Project Prodigi

Book 1

By Nick Mckay

Created by Nick Mckay, Spencer Ream, and Andrew Barker

Prologue

I have said it since the day I could speak. The human race has tossed away whatever remained of its humanity, and has sunk into a realm of bloodthirsty and power hungry monsters. The wars of global dictatorship began long before my time, back before the war itself sent the people of Earth back into mideval living conditions in the year 2890. Back when the clans at war were still great in number. Now only two remain today, in the year 3008, and the battles between them are so fierce, that no man, woman, or child caught in the path is ever spared.

The two clans at war are both opposite and identical. The Hai-to clan is a group that would be deemed good by their intentions. Peace throughout the planet and freedom across the land. Though this may sound honorable and true, they feel that freedom, and peace, is worth any price, and have shed the blood of thousands of innocent lives. They hope that one day that all their crimes will not be in vain, but I feel that peace is not worth the blood of those not in conflict.

The second clan is the Ray-Ting clan. This clan I despise most of all. This clan wants the throne for nothing but power, and will do anything to get it. They have slaughtered many over the years, and have even been known to slaughter their own members. Their belief is, “If you’re not with them, you’re against them. If you’re against them, you’re dead.”

Maybe I should explain what started this whole conflict. It all began in the year 2568, when mankind made a sudden leap forward in evolution. Beings known as the prodigi, human beings with high mental abilities which allow them to control a specific aspect of the universe in which they reside, entered the world. This caught the interest of many scientists, who began testing and genetic experimentation on prodigi. Through genetic experimentation, a new race dubbed, the prophesi, were created. Prophesi are more powerful than prodigi but their powers are much more vast than simply one aspect of their universe. When the 12 original prophesi escaped from containment, they quickly seized global power, and in 2612, prodigi and humans, were under the united rule of the prophesi.

What seemed like an unbreakable bond between the prophesi, was really a tower waiting to fall, and it did so with devastating force. In a demand for power, the prophesi broke out into battles for the ultimate rule over Earth. Each prophesi had their own recruited armies and for years kept drafting innocents for their conflicts. As time went on many prophesi were killed and few simply surrendered and quietly dispersed across the globe, but now there remains only two still at war, and they are the fiercest of foes.

Though the two have fought for over 30 years for the seat in power, they still remain at a stand still. Finally, each clan started searching for ways to gain more strength and power to overthrow the other, and they both came to one conclusion. The Prodigi. Upon discovering this, both clans set out to find prodigi with gifts for the battlefield, the more prodigi one had, the more powerful his clan became. Prodigi soon lost their appearance as humans, and sank to a position as nothing but tools for war. In many cases, prodigi were kidnapped and brainwashed at birth, where others were forced into a clan by threat or torture.

I begin this story where the clans at war have been since the prodigi began being processed. I myself have yet to be captured. My name is James, and I am a prodigi, but not like a lot of other prodigi. Somehow, I, and two others like myself, stand out from the typical prodigi, though none of us are truly sure how. I sometimes got the feeling that someone out there knew what made us so special, but we have yet to find such a being.

This is the story of the final battles of this war. This is the story of the prodigi and their role in this conflict. This is our story, and this is how it goes.

Ch1

Ruthless Ray-Tings

The dark night blinded the prophet as he raced through the village. His heart was pounding, his head was spinning, the fear of his pursuers was rising more and more as he ran. He knew something the Ray-Ting clan wanted, he knew where to find more, powerful prodigi for them. He knew that with this knowledge in their hands their victory would be assured. He rushed on, hearing the men behind him, he could feel his strength fading, and fast.

He raced through an old school parking lot, and scrambled inside of the gymnasium in an attempt to evade his captures. The prophet had thought he had found sanctuary here until his mind gazed forward and revealed to him a grave mistake. Sighing heavily, he knew what he had to do. He took only three steps toward the door exiting the lobby and entering the gym court, before a large and powerful hand reached through the doorway and dragged him in. The prophet was thrown into a nearby wall, from which he slid down, unable to move due to the force of the blow. It was over, he couldn’t feel his legs and he now stared into the eyes of the Ray-Ting master, the prophesi known as Herod.

Herod, was tall and well built. His short brown hair shined as he walked toward the crippled prophet, his long, black jacket waving as he did so. He was dawned in all black, from his t-shirt to his shoes, and leather gloves.

“Thank you for joining us this evening prophet. I trust you’re comfortable?” Herod taunted as the prophet looked up at him with a scowl.

“I will tell you nothing, I have seen my death here tonight and I am unafraid.” Herod knelt down to match eyes with the prophet.

“if you saw your own death, then why have you come here?” The pain of his position was starting to get to the prophet, and he spoke through gritted teeth.

“I came, because once my death has come, your fate is sealed. I have seen what happens from here and I am pleased.” The prophet spat at the master, covering Herod’s shoes in the runny, bubbling fluid. The master was now angry, he would have respect, and he would have the answers he demanded. He casually smiled, masking the immense rage with-in as he spoke.

“The only ones who can stop me, are the Hai-to’s, and they are only capable of winning if they have the prodigi. Other than that, there is no one else in this world who can stand against me.” The prophet now laughed, ignoring the immense pain that shot through him as he did so.

“That Herod is where you are wrong.” Herod now scowled at the prophet, the prophet had mentioned that he saw his demise. Herod now demanded the knowledge the prophet had.

Who, WHO CAN EVEN STAND NEAR TO ME AND DO ACCEPTABLE COMBAT!?”

“The prodigi.” Herod now broke out into laughter. The very idea of such low beings as the prodigi, even attempting combat with him self was a laughable concept. Though there had been numerous isolated reports of battles being interrupted by mysterious conditions. These thoughts were quickly pushed out of his head, the prodigi were nothing but weapons to him, they could not possibly rise up and organize.

“Prophet you slay me, really.”

“Laugh while you can, Herod, but know this. There is one, pure of heart and strong in mind and battle, that will unite the triangle. The triangle will unite the sphere, and bring about your destruction.” Herod, punched the prophet in the jaw, sending his face to the wooden floor. The prophet tasted blood flowing from inside his cheek.

“very well prophet, where is this one? Where can I find him?” The prophet pushed himself upright and whipped the blood from his lips. “TELL ME NOW!” The prophet remained silent. Herod was through being merciful. He wanted the location of such a prodigi, and he would use a new tactic to find it.

Herod stood up and snapped his fingers. From behind the bleachers came a tall young boy. He was rather sickly looking and dawned in tattered clothes with blonde hair that was untamed. The boy joined Herod at his side, his eyes fixed blankly on the prophet, his face emotionless.

“I believe you know what this is.” Herod said as he presented the young prodigi. The prophet not only knew what it was, but knew who it was.

“The third one…” he whispered to himself through a cracked smile.

“Prodigi,” Herod called to the boy.

“Yes sir.” The boy replied monotonously.

“Make him talk.” Herod commanded as he took a few steps back.

The prophet bowed his head and closed his eyes as the boy raised his hand, the hilt of a katana materialized in his palm. He gripped it tightly and drew a large blade. SHING! Slash! The boy sliced the prophet from his neck to his waist diagonally. Within seconds the prophet was dead. The boy then looked at the prophet’s dead carcass and extended his left hand toward it, motioning as though pulling a rabbit out of thin air. The boy opens a dimensional portal in the floor, from it he dragged the prophet’s soul, suspending it from the body. The boy focused and shot pain through the dead prophet’s soul and watched it scream in agony with a smile as wicked as Herod’s.

“I’m only going to ask you one more time, prophet. And keep in mind that this boy can damn you to hell or exalt you to heaven.” The prophet’s souls screamed in agony, his cries bouncing off the walls of the gym. Through gritted teeth and a mocking grin he replied, “The one… will find you.” Herod scowled and motioned for the boy to finish the job. The boy nodded and stared straight into the prophet’s eyes and said, “Burn in hell.”

The portal in the ground erupted in fire and the prophet’s soul slipped into the fire below as the portal closed.

“Good work, Paul,” Herod said as he turned and walked through the court.

“Sir,” Paul called as he walked after him, “What about the prodigi? Don’t we need them to win this thing?”

“indeed we do, prodigi, but we need this ‘one’ out of the way first.”