Bond Of My Ancient Powers And Controls

chapter4: the awakening.

When I awoke that morning, I had a horrible knot in my stomach. My mind was still spinning from the events that had transpired, people mentioning magic and guardians and powers I still barely understood...and it all felt so real. But it paid no mind. I had resolved to do this and could no longer shy away from it.

Lucian had arrived at the edge of the woods as promised, and though strangely comforting, he was quite intimidating. When I finally steeled myself to walk out and meet him, I saw that Darian and the woman with silver hair, who I was now learning was named Elara, were there waiting. They both looked serious.

"You ready to do this?" Lucian asked, calmly staring as I withdrew my nerves while looking me over.

I shrugged, nevertheless feeling preyed upon internally. "As ready as I'll ever be..."

He smiled at me as if finding comfort in my efforts then motioned to me, bringing me along with him. "So, we're going to start off just a bit easy," he explained as we walked deeper into the woods. "You are going to need to learn how to tap into your own magic. Your own power. You have been suppressing it, dormant for so long it has lost or forgotten its access or energy."

I still had my curiosities. "And how am I supposed to do that?" I asked hesitantly. "It's not like I've ever done anything like this."

"You'll be surprised at how natural it will feel." Lucian insisted." It is your magic, it is and it always has been part of you, Lana, it has been there waiting patiently for you this entire time. Go ahead and be open to feeling it."

but it soon grew stronger. The tiny spark of warmth blossomed into a gentle pulse, radiating from somewhere deep within. I could sense it gathering momentum, fueling itself just as the flames build in a fireplace. As I continued visualizing the warm energy filling my body, it began to stretch throughout my torso, encompassing my muscles and limbs.

“Good,” Elara’s soft voice encouraged. “Let that warm light move throughout your body. Let it wash over you, like waves upon the seashore. Allow it to flow freely so that it may realize its potential.”

Suddenly, I felt a large surge rush from my heart to my limbs as I had unexpectedly allowed my body to follow wherever the energy wanted to go. I felt something building in my abdomen, something visceral surging upward, coaxing a flip from me towards the ground below. I suddenly felt overwhelming vulnerability, as my heart began racing, wishing that I was beaming out magical energy as all great magic users have done before me.

“You’re doing so well. Expel the energy… send it out if you’re ready! Lift the energy up like a mother carrying her newborn.” Lucian’s encouragement was the push I needed. I took a deep breath, feeling my body resonate with the energy at its center. I exhaled, feeling the energy rise like a blood vessel being squeezed quickly on its exit.

A gust of air toppled over my body unapologetically, rising higher and higher until I felt free of my feet. I had done it; I truly had let my energy expand outside of myself. I smiled, exhilarated by what I had just done. "It’s your power,” Lucian remarked, surprised. “You are starting to wake it up."

I gapped at him, surprised and slightly fearful. "But I didn't mean to do that."

“That is the magic reacting to your feelings,” Elara explained. “Magic is alive, and it responds to feeling. That is why it's so important to stay calm and relaxed.”

Darian, who had been standing still, stepped forward with a rare smile. “You have potential, Lana,” he said, surprisingly soft tone. "More than I'd ever expect. But you have to learn how to control it."

"And how do I do that?" I asked, still feeling the wind.

"By practicing,” Lucian said. “The more you understand your magic, the more you will gain control. We'll assist you, but you have to start trusting yourself."

The wind began to mellow as I tried to calm my racing heart. The surge of power had precisely the right amount of exhilaration and was also, overwhelming. I could intellectually understand I had magic, but to actually feel it flowing through me was something entirely different.

"Try to think about channeling the magic back in,” Elara suggested. “Imagine the light wrinkling smaller, more smaller and controllable.

I closed my eye's again and focused on the warmth I was feeling, and imagined the light beginning to surround itself, in and out and making it all into a small solid glowing ball, and as I do this the wind capitalized. Until the clearing was calm and still.

As I opened my eyes, I saw Lucian and crew looking above with a combination of confidence and anticipate.

"You did well” Lucian said, his voice filled with approval "But this is completely your beginning. “There will be a lot more for you to learn, but I won't lie, it isn't going to be easy."

I nodded, feeling both exhilarated and drained. "I am ready," I said, although I wasn't entirely sure I was. But at this point, I really had no choice; this power was who I was, and I now had to learn how to control it, before it controlled me.

"Good," Darian said, his voice becoming serious. "Because those enemies we were referring to who want to use your power for themselves are already looking for you. We've been able to keep them at bay so far, but they are definitely closing in. You need to be prepared for when they begin to show up."

A cold shiver ran down my spine. The idea of others hunting me down, thinking they could steal something from me, was horrifying. "Who are they?" I was careful to keep the quiver of fear from my voice.

"They are called the Shadow Clan," Lucian replied, his brow furrowing in thought. "They have been searching for the source of the old magic for centuries. They believe that if they wrestle your power away from you, they will be unbreakable."

"They are dangerous," Elara continued, a serious glint in her amber eyes. "They will stop at nothing to try to obtain whatever they desire. This is the reason we need to train you as quickly as possible - you need to be able to defend and protect yourself."

I swallowed hard, allowing the weight of their words to be felt. I had been thrust into a realm I did not completely understand, with enemies I did not even know existed. But as much as I would like to run and hide, I knew I had no choice; if I did not learn to control my magic and if I did not prepare for what was coming, I could loose everything.

“Then let’s get started” I said, trying to sound more confident than I felt.

Lucian gave me a firm nod, as if I could obtain the full understanding I desperately sought to fully grasp. "Today, we will work with the basics. You need a strong foundation before we move on to advanced, fancier things. But I want to make one thing clear, Lana - this is not just about learning how to use your power. This is about knowing it, embracing who you truly are."

I took a deep breath and nodded, ready for whatever happened next. As we began the training, I couldn't shake the feeling that my life was about to change in ways I couldn't possibly anticipate. But for the first time, and I couldn't help myself from smiling, I believed with Lucian and the others with me, I might just have a crack at facing the impending darkness that was analogously closing in.