The Guardian Host-Resurrection-Book one of The Guardian Host Series

“The first thing I would like you to do is walk over to your car and stand directly in front of it.”

I shrugged my shoulders.

This should be good.

I casually strolled past the giant oak tree in the front yard to my beat-up, blue car. I stood in front of it, facing the windshield. I felt awkward standing there like a kid waiting for their next instruction.

“Okay, now what?”

“Firmly grip the front bumper with your right hand and gently lift it.”

I chuckled as I bent down and grasped the front bumper.

“I don’t know about all the other alien races you’ve encountered, but humans aren’t strong enough to lift the front end of a car, and in case you haven’t noticed, I’m not the most muscular human either.”

If he’s going to have me lift the front of this car with my skinny arms, he’d better get set for disappointment because that won’t happen. I’ll humor him a little and do what he says. Who knows, he might surprise me.

“Please trust my instructions and remember to lift gently.”

I took a deep breath and let it out slowly as I lifted the bumper.

Nothing will happen, Volax. You’re wasting your time, pal.

I didn’t expect anything to happen, but he proved me wrong again. I heard the noise of the wheels creaking.

What’s happening?

The car was tilting as I was lifting it.

That’s impossible.

The creaking of the tires continued as I lifted higher. The noise stopped. I was astonished when I lifted more because the car had risen off the ground.

You’ve got to be kidding me.

I stood in awe as I held the bumper in my hand and saw that I’d lifted the car two feet off the ground without straining a muscle. The car felt like it wasn’t even there.

Let’s see how far I can go with this.

I slowly lifted it above my head and heard loose articles fall onto the dashboard. I glanced up to see papers scattered all over the windshield.

I’m super strong. This is remarkable!

“What’s going on, Volax? Do I have super strength now?”

“No, you do not have super strength. Our merged molecular structure makes everything that you touch become weightless on command. No matter the size or weight, it becomes as light as air.

However, the weight will return a few seconds after you release it. It happens because it takes a few seconds for the object’s molecular structure to return to its natural state.”

I tightened my grasp a little because I didn’t want the car to slip out of my hand and crush me if it fell. I pivoted my hand back and forth, testing my capabilities.

I watched the car move within my grip like a toy.

I’m loving this. I can workout with as much weight as I want to impress the ladies.

While gradually lowering the car to the ground, I asked, “So how far do you think I can throw this thing, Volax?”

“I estimate that it would travel 20 or 30 feet. You must remember that you should exhibit self-control when tossing weightless objects, especially humans because you could cause an extreme amount of injury if the weight of that person or object returns upon impact.”

I let go of the car once it rested on the ground.

Throwing a human was the farthest thing in my mind. A football would be fantastic, though.

I thought about what he’d just said, and it made sense to me about the weight return and how the ability works.

“I think I’ve got it. Lifting big things is good, but throwing big things without thinking is bad.”

“You are correct in your assessment. Now, shall I show you more?”

“You bet.”

I couldn’t believe that there was more to come.

Today has got to be the best day of my entire life.

It’d been a while since I’d felt this good about anything. Things appeared to go downhill since my father died five years ago.

Things never picked up for me after that. I’m glad I met Avlandrix. He made all of this possible.

I felt a tingling inside my stomach, like excitement mixed with butterflies.

I looked around to be sure nobody was watching the show I’d just given. I saw nothing but trees and nature as far as the eye could see.

Just the way I like it, no nosy neighbors.

“I would like you to imagine you are as light as the air around you. Feel yourself floating.”

I thought about how ridiculous that sounded.

How many men do I know think of themselves as light as the air around them? It sounds like a weird exercise, but I’m in for a real treat if it means what I think it does.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, assuming this would help me concentrate.

It’s worth a shot.

What I thought about, though, was different from the air. Instead, I pictured myself as the white part of a dandelion drifting carelessly in the breeze.

A dandelion in the breeze?

Not exactly the most manly thing to think of, but it worked. Something weird began to happen.

I felt my feet lift off the ground, and I tipped backward.

I opened my eyes, gasped as I reached for something to catch myself with, and leaned backward. I knew there wasn’t anything to grab, but I had to try anyway.

Great, everything’s too far away! This is so stupid.

I looked up at the cloudy sky, flailing my arms like an idiot.

I turned to see that I was floating about four feet off the ground in a lounging position.

I looked like I was seated in a lounge chair with my legs bent and arms flapping like a bird. I wasn’t sitting. I was flying.

I was breathing fast, and my heart was racing, making it hard to catch my breath. I knew I looked stupid but didn’t know what else to do. I yelled out to Volax.

“Holy crap! What’s going on? Am I flying or something?”

“Please compose yourself. You are not flying; you are merely floating. You have made your body weightless by thinking about it. Please take a few deep breaths and slow your heart rate.

I assure you that you will only fall if you will for it to happen. Concentrate on centering yourself so that you are upright. Just focus on floating in a standing position.”

Concentrate on floating in a standing position? Is Volax crazy? Does he know how hard it is to focus on anything right now?

I closed my eyes and drew a long breath to slow my heart rate. I let my body relax before letting it out.

After a few breaths, I was almost back to normal.

Okay, I’ve got the hang of this now. You’re calm now. Okay, let’s concentrate, as Volax said.

I concentrated on making myself move into a standing position to be upright.

After a few seconds, my body straightened, and I was floating in a standing position with my arms stretched out for balance.

Yes! I did it! See what happens when you put your mind to something?

I smiled at first, then laughed as I looked around as I floated.

I slowly lowered my arms when I felt more comfortable and balanced.

Suddenly, the wind blew across the yard, and I started to float.

Oh god! This sucks. I must get control, or I will float to the next town.

I had only moved a few feet before flailing my arms and legs around again like a child trying to swim for the first time.

I’m looking like an idiot again.

When I thought I had control, the stupid wind screwed it up.

I was panicking because I had no control over where I was going. To make things worse, my body slowly started to turn upside-down as the wind caught my feet.

I was almost upside-down, and my body started to spin slowly.

I’ve lost total control now.

I wasn’t sure what to do, so I did the only thing that came to mind. Scream for help.

“Volax, help!”

Before Volax could respond to my desperate cry for help, my shoulder hit the big oak tree in the front yard, sending me into a violent spin.

I frantically thought I’d do anything to return to the ground where I belonged.

As soon as that thought entered my mind, my weight returned, and I hit the ground, still spinning.

My body came to rest within a few feet of the tree as a dust cloud kicked up all around me.

I was pissed.

Why didn’t he warn me or help me?

“What the heck was that, Volax? I thought you said I couldn’t fly!”

I could almost detect Volax smiling at my ungraceful attempt at flying.

”Your statement is correct. You cannot fly yet. It would help if you first learned how to center yourself through concentration. When an object is weightless, it must obey the laws of nature that influence it. Therefore, if the wind blows, you will travel with it until you learn to overcome it.”

“Therefore, if the wind blows, you will travel with it,” I said mockingly and sarcastically.

“That would’ve been nice to know before I crashed into a blasted tree!”

I couldn’t believe the nerve of this guy.

I’m a man who needs specific instructions, not some willy-nilly, roundabout description of what I should be doing.

That is poor planning at its best.

Thanks for nothing, Volax. I’d have done it myself if I wanted to fail that bad.

”My apologies. Success is obtained by trying and failing first. The knowledge is retained more adequately through failure. I also misjudged your comprehension of weightlessness and its associated variables, thus making you powerless against outside forces.”

” Holy cow, Volax! That’s the most complicated explanation of something simple that I’ve ever heard!”

Although I was frustrated that Volax didn’t tell me about the wind, his overly intelligent response humored me.

He had a point, though. I guess the only way to get good at something is to screw it up a few times first.

I chuckled at my clumsiness and Volax’s deep description of success.

“I am intrigued by your humorous response to my statements. Would you like to try the exercise again, or shall we proceed to the next one?”

If he thinks I’m giving up that easily, he’s mistaken. There’s no way I’ll let a little breeze get the best of me.

I decided to try it again, only this time, I’d be more prepared for the breeze blowing through the front yard.

At first, if you don’t succeed, try again.

After thirty minutes of floating in a standing position and trying to adjust myself to the wind, I could control myself better.

Now, this is more like it.

In my mind, I thanked Volax for letting me screw up so bad the first time. If it were easy, I wouldn’t learn anything.

Soon, I could change my position, so I was directly facing the ground. Floating that way made it look like I was flying when, in actuality, the wind carried me.

I surprised myself again when a giggle escaped my throat.

Was I having fun? Why not?

I would yell out the typical “Woo Hoo” and “Oh Yeah” while floating around the yard.

Landing was the only problem I needed help with. No matter how often I stopped floating, I would land on my back or chest. Practice would be the only solution to that problem. I knew I’d get the hang of it eventually.

I levitated in a standing position and concentrated on countering the wind. After a few minutes, I stayed in one spot as the wind blew past me.

I concentrated on slowly lowering myself to the ground. I could feel my weight returning slowly until my shoes touched the ground.

I laughed out loud at the feeling of accomplishment.

Yes!

I wanted to see how high I could go, so I concentrated on levitating higher.

Before I knew it, I was above the tall tree I was next to. I started to get nervous as the ground drifted away from me.

What if I fell? I’d kill myself.

I used my thoughts to fly right and left to see how easy it was to control. I was astounded at how easy it was.

I’m flying!

After several minutes of experimenting, I decided to see how fast I could go.

I concentrated on moving faster, and before I knew it, I was flying past my house and heading for a patch of trees about a mile away. The feeling of the wind on my face as I flew towards the trees was incredible.

I was leaning almost horizontally as I quickly glided through the air.

I focused on telling myself to slow down when I felt I was flying too fast.

I was getting used to having my mind do all the work. It’s like walking but with less physical contribution.

“Excellent, Vincent. You are learning control. You will find in the future that levitating and flying will become second nature to you, and you will be able to do it at will.”

I slowed to a stop a few inches before crashing into a tree.

I let out a sigh of relief as I stared at the tree that was inches from my nose.

That was almost tragic. It’s good that I’m a fast thinker, or my face would’ve been part of that tree.

I moved into a standing position and then slowly turned around until I was facing in the direction of the house.

Let’s get back to the house.

I flew past the house towards the tree in the front yard. When I reached it, I concentrated on landing slowly.

After a few seconds, I felt my shoes touch the ground. I was overwhelmed with a sense of accomplishment after flying for the first time.

“That wasn’t so bad,” I said, looking at the sky.

“I’m ready for the next one, Volax.”

“Very well. We shall proceed to your next ability.”

I hoped that whatever came next would be easier than the last one.

Hopefully, Volax will tell me what to expect with this one before I crash into another tree. Instructions are important to share, and I hope he does a better job this time.

“Vince, I want you to look at your car.”

I looked at my car and waited for something to happen, but nothing did.

“I know what you’re going to say. It’s a piece of crap. I already know that, Volax?”

“That is not why I wanted you to look at your car.”

“Well, I’m looking at it, and nothing’s happening. Am I supposed to do something?”

”I want you to imagine yourself standing on top of it. I want you to feel yourself standing on it. Concentrate on standing on top of the car.”

I squinted a little as I tried to focus my energy on seeing myself standing on top of the car.

What should I do? Wish to be on top of my car or something? These instructions need to be more specific.

I cleared my mind and tried to concentrate like Volax told me. I used my imagination to look down at my feet and see the blue roof below my shoes.

After a few moments, I could picture it.

Something strange happened.

Everything went silent. I focused my attention on a leaf that was blowing across the yard.

The leaf seemed to stop mid-air as if in suspended animation.

I focused my attention back on the car and felt myself moving backward, under the control of something else. I didn’t know what was happening to me. I tried to concentrate.

Something weird happened.

In a fraction of a second, I saw the car as if it were behind a blurry piece of curved glass.

I could see everything around me, but it was as if the world was behind a piece of glass that obscured my vision. The world had stretched around me as if it had turned into a tunnel.

This isn’t natural. What’s going on here?

I continued to concentrate the best I could.

I was amazed that the world had stretched into a tunnel shape and surrounded me from my head to my feet. I felt as though I was floating in an anti-gravity field.

It looked like I was in some kind of liquid, but I could tell it wasn’t.

What am I seeing right now? Am I dying or something?

Volax didn’t say anything, so he was no help to the situation.

I looked at my hands out of curiosity because everything felt so strange.

When I raised them closer to my face, I noticed that my arms were moving incredibly fast, but it felt like they were moving at an average speed. My hands looked almost transparent, and I could see through them like a ghost.

Yep, I’ve got to be dead. I’m a ghost now. Thanks for killing me, Volax.

I suddenly felt my body move with such speed that everything moved past me in a blur of colors.

Then, I saw the blurry tunnel collapse around me, and everything returned to normal. I was shocked to see that the view had changed, and I was standing atop my car.

I almost fell off the roof as I stumbled back a step because I was so shocked at what had just happened.

I held my breath briefly and let it out quickly, almost like a sigh of relief.

Out of all the things that happened today, this was number one on the weird list.

“What just happened, Volax?” I asked with a stunned look on my face.

“You can teleport from one location to another by thought. You have just experienced teleportation for the first time. How do you feel?”

“Pretty weird, if I’m being honest. With that being said, Wow! That was far out! I want to do that again!”

I let out a nervous laugh because I was still unsure of what happened, but one thing was for sure. I wanted to do it again.

Teleportation, huh? I had never heard that word before, but I liked it.

“I would encourage you to do it again, Vince. It will give you more confidence in this ability.”

I concentrated on the oak tree in the yard and pictured myself standing beside it with the grass beneath my feet.

I saw everything freeze in time as I was sucked into the tunnel and was transparent like a ghost again.

I’ll never get used to this.

I watched everything fly so fast that I couldn’t make anything out. Then, the tunnel collapsed around me, and I stood next to the tree, looking at my car as I had pictured it.

That’s the best ability yet. I said that about the rest, but this is the top. I shook my head in disbelief and just laughed out loud.

“This is the most amazing thing I’ve ever done! I don’t know how you do it, but thank you, Volax!”

“Our combined molecular structure makes it possible for you to teleport. You can move behind the physical veil of this world into a dimensional void connected to Earth; by thought, you propel to any point that your mind can see.

When you are behind the physical veil, your molecular structure separates slightly, thus allowing you to move through the material objects of this world. Time and space are in a state of suspension to you because you are moving at such a high rate of speed.

From the point of view of anyone watching you, it will be as if you disappear from where you are and reappear at another location instantly.

But the correct response would be for me to say you are welcome. Congratulations, Vince. You are the first human to teleport.”

“That’s one heck of an explanation, Volax. I’m sure I’ll comprehend what you just said eventually.”

I glanced at my arms to make sure they were still solid and not ghost-like, and as I did, I glanced at my watch and noticed that it was lunchtime.

I smiled and said, “It’s time for lunch. I’m going to the kitchen to grab me a sandwich.”

As he responded with" Very well, Vince,” I concentrated on the kitchen.

About two seconds later, I was inside the blurry tunnel. The next thing I knew, I was in the kitchen, standing in front of the refrigerator.

I could get used to this.

I smiled as I grabbed some lunch meat from the fridge and set it on the counter. Teleporting was my new favorite thing.

Lunch was typical. There was nothing special about a ham and cheese sandwich. However, teleporting to the bathroom to use the toilet and wash my hands was even better.

Who needs a car when you can fly and teleport?

Soon, I was ready for another round of training.

After looking out the kitchen window to ensure no unwanted visitors were outside, I teleported to the front yard.

“I’m ready to learn more whenever you’re ready to show me, Volax,” I said in anticipation.

“Excellent, Vincent. We shall begin with your new protective skin. Before I show you, please remember not to be afraid or overreact to what you see.”

What? Me, overreact?

I wasn’t sure why Volax would say that to me.

Well, I tend to overreact to things. I get frustrated when things don’t go right, that’s all.

“Okay, I promise not to overreact. Just show me what you got.”

Deep down, I was a little nervous because I was expecting a suit to appear out of nowhere, and I’d have to put it on. But what happened next was not what I expected at all.

I felt a tingling all over my body, but it felt more intense in my forearms and hands. I straightened my arms and turned them over to look at the back of my hands and arms.

I saw what looked like dark gray hairs sprouting out of my arms very fast, like tiny whips or threads.

They were wrapping my arms up, turning them a dark gray with a soft metallic shine. My jaw dropped as I felt it covering my entire body.

What in the world are those things, and why are they covering my body?

I could feel it on my back, my chest, my legs, and then on my face.

Oh my gosh, this is so weird.

I watched in amazement as the hairs became tiny bubbles covering my entire body like new skin.

The tiny bubbles were a skin-type fabric.

My clothes appeared to vanish under this new skin.

Looking down at my chest and legs, I was astounded to see they looked muscular. When I say muscular, I mean solid, like an oak tree.

I had a well-defined chest, nice abs, and muscular arms and legs.

My feet looked like they had a tight pair of dark gray boots but were paper thin.

I wiggled my toes to see how flexible the boots were and felt like I had nothing on. The one thing that I found interesting was that I could feel a thick protective layer on the bottom of my feet that kept me from touching the ground beneath them.

As I was admiring my feet, I heard Volax speak to me.

“This is your new protective molecular suit. The molecular structure of this protective layer is bonded to your specific genetic makeup. This suit will keep you safe from the dangers of this planet, including threats from other humans. No bullet will pass through this suit.

This suit shares my mind and uses my sight in all directions to see. If a bullet were fired at you, even from a location you cannot see, the suit would catch it and redirect it to the ground or in another direction. Knives and swords are also powerless against this suit.

Suppose you were attacked with one of these archaic weapons. In that case, the suit will instantly weaken the blade as soon as it connects with it and immediately decay and turn to metal dust. This suit is indestructible, which makes you invincible as well.

With this suit, you will never feel pain and be well protected. It is more than a protective suit, Vincent. This will become any outfit your mind desires. You never have to purchase clothing because you can create any outfit with pure thought.”

I took a few steps to get the feel of the suit.

I moved my arms and legs a little as if I were doing a warm-up before a big race. I rolled my shoulders to the front and then to the back to feel how free I was inside the suit.

I made several small hops like a boxer would do before a big fight, relaxing my arms so they flopped like limp spaghetti noodles every time I landed.

I moved my head from left to right and rolled it around.

I could get used to this outfit.

I felt powerful. I had to make sure I heard Volax accurately.

“I feel spectacular like I could do anything. So, I can always look like this or change it into anything I want to wear?”

I was shocked to hear my voice. It didn’t sound like me. My voice sounded deep, almost like a growl.

“What happened to my voice?”

“Your voice has changed to suit your look. Not only will you look like a guardian, but you will also sound like one. Since this suit has altered your physique, you should feel more energetic and more vigorous than usual.

To answer your question, you can remain like this or change into any outfit you wish. However, the protection will always remain, protecting you even without it being visible.”

I walked over to my car to look at myself in the reflection of the windows.

When I saw my face, I almost lost my breath. I looked like I had a dark gray mask over my head.

I had no hair, and my ears were as if they were not there. It looked like I had a crease that jutted out and ran down the center of my face from the bridge of my nose to my chin.

It was like a piece of thin metal folded in a tent shape and placed over my nose and mouth. My chin looked as though it had more of a point than before. It wasn’t a sharp point, but just more pointed than I was used to.

There was no indication of a nose or mouth because of the folded mask over them.

Surprisingly, I was able to breathe without any hindrance.

I leaned closer to the glass to see I had enormous glowing green eyes with no pupils.

The crest of my brow was more defined, giving me a look of intimidation. I was satisfied with the look.

I’m one scary-looking guardian.

My eyes looked twice their average size but fit the look.

I couldn’t stop staring at my new face. I know I said everything else was my favorite, but here I am, saying it about my new suit.

Everything’s my favorite. I can’t make up my mind anymore.

I shook my head several times to ensure I wasn’t dreaming, but it was real. I looked like a real alien superhero. The intimidation it portrayed was the icing on the cake.

If I saw this face looking at me in a dark alley, I’d probably pee my pants.

As I talked, I observed where my mouth should have been, and there was no movement.

“I look pretty scary, Volax. There’s no way I could get a date looking like this. I don’t think anybody’s gonna mess with me with this face.”

I pivoted slowly from left to right to examine every angle of my new alien face. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing.

It’s like the best dream ever.

I growled at my reflection to see if it sounded intimidating. I was pleased.

You’re a beast, Vincent.

“The look of the guardian is intended to be intimidating and superior. This suit instills fear in the eyes of those who wish to oppose you, giving you a distinct advantage over them psychologically.

Any opponent you encounter will never come close to matching you physically or mentally. Guardians should be feared, and you, my friend, now have the look of a proper guardian.”

I felt renewed confidence as I turned and stepped away from the car to face the house. I felt like I was utterly invincible.

Am I a superhero now? I’m not ready for that kind of responsibility.

The thought of someone else’s life depending on me to save it was quite a stretch to conceive.

Besides, being a superhero will take a lot of planning. That may be why Avlandrix chose me.

As that thought entered my mind, I heard Volax.

“There is something else that comes along with this suit, Vincent. Not only will this suit protect you, it will also defend you against enemies.”

This day keeps getting better and better. How could there be more than this? It’s like I have an infinite list of abilities.

Something started to happen.

I felt my hands tingle, and it continued to my elbows. I looked down to see shiny metal hairs whip out of my hands. They began to wrap themselves around my hands and forearms. The strands were darker than the rest of the suit.

I saw what looked like pointed spines start to form on the back of my wrists. More started sprouting up my forearms.

The spines started small on the back of my wrists and got more prominent as they ran up the back of my forearms. They discontinued right before my elbow and stuck out about two inches.

In a few seconds, I looked like I was wearing black metallic gloves that traveled up to my elbows with spines on the back.

These look very interesting.

If I backhanded a tree with these pointed spines, they could cut it in half.

I felt another tingling feeling in my fingertips and the palms of my hands. It was more like a buzzing sensation than a tingling.

I turned my hands over to examine where the tingling sensations were coming from.

I saw a bright green spot about the size of a silver dollar in the center of my palms. It was a fluorescent green color, almost glowing because it was such a brilliant color.

I looked like I was wearing a long pair of black metallic gloves with this glowing green spot in my palms.

I also noticed green glowing circles on my fingertips and thumbs, where my fingerprints would typically be.

What’s all this for?

“What’s this all about?”

“What you are seeing are the Guardian Gauntlets. They are what I give all of my hosts for protection. Each guardian has a unique tool to offer their host, and this is mine.

The green glowing circles you see on your hands and fingers are where the powers emanate when using them.”

“What powers are you talking about?”

After everything I’d seen so far, presuming there’d be more was hard.

Powers emanating from these gauntlet things? Maybe it was lightning or even alien bullets.

I couldn’t wait to find out.

“You can eject energy spheres from the green circles. The circles are called gauntlet release ports. The gauntlets use the energy around them to create the energy spheres. The gauntlets can also absorb all the light from an enclosed space, making it impossible for anyone with normal vision to see. With your vision abilities, this power will not affect you.”

I couldn’t wait to test them out. I decided to use the energy spheres to see what they could do.

How do these things work?Point and shoot like a gun?

I was confident I could figure it out before Volax wasted time explaining it.

Let’s give it a try.

I raised my right arm with my palm like someone would if they were signaling someone to stop.

I’m sure he’ll be impressed by my ability to figure it out on my own.

I tried to concentrate without knowing what I was focusing on.

Okay, maybe I’m not as bright as I thought.

Nothing happened.

“Vincent, before you attempt to use the energy spheres, please allow me to help you establish familiarity with this ability.”

I lowered my arm after realizing I didn’t know what I was doing.

“Okay, Volax. Show me how these things work.”

“Turn your right hand over and look at your palm.”

I raised my hand to waist level, turned it over, and analyzed the green glowing circles on the fingertips and the palm. Is it safe?

What did he want me to do, shoot myself in the face and blow my head off?

“Okay, now what?”

“Allow your fingers to relax and curl as you concentrate on pulling energy into your gauntlet with your mind.”

I took a deep breath and let it out slowly as my fingers reached a natural resting position.

It’s easy so far. So that’s what I was supposed to be concentrating on.

I began to imagine the gauntlet drawing energy from its surroundings. My imagination is getting a workout today.

Stop thinking, Vincent. Concentrate.

After a second or two, the ports on my fingertips began to glow brighter, and I saw what looked like threads of energy coming out of them.

The threads of energy began moving toward the port on my palm, making the palm port glow.

Very interesting.

The energy threads accumulated, forming a ball hovering an inch above my palm's glowing port.

I heard a slight humming noise as the energy collected and expanded. I was amazed at what I saw, and I couldn’t resist becoming mesmerized by the sight of the energy sphere forming above my palm.

What am I looking at?

The sphere looked like a ball of energy yarn as the threads weaved together to form the globe. I could see through the gaps in the sphere because it wasn’t a solid ball of energy.

“You can control how powerful the energy sphere will become. Concentrating on creating a sphere with minimal energy for your first test would be advisable. Any sphere you create will be the same size as this one, but the energy it contains will be up to you. The more energy you put into it, the more powerful it will become.”

I snapped out of my trance as Volax spoke and saw that the sphere had become the size of a softball.

I focused on making the sphere less intense. The glow dulled a little, but the size of the sphere remained the same.

Now I see how this thing works.

I couldn’t wait to shoot the sphere to see what it could do.

The dim glow of the sphere I was holding would be a good one to start with.

“So how do I launch this thing, Volax?”

“When you spread your fingers, the sphere will release from the energy port in your palm, and it will fly rapidly towards whatever your palm points towards.”

“Really,” I said as I spread my fingers.

I wasn’t expecting anything to happen immediately, but I was wrong.

To my surprise, the energy threads attached to the sphere instantly snapped and retracted back into the finger ports.

When that happened, the sphere flew straight up at such an astonishing speed that I almost didn’t see it travel past my face.

It happened so fast I didn’t have time to react.

“Holy cr...” was all I managed to get out before the sphere struck a tree branch a few feet above my head.

The branch exploded into a mixture of green energy and splinters of wood.

The sound of it discharging was like an electric guitar strumming the lowest note.

Leaves and wood splinters fell all around me as I wondered what happened.

Thanks for the warning, Volax. What are you trying to do, kill me?

“Very good. That is how you release an energy sphere. Now you can practice on an intended target.”

“Whoa! That was close. That could’ve hit me in the face. What are you trying to do, kill me?”

“That is not possible, Vincent. Your powers cannot harm you. However, witnessing it hit you in the face would have been quite entertaining.”

“Really? You’ve got a sick sense of humor. It’s good to know I can’t hurt myself.”

“Indeed. It would help to use the energy sphere on your target this time.

I looked around briefly until I settled on a small tree near the driveway, about two inches round.

I chose to start with a tiny target and eventually work up to something big.

Let’s run through the steps of how this thing works. Step one: point my palm at the target.

I raised my right arm and pointed my palm towards the tree.

Step two is to concentrate on pulling energy into the ports.

I concentrated on pulling energy into the gauntlet. I felt a strong vibration surge from my forearm to the gauntlet release ports in my fingers and palm.

I focused on creating an energy sphere with the same intensity as the first one.

Step three: spread my fingers and release.

I braced myself for the kick that I thought was coming.

Here goes nothing.

I spread my fingers slightly, allowing the energy threads to snap.

The sphere immediately shot out at lightning speed toward the tree, accompanied by a low humming sound.

It was better than I’d expected. The recoil was no worse than shooting a small handgun.

Like lightning, I heard a booming cracking sound as it struck a tree.

I watched in amazement as the tree trunk exploded, and green energy flew in all directions. The green energy quickly evaporated after impacting the tree.

Now that’s a weapon.

The tiny tree splintered into hundreds of pieces as leaves flew off in several directions. The tree’s upper half looked like it jumped from the bottom before falling to the ground. I was stunned at watching the tree explode.

Wow!

“Holy cow! That was amazing.”

I approached the decimated tree and examined it closely. I studied the point of the impact to satisfy my curiosity. At the sight of the impact, I observed that the remaining splinters of wood appeared like a spherical object had cut it.

Very interesting.

I bent down and picked up the top half of the tree. I couldn’t believe the amount of damage done to it.

How did it cause so much damage?I thought for sure the energy sphere I made wasn’t that strong. It was weaker than the last one.

I dropped it to the ground and surveyed the area near the tree.

I could see lots of splintered debris, as if someone had taken a twelve-gauge shotgun and blasted the tree at point-blank range.

With weapons like these, who needs guns?

”As you can see, the power of even the weakest sphere is more than enough to cause serious destruction. They will enable you to protect yourself more than adequately. I would suggest more practice controlling the energy required for specific targets.”

I raised my hands to examine the gauntlet release ports on each hand and nodded in agreement.

It will take a lot of practice to prevent killing someone.

“I’d have to agree with you, pal.”

At that moment, I knew I had the power to take life if necessary, which scared me. The last thing I wanted was to have the death of someone on my hands.

I’ve got to be careful with these things.

“You know Volax, I’ve got a lot of power at my fingertips. It makes me nervous. I could hurt someone if I’m not careful.”

“I agree with you, Vincent. I understand your concern, which is why I am also here. I can help you control your powers whenever you deem it necessary for me to do so.

Please understand that this is the first time I have merged with a human, just as it is the first time for you with a Volastian. We have much to learn from each other, but one thing is certain. We must exhibit a more reserved approach to any situation within our planetary realm. The word ‘cautious’ is the word I am describing.

I just rolled my eyes. Volax is so highly intelligent that even describing a word takes forever. I understood what he was saying, but he sure used a lot of big words to get his point across.

We’ll have to work on that.Well said, Volax.

“There is another power you need to demonstrate before we lose focus. It would be advantageous for us to go inside to demonstrate it. Once you see what I am referring to, you will understand the need for a more contained environment.”

“Whatever you say, pal,” I said before teleporting into the center of the living room.

I had to admit I was anxious to see what was coming next.

Each ability I was given was better than before, so this one would be even more remarkable than all the rest of them.

Hopefully, fingers crossed.

“I’m ready whenever you are.”

“Okay, let us begin by turning on the light.”

I walked over to the light switch and turned it on.

I noticed no difference in the room because of my visual capabilities. Not that my vision changed at all.

What’s the point in turning off the light when I can see without it anyway? This better be good.

“Okay, it’s on. Now what?”

“Now, hold out one of your gauntlets so you can see what is about to happen.”

I raised my right hand and studied the metallic gauntlet that encased my hand.

I made sure not to raise it too high so I could watch what happened.

So far, this is boring. I better not accidentally shoot up my house, or I will be very upset.

“Now concentrate on removing all light from this room. I want you to imagine the gauntlet devouring the light.”

I wasn’t expecting him to say anything like that.

It sounded ridiculous, but everything that happened today was a bit crazy. Let’s see what happens.

I looked at the gauntlet and pictured all the light in the room being devoured by it.

I felt the familiar buzzing again, but this time, the buzzing began in my fingers and palm where the gauntlet release ports were. It continued to travel the length of my forearm and stopped at my elbow.

I heard a slight whirring noise as I noticed something happening in the corners of the room.

I began to see heat waves emanating from the room's corners and moving towards the gauntlet.

This is interesting. What’s happening? The gauntlet is devouring the light.

It started to spread quickly throughout the room, and within a few seconds, the entire room looked as though I were trying to see through heat waves.

Everything looked wavy, but other than that, the room looked the same.

I slowly turned around to get a complete view of the entire room. I was bewildered because I’d never seen anything like it. Even looking at my body, it looked like I was looking through heat waves.

Very curious.

“What’s going on? I’m not seeing everything too clearly right now.”

” You have used the gauntlets to pull all the light from this room and submerged it into total darkness. If you had normal vision, you would not be able to see your hand in front of your face.

Even if you were to light a candle or use a flashlight, it would not show light because your gauntlet would immediately consume it. Your eyes have adjusted the best way possible, allowing you to see as well as possible. It will give you an advantage over your opposition because this planet requires light to function.”

“What’s the largest sized room or space I can use this on? I mean, can I suck the light out of the sun?”

“I am afraid that would be impossible. The largest space you could eliminate light from would be that of a small warehouse. You can use it outside a confined area, but once the gauntlets reach their limits, there will be light beyond them.”

“Well, I can live with that. How long will the light be gone once I do this?”

“If you were to leave this area once the light is consumed, the light will return in approximately fifteen seconds. Unless, of course, you decide to reverse this effect by using your thoughts.”

“That sounds pretty good. It’ll come in handy.”

I concentrated on returning the light to the room and felt the buzzing in my hands and arms again. I heard the whirring noise, and the heat waves began moving away from the gauntlets.

The room was crystal clear within seconds, without a heat wave in sight.

How about that? I didn’t need Volax’s help for that.

“Well, that was easy.”

“The act of using your abilities with your thoughts is straightforward. Now that you have used these abilities, you have connected your thoughts and the suit. With more practice, the gauntlets and the suit will require less concentration and eventually become second nature for them to react to your slightest thought. It will become like your brain when it tells your body to move an arm or a leg.”

I couldn’t wait for that time to come. I envision what it’d be like for the powers to come naturally to me when needed.

I teleported to the front yard so I could get some fresh air. All these powers were too much for me to handle.

I’m sure I’ll get used to them in time. Let’s see what Volax has up his sleeve next.

“So, what’s the next power?”

“That would conclude the list of abilities that you have received. I would apologize, but I am not sorry. You have a sufficient supply of abilities.

It would be best to use these abilities as often as possible in private so that you become more familiar with them. These are your new arms and legs, as it were, and exercised as such.

They will not lose any power if not used over long periods, but using them will increase the efficiency of your abilities with your mind.”

I took in the sights of nature all around me. I realized for the first time that I was a superhuman with abilities no human would ever possess.

I was a skinny guy with a defined plan a few days ago. Today, I don’t know what the future holds, and that’s scary.

I will have to put a strategy together because planning makes perfect.

“Since we have concluded our introduction to your new abilities, there is only one thing left to say.”

“What’s that?”

“Congratulations. You are now The Guardian Host.”

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