Source stones are divided into different classes depending on where they are mined. For example, in the nine clouds dormains, the source stones are called cloud source stones. Furthermore cloud source stones can also be categorized according to the type of cloud terrain. For instance, nimbus cloud source stones whose main characteristic is their heaviness and dull looking surface. Another example would be the relatively light stratus source stones from the Stratus domain.
All in all, weather they are heavy, light, dull or bright, in the end all source stones contain source essence with the difference only being the amount of source essence contained. And it is in this difference that the nimbus source stones are more valuable than the stratus source stones.
A tier one domain powered by one nimbus source stones can be activated five times if it's a dynamic domain while maintained for a week if it's a static domain. When powering with stratus source stones the effectiveness are mearly less than half.
Presently, Hadrian Maxim was in a tight bind. A nimbus source gun pointed for his head while two other were aiming for his mother. His eyes however were glued to his mother's eyes, and for a split moment they glowed.
Bloodline expression — shared vision.
This was not his own ability, but his mother's awakened ability. The only one that remained after being crippled and stranded into the bed for the rest of her life. It's effect is as the name said. It allows one to see from another person's eyes, another person's perspective.
From shared vision, Hadrian could see the person behind him. But more importantly he could see the nimbus source stones embedded at the wall on the right side of the door. Faint runes could be seen stirring, as if waiting for the manual command to deploy.
Hadrian twitched. Just a random movement that should not garner any suspicion but, the men became vigilant and directly threatened.
"Move again and we'll blow her brains out !"
Hearing this, Hadrian stood still as if a stick. His hand however, was already inside his side pocket. His mind racing, assessing the situation from every possible angle. He knew he only had one chance.
" Two first level awakened and one 2nd level awakened.The nimbus source guns are what's troublesome..! The essence disruptive domain should be able to take care of the guns, but the source stones in the domain eye, should only have two remaining. Those should be enough to deal with the two aiming at mother. That's enough!! "
One breath!
Two breaths!
Seeing the silent Hadrian, the 2nd level awakened behind hin was about to speak again when he heard a push of a button.
The cloud lamps in the house dim a little due to the activation of the array. But Hadrian knew it takes a breath of time to activate. Before that,
Hadrian moved..
He doesn't think, only letting his body instinct go rampant. His body goes fluid, practiced in the little things no one suspected a bastard could learn.
A sold-school wrist-flick, a shoulder drop, a step that steals the other man's center. The second-level awakened behind him reaches for the gun trigger, but was too slow.
Hadrian reaches back with his free hand, his fingers finding the other man's wrist, his thumb driving into the pressure point under the tendon. The gun snaps from the man's grip as the tendon locks. Feeling this, Hadrian twists, letting the shooter's arm fly out and uses the momentum to slam the man face-first into the corridor wall.
Bone and breath crash. The man feels the surfocation of impact. He makes strangled sounds and crumples,his gun skittering away three feet away from him and five feet away from Hadrian.
The world narrows to sound. Hadrian thoughts collided and crisscrossed but eventually gave up on the nimbus source gun. His earlier plan thwarted by fate.
In his mind, he should already have the gun in his hand, executing the two by his mother's side.
Now, it was impossible.
The two by his mother's side already had their fingers on the triggers, pressing them without the slightest of hesitation.
Hadrian's own heartbeat was like a war drum, leaping to his through with every beat.
The next moment however, the disruptive domain didn't let him down.
The soft hum of runes, the metallic whisper of source-stone power awakening. A cold heavy energy snaps through the room, leaving a taste of ozone in ones tongue, like a high keening like glass.
The Nimbus gun cannons choke. The two guns aimed at his mother cough,and then they stutter, their barrels glowing and dying as they shut down.
Sparks scatter across polished metal.
The men holding them however curse and didn't hesitate to lunge forward. But it was too late.
Hadrian was already moving. He slid between the wooden house pillars like water finding a gap, closed on the nearest of the two with a crushing knee to the ribs that folds the man in half.
Though the impact knocks the wind from him, Hadrian follows through,his forearm finds the man's jaw and yanks. The man's teeth rattle and the shooter goes slack, gone from the battle even as he hits the floor.
He was dead.
But that was as expected. The difference between mortals and 1st level awakened was too slim. With bloodline expression the only advantage they had. However the cast time took at least two breaths even for the most elite of awakened. Hadrian didn't give them the chance. He glanced at the second 1st level awakened.
The second one was stunned by the source-surge disruption and was still clutching his useless gun, trying to fire it again and again. As fate would have it, his bloodline expression was also dependent on his gun, known as gunslinger. This lead to his habit and instinctive dependency of his weapon.
A very, very bad habit to have. Especially in front of Hadrian.
Hadrian planted a boot into this fools sternum, driving him back a few feet. The man's eyes widen but Hadrian's hand that already caught up flashes, seizing the gun and snapping it aside.
He doesn't wait for the man to catch his breath. He moves with practiced ease.
A short, precise elbow to the temple and the man collapses, becoming a ragdoll that surrendered to gravity.
Behind him, the disarmed second-level awakened had recovered enough to scramble for his fallen weapon. Desperation clear from his facial expression, primordial fear of death raw on his face.
Hadrian doesn't give him the luxury of aim. He steps in, palms like hammers: two blows into the attacker's solar plexus leaving him breathless in a weak, shocked gasp.
Then Hadrian twists, slams the man's arm behind his back, and with a final, controlled shove sends him stumbling through the open doorway. The attacker hits the ground outside with a sound that's half cry, half surrender.
Hadrian follows outside, lifts up the man after a few punches to the face and throat. He puts the man inside his house and places two nimbus source stones on the walls of the house. He twirks the domain runes a bit and presses the activation rune.
Noise suppression domain !
Clouds of source essence dissolve and cover the whole house like a veil of cloud and darkness. Hadrian coaks the nimbus source stone gun cannon with an expressionless face.
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
Each with his own. Brain matter splurter all over the wooden floor.
Hadrian looks at his mother, silence roars in the aftermath. The two disrupted nimbus guns on the floor glow dim their barrels still smoking. Hadrian stands between the bodies and his mother. His chest calm and collected. His breathing controlled effortlessly like a veteran grim reaper. Who knows how many people would be shocked by this result.
A mortal killing three awakened. With even a 2nd level awakened in the mix. If known, it would certainly cause a huge commotion.
Hadrian looked at his mother and his mother looked at him all the same.
From shared vision, he sees his mother's face. Wet with worry and relief,but then a proud, small smile that staggers something loose inside him appears on her delicate face.
He swallows and, with one slow breath, kneels to check on her.
"Are you okay,mother?"
"Though hard times feel long, hope will someday come. Today, I feel like that day is not far off"