The Chosen - 11. Moments of Transition

[Chapter 11]

A perfectly good Sunday afternoon and how was I spending it? Oh yes, sitting in an Atlantean defense outpost, dubbed Command, being interrogated by Nathaniel about the battle in the Ever After two days ago. We sat in the conference room that held a long metallic table with high backed chairs. I felt a bit like an attorney sitting in a courtroom.

“Now repeat it again. Are you absolutely sure she said the Lords in Shadow?” Nathaniel asked for the third time.

I sighed in frustration. “I'm absolutely sure, Nathaniel. I’m guessing you know who they are since you're acting like Inspector Gadget with the twenty questions.”

Nathaniel steepled his fingers together and pensively staring down at the steel table. I caught the gazes of Ryan and Killian. They both returned my what the fuck expression with equally baffled looks.

I was getting a really bad vibe from Nathaniel. He was acting as if his favorite monkey had died or someone blew up a Twinkie factory. Mmmm twinkies. I shook my head. Get back on track. I could see the worry in his eyes. Whatever he was about to say was grave news indeed if Nathaniel was actually coming loose at the seams.

“Just tell us already,” Killian blurted out, slamming his hands on the table. “Who are these lord guys and why are you freaking out?”

Nathaniel visibly gathered himself together. “The best way to start would be in the past, during the time of Atlantis. When the city was destroyed and our people fled to the shores, you Chosen gathered together and made your last stand against the monsters.”

I frowned. “We know this story, Nathaniel. We gave our lives to seal them away in another realm. The Ever After.”

Nathaniel gazed at us, eyes dark with pain. “Sealing them away wasn’t your goal. It was only a last minute act of desperation.”

Ryan sucked in a breath. “Are you saying that we were losing?”

“And badly,” Nathaniel admitted. “You fought valiantly against the demonic forces and then you came up against them.”

“Them who?” I asked, failing to remember what he was describing.

“The Lords in Shadow. They're entities of immense power. They are things that soulless creatures pray to at night. Who do demons fear? Them. They are ancient in the truest sense of the word. Their power eclipsed your own and brought you to death’s door. It was a miracle that you all performed the ritual that sealed them away.”

As he was talking, a brief vision played in my mind and I could see a blackened landscape like something from a war zone. Bodies littered the cratered field. Gigantic beings covered in shadows loomed impossibly huge above us. In a loose circle, four armored figures draped in tunics held hands. It was us - our previous incarnations. There was an explosion of light and I blinked as the meeting room came back into focus.

I shuddered as goosebumps appeared on my arms. Was that how I died? I had sudden clarity about The Lords in Shadow. Something unlocked with that memory and feelings were now attached when I thought of their name. Fear. Hatred. Anger. So much anger boiled in my blood. I squashed the feeling down. I hated those monsters. Why? I didn’t know. They did kill, well, us. But it was more than that.

“I get it now,” I said with a dawning realization and looked at Ryan and Killian. “The Lords in Shadows are the demons to the demons. They smacked our last incarnations down. If they're setting their sights on Earth again we're outclassed.”

Killian stood. “That is bullshit!” He turned to Nathaniel. “How outclassed are we talking here?”

Nathaniel hesitated and then said quietly, “Outclassed enough that you should sit down and listen to every word with undivided attention.”

I waved my hand and Killian’s chair pulled out. He glared at me and I offered an innocent half smile. He plopped down and crossed his arms staring a hole in the table. I don’t think Killian liked the fact there were beings out there more powerful than us. Since especially during our last tango we only pulled a win by dying.

Ryan sighed. “We need to find Admerion as soon as possible then. If they're making plans to invade then we'll never every Chosen active and ready.”

I perked up at the mention of Admerion. I nodded along quickly almost breaking my neck. Ryan gave me a tiny smirk knowing why I was so excited. I couldn’t help it. In the past, I knew him intimately. I really wanted to know if that connection still existed in the present day.

Something vibrated against my leg and I almost yelped in surprise. I held it in since the three of them were intently discussing future scenarios and strategies of counter invasions. I pulled out my phone to looked at the text message notification. It was from Danny. I glanced up and they were still talking. I covertly looked back down at the phone and read the text. He wanted me to come see him at work later. I smiled goofily. Our date two days ago had been pure Disney. There was dinner, a cheesy accident that got good natured laughs, flowers, and then a romantic walk that got interrupted by a sudden rain shower. It was the best date I had ever had.

My fingers tapped at the screen at lightning speed. I promised to meet him later and ended it with a little heart and smiley face with its tongue sticking out. I was feeling a little cute. I put my phone away grinning and looked up to see everyone staring right at me. Damn so much for being covert.

Nathaniel narrowed his eyes. “Did you think we wouldn’t see you on your phone? Do you think I’m really stupid?”

I shrugged guiltily. “Well, not really stupid.”

I braced myself for the usual speech and sure enough, right on cue it came. I sighed inwardly ticking off the usual points. I was leader. I had responsibilities. I had a duty and destiny. It was always the same guilt speech. I admit to feeling bad but I was sixteen. I didn’t ask for any of this. I just wanted to be normal. And heaven forbid I did anything a kid my age would do. I used to spend my Sunday’s playing video games with Kevin. Now I’m sitting in an ancient buried stronghold plotting the fate of the world. Sorry if sometimes I wanted to act like someone who didn’t have the weight of the world on their shoulders.

I mustered up my most sincere face. “I’m so sorry, guys. I’ll try and pay more attention.”

They bought it hook, line, and sinker. I wasn’t sorry. I would pay more attention but excuse me if I actually wanted a normal life outside of this mystical one. I tuned back in.

“Remember that Centennial and the surrounding area barriers between this world and the Ever After are weak,” Nathaniel said. “If they're going to invade Earth this city will be their foothold.”

Ryan nodded and then pushed his glasses up his nose with a finger. “I agree. If we stand some type of chance against the Lords in Shadow we need to find Admerion.”

“I only vaguely really remember him,” Killian said, frowning in thought. “I do know he was powerful.”

If my dreams were correct I could remember the same thing. There were many times I had dreamed Admerion, though obscured by mist, do battle with monstrous enemies. Each time there didn’t seem to be a match. He defeated them with astonishing speed and strength. I knew in my bones that he was someone I didn’t want to see angry. It was like knowing instinctively that a lion although pretty could turn savage within a heartbeat.

“I'll ask my friends in the coven to do some scrying,” Nathaniel replied. “They're in contact with a few seers who could be of some help in finding Admerion’s current incarnation. It’s a long shot but it wouldn't hurt to ask.”

“Why is it a long shot?” I asked. “They led you to me right?”

Nathaniel shook his head. “You're different. You are the champion of magic. You're its avatar and any sensitive who is close or looks for you could pick you out easily. To a gifted eye, you stick out like a light in the darkness.”

Oh. “Too bad I can't put that on a resume."

“That’s why the rest of you were impossible to track down. While your powers lay dormant you were like any other mortal even to a trained sensitive.”

A beeping sound filled the air making our heads snap up at once. We shot out of our seats and ran from the conference room and down the hall. The control room’s doors slid open as we rushed in. The operations center was a circular room that held three main consoles filled with lit square buttons that controlled all the facility’s systems. Mounted on the wall was a large monitor made of glass filled with scrolling lines of blocky Atlantean symbols. If I squinted my eyes I could almost read the symboles, but I would lose focus and the meaning would slip my mind. Nathaniel went to a console and tapped a series of buttons. The screen came to life and an aerial map of the city appeared. A red light glared brightly at us amidst the all blue landscape.

“Is that what I think it is?” asked Ryan.

Nathaniel nodded, frowning. “The long range sensor arrays have picked up a sudden flare of extradimensional energy. Readings indicate Ever After activity. It’s coming from East Memorial Hospital.”

I glanced mournfully down at my cell phone and slipped it into my pocket. Sorry, Danny. Looked like I would have to meet you later than I thought. I looked at Ryan and Killian.

“Boys, looks like we’re back on the clock.”

I limped home a little after eight at night. The sun had long gone down and I was in need of a fresh shower and change of clothes. My limp was slowing lessening until only the smallest tinge of pain replaced it and then even that feeling passed. Accelerated healing was a perk of the job. I crept up to my room slinking past Morgan on the living room couch. Mom was working late at the office as usual. She was jonesing for a promotion real bad. While I missed her being home a lot, more money for our family was a plus.

I collapsed on my bed and released a deep breath. We didn't know what to expect when we got to the hospital. A ghoul sucking the life out of newborn infants was not one of them. It had placed the entire pediatrics floor under an enchanted sleep and warded the area to keep mortals away. It had been sickening to watch that thing feed on the life of the babies like some type of unnatural parasite. In its long, black hooded cloak its features were unrecognizable except for its withered, decayed hands.

Once we saw the little babes in their cribs, their eyes and mouths opened in soundless cries of terror, skin turning blue, we acted like a well trained team. Until it started to suck the lifeforce out of us. I shivered at the memory. After getting our asses handed to us by the fake ass Dementor, I devised a spell using our positive emotions to trap it in place, since it was a creature of negative feelings and malevolent intent.

It was Ryan who reminded us why he had the name the Executioner. He rattled off the information of ghouls and had an idea of killing it. Ghouls were born in the dankest, darkest corners of the spirit realm. So what better way to kill a creature of shadow than light? Killian, as the champion of light, brought forth a purifying radiance that scorched the spirit from existence... and also took out two walls in the process too. And I thought I had some power control problems sometimes.

I heard a loud Tarzan like cry and my eyes snapped open as a body fell on top of me. I groaned and pushed the grinning form of Kevin off me and onto the floor. He landed with a curse and glared at me through his dark bangs but couldn't hide his smile no matter how hard he tried.

I stared down at him on the floor and said bored, "Anyone ever tell you that you look like a male version of Kristin Kreuk?"

Kevin pouted like a hooker who couldn't pick up a trick. "That was low. You know I hate Smallville."

He started to mutter about "damn Luthor's and stupid, cum gobbling Lana Lang" with an unholy fire swirling in his eyes. At that point, I tuned him out. Kevin loved Smallville like I love Stargate, but he hated how the show turned into a big soap opera during it's later seasons. He was obsessed with watching reruns on Hulu. I didn't watch Smallville so I could only nod sympathetically and give him confused, half smiles when he went on his rants.

"And then sixth season- Chad! Are you listening?"

The world slammed back into focus and I frowned. "Oh, were you still talking?"

Kevin punched me in the shoulder. "You bet'cha knockoff Prada's I was still talking!"

"Hey! I thought they were real!" I retorted, rubbing my arm with a scowl.

He rolled his eyes. "They can't be too real if you bought them off a guy selling them on a corner."

"At least it wasn't as stupid as that time I told you it was chilly outside and you went and got a bowl!"

Kevin pointed at me dramatically. "You bastard! We swore never to bring that up. At least I've never entered a drag queen contest and won!"

I sneered. "At least I won! You came in third and cried!"

"I was being a good friend and supporting you," Kevin snapped. "You know I'm straight. Perfectly macho and butch I am!"

I snorted and muttered, "Could have fooled me. I wasn't going around kissing guys that night."

"I THOUGHT HE WAS A GIRL!" He cried loudly. "How was I supposed to know?"

"Kevin, he had on a blue wing, fake eyelashes, and was almost taller than you. And his Adam's apple was bigger than my fist."

Kevin growled at me. "At least I learned how to tell time before I was twelve!"

I stood up. "Hey, it's hard for some people!"

"When they're eight!"

We stood nose to nose and I could see the amber flecks speckled in his irises. I grinned at him suddenly and gave him a quick peck on the nose. He yelled loudly stumbling backing until he tripped over his own feet. He landed on his ass and looked up at me sourly.

"You little, loose hussy," he said, scrambling to his feet. "Why did you have to go and do that for? I haven't had a good verbal duel in a while and you go and ruin it. Thanks for the kiss. I probably have mono or something now. You're a real bitch and half sometimes."

I smiled at him sweetly. "Aw, you say the nicest things, Kevin Montero." He laughed and sat down at my desk chair. "So what's up? You come by looking for me to soothe your boredom I'm guessing."

"Why yes, Batman. How ever did you guess my nefarious plan?" Kevin deadpanned.

"It's because you have entertain me face," I answered him, pointing.

His face twisted into a pout. I laughed and grabbed some clean clothes from my closet. "Well, you can entertain yourself for a while. I'm about to grab a shower and then we can go to the mall. I have to see someone there."

Kevin's face lit up as if I told him it was raining vanilla pudding. "I know who you're going to see at the mall, lover boy. I want to meet the dude who has you looking like the heroine in a romantic comedy."

"On that note, I'm going now." I rolled my eyes. "No beating off in my room, you Ryan Potter look alike."

He shot me the finger and I closed my door to him humping the hell out of my mattress and fake moaning like a dog in heat. I snorted and crossed the hall to the bathroom. I turned on the shower and let the water run a bit to get hot. I shucked my clothes and jumped in. I spent fifteen minutes in the shower, got out, and spent ten minutes doing my hair.

I went into my room and stopped. Kevin was sitting in the corner with a blanket wrapped tightly around him, his face peeking through a small gap in the folds.

"Kev-kev? What's going on?" I asked, approaching him slowly. "Why are you on the floor?"

Kevin looked at me with wide and unseeing eyes. "I see dead people."

I blinked at him. "Are you fucking kidding me? A joke from 1999. Is Doc Brown outside right now with the DeLorean ready to take us back in time where you got the joke?"

"Sorry," Kevin grumbled getting to his feet, slinging the blanket on the bed. "They can't all be funny."

I snorted and grabbed my coat out of the closet beckoning Kevin to get a move on. He shot me the finger and took his sweet time to join me at the door. I rolled my eyes and we headed out to the mall.

I rubbed my hands to get some semblance of warmth to return to my cold fingers. I hated winter. Chad Summers and cold weather were just two things that didn't mix. Kevin laughed as my teeth chattered so hard I was sure they were about to shatter. I tugged my knit hit further down to cover my ears and scowled.

"Shut up, chuckles," I growled at him. "You know I hate the cold."

Kevin nodded, eyes lit with glee. "Oh I know, and its fun to watch you do an impersonation of Frosty the Snow Bitch."

"Sometimes I have no idea why I take your abuse," I replied, as we journeyed down the walkway toward Galactic Games.

The decorating committee or whoever got together to decorate the mall went all out this year. A Christmas tree stood in every corner and there were so many Santa's and wreathes that it looked like Christmas itself had thrown up in here. All the green and red was starting to make eyes hurt. Kevin was thinking the same thing and I had to drag him away from a brightly decorated Christmas tree as he screamed "Christmas seizure" and had a fit that would have made a three year old proud. I picked his shaking form up from the ground and smiled apologetically at a passing nun.

I glanced at my watch and it was half past nine. The mall closed at 10 so I hoped it wouldn't be busy so near to closing time. Less business meant the more time Danny had to talk to me. I was such an attention junkie. I glanced at Kevin who was doing this weird lip-licking seduction move toward two girls, who were swooning on the spot. I might be a junkie but Kevin was definitely an attention whore.

"Are you seriously eye fucking those girls?"

He nodded enthusiastically. "Of course. It's like sex but without all the mess."

I got a mental image and shuddered. That was like thinking of my own brother having sex. Kevin chuckled delighted at my disgusted expression and we walked into the arcade. The game area was occupied and only a few couples sat at the tables sharing a drink and pizza. Danny waved at me from behind the bar, his hazing eyes lighting up in delight. I flushed and waved back goofily pretending to ignore the barfing noises Kevin was making next to me. Adam was already at the bar top, wavy brown hair down and brushing his shoulders. He was dressed smartly as usual. A dark gray shirt and khaki pants wrinkle free made him like older and sophisticated.

Kevin and I slid into open stools near Adam. I offered him a polite hello. We weren't on the best of terms but I could at least manage a cordial greeting than just ignoring him altogether.

"Hey Chad, who's your friend?" Danny asked, slinging a towel over his shoulder. "Is this the famous Kevin that I've heard so much about?"

"More like infamous," I muttered. Adam let out a quiet snort so I'm guessing he was the only one who had picked that up. I wondered if was true about without sight having their other senses heightened.

Kevin raised an eyebrow. "Talk about me much, huh?" He grinned. "Well, that would indeed be me. And I'm guessing you're Danny."

Danny laughed brightly. "The one and only."

"So Danny why haven't I ever seen you around school? You look our age," Kevin asked with a nonchalant tone but I knew better.

I sighed inwardly. Kevin had a protective streak toward me when it came to me dating. I'm not closeted, but only a few people knew I was gay. Kevin had taken it upon himself to act as my guardian in the dating world. Since he goes on so many dates and me so few, or well none at all, he liked to make sure I wasn't getting in over my head. It was sweet in a Boy Meets World kind of way. At times it annoyed me but I had gotten used to it. It was one of his many quirks...many, many, many quirks.

"I go to a private school," Danny swiped a towel along the bar top. "Me and Adam both go there. I'm a senior this year. Adam's a junior so he's stuck there for a while."

"Don't remind me," Adam groaned. He was frowning with distaste at the subject.

"That's cool. Chad and I are only sophomores," said Kevin. He leaned forward. Not taking his eyes off Danny. Uh oh, he's let out his inner FBI interrogator. "So if you go to a private school your family must have money. So why are you working here?"

Danny blinked in surprise. I looked over at Adam and couldn't really gauge his expression since the sunglasses hid most his face but I could tell he was surprised as well. I wanted to just die. Somebody please just create a wormhole underneath me so I can just fall into a parallel world where I was rich and famous with a best friend who wasn't a wannabe Veronica Mars. I hung my head hiding my face from Danny. This was so embarrassing.

"Well," Danny said slowly, confused. "My parents are well off but I work here to earn extra money for college."

Adam chuckled. "And because Uncle Alex thinks you need character building."

Danny cringed. "That too."

I raised my eyebrows. "I didn't know that. Why would your Dad think you need character building?"

"Probably because Danny isn't known for his wise choices," Adam said. The smile on his face was innocent.

Too innocent. The others caught it as well. Danny's ponytail whipped around as he turned to level hazel eyes on his cousin. I guess it was a family matter. I could see Kevin open his mouth to do exactly that but I kicked his ankle and he yelped in pain, sending me a scorching look as he rubbed his ankle. I smiled at him sweetly and shrugged.

"So how long have you two been friends?" Danny asked.

Kevin's irritated look vanished and he grinned at me. "Our whole lives. We grew up living next to each other. We're practically brothers."

"I get that," said Danny. "Adam lives with us so it's more like he's my brother than my cousin."

"Don't remind me," Adam said playfully.

I smiled glad that their earlier heat had vanished. I still had a nagging curiosity to ask what that was about but it wasn't my place. Curiosity killed the cat.

"You guys know winter break is coming up," Danny announced. His tone hinted he was leading up to something.

Kevin nodded. "Hell, yeah I know. A month off school is my type of break."

I nodded too. December marked my five month anniversary of being awakened as Chosen. It was hard to believe so much time had passed but it was a relief that I had done alright so far. The world was still spinning after all.

"I'm throwing a party at my house since my parents are leaving for Colorado," Danny elaborated. "It's just me and Adam so we have the place to ourselves. I want you guys to come."

Danny grabbed my hand and gave it a squeeze. He sent me one of those heart pounding grins and I melted on the spot. Kevin made a barfing noise again and I ignored him. It wasn't hard.

Kevin half smiled and shrugged. "It sounds fun. I'll be there."

I caught a blur of movement and Adam hopped off his stool and headed for the door, cane extended and his pace was surprisingly swift. Something made me jump up and head after him. I was on my feet and at his side before I even realized it. I caught him just as he exited.

"Hey Adam, why the rush?" I asked, breathing a little heavily.

Adam frowned biting his bottom lip worriedly, then he exhaled slowly. Seeing the tenseness in his shoulders and I started to get a bit worried myself.

"Adam, I know we have a whole love-hate thing going, but you're starting to worry me."

"Don't go to that party, Chad," he said seriously.

I stared in shock. "Wait, what? Why not? Am I missing something here?"

Adam swallowed heavily and he shook his head, long, brown hair brushing his shoulders with the movement. I took a step forward and abruptly something in the air changed. A sort of static built up around us and felt like the Earth had tilted off its axes. For one dizzying moment, it felt like time itself fractured as I looked at Adam and his face was so very close to mine, his mouth partly open in surprise. Everything suddenly felt so enormous and important and scary and wonderful. There was a sort of building ache low in my belly that said listen and don't let him go.

I pushed back the sensation centering myself and was glad that the weird moment passed and everything returned to normal. Adam frowned in puzzlement and shook his head as if lost in thought. I needed to have a talk with Nathaniel. Were my powers starting to act up? I didn't have time to turn into Sabrina the Teenage Witch with her daily hijinks.

"Why don't you want me to go to the party?" I asked after a moment passed, praying he wouldn't bring up that weird power glitch or whatever.

Adam shrugged. "All that is gold does not glitter."

"A Tolkien quote, really?"

He placed a hand on my shoulder and we both jumped as something, static electricity maybe, sparked at his touch. He snatched his hand back as if burned and I frowned at my own hands and then looked at him, seeing confusion mirrored on his face.

"I-I have to go," Adam stuttered before spinning around and walking off.

"Adam, wait!" I called.

He didn't turn around. I watched him turn a corner and tried to narrow down the feeling that was blooming in my chest. What was going on? Why in the hell was my life suddenly turning into a soap opera and what was Adam trying to tell me? Was he even warning me or was he threatening me? I needed the Scooby Gang to figure this mystery out.

I walked back into the arcade in a daze absently rubbing the spot on my shoulder where Adam had touched. I stopped and took a moment to collect myself. If I walked in looking like Jar Jar Binks then Kevin would be on me like a plastic surgeon on a girl with low self esteem. I plastered a grin on my face and hopped back onto my seat.

"What was wrong with Adam?" Kevin asked. He took a sip from a tall glass of vanilla milkshake.

I shrugged and made up an excuse. "He had an appointment he was late for."

Danny came over at the moment. "Don't worry about it. Adam is always rushing off for something. The party's in three days. You coming, cutie?"

I hesitated. Adam's vague warning lingered in the mind. After a moment I nodded and grinned. If it wasn't as bright as usual no one commented.

"You know I'll be there."

I was Chosen. There was nothing I couldn't handle. A cryptic warning wouldn't scare me off but a sinking sensation settled in my heart. So why did it feel like I was letting Adam down?