The Night Hero
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I’m going to be the next Night Hero, she thought as she sat in a corner of the bar, nursing a drink. She had a mission to complete, and it was important that she do it alone.
She was dressed all in black, wearing her usual leather pants and shirt, topped by a leather vest. Her hair was tied back, and she wore no makeup.
The last time she’d been at this bar, she’d met someone who’d changed her life forever. It wasn’t the first time she’d visited this particular establishment, but it was the first time she’d ever seen the man she was about to meet.
He sat at the end of the bar, surrounded by empty bottles and glasses, his face covered with blood. He looked up when she entered, and he smiled, revealing perfect white teeth.
“Well, well,” he said. “If it isn’t the Night Hero.”
She nodded. “Hello, Mr. Walker. I was hoping you wouldn’t mind if I took a seat here.”
“Mind? No, not at all. In fact, I’ve been waiting for you to come back.”
“How did you know?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know. It’s just something I felt.”
“Okay. Well, thank you for being so welcoming.”
“I’m glad you came back,” he said. “I’ve been hoping we could talk.”
“Sure. What is it you wanted to talk about?”
“You remember I told you earlier today that you were going to have some new powers soon?”
She nodded.
“Well, they arrived an hour ago while you were gone. The bartender tells me your name is Raven.”
She smiled at him. “And you are…?”
He reached into the pocket of his jacket and pulled out a small bottle. “This is yours now.”
“My what?”
“Your power. You’ll feel it start to activate shortly.”
He put the bottle in her hand, then stood up, walked around the bar, and sat down beside her.
“What should I call you?” he asked.
Raven smiled. “Call me Raven.”
They both sipped their drinks for a moment before he spoke again. “I wanted to ask you a question: how did you come by your name?”
Raven laughed. “Oh, that. My mother gave me my name.” She took another sip from her glass, trying to clear the sudden lump in her throat. “It was one of her favorite books. She thought it would be appropriate to name me after the title character.”
Walker smiled. “That sounds like my kind of book.”
“Yes, I guess it would be, considering where I am right now.” She finished off her drink and set the empty glass on the counter.
“Why didn’t you just buy the bottle instead of taking it?” he asked.
“Because this is the first time I’ve actually met you,” she answered.
She got to her feet and turned away from Walker, heading toward the door. Just before opening it, however, she glanced over her shoulder at him and winked.
Then she opened the door, stepped outside, and closed it behind her.
A short while later, she made her way down the street. She’d only taken two steps when she suddenly found herself in a dark alleyway with no recollection of having gotten there.
The sound of laughter filled the air. A few seconds later, Raven saw a shadow move through the darkness.
She heard footsteps coming closer. Then, in front of her, the light of a lamp appeared and fell upon a tall figure with long hair hanging loosely down to his shoulders. His body was muscular and lean; he wore tight-fitting jeans, boots, and a sleeveless T-shirt, and his arms were bare.
He looked at Raven for a moment, and then his mouth curled into a sly grin as he approached.
“You’re the Night Hero,” he said.
“Yeah, yeah,” she replied, still staring ahead. “So what’s your name?”
“I’ve been wondering that myself,” he said. “How about I let you decide.”
He grabbed her by the throat and lifted her from the ground.
“Don’t worry about your ability,” he said. “Just enjoy it.”
His grip tightened painfully as he pressed himself against her.
Raven gasped, and then tried to scream. But it was too late; he’d already sunk his fangs into her neck.
***
She awoke lying on a hard surface that stung her cheek. There was no pain, though, except for the throbbing of her head.
She was sitting upright in a chair. A soft yellow glow illuminated everything around her. The smell of fresh coffee filled the room, and sunlight streamed through a large window high on one wall.
There was silence for several seconds until she heard footsteps approaching. When the silhouette of a man came into view, she couldn’t help but smile.
“Hello, Mr. Walker,” she said. “It’s nice to see you again.”
Walker smiled back. “Hi. Did you sleep well?”
“Very nice. I feel refreshed.”
Walker nodded and walked over to stand in front of her. He placed his hands gently on her shoulders, then leaned forward slightly to look into her face.
“So what do you think? Are you ready to use your power?”
Raven smiled. “Ready for whatever comes my way.”
“Good,” he replied. “Let’s get started.”
Walker took a step backward, then turned away from her to walk away from the table and out of the room. As soon as he disappeared beyond the doorway, Raven pushed herself up to a seated position and looked around.
The space was large and open, with a large wooden desk in the middle of the room. To her left was a bookshelf lined with various volumes of novels, many of them familiar titles from her childhood. The walls were covered in a wide array of artwork that included oil paintings, sculptures, and drawings, most of which she recognized from her youth.
And then, of course, there were dozens of weapons lining the walls. Bows, crossbows, daggers, throwing stars—everything imaginable. And everywhere she looked, she saw more weapons that she had never seen or even heard of before.
Including one weapon on the desk directly across from her, which caught her eye instantly. It was black, made of polished wood, and shaped like an axe. Its curved blade ending in a sharp point, and it fit perfectly in her hand.
She examined the axe carefully and decided it was a perfect fit.
When Walker returned, he was carrying two steaming mugs of coffee. He set them down on the desk beside her, then sat in a nearby chair and motioned for her to join him.
She picked up one of the cups and sipped at it slowly, savoring every drop.
“You know,” Walker said, “if you want to keep doing this for the rest of your life, we could work together to develop your abilities. That way, they won’t be so overwhelming.”
“What are you talking about?” she asked.
“I mean,” he explained, “we could focus on teaching you to control your powers instead of having them take control of you.”
“But if I don’t learn how to control it, it will come out whether I’m trying to fight it or not,” she answered.
“Yes, but we can also teach you how to fight the instinct,” he said. “Then it won’t matter so much if it takes over. We’ll make sure that it doesn’t happen.”
“You can train me?” she asked excitedly. “That would be great!”
Walker smiled. “I thought you might say that.”
He stood and walked over to another bookcase on the other side of the room and removed a thick volume from it. Then he returned to her and sat down once again.
He handed her the book, and she opened it to find the title page displayed:
The Complete Book of Combat Magic
Raven looked at Walker. “Do you know what this is?” she asked.
He smiled. “I’ve been preparing you for a long time now.”
She closed the book and placed it back on the shelf. She looked up at him. “Thank you. I appreciate that.”
“Don’t thank me yet,” he told her. “This isn’t over. Not by a long shot.”
Raven looked at the book again, then held it out toward Walker. “If you’re going to give me a weapon, you might as well let me hold this.”
“Sure thing,” he answered. He took it from her and placed it next to the axe on the desk. “Now let’s get to work.”
***
As Raven read through the book, she found herself smiling more often than frowning, and her eyes began to wander over every line on every page. It was clear to her that Walker had worked hard to compile all this information into one place, but he hadn’t gone overboard.
He’d kept the details simple and straightforward. If anyone was able to understand this guide, she figured it would be her.
But she did have one question.
“Who wrote this?” she asked.
“It’s not written,” Walker answered. “I compiled all the available information on combat magic from various sources throughout the centuries. Then I combined those resources with my own observations over the years. After a while, it started to feel like my own.”
Raven looked up from the book and saw him staring at her, waiting patiently for her to continue reading. She returned her attention to the pages.
A few minutes later, she closed the book and handed it back to Walker. “There must be millions of people who could benefit from something like this,” she remarked.
He nodded. “I’m hoping you can help me spread the word about it.”
She grinned. “Absolutely. This is just one part of the mission.”
“Good,” he said, his tone serious again. “I think we’ve spent enough time on that subject for the moment. Now, do you have any ideas for how to get the word out about your new ability?”
“Yeah, actually,” she replied. “I know exactly where to start.”
“Where is that?”
“My mom’s apartment,” she answered.
“Your mother has no idea?” Walker asked, surprised. “You haven’t told her anything?”
Raven shook her head. “I didn’t see the sense in bringing it up until I knew what she was going to do about it first. Besides, when I told her about my vision last night, she seemed really upset about something else. I guess she thought it might have been a dream.”
“Did she mention what it was?” Walker asked. “Or did you have to ask her?”
“No, she didn’t tell me. But if she was worried about something, I bet it’s related to that.”
Walker frowned. “Maybe it’s time to bring the topic up with her.”
“Okay, good point,” Raven agreed. “But maybe not right now. Let’s wait a couple of days and see if I run into anything else.”
“Fair enough,” he said. “In the meantime, let’s talk about what comes next. I think we should keep our next lesson here at the facility, just to minimize the risk of anyone getting too close. That way, you don’t accidentally hurt someone.”
“Agreed,” Raven answered. “What do you suggest?”
“We need to focus on learning how to control our abilities,” Walker stated. “And that means we should probably try to figure out what they are.”
“How do you mean?”
He smiled at her. “It’s easier if you show me.”
Raven felt her heart skip a beat as her cheeks flushed red. The only thing worse than having to admit to the world that she was a freak was letting people know that she was a freak who could potentially hurt them.
But Walker had been so kind and patient so far – she couldn’t imagine him reacting violently if she tried to conceal the truth from him. And there was always the chance that, if she did decide to let him in on her secret, he would prove instrumental in helping her control whatever she really was.
So after a brief pause, she nodded her head and turned away from him, walking back toward the bookshelf to retrieve the book.
“I’ll just be a minute,” she called back to him. “I want to finish reading before I come back for my next lesson.”
Walker watched her go, then sighed and rubbed his forehead with two fingers. He had no idea what was going on with this girl. She wasn’t nearly as shy or hesitant as he expected of someone who had just discovered that she had magical powers.
She was clearly a very bright young woman, and he was already impressed with the progress she was making. But the fact that she was so determined to hide what she was… Well, he supposed that might be understandable. She probably didn’t know what it meant yet. He hoped that would change soon.
When Raven returned to the room, she stopped beside the bookcase and handed the book back to Walker. She waited patiently as he read it. A short while later, he set it down on top of the other books and leaned forward with his hands clasped together, regarding her seriously.
“Okay, Raven,” he said. “Let’s discuss some things now. First, I’d like you to explain what exactly happened in your vision last night.”
She chewed nervously at her bottom lip.
“It was a nightmare,” she admitted. “I dreamed that I had become some sort of creature that could kill people by shooting laser beams out of my eyes.”
Walker nodded slowly. “That sounds like a pretty accurate description of the ability you’re developing. Did it happen again?”
Her expression clouded over with worry. “Yes. It happened again. In a different place, but the same type of setting. There was a man who had come across a bunch of kids playing in an alleyway. One of the children fell off a building, and the guy shot him in the back of the head with a gun made out of light.”
“Did he die?” Walker asked.
“I don’t know,” Raven replied. “There were more kids running around, and the shooter started shooting at them too. But one of them got away, and he ran all the way back to my apartment. I saw myself coming through the door and rushing outside to help him.
The kid told me that he wanted me to call the police and get him medical attention because he couldn’t breathe very well. Then I remember standing in front of him, trying to make him understand what I needed him to do. That’s when everything went dark.”
“And you believe this is connected to what happened here yesterday?” Walker asked. “Because it sounds like it has the potential to be quite dangerous.”
“You’ve got to be kidding!” Raven exclaimed. “If you’re worried about me doing anything to someone, then you don’t even want to know what I’m capable of.”
Walker shook his head. “No, I don’t think that’s what I’m concerned about, Raven.”
“Then what?” She narrowed her eyes at him. “Is it because I can shoot lasers from my eyes that you’re afraid of me hurting someone? If that’s not it, then what is it? Am I still being tested?”
“Actually, no,” Walker said calmly. “I was hoping we could talk about something else.”
Raven stared at him incredulously. “Why would you say that? Do you want to tell me that you knew about these powers before you brought me here, and you decided to use me as some sort of lab rat? Because that would suck.”
Walker chuckled lightly, shaking his head at her. “No, Raven, I would never do that to you. But I have another concern, and I need to ask you a favor.”
She crossed her arms over her chest, staring up at him suspiciously. “What?”
“I need you to try and keep this conversation between us,” he explained. “I’m afraid someone may overhear us if we continue this conversation inside my office.”
Raven pursed her lips thoughtfully, thinking that over.
“Fine,” she finally relented. “But why are we whispering?”
Walker sighed and looked down at the desk, avoiding eye contact with her. “Well…”
A knock sounded at the door, and the sound caused them both to jump guiltily.
“Come in,” Walker called, looking back up at Raven.
The door opened, and Doctor Haggis entered the room. Her face was expressionless as she glanced over at them, then closed the door behind her and took a seat in a chair on the opposite side of the desk.
“So how did our little experiment go today?” she asked curiously.
“Not bad,” Walker replied.
“What makes you say that?”
He shrugged. “Well, for starters, we learned a lot about Raven’s condition.”
Raven scowled.
“Yeah, well, you guys probably figured most of that out already. You’ve been working together a long time, haven’t you?”
Walker nodded. “True, but there was also a new development that I’d like to share with you. Something unexpected.”
Haggis’ eyebrows lifted inquisitively. “Go ahead and tell me, then.”
Walker nodded. “This afternoon, while Raven was sleeping, I noticed a strange phenomenon occurring in the room. It started off slow, but quickly grew into something much more noticeable.”
“What do you mean?” she prompted.
“As you know, Raven can sometimes cause a surge of electrical activity within the brain of the person who is in close proximity to her. It seems like she has somehow created a feedback loop that allows her to trigger these bursts when they occur.”
“Ah,” Haggis responded with interest. “So it’s almost like some kind of power amplification, then?”
“Exactly,” Walker confirmed. “And that’s where the interesting part comes in…the frequency of the feedback loops became steadily higher throughout the day.”
Haggis leaned forward in her seat and raised an eyebrow curiously. “How so?”
“When Raven first woke up, the feedback was intermittent, with only occasional surges. However, after her meal came, those spikes increased significantly in frequency and intensity.”
“Hmm,” the doctor murmured thoughtfully, tapping her chin.
“I think I see what you mean, now,” she continued. “If Raven’s body is able to amplify its effects on others when she’s near them, wouldn’t it stand to reason that if she was in close proximity to someone who had the ability to manipulate electricity, it would be possible that their powers might be amplified as well?”
Walker smiled at her perceptiveness. “I think you’re onto something there.”
“That would explain why the lightning seemed to spread beyond the area around her when she activated it,” Haggis added. “It’s as though the energy from her attacks was somehow seeping into everyone nearby.”
Walker nodded. “Exactly. And this could explain something else I saw earlier this week.”
Haggis cocked her head curiously. “Go on.”
“While Raven and I were talking, I felt a familiar feeling wash over me,” Walker said slowly, recalling the sensation. “Something I hadn’t experienced in years.”
“And what was that?” Haggis pressed, intrigued by his words.
Walker shook his head, smiling fondly as he recalled the memory. “It’s hard to explain…but it felt as though the room was being infused with electricity. I’ve never seen anything quite like it before.”
“Interesting,” Haggis replied softly. She glanced over at Raven. “So…do you know any other people who might have similar abilities?”
“Not really,” Raven answered hesitantly. “My mother was the only one I ever met who had a similar power…but she died a couple months ago.”
“Oh no!” Haggis exclaimed. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” Raven replied quickly, waving away the concern. “She had cancer, so it wasn’t that big of a surprise. But it still hurt.”
“I’m sorry,” the doctor repeated, squeezing her shoulder briefly. “Well, at least we now know that Raven shares this ability with others,” she noted. “That’s always good news.”
Raven nodded, smiling tentatively at the older woman. “Do you think you can help me control my power? It feels like I don’t even know how to turn it off anymore…”
Haggis pursed her lips. “I certainly hope so,” she replied thoughtfully. “It’ll take some time to learn, but I believe I have a few ideas that may prove helpful.”
Raven let out a heavy breath in relief. “That sounds great.”
The two women sat quietly for a moment, simply staring at each other for a long while as they exchanged pleasantries. After several minutes, Haggis broke the silence.
“You’re very pretty,” she told the younger girl.
Raven blushed a little. “Thank you,” she replied shyly. “But don’t compliment me too often or your head will swell.”
Haggis chuckled. “No thanks, then. I like it the way it is.”
Raven grinned, her expression growing more confident with every passing second. “Well, I guess I should get back to sleep,” she murmured. “I want to try to catch up a few hours before dinner.”
Haggis stood from her chair with a frown. “Okay, sure,” she agreed, watching as Raven turned and headed towards the door. “See you later, Raven.”
“Bye, Dr. Haggis,” Raven called back happily.
With a nod, Walker watched his newest patient leave the room.
“She’s going to need some time,” he observed. “We both did.”
He looked down at his hands and sighed. There was no denying the fact that Raven was special; there was no denying either Haggis’s claim or the evidence laid out in front of him. All Walker had to do was look at the results.
But how does she fit into this puzzle? he wondered silently. He knew that the answer was somewhere hidden among the countless clues, but finding it required more time and patience than he had to offer right now. That was a problem he’d have to address at another point in time.
The End