Book 2: The Trialborn Legacy

Tess and Luna looked at Cass with panic. He was still kneeling on the floor, rocking forwards and back, mumbling under his breath. Tess's enhanced hearing caught "... sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry…"

She looked at Zavier again and breathed a sigh of relief when she saw the cracks in his skin closing, the blackened portions starting to flake off. "Okay," she said. "Fine." She didn't want to give this sadistic watcher the real answer so thought quickly to come up with a believable excuse.

"He was wearing a magical shirt that protects against lightning attacks."

There was an electronic squelch. "That seems… illogical. How would something like this even come to be? How would it work? Many in this plant had nonconductive clothing, but it was never enough to overcome my energy."

Tess didn't miss the past-tense. "It's The System! It granted people powers and magic, but it also created items with enhanced properties. We think of it as magical, but most likely it's some advanced science too far beyond what we understand for us to know exactly how it works. All we know is that it DOES work. We defeated a creature that used electrical attacks and it provided us with a shirt that could defend against it."

"I require proof."

Tess sighed in frustration. This was like a kid constantly asking 'why' and, when you explained, asking 'why' over and over again until you didn't have any answers to satisfy them. "Are you able to scan objects to tell what their abilities are?"

A drone hovered silently into the room and Tess jumped up, Shimmer in her hand.

"Do not be alarmed. I am attempting to scan as you suggested."

The drone moved over Zavier and a red, horizontal beam of light traced his body. With the scan complete it hovered backwards and stopped at the far corner of the room.

"I am unable to determine anything from the shirt - possibly it is too damaged. Do you have any other such items that I can scan?"

Ugh, this is becoming exhausting, Tess thought. "Here," she said and tossed the Toxic Weaver Dagger onto the floor with a clatter. It was likely to be the least useful item in this place and wouldn't give up the secrets of their more powerful weapons.

The drone moved to hover over the knife and the scanning light appeared again. It shut off moments later and moved back to the corner.

"What does this dagger do?"

"It's called a Toxic Weaver Dagger. When we killed a venomous spider The System turned the energy from the creature into an item that took on its characteristics. It has a poisoning effect to living creatures."

"I can't see that. I don't understand why I can't see that."

Tess was shocked at the revelation. Why couldn't they see it? Is it because they weren't there in person to identify it?

"I think it may be because you're attempting to identify it through a proxy. I can't look at an image or video of an item and identify its characteristics, so you probably have to be here in person."

It may have been her imagination but she could have sworn she heard a Hmmm… coming from the speakers. "I believe this may be the case, although this provides a challenge. You will continue and bring these items to me for review."

A moment of hope blossomed in Tess's chest. "Does this mean you're going to open the way for us to come to you?"

The voice was full of mirth when it responded. "The way is set! Challenges must be overcome if I'm going to learn. You will continue. Protecting your family unit is of utmost importance to you, and this must be explored."

Tess groaned in irritation. So much for a free pass.

"When will you be ready to move forward?"

Tess looked at Zavier, joy filling her at the way his pink skin was sloughing off more of the char. Under-promise, over-deliver, as Zavier always says. What did he call it? The Scotty rule? I think an hour should do it but best to play it safe. "We will need four hours."

"That timeline is unacceptable. You have 60 minutes."

"That's not enough time!" Tess objected.

"And yet that is how much time you have."

Tess rubbed her forehead in frustration. This was like dealing with a child on a power trip. "Look, if you want us to be the best test subjects we can be then we need to be at full health. If we die too soon you'll learn nothing. You've waited months for someone to visit, a few hours shouldn't make any difference. Let us heal and we'll give you the best show we can."

The voice considered for a moment. "You have two hours. If you are not moving forward by that time I will kill you all."

"You don't have to keep saying that," Tess mumbled under her breath.

An hour later Zavier woke up with a groan, his skin feeling too tight and his mouth tasting of ash. His eyes fluttered open, but the bright lights above him made him squint and wince. Tess was immediately at his side, her face a mixture of relief and intense alertness.

"Zavier, thank God," she reached out to touch his cheek but hesitated when she saw the rawness of his skin.

Zavier blinked, trying to focus. "What... happened?" His voice was rough, barely more than a whisper.

"You got hit with some kind of electrical attack," Tess explained, her voice steady but with a tremor underneath. "It knocked you out cold. We thought... we thought you were gone."

"Oh yeah," he chuckled, laying his head back down. "That hurt like a bitch too."

Before the voice could question him and uncover her lie Tess sent a quick mental message. "She asked how you survived. I told her it was a magical shirt that was resistant to energy. Said we got it from the Thunder Titan."

Zavier's eyes shot open in alarm and he looked down at his body. "My shirt!" He groaned. "Jesus, that thing was hard to get. I think it's ruined."

"You're laying it on a little thick, tone it down," Tess sent over the chat.

Luna, who had been hovering nearby, rushed over and knelt beside her father, her eyes wide with anxiety. "Dad, I'm so sorry! I tried to get to you, but - " She stopped, her voice breaking.

"It's okay, Luna," Zavier said, forcing a smile despite the pain. "I'm okay now." He reached out weakly, and Luna grasped his hand, holding it tightly, as if to reassure herself he was really there.

It was Cass who caught Zavier's attention next. The boy was huddled in a corner, his knees drawn up to his chest, arms crossed over his legs, head resting on his knees. He was rocking slightly, muttering under his breath. The sight twisted something deep in Zavier's heart.

"Cass?" Zavier called, his voice gentle.

Cass didn't respond - didn't even seem to hear him. Luna looked over at her brother, worry etched across her face, and then back at Zavier, unsure of what to do.

Tess followed Zavier's gaze and sighed heavily. "He's shutting down, Z. He's blaming himself for what happened to you."

Zavier tried to sit up but his body protested with a wave of pain that made him gasp. "Cass... it wasn't your fault," he managed to say, though the effort cost him. "None of this is your fault."

Cass's rocking stopped, but he still didn't look up. Zavier exchanged a concerned glance with Tess. "We need to keep moving," she said, her voice firm but filled with dread. "Whoever is running this place is not going to let us rest for long."

Zavier nodded weakly. "I know." He looked at Cass again, his heart aching to see his son like this. "Cassian, listen to me." His voice was stronger this time. "That sucked and I'm sorry you were put in that position, but you made the right call. We all had to make a choice, you only did what the rest of us did. We're a family, and we get through this together. I need you with us, son. We can't do this without you."

For a long moment, there was silence. Then, slowly, Cass lifted his head. His face was pale, his eyes red and hollow, but he looked at Zavier. "I'm so sorry dad," he whispered, tears spilling down his cheeks.

"I know, Cass," Zavier said, his heart breaking for his son. "But right now, we need to survive. And that means we have to keep going, no matter what. Can you do that for me? For all of us?"

Cass stared at him, trembling, but after a moment, he nodded. It was a small, hesitant nod, but it was something.

"Good," Zavier said, his voice softening.

Tess squeezed Zavier's hand, her eyes meeting his. "Take some time to recover, we have an hour left. I thought it'd take longer for the healing shot to work than it did."

"Thank you," he said. "I just need a bit and I'll be back up to full speed. My health is topped out but I still feel like shit, for some unreasonable and unfair reason. I'll be ready to go once the time is up though. We're not done yet."