I never enjoyed manipulating people, but when it's so easy, it's hard to resist.
I needed vengeance. I needed to find the killer of my brother and mother. I wanted to burn the peaks and end the war.
But I was weak. I could barely call upon gold digger and now he was gone. I only had Tyrin to rely on and he had just died along with the rest of the surfers.
Tyde and I became the only surfers of our colony; and we were both made to ride the abyss.
His past trauma may have been locked up deep within his mind; but his body still evolved.
While I had no strength to depend on, he was sitting on an unimaginable about of power. One that multiplied with each passing day, and one that festered, uselessly within his grasp.
Such a waste. If only someone were to be able to pull out that potential? I knew what had to be done.
It was a delicate dance to draw out his love at first; but it was no secret that he was head over heals for me.
Men are so simple. This little boy was fighting for his life to not lose to his curse every second I got too close.
I teased him relentlessly. Pushed him to his edge. I toyed with his mind and fiddled with him like a puppet.
Don't get me wrong, I love him, he's adorable, but he's also wasting his potential. Letting us rot away in the coast when he was given enough power to rival the heavens.
For years I had to watch him remain a coward. A timid little boy who followed me around in the abyss, letting me take the lead, and take all the risk when encountering ghouls.
The irony of the most powerful person I ever met, hiding behind me, the weakest person I know; it was laughable, but bitter to accept.
I needed to work on him slowly. If I made one wrong move, I would break our trust or even worse make him lose to his curse and have to start over.
This amount of strength was extremely valuable to me, and I took my precious time exercising my blessing; feeding on Tyde's unending love for me.
At first it was a little crush. Then it became similar to the bond of a family member, and slowly it festered into burning love; fueling my blessing as I feed on him greedily.
He was my main source of power, not only physically, but also as fuel for my potent tongue.
His love far out burned the rest of the kids and as the days went by I felt my tongue weigh heavy with incomprehensible power.
I tested it on the kids at first. Ordering them to do chores they hated doing. It worked like magic, when they heard my commanding tongue, they did not hesitate to obey.
Slowly I worked my way up, to the moment when Tyde finally broke out of his cowardly state.
The day that he stood up for me and jumped into that narwhal, I knew, I had him wrapped around my finger.
Ever since then I have grown into my voice and read every thought of our enemy. With my guidance and Tyde's power, I know that we can take over the world.
I may be a traitor, and I one day Tyde may betray me; but the one thing I am not is the villain. I have chosen a dark path, but the light is at the end of the tunnel.
When I read all of who Tyde was as I peered into his mind, I understood his sorrow, his pain, his worthiness of the great power that he posses.
But I also saw his potential, and the need for guidance. He needed conviction, he needed someone to love, he needed ME. So I became the villain that he needed, in order to become the hero.
When the secret gets out that I have the ability to manipulate people's action through my words and that I can read minds; I will become extremely vulnerable.
The countless hours I have practiced with my phasing spear is no match for Tyde's capabilities. He is the heart of our operation, and I am the mind.
I feed off of his love, he operates under my guidance; and together we will flourish under the pressure of the peaks. Hand in hand we will strike down our enemies.
***
The day has finally arrived for the veil, when the kids receive their marking and their spot in the elite academy is solidified with it.
Tyde and I spent today at home, not letting any of the vendors distract us from training.
Since our plan at the hell hound had failed, Perada thought it be good for us to practice combat and study books.
I hate combat, but the books... they're very familiar. I loved reading what we had back at the colonies.
Each book was like peering into the contents of the authors mind; it was an extension of my innate gift.
But instead of the painful experience of guilt that I feel when I roam around other's minds; this felt consensual. Like a little present left behind.
The authors took care about the contents of their writing and articulated their thoughts well. When I enter into someone's mind uninvited, it's like navigating a maze.
Images jumbled and words running at each other; it takes time to digest one's mind. But books were so clean and concise.
I could almost drink the knowledge off the page. The library we have here is full of all genres and any information I could ever dream of obtaining.
Zara's residence (now ours as well) has gone through many renovations as we've been here for the last few weeks.
The once empty and dimly lit halls were now full of portraits of the sovereign family. The living and dining area are furnished with fancy décor; and our bedrooms are customized to our liking.
I have never been one to chase luxury, but being in the comfort of this palace has made my heart soft from the ease that money brings.
Zara has a large family. The sovereign has been busy with his love making. He has married three times and has had seven children.
Zara doesn't seem to be close with her father. Hell, she wants to kill him. But when it comes to her siblings I haven't been able to get her to reveal that thought to me.
Her mom fills her memories the most. She cherishes her. Something terrible has happened in the past and it causes her extreme anguish; a sadness that boils into rage at times.
Being able to understand someone by reading their mind feels invasive but it's the quickest way to establish a connection.
All these things that may take years to develop a relationship and establish trust enough for her to share is right at my finger tips.
Yes, I did beat her up at first when meeting her; but the longer I lingered in her mind, the more I felt her passion for life resonating with me.
That's the interesting thing about first impressions. Almost any enemy can feel a friend when you live in their mind long enough.
I use their trauma as a weapon. Each person that I reap information out of is a tool I can use for my tongue when I command them.
The lovebird mark on my ribs should have been a venomous viper the way that I slither in the midst of people.
Currently I am sparring Tyde while Perada watches us. I am wielding my spear and Tits is holding his mothers short sword.
He has learned to dampen his power and control it so he doesn't accidentally kill me. I'm not quite sure what the purpose of our spar is.
He could clap me with one finger. I couldn't leave a dent on his flesh even with the most enchanted powerful relic.
We dance around each other, exchanging blows; with Tits trying to establish a rhythm and myself trying to find strength in my stance.
He keeps glancing at my shirt that starts to cling to my sweaty skin. I time one of the instances that he glances and trip up his rhythm, kicking in his knee pit and causing him to fall over.
He blushes as I help him up. Too easy. If he used his enhanced speed or even the tension of his enhanced knee muscles; he could have just taken the blow.
I can tell he is hesitant to take part in any victories in our spars and it's getting under my nerves.
I don't want him to go all out and annihilate me, but I wish I had a little more of his respect. Winning from his lust for my sweaty shirt doesn't feel like a satisfying victory.
I slap his left ass cheek hard.
"Quit staring and get your rhythm back; can't have you losing out there to some hot shmuck chick you ogle over." I taunt as I get back into fighting stance.
"Not just any hot shmuck, you're an acception." I read his mind. Instead of saying that sweet line he says:
"Oh... I uhhh, I wasn't staring. I just get nervous when facing you."
He isn't lying. Even though we've established that he's exponentially more powerful than I am, somehow something in his little brain is bringing him back to the days we spent in the abyss.
He still thinks of me as this brave warrior who used to look out for him and protect him. He needs to grow out of that. Our roles have changed now.
"You're coordination is improving, but Dior is right Tyde. You need to get your rhythm down. If you don't have rhythm your enemy will set the pace. Set your own rhythm and you can dictate your movements." Perada steps in front of Tyde and pats him on the head; he needs to reach up because they are close to the same height.
Tyde swats away Perada's hand and mutters a curse at him.
"Hey guys take a break from training, the kids who've passed the veil is now being broadcasted. Don't you want to know if your friends made it through?" Zara yells to us from the living room.