Status: Summery may change in the near future...
Powerless
Quatre
“Adrian, you know you can’t keep this up much longer,” A voice said, his voice coated with hesitance and concern.
Adrian was hunched over, taking in deep breaths. His anger was white hot through his mind, but shock and worry was shaking his body. Gabriel placed a hand on his friend’s bare shoulder, squatting down to his hunched figure. “Adrian-“
“I know!” Adrian exclaimed, standing up suddenly, grabbing at his hair, “I know, Gabriel, but I can’t… You know what danger lies ahead if I present myself to her…”
He sat back down, struck down in defeat and in conflict with himself. “Adrian, I know it’s dangerous to show yourself to her, but you have to make a choice. Cower here away from her, and let her get in the hands of the Keepers, or go to her and protect her.”
Adrian took a deep breath, shaking his head, “Gabriel… what do I do?”
Adrian was hunched over once again, almost seeming on the brink of giving up. Gabriel placed a comforting arm around his friend’s shoulders, “It’s in her right to know the truth about everything.”
Adrian swallowed, his mind going a different direction. She was once protected from everyone. It was his fault for getting her in this situation, so he’ll do his best to keep her safe. It was his duty, his life mission. He nodded at Gabriel, “It’s time she learns the truth.”
Gabriel gave him an encouraging smile, “Alright. It’s too dangerous for you to go out. Stay here, I’ll go get her.”
Adrian nodded, sighing some. Gabriel left him there, leaving the room. Adrian saw everything. The close accident Eliza had not a few hours ago. His soul was connected to hers, so he wasn’t within her mind set often. Every once in a while, he’d get a glimpse of her thoughts if she was thinking deeply about something or saw what she saw through her eyes if she had a rise of emotions.
He knew so much about her, even the nightmares she had every night. Every night for the past ten years he shared those dreams with her night after night. The mere fact that her dream was a part of his memory was something he couldn’t let go. His memory took over what she remembered that day. He had no control over the dream she had. He wished he could stop it, but he couldn’t. It was impossible, because she could never forget.
It was because of that he couldn’t forgive himself. It was his fault for letting her parents die. He couldn’t let Eliza die though. It wasn’t just because she was the last of the Shadowborn. It was way more than that. There was something about her Adrian felt familiar with, a connection he hasn’t felt in centuries.
A knock was heard on the bedroom door, causing Adrian to come out of his thoughts. It was Gabriel, “I’m leaving now.”
Adrian nodded, “Be sure to take your time in gaining her trust, she’s a hard one to get through.”
“Don’t worry. I know this already,” Gabriel said with a small smile, “The two of you are a lot alike than you think.”
He saluted Adrian a goodbye before shutting the bedroom door. Adrian scratched his forehead, letting out a breath he didn’t know he was holding. “That’s what I’m afraid of, Gabe. I don’t want her to be anything like me.”
Eliza took a deep breath, letting the frosty, cold air settle in her lungs before exhaling. The air was silent except for the sound of the whistle the coach had, blowing every time the footballers needed to switch forms in their exercises. Football season was over, but the coach made sure to keep his players in shape. Their practice was running over today, for some reason, so Eliza waited on Tyler, watching him practice.
He took his practices seriously, compared to the other players. The coach often held an eye on him, knowing that Tyler was his star player. It was Tyler’s leadership and skill that made them have a perfect season so far. Eliza knew that Tyler took pride in that, but she also understood how he was getting sick of the constant push of being the best.
She leaned against the railing, watching Tyler. He was in shorts and a cut-off, considering how cold it was. She hoped he wouldn’t get sick and thought about having a quick coffee date after school, but the memory of the near-accident from a few days ago stopped her. The incident clenched onto her heart more than it should’ve but she couldn’t get over it. Sure, it reminded of the accident she had when she was younger, but that was not the point.
That man she saw, she knew she saw him. There was no doubt in her mind that she saw him. Tyler did too, though he kept coming off as if he didn’t. Every time she asked, he’d just give her a tight smile, telling her to just not worry about it. He knew the near-accident was traumatizing to her, but she saw it. The fear hidden in his eyes every time she brought up the incident.
Who was that man, though? The man that seemed to blow up in smoke. Perhaps she was seeing things. She rested a hand against her cold cheek, sighing some. She was bored now, so her eyes lingered elsewhere besides the field. He eyes were caught to where the concessions building. She stared for a moment before moving her eyes to where the locker rooms were beside the concessions.
Something caught her eye. A dark shadow, darker than the shadows casted off from the setting sun. She continued to stare, trying her best to decipher the shape. It looked to be the shape of a man. The silhouette was leaning against the side of the building, as if casually standing there. He wasn’t moving the slightest bit, and nobody but Eliza seemed to be the only one to notice him.
Something about her twitched when the man finally moved his head forward some. He looked over toward her direction, offering the bitterest smile someone could offer. She saw the sun’s dimming light reflect in his eyes and teeth. Before she could process what was happening, the man was talking to her. At this distance, there would be no way she could hear him as clearly as she did.
“You better watch out Shadowborn. Your time is about up.”
Eliza’s mouth gaped in shock. What?
“Eliza!” Tyler called up the bleachers.
She looked down, seeing Tyler waving his arm. Practice was over and he wasn’t going to change back into his clothes. He had a jacket on, ready to leave. Eliza looked back at the concessions, noticing that the man wasn’t there anymore. She swallowed some, then forced a smiled down at Tyler before leaving the bleachers to go home.
“You okay?” Tyler asked as he grabbed her cold hand.
His hand was hot and seemed to thaw out her fingers some. She shrugged, “Yeah, I’m fine.”
His hand tightened around hers. He thought she was still worried about the near-accident before. An idea came to mind and he tugged on her arm, “Hey, mind if I come over for a little bit?”
She smiled at his idea, “Sure.”
Adrian was hunched over, taking in deep breaths. His anger was white hot through his mind, but shock and worry was shaking his body. Gabriel placed a hand on his friend’s bare shoulder, squatting down to his hunched figure. “Adrian-“
“I know!” Adrian exclaimed, standing up suddenly, grabbing at his hair, “I know, Gabriel, but I can’t… You know what danger lies ahead if I present myself to her…”
He sat back down, struck down in defeat and in conflict with himself. “Adrian, I know it’s dangerous to show yourself to her, but you have to make a choice. Cower here away from her, and let her get in the hands of the Keepers, or go to her and protect her.”
Adrian took a deep breath, shaking his head, “Gabriel… what do I do?”
Adrian was hunched over once again, almost seeming on the brink of giving up. Gabriel placed a comforting arm around his friend’s shoulders, “It’s in her right to know the truth about everything.”
Adrian swallowed, his mind going a different direction. She was once protected from everyone. It was his fault for getting her in this situation, so he’ll do his best to keep her safe. It was his duty, his life mission. He nodded at Gabriel, “It’s time she learns the truth.”
Gabriel gave him an encouraging smile, “Alright. It’s too dangerous for you to go out. Stay here, I’ll go get her.”
Adrian nodded, sighing some. Gabriel left him there, leaving the room. Adrian saw everything. The close accident Eliza had not a few hours ago. His soul was connected to hers, so he wasn’t within her mind set often. Every once in a while, he’d get a glimpse of her thoughts if she was thinking deeply about something or saw what she saw through her eyes if she had a rise of emotions.
He knew so much about her, even the nightmares she had every night. Every night for the past ten years he shared those dreams with her night after night. The mere fact that her dream was a part of his memory was something he couldn’t let go. His memory took over what she remembered that day. He had no control over the dream she had. He wished he could stop it, but he couldn’t. It was impossible, because she could never forget.
It was because of that he couldn’t forgive himself. It was his fault for letting her parents die. He couldn’t let Eliza die though. It wasn’t just because she was the last of the Shadowborn. It was way more than that. There was something about her Adrian felt familiar with, a connection he hasn’t felt in centuries.
A knock was heard on the bedroom door, causing Adrian to come out of his thoughts. It was Gabriel, “I’m leaving now.”
Adrian nodded, “Be sure to take your time in gaining her trust, she’s a hard one to get through.”
“Don’t worry. I know this already,” Gabriel said with a small smile, “The two of you are a lot alike than you think.”
He saluted Adrian a goodbye before shutting the bedroom door. Adrian scratched his forehead, letting out a breath he didn’t know he was holding. “That’s what I’m afraid of, Gabe. I don’t want her to be anything like me.”
* * *
Eliza took a deep breath, letting the frosty, cold air settle in her lungs before exhaling. The air was silent except for the sound of the whistle the coach had, blowing every time the footballers needed to switch forms in their exercises. Football season was over, but the coach made sure to keep his players in shape. Their practice was running over today, for some reason, so Eliza waited on Tyler, watching him practice.
He took his practices seriously, compared to the other players. The coach often held an eye on him, knowing that Tyler was his star player. It was Tyler’s leadership and skill that made them have a perfect season so far. Eliza knew that Tyler took pride in that, but she also understood how he was getting sick of the constant push of being the best.
She leaned against the railing, watching Tyler. He was in shorts and a cut-off, considering how cold it was. She hoped he wouldn’t get sick and thought about having a quick coffee date after school, but the memory of the near-accident from a few days ago stopped her. The incident clenched onto her heart more than it should’ve but she couldn’t get over it. Sure, it reminded of the accident she had when she was younger, but that was not the point.
That man she saw, she knew she saw him. There was no doubt in her mind that she saw him. Tyler did too, though he kept coming off as if he didn’t. Every time she asked, he’d just give her a tight smile, telling her to just not worry about it. He knew the near-accident was traumatizing to her, but she saw it. The fear hidden in his eyes every time she brought up the incident.
Who was that man, though? The man that seemed to blow up in smoke. Perhaps she was seeing things. She rested a hand against her cold cheek, sighing some. She was bored now, so her eyes lingered elsewhere besides the field. He eyes were caught to where the concessions building. She stared for a moment before moving her eyes to where the locker rooms were beside the concessions.
Something caught her eye. A dark shadow, darker than the shadows casted off from the setting sun. She continued to stare, trying her best to decipher the shape. It looked to be the shape of a man. The silhouette was leaning against the side of the building, as if casually standing there. He wasn’t moving the slightest bit, and nobody but Eliza seemed to be the only one to notice him.
Something about her twitched when the man finally moved his head forward some. He looked over toward her direction, offering the bitterest smile someone could offer. She saw the sun’s dimming light reflect in his eyes and teeth. Before she could process what was happening, the man was talking to her. At this distance, there would be no way she could hear him as clearly as she did.
“You better watch out Shadowborn. Your time is about up.”
Eliza’s mouth gaped in shock. What?
“Eliza!” Tyler called up the bleachers.
She looked down, seeing Tyler waving his arm. Practice was over and he wasn’t going to change back into his clothes. He had a jacket on, ready to leave. Eliza looked back at the concessions, noticing that the man wasn’t there anymore. She swallowed some, then forced a smiled down at Tyler before leaving the bleachers to go home.
“You okay?” Tyler asked as he grabbed her cold hand.
His hand was hot and seemed to thaw out her fingers some. She shrugged, “Yeah, I’m fine.”
His hand tightened around hers. He thought she was still worried about the near-accident before. An idea came to mind and he tugged on her arm, “Hey, mind if I come over for a little bit?”
She smiled at his idea, “Sure.”