The Last War (Book #9 of the Sage Saga) by Julius St. Clair

right? Wouldn’t you want that?”
    “I…” Bastion turned away. “I would.”
    “Then I have your cooperation?”
    “Let Lily go.”
    “She’s there as an insurance policy. I’m sorry but I can’t. The tests that we’ll be administering will be painful and I can’t trust you to stay put.”
    “You’re in charge of Paragon?”
    “No, not at all. I just work with some of them in the shadows. The reason I’m here is to prevent you from escaping with minimal exposure.”
    “So you want me to trust you? Believe you’re doing the right thing for all of us?”
    “We didn’t want this war. The Sorcerers…were merely observers until the Great Collision. We wouldn’t interfere in your affairs, but we saw that with the war between Cimmerian and Paragon, it was only a matter of time before they destroyed each other, and so, we intervened. We wanted to put an end to the fighting but not all of the Sorcerers are noble. Some of them believe that it is their chance  to become the greatest of the Seven, and so they have begun using the war to their advantage and choosing sides. Your reluctance to adhere to the Delilah’s wishes in the past brought on two wars, not one, and either war has the potential to destroy everything that we hold sacred. I know that this is a lot to ask of you—to give up your life, but it is only what you were destined for in the first place. Think about it. You never belonged in this world.”
    “That’s not true,” Bastion muttered. “The Delilah love me.”
    “For now,” Casimir replied. “Love is based in emotion, and emotions are fickle. Respect is all one can truly ask for in this existence, and that is a notion that must be earned. I’m sorry, Bastion, but you are fighting for an existence that isn’t there.”
    “You might be right,” Bastion sighed. “But I would like to talk to Lily about this.”
    “I’m afraid the decision must be yours and yours alone. We can’t have the two of you conferring and devising a plan to escape. I’m sorry.”
    “Then I refuse,” Bastion said. “I won’t do it.”
    “I’m sorry to hear that,” Casimir said. He backed away from Bastion and nodded to one of the men in the background. “Then we’ll have to begin the procedures right away while you’re still at a loss of strength.”
    Bastion heard a whirring sound behind him, and then he felt a great amount of pressure burrowing into his back. He didn’t feel any pain, but his arms began shaking uncontrollably within the restraints.
    “What are you doing to me?” he screamed.
    “We’re trying to figure out where the source of your power lies. What makes you different from anyone else.”
    Bastion shut his eyes and tried to call out to Lily but there was no answer. He grit his teeth and tried to break free but he didn’t have any control of his motor functions. He could only yell and gnash and swear. Casimir watched on curiously as several men and women around him in white robes took notes on Bastion’s reactions.
    Casimir stepped forward and leaned in close to Bastion’s face. “Tell me what they are planning and I will free you. The Delilah…have they joined forces with anyone yet? Are they planning on targeting the Sorcerers?”
    “No!” Bastion shouted. “I didn’t even know you existed for sure until now!”
    “Then you really are useless. The ones you call friends always have a plan, and they don’t even respect you enough to let you in on it. What a shame.”
    Bastion tried to speak once more but he found himself unable to produce sound. His eyelids grew heavy, and his body suddenly went limp.
     

Chapter 9 – What’s Left
    The children cried but there was no other choice. They had to leave, and James couldn’t help but think to himself that this is how it would have been if they had children of their own. Being a soldier, there was only the next battle or anticipation of the upcoming war. Everything else was limbo and in a haze. Family was an illusion.