New God(wheel of time)

Chapter 16: The Choice of Power mics hands clenched at his sides as the air around him hummed with a power that seemed to respond to his every thought. The riders, their eyes fixed on him with an almost predatory intent, were waiting for him to make his decision. They had spoken of choice, but Mic felt the weight of the world pressing down on him. He knew this was not a simple matter of allegiance or diplomacy. This was something far deeper.

The woman, still mounted on her horse, studied him closely. Her expression was unreadable, yet Mic could feel the power radiating from her, like an invisible force pushing against him. She was no ordinary traveler, he realized. She was something more—something ancient, like himself.

"Do you know what you are, Mic?" she asked, her voice cutting through the silence. "Do you truly understand the power you wield? The power of creation itself?"

Mic felt the familiar pulse of energy within him, a low thrum that seemed to resonate with every word she spoke. He had felt it before, but never so strongly, never so deliberately. His chest tightened as the weight of her question sank in. He didn't know. He didn't understand.

But the urge to understand, to know the truth, surged through him, overpowering everything else. He wasn't sure how to articulate it, but something deep inside him longed for answers. The answers they promised.

"I don't know what I am," Mic admitted, his voice low but clear. "But I do know one thing: I will not be used."

The woman's lips curled into a smile that was far too knowing for his comfort. "You have no choice but to be used, Mic. Whether by us or by someone else, you will be. That is the burden of power."

Moraine stood silently by his side, her hand still resting on the hilt of her dagger, her eyes fixed on the riders with a mixture of suspicion and apprehension. She had not spoken since Mic's declaration, but Mic could feel her unwavering support. She believed in him, even if he didn't understand himself yet.

The woman dismounted gracefully, her feet landing on the earth with a soft thud, the ground beneath her seeming to shift ever so slightly. She was powerful—no, more than powerful. She was a force, one Mic could not ignore.

"You don't understand, Mic," she said, stepping closer, her gaze never leaving his face. "You were born for something far greater than you realize. Your existence is not an accident. You are the bridge between worlds, between the fabric of creation and the emptiness of destruction."

Mic could feel the words swirling around him, each one carrying more weight than the last. The bridge between worlds… he didn't know what she meant, but something inside him stirred at the thought. It was as if the words resonated with a part of him that he had never fully understood.

Moraine stepped forward, her voice cutting through the air like a blade. "And what would you have him do with this power? To what end are you leading him?"

The woman's smile faltered for a moment, but then it returned, colder than before. "We seek balance, as always. We are the guardians of creation, just as Mic is. But balance is not a passive thing. It must be maintained, kept in check. Creation and destruction are not two opposing forces; they are the same. They must work together, or the world will fall into chaos."

Mic felt a strange sense of déjà vu wash over him, as if he had heard these words before, from somewhere deep inside him. Chaos. Creation. Destruction. It was all too much. Too much for him to understand, too much to process in the moment. But the more he thought about it, the more certain he became. This woman—whoever she was—spoke the truth. He was a force beyond his own understanding, and there were those who would try to control that force.

"And you think I'll just follow you because you say so?" Mic's voice rang out, sharper than he intended.

The woman's gaze hardened, but she did not seem surprised. "You will follow, because you have no choice. You cannot run from what you are."

Mic took a step back, his hand twitching toward the energy that coiled within him, a power that seemed to grow with every passing second. It surged beneath his skin, a living, breathing force that he could not ignore.

"You're wrong," he said, his voice steady. "I will choose my path, and I won't be led by someone who thinks they control me."

The woman's eyes narrowed, but before she could respond, Mic felt the pressure in the air shift. A ripple of energy—a crackling sound, like thunder—suddenly echoed through the clearing. The ground beneath his feet trembled, and a low hum filled the air, reverberating through his bones. His hand moved instinctively, reaching out, and a surge of energy burst from him, a wave of raw creation that exploded outward, filling the space with light.

The riders were thrown back, stumbling from the sheer force of it. Even Moraine, standing just beside him, had to take a step back, her eyes wide as the light flickered and then receded.

When the dust cleared, the woman stood once more, unflinching, her eyes locked onto Mic. She had not been harmed by the burst of power, though the intensity of it had clearly shaken her. But it was more than just that. Mic could feel the pulse of her energy, like a mirror of his own, but tempered with something darker. Something more dangerous.

"You are powerful," she said, her voice tinged with something almost like respect. "But power is not enough. Without guidance, it will consume you."

Mic exhaled slowly, his heart pounding in his chest. "I don't need your guidance."

Her eyes flashed with something dangerous, something ancient. "Then you will have to face the consequences of that choice. Power like yours cannot remain unchecked. You will be hunted, and we will be watching."

With that, she signaled to her riders. Without another word, they turned and rode off into the distance, their forms slowly disappearing into the mist of the morning.

Moraine approached slowly, her face unreadable, but Mic could feel the weight of her gaze on him.

"Do you understand now?" she asked softly.

Mic took a long, deep breath, still feeling the remnants of the power that had surged through him. "I don't know what I understand. But I know one thing—this is far from over."

Moraine nodded, her expression serious. "No. It's only just begun."