Chapter 66: The Voice of Will
Morning filtered into the house through torn blinds and cracked panes, the aftermath of last night's battle still etched into the structure like scars. Birds chirped outside, oblivious to the quiet storm that had passed.
Philip stood in the kitchen sipping cold water, still digesting everything from the night before—the demigods, the Conclave, the revelation of his soul power's limits. But there was one thing he couldn't shake: Nathaniel. Something about his older brother had changed, and Philip had seen it briefly the night before. It was subtle, but it was there.
So, after breakfast, Philip called him into the study.
Nathaniel entered, dragging his feet, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. His hair was wild, and he was wearing an oversized hoodie. "What's up?" he mumbled.
Philip studied him carefully. "Do you… feel different? Like something woke up inside you?"
Nathaniel frowned. "Not really? I mean, I had weird dreams. But I don't feel like I can throw fireballs or punch buildings."
Philip chuckled and leaned back in the old office chair. "
Nathaniel shrugged. "Well, maybe I'm just normal."
Philip raised an eyebrow. You're not.
Then it happened.
A pen resting on the edge of the cluttered study table rolled off and clattered onto the wooden floor.
"Pick it up," Nathaniel said absentmindedly.
And Philip moved.
Not voluntarily.
Not by choice.
His body almost bent to pick it up—but he caught himself just in time. A subtle pressure tried to affect so he dispelled it. He stood upright, startled.
"What was that?" Philip whispered.
Nathaniel blinked. "What?"
"You told me to pick up the pen."
"Yeah. So?" something tried to force me.
A silence grew between them.
Philip, intrigued now, bent reality slightly and used telekinesis to lift the pen instead. The pressure faded immediately.
"Nate," he said slowly, "say something else. Order me." Wait it wont work I am so much stronger than you
Philip called amaka to the study. When she came, Philip told him to order her
Nathaniel hesitated. "Uh… get me a glass of water?"
Amaka stood up and got it. It was creepy to then she acted like a robot and the surprising part was that she didn't complain.
When she was bringing the water her eyes glowed bright and she woke up surprised she was holding a cup with water. In her surprise she dropped it Philip caught it with his telekinetics.
Philip stared at his brother.
Nathaniel looked worried now. "Did I… do something bad?"
"No," Philip said. "But I think your power has awakened. And it's dangerous."
Nathaniel sat down, confusion on his face. "What is it?"
Philip leaned forward, eyes glowing faintly. "You can issue commands… and people have to obey. It's like a suggestion layered with compulsion. If I hadn't trained my soul, I probably wouldn't have even noticed it." It also looks like it doent affect amaka
Nathaniel stared at his hands.
He stood up and began pacing.
"If this is your power, it's subtle. Dangerous. You could tell someone to jump off a cliff, and they'd do it before realizing it's a bad idea."
"But I didn't mean it like that—"
"I know. That's what makes it even more dangerous."
They sat in silence for a moment.
Philip then walked to the window and looked out at the sky. A thought crept into his mind: "The Voice of Will." A rare ability mentioned in the library. A power of speech that bent the world through command. Supposedly, only beings with divine bloodlines or celestial echoes ever awakened it.
"Tell me something else," Philip said, "but this time… make it more direct."
Nathaniel swallowed. "Kneel."
Philip didn't expect how fast it came. The air grew heavy, a force tried pushing him but he shrugged it off
"That's enough," he said,
"You're not normal, Nate. You've awakened something ancient."
He walked over, placed a firm hand on his brother's shoulder. "We need to train you. You need to learn how to deactivate the power
Now. Before someone else notices."
Nathaniel nodded, uncertain.
"Also," Philip said, his voice low, "don't speak carelessly in public. Until you learn to mask it, your words are commands. You could cause riots, stampedes… or worse."
The gravity of it all finally sank into Nathaniel's face.
"Okay," he whispered. "Train me."
Philip turned to the window again, thoughts spinning. He would try but he knew he hasn't be able to activate his own ability which the book listed as creation