Chapter 2

I abruptly wake from my dreams by urgent shaking. I groan and open my eyes to Mom standing over me. Her face was filled with worry.

"They're here!" She whispered.

They?

Oh... they....

Mom rushed out of my room to go wake the twins. I jump out of my bed, my bare feet making a slapping noise on the floor board.

I rushed over to my window, and peered out into the night. I surveyed the street, looking back and forth, looking for any signs of them.

This is the first time they have come in my lifetime. Mom told me stories of the last one... it sounded brutal... it was a massacre.

There.

I could see their light at the top of the hill. They were close.

Ever since the King died, Mom has been preparing me for this.

It was the Outcast's Trial.

They go to every Outcast's home and "test" their powers. Since I don't have any Mom promised she wouldn't let anything happen to me.

Here's the thing about the government, they only care about the strong. If you were weak you were killed.

This was supposed to be a cleansing thing where they get rid of the old, weak, trash (aka me). The picture of our country was to be the strongest.

Every since the last King of Arden took over and he took over ever single other country known to us, we've been at a constant war till he was murdered. Now it's the weak versus the strong. I hate to say this but the strong will always prevail.

Or will they?

My dream was still in my head. What if I did have powers?

The sounds of Dylan complaining to Mom about being woken up snapped me from my thoughts.

She hurried out of the room and helped Mom dress the boys. Once they were dressed we headed down the stairs.

Maybe if we corporate they wouldn't test all of us. Well hopefully they wouldn't test me.

They stood together in front of the counter, all of them staring at the door. Then the door nob slowly turned, it was pushed inwards, the bell chimed, but it sounded strange to me. This wasn't real. It can't be. This had to be a dream.

Soldiers barged into the shop, the ones with lanterns waited outside as guards. The next thing I knew was the guards were in front of us ordering us to do things, but I couldn't understand them.

Until, "You're first!" The one who seemed to be the commander shouted at me.

Fear struck through me. I looked, wide eyed, at Mom, who return my expression. I stared into her fear stricken eyes.

Slowly I stepped forwards walking towards the guards. Once I was in front of the guard he stared into my eyes.

"Yellow? Yellow! What the hell is Yellow?!" He bellowed.

....

Ha...

I wanted to rip him to shreds.

"Lighting," I mumbled.

"What was that?" He asked as he pressed his face close to mine as if he couldn't hear me.

"Lighting, electricity," I said louder.

He turn his head so we were almost nose to

nose.

"Lighting? Prove. It." He said each word slowly as if I wouldn't understand.

When I didn't do anything but stare at him, the soldier laughed in my face. I could feel something under my skin shift. Oh, I am so pissed, but I couldn't do anything.

Before I could even react the soldier pulled back his clenched fist and then he hit me. Right in the nose. I think it's broken. I held onto it as if I could push the pain away. I felt the wetness of blood on my hand. Tears threaten to escape from my wet eyes, but I wouldn't cry, not here, not now.

I could hear Mom's loud sobs and pleading cries from behind me. Then I heard something that made my body freeze.

The sounds of small feet slapping against rock.

"Leave Vi alone!"

I looked at the sound, stunned to see Bath. He was running towards the nearest guard. Behind him Mom was holding onto Dy, her hand extended out to Bath as if she could pull him back.

Bath ran up to the closest soldier, placed his hand on their armor. While the soldier just laughed. He didn't expect much from a little eight year old boy.

My eyes widen in shock as blood started dripping on the floor. The soldier's face turn from a mocking smile to a frown of terror, but he was too late. The soldier was dead and fell forward, almost crushing Bath as he fell.

The dead soldier laid face down on the floor, spikes of metal were sticking out from everywhere on his body, the blood pooled around the body.

Everyone was too stunned to do anything. Then the nearest guard grabbed Bath by the arm, pulling Bath to him.

"You little bastard! You'll pay for that!"

If only Bath could control the metal with out having to touch it...

The soldier dragged Bath through the crowd of the Color Guards. Bath struggled to pull free, but he was too weak, he was too young.

"Do what you want with the rest of them!" The commander shouted.

A strange feeling filled my body. As the guard started walking away from me I grabbed his shoulder. He face turned to me. Perfect. I pulled my hand back and punched the soldier right in the nose. Pay back.

But ow ow ow my hand! What was his nose made of? Rocks?!

The other guards that moved to handle the rest of my family turned to me. Then I heard it.

Bath screamed. I could feel electricity pulse as Bath screamed again. They must have one of the Wands. The Wands were metal sticks that held electricity, so whenever it hit skin it shock them, but it was also like beating them.

Rage. That is what this feeling was.

I ran to the closest sword hanging by a rack on the wall to my left. I spun on my heels, sword in hand, and faced the guards. They pulled their swords out, they grin at the fact they out number me.

By the color of their armor, they were all Reds. They were the Red Guard.

Soon flame appeared on swords, hands, and whole bodies. The flames licked at the oxygen, sucking out the air we needed to breathe. The soldiers seemed just find, but I was coughing.

I could hear the distant cough from Mom.

"Run! Please! Run!" I shouted to them.

I needed to escape. I was backed into a corner, surrounded on all sides by Reds.

Bath screamed again but it was hard to hear him from the blood rushing in my ears.

"Vi!"

I looked passed the guards, through the smoke, and saw her mother. I was fighting off flaming swords left and right. Dylan hid behind her leg.

Mom wasn't running away. She was coming for me.

I felt my heart flutter with love but it didn't last long. Mom needed to take Dy, save Bath, and get out of here.

I heard the crackling of fire burning wood. I looked up to the sound, the roof was on fire. I really needed to get out of here but I was trapped.

I kept my guard up and did my best to defend myself against the Red Guard. They weren't even using their full potential, they were just toying with me.

Mom was already starting to make a path through the soldiers. Dead bodies littered the ground around her. Mom was a beast.

I wish I was like her...

I wish I could do something!

The crackling sound grew loud, which caused some of the guards to look worryingly up at the ceiling.

Some of the soldiers started to ignore me and went for my mother. They wanted to get this over quickly before the house collapses from the fire.

I ran up to a distracted soldier and drove my sword though the soldiers neck. The soldier's body was covered in flame so hot that the sword melted, but it worked in her favor since the soldier was now burnt by the molted metal, some of the melted metal must even be inside his own skin now, poising him.

Leaving the sword inside the soldier's neck, I ran back to the rack of swords behind me and grabbed another one.

As I turned around to block the attack that I thought was coming, but instead of an attack I heard a scream. Then a sob. They weren't attacking me anymore. They were attacking Mom.

I was ready to defend anyone still around, but all I saw was backs of red armor. Some were leaving the house while others cheered.

I saw a soldier sticking his sword in the gut of my brother. I saw my brother's blood on the floor. I watched him die.

My mother sobbed as her knees buckled from underneath her and she landed on the hard floor with a thud.

No.

She need to run. She need to run!

Mom please get up!

It was too late. Another soldier walked up behind my mother and raised his sword above his head.

"Mom!!"

She didn't hear me over the roar of the fire.

The sword was brought down on my mothers neck, her head coming clean off in one full swing.

I choked. Tears spilled from my eyes. My legs felt weak as I stared at my mom's dead eyes.

Cheering was heard from all over, but it sounded so far away.

I need to stop this massacre.

Another scream from Bath sounded through my head.

That's it.

This ends now.

I'd probably look back at this and think I was stupid, but for now all I can do is try.

I call on the electric from the wires in the wall. I pulled the electric into my body. I concentrated it in my hands. Slowly I lifted my hand, a finger pointing at the cheering soldiers. I let my power build in my hand.

Maybe it was just my imagination but I FELT the power in me. My body felt alive. I felt alive. The buzz was no longer annoying, it was comforting.

Then I released that power.

A spark shot out of my finger and jumped to the closest soldier. It jumped at my will going from soldier to soldier, shocking each and everyone of them.

The ones farthest away tried to run, but they couldn't out run me. Soon everyone of them was down. The only noise heard was the cracking of the burning wood. It was time for me to leave this place .

Bath screams filled my head. Only then did I realize he was silent. I ran out of the shop and stopped dead in my tracks.

The other citizens of Outlands were staring at me with blank faces. They showed no emotions. I recognized almost everyone, but they looked at me like I was a stranger.

I searched for my brother, for the soldiers that took him, but he was no where to be seen.

Boom!

The sound of the building behind me crashing down made me jump. I spun on my heels watching as the building fell to the ground, crushing any and everyone inside. The shop was gone, my home was gone.

My family along with it.