Oceanus Origins
Innocence
My body shook gently as I woke up to meet a pair of eyes that I did not recognize. A man was standing before me, but as I went to scream he covered my mouth and hushed me.
“I’m not here to hurt you. But you are in danger.” The man whispered as he nodded towards the window of the cabin, my eyes glanced and I saw two boats were headed towards the cabin. The man removed his hand as I looked back at him, my green eyes meeting his blue ones and he stood up. Something about him made me feel a small amount of fear, but also I felt protected. I stood up and looked up at him,
“Who are you? How did you get in here?” I asked, my voice demanding and strong trying to show that I was not afraid, but alas because my voice had been resting it came out more of a squeak then a strong tone and I coughed and patted my chest.
“My name is Johnny Blaze. And I am here to protect you two. There isn’t any time to explain.” Johnny spoke as he walked over to the window and looked out.
“Protect me? I can look after my bloody self thank you.” I snapped and stood behind Johnny snapping at him. Johnny quickly turned towards me glanced over my body and smirked,
“Yeah… right. Stay in here with the girl.” Johnny spoke, I frowned and he walked towards the door.
“Excuse me, how dare you look me over and then suddenly decide that I cannot look after myself. I’ll have you know that I am a-” I suddenly stopped as fire appeared in front of my face, this mans body changed and partly vanished before me… his face… it was a skull and it was on fire! Standing there in my grey shorts and white tank top I was paralyzed with… many emotions. Fear, shock, and amazement… he wasn’t a mutant… I could tell that much. Though as he looked back at me over his shoulder for a second he soon looked away and ran forward and jumped out of the window and onto the decks below.
I ran to the window, by now Courtney had joined me when I looked outside. Gunfire was heard and I grabbed Courtney and pulled her down as she screamed. I wrapped my arms around her trying to cocoon her small body with my own larger one. Rosemarie appeared at the door with shock plastered over her normal cool demeanor.
“What the hell is going on?!” Rosemarie yelled as she ducked down behind the corner of the door at the other side of the bedroom.
“I don’t know! This guy shown up and said we were in danger and he’s going out to fight them!” I yelled,
“What?!” Rosemarie called,
“I said… Forget it!” I shook my head then ran over to her covering Courtney’s body as chips of wood and glass were flying every wear grazing my body lightly with small dents and cuts.
Rosemarie covered Courtney’s other side and we ran forward through the house as guns were going on and off, though as we turned a corner a few men were in the building and torches were shining in our faces blinding us for the few seconds. I reacted and created water out of the moisture in the air and pulled the torches and guns off the men and banged their heads together.
“Come on!” I yelled and we moved forward through the house. Though as I ran forward around the corner the ground blew up under us and I fell down to the ground floor of the cabin as Rosemarie and Courtney were stuck up on the floor above.
“Precious!” Courtney screamed at the top of her lungs as I tried to lift myself off the ground but there was a lot of rubble and wood over my body,
“Rosemarie! Get Courtney out of here!” I yelled, Rosemarie pulled Courtney back knowing I would be able to lift the rubble with enough water, which there was a lake right next to us.
I looked up and saw two men in front of me,
“She is one of the innocent ones.” The bigger man spoke,
“Innocent… with that body…” The shorter spoke as he knelt down in front of me. I looked up at him and glared, I never really liked controlling people’s bodies…
“Do you know that 70% of the human body is water?” I asked and looked up at him, the shorter guy laughed as I made the bigger guy knock him out and then himself out.
I moved some water in the room as the cabin was beginning to collapse in other places. I heard Courtney screaming for me… I tried to lift myself but couldn’t… and now smoke was moving around the house from the fires that had started thanks to these intruders.
This had all happened so fast… why were these people after us? And what was this… innocence? Did this man, Johnny, know about it? Did he set it up?
I looked up and saw the man with the skull as he lifted the rubble off my weak body.
“You hold an innocent soul. I shall not harm you.” Johnny spoke as he moved his arm around me, the skull vanished and his face returned to normal.
“I know… you are not evil.” I spoke as he lifted me up in his arms and carried me out of the burning building, my body hated heat… I could never go on holiday to Egypt or anywhere as hot because it was too much for me. My powers faltered and it was hard for me to manipulate the water. Cold and cooler climates were better for me.
My sight faded in and out. Sometimes I saw the skull, as he would use the fire to attack the men and kill them. Sometimes I saw the man who woke me up from slumber and he would be looking over my face. We were still inside for a while… and then the cool air hit my body, the night sky was above us with many stars shining down on the chaos that just happened.
After for what seemed like hours, my body fully recovered and I awoke to hear birds chirping around me. I looked over and saw a motorbike, my eyes glanced down at a burnt out fire… like what you made when you were camping.
I frowned and looked up at the sky as my mouth was dry and my body ached heavily.
“Courtney! Rosie!” I yelled suddenly and stood up but quickly fell over again against the bike and it fell to the floor under myself as I tried to push myself off it. “Oh dear…” I muttered as I passed out again.
I woke up a while later sitting on the front of the bike with the wind blowing in my face, though two arms were around me controlling the bike as I quickly established what was happening I moved but the mans arm wrapped around me as he stopped driving on the road and pulled over. Both of his arms secured around my arms and waist as I tried to jump out of his grip.
“Let me go! Who the hell are you?!” I screamed,
“Calm down! It’s okay!” It was Johnny, I stopped seconds later as I felt his grip loosen,
“Where are Rosemarie and Courtney?” I asked, Johnny released me completely as I looked around at him and saw his face was wearing a small frown, deep in thought of whether to tell me the truth or sugar coat it. “The truth will help you right now because I can fight.” I spoke,
“I know you can fight. I saw you us your abilities to knock out that guy and the water outside was thrashing around like mad when I was outside. Matching your emotions… I could feel it.” Johnny explained as it was my turn to frown in confusion,
“Matching my emotions?” I muttered,
“Fear… panic… the water was lashing out at everyone that was attacking but myself. Like it knew there was danger coming towards you. But I’m guessing you couldn’t see that.” Johnny spoke, I shook my head,
“I was scared about Courtney getting hurt… she… that young girl. Didn’t need any more crap in her life. I was going to help her and protect her. But… where is she?” I stood up off the bike as Johnny followed my actions.
Johnny at first was hesitant to answer as I looked at him,
“Where is she!?” I yelled. Anger, pain, fear was all showing as I bellowed at him for an answer, Johnny had actually flinched slightly,
“Your friends were taken… they managed to get out without getting hurt but… I had to save you from the fire. I couldn’t help them they were too far away.” Johnny tried to explain,
“Well you should have fucking helped them instead! I’m worthless I have lived most of my life! Courtney is the one that needed help more then myself!” I yelled at Johnny,
“Your life is more precious then you realize you are one of the few adults in the world who hold the gift of Innocence!” Johnny retorted, I stepped back as he stood in my face.
“Who are you?” I asked, Johnny moved back and leaned on his bike, folding his arms he looked at me.
Johnny told me his story… of how he made a deal with the devil to save his father from cancer but he died anyway, and how he turned his back on the devil and now is an agent of God. Though Johnny had apparently recently learnt about a group of people in the world who needed his protection, they were known as Innocence. Castitas or Castus in Latin. I was one of the few adults with this innocence in the world. I also told Johnny my story, of my sister and my powers… he accepted it easily.
“What does it mean? Being an Innocent?” I asked and looked at Johnny, he looked over my face as his hand reached up and moved some dirt out of a small cut on my chin,
“It means your soul is pure… clean… you will never feel the urge to kill anyone or want to kill anyone. And there is a dark ritual where someone can steal that innocence from your soul and replace it with their own dark deeds, protecting them from the devil so they can go to God instead.” Johnny explained, I looked at the ground and frowned in confusion.
“And… Courtney has this innocence?” I asked, Johnny nodded,
“Children can keep innocence up to the age of eleven. After that… it either stays or goes when it wants. Normally through puberty it vanishes… its very rare for an adult to keep its innocence. Which I believe they were mainly after you, but since they couldn’t get to you, they took Courtney. The rumor is that if you take a child’s innocence, you are protected until that urge to kill comes back. But if you take a fully grown adults innocence… you are protected for life and you can kill regardless.” Johnny explained,
“What would happen to the one who was innocent?” I asked as I looked up at Johnny, he looked over my face as if he didn’t want to even imagine what could happen to either one.
“Depending on whether the innocent is a child or an adult… it could go either way. A child is more likely to be normal afterwards… and will just have a faint taint in their heart and depending on what road they chose in the future could either give their soul to the devil or be accepted by God. But for adults… they become damned and their souls are tainted with the need to constantly kill, which also means that if you changed and I was there as the Ghost Rider… I would want to kill you without asking any questions.” Johnny explained as he looked at me.
I closed my eyes and frowned,
“When can they perform this… ritual?” I asked and kept my eyes closed bracing for a shitty answer.
“Four times a year… and it can only happen on the summer solstice. But it depends on where they are on the world… Because the solstice can happen Northward, Northern, Southward and Southern they have to be in the right location. So… in ten days.” Johnny explained, I gave a small sigh of relief.
“So we have nine days to find Rosie and Courtney. Enough time…” I spoke as I looked to Johnny, “We have to find them. We have to do whatever it takes to save them. I made a promise to protect my friends and family with my life. And I’m not about to break that.” I turned to Johnny.
“I protect the weak from bullies. And those men were assholes.”
“I’m not here to hurt you. But you are in danger.” The man whispered as he nodded towards the window of the cabin, my eyes glanced and I saw two boats were headed towards the cabin. The man removed his hand as I looked back at him, my green eyes meeting his blue ones and he stood up. Something about him made me feel a small amount of fear, but also I felt protected. I stood up and looked up at him,
“Who are you? How did you get in here?” I asked, my voice demanding and strong trying to show that I was not afraid, but alas because my voice had been resting it came out more of a squeak then a strong tone and I coughed and patted my chest.
“My name is Johnny Blaze. And I am here to protect you two. There isn’t any time to explain.” Johnny spoke as he walked over to the window and looked out.
“Protect me? I can look after my bloody self thank you.” I snapped and stood behind Johnny snapping at him. Johnny quickly turned towards me glanced over my body and smirked,
“Yeah… right. Stay in here with the girl.” Johnny spoke, I frowned and he walked towards the door.
“Excuse me, how dare you look me over and then suddenly decide that I cannot look after myself. I’ll have you know that I am a-” I suddenly stopped as fire appeared in front of my face, this mans body changed and partly vanished before me… his face… it was a skull and it was on fire! Standing there in my grey shorts and white tank top I was paralyzed with… many emotions. Fear, shock, and amazement… he wasn’t a mutant… I could tell that much. Though as he looked back at me over his shoulder for a second he soon looked away and ran forward and jumped out of the window and onto the decks below.
I ran to the window, by now Courtney had joined me when I looked outside. Gunfire was heard and I grabbed Courtney and pulled her down as she screamed. I wrapped my arms around her trying to cocoon her small body with my own larger one. Rosemarie appeared at the door with shock plastered over her normal cool demeanor.
“What the hell is going on?!” Rosemarie yelled as she ducked down behind the corner of the door at the other side of the bedroom.
“I don’t know! This guy shown up and said we were in danger and he’s going out to fight them!” I yelled,
“What?!” Rosemarie called,
“I said… Forget it!” I shook my head then ran over to her covering Courtney’s body as chips of wood and glass were flying every wear grazing my body lightly with small dents and cuts.
Rosemarie covered Courtney’s other side and we ran forward through the house as guns were going on and off, though as we turned a corner a few men were in the building and torches were shining in our faces blinding us for the few seconds. I reacted and created water out of the moisture in the air and pulled the torches and guns off the men and banged their heads together.
“Come on!” I yelled and we moved forward through the house. Though as I ran forward around the corner the ground blew up under us and I fell down to the ground floor of the cabin as Rosemarie and Courtney were stuck up on the floor above.
“Precious!” Courtney screamed at the top of her lungs as I tried to lift myself off the ground but there was a lot of rubble and wood over my body,
“Rosemarie! Get Courtney out of here!” I yelled, Rosemarie pulled Courtney back knowing I would be able to lift the rubble with enough water, which there was a lake right next to us.
I looked up and saw two men in front of me,
“She is one of the innocent ones.” The bigger man spoke,
“Innocent… with that body…” The shorter spoke as he knelt down in front of me. I looked up at him and glared, I never really liked controlling people’s bodies…
“Do you know that 70% of the human body is water?” I asked and looked up at him, the shorter guy laughed as I made the bigger guy knock him out and then himself out.
I moved some water in the room as the cabin was beginning to collapse in other places. I heard Courtney screaming for me… I tried to lift myself but couldn’t… and now smoke was moving around the house from the fires that had started thanks to these intruders.
This had all happened so fast… why were these people after us? And what was this… innocence? Did this man, Johnny, know about it? Did he set it up?
I looked up and saw the man with the skull as he lifted the rubble off my weak body.
“You hold an innocent soul. I shall not harm you.” Johnny spoke as he moved his arm around me, the skull vanished and his face returned to normal.
“I know… you are not evil.” I spoke as he lifted me up in his arms and carried me out of the burning building, my body hated heat… I could never go on holiday to Egypt or anywhere as hot because it was too much for me. My powers faltered and it was hard for me to manipulate the water. Cold and cooler climates were better for me.
My sight faded in and out. Sometimes I saw the skull, as he would use the fire to attack the men and kill them. Sometimes I saw the man who woke me up from slumber and he would be looking over my face. We were still inside for a while… and then the cool air hit my body, the night sky was above us with many stars shining down on the chaos that just happened.
After for what seemed like hours, my body fully recovered and I awoke to hear birds chirping around me. I looked over and saw a motorbike, my eyes glanced down at a burnt out fire… like what you made when you were camping.
I frowned and looked up at the sky as my mouth was dry and my body ached heavily.
“Courtney! Rosie!” I yelled suddenly and stood up but quickly fell over again against the bike and it fell to the floor under myself as I tried to push myself off it. “Oh dear…” I muttered as I passed out again.
I woke up a while later sitting on the front of the bike with the wind blowing in my face, though two arms were around me controlling the bike as I quickly established what was happening I moved but the mans arm wrapped around me as he stopped driving on the road and pulled over. Both of his arms secured around my arms and waist as I tried to jump out of his grip.
“Let me go! Who the hell are you?!” I screamed,
“Calm down! It’s okay!” It was Johnny, I stopped seconds later as I felt his grip loosen,
“Where are Rosemarie and Courtney?” I asked, Johnny released me completely as I looked around at him and saw his face was wearing a small frown, deep in thought of whether to tell me the truth or sugar coat it. “The truth will help you right now because I can fight.” I spoke,
“I know you can fight. I saw you us your abilities to knock out that guy and the water outside was thrashing around like mad when I was outside. Matching your emotions… I could feel it.” Johnny explained as it was my turn to frown in confusion,
“Matching my emotions?” I muttered,
“Fear… panic… the water was lashing out at everyone that was attacking but myself. Like it knew there was danger coming towards you. But I’m guessing you couldn’t see that.” Johnny spoke, I shook my head,
“I was scared about Courtney getting hurt… she… that young girl. Didn’t need any more crap in her life. I was going to help her and protect her. But… where is she?” I stood up off the bike as Johnny followed my actions.
Johnny at first was hesitant to answer as I looked at him,
“Where is she!?” I yelled. Anger, pain, fear was all showing as I bellowed at him for an answer, Johnny had actually flinched slightly,
“Your friends were taken… they managed to get out without getting hurt but… I had to save you from the fire. I couldn’t help them they were too far away.” Johnny tried to explain,
“Well you should have fucking helped them instead! I’m worthless I have lived most of my life! Courtney is the one that needed help more then myself!” I yelled at Johnny,
“Your life is more precious then you realize you are one of the few adults in the world who hold the gift of Innocence!” Johnny retorted, I stepped back as he stood in my face.
“Who are you?” I asked, Johnny moved back and leaned on his bike, folding his arms he looked at me.
Johnny told me his story… of how he made a deal with the devil to save his father from cancer but he died anyway, and how he turned his back on the devil and now is an agent of God. Though Johnny had apparently recently learnt about a group of people in the world who needed his protection, they were known as Innocence. Castitas or Castus in Latin. I was one of the few adults with this innocence in the world. I also told Johnny my story, of my sister and my powers… he accepted it easily.
“What does it mean? Being an Innocent?” I asked and looked at Johnny, he looked over my face as his hand reached up and moved some dirt out of a small cut on my chin,
“It means your soul is pure… clean… you will never feel the urge to kill anyone or want to kill anyone. And there is a dark ritual where someone can steal that innocence from your soul and replace it with their own dark deeds, protecting them from the devil so they can go to God instead.” Johnny explained, I looked at the ground and frowned in confusion.
“And… Courtney has this innocence?” I asked, Johnny nodded,
“Children can keep innocence up to the age of eleven. After that… it either stays or goes when it wants. Normally through puberty it vanishes… its very rare for an adult to keep its innocence. Which I believe they were mainly after you, but since they couldn’t get to you, they took Courtney. The rumor is that if you take a child’s innocence, you are protected until that urge to kill comes back. But if you take a fully grown adults innocence… you are protected for life and you can kill regardless.” Johnny explained,
“What would happen to the one who was innocent?” I asked as I looked up at Johnny, he looked over my face as if he didn’t want to even imagine what could happen to either one.
“Depending on whether the innocent is a child or an adult… it could go either way. A child is more likely to be normal afterwards… and will just have a faint taint in their heart and depending on what road they chose in the future could either give their soul to the devil or be accepted by God. But for adults… they become damned and their souls are tainted with the need to constantly kill, which also means that if you changed and I was there as the Ghost Rider… I would want to kill you without asking any questions.” Johnny explained as he looked at me.
I closed my eyes and frowned,
“When can they perform this… ritual?” I asked and kept my eyes closed bracing for a shitty answer.
“Four times a year… and it can only happen on the summer solstice. But it depends on where they are on the world… Because the solstice can happen Northward, Northern, Southward and Southern they have to be in the right location. So… in ten days.” Johnny explained, I gave a small sigh of relief.
“So we have nine days to find Rosie and Courtney. Enough time…” I spoke as I looked to Johnny, “We have to find them. We have to do whatever it takes to save them. I made a promise to protect my friends and family with my life. And I’m not about to break that.” I turned to Johnny.
“I protect the weak from bullies. And those men were assholes.”
