The Soul Keeper

I collapsed on my knees, dropping the phone, and holding my head. A ringing sound deafened me as my heart skipped a beat.

My vision refused to return as my head spun. 

"Kai?" I heard Inspector John's distant voice calling my name. "Hey!" He shouted. "You two – find out what that was – someone get Veronica here!" He shouted to his colleagues. My vision slowly returned as his voice cut out. 

I grabbed the phone with trembling hands. "Inspector John?" I asked as my heard raced. What was that? I wasn't the only one to notice that was I?

"Kai!" Aoife's shout sounded. "Are you ok?" The door swung open as she barged inside. Seeing me on my knees, her eyes widened, and she ran up to me. 

"Did you lose your balance? Are you ok?" She asked, helping me up. I shook my head. The ringing wasn't as loud, it was slowly fading away.

"I'm fine, I think." I mumbled. Aoife helped me to the bed, where I immediately sat down. I didn't have the strength to keep standing. My head continued spinning. "Inspector John?" I spoke to the phone again. "What happened?"

Silence was all that followed. He must have dropped the phone, I thought as I could hear the faint voices of people, coming from afar.

"What was that… thing? It felt like a shockwave." Aoife whispered. Her hand was on mine, and I could feel how she trembled. 

"I don't know," I breathed in, then slowly exhaled. The cool breeze coming in from the windows calmed my mind a little, and my head finally stopped spinning. "Inspector John?" I asked once more. I needed answers. We needed answers.

"Kai, I have to go. I'll call you later – whatever you do, don't leave your settlement. That's an order of the United Nations." His sharp voice startled me, and then I heard the click sound that indicated the line was no longer on.

"Oh, come on!" I cried out. "You could have at least told me what the hell was going on!" I threw the phone on the bed and massaged my temples. 

"What did he say?" Aoife asked. I sighed. "He told me to stay here." I hadn't even thought of leaving but knowing that Mother and Uncle Eion had just left, I couldn't help but worry.

"Let's go downstairs. The news is probably reporting on whatever this shockwave was already." My words seemed enough to calm Aoife for a while. She helped me up, then we headed to the dining room. I remembered to take my phone with me – if Inspector John called, I wanted to be able to pick it up.

We arrived downstairs to a rather panicked group of residents. The Instructors of the Dojo were trying to calm them down, despite their own fears. I drew a sharp breath as I noticed one of the children. She was crying.

"Whatever that was, I hope it doesn't happen again." I hissed through my gritted teeth. Aoife nodded and we left the crowd and headed to the dining room.

The TV was still on from before, and a news reporter was on screen. 

'… was felt throughout the entirety of the Europe, Asia and Africa continents. We are also receiving reports that the Americas also felt it, albeit with less intensity. There are no reports coming in from Australia or the Arctic yet. We are still attempting to re-establish contact.' As she spoke, she glanced at the tablet before her.

'We just received word that the estimated ground zero of the shockwave is the city of London.'

My heart skipped a beat. "No." I whispered. "No way."

'We will continue reporting as more information reaches us. In the meanwhile, we just received some footage from out on-air crew in various locations.'

Different clips began cycling as I clenched my fists.

"Did you notice something?" Aoife asked. She placed a glass of water on the table, gesturing me to have a sip.

"They said ground zero was London." I said before taking a sip of water. "I… can't shake this feeling I'm getting. Like…" I hesitated. How could I best explain this? "I felt a shockwave like this before, Aoife. It-"

My phone rang, startling both of us. I scrambled to pick it up.

"Kai, it's me. Did you feel it?" Laura's voice was filled with uneasiness. "The shockwave – please tell me you noticed it."

"I did, it almost knocked me out." I hesitated and glanced Aoife. "What was it? Do you have any idea?" 

Laura sighed. "I have some thoughts, but I'd rather not jump to conclusions. I've been trying to reach the authorities, but so far, I didn't have any luck. What about you? Did that inspector contact you?"

My shoulders dropped. When I heard her voice, I was sure Laura would have at least a few answers for me, but now… "I was on the phone with him," I replied. "But he hung up soon after the event. He said he'd call me back, and to remain at home." I gritted my teeth. "The news reported ground zero to be London. Laura… I think-"

"No, don't jump to conclusions!" She almost shouted, startling me. "Sorry. I know what you're thinking, but it's got to be impossible. That was a game. A fake, virtual world. Not real. You know that, don't you?"

I glanced at the ground, then noticed how the room seemed darker than before. I raised my eyes to look the shadow wreathed Keeper right in the eye. "Yeah, I know. It's just a game." 

"I'll call you when I learn more." Laura said before hanging up. I sighed and lowered myself onto the chair.

"What was that about?" My sister asked. I shook my head, I honestly didn't want to think about any of this anymore.

"Laura was trying to learn whether I knew anything more." I chuckled. "As if I would." 

Aoife didn't smile. Her gaze focused on the TV once more. "You were saying you felt something like this before." She spoke in a low voice. "Where did you feel it?"

The TV began showing clips of the Gallagher Mansion. "In the game," I said as my gaze lingered on the screen. The camera panned towards the Divine Pillar replica in the mansion's garden. "When a Divine used the Pillars."

The Pillar glowed with a golden sheen.

"Like that." My voice was but a whisper.