18. Ell-rom
18
ELL-ROM
T he conversation with Max had helped settle some of Ell-rom's nerves, but as Kian led him down the keep's corridors toward the cells, anxiety crept back in. His palms were sweating, and he felt nauseous.
"We'll start with something simple," Kian said, pulling out his phone and bringing up a photograph. "I want you to try directing your ability at this man."
Ell-rom stared at the image of an ordinary-looking middle-aged human. Nothing about him suggested the monster he apparently was. "I can't," he said. "Not without verifying his guilt myself."
Kian's expression hardened. "The test is to see if you can affect someone you've never met, using only an image. We need to know if your ability works at a distance." He paused, meeting Ell-rom's eyes. "The clan would never ask you to execute an innocent person. The Guardians have thoroughly verified his crimes. He's a monster."
The logic made sense, but something in Ell-rom still resisted. But hadn't he just been talking with Max about trust and necessary evils?
Taking a deep breath, he nodded. "I'll try."
He focused on the photograph, directing his death wish toward the man it depicted. Nothing felt different, though. There was no surge of power and no burning in the back of his eyes like when he'd killed that attacker in the alley. He knew even before Onegus's voice sounded in his earpieces that it hadn't worked.
"No effect," the chief said.
"Try again," Kian instructed. "This time, think about what he's done. The children he's hurt. The innocent lives he's ruined all for his sick pleasure."
Ell-rom closed his eyes, trying to summon righteous anger and channel it toward the photograph.
Still, he felt nothing.
"Nothing," Onegus confirmed.
Suddenly, fear gripped Ell-rom. "What if I accidentally killed someone else? Can we check the other prisoners?"
He hadn't felt anything, so probably nothing happened to anyone, but he couldn't be sure that the same reaction would take place each time he used his talent. He didn't remember feeling anything special when he'd killed that first guard, but then he still didn't remember anything from his life in the temple, only the bits and pieces he'd seen in his dreams and what Morelle had told him.
Luckily, she'd retained all of her memories.
"No one died," Onegus confirmed after a moment.
It was both a relief and a frustration. Why wasn't his ability working?
"Let's try something more direct," Kian said, leading him toward one of the heavy metal doors lining the corridor.
When the door opened, and Ell-rom got a look at the interior, it was nothing like he'd imagined. Instead of the dark, dank dungeon he'd expected, the cell was clean and modern, with cream-colored walls and new fixtures. The prisoner lay on a bed, lightly sedated and shackled.
"Tell us about the children you molested," Kian commanded, then turned to Ell-rom. "Look into his mind and see for yourself."
As the guy mumbled incoherent words, Ell-rom approached the bed hesitantly, looked down at the portly human, and reached out with his mind to access his memories.
The images that flooded his consciousness were worse than anything he could have imagined, and as bile rose in his throat, he yanked himself out of the monster's mind and struck with his death wish without giving it a second thought.
The man's eyes went blank, his body slack.
Dead.
Ell-rom felt no remorse, only a cold satisfaction that shocked him. Was this what Max had meant about becoming a blade?
"Damn it," Kian muttered. "I wanted you to try it from a distance first. Come on." He guided Ell-rom to another cell. "You need to control your temper."
Outside, Kian put his hand on Ell-rom's shoulder. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have snapped at you. How are you feeling? Are you okay?"
"Yes. Surprisingly. I can kill monsters like him all day long and feel only satisfaction."
"Good." Kian clapped his shoulder. "Then let's continue, but this time, let's test the distance."
Ell-rom nodded. "I'll do my best to control the death ray."
The next prisoner looked equally ordinary and equally human. Regrettably, monsters didn't come with horns or with a tattoo on their forehead proclaiming them demon-spawned.
Ell-rom wouldn't have given the man a second glance on the street.
When Kian ordered the man to talk, Ell-rom hesitated before entering his mind, the horror of the previous one's memories still fresh in his mind. But he had to do this.
As he reached out again, accessing the human's memories, the flood of them hit him like a physical blow, and as the bile rose in his throat again and he yanked himself out of that cesspool, he couldn't hold it back this time.
Doubling over, he vomited onto the floor but managed to keep his death wish from striking.
"I'm so sorry," he gasped. "I'll clean that up." He wiped his mouth on his sleeve.
"Leave it," Kian said firmly. "The Guardians will handle it. You need some air." He steered Ell-rom toward the exit, his grip supportive but urgent.
As they waited for the elevator, Anandur walked over to a vending machine that was tucked into a corner and returned with a cold can.
"Drink this." He popped the lid. "It will help settle your stomach and wash away the bad taste."
"Thank you." Ell-rom gulped the sweet drink, the carbonation helping eliminate the acid taste in his mouth.
"You looked awesome when you killed that first bastard. Almost demonic. I never imagined that you could look so scary." He affected a shiver.
Kian shot the Guardian a warning glare, but Ell-rom shook his head. "It's alright. Jasmine told me how I looked when I killed that vagabond in the alley."
After they emerged from the keep's underground parking, Anandur drove Kian's vehicle aimlessly through the city streets, taking random turns while Ell-rom watched the normal world pass by outside and wondered who among the people shopping, walking dogs, living their lives, were evil like those in the keep's dungeons.
He had a feeling that he would never be able to look at humans again without thinking that some of them were monsters or all of them.
Gradually, though, his breathing steadied, and his heart rate normalized. The horrors he'd witnessed began to fade, though he knew he would never be rid of them no matter how long he lived.
After what felt like at least an hour, Kian shifted in his seat. "Try again," he said. "Think about the prisoner whose memories you saw. Think about justice and deliver it."
Ell-rom closed his eyes, picturing the man's face, remembering the atrocities he'd seen in his memories. This time, when he sent out his death wish, something felt different. A connection, almost like a thread stretching across the distance.
Kian pressed his earpiece. "Onegus?"
"Dead," came the reply. "Instantaneous."
Relief and something like pride crossed Kian's face. "Good. That will be all for today. I'm taking Ell-rom back to the village and we will continue testing on Monday." He turned to Ell-rom. "After you and Jasmine return from the cabin."
Ell-rom nodded, still processing what he had done.
His ability worked at a distance. He could deliver death from miles away. It should have terrified him, but instead, he felt a sense of peace. He was delivering justice to those who had forfeited their right to life through their own evil actions.
"You did well," Kian said softly. "I know it wasn't easy."
"It was much easier than I thought it would be."
The city continued to drift past their windows. Somewhere out there, children were safer because two monsters would never hurt anyone again. It wasn't what he'd planned for his life to be about, but perhaps it was what he'd been created for all along.
Not a weapon of mass destruction but a precise instrument of justice. A blade, yes, but one that was wielded with purpose and control.