Light in the Shadows

Forms of Power

I sat on the horsetrail studying the tree that had fallen on Jayla. This tree had changed me as much as it had changed her, but no one understood that. I still didn't understand what I had done. Instinct had driven me. Everything had happened too fast and my mind couldn't process what I could see.

Fifteen feet of the tree was missing. Not a leaf or piece of bark remained. The ground showed where the tree had made impact and blood, that was now dried and brown coated the old leaves from last fall. I could still feel the power of the place. I heard the rider comming before I ever smelled the man. When his scent did reach me it was impressive. This man was an Alpha and his pack had hundreds of wolves. I waited for the man to reach me. He could only be the owner of the other estate, Corbin's father.

Sunflower made it to the trail and whinnied when she saw me. I opened my hand and an apple formed in it.

"I could use that trick." The man said as he swung from the saddle.

He whistled as he looked at the tree and slowly paced off the area where the missing part of the tree had hit the ground. Then he studied the stump and the dried blood. "This is more blood than a person has, but it is all from Jayla." He stated.

I shrugged. "I was creating blood as fast as I could. I had too keep the blood oxidized and pumpong without a heart. I did close the wounds before creating a new heart and brain...but the process is a bit fuzzy too me."

The man turned and stuck out his hand. "I am Samuel Tulmund, but friends call me Sam. I'd preffer to be a friend." He said with a smile. "If you don't mind, I could play a memory of this place. It would let you see the experience as an observer and may help you feel in some holes in your memory."

I nodded. Such rites were rare, but it didn't surprise me. I had considered asking Peter if he could do the rite, but I didn't want to admit just how little I understood about what I had done. "I'm David," I replied taking the hand.

"I'll need to go back to my house or to Peter's place for the supplies I need for the rite." Sam stated.

"Are the supplies you need organic? Were they once alive?" I asked.

"Ash, Sorgum, Aspen, and a spark" Sam answered.

"I can provide them if you don't need whole trees." I stated.

He looked at me. "Twigs about the size of my pinky will work."

I opened my left hand and a stick of each tree formed in it. Sam looked at me and nodded and reached in his pocket for a lighter. I drew the symbol for fire in the air and whispered "Pyro." A flame danced in the air.

Sam shrugged and started drawing a symbol on the ground as he chanted in some language I didn't know, but it sounded Eastern European. It didn't take him long to draw the symbol and say the prayer. Then he lit each small stick and let the smoke drift over the symbol he had drawn.

An image of the area appeared over what was actually here. I turned and could see Jayla and me riding towards the tree...We watched the scene then watched it again with time slowed so that we could focus on specific details. I'm not sure how long we actually spent observing the scene, but when the image flickered and vanished Sam looked at me. "I've never seen anything so incredible, do you understand what you did?"

I nodded slowly. "Yes, but the consequences of the procedure are unknown. Jayla received more than just my power, I absorbed her raw power and much of her knowledge."

Sam was quiet for a moment. "How much of this have you told Peter?"

I shrugged. "Some of it...I'm embarressed." I admitted.

"There is nothing to be embarressed about. Let's speak with Peter together," He said as he swung onto Sunflower.

He offered me his hand. I shook my head and smiled. "Race you," I said as I started running.

It wasn't even a contest. A horse can run at about forty miles an hour. I can double that.

I was out of the woods in just a few minutes and the pristine grounds of the estate were flowing by me like a video on fastforward.

Slowing down was the tricky part. If I was to simply stop, I'd tear up the grass, Of course the galoping horse behind me, was doing a good job at that anyway. The trick was to slow down in increments so that your last step was almost not moving. This would allow you to run and stop without leaving a mark. I had learned this from one of my spirit teachers.

I stopped and turned around waiting for Sunflower to catch up. The horse was breathing heavily as she came to a puffing stop, she eyed me warily. A human should not be faster than a horse. It wasn't right! She seemed to be screeming. I simply smiled and summoned an apple, she took the peace offering readily.