Free The Last Alignment: Cry of the Scorpions by Nathaniel Stewart Page A

they have been called to
fulfill their duty.” Duty , Awbrey thought. “I know how
great your worry and concern is having gone through this not only
myself, but with my own son, and I thank all of you for your
willingness and understanding in bringing them here.” Oren paused
and then locked eyes with Awbrey who was sure that her grandmother
had never had her attention and focus the way that she did
now.
    “ All five of you have
gifts,” Oren continued, addressing the teenagers before her.
“Precious, important gifts that are not there simply to just be.
There is a higher purpose for all of you, a purpose that until as
of late, we all thought had been taken care of. There is a name for
what you all are and it is the same name that four of us have
carried at one time,” Oren said placing a hand on Kate’s leg and
the other on Charles’ forearm. The woman on the end merely nodded.
“It is a title that Sylvia, Zander’s mother, still carries to this
day.”
    Sylvia took this as her
cue and straightened up. “I am a Wielder,” she announced. “I
control lightning. I am lightning.” Awbrey looked at Hudson who had the
same confused expression on his face. What
the hell is a Wielder , she thought, but
before she could ask it seemed as if Zander’s mother was gearing up
to answer. Sylvia raised both her hands and Awbrey felt a tingle
spread throughout her body. Everyone else must have felt it too
because they had all started fidgeting in their seats with the
exception of those who were sitting in Sylvia’s row. Strands of
Awbrey’s hair started to rise up from her waist, and then flashes
of energy sporadically and swiftly emanated from Sylvia’s fingers.
Awbrey covered her eyes from the bright dancing lights, turned her
head away, and then unexpectedly jumped in fright; there were quick
consecutive bangs and it was a sound that Awbrey had never heard
before. She imagined that if you threw a bucket of water on an
electrical generator, then this would be the noise that it would
make. After a moment the racket ceased, so Awbrey slowly lowered
her arm and opened her eyes. There was a little bit of smoke in the
air along with an odd, metallic scent, and looking around no one
seemed all that much affected or amazed by what had just happened
except Awbrey and all of those in her row. Sylvia, content with her
demonstration and the response it received, continued.
    “ All of you are sixteen
with the exception of Natalye whose birthday is on the fifth of
October. When the clock strikes midnight and marks the beginning of
that day, all of you will become Wielders just as we all did when
we turned sixteen, and you will all inherit great
power.”
    “ You mean, we’ll be able
to do what you just did,” asked Awbrey, already imagining what it
would feel like to have lightning shoot from her
fingers.
    “ No. Just Zander,” Sylvia
said eyeing her son. “As I stated earlier, I am the Wielder of
Lightning, and when the time comes, that will be Zander’s
designation and no longer mine.”
    “ You, Awbrey, will become
the Wielder of Fire,” Oren said importantly. Fire , Awbrey thought. She clenched
her hands and visualized them as two flaming fists. So , there ’ s a
whole other power that we haven ’ t even tapped into
yet . A small smile came to Awbrey’s lips
as she wondered what she would potentially be able to
do.
    “ Androse,” Charles spoke
up, “you will be the Wielder of Wind and Air.”
    “ Hudson,” said Kate, “you
will be the Wielder of Water.” Awbrey put a hand on Hudson’s thigh
and squeezed, but upon looking at his face she realized that he
wasn’t nearly as excited as she was about the declarations being
made.
    “ Natalye,” said the woman
that Awbrey didn’t know.
    “ Yes, Grandma,” Natalye
responded nervously.
    “ You will be the Wielder
of Earth and Nature.”
    A thought occurred to Awbrey that quelled
her excitement and replaced it with an all too familiar dull sense
of