Chapter -1 “Rise of Rebel”

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“No matter how fast you run, you can't hide from your destiny because destiny has its way of finding you.”

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A tiny figure was running in the darkness of the alleyway. A fourteen-year-old girl, huffing, struggling to get enough oxygen for her lungs to function smoothly. Her tiny frame was trembling like a leaf, cheeks stained with tears. She was holding a shiny object in her shaky hands close to her chest, as if her life depended on it.

The girl was none other than I, Rachael Santiago, the daughter of Raphael and Vanessa Santiago.

My parents were council members of a secret society of supernaturals, Synx, and the owners of Santiago groups of companies.

Supernatural, gifted, or part-human, you name it. In short, humans carry magic in their lineage. We could do stuff other people can only dream of or either pulled in movies.

Every member of the special families, or as we called clans, has different and unique gifts of their own. We carried our gift from birth.

We could feel it within us. However, due to the incapacity of our human bodies to deal with such extreme powers, we couldn’t control it until we crossed the age of majority. Sounds cool, right? At first, I thought the same… but not anymore.

***

I gulped down a few breaths and dropped to my knees. Cuddling my body against the cold stone wall beside the dumpsters, supporting my worn-out self, I tried to hide from the intruders' eyes.

I didn’t know where to go. My dad told me to run as far as I could, and soon he would come looking for me. He gave no answers to any of my questions when he handed me the crystal and said, run as fast as you can.

We all were in the clan’s compound when the rival clan attacked us.

I heard them talking that they wanted something from us, but I did not know… what was that?

Footsteps followed my trail, booming in the darkness of the chilly alleyway. They were getting closer. I panicked. What should I do?

Self-defense was one of the compulsions in my clan. Dad taught me a few moves, but how could a small girl like me fight against two well-built men? What other choice did I have? I couldn't get caught.

I wiped my eyes with the back of my hand to clear the blurry vision.

Holding the crystal tightly against my chest, I leaned back further into the wall. When one of them stepped near the dumpster, I knew that was my chance.

I looked around to find something to defend myself but had nothing, just some pieces of wood scattered here and there. I picked up one stick and ran my fingertip around its edges. Not sharp enough, yet I hoped for it to work.

He took another step before rapidly making a turn towards the wall. Where I was hiding. He knew I was hiding there. 

Before he made his move, I jumped to my feet and kicked his left knee. Next, I punctured the wooden stake into his shoulder blades with all the power I possessed within my small body.

He howled in pain and fell to the ground, grunting in pain. Dashing with adrenaline, I took the opportunity and tackled the other one. With the element of surprise still on my side, I kicked him in his knee with the same strength I used on his partner.

‘Thank God daddy trained me well, otherwise, I doubt I’d stand a chance here.'

I thought while sprinting off in a different direction from them. My knees were about to give out; however, I managed to reach the road.

I stayed hidden in the shadows, in the hope of finding some help.

And then I saw it... Light.

I saw light flashing in the distance, and soon a car came into view. I knew it was the last chance for my survival because I had no more strength left in my worn body, and sooner or later, they would find me.

With the last bit of strength left in me, I ran out of the shadows towards the car for my dear life.

In the middle of the road, I waved my hands in the air vigorously as a universal sign to stop. I knew it was crazy to stand in the middle of the road, and on top of it in front of a running car, but I was desperate.

The car slowed down when a piercing sound thundered from somewhere in the dark... A gunshot.

I felt something wet... runny wetting my shirt before unbearable pain sprouted in my chest. In a matter of seconds, my knees made contact with the rough dirt road beneath me.

Slowly, my eyes traveled down to observe the wet patch. My fingers touched the spot over my shirt where my heart was beating viciously beneath and found it glossed with thick red liquid. Blood.

My blood. My eyes widened in realization. The world around me spun before I fell to the ground and darkness engulfed me.

Yet I sensed the surrounding commotion before I lost my consciousness. Tires screeched, several gunshots boomed, then people shouting and screams followed.

I felt two brawny arms picking me up in the air, pressing my cheeks against something hard before moving.

I had lost all my energy. Despite that, one last notion kept running through my mind before darkness took possession of my subconscious.

‘I want to live.’

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I struggled back into consciousness feeling sick. The sound of machines beeping and the dreadful smell of medicines weren’t helping either. My body was numb. No pain. Neither could I move a muscle.

The sound of machines and the smell of medicines indicated I was in a hospital room. Yet the question was: How did I get there? Who took me to the hospital? And why couldn’t I feel anything? I remember I got shot in the heart, so I should be dead by now. Shouldn’t I? Did I die?

The sound of heavy metal broke my trail of thoughts. I tried to open my eyes in a failed attempt. My body was so weak and battered to follow my commands.

I felt someone’s presence near my bed before I heard them talking.

“... take her with you... home.“

“You... can’t, Mr. King..... you are not... legal guardian.“

“What about......family?“

“..... her...... dead.”

I didn’t understand what they were talking about. Their voices sounded so distant.

‘Are they talking about me? But why? Where are they taking me? I don’t recognize these voices. Who are they? Why are they helping me, a mere stranger, or do they know about me... About my gifts, and want to take advantage of my powers?’

‘What if they are the same clan’s people from whom I was running, who attacked my home... home... Mommy, Daddy, and Derek?’

‘Where is my family? Daddy said he will find me when everything calms down. Why is he not here? Why am I still alone? What if I get lost, or worse, kidnapped?’

With these thoughts, I felt my heart shrink down in my chest.

‘What if I’m kidnapped and never find my way back home? I want to go home. I want my mommy and daddy. I want to go back to my clan. Where are you, daddy? Please find me quickly.’ I prayed to whoever was listening to me.

Before I got lost in the darkness once more, but not before I heard a woman’s voice say, “Yes, boss.”

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