The Catalyst

Chapter 12

Jaden shuddered and dredged himself out of the memory. "They use . . . their demons, in many different ways."

"It's all right," Noah said. "You don't have to talk about it."

"Sorry."

"Pulled a muscle?" Noah asked, and Jaden realized he'd been massaging his shoulder. He stopped.

"It's nothing."

Noah peered out into darkness and rain.

"Maybe we should meditate," he suggested. "You could teach me."

Jaden smiled. "I could certainly try."

A few minutes later, they sat cross-legged on their makeshift beds of cloaks and blankets, facing one another, their backs straight. Noah got the pose right, at least.

"A circle?" Noah tilted his head, brow drawn in confusion.

Jaden offered an apologetic smile. "This is the only technique I know, the one my mother taught me, contrived from thorough study of her old books and texts."

"Well," Noah said, "it's not working."

"You must visualize this circle," Jaden attempted to explain, shaping it with his hands. "Starting from within and slowly expanding outward. Everything in that circle, you control. You are safe, you are at peace. There is nothing but the circle. Whether you picture it growing fast or slow, it doesn't matter. It could also pulse with every beat of your heart, or expand with every breath, or every exhale. You should develop your own preference."

"I don't get it, what does the circle represent?" Noah asked.

Jaden smiled. "Your energy."

"Uh-huh." The confusion didn't leave his eyes.

"You must simply try it," Jaden stressed, "many, many times. I, myself, don't fully understand it. I suppose a mentor can help but I'm afraid this comes almost solely from practice."

"How long have you been practicing?" Noah inquired.

"Nearly my whole life."

Noah did give it an honest try, to be fair, closing his eyes and taking deep breaths. For perhaps thirty seconds.

Then he announced he'd rather try to sleep, thanked Jaden for the lesson, and curled up on his side, struggling to fit all of his long legs under a blanket.

"You should try to get some sleep too," Noah advised.

***

The smell of sea salt clung heavily to the air. Darkness and humidity shrouded the harbor. A storm was coming. The anchored ship swayed dully from side to side. Jaden was on his knees, surrounded by hooded cult members.

The Dragon appeared on deck, cloaked, gloved and masked, and they all bowed ceremoniously. Two dragon demons flanked his sides, their long claws scratching the wooden planks, large reptilian wings folded. Jaden shivered as thunder roared in the sky, but rain was slow to come.

The chanting began. Dread curdled at the pit of his stomach. Not this again.

Abruptly the chanting stopped. There was only silence. His shivering turned violent. It felt as though he'd slipped through a crack in a frozen lake and been swallowed by the icy water. Every breath so cold it hurt.

Then came the terrorizing feeling of emptiness. Nothingness. Let me wake up.

Something emerged from the darkness, onto the white platform with him. A pattern of black flames, a smile revealing teeth that were all fangs, and dark eyes watching him.