The awakener (bxb)✔

TA 24

Riley's POV

"Riley!" Mr. Cornwall's voice shook me out of my reverie.

"Eh?" that's all I said.

"Do you know him?" he asked, looking at me intently.

I shrugged. "Do I know who?"

"The guy you have been looking at for the past minutes", he said, scratching his chin.

"I was not looking at any guy", I said, playing with my feet on the grass.

"You were looking at a guy, the one with short brown hair and a black sweater", he said.

"You're starting to become as annoying as him. His name is Casey. He's my friend", I said, keeping a straight face.

"I take it you don't like his ...boyfriend?" he said.

I looked around. Casey had disappeared from sight. I was not looking for Casey in particular; I just had to avoid the eyes that were gazing at me.

"Matt is not his boyfriend. He is...err...never mind. What makes you think I don't like him?" I asked, remembering what I had witnessed not so long ago.

"You had this small smile on your face that quickly turned to disgust after they kissed", Mr. Cornwall said.

"Err; I just remembered something I have to do. I've got to go", I said standing up.

"Oh, okay. Keep in touch", he said standing up too.

I nodded and walked away.

*

After walking away from Mr. Cornwall, I ran home. I was not rushing to anything, but hearing my loud heartbeat distracted me from the thoughts that were threatening to overcome me. I didn't see the expression I had when I saw Matt kiss Casey, but I knew Mr. Cornwall was probably right about me being disgusted.

I hadn't allowed myself to think about Casey that day, knowing the urgent thing I needed to do. But then I saw him. It was from a distance, but I just knew it was him. When Matt kissed him, I felt my heart hit the floor. I was hurt. I was reeling with jealousy. Those weren't the only feelings though. I was angry, so angry I wanted to hurt someone back.

When I saw the familiar street, I slowed down to a walk. I was tired and sweating. As I walked up the driveway, I noticed someone just near the main door. He smiled when he saw me. My heart started beating faster.

"Ah, Riley, I was just about to leave. Where's your mother?" the man standing just a small distance away from me asked. It was Miguel.

I looked at him for 10 seconds. A smile started to form slowly as my heart rate slowed down. Harry had said in hibernation the Darkeners couldn't use their powers. I could. I had power over Miguel.

"I have no idea", I said slowly.

He tapped on the ground with his leg. I watched every move intently. "Well, do tell her Mr. Carnicer was here", he said, making to leave.

I blocked his way and looked at him straight in the eye.

"Miguel, is it not?" I asked.

"Ah well, yes", he was slow in his answer. I did not miss the tiny frown that escaped him.

I folded my hands across my chest. "So tell me, when do I get to do what I was born to do?" I stunned him with my question.

His lips moved from a straight line to a smile, and then a grin.

"Soon", that was all he said.

I backed away from him, with my arms still crossed. When I was a safe distance from him, I said, "What if I don't want to do it?"

It was more of a statement than a question and he got the hint. His eyebrows met in a frown.

"It's your destiny, the sole purpose of your conception. You have to do it", he said.

"I don't want to", I said simply, a hint of laughter in my voice. "You cannot force me", I continued, smiling.

I created a barrier between us that pushed him against the door. I watched as he struggled to push it back, his attempts futile. I almost took pleasure in that. He began to sweat and pant when I made it tighter. No doubt he was suffocating.

"R...i...le...y", his lips formed my name.

"What the hell are you doing?" a voice shouted in my head.

I frowned, finding it hard to keep the barrier intact.

"You are one of them. You are a Darkener, it's in your blood!" the same voice harassed me.

It was slow in getting to me, but it finally made its way to my heart and I welcomed it.

I was a Darkener, it was in my blood. I held the power to unleash darkness into the world. On earth I was just a statistic, I didn't matter. On lands of Azuria, I was their hope, their savior. I had power I had never had in my life.

It felt...great. I could feel the part of me I had hidden from my mother take over. I couldn't resist, drunk with the power I had. I could imagine all the people that had ever hurt me or just didn't like me begging me for mercy.

A huge smile escaped my lips. I bit my lower lip hard. At the corner of my eye, I saw Miguel straighten up. Apparently I had absent-mindedly removed the barrier that pinned him to the door

"Sorry about that", I mumbled.

"What were you doing?!" he demanded to know. He was red-faced and angry.

He did not faze me. "Just testing my powers", I provided nonchalantly.

"So, what do you mean you are not going to do it?" he asked.

I smiled smugly. "Relax; there is nothing I want more than to free you guys. So when can I do it?"

"Everything is being prepared for you as we speak. It should be less than three days", he said looking me over. You would swear it was the first time he saw me.

I hung onto just two words: three days. I hadn't expected for it to happen so soon. I knew things had already started building up to the moment but I hadn't expected the climax to be that soon. That raised a few questions.

"So tell me Miguel, how does it all happen?" I asked.

"You will come with me to Lands of Azuria in three days. All the Darkeners will be waiting for you. We will have a little ceremony to welcome you. We do not necessarily have these all the time, but oh well; none of the Awakeners were taken from their homes. We of course have to brand you. After the ceremony, we will go to the sacred place where you will shed blood to break the curse and wake us", he explained stroking his tiny beard. I would swear I had not seen it the other day.

"Shed blood?" I asked, frowning.

"Not a lot. A small cut on your finger should do the trick", he said in a reassuring voice.

"Can I see the brand? Do you have it?" I asked.

"Of course, all the Darkeners do", he said.

He removed the red t-shirt that he was wearing and turned so that his back was facing me. On the back on his left shoulder blade was a mark. There was big D in a circle of thorns. Enclosed by the D was an eye that seemed to be looking at every movement I did. Instead of a pupil though, the eye contained a light bulb that seemed to be broken at the top. I closed my eyes and instantly knew where I had seen that mark before. I had drawn it in my book about a year ago.

"Very creative", I said sarcastically. It looked more like a logo for a rock band than a sign of a powerful species. "Look, I have things I have to take care of. Talk soon", I said walking away from him. Something was pulling me.

"Whoa wait. You can't just..." he said.

I turned towards him slightly. "If you follow me you'll be making out with that door".