Their Light

Chapter 13

"So what's this, Tenebris?" I asked to get us started.

"Tenebris is a forbidden power that corrupts the user," Kent explained. "It is born from the worst of humanity. Destructive emotions, horrific events, evil acts all fuel its creation."

"What was that word you used?" I asked, looking at Caspian. "Pralus? Prabus?"

"Pravus," Caspian corrected, his eyes haunted.

"What's that?"

"Pravus are users of dark energy. They have been corrupted into puppets of the darkness," Ryder bit out. None of them liked this topic at all. I appreciated they were still indulging my curiosity, though.

"Like being possessed by a demon?"

"Pretty much," Finn answered.

"That's where the superstition comes from," Peter added.

"Are they connected to those creeps at the warehouse? Malum?" I asked, remembering them with a shudder. Kent paused before he answered. I could feel he was hesitant about something.

"That's a bit more complicated," he began.

"She should know the truth," Caspian stated. "The full truth." I looked at him, confused. Were the others trying to hide something from me? I didn't sense anything amiss. I glanced back at Kent. Ryder caught my attention. He definitely looked like he disagreed with Caspian.

"He is right. She can handle it," Zeke's gravelly voice travels through the room. I could feel the surprise at his comment. It's not much, but it was there and it wasn't just mine. My heart warmed at his confidence in me. Kent sighed but finally continued.

"Probus have the ability to interact with and use the darkness to amplify their own abilities and to tap into this dark energy. But they become corrupted and turn into what we call Pravus." I let that delightful picture sink in. So Probus could go bad. The scene from earlier in the kitchen with Peter and Finn played through my mind. Doubt bubbled up.

"When you checked me over earlier," I started looking at Peter. "Were you doing that because you thought I was a Pravus?" My voice was quiet, all of my previous confidence with them melting away in an instant. Peter's eyes widened and shock filled the room, followed by the sharp taste of disagreement.

"No, no, no," Peter told me, shaking his head. "A Probus doesn't always turn voluntarily. If that dark energy can touch you, infect you, it can corrupt you against your will."

Instantly I felt better, and I was very glad that it didn't touch me. The way they explained it, it felt violating. "What does that have to do with those creeps?"

"Malum are created when Pravus use their dark powers to steal energy from humans. They are easily manipulated and controlled," Ryder explained.

"Why?" I asked. "What are they after?"

"To create more darkness and completely snuff out any light left in this world," Kent stated dramatically. I mean, it was horrible and we definitely don't want that to happen, but I swear this guy practiced those one-liners in the mirror. I forced myself to hold back a smile.

"So that's what Probus protect the world from?" I wanted to make sure I was getting the right picture in my head. They all nodded.

"At least for right now," Isaac added. "Malum activity has been through the roof recently." My mind whirled with that tidbit. If Malum activity had increased...

"Doesn't that indicate that more Probus are turning bad?" I asked. The guys looked around at each other, slightly surprised. Had no one thought of this before?