Bond Of My Ancient Powers And Controls

chapter3: untangling truth

As days passed us by, the encounter with Lucian and the wolf continued to plague me.

I found myself thinking over every spoken word every gaze while trying to organize my thoughts on the strange experience I arising into. Redstone Hollow had always been quiet, simple, even to an extent and now it was all a mess.

But the strangest part wasn't the dangers or the warnings, or the duality of finding Lucian interesting, yet something to be feared— no, it wasn't any of that; it was just the simple fact that deep, deep down, I felt unimaginable, inherent, irresistible, driven to what was happening. He had begun to release something the had been lying dormant in me for years, decades even and as I felt it begin to piece together, it started to come back in it thrilling sadness of fantastic emotions and distant memories I just didn't understand.

One evening, when I couldn't possibly concentrate on other thoughts, I decided I would find Lucian. I had no idea where he was, or if he would even come. But it didn't matter, the thoughts and feelings were so prevalent it overpowered any common sense I had may have worried about! I ended up back at the clearing in the woods where I met him. The sun was just about to set and the golden light was shining through the trees, and the smell of the earth and pine was sweet and intoxicating.

Standing by the stone, my heart was racing. I called out, "Lucian!" "If you can hear me, I really need to talk to you."

For a moment, it was silent. I held my breath, both mesmerized and scared by the stillness of the forest. "Was I crazy for coming here?" I thought. Then suddenly, that familiar feeling came over me. I turned and there was Lucian, in the shadow of the forest. His blue eyes glimmered softly.

"You came" I breathed out, relieved, but still on guard.

"I'm always close," he answered simply. "I've been watching you" he added.

There was something about the way he said this to me that was either comforting or unnerving. " I need you to answer my questions" I said and started to take a half a dozen baby steps toward take him. "You told me that I was connected to this place......some kind of power. What does that mean? Why is this even happening?

Lucian studied me for a moment before speaking. "You're not like the others in this town, Lana, you've felt that," he said. That feeling of not fitting in was because you are tied to something much older, much more powerful than you can possibly imagine."

I frowned, trying to make sense of what he was saying. "Tied to what? The stone? The forest?"

"Tied to the magic that flows through this land," he said looking intensely into my eyes. "Long ago this place was a sanctuary, a haven, for those with the gift. But time went by and this magic was hidden away, to protect it from whomever would misuse that gift. Now its awake and so are you."

"Magic?" I said incredulously. "You want me to believe that?"

"It's serious," Lucian said matter-of-factly. "You have felt it. The strange energy, the dreams and even the way the forest tried to call to you. It's all connected."

I wanted to deny it; wanted to still feel grounded by some rational explanation yet the more I heard from him the more I seemed to know, it was as if I had already always known. I had always been a little different and now it is all coming to the surface and all becoming real at the same time.

"Why me?" I asked. "Why now?"

"Because is is time fro the magic to return! You are the key to unlock."

"I don't understand. How am I supposed to unlock magic? I don't even know what to do." “I’m here to facilitate and aid you in realizing your true capabilities. However, I need you to trust me, Lana. You can’t run from this. It is part of you and must be embraced.”

I searched his eyes for any sign of dishonesty and found nothing but sincerity. I’d be lying if I said I was not terrified how much I wanted to trust him regardless of the danger he represented. But more than that, I was terrified of what that meant for me and my life as I understood it.

Before I could respond, I heard a rustling in the hedgerows that got my attention. My body tensed, adrenaline pouring into my chest as I turned to see the source of the sound. Lucian’s expression darkened, and he placed himself between me and the sound.

“Stay close,” he whispered, casting his gaze toward the trees.

From around the trees, two individuals emerged, tall and dangerous. One was a man with dark hair and bright green eyes; his expression inscrutable. The other was a woman with long silver hair and bright amber eyes.

“Who are they?” I asked, trembling as I wrapped my fingers around Lucian’s arm.

“They’re like me,” Lucian said softly. “Guardians of the old magic.”

The man approached and narrowed his eyes on me. “So, this is the girl you’ve been protecting, Lucian,” he said, smooth but laden with skepticism. “She doesn’t look like much.”

“She’s much more than she seems, Darian,” Lucian said, his tone unwavering. "And she’s under my protection.”

Darian raised his brow and looked down at Lucian with skepticism. “You actually believe she’s the one? The one who will bring back the magic?”

“I believe she is,” Lucian replied firmly. “She simply requires time to be aware of this.”

The silver-haired woman strode closer, her gaze felt penetrating, studying my face closely. “She is very powerful, I can sense that,” she exclaimed. “However, she is also in a vulnerable place. If the wrong people learn about her…they will do whatever it takes to control her… and turn her into a pawn for their own benefit."

I swallowed, my stomach twisting at her ominous tone. “What do you mean?” I felt fearful. "Who would try to use me?"

“There are some who want to harness the old magic for their own use,” she explained. “Dark forces would resort to anything to obtain the strength you now possess. That’s why we are here to protect you and make sure you don't fall into the hands of the wrong people."

A chill went through my spine. This was larger than I had envisioned, larger than anything I was prepared for. "I don’t even know how to attune to this power,” I retorted, fearful. “How am I supposed to protect myself?"

“That’s what we are here for,” Lucian assured me. “We will train you, support you. Still, you must trust us and allow us to help you."

I looked at the three of them, Lucian and Darian, and the woman with silver hair, and felt the mixture of fear and hope emerge. Everything in my life had changed before I had the chance to take a breath, and my mind was racing with accepting things that were beyond reason and logic. Yet even with this ongoing turmoil I was faced with in this moment, I knew I couldn’t avoid the situation. No matter what this power was, it was still a part of me, and I would come face to face with it at some point, whether it now or later.

The words stumbled out of my mouth. "I don't know if I can do this." I hardly made a sound.

"You can," Lucian assured me softly, his eyes were glued to me. "You're stronger than you think, Lana, and you're not alone in this. We will always be there to help you."

“Alright,” I said, forcing myself to take a deep breath in an attempt to calm my anxious heart that was in my throat. I had always thought of myself as independent, the strong woman who had dealt with everything on her own, aside from my sister. But I had never dealt with something the likes of this before and I was certain that I was not capable of dealing with this much more than I already felt like I was capable of.

“I’ll trust you. I’ll learn how to use this power, and use it for good.”

He smiled a little as the corners of his mouth tilted upward. "Glad to hear it. We will start tomorrow. You have a ton to learn, and not much time to do it."

Darian nodded as well, his face had softened somewhat and suddenly less stoic. "We'll make sure you're ready for whatever comes next." He paused, probably for dramatic effect, but then he picked it back up in a serious tone. "Not to freak you out here, but you need to be prepared, Lana. This isn't going to be easy."

The woman with the silver hair had stepped forward as well and placed a hand in my shoulder. "You have already taken the first step," she paused, with a gentle voice. "the rest will come in time."

To be honest I didn't know exactly how I felt at this stage because of the overwhelmingness of this journey I was embarking upon, but for the first time in my life I finally felt that it was time for me to be brave. I didn't know what I would find throughout my journey, but I knew the time to turn back was over. This was my destiny now whether I liked it or not and I was going to accept my destiny, whatever fate there was waiting for me.

As I stood there in the wooded area, surrounded by the guardians of the old magic, I felt a sense of purpose and direction begin to sink into my heart, and I embraced it wholeheartedly.

I could not have known what kinds of ordeals I was about to face, but I had never felt so much like I was in the right place at the right time in my entire life.