Excelsior by George Sirois Page A

bit and peeked inside. She saw Matthew sitting at a small desk, his clothes pushed to the other side of the closet, his knees poking up almost comically. For a moment she recalled hiding with her son in the caves of Denab as she observed the hunched figure in the tiny space.
    Matthew looked up. His eyes were red and puffy, the defiant sparkle she saw outside the school cafeteria gone. His voice was a rasp.
    “When I was a kid, I used to sit in here and write and draw. It was a good way to keep out of everyone's way and just be alone, you know. After the field trip to the museum, I was in here almost all night with these visions going through my head. I couldn't stop drawing them and then writing out what I was seeing. I was inspired. I knew I had something really special.” His eyes grew shiny as tears spilled onto his face. “What a waste, huh? I really thought I had something.” He dropped his face into his hands.
    Klierra pulled a handkerchief from her pocket and gently pulled Matthew’s hands away from his face. She blotted his tears. “Matthew, please don't think like this. The stories you created are a wonderful thing. The power of Excelsior cannot just be given to someone at random. Otherwise it would have been transferred to the person who discovered the sword in Greenland . This is a gift and the person who inherits Excelsior's lifeforce has to have it within them to carry on his legacy. Do you understand?”
    Matthew shook his head and pushed away her hand. “I don't understand any of this. Why me?”
    Klierra knelt down on the floor and placed a gentle hand on Matthew's shoulder, suddenly remembering a gray-eyed youth named Semminex looking at her just this way. “There is something inside you that Excelsior recognized. And you revealed that element of yourself when you stood up to that larger student."
    "I still don't understand how that happened. It didn't even feel like I was in control of my own body. It wouldn't stop walking up to Nick."
    "But you wanted to do it, didn't you?" Klierra asked. Matthew just nodded and the Denarian saw fear, confusion and anger colliding in his eyes. "Despite what you may think, you possess within you an inner strength and a yearning to lead. When Denab IV was in its infancy and Valertus first found the sword, he was already known as a great warrior. The lifeforce of Excelsior enhanced his gift for leadership and inspired his ability as a pacesetter for our culture. Semminex also had the gift of leadership but Excelsior's lifeforce enhanced that gift and helped him become a great warrior and innovator.”
    Matthew wiped his face with the back of his sleeve as Klierra continued. “You are not a puppet that is being directed by an outside force. You are a talented young man whose gift for innovation is expressed in your drive to take Excelsior's memories and turn them into a wonderful creation. I believe it is not only your inborn gift for creativity and innovation that attracted Excelsior's lifeforce. He also felt your strength and leadership.” She held out the handkerchief.
    Matthew stared at it a moment, then took it and wiped his face. “Really?”
    “Yes, and it is your innovation, combined with your strength and leadership, that brought me to you. If you did not write and draw this comic, we would not have found you and we would not be able to reunite Excelsior’s memories with his spirit energy.”
    Matthew gave Klierra a long look. “What do you mean?”
    Klierra moved closer. “We need your help, Matthew. You have it within you to become Excelsior and we need him desperately. Both Denab IV and Earth are in great peril. I'm sure you are aware of Nocterar and Danaak.” Matthew slowly nodded. “A team of excavators has uncovered Danaak's remains and brought his body here to New York City . It has been well preserved by the jewel he stole from Nocterar after Excelsior defeated him. Excelsior's last act on our planet was to lure Danaak through the Leap of Faith,