Read Online Aliomenti Saga 6: Stark Cataclysm by Alex Albrinck - Free Book Online
Authors: Alex Albrinck
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had no inherent talent, as my parents are both quite human, not well-known, immortal Energy masters.” She laughed at the look of shock on his face, eyes twinkling mischievously. “I’ve been everywhere, Fil. I’ve been to the Cavern and the ports. I’ve ridden in the subs and flown… obviously. I’ve studied Aliomenti and Alliance history. That’s how I know who you are, who your parents are, and what you can do.”
He nodded. That part made sense. “But you can’t… do the same.”
She shook her head. “I chose not to take the morange and zirple.”
He blinked. That was unusual. He knew it was permissible in the Alliance to make such a choice, but had never heard of or met anyone who’d chosen that path. “I’m truly curious. Why not?” He hoped he hadn’t given offense.
She shrugged in nonchalance. “I like to be challenged to the highest possible degree. I hid myself in high school, trying to avoid notice, trying to fit in by not sticking out. You were always nice to me, even if you didn’t really know who I was or anything about me. Always said hello, held doors, offered me a spare pen if I couldn’t find mine. That helped me to realize something as we started our final year. I hadn’t challenged myself in high school in any way. I just hid from everyone and everything. I didn’t stick my neck out to be nice to someone, or stand up for them. I was too frightened of the possible backlash that might come if I sided with the wrong person. I’d decided that day that I was going to change, to challenge myself in every way possible to the greatest degree possible. I’d tried avoiding everything, and I didn’t like myself as a result. What better way to work on being the new me, that day, than to stand up for you when those bullies came after you?” She shook her head. “I didn’t really understand everything. You were as open with me as you could be, given the nature of your secret. Me? I could never figure out how to open up. And we grew apart.”
Her face turned serious. “After my recruitment, I learned about the power Energy users possess. I learned about you and your sister, learned that those boys only lived that day through a sheer test of will on your part. It made me realize that while power that great is its own challenge, obtaining power of that sort, even if to a much lesser degree, would feel like… I dunno, a cheat code. Do you know what those are?”
Fil shook his head. “Not really.”
She nodded. The view screen briefly distracted him; the scenery below them looked strangely familiar. He wasn’t certain where they were going. But he trusted her. “In video games, a cheat code basically lets you win without developing the deep skill required to do so. It would be a secret code to let you run much faster than everyone else, or gain ten times the strength you’d otherwise have, or be invincible to attacks by others. When I learned about the abilities I’d develop with Energy… it felt like a cheat code. And so I’ve chosen to play the game with my human limitations. It’s a challenge that I enjoy.”
Fil stared at her. He felt inspiration at her story… and he was incredibly jealous.
“I wish I could be you,” he said.
She cocked her head. “Seriously? Why would you be jealous of me?”
He nodded. “I wake to the sensation and smell of my skin burning from the inside each day. I can’t lose control, because if I do, if I’m angry… I knocked over a three hundred year old tree when I was six, Sarah, just by laughing at my dog.” He felt a lump in his throat; he’d never seen Smokey again, and missed her. “Nobody knows how much damage I would do now if I lost control while angry. And the buildup over time makes it worse. I have to find scutarium-shielded buildings and throw off as much Energy as I can as often as possible.” He shook his head. “I go to the Cavern and the people there, they think I’m special, that they want to be me. They think I’m
He nodded. That part made sense. “But you can’t… do the same.”
She shook her head. “I chose not to take the morange and zirple.”
He blinked. That was unusual. He knew it was permissible in the Alliance to make such a choice, but had never heard of or met anyone who’d chosen that path. “I’m truly curious. Why not?” He hoped he hadn’t given offense.
She shrugged in nonchalance. “I like to be challenged to the highest possible degree. I hid myself in high school, trying to avoid notice, trying to fit in by not sticking out. You were always nice to me, even if you didn’t really know who I was or anything about me. Always said hello, held doors, offered me a spare pen if I couldn’t find mine. That helped me to realize something as we started our final year. I hadn’t challenged myself in high school in any way. I just hid from everyone and everything. I didn’t stick my neck out to be nice to someone, or stand up for them. I was too frightened of the possible backlash that might come if I sided with the wrong person. I’d decided that day that I was going to change, to challenge myself in every way possible to the greatest degree possible. I’d tried avoiding everything, and I didn’t like myself as a result. What better way to work on being the new me, that day, than to stand up for you when those bullies came after you?” She shook her head. “I didn’t really understand everything. You were as open with me as you could be, given the nature of your secret. Me? I could never figure out how to open up. And we grew apart.”
Her face turned serious. “After my recruitment, I learned about the power Energy users possess. I learned about you and your sister, learned that those boys only lived that day through a sheer test of will on your part. It made me realize that while power that great is its own challenge, obtaining power of that sort, even if to a much lesser degree, would feel like… I dunno, a cheat code. Do you know what those are?”
Fil shook his head. “Not really.”
She nodded. The view screen briefly distracted him; the scenery below them looked strangely familiar. He wasn’t certain where they were going. But he trusted her. “In video games, a cheat code basically lets you win without developing the deep skill required to do so. It would be a secret code to let you run much faster than everyone else, or gain ten times the strength you’d otherwise have, or be invincible to attacks by others. When I learned about the abilities I’d develop with Energy… it felt like a cheat code. And so I’ve chosen to play the game with my human limitations. It’s a challenge that I enjoy.”
Fil stared at her. He felt inspiration at her story… and he was incredibly jealous.
“I wish I could be you,” he said.
She cocked her head. “Seriously? Why would you be jealous of me?”
He nodded. “I wake to the sensation and smell of my skin burning from the inside each day. I can’t lose control, because if I do, if I’m angry… I knocked over a three hundred year old tree when I was six, Sarah, just by laughing at my dog.” He felt a lump in his throat; he’d never seen Smokey again, and missed her. “Nobody knows how much damage I would do now if I lost control while angry. And the buildup over time makes it worse. I have to find scutarium-shielded buildings and throw off as much Energy as I can as often as possible.” He shook his head. “I go to the Cavern and the people there, they think I’m special, that they want to be me. They think I’m
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