Terrence Brooks Jr's Arc

Chapter 15 of 7

Gideon led them through the city to a stone hall with tall columns and a great clock on its face. Inside, the council sat behind a long table. They watched Terrence and his team file in. Beno kept his hand near his pistol. Ladybug scanned the exits. Demo tapped his ring against his leg. Terrence knew what Gideon had warned him. The council would decide: son or threat. And he had no proof he was raiser blood except the power itself. One council member stood. "You claim the raisers' blood," she said. "Show us. But know that raw power without control is what we fear most. One wrong act, and you are put down." A blue-skinned man stepped from a side door. Red hair, gray uniform, a badge clipped to his chest. He carried a thin stack of records. "Killbo Hells," he said. "City records." He set the papers down and looked at Terrence. "Your name was in our files. Then it was pulled. Same as mine." He said it flat. "Someone here doesn't want you proven. That should tell you something." Terrence understood. If he raised the dead here, in this hall, and lost control, they would kill him. But it was the only proof he had. He turned to his team. "If I do this and it goes wrong, they take me down. I need you to catch it if I slip." Beno nodded once. "We got you." Ladybug moved to Terrence's left. "Aim at the soul," she said. "Not the body. Like I taught you." Demo stepped to his right and pressed a hand to Terrence's shoulder. "Together, bro. We're the same blood." Killbo pointed to a sealed alcove. "There's a body in there. A council servant, died this week." He looked at the members. "Let him try. If he's a raiser, you'll know." The council opened the alcove. A still form lay on a slab. Terrence closed his eyes. He felt for the living energy the way Ladybug had shown him. He found it, faint, above the body. He reached for the soul, not the flesh. Demo's hand tightened on his shoulder. Their power ran together, one current. The body drew breath. It sat up slow, eyes clear, calm. Not a mindless thing. A clean raising. The servant stood and bowed to the council. The hall went silent. Then the council member who had stood spoke. "Only raiser blood raises a soul whole. You are Aivrûn. You are a son of this city." Terrence had his proof. But Killbo stepped close and lowered his voice. "They believe you now. But someone erased your name on purpose. That person is on the council. And now they know you're strong enough to raise the dead clean." He held Terrence's eyes. "You didn't win a friend today. You woke an enemy."