‘None of us blame you Leo. None of us. Got it?’ Sully insisted. ‘But she is still our sister, and we will stop at nothing to bring her back safely.’
Leo clenched his teeth to stop the flood of tears threatening to spill over again. He pulled his glasses from his pocket and placed them back on the bridge of his nose; a sign that it was time to get to work.
‘Okay. Then we leave in an hour,’ he said firmly.
‘We’ll get our things,’ Archer replied, standing beside him.
Leo stood for a moment, watching Stella’s brothers as the four of them passed through the tent flap. He had nothing but respect for them. If it had been the other way around, he doubted he would have been so forgiving.
He shook his head. There was no more time to waste. The hostages were safe and back with their families. There was just one last person he had to bring home.
Within forty minutes Leo and Stella’s four brothers were ready to leave. They bid their farewells to all who remained at the camp, passing on a promise to Stella’s parents that they would find their daughter. Then, they left the Enchanted, setting out for the closest town.
They’d only made it a matter of minutes down the road when they heard the crunch of gravel underfoot coming from behind them. Leo glanced over his shoulder and pulled up short when he saw it was his father, Leonardo Senior, who followed them, a bag hooked around his one good arm.
Leo dropped his pack and spun on his murderous father. The man who’d killed his mother without a word of sadness. The man who’d never loved him; who’d bullied and mocked him all his life until he’d taken the one thing he’d cared most about from him.
‘What the hell do you think you’re doing?’ Leo demanded, pacing forward until he stood directly in front of his father, almost face to face.
Archer was there in an instant, placing a hand on each of their chests and forcing them apart.
‘What does it look like, son? I’m coming with you. I was quite the tracker in my day. You could use my skills,’ Leonardo replied smugly.
‘Like hell you’re coming with us! I can track just fine without you, you disgusting excuse for an Enchanted. Leave!’ Leo spat angrily.
He would never not feel such fury at the sight of his father. After so many years, Leonardo Senior had learned nothing. He was still just as nasty and uncaring as ever. Leo had hoped he would never see the man again, but he’d known his father would be released from jail one day. It was a shame Archer still held him back, because he would have really loved to finally give the man a piece of his mind.
Leonardo’s face contorted into one Leo had never seen on his father before; insistence and determination. His father had been determined, of course, but always in a menacing light. Never in the ‘for the greater good’ sense most Guardians possessed.
‘Look, hate me all you want. I won’t try to convince you to feel otherwise. But right now, Erebus has your wife, and you need an expert tracker. I trained for years as one, I swear to you I will be able to find her. We have to be swift, if he keeps her too long he will soon realise she knows nothing of the girl and will kill her. That’s the only reason he has to keep her alive right now. Got it? So what’s more important? Finding her, or your pride?’ His father said, his voice calm but firm.
Leo sneered at him, but didn’t respond. He knew his father was right, and yet he hated himself so deeply for having to admit it.
Archer looked at Leo, and Leo saw the desperation in his gaze.
‘Fine. But don’t you dare slow us down,’ Leo snarled, turning on his heel and collecting his things.
He ignored his father from then onwards. His main focus was Stella, and he would do anything, including working with the man he hated most in the world, to find her.
~
Stella could feel the cold biting at her skin, seeping right down into her bones. She realised for the first time that she could and would most likely die in that cell. She would die without ever having the chance to say goodbye to those she loved.
Leo. Oh Leo. How could she leave him? She knew he would be searching for her, but would he find her in time? She was beginning to doubt it.
How much time had passed? She wasn’t sure. All she felt was the cold. Her teeth chattered, her body shivered. Her fingers had grown numb, which was almost a blessing. At least she could no longer feel the pain of her missing finger. Fingers? She wasn’t sure how many they’d taken. She wasn’t sure of anything.
She understood how Cara must have felt. Was she in the same cell Cara had been in? How had she survived for so long? She’d been held captive for weeks, and still she’d come out the other end fighting.
Cara had been much stronger than Stella, though, for she still found it within her to sacrifice herself despite all she’d been through. She’d owed the Enchanted nothing and yet she’d given up her life to try and save them.
Could Stella ever be so strong? She was still protecting Laura, though the only reason her captors kept her alive was because they wanted to know where Laura was, which she had no answer to in the first place. So was she protecting anyone really? No. She wasn’t.
Stella felt another wave of nausea wash over her and she grit her teeth, refusing to empty her stomach. She didn’t want to have to live in her own vomit as well as her stench and blood.
After a moment, the feeling passed and she curled her body up into a tight ball. She closed her eyes, begging sleep to come and take her away. It was too dark for her to see anything anyway. She preferred sleep. At least she could see Leo there.
Then, a scuffing of feet, an echoed word. Stella peered up, her body beginning to shake with fear. In the distance, a flickering of light appeared. A lantern. Which meant only one thing.
Erebus had returned for the next round.
Chapter Three
Teacher
Laura was up early the next morning, unable to sleep past what she required. She still had so many questions for the Casters, and Megan had promised to train Laura to control her abilities and use them to fight.
Laura was excited, that she wouldn’t deny. She was excited to have a name to situate with her power. Excited to have the opportunity to learn how to wield it correctly. Excited to have finally found her place within the Spirit World.
Gemma was quiet that morning, dark shadows under her eyes. Laura suspected she didn’t sleep well the night before and she felt guilty for not having stayed up with her to make sure she was all right.
Laura knew there wouldn’t be much she could say to help her friend however. Gemma was suffering from the same concerns that she herself was; worry for their friends, for the war, for the world. There was still a battle raging outside the islands protective mist. Laura only hoped that when she emerged, trained and ready to fight, that there would still be something to fight for.
The thought made Laura’s heart ache. Was Drew okay? She missed him more than she ever thought she could. She’d had him by her side since the second everything had started – literally.
He’d been there moments after her father had died and her mother had been kidnapped. He’d been there throughout her discovery of the Spirit World. He’d been there when she’d been taken captive by James and had rescued her from the Wicked. He’d been there when her mother had died, sacrificing herself so Erebus could not gain access to her power and thus possess Laura’s body. He’d been there for her parent’s funerals, for the time she’d been stabbed and had almost bled to death, for their weeks under Erebus’s rule in Alast.
He’d been there for it all, so for them to be so far apart physically hurt her. She missed their witty discussions, their easy banter, their ability to know and understand what the other was feeling or thinking. She missed his silly grin, his bright emerald green eyes, his laugh, and the way he continued to call her Ace. She just hoped she would see him again soon, and that wherever he was, he was safe.
‘Are you ready, dear?’ Megan asked in her calm, soothing voice.
Laura turned to
see Megan dressed in battle gear, similar to those the Enchanted wore but not nearly as flash and shiny looking. The battle gear, (which was similar to the training gear only without all the metal) consisted of a black leather jackets, protective linings around where the Identity Mark was on the right wrist, long black pants and a black, thick shirt which had steal lining the inside, its sole purpose being to protect the body as best it could. Swords and lightning could still break through, if enough force was administered, but it was something, at least.
Laura briefly wondered why they chose to don the gear of the Enchanted when they could create their own style of battle uniform. But then she was reminded of the fact that they did not fight – that the Casters rarely entered such battles to begin with. They did not have a design of their own because they’d never needed the gear to begin with. So the old, tattered battle gear would have to do.
Laura nodded acknowledgement, peering down at her own battle gear. She realised that her uniform wasn’t in the best condition either, both being second hand having been worn for weeks on end.
‘Follow me,’ said Megan, indicating with her hand for Laura to trail after her.
She passed Gemma on the way through the front door. The girl gave her a questioning look, but Laura simply smiled, insisting she would be fine on her own. She would, she was sure of it. Megan was chief of the Casters. She couldn’t be in better hands, she reasoned. Granted she’d only met her the day before… but still.
Gemma, in turn, shrugged and wandered out after them, heading for one of the pig pens to watch the delivery of their feed. Laura hoped her friend would be okay. She wished she could tell her that it would all work out, but the truth was, she simply didn’t know, and she wouldn’t lie just to lift her and Gemma’s dampened spirits.
Megan led her down the muddy street, past the cottages and into the bush beyond. Caster’s paused as they passed, peering after them, waving or smiling at Megan and casting a curious eye over Laura. Laura wasn’t certain of what she was meant to do. Smiling was the most she could afford. As kind as Megan had been to her, she wasn’t sure she was ready to be shouting out ‘hello’s’ or engaging in conversations with the Casters when she didn’t yet know them or their customs.
The rainforest was, to Laura’s relief, cool as the morning sun shone down over them, once again heating up the day. Dew remained on the leaves of the plants and insects scuttled across the forest floor.
It wasn’t long before Megan had reached her destination, stopping ahead of Laura and turning, arms outstretched in what could be either excitement or pride. Perhaps both. Laura gazed about at the trees, the clearing, and the enormous waterfall. The water was as clear as the sky above and there were fish swimming through the stream. It reminded Laura of the waterfall Drew had shown her once many weeks ago, and her heart panged at the recollection.
Pushing it from her mind, she came to stand before Megan, awaiting her command.
‘Do you trust me, Laura?’ Megan asked unexpectedly.
Laura started, blinked in surprise, then frowned. ‘I… I guess I do. I don’t think you’re going to hurt me, if that’s what you mean.’
Megan smiled. ‘Good. Because training a Caster to use his or her powers requires a great deal of trust. You will be pushing your abilities further than you would ever have before, and sometimes you will most likely feel as if you’re going to break. But you must trust in me, trust that I know what I am doing and that I will not let any harm come to you.’
In that moment, Laura questioned just what kind of training she was in store for, but she quickly shoved it aside. She wanted to learn. She needed to learn.
‘I trust you,’ she said firmly, eyes lifting to meet Megan’s.
‘Then let’s begin,’ Megan replied quietly, signifying for Laura to take a seat opposite her. ‘What understanding of your power do you currently have?’
Laura crossed her legs and settled into the grassy earth just as Megan already had. She fidgeted with a blade of grass as, with a deep breath, she began explaining what she knew of her ability.
‘My power used to only appear when I was in some form of extreme emotional circumstance. The first time, one of my friends had been hurt. Somehow, I managed to heal him. The second time…’ Laura trailed off as she recollected the way she’d tortured James; the young man who’d betrayed Stella and Leo despite the fact that they had mentored him for many years. He’d turned to the dark side, becoming Erebus’s right hand man alongside Mr Stark and supplying them both with the information they so desperately desired – the news that a girl had been born to a Warlock and a Human. She sucked in a breath, calming her nerves. She had to communicate everything to Megan, no matter how bad. ‘The second time, one of my friends was close to death, and I don’t know what happened. I just… lost it. I tortured the man who had hurt her, paralysing him. At the same time, I’d somehow created a shield around us, protecting us all from any outside attacks.’
Megan inclined her head as she listened. She sat straight backed, eyes focused. Laura, however, continued to play with the grass, slouched forward on her knees.
‘After that, well, I began to focus on the power more. There were a few other times when I needed it. Somehow, I managed to figure out how the power felt, and that allowed me to understand what I was searching for inside myself every time I wanted to draw on it. I began to realise that focusing on what I desired most, whether it be casting invisibility upon myself and others or creating a hole in the fog for us to sail through, was the way to control it somewhat. As long as I focused on that power within and willed it to do as my mind wanted, I was able to do it. I haven’t tested it much, but I think I’ve gotten better at using it when I need.’
Megan smiled ever so slightly. ‘You are very smart for one so young. It appears you have indeed learned the feel of your power. Your understanding of it, though, has only just begun.’
Laura peered up at Megan. ‘Really?’
‘Really. Now, I want you to assume my posture. Straight back, in a meditative position.’
Laura did as she was asked.
‘Good. Now, I want you to close your eyes and focus on that feeling of power. The one you’ve become accustomed to,’ Megan instructed.
Laura squeezed her eyes shut and began searching within for that familiar tendril of power, reaching into the blackness for it until it finally appeared. Once it did, she grasped a hold of it, tugging it to the surface, freeing it from the deep pits of her being where it remained hidden.
‘Good. Now, open your eyes, but keep a hold on the power. Do not use it, just let it simmer.’
Laura’s eyes flickered open, the power bubbling just below the surface of her skin. She could feel it vibrating through her body, begging to be cast.
‘Now, I want you to hold onto your power for as long as you can. You must learn to have it at your command whenever you desire it. If you were in a battle, there is no way you could pause to call on it. You have to have it there, at the ready.’
Laura could feel her power beginning to slip already as she tried to focus on Megan’s words.
‘Good. Very good. Breath, don’t forget to breath. The more we do this, the better you will become. You will grow used to the feeling, until it becomes almost like a second skin.’
Laura was listening to what Megan was saying, but she was already breaking out in a sweat at holding onto her power for so long without wielding it in some way or another. It was as though she was in a constant tug of war with it.
‘You must also to learn to use only as much power as you require, never more. You will drain yourself far too easily if you don’t, which will affect you greatly in battle. In addition, you must learn to not let go of the power once you finish using it. You have to continue to hold it at the surface at all times.’
Megan must have noticed the strain on Laura’s face as she sat there, clenching her fists and gritting her teeth, fighting to pull back on the power as it continued to try and snake away, for she gift
ed Laura with an encouraging smile.
‘You’re doing much better than I did on my first try.’
‘You- Mean- Everyone- Must- Learn- To- Do- This-?’ Laura grounded out through her teeth.
‘Indeed they do. It’s not easy. It often takes weeks of training. We, however, don’t have the luxury of time.’
If that wasn’t enough pressure, Laura didn’t know what was. She felt the sweat dripping down her back and beading on her forehead, but still she held on.
‘Now, I want you to stand and walk to the water. I want you to cross it four times and come sit back down. Do not let the power go,’ Megan told Laura.
Laura gaped at Megan, and it was at that instant that she lost the tug of war. She slumped, flopping back against the grassy ground, breathing heavily.
‘It’s okay. Take a minute, then we will start again,’ Megan told her.
It took Laura three hours to finally master the water crossing four times while holding on to her power. By the end of it she was exhausted, but the tug of war between herself and her power had indeed eased somewhat, and she found she was able to hold it in place while concentrating her mind on other things. Not too many other things, but crossing the water without tripping over herself was enough of a test to prove she was capable.
‘All right. Sit down and rest while I tell you a story. Then we will continue,’ Megan said as Laura squeezed the water from her pants.
Laura sat in the warmth of the sun, hoping it would dry her, and leaned back on her palms, her long chocolate brown hair brushing against the ground. She remained quiet, waiting patiently as Megan took a seat across from her in the shade.
‘Many years ago when I was but fifteen and my mother lay on her deathbed, she called me to her side. She told me it was time. That I was to lead the people for the next century. She bestowed upon me the power of the chief. This ability not only allowed us to heal more so than any other Caster, but to communicate directly with the Gods. We required no summoning, no power, no persuasion that they should talk to us. We are the chief of the Casters and that was enough to convince them that we deserved their attention.
The Angel Page 5