VINCENT MILES: AND THE FIST OF FIRE

BOOK 3 CHAPTER 15: THE DAM

“What do you mean the potential to become a pillar? That doesn’t make sense, pillars are powerful beings, they are selected by the President himself as they also serve as the guardians of this world and its continents.” Vincent argued.

“Technically, yes.” Jonathan answered.

“And with their strength and powers, they are given a city or a land that would become their own realm or territory. They also have a certain power that allowed them to be on their current position. So, it’s not possible for me to—”

“You doubt yourself too much, Vincent. Besides, you do not need to have that power anymore. Becoming a pillar does not mean that you have to be the most powerful, as it is sometimes acquired through merit.”

“But—”

“Anyway! Let us proceed in this training. You have got to finish this before your mission begins.”

Despite his curiousness, Vincent just nods as he has no choice here. Him becoming strong before his mission is much more important that what he is about to ask. Jonathan then begins his lecture. He told Vincent that powers are like a river. A river flows and it is coming from a water source from a far away place. That’s how powers work. From the core, the power flows through the veins of the users…some says that it flows along with the blood or oxygen. There’s no explanation for it yet, really. So, the first lesson of Vincent is going to be…to learn how to let his earth powers flow through his veins freely. As of the moment, the power of earth is restricted and is struggling to let itself flow through the veins of the kid, however, right now, Vincent might have a bit of ease to do it as Jonathan has talked to Flames about the situation.

“Try and let the earth power flow through your veins. Let me know if you have the same feeling as the one you feel when using your fire powers. Now, begin.”

Vincent nods and then began his task. A very…painful task.

A whole week has passed, and Vincent is still on the first phase of his training.

“You are straining your core too much! Let it flow freely! Don’t force it!” Jonathan yells as Vincent is failing once more.

“I’m…fucking…trying!” Vincent curses as he then drops on his knees, breathing heavily.

“It’s been a week now, Miles. You haven’t improved, even though I gave you a ton of pointers!”

“Well, I don’t think that your pointers are doing a damn thing!” Vincent yelled as he then stood up to regain his posture to do it again.

Jonathan then stopped him and told Vincent to do something else. He is to disregard every tip he received since the beginning of his training. Instead, Jonathan then pressed the place where the core is placed and it instantly answered. Vincent’s earth power then covered him whole, and now, he is just like a earth golem, covered in rocks and all that.

Vincent tried to speak, but his words were muffled, and all Jonathan can hear was some kind of gibberish things.

“Now, since you are not getting anywhere earlier. This might do the trick.” Jonathan says.

It tuns out that he forced the earth powers out of the core and let it flow through the veins of Vincent freely. Despite having it flowing freely in Vincent’s body, it’s not the same as when one is in control. It is because the power is flowing wild and then free. To Jonathan, this might be the only way Vincent can control his powers.

“Now, control it with everything you can, and if you don’t—”

“If I don’t?”

“Then the flowing power through your veins will be the one to kill you by destroying you from the inside and will cause you to explode after it collapses all of your organs. Cruel, but this is the most effective training I could think of  for you.”

“Are you crazy?! If I die, then it will all be over!” Vincent argued.

“Yes, if you die, then you’re not the one.” Jonathan says.

He slowly went back to his cell and just sat there while Vincent kneels in pain and receives this hot sensation all over his body. As if his blood is made of fire. It’s burning him. Unbearably painful. Vincent screamed so loud that the other heinous criminals are celebrating. As for them, it’s finally time for them to hear the cries of pain of a hero which put them all in here. They were jumping, whistling, and laughing. Laughing at Vincent who is now suffering the pain of having his power flowing through his veins without control and with the possibility of causing his death.

“You have at least an hour to figure it out. Good luck.” Jonathan went back to sleep as if there is no boy screaming in pain beside him.

Vincent rolled all over the place trying to put out the heat in his body. He is a man of fire himself, and yet, the heat he feels made him think that he doesn’t have the power of fire.

“I need to do something. Fast!” Vincent thought to himself.

He stood up from the ground and focused his mind. He now sees the power flowing through his veins. It’s like a raging river. A pool of lava racing down the volcano’s slope. And it wasn’t that long when this river became like a real one. This sight has caused him to have a severe headache that made him want to break contact with his concentration. Now that Vincent has seen the problem, the only question is: How do you stop a raging river?

Vincent tried various ways to stop it, however, it’s not something to be stopped. That’s when he remembers that power is not meant to be stopped.

“It’s meant to be controlled and distributed properly!” Vincent blurted out in the real world.

Jonathan, who was actually still awake heard what Vincent, says. He smiled as the kid has finally figured it out. Vincent visualized a dam. Because a dam controls the water and distributes it evenly and properly. That is why, Vincent might build a dam.

“But, how?” Vincent asked himself, “Wait—earth power!”

Vincent then puts his hand in this raging river and its hotness may melt Vincent’s hand later, but it doesn’t matter to him right now.

“Okay, buddy. Let’s work together, okay? Help me! Because if you don’t, how am I going to use you to your full potential? How about it? You help me now, then I’ll help you release your full potential. I will make sure that both of us will be powerful, trust me!” Vincent says.

Vincent then closed his eyes in his own consciousness. At first, there was nothing. But after a few minutes, the ground started to rumble. The flow of the raging river got harder. However, Vincent then felt it. He opened his eyes and stood up. Vincent then stomped his foot on the river and a huge wall erupted from it, stopping the flow.

“This is not it!” Vincent yelled as he then raised his hands and waved it as rocks came flying towards the wall.

And it was just a few minutes before a fully functioning dam got built. The water which is Vincent’s power is now flowing properly. Everything is being distributed evenly and controllably. Vincent then opened his eyes in the real world and just collapsed on the floor. Jonathan caught him just in time, his face is showing this wide smile.

“You did well, young one. Well done, indeed. Flames, you may come back now. I think this boy’s dam is enough to contain both powers and let it coexist.” Jonathan says.

Flames did not give him any answer, but Jonathan knows that he is already on the move. Jonathan smiled down at the boy as he made something unexpected happen.

“You truly are the one, huh? We’ve finally found you. It’s a shame that I won’t be around when you achieve that. But please, kick…his…ass.”