Chapter 9: Cover Blown: My Hidden Power

Well, I think I might've crossed the line when I made that 'smart ass' remark, but it sounded cool so I don't regret it whatsoever. I could see the anger in his eyes afterward, but that didn't bother me more than the fact that I could use the artifact's power without having the artifact on myself.

I only started noticing this after he confronted me about it, before then, I didn't recall him taking it. The only reason why this is so mind-blowing is because I grew up never knowing what my power was. Everyone in the world, or at least everyone left, was born with supernatural abilities.

People awaken it sooner than others depending on what that power is. For example, Roger has the ability called Radar. He can detect any living thing within a set range centered around him. That was how he was able to pinpoint the number of soldiers on the surface when we were underground. Roger pretty much awakened his power when he was able to start crawling because it was just instinctual.

However, others have abilities that either awaken from specific thoughts or have certain criteria in play. Like if someone had an ability to control snails. If that person never thought to control snails before, then they never would've awakened their ability. Abilities only activate when you wish to activate them, but you don't know what your ability is until you use it. Confusing? That's why it's common for people to grow up powerless.

Then there are cases where abilities can't be used unless certain criteria are met. Like if someone had the ability to read your mind if you made eye contact with them. You wouldn't be able to read someone's mind without making eye contact with them first. Especially if others knew your ability, they'd avoid eye contact at all times. And that's just the first obstacle. Imagine if someone had that ability, but they were born blind. Technically, they'd be considered powerless because they'd never be able to use their power.

I was considered powerless, up until this very moment. Before then, I had to rely on artifacts to fight my battles while others had powers. Honestly, I still don't even understand my power. I am able to use an artifact's power without having the artifact on myself. And on top of that, I can also use an artifact without being suppressed by its cost or sacrifice.

As I made that thought, I questioned it entirely. Doubting that it could ever be a possible ability because that would mean that I would need an artifact for my ability to activate. It would be outrageous for a person's ability to rely on artifacts. The equivalent to that would be like a power that's dependent on some rare extra-terrestrial metal. If powers had certain activation criteria, then that activation would depend on humans or nature itself. Artifacts are neither of those two things, they are man-made mystical objects.

I really wanted to believe that my power was something else that could explain this phenomenon, but as of right now, this is my hypothesis.