Chapter 9: The Power Thief

The next morning, Ida woke up sleepless and exhausted. The thoughts in her head wouldn't disperse. Batuhan's betrayal, Atilla's warnings, and the uncontrollable anger she experienced last night created a mess in her mind. But today, she was determined. She had to talk to Atilla and learn the truth. She wanted to put an end to the questions swirling in her head. With these thoughts, she got ready and quickly left the house.

As she stepped inside the school gates, her heart was pounding in her chest. Her eyes searched for Atilla, Eymen, and Aras. They were in their usual spot, under the big plane tree in the school yard. Taking a deep breath, she quickened her steps, gathering her thoughts as she approached them.

When Atilla noticed her, a hint of surprise appeared in his eyes. His face lacked its usual friendly expression; it was cold and distant. As he saw Ida walking towards him, he averted his gaze. Ida realized that this distant behavior clearly reflected the tension between them, but she didn't stop. When she reached them, Eymen and Aras smiled slightly, but Atilla's expression remained unchanged.

"We need to talk," Ida said, her voice filled with seriousness. Atilla remained silent for a moment before responding harshly.

"I don't think there's anything left to talk about, Ida." He avoided eye contact, but Ida wasn't going to give up.

"Yes, there is," Ida said determinedly. "It's about Batuhan." Atilla's eyes turned back to her, curiosity replacing the coldness for a brief moment, but he didn't speak. Ida took a deep breath and began to recount the conversation she had with Batuhan the previous day.

"Batuhan acted very strangely towards me yesterday. It was as if he was hiding something from me and trying to push me away. At that moment, I realized that everything he said to me was a lie. I thought that what you said about him might be true… That you were trying to protect me."

Atilla's expression changed momentarily to surprise, then a deep seriousness appeared in his eyes. He listened carefully to Ida's words. Eymen and Aras also paid closer attention to Ida when Batuhan's name was mentioned.

"Atilla, you know something, don't you? You told me not to trust Batuhan. You were right," Ida said, her voice filled with desperation. "Tell me what's going on. Please…"

Atilla stepped towards Ida with a deep breath. Though his expression softened, the seriousness on his face didn't disappear. "Ida, I knew this was dangerous, but I didn't want to pull you into it." He paused as if weighing his words. "But now you're in it, Ida. Batuhan didn't try to push you away for no reason. He's aware of something, and we need to be careful."

Ida was taken aback by Atilla's words. "What do you mean? What is this 'thing'?"

Atilla looked around briefly, as if suspecting someone might be listening. "This isn't something to talk about here. There are things you need to understand, but we need to be in a safe place." His eyes flicked to Eymen and Aras for a moment. "There's no turning back now. Batuhan is involved in something much darker than you think."

Ida's heart started to race. An indescribable darkness, a sense of danger, became more apparent in every memory she had with Batuhan. "You need to tell me what's happening," she said, her voice trembling slightly.

Seeing Ida's determination, Atilla took a deep breath and spoke in a serious tone. "Everything has changed now, Ida. We need to be very careful. From now on, you must think through every step you take around Batuhan. We won't leave you alone, but there are things you need to know."

Eymen and Aras nodded, sharing Atilla's seriousness. "We'll help you," Aras said, speaking for the first time. Eymen gave Ida a hopeful look. "No matter what happens, you're not alone anymore."

Ida looked into Atilla's eyes. The weight of his words made her feel the gravity of the situation. She didn't know what dark business Batuhan was involved in, but she trusted Atilla and the others. There was no turning back now.

Atilla hesitated for a moment under Ida's determined and anxious gaze, then took a deep breath. "It's time to tell you everything," he said. His eyes shifted to Eymen and Aras, who nodded in support. "You can trust us, but what you hear might shake you."

Ida nodded, her heart filled with a mixture of fear and curiosity. After one more glance around, Atilla began to speak. "We're like you, Ida. We're not ordinary people. Eymen, Aras, and I… we all have special powers."

Ida opened her eyes wide in disbelief, unable to find words for a few seconds. "What? What do you mean?"

Eymen, with a calm expression, added, "We were also born with these abilities. Each of us has different talents. Atilla can move objects without touching them. I have the ability to read minds. Aras can control elements, especially water."

Ida shook her head, trying to process this new information. For a moment, she thought about the dark power within her. The indescribable energy she felt while harming the tree last night… Atilla's words echoed in her mind, amplifying her fear and confusion.

"And Batuhan? What's he doing? Where does he fit into this?" Ida asked, her voice trembling.

Atilla's face hardened. "Batuhan wasn't one of us. He wasn't born with powers like us. But over time, his desire to possess these powers changed him. Because he didn't have his own abilities, he started stealing powers from others."

Ida stared in disbelief. "Stealing powers? How is that even possible?"

"Yes," Atilla's voice darkened. "Batuhan is a kind of power thief. He can steal powers from other people, especially those like us who are born with talents. He draws them in, gains their trust, and then takes their powers. He collects the stolen powers within himself and learns to control them. That's why we need to be cautious with him."

Eymen turned to Ida and added, "It's easy to fall under Batuhan's spell. He's very manipulative. He approaches you at first, gains your trust. Then, without you realizing, he weakens you and steals your powers. We trusted him too, Ida. We believed in him. But he betrayed us."

Ida's mind was spinning. Her anger towards Batuhan was now replaced with fear. "What about me? Did he steal anything from me?"

Aras noticed the worry on Ida's face and spoke softly. "Not yet, Ida. That might be why he tried to push you away. Perhaps he planned to use you to gain more power but had to push you back for some reason. Maybe you unknowingly protected yourself."

Ida took a deep breath, trying to make sense of the situation. She had never imagined Batuhan could be such a dark person. Every moment she felt safe with him now seemed like a trap. Her heart began to race.

"Atilla, what do we do now?" Ida asked, feeling desperate. "If Batuhan hasn't stolen anything from me yet… how do we stop him from doing it?"

Atilla's face hardened. "That's why you need to listen carefully to what I'm about to tell you. Batuhan is dangerous now, and we must stay away from him. If you have to face him again, don't trust him. You need to learn how to control your powers, Ida. If you have abilities, you must learn to protect and develop them."

Eymen looked at Ida and added, "We're here for you. We can show you how to control your powers. Batuhan may be stronger than we thought, but together we can stop him."

Seeing the seriousness and determination in her friends, Ida felt a glimmer of hope. She was no longer alone. Atilla, Eymen, and Aras would help her. But at the same time, she felt a new fear in every memory she had with Batuhan. She had trusted him, but now she knew that Batuhan was actually her greatest enemy.

Ida took a deep breath and nodded determinedly. "Alright. I want to learn to control my powers. We must stop Batuhan."

Atilla nodded with a slight smile. "Then let's begin. We have a long road ahead of us, Ida. But together, we can stop Batuhan."