Relentless

Chapter 36

I'm petrified. I don't know what to do as Kane rejects Peter's attempt at peace.

"If you don't let Ashton go or if you kill her, you will have one less hostage to rescue." Kane threatens.

My eyes dart to Peter, his jaw clenched with frustration.

"I mean, why not? We're clearly not getting anywhere this way." He said trying to keep his voice optimistic.

"It seems we have found ourselves in a stalemate so why don't we just trade and call it even?"

Kane smiled, seeing victory. "Not a chance."

"That's where you're wrong. Your plan is flawed. I have the upper hand here. You have one hostage and I have to. I will kill this one and then we will try again. The outcome will be the same until you free Ashton." Kane glowered.

What am I supposed to do? My mind is racing. I have no idea what I should do or what I could even do in this state. If only I could get this pendant off. My arms are secured to my side so I can't even reach my pendant.

To my surprise Rosalind appeared to me. "I know I should let you forge your own path but I just couldn't sit by and watch anymore."

"What? Rosalind? How are you even here?" I glance down at my neck to see the pendant is still there.

"I'm here because you need me."

"That doesn't explain the 'how.'"

"Oh, right, of course. You have the power to save them."

"How? I don't have my powers and I can't take off the pendant."

"Yes, you can."

"No, really." I try to reach for it and my fingers rarely brush it. "See?"

"No, use your powers."

"I can't! That's the problem!"

"No, the problem is you."

I sighed and rolled my eyes. Here we go. Another inspirational speech about how I can do anything if I just believe in myself.

"I heard that, you know." Whoops.

"Anyway, you can use your power. Don't you see? The very reason that I'm here proves it."

"But how?"

"Because you can manipulate metal. Therefore, you can manipulate the very thing that is holding your power back. Since you can control it, it can't control you."

"But I've never been able to manipulate metal. Believe me, I've tried."

"Enough of your power is still active. Otherwise I couldn't be here. Just try. If not for yourself then maybe for your sister." She vanished as she spoke her last word.

Ash. Am I really going to let her die for me? No, not die. Slaughtered. I won't let her be killed for me.

With new-found vigor, I close my eyes and concentrate all of my power to my hands. I can feel them tingling with electricity but when I opened my eyes nothing was there. I quickly realized that that means that my power is working in a different way.

I feel the hum of electricity charging the atoms in my body and in the air all around me. My eyes find Skylar's band that lays in Kane's bag after he took it from me. With the slightest flick of my wrist, it shoots through the air.

Kane lets out a blood curdling scream as the srtip of metal cuts his flesh to ribbons and his hand that held Katrina hostage, falls severed to the ground. He takes two steps back, regaining his balance as he grabs his bloodied arm. Within seconds his abilities allow another hand to form in its place.

While he is still recovering, I rip my hands from their shackles. I placed one hand on the pendant and it drips through my fingers to the ground. My powers fully freed, I lift Katrina's pendant from her neck and her shackles fall to the ground.

Kane's fiery eyes meet mine. I return his revengeful look with an emotionless one. "You're dead!" He shouted before launching towards me.

Peter opened a portal in front of him and he ran right into it and before he had time to react, he was running away from me.

I give Peter a grateful smile and I am happy to see that Ashton lays at his side unconscious and unbound. For the first time in months she looks almost peaceful.

I returned my attention to Kane. He is reaching for his transmitter. I know if he reaches it that backup will not be far behind and our victory will be shot lives. Katrina is nearing him but not fast enough. She won't make it in time so I extend my hand and when I feel its energy, I closed my hand into a fist, crushing the device. Kane's hand slammed hard onto the rock that it sat on.

"Best to give up now, Kane." Peter commanded.

With rage in his eyes, Kane surrendered.

"How are we supposed to tie them up when they could both easily get free from rope or even metal shackles? I would say to use pendants but have one left, sorry, and if one gets freed they could easily free the other." I explained.

"Or they would just run." Katrina added. "They aren't exactly loyal to each other only for their cause."

"Katrina, could you..." Peter asked. She seemed to understand and did not need a further explanation. She nodded.

Peter lifts Kane so that his feet rarely brush the ground. Katrina stares into his eyes and muttered something. The next thing I know, Peter dropped him on the ground and is thanking Katrina.

"What did you do?" I asked her.

"I took away his powers."

"Really? Just like that?"

"Well, they're not really gone. He just can't use them until I reverse my power. I'm not a very powerful psychic but I can compel a Divine to not use their powers. I'll do the same to Ashton when she wakes up."

"That's amazing. I didn't even know you were a psychic. Why haven't I seen you use it before?"

"Well, I have the power of Spirit, which is the element of shifting and psychic abilities. I may not be very powerful but I have pretty unique powers. I don't get to use my psychic ability often because I have to stare straight at them as I command them not to use their powers. I never really have time to do that in a fight and I have no reason to do it to anyone in the order."

"Speaking of the order, I think it is about time that you guys explain to me what we stand for. We're called the Silver Phoenix. Why? What does that mean? And why are they called the Dark Phoenix?" I asked, gesturing to Kane.

Peter sighed. "Fine, but this might take a while to explain. Tell me, how versed are you in Ancient Celestial history."

"Um..."