04-11-2015, 12:52 AM
"Uh, Commander, are you sure this is safe?"
a nervous white-coat said. It was a term that had stuck with the Ascendant group for the scientists that observed them. There was little love lost between the two groups. One who thought themselves test subjects little better than lab rats, the other cautious or afraid of the powers being honed within their facility.
Michael closed his eyes and pressed a hand to his forehead. The Ascendant Power swirled around the room like miniature cyclones. Today was an exercise in precision and defence. One group would use a web of Air to throw a cricket ball - a contraption he had apparently introduced to more than a few of them - towards their partner who would in turn stop it with the Ascendant Power.
"How safe are the experiments you conduct?"
Michael replied.
The man grunted and Michael opened his eyes. He had puffed out his chest and took on a tone of pride. "The tests scientists conduct will naturally have an element of risk, but these risks are weighed against the benefits and solutions are formed through rigorous theoretical analysis. This...power... is an exception, you understand. We don't have any reliable data, so we can't guarantee -"
Michael nodded. "You have your answer, then."
The man - Michael distanced himself from all of Dr. Weston's team. He did not want to remember them with anger. They were only following orders and had good intent. - accepted his words, but eyed the flying objects with nervous suspicion.
Michael had a shield in place around the both of them as he monitored his students. It gave him a strange sense of pride to see them all grow so quickly, even the slowest among them, Samuel Leweski held his own against the naturally talented Allan Rykovi.
Im Seung Jun held the most power among the group but most of them looked towards Karim al’Shaidis for advice. His eagerness and diligent modesty had earned him a reputation that even the arrogant Julian Monserre respected. The man had been humbled after the first day and devoted himself, but he could not fully dispel the airs of superiority that clung to him.
Others were more troubling. The young Dominik Taichechski hungered for power above all else. Michael did not fail to notice the way he pushed the boundaries of both the Ascendant Power and Michael's patience.
Sanjay Ramanujan also remained a mystery. He held his intentions close and preferred to watch rather than take any stance of his own in the politics among the group. No matter how much Anthony Petrovic poked him Ramanujan did not budge, and it wasn't often Petrovic didn't get under someone's skin with his blasé mocking attitude made all the more insufferable by his seemingly effortless development.
Michael was ripped from his contemplation as two spikes of power drew his attention. Taichechski stood over a furious Petrovic who spat blood from his swollen mouth.
"What the hell was that! You cheating bastard!"
the usually laid back Petrovic hissed.
Michael barely spun a web in time as Petrovic lashed out and sent Taichechski flying through the air where h was caught just short of the wall.
"Release the Ascendant Power, all of you!"
Michael demanded.
Seven men obliged. Michael turned to face the eighth who was now safely deposited on the ground once more. Michael did not hold the full extent of his own power, but he was still twice the match for Taichechski.
The man tried to resist but Michael's wave of Air and Spirt knocked the wind from Dominik's lungs. He lost his grasp on the Ascendant Power as he clutched at his stomach, dry-heaving. "Don't press me, you will regret it."
"The rest of you, good work. I am proud of everything you have done in such a short time. Even you, Dominik, have talent. Don't waste it with foolishness. Today's session is over. Do as you wish for the remainder of the day."
He had no need to lecture them on what they could not do, they all knew the rules by now and managed to unwind. Unfortunately, the fragile peace was coming to an end. He had to do something.
Michael made his way to the communications room. It was past time he returned to the surface.
a nervous white-coat said. It was a term that had stuck with the Ascendant group for the scientists that observed them. There was little love lost between the two groups. One who thought themselves test subjects little better than lab rats, the other cautious or afraid of the powers being honed within their facility.
Michael closed his eyes and pressed a hand to his forehead. The Ascendant Power swirled around the room like miniature cyclones. Today was an exercise in precision and defence. One group would use a web of Air to throw a cricket ball - a contraption he had apparently introduced to more than a few of them - towards their partner who would in turn stop it with the Ascendant Power.
"How safe are the experiments you conduct?"
Michael replied.
The man grunted and Michael opened his eyes. He had puffed out his chest and took on a tone of pride. "The tests scientists conduct will naturally have an element of risk, but these risks are weighed against the benefits and solutions are formed through rigorous theoretical analysis. This...power... is an exception, you understand. We don't have any reliable data, so we can't guarantee -"
Michael nodded. "You have your answer, then."
The man - Michael distanced himself from all of Dr. Weston's team. He did not want to remember them with anger. They were only following orders and had good intent. - accepted his words, but eyed the flying objects with nervous suspicion.
Michael had a shield in place around the both of them as he monitored his students. It gave him a strange sense of pride to see them all grow so quickly, even the slowest among them, Samuel Leweski held his own against the naturally talented Allan Rykovi.
Im Seung Jun held the most power among the group but most of them looked towards Karim al’Shaidis for advice. His eagerness and diligent modesty had earned him a reputation that even the arrogant Julian Monserre respected. The man had been humbled after the first day and devoted himself, but he could not fully dispel the airs of superiority that clung to him.
Others were more troubling. The young Dominik Taichechski hungered for power above all else. Michael did not fail to notice the way he pushed the boundaries of both the Ascendant Power and Michael's patience.
Sanjay Ramanujan also remained a mystery. He held his intentions close and preferred to watch rather than take any stance of his own in the politics among the group. No matter how much Anthony Petrovic poked him Ramanujan did not budge, and it wasn't often Petrovic didn't get under someone's skin with his blasé mocking attitude made all the more insufferable by his seemingly effortless development.
Michael was ripped from his contemplation as two spikes of power drew his attention. Taichechski stood over a furious Petrovic who spat blood from his swollen mouth.
"What the hell was that! You cheating bastard!"
the usually laid back Petrovic hissed.
Michael barely spun a web in time as Petrovic lashed out and sent Taichechski flying through the air where h was caught just short of the wall.
"Release the Ascendant Power, all of you!"
Michael demanded.
Seven men obliged. Michael turned to face the eighth who was now safely deposited on the ground once more. Michael did not hold the full extent of his own power, but he was still twice the match for Taichechski.
The man tried to resist but Michael's wave of Air and Spirt knocked the wind from Dominik's lungs. He lost his grasp on the Ascendant Power as he clutched at his stomach, dry-heaving. "Don't press me, you will regret it."
"The rest of you, good work. I am proud of everything you have done in such a short time. Even you, Dominik, have talent. Don't waste it with foolishness. Today's session is over. Do as you wish for the remainder of the day."
He had no need to lecture them on what they could not do, they all knew the rules by now and managed to unwind. Unfortunately, the fragile peace was coming to an end. He had to do something.
Michael made his way to the communications room. It was past time he returned to the surface.
"She saw a flaring halo around his head, radiant in gold and blue. It shouted of glory and power to come"
"No matter how fast light travels, it finds the darkness has always got there first, and is waiting for it."