Control or Destruction
1121 Words
I did not sleep after that.
When my body begged for rest my mind refused.
Every time I closed my eyes I felt the power again rising fast too wild, like something inside me was trying to break free and did not care what it destroyed in the process including me.
A quiet knock came before dawn.
His voice followed, "You are awake."
Of course he knew.
I let out a breath. "I do not think I could sleep even if I tried."
The door. He stepped inside.
As always the air shifted with him subtly. It was impossible to ignore.
His gaze moved over me, assessing, not gentle, not cruel, just precise.
"Good, " he said, "then we will not waste time."
I frowned slightly "Doing what?"
"Training, " he replied.
The word landed heavier than expected.
"I can barely control my breathing right now " I said dryly "and you want me to train?"
"I want you alive, " he said.
That shut me up.
He stepped further into the room, his tone calm but unyielding.
"What happened that night was not an accident, it will happen again, " he said.
A chill ran through me.
". Next time " he added, "you might not be able to stop the power."
I swallowed.
"So you are going to teach me how to control the power?" I asked.
"Yes " he replied, like that simple final.
I studied him for a moment searching for hesitation, doubt, anything.
There was none.
"You are very confident, " I muttered.
"I am very certain, " he said.
That did not make me feel better.
The training grounds were quieter than before.
That alone made my chest tighten.
"No audience?" I asked, glancing around.
"No distractions " he corrected.
Of course I should have expected that.
He stopped a step ahead of me and turned, his gaze steady.
"Show me the power, " he said.
I blinked, "Show you what?"
"That power, " he replied.
I let out a humorless laugh "If I could just show you I would not have almost destroyed your room last night."
"Try anyway " he said, his tone did not change, did not soften, did not push it as expected.
I hesitated, slowly lifted my hand, staring at it like it belonged to someone else.
" Time, " I said quietly, "the power just happened."
"Then feel the power " he said, that was it no explanation, no guidance just feel the power.
I closed my eyes.
At first nothing, the sound of my own breathing, uneven, uncertain.
Then a flicker of warmth faint.
"There " he said.
My eyes snapped open "How did you..."
"Focus " he replied.
I clenched my jaw slightly. Obeyed, forcing myself to reach for that feeling again.
The warmth returned stronger this time it spread slowly through my chest down my arms and into my fingertips.
My breath caught "I feel the power..."
"Good " his voice remained calm. His eyes sharpened slightly.
"Now hold the power, " he said.
That is when everything went wrong.
The warmth surged, fast too strong.
My body tensed as the energy spiked slipping past my control like water through my fingers.
"I cannot, " I said.
"Do not fight the power, " he said.
"What?!"
"Guide the power, " he replied.
My heart slammed against my ribs as the power pushed harder, rising beneath my skin like a storm.
"I do not know how, " I said.
"Then learn " he said, that voice again like this was not chaos like this was not dangerous like this was expected.
The energy pulsed the ground beneath my feet.
I gasped, stumbling back as panic surged.
"It is too much, " I said.
"Look at me, " he said.
"I cannot, " I replied.
"Look at me " he said again something in his tone snapped through the panic, commanding.
My eyes locked onto his.
Just like that everything slowed.
The power did not disappear, it did not weaken. It steadied.
"What...?" I breathed.
"Again " he said quietly "do not run from the power."
My chest. Fell rapidly as I forced myself to stay still to feel the power to not lose control.
The energy flickered again. This time it did not explode; it stayed, balanced on the edge.
"You see?" he said, a whisper.
"I am not losing control, " he said.
My hands trembled, "Yes I am."
"No, " he replied.
He stepped too close.
"But you think you are, that is the problem " he said.
His gaze did not leave mine.
"Power does not destroy " he continued calmly "fear does."
My breath caught.
"Then what am I supposed to do?" I asked, my voice unsteady.
"Trust yourself, " he said.
That felt much harder.
The energy pulsed again softer this time listening, waiting.
And for the time the power did not feel like something trying to break me it felt like something that belonged to me.
The realization hit deeper than I expected.
"I..." I hesitated, "I think I can hold the power."
"Do it " he said.
I inhaled slowly, focusing on that warmth, holding it not forcing, not resisting just allowing.
Seconds passed.
Then the energy faded, not violently, not suddenly just gone like it had never been out of control, in the place.
Silence settled over the training ground.
I stared at my hands, my heart still racing.
"I did it..."
"You did, " he said.
I looked up at him, something unfamiliar rising in my chest, not fear, not confusion, something steadier.
It did not last, because his expression had not changed, at all.
"You are not surprised, " I said slowly.
"I told you " he replied, "you are not what they think you are."
My chest tightened slightly.
"Then what am I?" I asked.
A pause, and one but I noticed it.
"You will find out, " he said.
That was not an answer. He knew it.
Frustration flickered again. This time it did not feel as strong because something else had taken its place, determination.
"Then teach me everything, " I said quietly.
His gaze held mine for a moment longer, measuring, deciding.
Then "Careful what you ask for " he said.
A chill ran down my spine.
"Why?" I asked.
For the time something shifted in his expression not much, just enough.
"Because once you understand what you are " he said softly "you will not be able to go "
The words lingered long after he turned away.
And this time I did not feel weak, I did not feel broken, I felt dangerous, the power felt like a part of me.
- Writer
