy’s musical voice startled Ethan.

Cassius stood up from his chair and walked around the desk. He waved his arm, giving her the go ahead to try whatever it was. Lucy turned her concentration back to Phoebe and Dorian. Evan and Jared moved in around the dais, as did Cynthia. Ethan watched closely, trying to figure out what Lucy was going to do.

“Dorian, I need you to control it, pull it back to its normal level. Cynthia, I need you to concentrate on Kali. I need you to be irritated, but not angry. Jared and Evan, I need you to be as normal as possible, as if this were nothing more than an ordinary day,” Lucy instructed.

Ethan wasn’t sure how this was going to help, but Lucy sounded very sure. Dorian didn’t move, but Lucy didn’t reprove him either. He must have been doing whatever she had asked of him. Everyone else was still for a minute before concentrating on what Lucy had asked them to do. Cynthia closed her eyes and put her fingers to her temples. Jared and Evan walked to a corner of the room. They each closed their eyes as well.

Ethan?

Yes?
Ethan was surprised she was speaking to him this way.

I just need you to talk to me, just like this.

Why?
He suddenly felt drained and exhausted.

It’s part of my theory. How are you doing? Okay? I’m sorry I couldn’t ease your worries a few minutes ago. I think Phoebe will be fine, she thought, sounding very confident.

How can you sound so sure about that? he asked.

Because there are too many people here who won’t let her go. None of us will stop until she’s okay again.

Why? Because of
what
she is?
His thoughts had the sharp edge that his voice had a few minutes ago. He immediately felt bad for saying that. He didn’t want to hurt Lucy’s feelings.

My feelings aren’t hurt. I know you’re worried, I am too, but I really think this is going to work. And we won’t stop because of who she is, not what. We all love her. She’s like family to me. The others feel the same way, well, I mean, aside from Dorian; he loves her more than that, much more.

What are we doing then? How is this helping?

We are bringing her emotions back to where they normally are. Without all our strong emotions interfering, she should be able to bring herself back to her normal emotional state, Lucy explained.

That made sense, strong negative emotions had pushed her too far, and strong positive emotions had brought her back too quickly and conflicted with each other. Perhaps normalcy was what was needed right now, a chance to let her find her own way out.

Oh, it’s working! Look!

Ethan looked away from the closed balcony doors and back down to Phoebe’s face. It took him a minute to realize that Phoebe’s eyes were moving beneath her lids. It was a small movement, but better than nothing.

“That’s too much, Dorian. Let it go a little more,” Lucy instructed again.

What are you telling him to do? Ethan asked.

He’s very good about controlling his emotions and thoughts. His love for her is an emotion he keeps in check so as not to overwhelm her. I thought down in the arena that letting it all go would bring her back. It worked, but it was too much. Now he has to control it just right for this to work. Oh, look, it is working!

Ethan didn’t need her to tell him, not that he minded, but he had felt Phoebe’s hand twitch in his as she shifted her head around. Dorian sat up so quickly Ethan was surprised he didn’t get whiplash. Dorian stroked her face, her hair, her arms, as she slowly lifted her way back to consciousness. Her heartbeat didn’t slow, but she slowly opened her eyes. Dorian sighed in relief as the blue in her eyes became visible. She took in the room around her. She had to squint to focus her eyes.

Cassius spoke. “Evan, Jared, the training arena is being emptied; Sebastian was asked to retain someone. Can you please go see if they are ready to come up?” Even he sounded relieved.

Out of the corner of his eye, Ethan saw Evan and Jared leave to do as they were asked. Cynthia moved back to the dais and smiled. Phoebe, at last, seemed to recognize them all.

“What are we doing here?” Her voice was weak, and she was still squinting.

Dorian replied softly as he smoothed out her hair. “Something happened during your match. We were so worried.”

Phoebe frowned. “Did she get me before the whistle or something?”

Ethan could tell it was costing her a lot of energy to speak. “Cassius will explain in a minute. You rest now.”

Ethan didn’t know where she pulled the strength from. Her hand was still limp in his, but she slowly lifted her other hand to smooth out the stress lines on Dorian’s face.

“Something bad happened?” she whispered.

Dorian frowned. Yes, something bad had happened; however, it was apparent he didn’t want to tell her that she had almost killed someone. Not that it was completely her fault, but she would blame herself until the end of time. Dorian was spared having to answer as Phoebe’s eyes slid out of focus and she groaned.

“What? What is it?” Dorian asked, searching for the source of her pain.

Phoebe closed her eyes. “My head is all foggy. I can’t…think.”

She shifted her head slightly, and Ethan was sure that if she was strong enough she would have been shaking her head like she was trying to clear out the fog. She was quiet for a minute, and he was positive she had fallen asleep.

Will she be okay now? he asked Lucy.

I think so. She’s very weak right now; that took a lot out of her. But with some rest, she should be ready to go in no time, she replied confidently.

You’re amazing, he sighed.

Jared and Evan strode back into the room again. They were closely followed by Sebastian and a tall, dark-skinned girl. Cassius had been shifting through his book again. He must have found what he wanted because he now scanned the page he had stopped on. Evan and Jared resumed their guard positions, although this time by the dais. The girl kept shooting nervous glances down at Phoebe and seemed very uncomfortable. Sebastian looked like he was going to pass out at any second.

Ethan positioned himself to shield Phoebe from the nervous glances. After another minute, Cassius finished reading the page in his book and looked up.

“Ah, Morgan, thank you so much for coming. I presume you saw what happened?” Morgan nodded.

Cassius continued, “Very well, then. Dorian, could you please wake Phoebe up?”

Dorian lifted Phoebe’s head slightly and brushed her cheek lightly as he said her name a few times. After a minute, Phoebe grimaced and opened her eyes.

“What’s going on?” she asked sleepily.

“Cassius would like to talk to you if you’re up to it,” Dorian explained.

Phoebe nodded and her forehead wrinkled as she concentrated. “Can you sit me up, please?” she asked.

Dorian shifted her easily until she was leaning against his chest. She reminded Ethan of someone who had been given a large dose of painkillers. He remembered the feeling from when he had broken his leg when he was fifteen. It felt like floating around in a thick fog, unable to do or think about anything. Once Phoebe was comfortable, she squinted and looked around until she found Cassius, and her eyes stopped wandering.

“Phoebe, this is Morgan.” Cassius motioned to the girl. Phoebe drunkenly searched the room until she found the new addition before turning her attention back to Cassius. “She has the talent of Memory Projection. She is going to show you what happened in the arena. I want you to watch and tell me what you remember.”