The Power

A dazed teen, woke up in a hot scorching desert of who knows where. How or when he got there was an upsetting mystery for his head to be bothered with. ‘First thing first, where is my phone?’ he thought as he checked his pockets. 

Sadly, his search yielded nothing. This was the worst hoax of his life (if it was a hoax). Last night he was out parting at his friend’s house and this morning he woke up in the middle of nowhere. Out of ideas he starts walking in the unforgiving heat of the sun in search for shelter.

Ash was a sophomore at Eagle east high in Florida, a quarterback in the school football team, and notoriously popular for all the wrong reasons you can think of. He was loved and hated by all.

Today was Saturday, a day he probably would have spent sleeping off the effects of his heavy drinking. Ash scratched his head as his hangover started wearing off. ‘What happened last night?’

..............................................................................................................

At the same time, somewhere in Nevada City, a young man with black slick hair, desparate gray eyes, dressed in a grey suit waited nervously in a board room of a very powerful corporation, Liberty Hills. His code name was Panic because in any kind of situation he was never calm. And today he was extremely agitated for a good reason. He was waiting for a very dangerous and fearsome man, his boss.

Mr. Hills in the eye of the public was the embodiment of a successful business man with a net worth of over a billion dollars. He gave generously to charities, causes and sponsored many scholarship. In the underworld, he was the ruthless leader of an ancient group of assassins that draw its power from darkness.

“Panic”, greeted a Mr. Hills as he entered the room. “I see you are doing well.”

Panic nearly jumped out of his skin. He was sweating like crazy and his heart rate doubled with every minute that passed by.

“Sir,” he responded.

“I won’t beat around the bush, Panic. I already know what happened last night at that house party in Florida.”

“Mr. Hills, I..I..can explain...”Started Panic.

“That won’t be necessary! You failed to take out the target last night and nearly exposed your abilities in public!” Mr. Hills exploded as he glared at Panic.

The air pressure in the room spontaneously dropped. Panic was struggling to breath.

“Please....sir, give me....another chance”, Panic choked as he gasped for air. “I won’t...fail...this time.”

Mr. Hills’ stone cold look softened as he considered Panic. 

“Very well but to make sure you don’t repeat your mistake, your siblings will go with you.”

The tension in the board room finally subsided and the air pressure normalized. Panic was too grateful he took deep breathes as he pathetically grovelled at Mr. Hills feet.

“Thank you sir, I...I...will make sure the target is toast.”

“Just get rid of him, Panic. Do not disappoint me or you'll be toast”, responded Mr. Hills as walked out of the room.

Panic breathed a sigh of relief.

“Ugh, you are so pathetic little brother”, Said a new voice.

“Vivi, How long have been here?” asked Panic without bothering to look for her presence.

“Long enough to see you humiliate yourself in front of father”, answered Vivi the Malicious as she materialised in front of Panic.

She was dressed in an elegant dark slim fit gray suit with her long black tied in pony tail.

“Listen, I don’t have time to play games with you. I’m going to find that green horn and when I do I will make him pay for my humiliation.”

Vivian chuckled lightly.

"You humour me little brother. Do you really think you can take him on with his powers awakened?"

Panic was about to say something but stopped. Vivi was right and he hated that.

“No, Panic. WE’LL make him pay", she said as smiled coldly.

Back in the desert, the sun was past its zenith. Ash was not in the best of shapes.He was hungry, dehydrated and irritated. His hang over gone, left him with blotches of memories of the party. 

There was a guy with slick black hair who picked a fight with him. They brawled outside for a few minutes and then the coward started running.

Ash suddenly paused in his tracks, rubbed his irritated blue eyes just to make sure he was not seeing a mirage. There before him was a cave on the side of a hill, not very big but perfect for hiding from the intense desert heat. He gladly made himself comfortable in his new comforting haven. 

Ash had slept so soundly that he did not realise when day turned to night. It was the howl of a wild animal that gave him a start. He blinked as his senses adjusted to the darkness. He felt a lump in his chest as he remembered the happy smiles of his young siblings, Link and Chelsea. His parents on the other hand...

“Sooooooooooo...this is what I’m working with today, huh?”

Ash fearfully slowly turned his attention in the direction of the childlike voice. Its owner was a ghostly pale blue figure of kid not much older than 6.

Ash eyed the ghostly looking child suspiciously. Hallucinations ordinarily occured in the day and under certain conditions. Ash was famished but hadn’t fully met those conditions.

“Who are you?” he asked.

“I am an old acquaintance. Some call me the enigma of space and time. Others call me the clever one and a few who truely know me call me THE POWER!”

Ash blinked unimpressed.

“You still haven’t told me who you are.”

“Tsk, tsk, tsk aren't you clever but...you are right. My name is Meggaera Di but call me Meg for short. Who and what I am would take ages to explain especially now that we are running out of time. Just know I am the power within you and the reason you are here in the desert.”

Ash was now half way standing in the cave, he nearly bumped his head.

“So from what I’ve gathered”, he started. “You are not human, you are not a ghost, and you are not a hallucination. Are you...a girl or a boy?”

“I’m a girl, you twit!”

“Sorry but I can barely see in the dark and you never know these days. Would you mind standing outside the cave with me?”

Meggeara sighed heavily as she matched towards the mouth of the cave, her feet touching the ground soundlessly. 

In the light of the crescent moon, Ash was able to clearly see her silhouette. She was dressed in 19th century boys clothing.Her adult eyes sparkled like two giant diamonds in the light of the moon, her ears were slightly pointy and her black hair was tied up in a beautiful plait with gold thread.

 “Wow..., you are definitely not human”, Ash responded.

“Course not!” responded an irritated Meg. "I already told you I'm the power within you."

Ash realised that she had a passionate personality and a quick fire temper.

“Ash, you have to listen carefully to what I’m about to say. This desert is nothing compared to what you’ll be dealing with in less than 8 hours.”

“8 hours? What am I about to face?” Ash asked.

“How much do you remember of Friday night?” Meg asked.

Ash was taken aback for a moment. This morning he could barely remember anything but at that moment...his mind started working.

He remembered chasing that guy down the street and then they took off the ground...flying into the night sky.

“I remember everything”, he said after a few minutes.

Meg smiled.

“Good. That means we can get started.”

"What?” asked a puzzled Ash.

Slowly, yet steadily, Meg started glowing from paleish blue to a bright firery orange red.

“You’ll see”, she responded gleefully as she levitated a few feet off the ground.

Sunday morning, a storm of a battle was about to start as five flying strangers landed right in front of Ash. All were attired in dark gray designer suits.  

“Hello, Ash. We meet again,” greeted one of them.

The familiar voice, the black sleek hair and pale face...Ash knew this guy right away. 

“You...you are the coward I got into a fight with at the party!”, Ash yelled.

“Flattered you remember me”, Panic responded with a dark smile.

“Who are you? What do you want from me?” Ash asked suspiciously.

“We are the black Nepsis and we are here...to kill you”, Answered Gray the Judgementor. Among the five he was the most level headed and dangerous assassin. He was also the leader. “Vivi begin attack!” He ordered.

“Yes judgementor!”

Vivi raised her arms and looked upward.The wind picked up around her as she melted away into a twister as it heaing straight for Ash. Meanwhile, Panic had leaped into the air with his mighty power punch on ready. 

 The other two siblings had disappeared as the ground quaked and the sky darkened with flashes of lightening which danced wildly in his Ash's direction. Gray was behind Ash swinging a giant flame sword called worthy at his neck. 

Surely the odds were against Ash. But unlike Friday night, Ash was ready.

Within split seconds he took his stance ignoring everything that was happening around him. His entire body pulsated with blue glowing energy. He opened his eyes and unleashed...THE POWER.

Five hours later, Ash had entered his home. His clothes were torn to shreds, his blond hair a mess and his face covered in sweat.

“ASH?! Where have you been?” demanded his father. “Your mother and I have been worried sick about you? What happened to you?”

 Ash ignored him and walked away. His parents wouldn't believe him anyway.

“Where do you think you are going?! I’M NOT DONE WITH YOU! GET BACK HERE!” his father yelled. "I SAID GET BACK HERE!"

By then Ash was upstairs locked up in his room and crashing on his bed. 

His phone was still missing but he didn’t care. He opened his hand as a small blue flame danced in his palm. He marveled at the thought that he had super powers.

“I see you are having fun”, Meg said in his head.

“I guess so...” 

“I doubt you’ll be staying here long.”

In the background, Ash could hear his parents arguing, again.

“You got that right”, he mumbled as he nodded off to sleep.  

END