Linking Experiments (Kallisti)

[Nox]

Nox felt nothing as they watched each other. The women saw the glow, the other men felt the tingling of their power, and the menacing threat of Jared's power. But he felt nothing. He didn't feel anything as he assumed they probed his mind, placed the spirit and fire as they had talked about. Nox had no idea what it should feel like what might happen. Or how he'd know it worked.

But it was like a rubber band snapping against his brain when he felt the power collide against his vision. The puddle of dark light just outside of reach taunted him. There was fear -- actual fucking fear coursing through his body. If he grabbed the power -- and he desparately wanted to grasp the power -- if he grasped it would the slimey film still be there? Would the horde still be in him.

Nox gave the group a smile. "I feel the power." He looked explicitly at Marta "You feel me right?" He scanned the room for Mae too who gave him a slight nod. She felt his feelings -- felt his fear. He didn't want to touch the power -- not right now. He didn't want to know. He wanted to give them the comfort that he was fine.

But there were looks all around, they were waiting for him to dazzle them with the power like he'd done in the past. Nox took a long slow deep breath and grasped the power. The thin slick feeling of the horde was ever present and his hopes dashed. From nothing to the worse thing in his life was back and he closed his eyes before he pulled upon the power so deep, so strong. It hurt. It burned. And then he opened his eyes and let spin a caphony of lights, brighter and hotter than any he'd made before. It didn't burn, but the room was several degrees warmer than it had been on this cold day. He let out a long breath and closed his eyes and put his hands to his face as he cried sliently into his palms. Fuck!