Fractured Worlds (Worlds Away #1)

Brela Chapter 16: Supplies

"I don't even know what to say," Justin said.

"I know," was all I could say to Justin as I finished telling him about Zerbelgrim and the other escaped prisoners. We had met after I had left the prison, and I couldn't help but tell him everything that had just happened. He was as shocked as I was.

"To be able to block jumping... that's new. And different," Justin muttered as he and I entered the main room, heading towards the crates that were stacked in the centre. People came and went, carrying the various supplies to their designated areas or jumping to MEPA with more.

"I still can't quite believe that the guy I fought—who was an easy opponent may I add—is this Zerbelgrim. From what Zyair said, he seemed very powerful, enough that he hunted Zyair down." I shook my head. "That's another thing that is bothering me: why Zyair of all people? I know he's a natural jumper, I just don't see why Zerbelgrim hunted him down."

"Technically Zyair isn't a natural jumper," Justin said as we joined the large group, each picking up a crate of food.

"Hmm?"

"Zyair is what the eternals call a thief, although that's not the true name of his species as it was lost in history. In all my research I can't find any traces of it, oddly enough. Anyways, they're known as thieves due to their ability to steal others' abilities. He may appear to be a natural jumper, but in fact, he got that ability from a half-eternal."

"That seems super overpowered," I said, knowing that there was probably a catch.

"It is, but as always, there's a condition. Thieves can only keep the ability if the person they stole it from is killed while they are without the ability.

"About a decade after MEPA's founding, the eternals learned about the thieves. The eternals realised that their campaign and power was threatened by the thieves, so they attacked their home world. The eternals massacred the society, only taking a few as prisoners. A scarce few managed to escape, jumping away.

"You see, this society was peaceful, and they didn't know how to keep their abilities yet, so many of them jumped and got stuck on the world they jumped too and became an easy target for the eternals to hunt down later. There are very few survivors out there."

"That explains it," I said, stepping to the side of the hall to let a group of agents pass. "The eternals still fear his ability."

"Very much so." Justin nodded, stepping back to my side as we continued, almost at the kitchens now.

"But how did the thieves know how to jump?" I asked. "Jumping isn't exactly the easiest ability to use."

"Along with the ability, they also gain the owner's knowledge and experience with the skill," Justin said, setting his crate down in front of the large pantries and cupboards. I did the same and began to unload the supplies onto their labelled shelves.

"That makes sense," I muttered, searching around for the bread's designated spot. I couldn't help but ask, "How many abilities does Zyair have?"

"Two."

"That's it?"

"He only has the "necessities": jumping, the ability to kill eternals, and immortality. The last two abilities are linked when stolen, so they're essentially one. Even though he can take others' abilities, Zyair doesn't choose to."

"Fair. I wouldn't want to kill others just to get special powers."

"A great deal of others would disagree with you," Justin sighed, taking the bread from me and placing it with the other loaves. Together, we picked up the crates and headed back to the central room.

"I don't know why, but ever since I first saw him, I felt like I should know him. Zyair, I mean," I said. "Or at least, I recognize him from somewhere."

Justin smiled. "Think back to the first day, just after Mae approached you about joining MEPA."

I thought back to that day— which seemed so long ago now— carefully running all the events over in my head. It took me a moment to clue in. When I felt like I was being followed on the way to my apartment, I had seen a black-haired man and a blond-haired woman behind me— Zyair and Edoline.

Justin continued after seeing my facial expression change to realisation. "They were following you to make sure no fracture was caused, and if one appeared they would have been able to deal with it immediately."

"After doing this job it makes sense. Why didn't they tell me earlier?"

"Probably not the right time, plus your reaction." Justin said, grabbing a new crate. I followed suit, and we headed towards the medical wing. "If they had told you that they were following you to make sure there was no fracture, you probably wouldn't trust either of them as much as you do now."

"True." I nodded my head, understanding Justin's statement. "Wait, how do you know? You weren't there, were you?" I began putting him in the scenario, trying to see where he had been.

Justin shook his head. "No. I heard about it from Boradon who was told about it by Edoline."

News travels fast, I realised as Magda looked up, brow scrunching at the supplies Justin and I carried.

"More?" Magda asked. "I thought Celia brought in the last."

"I think these are the last ones," Justin said, walking up to the leader of the medical unit. Magda looked in the crate. "Bring it over to Cheryl, she's on bandages." Magda moved to me next. "You're going to the large cabinet at the back; they'll unpack it there."

Justin and I moved away, heading to our designated areas. The vials and bottles clinked together as I moved around the other crates scattered across the room and the medical staff unpacking them.

"Take those back with you," A nurse said as I set my crate down.

I picked up the three other crates, carrying them back through the crowded area.

"How are you feeling?" Magda was asking Justin as I walked back to him. He had two crates at his feet, both empty.

"Better, the pill kicked in a while ago," he said. "I don't even feel tired. Thank you"

"Don't thank me, you should be thanking Edoline; she brought them back with her from her third home world."

"I'll do that; that medication is quite handy," Justin said, noticing me and picking up his stack of empty crates.

"That they are," Magda said. With that, we headed back to get more crates. There was only one left, labelled to go to the science unit. We had just placed our crates in the pile of other empty red cross crates when Mae approached us. There was a stack of envelopes in her hand.

"I just got a call from Captain Hayward," she said. "He thinks he spotted another group of half-eternals. He wants MEPA's support before he engages. He said it's a small group, enough that you two can handle it."

"I'm guessing we're expected to leave right away?" Justin asked.

Mae nodded her head. "Give him this too." Mae handed a sealed envelope to Justin. He quickly pocketed it.

Together, Justin and I jumped away, heading back to World 4.