The Spark

The woman next to him screamed and everyone moved away from me quickly. Not Bennett. He came around to me and put a hand on me as the man wept on the floor.

"I can give this to whomever I like," I said softly. "I can drain the Spark from the useless and give it to anyone. Did you know we each have in ingrained, inborn ability, even those of us below? I can find those with useful talents and give them the Spark. Take it from the useless people like you. Let us see then how quickly you wish to change the system."

I turned and walked towards the door, then paused. I turned back around, looking at all of them. "You," I said, pointing to a nearby man. "Bring me my sister. She is on the second level with Kitsume and her family. You will know her when you see her. Bring her to me. Also, a guard named Simion."

I turned and left after the man gave me a terrified nod.

Bennett followed close behind me back to their hall and Emily and Mikkael were close behind him. I sat down, feeling sad now and leaned on Bennett. Emily sat next to me and took hold of my hand, stroking my hair.

"I knew you were special. You were the change we needed here," she said softly.

I gave her a tired smile, then something occurred to me. I looked at her sadly, then turned to Mikkael. "Please bring me Ian."

Mikkael looked grim, but he nodded.

The terrified man returned first and I stood, smiling at Leona as she followed the man, Simion behind her. Kitsume and her husband were behind them and I smiled grimly. I had sort of hoped they would come as well.

I hugged Leona and I knew she was terrified. Kitsume had threatened her with her one single friend's life, a servant.

I held her at arms length and looked her over. "Kitsume is not going to hurt Anna," I said softly and was gratified to see Kitsume's eyes bug out. I felt for Leona's talent and sighed. Transformation. I should have known. Still, for her I would do this. I filled her with enough Spark that she would be able to transform and I saw Kitsume and her husband's eyes go wide.

I turned to them and smiled warmly and held my hands out to them. They rushed to me and I could feel the greed and hope pouring out of them even before I touched them. I blocked out what they were feeling and ripped away their Spark as quickly as I could and they staggered to their knees, gasping. Kitsume let out a horrified wail.

I went to Simion and touched him, feeling for his talent. I smiled happily and filled him with as much Spark as he could hold. "Bennett can show you how to teleport and tell you how to help with what we are about to do for the lower levels."

Bennett stepped up and held a hand out to Simion, shaking his hand. "Bennett Lancaster."

"Simion?" he answered breathlessly.

I looked at Bennett. "I am serious about this. I will give the Spark to anyone with a useful ability and drain it from everyone who cannot or will not help."

"I understand," he said softly, "and you are right to do it."

"But?"

"Both not my parents?"

"I think they are both willing to help, inasmuch as they can and they have always been good people. They can help organize and direct. I will put your mother in charge of gathering together those with no useful spark to clean up, starting with the seventh level and then up. I will speak to her about how things will be reorganized and redone. There will be no more tiers, every level will be equal. We will have enough teleporters to make sure there is enough for everyone and those with Spark will work for all and not just one family."

Bennett smiled. "Hailene? Marry me? Not Sunday, right now? I will send Dane for your mother and your sister is right here. Marry me right now?"

I smiled up at him, then nodded.

"Hai?" Leona asked softly.

I turned to my sister. "Sorry Lee, this is Bennett. Bennett, my sister Leona. And Simion was a guard with Kitsume's family who was nice to me and took care of me. Lee. You are not pregnant and I intend to take your husbands Spark."

"He isn't my husband! They decided he didn't need to marry me to get me with child," she said, red faced.

I nodded. "If you wish to wed, then there are some good men here."

"Hailene!" Ian panted, guards holding him and dragging him in as if he had fought them. "Hailene, I am sorry! I shouldn't have touched you, I'm sorry!"

I turned to Ian. They hadn't told him what was about to happen to him, he was beside himself with anguish over what he had done. For now. His mood was like quicksilver, flashing and changing. I went to him and touched his hand softly, draining his Spark and he looked confused for a moment, then panicked as he struggled. It was too late. I stepped back and nodded at the guards.

"That is your Spark?" Leona asked wondrously. "To give and take Spark?"

"It is, but I can also See. Lee, would you stand with me as I wed?"

Leona grinned, her eyes shining.

I turned back to Bennett and I felt my heart go warm all over again. His eyes were so full of love and I could feel it coming off of him. His fierce pride and his adoration.

"Tomorrow is soon enough to change the world," I said softly, going to him. "The rest of tonight is for us."