by A. J. Medina
“Hey!” Davina yelled. “Neala, stop dancing around like an idiot.”
“She’s not in control,” Draycko said. “I am.”
I studied Draycko suspiciously. Was he serious? Was he controlling Neala and making her dance? Aednat must’ve been asking herself the same questions.
“If you really are controlling her, then make her stop and slap herself in the face—hard,” Aednat said.
“Aednat!” I shouted.
“Very well,” Draycko responded.
I turned to him, hoping he was joking, when I heard the loud smack of Neala slapping her own cheek. When I turned to face her, she was standing still staring off into an empty void. I stood in front of her and waved my hand in front of her eyes and she didn’t even move.
“Release her!” I commanded Draycko.
“You’re no fun,” Aednat said, and then turned her attention to Draycko to see what he would do.
With a wave of his hand, Draycko released Neala.
“What am I doing standing here?” Neala asked looking around. “I was sitting over there a second ago. And... ouch....” She reached up and cradled her cheek. “What... who...?”
She turned to me, searching for an explanation.
“It was him,” Davina said, pointing to Draycko before I could answer.
“Aye,” I interrupted. “He took control of you.”
“How dare you!” Neala half yelled, half cried at Draycko. “How dare you take control of me!”
“It was just an experiment. You all asked for a demonstration, did you not?”
Everyone but Neala nodded this time.
Neala didn’t know what to say so she sat down and rubbed her cheek, trying to make the stinging stop.
“Can you control anyone else?” Thomas asked.
“Nay. She is the only one. The rest of you are too strong willed for me to take control. I am going to retire now. Alora, you should as well. We begin at first light.”
I nodded and watched as he flew over the wall that led to where he slept.
The next morning, I passed on Neala’s morning meal and rode the water down to the ground below. Draycko was already patiently waiting for me.
“Today will take much concentration, but once you’ve mastered what I have to show you, you will strike fear into all those that challenge you.”
What Draycko said sent excitement throughout every inch of my body.
“We’ll begin small and build up from there.”
I nodded.
“First, command the dirt to rise and then using water, shape it into a block. Next, use the wind to cool it slightly and then place your hands on it to dry it.”
“Wait! That’s a lot of instruction all at once,” I said. “Can you repeat that?”
Draycko repeated his instructions and I tried to follow them as best I could. Using one hand, I used wind and commanded the dirt to rise into the air. Next, I pulled some water from the sea and made them collide with each other forming a mud ball and then tried my best to shape it into a block. When it looked kind of like a block, I used the wind to cool it and made the block keep its shape. With the block still hovering, I lay my hands on it and caused it to vibrate and heat up. When I was finished I had created a solid block that I thought could be used to build a wall.
“Not bad,” Draycko encouraged. “But I said a block, not whatever shape that is. Focus on making all the sides flat and the same size.”
I let the block fall to the ground and tried again... and then again... and then again, until I finally had a perfectly shaped square block and Draycko was satisfied.
“Next, I want you to create a wall taller than me.”
“Are you crazy?” I asked him. “That’s high, I’m not ready for that.”
“Just try it.”
“Fine,” I said, and then focused on the task he had assigned me.
A wall, he said. I tried at first to create the wall in several stages, beginning at the ground and building each layer higher and higher, but Draycko was dissatisfied.
“Building the wall that way will take forever. Do it in one quick swoop.”
“But I can’t,” I said. “At least not yet.”
“Aye, you can. Just focus.”
I tried it again and failed.
“Focus Alora,” he said. “Focus on the ground beneath you. You have been blessed with the gift I’ve only known one other having in all my years. Focus on the wind sweeping a large amount of dirt up as tall as me. Focus on it staying put and hit it with the water.”
I tried to do as he asked, but Draycko didn’t understand that it wasn’t working.
I shut my eyes and focused like he said. I tensed my body like I had when I was mad at Aednat, but nothing happened.
“I can’t,” I said.
“Relax. You look like you need to relieve yourself. Don’t strain so hard. A wizard must be calm in order to perform magic.”
“I know that already.”
“Then why must I repeat it? Haven’t you learned that lesson yet?”
“I guess not.”
Draycko’s body slumped. He appeared aggravated. “Very well then. I’m sure Agbavitor showed you a way to calm yourself, nay?”
“Aye, he did.”
“Then calm yourself.”
I shut my eyes and thought of my meadow. Its warm, soft grass under my bare feet. Sunflowers swaying back and forth. Green leaves on the trees causing the wind to rustle them.
“You appear calm now,” Draycko said.
I slowly opened my eyes and nodded.
“What were you imagining?”
“Home. My meadow.”
“Good. Go back there. Don’t move. Focus on the wind. Close your eyes. Think of your meadow.”
I closed my eyes and thought of it again.
“Do you see it?”
“Aye, I do.”
“Hear the wind around you. Feel the breeze. See the grass swaying?”
“I see it and I hear the wind.”
“Now, allow the wind to sweep down and grab a huge chunk of the ground in front of you. Feel the wind dig and lift the dirt up.”
I did as he told me.
“Open your eyes.”
When I opened them I was startled by the sight. Draycko was completely blocked by a dirt wall. I knew what I had to do next. I called for the water from the sea and splashed it into the dirt wall. I sent another breeze to cool it and then extended my palm and touched it. In a flash the wall was solid as stone.
“Excellent,” Draycko said from the other side of the wall. “Now collapse the wall by touching it and vibrating it loose. Once it starts to fall, step back unless you want to be covered in dirt.”
My hand touched the wall and I felt it begin to vibrate. The wall started breaking up and the dirt loosened and fell. I jumped back away from the wall and it collapsed completely back to the ground.
“Well done. This is what we will be doing for the rest of the morning. You will try forming different size walls until you can cover the entire area as fast as possible. Are you ready?”
“Aye.”
“Then create another.”
I practiced and practiced, and after finally satisfying Draycko by creating a massively tall and wide wall, we took a break for our mid day meal. Draycko flew off in search of a sheep, while I went back up to the ruins to eat with the others.
Neala handed me a bowl of eggs mixed with potatoes and some sort of cheese. I dug in, famished by the morning’s training.
“I was watching you before. It was great how you made that wall,” Neala said.
“Thank you, it’s not that easy, but I’m getting the hang of it.”
“Alora,” Neala continued, “We’re short on supplies. If we’re going to leave tomorrow we need to fetch some drinking water and some food.”
She was right. We were leaving tomorrow for the castle city. Only two days with the dragon wizard didn’t seem like much, although he did say, “Two days for now.” Did t
hat mean that he would be open to me visiting him again and training me some more? I wished he had ingredients to practice spells and potions, but he said he had none because he didn’t practice them anymore.
“I will ask Draycko if he can point us in the direction of drinking water and maybe some food. I know there are still a few apples out there, and I can collect those for us,” I said.
“I would love to go out foraging with you if that’s okay?” Neala asked.
“Sure, that’ll be fine.”
When I was done eating, I went into my tent and retrieved my new magic book from its safe storage in my satchel. I fanned the pages, curious as to what it would land on. It landed on a potion called: The Potion of Manipulation.
The title intrigued me so I untied my boots, removed them, crossed my legs and wrapped my cloak tighter around me. The potion’s description was as clear as its title. It was used to make the drinker open to suggestion. Whoever drank it would do whatever you asked.
It was a dangerous and powerful potion. I rested my chin on my fist and wondered. What if I made this potion and gave it to the king? Could I keep him from sentencing Silas to death? Could I make the king free him?
I shook my head. Nay, that would be a misuse of power, a betrayal. Even though it could possibly save Silas, I couldn’t do that to my king.
While going over the ingredients for the potion and trying to remember if I had seen them in my workshop, in his usual fashion, Draycko landed with a whoosh and a boom.
“Where’s Alora?” he asked the others.
“In her tent,” Thomas informed him.
“Alora. Time for your next lesson.”
I slammed my magic book shut and shoved it back into my satchel. I quickly threw on my boots, tied them and ran outside.
“I’m ready,” I said eagerly.
Draycko addressed the others. “I’ll need all of you for this one. It’s a battle scenario.”
Aednat was first to her feet and drew her sword. “Ready!” she shouted.
The ground rumbled beneath us.
“The stairway is extended. I will meet all of you on the ground below,” Draycko said, and then he lifted off.
Aednat ran towards the main gate while roaring a charge and Thomas and Davina followed her. Me and Neala were the last to go.
“Should I even go below?” Neala asked.
“Aye. Bring your sword. Draycko did say all of us.”
“Alright,” Neala said, and then went in and came out of our tent holding her sword.
“Do you want to take the stairs or would you like to ride with me on the water?” I asked.
“I’ll take the stairs, Alora.”
“Fine, I’ll take them with you.”
By the time we reached the bottom, Draycko had instructed the other three on what to do and they were standing in a circle formation.
Draycko gave his orders. “Alora to the center. Neala, take position at the edge of the circle between Thomas and Davina.”
Neala did as Draycko instructed and we all waited for further instructions.
“Your task is simple. Attack Alora and Alora, only use your new abilities to stop them.”
“But these aren’t training weapons,” Davina pointed out.
“Nay, they aren’t. Attack!”
Aednat was the first to charge. She yelled and then ran towards me with her sword at her side.
Draycko shouted out to me. “Use your sight and take her sword!”
In an instant I reached out and ripped her sword from her fingers. She stopped her charge confused at what had happened. She stared at her empty hand. “That’s not fair,” Aednat whined.
Draycko shouted again. “Four walls, a cage—now!”
With one hand I commanded the wind to lift the dirt around Aednat’s feet high enough so that she couldn’t climb it and then hit it with water. It cooled and when I ran up and touched it, the wall became solid.
Aednat banged on the walls and screamed. “Let me out! This isn’t fair.”
Next, I pulled the water from the sea and encircled Thomas and Davina. I yelled the magic words, “Glacialis!” and the water froze into frosted walls of ice. They stabbed and slashed at the ice trying to break it. I reached out and pulled the swords out of their hands and tossed them over the walls and off to the side.
Aednat screamed and when I turned in her direction, she was soaring over the dirt cage I had created. She summoned a second sword and shield. My instincts took over. I don’t even know how I did it, but my body stiffened and my mouth opened. The shrill scream came from my lips and Aednat hovered in the air above me. She writhed, trying to move, but she couldn’t.
“Let me go!” she cried. “Let me down.”
I was able to pull my head back and then thrust it forward causing her to fly backwards and fall to the ground.
I heard a step behind me and shut my mouth, dropped to a crouch and shot my hand forward. Draycko took the blow and flew backwards. He was quick to respond and spread his wings, stopping himself from going any further.
“What was that?” he asked calmly.
I didn’t pay any attention to him and scanned the area, looking for any further threats. Aednat was rising to her feet and dusting herself off. She didn’t appear to plan on attacking me again. Thomas and Davina were still trapped behind their ice walls, deciding not to soar over them. Neala’s sword was on the floor by her feet, she obviously didn’t plan to attack.
With no one attacking, I stood and relaxed my posture.
“Well? What was that?” Draycko asked again.
“I don’t know,” I said.
“She did that shrill screaming thing once before in the forest,” Aednat said walking over to us. “She did it to me before, but she didn’t freeze me in the air like that and throw me.”
Draycko rubbed his chin. “Interesting.”
“What’s so interesting?” I asked.
“I’ve never seen or heard of this power before. It’s something new.”
“Can you train me how to use it?”
Draycko shook his head. “I wouldn’t even know where to begin.”
I was sad to hear that.
“You will have to try and practice it on your own. It appears she is the trigger.” He pointed at Aednat. “Aednat, attack her again.”
Aednat threw both of her hands up in front of her, shook her head and stepped back. “Nay. I’m not that stupid.”
“Alora, order your knight to attack you.”
Slowly I turned my head back to Aednat. I didn’t have to say a word.
Aednat’s shoulders slumped and she groaned. “Fine,” she said, and then summoned another sword and her shield, but she didn’t charge me. She charged Neala.
Everything slowed down. Aednat appeared to be running in slow motion and when I saw the fear in Neala’s eyes as she just stood there frozen, something inside me exploded. This time my body didn’t stiffen. My mouth opened and the shrill scream came out again. In an instant Aednat went from charging to flying back towards the mountain. She twisted and turned through the air as she sped closer to the mountain and I wouldn’t have stopped her except I heard Neala shout for me to stop.
Aednat stopped in mid air, inches from the side of the mountain. I closed my mouth and she fell to the ground.
I had lost control again. I had almost killed her. This ability was much too powerful for me. I couldn’t control it and there was no one to show me how to. That thought scared me. I turned and walked towards the sea, ready to go back up to the castle ruins. I had had enough.
Davina and Thomas pounded on their ice wall as I passed them. I flicked my wrist and said the magic word and the ice turned to water and splashed at their feet.
I called the wave to me and rode it up to the castle. I was ready to go home.
I spent the rest of the day in my tent. When Neala and the others returned from gathering supplies, Neala made our evening meal and brought it in to me. She didn’t say a word, and left m
e alone.
Tomorrow we would leave and start our journey back to the castle city. I couldn’t wait to disguise myself as Neala and see Silas again, but I couldn’t help but worry. What if they were still starving him? What if he was...? I shook my head. I didn’t want to think about it.
I turned back to my journal and continued writing down the spell of protection. A spell designed to protect someone from another’s magic spells. I would need this to protect myself from sorcerer’s. It wouldn’t hurt knowing it by heart, that’s for sure.
I had asked Draycko yesterday if love spells existed. He said nay, but then I asked him if the opposite were true. Could you make someone fall out of love with you? He said he had never heard of such a request and that it would be good if I tried to create such a spell myself.
I would definitely try it. If I could create that spell and give it to King Remi, maybe he would leave Neala alone forever.
When I was done, I packed up all of my belongings so that in the morning I would only need to help Neala pack up our tent. When that was done, I slid under my furs and shut my eyes. It wasn’t long before I was fast asleep and dreaming.
In my dream, I was back on the ground and Aednat was flying into the wall, except this time I hadn’t stopped her and she hit the wall with a loud thud. Her body fell to the ground, limp and lifeless. Everyone ran over to her, but I just stood there watching. They rolled her over and blood oozed out of her mouth. They shook her, trying to see if she was alive, but I knew she wasn’t. They all turned at once and looked at me with such hatred. Even Neala, my friend, hated me. And then I was all alone.
I woke up, startled by the most heart breaking feeling of loneliness. Neala was fast asleep under her covers and I didn’t feel tired anymore so I tossed on my cloak, grabbed my sword and went outside. The camp fire in the center had burnt out, so I flicked my wrist and resurrected the flame.
I twisted the end of my sword, uncapped it, and retrieved Mother’s emerald. Holding it in the palm of my hand, I studied it and watched as the light from the fire caused it to twinkle, and then I thought of home.
Chapter 21
Draycko went for a short flight as he always did before bed each and every night. When he was content with his flight, he went back to his castle ruins. From above, he could see Alora sitting around the camp fire she had created in the center of what used to be his main court.