32)
Suddenly another knock disrupted their conversation. It was the same rhythm that they had heard previously meaning it was ok for Alex to open the door. Allura and Anjinn entered looking furtively over their shoulders. As soon as the door closed Allura turned to Onyx.
“We have to be very careful.” She stated. “We know now that the Skin Crawlers have infiltrated the town of Haywreath.
“Allura’s right.” Anjinn agreed, “There is an atmosphere of growing distrust and menace that will erupt before too long.”
“Yes, I felt that when I was downstairs.” Alex said, almost instinctively, surprised that he was actually correct in his original assessment of the situation.
“Good, Creator.” Onyx replied. “Now you must learn to protect yourself against it.” He turned towards Allura again. “What else did you learn?” He asked.
“They know you are here, Alex.” Allura said.
“We have no choice now but to leave.” Anjinn stated. “I hope you are rested and fed, because I don’t know when we will get another chance.”
“Where will we go?” Alex asked, his dread mounting.
“We will have to head for the wood instead” Allura stated.
“That’s even worse!” Alex scoffed. “I don’t like that wood at all; it has a really bad feeling about it.”
Alex felt trapped between two definite hard places, with nowhere to go. The fear he had felt upon entering the tavern had been mounting and he didn’t know how to diffuse it. Onyx saw this and turned to him.
“Creator, there is nothing to fear.” He stated, motioning him to calm down. “These emotions need not to affect you. You should be able to block them out. You need to protect yourself against other energies, lest you become their puppet again.”
“How do you stop yourself from feeling those emotions then?” Alex asked.
“I did not say stop feeling. You will need to feel in order to gauge the mood of the situation.” Onyx explained further. This was important but he was also aware that time was of the essence. “Imagine your body as a system; in normal circumstances it would be open, without you knowing about it.”
“How do you mean open?” Alex asked, bemused.
“Now is not the time to go into the intricacies of our power centres.” Onyx said abruptly. “Suffice to say that your system is wide open, which is why you are feeling everything so intensely at the moment. All you have to do now, Creator, is learn to shut it down; and, for once, it is relatively easy.”
33)
Alex sat on the lumpy bed, feet firmly on the ground with his back straight as Onyx asked him to.
“Notice your breathing, Creator.” Onyx spoke in soft tones; his voice barely a feeling in his ears. “And look at me. Focus your gaze on me and trust.” Onyx’s outline shimmered yet Alex felt a deep sensation traverse up his back, starting from the base of his spine; he had never felt anything like it but somehow made him feel more secure. He no longer felt nervous or paranoid about what was going to happen; he felt strong again. “There… you feel better, yes, Creator?” Onyx asked, smiling; already knowing the answer.
“If you’re both ready..” Allura countered, with a slight overshadowing of impatience. Onyx knew that she understood the importance of Alex being secure, but he also knew how dangerous things could get if they didn’t move out soon. “Anjinn will walk in front, with yourself and Paige behind.” Allura motioned for Alex to get ready. “I will take the rear. If there is any interference then be ready to run, Anjinn and I will make sure no one follows.”
Alex was conscious of every creaking footstep as they walked down the stairs. Silence greeted them at the bottom . Like a collective neurosis, all eyes were staring at them as they walked to the bar area. All the casual drinkers, travellers and sidewinding gossipers were standing perfectly still, even their breathing had synchronised as one organism. Anjinn walked towards the door, constantly checking where everyone else was, but the way ahead was blocked by more people. No one moved, they barely even breathed and when they spoke it was as one .
“You.. Old one.. you are known to usss.” It hissed, a deathly sibilant. “But your time will come. We sssseek the lightbringer – give him to ussss.”
“You can not have him.” Anjinn shouted.
“Ahhhh… the coward and the fool princessss. No matter, you will not lassst long against sssuch an army.” The mass countered, the hate dripping from every word.
Alex knew that Anjinn and Allura would fight until the death before giving him up to The Presence, but it would be futile. There was no way they could triumph against such opposition and it would mean the deaths of every person in the crowd.
Alex somehow knew that not all of them were Skin-Crawlers, there were probably only a couple in the crowd but something else had infected and taken over the rest of them. Was it an extension of what had taken him over earlier? He felt in his gut that was the case.
Without thinking he walked away from the protection of Onyx and Allura and up to a bearded man at the edge of the crowd.
“What are you doing here, Devarn?” Alex asked. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Allura try and grab him back but Onyx stopped her. Alex continued. “You know this isn’t right. Suerta did not die so you could give in this way. Is this how you repay her sacrifice? She and your son died so you could fight on against the adversary, and this is what you do?” Alex could see Devarn’s face quiver, eyes that were unblinking and dead only seconds ago were beginning to moisten and redden with tethered emotion. Alex moved to the ginger haired youngster at Devarn’s left. “And you, Warren. You were the bright hope of the family. Your father gave you everything so you could live your dream, even his own life in the end. Was his life worth so little to you that you throw it back in his face?” Alex had no idea what was happening, but he felt as if he was a conduit for something far greater. He could see the effect his words were having on Warren, as they had with Devarn. The hold that the Adversary had over them was weakening.
“We fight because we have to.” Alex spoke, louder now so the whole room could hear him, his voice booming with a resonance and power he had never thought possible. “Giving in should never be an option; life does not have to be a struggle but it is something that should be fought for and we are all worthy of the fight!” He shouted, raising his fist. Power radiated from every pore of his body as he carried on. “Whatever you think has happened recently should not have made you forget who you really are. That connection is still here, FEEL it.” Alex stamped his foot, his body sending out waves of the most beautiful luminescence across the room, blanketing everyone in serene shades of white and gold. Immediately the ambience of the room shifted, it was no longer threatening and he could see that the malevolence was no longer in control; each person was starting to recover their own mannerisms.
Alex immediately identified the Skin-Crawlers as they were the only ones that seemed unaffected by the light that had emanated from him; they stood resolutely still, staring intensely at him. However Alex could see that something was drastically wrong with their physical form, their skin was undulating as if water coursed underneath it but he knew that it was really the Deluge. His light had disrupted their energy matrix and they were vulnerable; now would be a good time to strike – they would not get another.
Onyx clasped his shoulder to prevent him from acting on his instincts; “Now is not the time, Creator.” He urged, “We should make haste before they come to their senses. They’re disorientated; we might not get another chance to leave.”
“Which is all the more reason why we should strike now.” Alex insisted.
“No, Onyx is right.” Anjinn countered, steering Alex out of the door. “It won’t take long for the Skin-Crawlers to regain control of the crowd. I fear all that you have managed is a brief respite. We must make the most out of this opportunity and head for the woods where we might lose them.” Onyx pushed him out of the door.
Outside the night air was cool but tainted still with an oppressive atmosphere; Anjinn led them through the darkened streets; Allura constantly checking to see if they were being followed.
There were so many questions that Alex wanted to ask Onyx; it was frightening how fast things were moving. It only seemed a couple of days ago that he had woken up for the first time in a strange land and yet here he was running for his life once again.
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