28. My master lost it

“A fridge?”

The Lord smiled, patting it.

“It’s a freezer! It’s big enough to hold a human corpse with ease. How do you like that!”

I glanced at Ray with a bad feeling. He had clenched his teeth.

“Dad.”

“Yes?”

“You…!” He stopped dead in the middle of his scream, then turned around brusquely. “Forget it. Thanks. I know you mean well. You can put it in the basement.” He added in a whisper: “I won’t use it anyway.”

He went to the kitchen. After catching the Lord’s satisfied face and hearing him ordering Louise and Arkill to take it downstairs, I followed Ray. He was serving himself a glass of milk. I admitted cheerfully:

“I thought you were gonna go mad at him and say something like ‘you’ll be the first to get in the freezer!’. Your self-control is amazing.”

Suddenly, the glass fell from Ray’s hands, hit the floor, and shattered. I looked at him, startled. Ray was trembling.

“Are you all right? Crap, you’re barefoot. Don’t move! I’ll put some shoes on and sweep the floor right away.”

The Lord, Louise, and Arkill were in the basement and heard nothing. As soon as I swept most of the broken glass, Ray walked out of the kitchen saying:

“I’m going out for a bit.”

The Lord’s present did affect him after all… At the entrance, he quickly put on his shoes and went out. I followed him and walked in the street, a bit confused. Should I ask him if I could be of any help? But I didn’t know what exactly Ray was thinking right now.

We were passing in front of a deserted park when he suddenly stopped and said:

“Armen, sorry, but can I…”

He paused, and I swallowed, almost certain he meant, “can I ask you to leave me alone”. I stepped back.

“All right…”

“… can I tell you something very, very honest?”

I widened my eyes. What? He spun around with blazing eyes and lashed out:

“I’m mad! I’m sick of it! I’m mad at myself, at my dad… and at you!”

I looked at him, baffled, not knowing what to do. Ray was rarely angry, and, every time it happened, it made me shudder. At that instant, I even froze. I couldn’t remember the last time he had said he was angry because of me. But why? Why?!

“Why?” I finally managed to say.

Ray’s face was red.

“I’m mad at my dad because he keeps trying to make me do things I don’t want to like it’s nothing. I’m mad at you because… because you let my dad take the initiative. I don’t want my dad to be the one teaching you the techniques to control your energy. It’s s-supposed to be my duty.”

He gasped, out of breath. Then muttered:

“Damn it. I know I’m being childish, I’m not blaming you. I’m just angry for a lot of reasons. And I so don’t like it when I’m angry.”

Ray breathed in and out to calm down. I wasn’t sure about all the reasons for his anger, but I knew what Ray needed to hear right now:

“It’s all right,” I said. “You can say anything to me, Ray. Vent it all out.”

Ray raised his eyes and snorted.

“If I’m not capable of controlling my emotions, how am I supposed to control my power or order other people around? I’m ridiculous.”

“I’m not laughing at you, though. You know, emotions are harder to control than any power. And sometimes it’s no good to control them. So… let it out, Ray. I don’t want you to be mad at me. And I regret now I let the Lord teach me, because I would be much happier if you were the one doing it. I—”

“I hate it,” Ray cut me off. He started walking again at a fast pace as he kept grunting: “I hate getting closer to my dad in this situation, because I feel like I’m just taking advantage of his knowledge after ignoring him all these years. I feel like a hypocrite. I hate it. And the fact that my parents are trying to act like they care about me, but then the only thing they can think of as a present is a crystal fragment to help me control my power and a stupid freezer to keep corpses… It makes me want to scream at them that their son is not only a power-holder or a necromancer-to-be. Crap! I’m so mad!”

He sat down on a bench and blew off a whirl of warm steam.

Ray was bad at being angry. As his eyes followed the flight of a bird on the grayish sky, I could easily see he wasn’t mad anymore, or at least he had calmed down.

“Being a hypocrite sure isn’t a good thing,” I commented, sitting down by his side. “But I don’t think you’re being one. Didn’t you actually wanted to see your dad more often?”

“…” Ray’s eyes darkened. “Are you kidding? He’s childish, arrogant, does as he pleases, lies to me, and despite all his talking, he thinks of his familiars as servants. Why would I want to see a person like that more often?”

Ah, right, why would he? There was a long silence. Then, a cellphone buzzed. It wasn’t mine, but Ray’s. He went livid.

“It’s… It’s Lei! How? I didn’t give him my number!”

Bzz, bzz. Bzz, bzz. I raised an eyebrow. Wasn’t he gonna pick up the call? Bzz, bzz. Bzz, bzz… Seriously? Bzz, bzz. Bzz… I slipped a finger on the screen.

“Armen, what are you—!”

“What? You were already mad at me anyway…” I chuckled.

« Hello? » Lei’s voice called out as Ray was throwing an exasperated glare at me. « Ray? You here? »

“… I’m here.”

« Whoa. Did I wake you up? It’s already ten o’clock, you know? Merry Christmas by the way. »

“Mm.” Ray pushed me away and grumbled: “Merry Christmas. What do you call me for?”

I couldn’t hear Lei’s voice anymore, so I stood up from the bench and paced calmly around as Ray was answering:

“Ah… Yeah. Yeah. I remember… Wh…! In three days?! Ah, no, i-it’s fine… What? No, but isn’t it a one-on-one spar? Ah, yeah, right but… is it fair? … You seem pretty confident, huh… Well, if you say it’s okay… Pff. We’ll see that when we spar. Mm, at Sunclaw quarters in three days at noon, okay… Laters.”

He gazed at the phone for a moment. I stopped, looking at him.

“So… you accepted the spar, after all.”

Ray jumped up, groaning:

“It’s all because you took the call, you damned fool!”

“Now, now, don’t get mad at me. All you have to do is learn how to control your power and you’ll win in no time. It will be fun, you’ll see.”

Ray’s eyes were fixed on me in disbelief. His expression told me I had made a mistake. He averted his eyes.

“So it’s like that. You did it just because ‘it will be fun’. You think just like my dad. And you want me to control my power just like my mom. Should I just… hate you for that? Or are you going to say you’re sorry for forcing me into doing a spar I didn’t want to do? Yeah, right… Yeah, right, I’m fed up with all that. Just go away and leave me alone.”

I was mentally frozen by his words. My body, though, moved and walked away as ordered. Crap. No. Don’t go away. I had to talk to Ray. I had to tell him that he was just lacking confidence, that I didn’t want him to take a hold of his power because it would be fun for me but also because he would feel better once he overcame his fears… Or so I thought. Holy Gods, what was I doing? Why was my damned body not stopping?

I was sad, I was confused, I was frustrated.

Dammit.

An hour or so passed. I was still walking when I looked around and realized I was lost. Well, seeing the tall buildings, I had most likely entered Somerville District. I tried to stop, to no avail. How far that “go away” was sending me? Was it Ray’s wish to send me to the other side of the city? Or was it just my mind misinterpreting the order?

I breathed the lifeforce of the passersby and calmed down. Children were playing on the streets, trying their new toys; adults were talking cheerfully in small circles… A boy sent his ball bounce on a tree. It got stuck. Without even slowing down, I gave it a push with my telekinesis. The kid recovered his ball joyfully, not even questioning what just happened.

I should become a Hero in the shadows like a Hidden Wolf, I thought amusedly as my feet kept going forward. The Nyomin Crystal was pretty far now… Was I really in the Somerville District, or did I go even farther?

I took out my cell to check my location, but then changed my mind and switched it off. Why should I care where I was going? To hell with everything.

I passed by a busy marketplace then arrived in front of a bridge. A sign informed me that I was entering the Akiba District, in the north part of Farskyer. It was also called the Akiba Lake or the Idol’s Lake, and it was actually a lake: residential and commercial towers were built on it. There were large and clean squares with restaurants, all varieties of fountains, bridges, and stairs that went up and down. The Venice District, “the Merfolk Paradise”, was underwater, as was the Aquarium. I remembered Azritz had taken me there when I was ten and had just arrived at Farskyer City. I didn’t remember much except the fact that I had never seen so many different fishes, but what I did remember was the water park beside the aquarium. Though I had always lived at the sea coast, in a lighthouse, I had never learned how to swim, and I fixed that on that day: I fearlessly dove in a pool imitating other kids, and miraculously floated like a pro.

Rather than a Hero, perhaps I should become a swimmer?

Or a cook.

I finally stopped on a calm square and leaned on a balustrade, gazing at the dark waters of the lake. Maybe I could have stopped much earlier. It was very likely. But going back was a different kettle of fish. I didn’t want to, anyway. Not for now.

I closed my eyes, listened to the urban noise, then focused on my core. I didn’t know where it was, but I knew how to extract deathforce from it.

Ray said he wanted to teach me how to transform my body into a full-fledged undead. But did he, really?

If he was so mad at himself for getting close to his dad out of interest, then… did that mean he was now regretting reviving me?

The thought was stupid. But it kept bothering me. I couldn’t get Ray’s angry face out of my head.

Suddenly, I heard a scream of surprise and caught a glimpse of a sheet blown away by the wind. Before it reached the water, I took hold of it with my power, then calmly drew it closer. I grabbed it, turned around, and handed it to…

“Oh my, nice catch, you’re a lifesaver! That damned wind!”

The woman in front of me was a dark-skinned white-haired merfolk wearing a simple swimsuit with a skirt. Most merfolks were quite resistant to cold, but still, it was winter… As she took the sheet back, I could read some words on it, and my eyes widened.

“The EPHT?”

“Ah… You’ve heard of it, young man? Right, it’s been a trending topic among youths lately.”

Was it?

“Actually I was planning on applying for the examination.”

“Seriously? Well, it just so happens, I’m working on that right now…” She looked at me up and down. “You’ve got telekinesis power, and you control it pretty well from what I’ve just seen. Do you have a trainer?”

“I don’t.”

“I see… But you can give it a try, of course! I was just going to the association that takes care of the appliances, to give them this confidential paper I almost lost! Wanna come?”

“Is it close from here?” I asked, following her. “I thought they would do that in the Nyomin District.”

“Ah, the Nyomin only cares about the favored people who have been accepted back in November. It’s said that it’s based on their curriculum, but well… The examination is actually something the Independent Heroes Association requested, to recruit more young people and give them a chance to train as well. After all, the goal of the experimental program is to prepare a new generation of Heroes, not just an elite. Also,” she smiled at me, “it’s supposed to be the beginning of a new training system for Heroes. I think there are a lot of candidates already, so if you don’t make it, try again next year. The training should be able to accept more candidates by then, if all goes well. Oh, but I’m not saying you’re not gonna make it. Do your best.”

“Ah… Thanks.”

She was gripping her sheet tightly as she strode through a square. Couldn’t she just wear a bag or something to carry her belongings? She then slowed down.

“We’ve arrived. This is the building. Kinda old, but the receptionist is an angel.” She pushed the door. “Yo, Rita! I got the paper for the boss. I almost lost it on the way and thought I would have to return to the University to get a copy, but that good boy here saved me the trouble. He’s a telekinetic and wants to apply for the examination!”

“Mm…” A pale woman with short, lavender hair looked away from her computer and stared at us. “I told you that we can’t accept more candidates.”

Her words resounded in my ears like an alarm bell. Did she just say there wasn’t any place left for the examination? How could that be? If there was a limited number of candidates and I was too late, then… what was I supposed to do?!

“But there are always last-minute dropouts!” the merfolk protested. “Can’t you register him? I’ll leave it to you! And you, dear,” she clapped my back, “don’t lose hope! Oh, by the way…” She took out something from her bra. “Thanks for your help, blondie. I owe you one. Call me if you’ve got problems with your power or just need a boost of positive thinking! Bye!”

She had shoved a card in my hands before going upstairs in a hurry. I read:

«Cynsea the Hypnotist. Hero. Rank A. Phone number: XXXXXXXXX. Mental Health Service Association. Too much stress at work? Your partner is depressed? Wanna have a happy day? Call Cynsea! 😉»

I gazed at the business card, astonished. I had talked… with a Hero? An A-rank Hero? Was I dreaming? I raised my eyes, but the merfolk in bikini had already disappeared upstairs.

Under Rita’s calm gaze, I swallowed nervously. I had to go to that training at any cost, even if it wasn’t as a Hero candidate, even if it was as a part-time worker, I had to be accepted somehow because… if that confidential paper the merfolk had dropped just now was telling the truth, the training would take place in Phoenix, a moving island in the sea that migrated within the Big Triangle between Farskyer, Buenos Aires, and London. I didn’t know much about that island, but I suspected I wouldn’t be able to sneak in there.

Rita sighed.

“Come. I’ll get your information just in case. Name?”

“A-Armen Moon!”

“Age?”

“I’ll be seventeen this New Year.”

“High schooler, I suppose?”

“That’s right. I study at Harvard High.”

“Your address?”

Ah… My address, huh… Which one? Ray’s? Azritz’s? Giving my big sis’ address would be the normal thing to do but…

“Wait a minute,” Rita said, frowning at her computer. “There’s already an Armen Moon in the candidate list, and it’s definitely you. You already applied. Why are you applying twice?”

I froze under her piercing eyes, then smiled, very embarrassed. I didn’t do anything, though? Was it the Lord Necromancer’s doing? Most likely. He could have told me, that jerk.

I bowed and apologized several times before getting out of the building. Well, at least, the Lord had spared me the bureaucratic procedure but… how did he manage to get my signature? Who knows.

A moment later, I was in the same place as before, leaning on the balustrade and gazing at the waters of the lake. The sky was clearing up, and a sunray illuminated the tall buildings of Akiba. I shoved my hands in my pockets and only noticed then that I hadn’t opened Erma’s present yet. Part of me wanted to wait and buy a gift for her before opening mine but… My curiosity got the upper hand. I took the little box out. There was so much tape that it took me time to open it. It looked almost like she had put some monster in there she didn’t want to see.

The box finally opened, and I pulled out a necklace with a small, circular pendant containing a pentagram. There was a tiny symbol engraved on each branch, as well as a letter in the middle of the star. Was it an L or an I, or just a decoration? Anyway, I had a rough idea about the nature of that pentagram.

Erma was the granddaughter of a witch. Unlike the rest of the humans who were blessed by the Crystals, Witches were thought to have received the blessing of magical creatures. Some centuries ago, they had been hunted down, because some “Witch Union” apparently wanted to destroy the Crystals. That’s why witch-believers, though still numerous throughout the world, were looked down on by the monopolistic religion of the Holy Gods.

‘I’m no believer of anything,’ Erma had told me, ‘but those magical creatures exist as much as the Crystals do. And my mom’s mother grew up with them in the Amazon rainforest and became a witch. She can curse things and bless things. She’s the real deal!’

At the time, Zeeta had told me that she most likely was just making it up and that her grandma was probably just a bored, old lady with a lot of imagination… but as I examined the pendant, I started to doubt. Was that necklace meant to be a curse or a blessing? Anyway, I put it on. It was Linah’s present after all. There was no way she would mean me harm.

I had just thrown the box into a bin when I felt a sudden chill. Did someone just put a hand on my neck? Or was it my imagination?

“Don’t move.”

A voice whispered to my ears as I froze in place. And there I was thinking the necklace had cursed me, but… actually there was a person behind me?

“Who—?”

“Be quiet and close your eyes.”

I closed my eyes unwillingly. What was going on? It wasn’t Ray’s voice. It wasn’t the Lord’s. Then who in the world could give me orders just like that?

The voice said calmly:

“Good boy. Let’s go somewhere else.”