It came first as a flush on his shoulders, moving through his joint and almost adding fatigue to his muscles. The first time had been better, he had kept the racing pace of his heart and had controlled the discomfort on his shoulders. But now it was different, and had everything to do with the fact that Catherine was watching his every move. Those piercing eyes could cut through a stone.
Damian lowered his shoulders and knees, mimicking the posture Catherine had taught him moments ago. His breathing was hot on his nostril and the beat of his heart was almost chiming in his ears. He could feel his swelling head and the heat at the back of his head. Yet, notwithstanding the uneasiness, he kept his eyes on the target, knowing that a loss in focus could cost him his life. To impress Catherine was the priority too. That would hasten the step and further push his plans to find a way of escape. So
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ELIXA CHAPTER 40
With the pair of scissors, Claudius took the first three petals on the green plant that had turned pale. It was not the first time he would notice some abnormalities in his calculations. The genetic engineers had removed one or two sequences from the plant. This was the best, so far. About sixty-six hundred plants had been planted. They had been trimmed and groomed to withstand the toxic atmospheric air. Sixty-six hundred was the best so far. They had recorded a hundred per cent yield, the best since they started some fifteen years ago. Plus, it was the final piece that would make the batch whole. He was going to sell it to merchants of course, but that would be only to keep his inventions and his creations from ever being extinct from the surface of the earth. Failure had eaten deep into his work too. Ever since Dorin passed on, he had found it hard to replace him. His demise was a tragic one and somehow, Claudius wishes that the situat
ELIXA CHAPTER 41
“Ah,” Damian shouted, “I’m alive. I’m alive, I am freaking alive” His hands elevated into the heavens as he jumped, laughing and screaming at the top of his voice.Dust and sands rose in every direction, but there was no danger or anything to suggest a threat. The Darkeel had vanished, leaving him at the mercies of the artificial scorching heat which brewed the surroundings with its rough teeth. “Can you believe it, Cat? Catherine, can you see this? I am alive. I don’t know how, but I think I killed it somehow.” he walked toward where his gun had fallen and picked it up, beaming now with happiness and pride.There was something about his guise that reminded Catherine about her prime, about the times when she was still ready to conquer the world. It was mutual, and wish she could tell him
ELIXA CHAPTER 42
First, it came towards the right side of her face, forcing her back with an inhuman force. She could have kissed the floor from the impact, but recalling her training, she masterfully used her left hand to bounce on the floor and back to her feet.Something walked through the sides of Zach's face, anger, Nina was not sure, staying alive bothers her more. Taking another step back, she tried to drive her clenched fist into his left cheek, to keep him from pinning her to the wall. It was successful, at least her moving fist made it close to his face, to the intended target, until he stepped to the side and shoved his knees towards her abdomen. Nina had predicted that which made it easy to dodge. Cursing at her failed attempts, she spanned with her left foot, taking the boy's previous position and keeping herself from harm's way.Zach's face narrowed
ELIXA CHAPTER 43
Days have gone by since the incident in the training ground. According to the rumors she had heard, Zach had been expelled from becoming a firstborn and his chances of ever getting to prove his worth had been stripped away from his grasp. The authorities would have sent him home if he had parents to return to. They were orphans however, Freetown was the only home they had, the only place they had lived since heaven knows when. The school rarely punishes anyone, possibly because most of the novices in training hardly defaults. That must be the reason why most people think that the school had passed a harsh judgment on Zach. And as if it was not enough, he had been stripped of his power and reduced to a mere toilet servant. Left to Nina, she would have done things differently. She would have chosen a more subtle punishment, anything that would not deter his psychology. Well, too bad she was not the authority, the only thing she could do wa
ELIXA CHAPTER 44
It was happening again. The soot, the screams, the dust and ash and the smoke that had clouded the world, rising into the heavens and rapturing with the clouds. That sense of dejection and sorrow and fear. It was all happening again as if reminding her of what she was, what she had left at the brink of uncertainty. She could still hear the cry of her daughter and her husband as the fire consumed them, causing their skin to droop from their bones. Everything was happening again. She had not done anything then, and she doubted she could do anything now.Hissing, Catherine's hands reflexively went to her stomach. It had come so naturally, and it didn't amaze her when she saw the swelling tummy. She was pregnant, and would soon be put to bed. Her husband was supposed to make the cradle, to prepare the house for their second baby. But, there he was, shouting out her name as he burned with their da
ELIXA CHAPTER 45
Fun is not complete until they are spent with friends, close friends, and one that could breathe and speak their problems into your heart. Often we meet such people, and when we are with them, the time we spend is what defines the true meaning of pleasure. Carlos smiled at the thought and dropped the glass cup for a refill. He had just had his evening rounds, making sure his dealings were in check. Too lousy a hand could make things slip from his fingers. And he was not ready to let that happen, especially since the days were beginning to birth new threats. It has become easy for some lowlife fools to step up from the shadows and try to wheel life in their favor. That was not going to happen, not while Carl was alive.Round the table of four, hails of tobacco clogged the dim room, contrasting the disco lights which trailed through the center. The lights should have been bright, and colorful and should have lighted the room, at least, to kill the shadows. Yet, the fogging tobacco smok
ELIXA CHAPTER 46
Carlos pouted and using the back of his wrist, he wiped the blood that smeared the sides of his cheeks. Marcos was lying lifeless on the floor, blood pool stretching until they were lost under the divan. Carlos had never seen such devotion before. Not in his short life. For Marcos to have taken his existence, only one thing remains eminent, they were dealing with something that was perhaps greater than any of them. Something mystical and outrightly dangerous, so to speak. What bothers Carlos was that these groups were using his name and emblem. If they were as powerful and an intrepid organization-as Marcos’s action had depicted-why go through the hassle of using his identity and brand? Why not create a name from scratch and make it fearful. Or was this a quest for supremacy? Was this another way of sending a blind message that a battle line has been drawn? The grass suffers when two elephant fights. Who was the elephant and who was the grass? What was their aim? What do they want? Ca
ELIXA CHAPTER 47
The shouts and shrieks came when the first gunshot flared, bouncing on the smooth wall and resonating through their eardrums like an endless rhyme of a chiming bell. The two men in red and black had shut the door behind the last civilians, forming a barricade of their own. Side by side, they stood, keeping their hands on their weapon and looking anything but funny. Next from the east, towards the other side of the room, two other garrisons placed their shoulders on the northern door, blocking the back entrance. There was no possible way of escape, even if Carlos wanted to try, he would need to fight his way through. And given his current predicament, he was not in the position to. They were hiding behind the counter. Tina was nowhere in sight, the girl had disappeared, perhaps with the rest of the civilians. Her claims of being a lone wolf that was unfazed by gang threats spoke negatively of her. For one who claims to be tough, Carlos ha