Chapter 15: The Disadvantages of Having a Talent
"Thank you very much, Richard…" said Rebecca.
Her expression had changed. The ghostly pallor had faded somewhat; her face regained the warmth that reminded him of a living human being. Richard contemplated her in silence. For the first time since the apocalypse began, she no longer looked like a withered specter, but rather like the kind mother who had protected him during his childhood.
A smile escaped him before he could stop it."It's nothing…"
With slow movements, he began to undo the runes that had kept her immobilized. Looking at her now, perhaps he had gone overboard with the amount. Rebecca looked more like a doll tattooed with arcane symbols than a person."The new style suits you…" he muttered mockingly, raising his thumb.
Rebecca gave a faint smile, though her eyes were still wet."It's nothing, Richard. But tell me… this disappears, right?"
Her gaze wandered over the symbols that adorned her skin. Each word looked carved like an ancient cave painting, a relic from forgotten times.
"Yes. In a week they should fade away…" he admitted, looking away.
He couldn't be blamed. He had not been born with the gift of runes. He had learned a lot, but still, he was far from what true bearers of the gift could achieve. It was the old dilemma: hard work versus innate talent.
When talent doesn't make an effort, effort can surpass it. But when talent does make an effort… it transforms the world. That was the real abyss that separated people.
History was full of dreamers who never achieved anything. Those who stood out without talent did so by using the knowledge of others, or they ended up as forgotten nobodies. On the other hand, those born with gifts could set reality ablaze just by willing it.
Richard blinked."Wait… what the hell am I saying?" he muttered, aware he was talking to himself again. A dangerous habit.
Rebecca interrupted him with a soft voice."Since you know about all this… could you explain to me what just happened to me?"
Richard observed her in silence. It wasn't true that he knew everything; most of the time, he was just fumbling in the dark. But he knew more than she did, and that was enough.
He sat down in front of Rebecca, squaring his shoulders as if preparing to carry a heavy slab of stone."Alright. Listen. You've already heard what I explained before about talents…"
She nodded, expectant, like a student waiting for every word of her teacher.
"Good…" Richard's voice was low, grave. "Within the broad field of talents that a person can awaken, there is something I didn't explain. The disadvantages."
Rebecca stared at him. He continued."Each talent affects the psyche differently. But almost all share the same curse." He paused, his brow furrowing. "Addiction."
The word floated in the air like a sentence.
"Imagine it as having a phone without self-control… multiplied by a hundred. The more you use a talent, the more dependence it creates. To the point where you can't sleep or eat without activating it at least once."
That would only be discovered later. But that curse had been the spark that gave rise to clandestine groups in the future. It was also the origin of the Doomsday system.
That system scanned the body of the Awakened with runes, recording their abilities. If someone revealed a talent like murder, pyromania, or something similar, they were imprisoned without discussion. It might sound cruel. But such was the danger of addiction. It could turn the kindest person into a bloodthirsty monster in a matter of weeks.
He leaned toward Rebecca, his voice firm."That's where your case comes in. The talent of Spiritual Healer is different. Most form their core in the heart. You form it in the brain. Those with that talent not only do not suffer from addiction, but they also have the ability to expand their spiritual energy… to evolve their soul, so to speak."
He paused."That's why you can share addiction and other feelings from other Awakened without the slightest problem. Let's just say you're the salvation of Emma and Uncle Ethan."
Richard concluded his explanation.
The first light of morning was beginning to filter through the windows of the refuge. The new day slowly reached them.
Rebecca stopped him with a question that took him by surprise:"Then… why did it affect me so much to feel everyone's emotions? Especially yours?"
Richard blinked, puzzled. He had thought he had explained it well. But Rebecca's doubt cut through the air like a knife. He already felt like he was useless at teaching anyone.
He sighed."Well… simply put, you're still a normal person. You haven't evolved yet, so it was normal that you couldn't endure all the negative feelings of two young people and a man with an addiction to forging."
He stood up, turning his back."After all, it's well known that an ordinary person can barely carry their own burdens… let alone carry those of others."
*****
A week had passed since that conversation. Against all odds, things had improved.
In moments like this, Richard was grateful for the rune engraving lessons Michael had given him. Most of the time, he wanted to kill him, but in the end, they were just jokes between friends. Man stuff.
Emma lowered the gun after firing. All the rusty cans at the end of the hallway had fallen."Five out of five," she said, barely smiling.
Richard nodded."Not bad. You don't shake anymore like they're about to shoot at you."
Emma rolled her eyes, and Luna interrupted with a caw."Was that supposed to be a compliment?"
Rebecca laughed softly while planting seeds in the garden."For Richard, yes it is."
"New hobby?"Richard raised an eyebrow, surprised to see the floor covered with seeds.
"Let's just say it's a way to channel our energy… and make use of our free time," Ethan commented, leaning back in his chair. His forehead was beaded with sweat, but his face showed satisfaction."Of course," he added with a sigh. "Though this is much more exhausting than I thought."
Richard looked over the furrows in the soil."There's quite a difference between what Aunt Rebecca did and what you did." He shook his head. "At least some of them will sprout… I think."
Ethan sat up abruptly, offended."Is that all you have to say? Don't you have any faith?"
Richard shrugged, amused.
Ethan turned his gaze toward the entrance."Now that I think about it… why don't we use the red rain to water the plants? That way we'd save potable water."
The silence stretched."We could at least check if that rain is as toxic as they say. There are fungi that survive in the impossible… why couldn't the same happen here?"
Richard was about to give his consent. The idea was reasonable. Almost irresistible.But he already knew the answer.
"Your idea isn't bad," he said calmly. "But there would only be two results: either the plant transforms into a sentient lifeform that later becomes infected… or it dies before sprouting."
He paused."Luckily for us, the first one is a one-in-a-hundred-million chance. So don't make me repeat myself. I'm on a bad streak and I don't want to tempt fate."
A chill ran down his spine. He had already faced those lifeforms before. They couldn't infect others, but their vitality was almost infinite. A single specimen was a brutal challenge. More than that would be a death sentence.
"I always wanted to ask you…" Ethan said, fixing his gaze on him. "How do you know so much about all this?"
Rebecca raised her head. Emma too. The three of them stared at him.
Richard stayed silent for too long. Then he smiled, tilting his head."That's classified…" he replied with solemn calm. Then he arched an eyebrow, smiling faintly."And like everything else in this life… it's inevitable."
He wanted to snap his fingers.
* * *
"Great… I'm soaked."The man muttered under his breath, trying to adjust his drenched jacket. Water slid down his neck, cold as blades. The world had ended… and yet, what irritated him most was the damn rain.
"All because of that lunatic!" he grumbled, a twisted expression on his face.
Just a few days ago, he had driven to the gas station, hoping to fill the tank of his truck. What he found instead was fire. A madman had blown everything to pieces, as if it were some kind of fireworks show.
"Could this get any worse?"
The young man glanced around, alert to his surroundings."Hopefully I won't run into another cougar…" he muttered, clenching his teeth.
"Although… why do I feel so strong lately?"
He looked at his hands. He hadn't seen himself in a mirror, but he was convinced something had changed in him.
"Did I get more handsome?Could it be true, what they said on the news?"
The caw of a crow cut through his thoughts."There's not going to be a whole flock of crows coming after me now… right?"
He dashed toward a nearby tree. He counted the seconds… one, two, three. Nothing happened, so it should be fine.
His stomach growled furiously."Crow, come here and be my dinner!" he spat, letting out a bitter laugh.
Then he saw it.
The red rain fell over the bird perched still on a crooked post. Between its talons it held a yellow stone that pulsed like a beating heart. The glow lit up the gloom, making the raindrops shine with golden sparks.
The light almost hypnotized him. He managed to control himself, but the hunger it stirred was stronger.
In the end, without thinking too much, he followed it.