"Welcome to Damirra", an old male voice said, a voice that shouldn't come out of a beak.
My heart stopped in my chest as a knife shot out from the table and hitting the creature straight in the chest.
The bird didn't react as the knife slid off Its feathers harmlessly.
The only noise—the sound of the knife clattering on the floor, spurred the room into movement.
The table burst into chaos as people hurried to their feet screaming, I rushed to my feet then slowly backed away.
Dad stood in front of my mum and the big lady, even though the lady was large enough to shield them both.
My eyes widened as a blood red beam struck the beast but then split apart not even leaving a stain.
Kendali raised her hand beside me, and the plates around us rose into the air, breaking apart into shards aimed at the beast.
"I mean you no harm" It spoke, Its head turning slowly from side to side, "I am the one who summoned you all".
"What do you want from us." A familiar deep voice replied, I turned my head to him—The Barrier.
He was the only one still seated. Calm. Even as he locked eyes with the monster.
The air shook.
All around me shards flew towards the monster, its head was facing The Barrier and so the attack was in its blindspot.
The attacks completely dwarfed the creature, with more objects adding to the pile.
The sound of glass and ceramic breaking silenced the hall.
Shards flew everywhere, one grazing my cheek but my eyes like everyone else's were glued to the attack.
Soon the disaster came to an end, the creature stood there in a pile of broken glass and cutlery.
Its feathers remained unruffled.
"I do not wish to harm you" It repeated, but this time it's voice was not the same—it was an androgynous human voice with the faint sound of a bird.
"We don't want to be here."Kendali said taking a pause to look around, perhaps to make sure she spoke for all of us.
She continued, now pointing at the owl "You?.... You would take us back to our homes.", more plates floated in the air as she spoke.
Two six armed automations walked into the room and all around me everyone prepared for a fight.
The other girl my age took a step back. Her eyes were glowing red with only a hint of black in the centre.
The man beside Theo took out a paper gun and a ridiculously large paper sword.
We were all superhuman, and It was outnumbered, the odds were heavily in our favor.
Its wings flapped once.
The only warning I had was a rush of breeze.
Shards fell out of the air around me.
Kendali was gone.
Fear gripped my heart. I couldn't breathe.
Standing was impossible and so I collapsed to my feet, my vision in front of me blurring.
I landed in a pile of broken plates, but I was alive.
'That could have been me, that creature can kill us' were the only thoughts in my head. I heard Kendali scream from above me and my mind spun all sorts of horrible scenes.
"Vicas!!!...." I could only tell it was my Dad by voice "Vicas get up!" He said raising me to a stand, the first thing I could see was Kendali.
They were in the air, making me notice how high the ceiling was. The creature's grey wings was spread wide behind it.
Kendali was struggling in Its grasp. Clutching it's hand. Screaming.
One human hand stretched out from the cloak of feathers. Human shaped, but it was wrinkled and covered in scales.
There was no hint of a second hand underneath the feathers.
"You all were chosen to be here because I want you here." It's voice rang out clearly, there was no hint of the old man's voice I heard before not even the seamless androgynous sound.
"Your lives before this has been meaningless so far, and would come to a quick end if you do not learn to keep yourselves under control." It spoke, Its voice was a sharp grating sound in my ears, every word was ingrained into my skull.
Then It faced us, Its head turning and tilting to stare directly at us.
'A human could never turn in that manner'
Someone vomited somewhere beside me.
Kendali had stopped struggling in his grasp. From the distance I couldn't tell if she was still breathing.
"You don't want to harm us." The Barrier said, stepping out of the crowd.
"Let the girl go, she does not need to die just for you to prove a point". He stared the creature in the eyes as he talked.
In the blink of an eye the creature was standing in front of the short bald man, seeing the creature standing so close to the man made new realise how small it was.
The Barrier was taller than it by a head.
It cradled Kendali in its wings, Its hand hiding completely behind Its feathers.
Then it walked past The Barrier, dropping Kendali on the table.
My mum immediately rushed to her.
In the same manner it came, The Owl vanished. Leaving through the roof.
Leaving the hall in silence.
...
It left through the roof.
Easing the pressure closing in on me by just a bit.
The emotions of those around me were a physical burden.
Trying to keep my breath steady, I looked at the mess the room had become.
On one end I saw Kaiser, he made his three wives sit in a corner while he walked towards me.
I fought hard to keep my disgust from my face as I watched his white hair steadily move towards me.
"Dahl. I'm glad you are safe, That foul creature had absolutely no restraint." He touched my shoulder making me wish the creature had grabbed him instead.
I stumbled backwards away from his hand, my eyes showing fear I forced upon myself.
"What's wrong Dahl?" He said, taking another step towards me.
He was what I never wanted to become.
"It's just..... too much in my head" I said, leaning away from him but finally meeting his eyes.
His eyes were smiling. Happy, as though he wasn't aware of anything that just happened.
"Let me help" he said, like he'd been hoping I'd ask.
I stretched my hand to him, I didn't need his help but, I had to make him feel like I trusted him no matter how disgusted it made me feel.
The second we made contact, my skin heated and my breathing came in a rush.
Pleasure.
Hitting me like a drug it weakened my knees and blurred my vision. It took all my power to keep me from falling into his arms.
The thought almost made me want to throw up again.
It burned out every other feeling and then slowly burned itself out.
I didn't realise my eyes were closed until I needed to open them, his eyes stared into mine and his emotions were a chaotic mess as always.
He released me from his touch, but that was a lie because my body felt weak from the after effects of his power.
e wanted me to be the one to need him. And so I stood on my own two feet completely denying him.
"Thank you" my voice sounded shaky to my ears. He only smiled back in response still happy.
Disgusting.
I told myself that powers didn't make a person, only the way they used it mattered. And I was right.
He called himself Pleasure, and so he took prisoners! calling them wives, manipulating and destroying their sense of self.
He took everything from them. Even their names, giving them numbers instead—marking his victims.
He was just as monstrous as the owl, maybe more and I was the only one who knew just how disgusting he was. I gave him a smile in return then walked away, towards the rest of the group.
Kendali and the bald man were arguing.
Ren and Theo stood locked in conversation. 'I guess it's normal since they both had weird powers that complemented each other'.
Kaiser strolled behind me, I could feel his chaotic mess of emotions behind me.
"We have to kill It, there are 15 of us here and only one of It!" Kendali spun, turning to look at each one of us.
"Those two weirdos can make something powerful" She pointed to Theo and Ren then next to Vicas "You! you claimed your power is death. You can kill it"
Vicas didn't do well under pressure, his fear and anxiety spilled out into his bodily gestures and stuttered speech.
"It... Yes. Yes I did... I need contact... it's..... not quick.... I..."
"That is based on the fact that there is only one. What would you do if there were two or three of those things. How many lives would you lose fighting just one" The bald man spoke to Kendali cutting Vicas off.
She didn't back down "We have to fight or...."
"Or Nothing!!" He snapped. Finally silencing her.
"You heard the monster, It CHOSE! us. we need to find out why"
"No one kidnaps anyone with good intentions!!" Kendali shouted loud enough to grab everyone's attention.
"We MUST kill It"
"Says the girl that almost died" The man responded calmly.
Silence.
All we needed was a small reminder of how fragile we truly were compared to that Thing.
This is the place where I come in.
"What we need now is rest" I said walking towards them, my slippers noisily crunching on shards.
Luckily for me nothing tore through "It summoned us. It would be back, but it won't attack unless we provoke it."
I made sure everyone was with me, they all gave silent nods except Kaiser who just smiled.
Kendali was alone now.
"This." I motioned to the room, "This mess only happens if we attack it". I said facing her, I couldn't help but put the blame on her.
"We need information, but more importantly we need rest." I walked away from the centre heading towards my room.
Leaving them to think.
As I walked I spotted vomit, my vomit.
I made sure I didn't stop. Not until I reached my bathroom door and shut it behind me.
My throat burned as I threw up again.
The emotions I felt always made me physically sick.
And today was just the beginning.