Successor

I felt a vision, but I only saw darkness.

I opened my eyes, and he was still in front of me.

The time inside my vision felt longer, I thought I collapsed again.

"I saw you back at the Temple, Persephone. I have seen your face, so denying it won't benefit you."

It was the first time a vision came to me with just darkness. Is it because of this dark aura I'm sensing from him? Is he a killer? A murderer? Is he here to murder me and my brother?

"I don't have to answer you, soldier. So if you don't mind, I have to go."

He grabbed my hand as I was about to leave, "Wait, Kore. I'm sorry, I'm on your side. I hate the government too, the obvious factions of the strong and the weak, even the President himself forces us low tier to join the military. I don't want them to gain more power by using people like tools."

Is he lying? Is he pretending to be on our side to gain my trust? Even while he spoke, the dark aura kept enveloping his body.

I was waiting for him to speak again, but he just stood there and kept looking at me.

"Are you done? If you are, can you please let go of my hand?" I requested.

He looked surprised and suddenly took a few steps back from me.

"People with no agendas don't go running off their mouth with anyone they just met. So you preaching earlier won't benefit you." I added.

I was already stressed as it is, I didn't want someone else to add fuel to the fire.

With Mom being in danger, and us running away from it all.

The thought of losing both of our parents to the government, I felt sick.

Mom didn't believe me when I told her about dad's murderer, but I don't blame her.

Her soulmate, the love her life, gone just like that?

"STOP IT PERSEPHONE! I DON'T WANT TO HEAR MORE OF THIS! YOUR DAD IS GONE! HE'S DEAD! CAN YOUR POWER BRING BACK THE DEAD? UNLESS YOU CAN, SHUT UP."

I hated Mom for saying those things to me, though I knew she was the most hurt among all of us.

I went to the bunker and Hades was there, he was all over the place when I entered, he was probably crying again.

The TV was on, and the President together with the High Priest was live.

"What a year of new power users! I am overjoyed with every single one of you, your life has only begun and a fruitful future awaits you! With this gratifying sequence of events, I am pleased to announce that I have found a successor, the country will be safe at his hands, a powerful nation needs a powerful leader."

The President stepped down, and the High Priest took over.

"Good day to all the citizens of the United Front, I ask for all of your understanding as for what happened during this years Coming of Age Ceremony. We at the Temple of Origins have been passing on the knowledge of our unworldly powers and thus, the time has come for us to be united once more. A powerful seer has come of age, and the Temple has been in need of a new High Priestess for almost a century now, I ask of you to support Persephone Athanasios and do not hinder her growth as a power user. Thank you."

Charles came running towards our bunker, "We have a problem, I can't believe they got ahead of us."

"Did the President mean me, Charles?" Hades asked.

"It seems like it, oh my gods. They really did it. They went ahead and announced their retirement and hold you guys hostage. I can't believe them." Charles was walking frantically to and fro in front of us.

I was surprisingly calm, for the first time I thought of checking my social media and our faces were blowing up everywhere.

"Persephone was always with her twin, she was quiet and never really mingled with others. I can't believe she could see a person's destined partner, that's a power I could pay for any price."

"Its sad that she has these kinds of power, seeing the person you love and seeing the person who's gonna be the cause of your death? Kinda scary to me but I'd trade my power for it."

"I always thought Hades was handsome but him tailing Persephone all the time made it hard for others to come near him. I've heard he doesn't fight back too, never imagined he'd be a three power wielder, what are the odds of that."

"A coward having three powers? What a waste, there are other people who's more deserving of powers like that."

Charles took my phone, "Stop checking your social media. It won't do you any good."

"I don't feel anything, Charles. I don't know if I hate becoming the High Priestess or not."

…

I could hear the soldiers outside doing their morning training.

After Charles introduced us to the other soldiers, they gave us fatigue uniforms so we would blend among the others. Charles was known among the base, they didn't even question why he brought us there.

The excitement died down after a few hours last night, but I still couldn���t feel anything about it.

Hades was still out of it, and I couldn't have myself talk to him after he left mom behind.

I went outside to check what their morning training was, they were sparring with other soldiers like what I saw in my vision about Mom.

I don't know why they think soldiers are weak, but they look powerful to me. In terms of fighting techniques, their physical power probably outmatches a power user in ten folds.

"You think we're powerful, don't you?"

The man from yesterday.

"And why is that a bad thing?" I asked

"The government holds us at our necks, Kore. They need us to be strong, so power users like them can hide far and safe from the fighting."

"Why do you let them? The fact that you guys are indeed strong is enough reason for you to fight back."

"You just don't get it, do you? Its not only us, but also our loved ones. If we fought back, they'd go after them. That's why, serving the country and dying a soldier is a responsibility the government forced on us."

I can't believe I even thought of siding with the government.

"Why do you even tell me all of these, soldier? I don't even know your name and you go preaching your principles to a stranger like me."

"Its Magus, Kore. My name is Magus."

…

I took some supplies from the storage, and other necessities like first aid essentials. Waiting for Charles to do something is a waste of time. Mom will die if we stay here longer.

"Hades, let's go. We have to leave."

"No, Persie. Charles said Mom has a plan."

"You don't know what you're talking about, Hades. I didn't see who's gonna kill Mom, but I heard his voice, the room he was in looked like a room found in the Blue House, I bet he had something to do with Dad's murderer. If we stay here, they're gonna get mom first."

"Persephone, we can't. We're 18 year olds who don't know a thing about the world. We've seen a lot of things that didn't make sense because the adults didn't want us to know. We should just trust Charles, Mom said so."

"Fine, if you want to stay. STAY."

11:03 PM

SEND TO: Mom

Mom, I'm sorry but I have to leave Hades behind. I know you want us to stick together, you always reminded us that both us are one, we cannot function without the other but I guess its time for us to find our own ways now.

SEND?

SEND.

Mom, please you have to see my text. Mom, please respond. Please.

Two hours passed but Mom didn't respond.

I left the base and just walked straight on without looking back.

A soldier earlier today told me that the nearest train station is a 2-3 hour walk from the base, but with a car, a 30 minute ride.

I knew how to drive, but I didn't have a driver's license. Even though I'm like a wanted criminal now, I still feel guilty of doing something like driving without a license.

There were a few cars that passed by, but I hid behind the trees and the bushes that lined along the road going to the base. I didn't want to be seen, and they were probably looking for me anyway.

Walking alone for 2 hours got me thinking, what's next after I arrive at the capitol?

I didn't know how to enter the escape tunnels Charles used before, and I don't know if the ID machines would even work for me.

What if the Blue House guards are looking for me, and they actually caught me?

The Temple priests are probably looking for me too. Especially after that announcement. Everyone does, no doubt.

A familiar feeling suddenly came over me, another one of my visions?

"Please gods, no. Don't make me have my visions right now."

"OH MY GODS! PERS--"

"WHAAAAAA!!!!"

I fell to my knees, "What the freak, man?"

I looked up, and it was Magus.