Prism academy shadowfal.., p.23
Prism Academy- Shadowfall, page 23
My Sense Energy skill identified a number of concentrations of energy, and I realized that they were burning though a great deal of power. This couldn’t be sustainable, and would end up leaving Atlanta without power—which would serve them up on a platter for the shadow to feast upon.
The bigger issue, though, was that I started detecting threads of shadow energy the closer we got to the center of downtown. I couldn’t place it exactly, but it all seemed to radiate from the building we were headed towards. I filled my bonds in on this fact.
It appeared the shadow had taken over much of the government, if the increasingly thicker tendrils of shadow I detected connecting the compound at the heart of the city to the nearby building was any indication. This was our worst-case scenario. Valkyrie would need to communicate our findings with General West, and I feared that things were about to get violent.
Soon after this, we arrived outside the government compound. According to some old videos, the former head of government had governed from some big white house. Why it was white was never explained in the histories I read—not that it mattered, as DC had been one of the first cities the shadow wiped out.
The cities of the late twenty-first century had little in the way of integrated defenses and all had been vulnerable to the shadow. That was no longer the case—certainly not here at the heart of the NAAG’s power. This was a state-of-the-art building, developed using the latest in 24th century technology.
As we approached the government compound, I couldn't help but be struck by the sheer scale and technological sophistication of the place. It covered four full city blocks with buildings that seemed to blend into one another, creating a seamless fusion of modern architecture and practical defensive measures. The compound, though heavily fortified, exuded a sense of elegance that spoke to its multiple roles—as a military installation, as the seat of the government, and as the residence of the President-General.
The walls of the compound were a mixture of reinforced concrete and what appeared to be some sort of advanced alloy. They were designed, I’m sure, to withstand significant forces. I could hear the buzz of hidden energy shielding, ready to stop most attacks at a moment's notice.
The perimeter was guarded by soldiers in mechanized powered suits of armor, their movements fluid and precise. They were an impressive display of man and machine working in harmony. If I didn’t miss my guess, they had a new model that was only available to the government.
"They clearly are trying to impress you with a show of force. Too bad they don’t know what real power is," Inferna whispered in my ear, her breath tickling my neck.
"I really hope it doesn’t come to a fight.” I sighed. “Unfortunately, I’m sensing a lot of shadow energy here. There are clearly some who’ve been infected by the shadow, but the vast majority of these people are just soldiers following orders.” I met the eyes of each of my bonds. “I’d like to kill as few of them as possible, but with this much shadow energy around, some deaths will be inevitable."
I felt worry hit me across the bond as we walked further into the compound—not for our own safety, but for what we might have to do.
Colonel Ryan choked when he heard what I’d said. He didn’t say anything, but I expect he’d thought we’d be more impressed with their defenses.
I wondered which worried him more… that we weren’t impressed by their defenses, or that I detected so much shadow energy at the heart of the NAAG?
Demis must have noticed the Colonel’s reaction, because she giggled. “Don’t get worried yet. As long as the President-General stays on his best behavior, I’m sure Aden won’t have to cut loose.”
The Colonel looked at her, shocked—either by her attitude or her words. His eyes bulged a bit, though it was clear he was uncertain whether or not he should take her seriously. The guards around us tensed.
I could hear the pounding of their hearts from within their armored suits.
When the Colonel didn’t respond, Demis added, “Besides, if he doesn’t get to use much of his energy fighting, he’ll have more for me. I bet it would be awesome to have him bend me over the president-general’s desk and make my day.”
Aqueous chuckled at this, and those two shared a high-five.
Inferna only rolled her eyes. She was in full-blown diplomatic mode and didn’t seem to have time for the other two and their jokes. I could sense their anxiety through the bond, though, and knew they were only joking to cover for their stress.
As we walked through the compound's gates, I noticed that the grounds were meticulously maintained. There were lush gardens and sculptures scattered throughout the area. The place was a testament to human ingenuity and resilience in the face of the shadow’s threat. Even now, with humanity reduced to thirteen—no, really only twelve cities, now—humans still appreciated beauty.
The air was filled with the hum of advanced technology, and my ears picked up the sounds of military drills being conducted somewhere off in the distance. As we’d expected, the Rays who were on guard duty outnumbered their male counterparts, Refractors, ten to one. That was a fairly standard ratio, so it didn’t really trigger a response from me—other than to note to myself that unbonded Rays were the weakest of supers.
"Take it all in," Demis said, her bat-like wings half opening and then folding tightly to her back as she took in the scene. "This is the heart of the last human nation on Earth." She even managed to sound serious for a moment.
She must have been more impressed than I’d thought.
"And we're right in the heart of it," I replied, every sense on high alert. I scanned for any signs of shadow energy. It flickered all around us, but something was off about it. Then I realized there was also a trace of essence flowing around the place. It felt odd.
Colonel Ryan led us through the compound, and we passed by a variety of high-tech weapons systems, many of which were integrated seamlessly into the compound's design. There were particle cannons hidden within the walls, anti-aircraft batteries disguised as decorative rooftop elements, and even concealed missile silos beneath the surface of the courtyard.
It was clear that the government had spared no expense in fortifying their stronghold. I couldn't help but wonder, though, how much of this was for show and how much they were willing to use. I worried that if the shadow had seized control of the President-General or other senior officials in the government, that they might consider me to be the real threat.
As we made our way deeper into the compound, Aqueous leaned over and whispered, "I’ve got a bad feeling about this, Aden."
"I know. I don’t want to have to use force, but I’m worried we won’t have any choice," I replied. I scanned the faces of the supers we passed. "We have to be prepared for anything."
Our procession finally reached a large, bunker-like building, and we were led inside to a room where we were to meet with the President-General and Representative Bosch. The room itself was dimly lit and heavily reinforced. A single massive table in the center, surrounded by high-backed chairs, dominated the room. Large displays on one wall displayed a map of North America, with various icons indicating military installations and ongoing operations.
The President-General, an imposing man with a strong jaw and graying hair, stood at the head of the table. He wasn’t a super, since supers were banned from holding leadership positions, but he was the type of man who in his prime had probably been quite fit. He regarded us with a mix of curiosity and wariness.
I focused on him, but took note of Representative Bosch standing behind him. The politician still had the same weasel-like expression on his face that he always did. This time, if anything, his sneer was even more pronounced.
Though I didn’t like how confident he looked, taking your enemy for granted was always a mistake. The thing is, Bosch was powerful in terms of political influence and his ability to whip the public up into a fervor. That wasn’t the kind of power that would matter today. Today would be decided by physical power, not politics.
What worried me was that I didn’t know if Bosch actually understood that. Politicians like him seemed to think they had more control than was actually the case. I reached out with Energy Sense to determine if there was any shadow energy within him.
For the first time, it was like my extended senses ran into a brick wall. I couldn’t sense any shadow in him—but I couldn’t sense a lack of it, either. That didn’t add up, and I was sure that something was off. It was like my power was being blocked.
I switched my focus over to the President-General. Around him I sensed a vague cloud of shadow—not possession or even a true infection, but there was definitely some type of shadow influence there, all the same. That led me to scanning the rest of the room.
Colonel Ryan and our escort had left, but there were three other supers who remained in the room—a man and two women. If I didn’t miss my guess, they were a bonded team. I tried to scan them and met the same resistance I’d felt from Bosch. I was just about to push more progenitor energy into Energy Sense when the President-General interrupted me.
"Welcome, Aden… or do you prefer your superhero moniker, Son of Light?”
I winced as I heard Demis’ snicker. She never stopped teasing me for having picked such a stupid here name.
“Aden is fine,” I replied.
If he was bothered by the fact that I left off his title when addressing him, he didn’t show it. Amongst supers, titles were considered a sign of weakness. Heroes were judged by their accomplishments, not by their position or a piece of paper they hung on a wall indicating whatever degree they had completed.
“Aden, then.” He nodded at me. “And Ms. Soros, I was grieved to hear of your father’s passing. He was a good man, who I worked closely with on more than one occasion. You’ve grown into quite a beautiful young woman, and I’m sure you’ll continue the fine tradition of service to his government your father committed the Soros Clan to.”
Inferna was quiet for a brief, though noticeable, moment. The murder of her father by the shadow was still too recent for this to be easy for her.
“Thank you,” she said, inclining her head. “I know that once he counted you a friend and an ally, someone committed to the salvation of the human race.”
I knew her words had been carefully selected and from the way the President-General sat back in his chair, he knew it too. The disdain on Bosch’s features only deepened.
How, I longed to wipe that sneer off his face.
The President-General continued, “And the esteemed heroes, Demis and Aqueous, now bonds of the only Prism. It is an honor to meet with you.”
I nodded, but said, “As much as I understand the niceties of small talk and exchanging such pleasantries, the clock is ticking. There are threats which must be dealt with, and I came here to see if I could still count upon the government for its support.”
When the President-General started to reply, Bosch put his hand on the man’s shoulder. The supposed head of the NAAG clammed up immediately.
“You didn’t come here to see anything at all,” the legislator behind the President-General said. “You were brought here to answer to criminal charges and to explain the mass murder of millions of NAAG citizens in Mexico City.”
He twisted his lips in what I expect he thought was a condescending smile. “You were supposed to be the hope of humanity, but instead you let your pride control you. You refused a truce with the shadow and then killed millions to prevent that same peace. You are here to answer for your crimes.”
Chapter 26 - The Shadow Revealed
I clenched my fists, feeling the heat of anger burn within my chest at Bosch's words. I knew that he was twisting the truth, painting me as the villain in the tragedy that had unfolded in Mexico City. But I also knew that I had to keep my emotions in check—if not for the sake of my bonds, then for the innocent people that might be caught in the crossfire if things escalated.
"Those accusations are baseless and you know it," I replied, my voice cold and measured. "I have never sought anything but the protection of humanity. You know that as well as I do. That is the one and only time that I will let you make that accusation.”
Bosch smirked, clearly relishing the situation. "Oh, I know. And I know that you think you're above the law, that you can just do whatever you want without consequence—but that's not how things work in the NAAG, Aden. You're going to have to answer for your actions, one way or another. Even now, you threaten us with violence, as if that is the way things are solved."
As I stared Bosch down, my senses continued to probe the room, trying to get a better read on whatever it was that blocked my ability to read him and the three supers standing behind him. Something was definitely off, but I couldn't quite put my finger on it.
Inferna stepped forward, her voice filled with disdain. "Aden has done more for this world than you could ever dream of Bosch. He's the one who's been out there, risking his life day after day to keep humanity safe. What have you done, besides hide behind your walls and spin your lies?"
"My dear, you have no idea what I've done, or what I'm capable of.” Bosch's smug grin widened. “But you'll find out soon enough."
I could feel the tension in the room building, like a storm about to break. My bonds were restless, their emotions boiling just beneath the surface. Aqueous and Demis exchanged glances, brows drawn dangerously together. I could tell they were itching for a fight, but I hoped it wouldn't come to that.
Everything was happening differently than I’d anticipated. My Precognition ability was humming with a generalized sense of danger, but it seemed to be unable to lock down on a specific threat to warn me exactly what was about to happen. I’d expected Bosch to be the one pulling the strings, but he had always relied upon public pressure. I’d figured he’d talk—the man certainly enjoyed the sound of his own voice—and maybe even try to negotiate. But something was off about him. This wasn’t the man that I’d blocked in Mexico City when we’d first met CB.
As I tried to get my bearings in this new situation, I caught a subtle shift in the room's energy. It was almost imperceptible, but there was a sudden increase in the concentration of shadow energy around Bosch and the supers. I knew that could only mean one thing—they were about to make their move.
I spoke to my bonds through our telepathic connection, "Get ready. They're going to attack."
When Bosch spoke again, his voice had an altogether different timbre. It was no longer the voice of an arrogant human. This was the voice of an ancient monster, a being from beyond this dimension.
“I’d hoped to play with you a bit more. But such a feast is apparently not to be. Oh, what delightful food me and mine would have derived from the anguish of a fallen hero. The dark emotions this would have spawned would have been delectable. But you’ve changed, Son of Light.”
He tilted his head to the side, studying me. “I’m not sure how, but you’ve evolved your senses. Even a few minutes ago, I was willing to continue toying with my meal, but you’ve been pounding at my barrier the entire time you’ve been in this room. You’ve been trying to catch a glimpse of what lies beyond this feeble mask.” He chuckled darkly. “Well, look and know despair.”
Then it was like a veil was torn away and I sensed the deepest, darkest concentration of shadow energy I’d ever felt. It was a level beyond even the monstrous shadow creature I’d faced in Ohio. Somehow, it was all compacted into this single being. There was a faint touch of Essence on it, but it didn’t feel the same as what I’d experienced when fighting Krig. This was more… insidious was the only word that I could put on it.
Whereas the energy in Krig had sought to destroy or quash everything that wasn’t it, this sought to subvert. I felt whispers enter my mind and saw myself once again as that scared teenager whose parents had just been murdered. No one was helping me. I sat alone at the police station as they questioned me. No one offered sympathy. I was on my own, with no help in the world.
The feeling was overwhelming. I felt like I was going to drown in it. But then I felt warm fingers touch mine. That simple physical contact shattered whatever power this creature was weaving over me. I stepped forward and Light’s Judgment surged within me, forming a cocoon around me.
The three supers behind Bosch were also exposed for what they were. They were no longer humans, perhaps they never had been. Or maybe they were the remnants of people who had tried to test to become supers and failed, fleeing into the wild only to be fully and truly consumed by the shadow. They were dark supers like I’d never seen before.
Energy Sense could now feel the power flowing through them, but instead of Progenitor energy it was the darker side of the same power. Light and shadow must co-exist and can often achieve the same thing, but in different ways. My mind raced through all these thoughts and I filled my bonds in. At the same time, I knew the support team was already making their move. I urged restraint against those not controlled by the shadow, but told them their lives were more important.
