Liberation

Chapter 3

JULIA'S POINT OF VIEW:

On the way back to my house, I decide to stop by the war memorial that was built to honor those who had died in the battle. It's quiet and it may help clear my head. And considering how frustrated I am, I want to have my head clear again.

I pass by plaques with name after name, all who've given their lives for a better future. A future they trusted us to make better.

I understand Adam's point, and it really does make sense. After everything we fought for, he just doesn't want to take the chance of having to go through it again. Even though we won triumphantly, we lost a lot along the way. He lost a lot along the way.

I pass by a certain plaque with the name "Natalie" engraved on it. I never knew her well, but Adam did. He loved her and she returned the feeling, but they didn't get the happiness they deserved. Henley had killed her. I was by her side when she died.

Adam was never the same after that. He got better, but there's always a small twinge of sadness in his eyes, and I don't think it'll ever go away. Not really.

I can relate; I've watched Peter die before, thinking all hope was lost. Only our bond was strong enough to bring him back, and no matter how angry I am at him for not telling me about Henley, we'll always come back to each other. Adam and Natalie didn't have that chance.

I pass her plaque and keep moving forward, because I know why I came here; there's someone I want to speak with.

When the memorial was being built, I requested that they build a plaque and statue in memory of Gwyneth Ross, the person who had the power of dominance before I did. The Council killed her when she was fourteen because she wouldn't cooperate with them. But even as she died, she believed that the Council would be overthrown. She was right.

She had inspired me, and so I thought that the least we could do in her memory was honor her in the memorial. I look up at the white marble statue depicting her, a little teenage girl looking throughout the memorial, the same tattoo etched into her right palm that is now etched in mine; all fifteen symbols representing all fifteen powers.

"What am I supposed to do, Gwyneth? I want to go and stop the trouble before it can start, but no one will see it the way I do," I say to her statue, even though I know it won't answer. "I don't know what I expected to gain coming here. I guess I thought that talking to you would make me wiser or something," I say.

Still feeling sympathetic, I decide to pay my respects by using my connection with the earth from the power of elements to grow a wreath of flowers and set it at the base of her plaque. "If only you of all people could help," I say sadly as I sit back against her plaque.

When I lean back my head and close my eyes, I play around with the power of senses. Shifting my feet around, I can sense every object of mass around me. I can feel everything around me and know exactly where they all are, without even needing to see. When I try to enhance my hearing to listen to a bird chirping, something strange happens.

A disturbance in my senses prevents me from concentrating on listening, for all of the sudden, I can sense something buried about a foot underneath the concrete I sit on.

Sitting up, I try to concentrate on the strange object. Refocusing my senses, I can tell that it's a stack of papers, hidden documents perhaps.

I split a rift in the concrete and separate the earth below, and sure enough, there lies a small stack of papers.

I reach in and pull the stack out, brushing the dirt off the papers in the process. There's no telling how long these have been in here, but it's clear that they haven't seen the light of day in years.

I begin to examine the documents, skimming through the information for anything of importance. Most of which are old recordings of executions, most likely hidden by the Council when they still ruled. They always felt secure in their secrets.

But then, one document, a letter more like it, catches my eye. It's from five years ago according the date at the top, and it's signed by Henley.

The Council has just recently appointed me their new leader. While I'm grateful, it feels temporary. The people obey us, but they do not trust us. And with distrust will come rebellion. Someone will come along soon to try and bring the Council down, taking me with them. However, what the people don't know, is that we still have a few tricks up our sleeves. They are not aware of the society you, my dear brother, have created, much less the new powers you have managed to create and distribute amongst your own people. Keep my society a secret from your people, likewise I will keep yours a secret from mine. And when the time of rebellion comes, they will lock me away. But I will flee for your refuge, and we will rally your people to take back my society once and for all, where I will rule with an iron fist. And I know what you seek is to possess every power, and so you shall have it if you help. I had a dream a few months ago of a teenage girl whose name will start with the letter J and eyes the boldest and brightest shade of green you could imagine being the one to defeat me. But I will not give up that easily. I will have absolute power if it is the last thing I do. Prepare for a fight, brother. I fear it will be upon us sooner than we think.

~Henley Collins

I drop the letter in shock and back away from it, like a person would retreat from a snake prepared to strike. Henley expected everything that happened three years ago, but she's not finished yet. And to make the situation worse, she's escaped to plot with her brother. We thought the fight was over before it had truly begun.

I gingerly pick the letter back up, fold it, and stuff it in my pocket. Pulling the earth back together, I seal the hole left in the earth that held the documents. I gather the rest of the papers in my arms and prepare to leave, positive that Adam will understand when he reads the letter.

Before I leave, I turn back to Gwyneth's statue, her still, marble eyes staring down at me. "Thank you," I say to her. Then, I take in a deep breath of the chilly autumn air and make my way back to Adam's office.