Renegade Reborn by J. C. Fiske Page B

start?”
    “To crush hope, and replace it with despair. That’s what he does! He is a master of manipulation, and he knows just how to shake your foundations. There are many who find purpose and a belief in the idea of a higher power. Some call him IAM, some something else, and some don’t believe in anything but their own power, their own will, but in that speech of his he broke hope for those who believe, and those who don’t. He attacked both sides of the proverbial fence, but especially, those upon the fence . . .
    Seeing is believing, and those who saw his absolute power on display? Me, Morry, we’ve both seen it. It’s terrifying to behold. He makes you believe that yes, he honestly could take over everything you are, and everything you could be. Purpose. That is what the unbelievers, believers, and unsure all have in common. They’re all searching for their place in this universe, and Drakearon? He would rather take that all away, and own what’s left . . .” Douglas said, swallowing hard. “ . . . and the scariest thing about it? He has the power to do it!”
    “Yes, and some he won’t have to force. More people flock to his city every day to accept the Drakeness, and increase his power. His plan, it’s maniacally brilliant. Take away the sun, instill darkness and fear, then, create a heaven on earth, and kick back, relax, as power comes to him all on its own.” Rolce said.
    “What of Falcon?” Morry asked.
    Rolce tried several attempts to speak, but could not find the words, and simply, hung his head.
    “So, my brother . . . the reports are true. He’s gone,” Douglas said.
    “We don’t know that, but, I feel, we would have found him by now, or he us . . .” Rolce managed to say.
    They were all silent for a long time, and then, Morry raised his head, his eyes widened with sudden realization.
    “Then it’s true. He used it,” Morry said.
    “Used it? Used what?” Rolce asked. Douglas looked at Morry for a moment, and then, it came to him as well. He planted a hand over his face and breathed in slowly, fighting back tears.
    “That explosion that destroyed Heaven’s Shelter, the explosion that still to this day, has left the ground warm . . . I don’t know why I didn’t piece it together before. That wasn’t the work of Drakearon. That was the work of my brother. He, he used it. He actually used it!” Douglas said.
    “Used what?” Rolce asked.
    “Damasuku, the Flarian term for, sacrifice. In other words, he used his compression technique, over and over again, layering an explosion inside his own body that would expel all of his life, soul essence, and Flarian energy. The magnitude of it, normally wouldn’t be that powerful, but, he probably added in his Drakeness into the mix . . . the power expelled, it must have been beyond imagination! But, Damasuku, it’s not something just anyone can do. The amount of will needed to keep the power in you, to hold your body together . . . there was only one other time in our history when it was used, and that man, used it in a duel against the Flarian Warlord, challenging him for his throne, and ended up killing them both in the process which started a civil war in Flaria. It was from the victors of that war, that new line of Warlord, that Vadid was born . . .” Douglas said.
    “But, why would he . . .” Rolce started, when the realization hit him. Morry nodded.
    “The reason why we still sit here freely was because ‘o him, Rolce. He no doubt, along with himself an’ Heaven’s Shelter, took out that black army of Drakearon’s . . . he mayhap wasn’t ready to take on the neutral armies of Thera, but, I guarantee he would have stormed down on us straight after to kill us Flarian’s again and add to his power!” Morry said.
    “And Falcon, one man, stopped him. I always wondered why he didn’t follow through with Code Risinyu. Honj, he was upset with him, not giving his power to us, but, he gave us something more precious. He gave us