Date: Sat, 5 Jun 2010 14:44:26 -0400
From: X X <thewriter_x@hotmail.com>
Subject: The Brotherhood #16 {X} {MM College & Sci-Fi/Fantasy} [16!?]???
The following story contains sexually explicit acts between men. If such
things bother you, annoy you, disturb you, or frighten you, then why the
hell are you here? Do yourself a favor and leave before you read something
you like and discover that you're actually gay; you might not be able to
deal with the revelation.
I started a yahoo group for TBH a while back. It's place where you can get
the latest chapters and talk about the story with other readers if you
like. As thanks to those who are signed up, I'll be keeping the group one
chapter ahead of Nifty. So while Nifty is up to date with chapter 16,
chapter 17 will be up on the group (within a couple of weeks or so of
updating Nifty, give or take a day or two). So if you want to keep up just
sign up here:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/theinnercircletbh/
As always, thanks for reading and I'd love to hear your thoughts, good or
bad, on the latest chapter so feel free to write me at: thewriterxx@aol.com
The Brotherhood
Chapter XVI
It was beautiful. He was beautiful.
Tiny, marble-sized spheres of light undulated around his body.
They pulsated; not quite flashing, yet not entirely steady in their
luminescence. At times they moved in unison; a collective stream of
glowing orbs swirling clockwise around Q's new form. This organization
would last mere seconds before the shimmering lights would scatter, each
following its own playful path. They moved in all directions, swarming
around Q like fireflies; dancing in the energy that he exuded. This
formation lasted longer, but eventually the cycle started over again.
Steady stream to dancing fireflies...over and over again. It was
hypnotic.
His liquid silver eyes - the ones that made by heart pound and knees
go weak - were gone. In their place, swirling pools of light blazed
bright. Yet there was no need to squint or shield my eyes. In fact, I
found it hard to blink.
I wasn't afraid.
Dumb maybe, but not afraid.
Allowing terror to overwhelm me was probably the most appropriate
response, but it wasn't possible. His magnificence drew me in like a moth
to a flame. I didn't think it could get more intense. I was wrong.
The explosion of light came first and for a moment, night was
turned to day. Again, I felt no need to flinch or turn away. I wasn't
even startled. Not physically, anyway. To an outside observer, I was the
essence of calm. As if every step of Q's metamorphosis was a well
rehearsed dance I'd choreographed myself.
In truth, I was frozen. Not in fear, but in awe.
The glow around Q condensed giving birth to two distinct beams of
light that protruded from Q's back. As if solid, they began to move and
fold. Slowly, the particles of light composing each beam turned claylike;
molding and bending onto themselves until a clear form appeared. My jaw
dropped. I couldn't believe my eyes.
Behind Q, the shards of light gave way to a pair of long and powerful
ivory wings. They flapped slow and steady, yet made not a ripple in the
air around them. The intense burst of light was gone, yet Q remained
luminous. Words can not adequately describe the...uh, phenomenon...before
me. I know I'm not doing him justice. If I sat here for days, filling
these pages with every detail, every thought, and every feeling coursing
thru me, I would still fail miserably. This miracle could not be
explained, only experienced.
I moved toward him without thinking, "My god. You're an angel."
Q smiled. "No, I'm afraid not Jacob." While his current form was
larger than life, his words rang out as a soft, timeless melody capable of
soothing the most restless of souls. I didn't care what Q said. He was
angelic.
"I am Qua'quelle and my people are the El'odian Nave." His
declaration resonated with a sense of power and pride. "I stand before you
in my true form." Pulling his wings back towards the night air, Q descended
slowly and offered me his hand. "Question this new reality if you must, be
angry if it helps, look away if necessary, but please Jacob, never fear
me."
I was still in shock. Who wouldn't be? This wasn't something I
could fix with the snap of my finger; especially when I had yet to identify
what or who was broken. All I could do was stare.
Q hovered.
Q glowed.
Q had wings.
I was dumbfounded.
So was this the broken list? How do I begin to make sense of this
new revelation?
I'm not going to lie, part of me wanted to run. It was the same
part now telling me to hide under the biggest rock I could find and pretend
everything was normal. But another part of me said that from here on out,
life would never be normal again. And it didn't matter how big the rock
was...
Q took a few steps toward me. Instead of backing away, I stretched
out my hand to touch his illuminating chest. And I don't mean that
figuratively. He wasn't bathed in a soft light; he was emitting it from
the very skin I meant to touch. At the last minute I panicked, balled up
my fist and pulled away. Q grabbed my wrist and held it in place just
inches from his chest. Our eyes met. Or more accurately, my eyes met his
pools of light. I tugged my arm back defiantly against his grip. I don't
know why. It wasn't out of cruelty or anger. I think I was trying to be
brave. Or stubborn.
Either way, it didn't matter. Q refused to let go and gently guided
my hand to his chest.
My first thought was that he was solid and real. My second was
that I felt no heartbeat. There was just warmth radiating from him like
heat from a cozy fire. I took his gesture as permission to explore.
Without taking my hand from his body, I walked around him, caressing his
form as I moved. Eventually my hand rested on his ivory wings.
Individually, each feather felt as supple and fragile as a rose petal. Yet
together, laid one-over-the-next, they formed a weave as strong as an iron
curtain.
I stood before him once more, tongue tied. What could I possibly say
to match the magnitude of his revelation? "Um...I'm sorry about your car."
Yes, very Shakespearean of me, I know.
He kind of smirked, I might have blushed.
Then he pulled his wings close to his back and walked to the edge of
the cliff. He stretched his hand over the side and it glowed as if set on
fire. For the first time, I was forced to squint. Before I knew it, the
SUV was floating up and over our heads, engulfed in a tracker beam of white
light. With a slight wave of his hand, the car landed some twenty feet
away.
I definitely remember whispering 'holy shit' as I watched Q
approach the vehicle. I don't know if it was in reference to Q's amazing
feat or the fact that the SUV was totally fucked and smashed to hell. It
was probably a combination of both. Q's eyes flashed and the light
surrounding the vehicle did the same. I watched in awe as the SUV repaired
itself. The frame twisted back into place. The tires filled with air and
the light washed over the windows leaving behind tinted glass. In less
than thirty seconds, the SUV looked like it just came off the lot. And
then suddenly there was a brilliant flash and it was gone.
"What happened to it?" I asked stunned.
"I sent it back to the house," he said simply as if that just
happens in everyday life.
I don't know what I was feeling, but the look on my face must have
read 'horror'.
"Jacob, don't be frightened."
"Frightened?" I scoffed. "Are you kidding me? In the last ten
minutes I've gone from scared to amazed to confused to I don't know what
anymore." I paused, took a deep breath and stared at him. "What are you?"
"Talk about your loaded questions," he answered in an uncertain
tone I'd never heard from Q before. "You have questions..."
"You think?" I interrupted.
He immediately flashed that 'I'm still your big look' but then
backed down. That really pissed me off. Why should I be all 'yes sir, no
sir" when he's the one with explaining to do.
"I'm willing to give the answers you need, but you must afford me a
little more time."
"Time? Time for what? Perhaps you didn't notice, but the cat is
pretty much out of the bag on this one."
"I get that Jacob. But you have to understand, this is not how you
were meant to find out about us. You're still pledging The Brotherhood and
there's a process in place for this. I jumped over a few steps."
"Pledging? Are you kidding me? I'm so past that right now, it's
not even funny."
"Be that as it may, you're still part of the pledge class and this
is not a simple college fraternity. You're expected to make one final
decision before the night is over. You've come this far, Jacob...all I'm
asking is for you to go a little further and then make up your mind. If
this proves to be too much, you can walk away with no strings."
I didn't know what to say. I simply stared at him; his eyes still
nothing more than two pools of light but mesmerizing nonetheless.
"Something tells me you're more than just a little curious
otherwise you would've taken off like a bat out of hell when I revealed
myself to you."
I didn't know what to say.
"Jacob..." Q took a step towards me and I recoiled. The pain in
his face was instant. The light from Q faded, his eyes morphed to silver
and his wings appeared to dissolve into a mist of light until only the
darkness of the night remained. "I guess I wasn't prepared for the fact
that my true self might be too frightening for you to handle." The sadness
in his voice made me physically hurt.
To see that kind of an expression on the face of an "angel" truly
shattered my heart. That my thoughtless action could cause him such grief
tore at the very fiber of my being. "Oh god no, Q, that's not it at all," I
assured him. Without a second thought I walked up and kissed him. I don't
know why I did it, but it felt right. I guess I needed to connect to him,
to remind myself that he was still my Q. The way he returned my kiss and
held me in his arms removed all doubt.
As if snapping back to reality, Q jerked his head and gave me a
confused side way glance. "This means what exactly?"
"That I'm scared out of my mind. That part of me is screaming
'RUN!' That everything I've know as truth has just changed forever."
Q tensed in my arms.
"But more importantly, that I trust you and I'm willing to wait for
the answers I need you to give. Beyond that, I can't make any promises.
My head is swimming. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't the least bit curious
about who...uh, what...you really are."
Q smiled and caressed my face with the back of his hand. "I
promise you won't be disappointed."
There was a long moment where we just gazed into each other's eyes,
and even thou they appeared normal again, I could've sworn I saw a faint
shimmer cross his eyes every so often. I was so taken in by him I hardly
noticed the words "what are you" escape my lips in a whisper.
"Let me show you," Q said softly, his smile even more radiant than
before. As we held each other, Q melted away from me and was transformed
into pure light. He had no form at all; he became a mist of swirling
light. "In our truest form we exist as beings of pure energy and thought."
Q's voice permeated the whirling light as clearly as if he were in his
"human" form.
I reached out and slowly waved my hand into the light. Q's energy
passed thru my fingers like water from a stream and before I could react,
the cloud of energy engulfed me. I felt Q all around me, his essences
bathing my skin like sunlight. I actually started giggling and threw my
hands in the air as I turned like a little kid playing in the sprinklers.
"This is amazing," I yelled out laughing, the warmth that was Q
caressing my lips. "This is fucking amazing!" I closed my eyes and
surrendered myself to him completely. What I felt in that moment can't be
explained with mere words for how does one describe being wrapped in pure
bliss?
How does one describe heaven?
It took me a moment to realize it, but at some point I was being held
from behind by a pair of strong arms, his lips pressed against my ear.
"We're home," he said. Q had taken human form again. I batted my eyes
open and spun around to meet his gaze and sure enough there was the TBH
house right behind him. "How the..."
We had returned to the house without the slightest sense of movement
or time.
"All in good time, Jacob. I promise," he said simply. "But for now
come inside. Arrangements need to be made before I can spill my guts and
submit to your inquisition." He placed his finger under my chin to tilt my
head up slightly. "You trust me right?"
I nodded. "Just tell me one thing. Are all the brothers like you?"
"No. If it helps, we are the minority. There are more brothers like
you than there are like me. And I'm talking throughout The Brotherhood,
not just our house."
For some reason, that did help. I guess I didn't feel alone in this.
I mean if other...uh, humans? Non-angels?...stuck around after finding out
the truth, then it was definitely worth finding out why.
I followed Q inside the house and stood in the living room. He told
me to wait for him there. He needed to talk to the rest of the Circle
about what happened. That made me nervous, but he assured me everything
would be okay. I felt a little better but to be honest I didn't want him
to leave.
As I sat on the couch, I noticed the old guy from earlier in the
night. He was sleeping in the chair by the window and snoring a little too
loud for my taste. What the hell was a hundred year old guy doing in the
house anyway?
One of the brothers walked in, greeted me by name and perused through
the magazines on the coffee table. He narrowed his choice down to two and
all the while I'm looking at this poor guy like he's wolf in sheep's
clothing. I scrutinized everything about him for any clue as to which side
of the fence he falls on.
"Definitely one of them," I whispered, as he walked away with
Entertainment Weekly in his hand.
I had no fucking clue. But that didn't stop me from profiling the
next three brothers who walked by. In the end, I realized I was only going
to drive myself crazing playing the "is he one of them or one of me" game.
I needed something to occupy my mind so I picked up the Connecticut Post
someone left on the coffee table. Just when I thought my night couldn't
possibly get weirder, on the third page of the newspaper there was an
article about U.S Senator James K. Polk. He passed away two nights ago at
the age of eighty three from natural causes after serving as a senator for
thirty three years. He was cremated this morning.
That was all well and good and not the least bit interesting, except
for the fact that this deceased U.S Senator was snoring up a storm not ten
feet from me!
I threw the paper down and pretty much said "fuck it". This was the
least of the mysteries I was interested in solving today. And what would
be the point? When it was all said and done, I'd end up right where I
started but with more questions and no answers.
No thanks.
My mind drifted away from my surroundings and centered on the moment
I saw Q in his true form. It all seemed like a dream and yet the reality
of it was unnerving. What was I getting myself into? As fantastic as his
revelation was, I couldn't help but feel like I was standing in a
minefield; one wrong step and it would all blow up in my face.
"Dude!"
The shriek of CJ's voice in my ear nearly yanked me out of my skin.
I was on my feet before I knew what was going on. "What's your problem?" I
demanded. "Are you deficient?"
"Dude, I was standing over there calling you but didn't budge. I
figured I had to get up close and personal to pull you out of la la land.
You ok?"
"Yeah, I'm fine," I snapped. "What do you want?"
"Me?" CJ placed his hands on his chest as if I was accusing him of
something. "I don't want anything, but the brothers are having us gather
down in the Pit...so come on." He slapped my arm and took off.
I hesitated for a second before following behind CJ. Some of the
guys were already down in the Pit waiting for us. Anthony, Arsen, Paul,
and Troy greeted us as we descended down the stairs. Steven and Jason
showed up a few minutes after I did and no one noticed Mike was already in
the room until he emerged from the surrounding shadows. He ignored me of
course and I was more than happy to return the favor.
"Hey bud," Arsen said, throwing his arm over my shoulders. "How was
your night out with the Q man?"
"Interesting," I answered with a smirk.
"Really?" He looked genuinely interested; his raised brow a question
in itself. "What did you guys end up doing?"
"Oh...something tells me you're going to find out very soon."
"What's that supposed mean?" he waited for moment and not because he
was giving me time to respond. It was the light bulb going off in his head
that caused him pause. "Wait a minute. You know something big, don't
you?"
"Ha!" I laughed despite myself. "That's like the biggest
understatement of the century. If you knew half of what I do, you'd go
nuts. So forget even trying to figure out the other half because your brain
would collapse."
"Jacob, what are you talking about?"
"You'll see."
"Have you been drinking?"
"God no," I laughed again, "but I can guarantee you're all going to
wish you had been before the nights over."
Ant came over and draped his arms over both our shoulders. "What are
you guys whispering about?" Ant asked.
Before anyone could answer, CJ jumped on us and did the same. "Why
are we in a huddle?"
Nodding his head in my direction, Arsen said, "Jacob knows what we're
doing down here."
"Dude! Spill!"
"I don't know anything about anything," I lied and slithered out from
under the weight of their arms. "I'm sure we'll find out why they brought
us down here soon enough so just back up off me."
"Damn dude, I didn't mean to get your panties all in bunch. I just
thought we were bros and shared things."
"Of course we're bros. It has nothing to do with that. I just don't
know what it is you guys want me to tell you. I'm just as much in the dark
as the rest of you."
"Well then why didn't you just say so?" CJ slapped my ass and winked
before wandering over to Troy and Jason.
Arsen looked at me with narrow eyes and a dismissive smirk. "You're
lying. You just said my head would explode if I knew what you did."
"Maybe I am and maybe I'm not. The point is, if I did know
something, you know damn well I can't say anything. And everyone knows it,
so why bother asking?"
Arsen knew I was right. "Shut up, smartass."
"Thank you!" I took a slight bow and looked around the room. "Hey,
where are the rest of the guys?"
"They won't be joining us this evening," a voice spoke out from the
dark corners of the Pit. It was smooth and melodic so it was no surprise
when Q stepped into the light. He was followed by Shawn and Seth. Eric
and Steel appeared from the opposite side of the room. I now understood
how they were able to move in and out of places unnoticed. Or least I had
a better idea.
They gathered, side-by-side, in front of us. Without a word we
formed a line from tallest to shortest in some sort of Pavlovian response.
Even in our silence I knew we all had the same question burning on the tips
of our tongues.
True to form, Q addressed our unspoken concerns. "I know you're
wondering what happen to the rest of your pledge brothers." Taking a step
towards us, Q placed his hands behind his back. "The fact is, the seven of
you are all that remain."
"As you know, each of you faced an individual trial," Seth continued.
"It was the final test to determine if you were Brotherhood material.
Unfortunately Kevin, Nick, Sam, Xavier, and Justin did not pass their
trial."
My stomach churned at the sound of Nick's name. Our little circle
was now a man short. The 'no man left behind' mantra popped in my head.
Somehow it felt liked we'd failed him. That being said, it was a fleeting
feeling at best. Humans have a penchant for being short in memory. Even
under the best of circumstances, our group would only mourn his lost for a
few days. Eventually, in the wake of passing time and shared bonding
experiences, Nick would become nothing more than 'a guy we used to know way
back in the day'.
But this wasn't the best of circumstances and I needed to get to the
punch line faster than normal. As much as I liked the guy, I couldn't
concern myself with anyone other than the men standing with me in the Pit.
There was too much at stake.
"They were all dismissed without penalty and with the house's
blessing. The fact that they made it as far as they did is a feat in and
of it of itself." Seth paused for a moment and then a warm smile appeared
on his face. "They have earned our respect. We'll look in on them from
time-to-time and, when necessary, help them along. It is a long standing
tradition of The Brotherhood - watching over pledges who made it as far as
they did."
With his arm outstretched, Shawn took his turn at the imaginary
podium.
"That brings us to the seven of you." I didn't catch it when Q
initially said it, but it definitely clicked when Shawn repeated the count.
There were nine of us not seven. "You're standing at the precipice, the
fork in the road and it's up to you to make the final decision to join this
family or walk away from it."
"The choice may not be as simple as you think," Eric said. "In a
minute we're going to give you a glimpse of the fantastic journey that lies
ahead."
"Will you have the courage to see it thru?" Steel asked. "It's going
to be scary. Hell, it might seem downright maddening, but you've trusted
us this far so we're hoping you'll take one more leap of faith. You remain
because you're the best of the best. You've earned the right to know us
for what we truly are..." he paused for effect, "and for what you may one
day become."
I took a sideway glance at my fellow pledges and the look on their
faces was priceless. They didn't have a clue as to what was coming. I'm
sure, after making it this far, they were wondering what possible twist the
Brothers had up their sleeves. What could possibly make us change our
minds?
"Each and every one of you has been put in a situation where you
witnessed or heard something you couldn't explain," Q said, his eyes
shifting in my direction for a moment. "When you thought you were being
sneaky, it was actually us planting the seed of the impossible. We worked
to open your mind to a new reality.
"Like the time you saw me get shot, Jacob or when you overheard my
conversation with Soullen. I knew you were there."
"Or when you thought I was hit by that truck, Anthony," Eric added.
"In each occasion you awoke as if from a dream. Even though on some
occasions we convinced you it wasn't real, your minds were open to the
possibility, if only for a moment. It was all to prepare you for tonight."
My god, I already knew what was going to happen and I was still on
the edge of my seat. I could only imagine how the other guys felt.
As Q stepped up to the center, the other brothers' backed away in a
semicircle to give each other room. "We would be honored to welcome you
into The Brotherhood." In a blink of an eye the room went pitch black.
"Don't be afraid."
In seconds that seemed like an eternity, Q was bathed in a burning
white light, his arms out to the side as he ascended into the air for the
second time that night. It was exactly as it was on the cliff and just as
astounding. I could witness this amazing transformation a million times
and I don't think it would cease to amaze me.
It took a lot for me to tear my gaze from Q, but I wanted to see my
fellow pledges' reactions. Arsen stood by my side like a statue. It was
like the sight before him was too much to process and his body went into
shut down mood. Anthony had both hands over his mouth, shaking his head in
disbelief. Paul dropped to his knees and stared up at Q as if praying to a
god. CJ was giddy. He was the only one who seemed to appreciate the
excitement of the situation. The rest of the pledges were out of my line
of sight. I wasn't about to step out of line just to see them. Curiosity
and the cat and all...
When the ethereal lightshow ended, Q remained in the air for a brief
moment before slowly descending to the ground. He stood proudly alongside
the Inner Circle; each of the brothers transformed and bathed in a soft
luminescent aura. Like Q their eyes were replaced with pools of light. At
first glance, their wings appeared identical; shimmering ivory, magnificent
and powerful. But like a fingerprint, if you looked closely, there were
subtle difference that made each set of wings unique.
You had but to lay eyes on them to know there was in fact a heaven,
for despite Q's claims to the contrary, they truly appeared like a choir of
angles.
Out of the blue Jason started yelling something about an invasion and
aliens and took off running like a crazy man. He managed to make it half
way up the stairs before Seth waved his hand. Instantly, Jason was encased
in an orb of light.
"Unfortunately not everyone is prepared for the truth of what we
are," Seth said.
The field around Jason got brighter and brighter until finally there
was a flash and he was gone. A few of us took a step back at the abrupt
display of their power. Did they really just kill him?
"Duuuude..."
"We did not harm Jason," Eric assured us. "He's asleep in his dorm
room. Tomorrow he'll wake up believing he was dismissed for not passing
his personal trial. He'll have no memory of what happened here tonight.
We wish him well on his life's journey without us. Clearly he was not
prepared for what we have to offer. The question is, are you?"
"You're angels," Anthony proclaimed confidently despite the slight
tremble in his voice.
Q looked at me and smiled.
"We're not angels," Shawn said, placing one hand on his chest and
gesturing to the rest of the circle with the other. "And we're not aliens
either."
"Then..." Paul wasn't able to finish his thought.
Wrapping his wings against his back like a cloak, Seth went up to
Paul and helped him to his feet. He placed his hand on the side of Paul's
face and smiled before rejoining the circle.
"We are a race of immortal beings known as the El'odian Nave," Q
said. "We were created on this planet nearly seventy million years ago."
I honestly think my jaw hit the floor. I know my heart stopped.
What do you say to that? How do you even formulate a thought around that
new reality?"
"Wicked cool," CJ whispered.
Not exactly what I had in mind but leave it to CJ to have a cavalier
attitude about everything.
None of the Brothers said anything for a while. I think they were
giving us time to process that number...seventy million years They could've
given me the next ten years and I doubt I'd be able to fully wrap my head
around it.
"How's that even possible?" Troy asked. "I mean seventy million
years ago? Come on! Weren't there dinosaurs back then and shit?"
"Yes, there were," Shawn said matter-of-factly. "The Nave has
existed along the same timeline as many incredible life forms. Dinosaurs
are just one of them."
"But how's that possible?" Troy demanded.
"It's a long story Troy; seventy million years worth of history. One
your Big will be glad to share with you once you've made your choice."
"And what choice is that?" Arsen inquired.
"Whether or not you're prepared to join us. Your futures are still
very much in your hands. You can choose to walk away and, like Jason,
you'll wake up tomorrow believing you were dismissed. All memories of what
you witnessed tonight will be erased. Or you can join The Brotherhood and
learn of us, of our ways, our history...our very existence."
"I'm in!" CJ declared without the slightest hint of hesitation.
"What do I have to do? Where do I sign up? I mean are there forms I need
to fill out? A comprehensive health plan with dental and vision? What?"
All the Brothers laughed at his enthusiasm. With his luminous aura
and wings fading away, Shawn walked up to CJ and clasped his face. "I love
your energy CJ," he said and looked over his shoulder at the others. "We
all do. But this is not a decision that should be made lightly. This will
change your life in ways you cannot begin to imagine. As much as we want
you to join us, you need to take the time to weigh your decision. Because
once you commit, there is no turning back. You will be part of The
Brotherhood for life. You will live within our traditions, laws and ways.
You will be subject to our demands, priorities and restrictions, not as a
pledge, but as an equal member of The Brotherhood society. And you will be
privileged with the most amazing freedoms, honors and experiences - an
existence filled with more than you could ever dream."
"If we did decide to join does that mean we would become what you
are?" Arsen asked.
"All Brothers are equal in the eyes of The Brotherhood. However, not
all Brothers are Nave. We all have our roles to play. Some of those roles
require a Brother to remain human. But even our 'human' Brothers, upon
fulfilling their human task, will ultimately be offered the Gift and the
opportunity to become El'odian Nave."
"And if we choice to remain as we are? To remain forever in human
form?"
"Then you remain human with the full support of The Brotherhood." Q
assured. He returned to his human form along with the rest of the Inner
Circle. "But I'll be honest with you. If you were to talk to any of our
human brothers there is not one among them that would refuse the Gift."
"He's right you know." At first I didn't realize it was Mike talking
until he stepped out of the line. Mike looked at the rest of us with a
smile. "Less than a hundred years ago, I was in your shoes."
"And I, almost a thousand years before Michael." Steve moved out of
our line to stand next to Mike.
"What the hell?"
I had no idea who blurted that out, but I concurred with him
completely.
Before our very eyes, light swirled around our fellow pledge brothers
transforming them into one of the Nave. Unlike Q's flashy introduction,
Mike and Steve changed in a matter of seconds, but were just as
awe-inspiring. Even though he was annoying as hell, Mike was always a good
looking guy, even more so now that he was bathed in that radiant aura.
Steve, on-the- other-hand, went from skinny emo kid to a toned and cut
stud. Like the rest of the brothers, Steven looked like he walked out of
an underwear ad. Holy shit...
"Are you serious? You both were actually Brothers this whole time?"
Paul asked.
"Every pledge class secretly gets a couple of brothers in their
midst," Steven answered. "A role Mike and I have been doing for many years
now."
"But...but..." Paul was too overwhelmed to form another coherent
thought. I'm sure his mind was just spinning with all the times he treated
Steve so badly.
"It's the way it's always been," Steel said as he stepped between the
two. "Each plays a vital role in your development as brothers. On the one
hand, you have the arrogant and thick- headed pledge who thinks he knows it
all and feels everyone should bow down to him simply because he is who he
is. We ask ourselves, will anyone have the courage to stand up to him?"
"Jacob did," Shaun said with a smile. "You showed all the qualities
we look for in a leader and a fellow brother. For that, we commend you."
"And on the other hand, you have a pledge that's not quite cut from
the same mold as everyone else. He's seen as the outcast; the one who'll
likely not make it to the end and drag everyone down with him. Do you shun
him?" Steel's gaze fell on each pledge as he spoke.
"No they don't," Shaun said proudly. "They embrace him in the spirit
of brotherhood. Even Paul came around eventually." He looked at Paul and
smirked. "These are just some of the things we look for in a potential
brother and you guys did not disappoint."
Steven stood in front of us with a little smile playing on his lips.
"You guys are awesome. And I know you're unsure of yourself and the things
to come, but believe me when I say, joining The Brotherhood was the best
thing that ever happened to me. I promise you, a year from now, should you
decide to stay, you'll be just as grateful." He walked up and placed his
hands on Paul's shoulders. "No matter what you decide, remember to stay
true to yourself."
I could tell Paul wanted to say something but the words were caught
in his throat. If I had to guess he probably wanted to apologize for all
the times he treated him like shit. I think Steve understood exactly what
Paul wanted to say, for he smiled and kissed him on the lips before backing
up and fading away in a halo of light.
Mike came up to me and offered me his hand. "Sorry for being such an
ass," he said as we shook hands. "But I always knew you had it in you."
He offered a sincere smile and then disappeared much like Steve did.
I took a moment to step back and look at everything with a fresh pair
of eyes. This really was happening. It wasn't a dream. There are people
out there who aren't people at all. They have wings, their eyes turn into
pure light, and they vanish into thin air as easily as I would step thru a
door. It's like everything I grew up believing wasn't real anymore.
"May I ask something?" I finally said.
"Of course," Seth replied.
"You guys paint an amazing picture of what life in The Brotherhood
would be like. The bond, the camaraderie, the prestige of being part of
this house, but is there something else we should know? For instance, the
brothers Q and I ran into at the mall tonight didn't seem to be all about
the hugs and kisses. I'm assuming they were brothers right? Because the
things I saw them do..."
"You're waiting for the other shoe to drop," Steel said. "You
suspect there is a darker side of what we offer." He laughed. "That's why
we like you Jacob. You think ahead and assess all the angles."
"The being who accosted you tonight were not brothers, Jacob," Shaun
said. "A Nave would ever harm one of his own." He paused for a moment. I
think he was trying to figure out the best way to offer an explanation
without revealing too much. I'm sure he was bound to some oath of silence
until we made our decision. He looked at the rest of the Circle and they
nodded as if giving him permission.
"When the El'odian Nave were created so were the El'odian Skai. They
are our opposite in every way - the yin to our yang, so to speak. While
the Nave were created from the very essence of life and light, the Skai
were forged from flame and shadow. In our human forms you cannot tell us
apart, but in our true forms we appear as night and day."
From the palm of his hand, Shawn produced two golf ball size orbs
that he tossed to the side. They exploded on impact and after the initial
flash faded we saw two very naked guys standing there. Upon closer
examination, I realized they were twins with black hair, blue eyes, nice
bodies, and even identical cocks.
"They're not real," Shaun assured us. "Just something conjured from
my mind to help illustrate my point. On the left you have an El'odian
Nave." The guy on the left changed very much like Q did and within moments
he was standing before us; his ivory wings stretched out with the very tips
reaching for the heavens. "Every form of life has their natural enemy. As
out of this world as we may seem to you, we're no different."
The guy on the right began going thru a very different
transformation. His eyes turn as black as tar while his hair became as
white as snow. His skin took on a dark grayish black tone with a subtle
luster as if his body was oiled. All the pledges jumped when two pillars
of fire exploded from his back. Within seconds they started to flap and
take shape. When the flames were extinguished all that remained were a
pair of feathered wings as black as a raven.
"This is our enemy, an El'odian Skai," Shaun declared.
The Skai was just as amazing as the Nave standing beside him. Don't
think for a moment I was describing some demon spawn from hell. Even in
his dark form he was a sight to behold. Granted, if a week ago I saw
something like that walking towards me I would've ran like hell, but since
I wasn't in any danger I could honestly admire his unique beauty. They
were definitely cut from the same cloth when it came to their looks.
"That's enough," Q said.
Shawn nodded and with a flash of his eyes they were gone.
"So you're saying Nave are the good guys and the other guys are bad?"
Arsen said.
"No, not at all," Seth said. "The division between the Nave and Skai
are much more complicated than such a simplistic concept as good and evil.
Take two lions for instance. Pit them against each other and they would
defend their pride with their lives, but that does not make one more or
less evil than the other. We have deep philosophical differences. I can
stand here and argue that we are right and they wrong but that's just self
serving, for they would make the same argument against us."
"Would we be putting ourselves in danger if we joined The
Brotherhood?" Arsen pushed a little further.
"There's always a risk," Steel said. "That's just the nature of
life. Every time you wake up and go outside you're taking a risk. You know
very well there's a chance you can be hit by a car or get mugged on your
way to the store. Yet that doesn't stop you from stepping thru the door
every morning."
"That's enough," Q said again. "We've said all we can at this point.
It is now up to you. I realize the decision before you is not an easy one,
but it is one you'll have to make. Unfortunately, time is limited. If you
choose to continue on the journey to become one with The Brotherhood, meet
your Big in his bedroom no later than midnight tonight. If this is not a
path you can follow, simply do nothing. At 12:01am you will wake up in
your dorm with no memory of tonight's events. Until then, you are free to
do as you wish. However, your Big will not answer any more questions.
This decision is meant to be difficult. More importantly, it's meant to be
a leap of faith, not only in The Brotherhood, but in how you see yourself.
You know little, and surely question much. These are the building blocks
from which you must base your decision. I suggest you take the next few
hours to consider your options carefully."
The Inner Circle gathered around Q and one by one they shimmered away
into thin air. Q's gaze shifted to me and I saw a hopeful longing in his
eyes just before he disappeared.
We stood in silence for nearly fifteen minutes. Most of the group,
myself included, moved not a muscle, but a couple guys, paced back and
forth. The shock of it all was just too real for us to find the right
words; unless of course you're CJ that is.
"Well, that's about all the time I need," he said as he slapped his
hands together. "I'm in. What about you dudes?"
"CJ this isn't a joke," Anthony said. "You need to take this
seriously. This isn't like decided whether to wear boxers or briefs in the
morning."
"For those of us who wear underwear, anyway," Arsen added.
"Dude, I am taking this seriously. In fact I've never taken anything
more seriously in my life. I'm dead serious when I say I'm in."
"Oh please," Paul scoffed, "you've barely had enough time to form a
thought and when one comes to you, it's a major undertaking. It's like an
Olympic event."
"Be that as it may, I've made up my mind. I mean come on! What's
there to think about?"
"Are you kidding me, CJ?" I was utterly dumbfounded that he could
ask that.
"No I'm not. Are you kidding me or just yourselves? You mean to
tell me you dudes can go back to living a normal life given what we know
now? You really want to forget all this? To finish school and find that
cozy nine to five job so you can live the rest of your life in ignorance.
Well fuck that dude!"
"We get it CJ," Anthony said. "It's a once in a life time
opportunity but still we..."
"Fuck that!" CJ fired back. "Sleeping with Halle Berry is a once in
a life time opportunity. Winning the lottery is a once in life time
opportunity. Jacking off in the Roosevelt Room in the White House while on
a school trip is a once in a life opportunity." We all sort of just looked
at him for a second. "But what these guys are offering is so beyond a once
in life time opportunity. These guys have been around for millions and
millions of years. We're talking about the secrets of the universe type
stuff here - the meaning of life. Can you really walk away from all that?"
I have never seen CJ so passionate about something before. And the
scary part is he was actually making sense.
"Bury your heads in the sand if you want, but I'd rather spread my
wings and fly." He slowly walked up the stairs and was probably hoping
we'd all follow. Without turning to face us, he stopped and said, "I hope
you have the courage to fly alongside me."
The minute he disappeared, Troy jump up and headed for the stairs.
"I'm with CJ," he said simply and walked out of the Pit.
"And then there were four," Anthony joked. "So what do you guys
think?"
"I'm thinking CJ is right," Arsen said.
I felt a tightening in my chest.
"I don't think I can walk away from this now," he continued.
"They've opened up a whole new world to us and I'd be lying if I said I
wasn't the least bit curious."
"I hear ya," Paul agreed.
My heart felt like it was beating a thousand times a second.
"What do you think Jacob?" Arsen asked.
"I think I'm going to be sick." I bolted out of the Pit in desperate
need of some fresh air.
"Jacob wait!"
I rushed outside and welcomed the cool breeze on my face. I was able
to breathe easier and I didn't feel so constricted and trapped. My heart
wasn't racing a mile a minute anymore.
I sighed, and two seconds later I was on my hands and knees puking my
guts out. What the hell was wrong with me? How could everyone else see
the light so clearly and I was filled was so many doubts? I will say this,
the puking did help.
Instead of going back into the house I decided to go for a walk. I
was hoping to get my thoughts in order so I could make the right decision.
Many different things passed thru my mind; I weighed the pros and cons.
Q's ending speech was like a call to duty; one of those 'the few, the
proud, the...well, The Brotherhood' type of rallies and the fact that I was
second guessing the challenge made me feel weak. Was I failing already?
Had I disappointed Q by not following CJ whole-heartedly up those stairs,
dashing into Q's bedroom and screaming, 'Yes! Yes! Where do I sign?'"
I don't know how or why, but I ended up walking past Lady White's
shop just as she was coming out and locking the door. "Hello Jacob," she
said before she ever turned to see me standing there. That was just
creepy.
She walked up to me adjusting her shawl. I looked her dead in the
eyes and blurted, "You're one of them, aren't you?"
She laughed at me as if I was the silliest thing in the world to her.
"Come... join an old lady for a walk." Without waiting for an answer, she
slipped her arm around mine and started walking.
I felt kind of weird which is probably why we walked for a block
without saying a word. I think she picked up on the fact that if she
didn't get the ball rolling, I sure as hell wasn't.
"I can't make the decision for you, Jacob," she said, patting my arm
like a loving grandmother. "The road before you is yours and yours alone."
"What are you talking about? " I protested. "I wasn't seeking you
out for answers. I was just out for a walk."
"Of course you weren't," she laughed. "And you just happened to come
across my shop tonight of all nights, stammering phrases like 'you're one
of them' right?" She looked up at my face and smiled. "You young boys
amuse me."
Lady White did have a point. I think on some level, conscious or
otherwise, I sought her out because I needed answers I knew the brothers
weren't willing to provide. And with all her craziness I knew she had to
be one of them.
"I'm not one of them," she said.
Boy was I on a roll that night. "What are you then? One of the
Skai?"
"No. I'm something completely different but that's a story for
another time. Besides, you didn't come here to discuss my family tree, did
you?"
Officially it was a question. But, like most of her words, it was
delivered as fact. "I just don't know what to do," I conceded.
"First, ask yourself what it is you truly fear?"
"You're kidding right?"
"It's not the Nave you fear."
"The hell it isn't!"
"Jacob you came down here to find me when in your heart of hearts you
believed I was Nave. A person who was truly afraid of the Nave world would
not do that. In fact you never would have returned to the house after the
incident on the cliff with Q."
I was taken aback. "How do you know about that?"
"I see many things," was her vague and cryptic answer. "Just like I
see your fear does not lie with the El'odian Nave."
"Fine, since you're the fortune teller why don't you clue me in on
what I'm afraid of?"
"I could tell you but it wouldn't help. You have to hear it in your
own voice, from your own lips in order to come to terms with it."
Lady White led me to a bench and we sat down, she clasped her hand
over mine on my lap. "What if I tell you that if you walk away you will
eventually graduate from college with your doctoral PHD, marry Alexandra
and have three children and live in the house with the white picket fence?"
"I'd say that's not such a shabby future."
"But all the while you'll live the rest of your life with this
nagging feeling you're missing out on something, or more importantly,
someone. You see, unlike your fellow pledges there is something else that
draws you to The Brotherhood. It has nothing to do with who they are or
what they represent."
"Q," I whispered.
"They may be able to make you forget about everything you saw
tonight, but your love for Q is very real and that's not so easy to forget.
There will always be a part of you that will feel incomplete and you'll
never quite understand why. I suppose if you can live with that..."
"But I'm so scared," I interrupted.
Placing her hands on either side of my face, Lady White forced me to
look into her eyes. "What are you so afraid of Jacob?
I couldn't believe there were tears rolling down my face. "I'm
afraid I'm going to lose myself again." I looked away from her and cleared
the tears with the back of my hand. "I spent the last nine years trying to
build...uh, find...some form of an identity for myself and I don't want to
lose it again."
She placed her finger under my chin and lifted my head up. I closed
my eyes as she kissed my forehead and whispered into my ear, "how do you
know this isn't the 'self' you were meant to find?"
I gasped and my eyes shot open. Lady White was gone. I still had a
million questions and more than my share of doubt, but she left me with
something I hadn't recognized before. She left me with a renewed sense of
hope.
And with it, the realization that I wasn't ready to walk away from Q.
So it was no surprise that at 11:58pm, my heart was fluttering as Q
opened his bedroom door. We stood there staring at each other; a clear
sense of relief washed over his face.
"Just promise me one thing?" I asked.
"Anything."
"Please don't share any secrets of the universe with CJ. That's just
a recipe for disaster."
Q laughed his ass off and invited me in. "Have a seat," he said, "we
have a lot to talk about..."
__________
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/theinnercircletbh/
So there you have it - the 16th chapter of The Brotherhood, I hope you
liked it. I will definitely continue the story, no problem, but it really
depends on you guys. If you enjoyed what you read so far and would like to
read more please drop me an email at thewriterxx@aol.com or post in the
group.
Your Lord and Master,
X