Chapter 1
He strode confidently down the dilapidated, crumbling, old corridor of the abandoned warehouse. "A confidence," he thought, "born of practiced precision and routine, coupled with my exceptional ability to control fear." 75 year-old (this being about 18 years for humans) James Strong, or Jay, as he liked to be called, was especially proud of his unique and unusual domain of fear. Most immortals controlled physical, tangible, or at least visible things. He however, was one of the exceptions.
Rather than being able to manipulate simple, noticeable materials or energies, he controlled the subtle and surprisingly complex emotion of fear. He not only controlled it however, he had worked hard for years to learn all the types, degrees, and nuances of fear. Several years ago he could rarely exercise his dominion over fear without accidentally making someone scream in panic. Unlike then, he now had years of experience operating the feeling, and could use it for anything from keeping control of his own nervous energy, or sending an overly aggressive rottweiler whimpering back to it's master, to influencing one's fear with such careful, almost rhythmic precision as to influence their decisions just enough that they would decide to do what he wanted.
In fact he was striding, at that moment, through a piece of his very own handiwork. He was the reason the warehouse was abandoned. Quite a few years ago, when he was seven years old, he had discovered something in the building. Something that would bring his dreams to life.
He had been playing Hide and Seek. Desperate for a location in which to conceal himself, he finally located an old, walk-in, supply closet. Quickly, he ducked inside. He hurriedly slid box after box aside, trying to clear a place where he could crouch down and wait.
In his frantic shoving he almost did not notice as he thrust aside one last box uncovering what appeared to be a trap door set into the floor. Being the curious young child that he was, Jay flipped up the cover, and dropped nimbly into the passages below. He discovered, down in that dark, dank, labyrinth, an ancient, yet still operational, Way. He was thrilled with his discovery, and resolved to keep it a secret between only his most trusted companions.
Now, the decision was paying off. After years and months of patient manipulation through fear, he had caused that storage facility to be forsaken, and now left entirely alone. The entire repository was now covered with a blanket of fear strong enough to freeze one's blood if they didn't have Jay with them to relieve the heart-stopping terror. An effective method of keeping his discovery unknown.
He was interrupted, however, when his cousin, peer, and best friend, Drew Strong, commented into his musings, "You always were the adventuresome rebel, Jay. Even back then. Having nerve enough to organize a game of Hide and Seek in an off-limits area, and then go exploring in old, spooky, underground tunnels to boot."
This was no unusual occurrence for Jay, who was accustomed to his cousin's subconscious habit of reading his thoughts. Because, like himself, Drew also had a rather peculiar domain. His domain being the mind, Drew could read and interject into one's thoughts, as over the years he had developed the habit of accidentally doing so.
For, unlike Jay, who was constantly in complete control of his thoughts and feelings, Drew's were always wandering, always pondering the various questions and patterns of life. His mind would, over time, distractedly meander not only through his own thoughts, but all those he could access, including the thoughts of others.
"I still am," replied Jay, Not even aware that Drew had just invaded upon his reminisces, "Why do you think we're doing this now?"
"To take control of our own destinies and provide an example and inspiration for others to do the same," Drew recited dutifully from memory (Jay having hammered the purpose into his head a few months ago), but Jay didn't even hear him. They had arrived at the trap door Jay had uncovered all those years ago.
With a creak, Drew grasped the metal ring and pulled open the door on rusting hinges. "After you," he said politely, gesturing for Jay to go ahead. Jay didn't turn down his cousin's courtesy, and lowered himself quietly into the black space below. With a faint ‘click' white light spilled outward from Jay's electric lantern, like crystal clear water forming a pool around a melting ice cube.
"Pass me our gear," Jay called up. Receiving a cascade of falling bags in reply.
Deftly catching each one before it could complete it's collision course with the tunnel floor, Jay lightly deposited them all in a neat stack on the ground. Then turned to assist Drew with his own descent.
Once they were both in the passages with all their equipment, and the trap door had been closed, they continued on through the maze, making small talk and Drew soon totally forgot where they were and what they were doing, entirely absorbed in their conversation over the pros and cons of pen-lights.
As they made their way through the mess of passages and corridors, Jay was hardly listening to Drew, who was now talking about whether it was more expensive to keep a hamster or a guinea pig. Jay already had his hands full, trying to keep them on the right course through the subterranean network.
"We're here," Jay stated, interrupting Drew's spoken reflections about the general, psychological tendencies of various personalities.
"We're where?" wondered Drew, just now shifting his attention from the speculations of his mind. "Oh yes. Here," he continued, answering his own question.
"Well of course ‘here'," Jay replied caustically, "Where else would we be going in this horrible place?"
"Oh, I don't know," answered Drew (who was known for answering rhetorical questions), "What other places are there to go in here?"
"Never mind," growled Jay, rolling his eyes, "But remember, wait a few seconds after I've gone before you step on the Way to give me time to get out of your way so that you won't appear on top of me. Alright?"
"Sure. No problem, Jay," assured Drew, "Go ahead."
Muttering under his breath, Jay stepped onto the shining disk in the floor, and disappeared.
