Embracing the Flames

by Candace Knoebel

  I flicked my brow up at him. “Sure, if you like spinning uncontrollably inside a tornado.” I didn’t hide my sarcasm.

  “Okay,” he backtracked, “maybe it’s not neat to be in one, but it’s a neat cast. The surge of power is draining though. I read that if you stay focused on the whirlwind, you can make it grow and become more powerful, picking up a whole group of men. Imagine the power drain that would cause!”

  I stared at him for a moment before answering for dramatic effect.

  “Which is why we need to learn how to conserve,” I said, turning to chapter thirty. The chapter was labeled The Many Uses of Elemental Magic. Fenn mumbled something back to me, but I shushed him with a wave of my hand, continuing to read where I had left off.

  The uses of Elemental Magic are only for the advanced. By now, you should be ready for this stage of magic. As we described in Chapter Five, The Essence of a Mage, Mages are able to tap into a plethora of magic. We have discussed arcane magic, including its defensive properties, and the many requirements of conjuring needed to make things appear. We have also discussed Seers and their abilities in the chapter of foresight. Now, we will begin a brief overview of each element.

  Elements are all around us and consist of five major properties: earth, air, fire, water, and spirit. Each element has its own strengths and weaknesses and each must be within close proximity of you in order to tap into it. You must respect each element for they are all governed by The Fates and are given to us as a gift. Mages have the ability to tap into any element of their choosing (with the exception of fire), but only one will become their main element. No Mage has ever been known to use fire, since the sacrifice of the fifth Fate.

  It is also important to note that using elemental magic will drain a Mage far worse than arcane magic. One must meditate daily and become one with the elements if they are ever to gain strength and endurance.

  Now to begin our lesson. We will start with the earth element since it is the most used element and its property is all around us. It is the ground we walk on. Most importantly, it is the strongest element that can aid in healing. The earth is a symbol of life; its healing energies are often used by Mages who specialize in healing. An experienced Mage can feel the hum of the earth and tap into its natural rhythm, harnessing the energy in order to use it. The next time you are outside, stop and listen. Tune into the earth and hear its song. The hum will be low and distinct, just below the barrier of sound. You will have to really concentrate in order to hear it.

  A few beginner spells are:

  Mendaro- used for healing. It is best to be surrounded by plants or trees when using this spell. The energy absorbed from plant life is the most resourceful.

  Aniverto- enables to read the land. You can sense the past, present and, in rare cases, the future. To use this spell, one must bury their hands into the earth, closing themself off to human thoughts and focus in on the earth’s energy.

  Aiderum- turns the earth’s soil into a fighting body that stays intact as long as you are connected to it. This spell will drain you quickly if used for too long.

  Tremora- causes the earth to quake and potentially open, depending on the amount of energy used.

  Arenum Temparum- creates a sandstorm.

  These are the most used earth spells. To find more spells associated with the earth element, you must read The Book of Elemental Magic. All the elemental spells have been recorded in that book and will take you further in your studies. For now, let’s move on to the air element…

  “Rory,” Fenn interrupted. “It says here the Priests in the Amethyst Temple have been teaching Mages for centuries how to slow the draining of power.” His face was pressed to the book, eyes skimming line after line intently.

  “Oh yeah? Where is the temple located?”

  “It doesn’t say.”

  I sighed and reached over to take the book from him. After skimming for a minute, I pointed and said, “Look, Fenn, it’s in the east and it says it’s extremely hard to find and even more difficult to be accepted into by the Priests.”

  “Where does it say that?” he asked in a tone that suggested disbelief. He leaned over, and his eyes fell to where my finger was pointing.

  I continued on. “They guard the Pool of Virtue, which holds the tears of The Fates. They’re healing tears. Strange, right?” I looked up at him curiously.

  “And where does it say that?” His eyes were squinted and almost non-visible.

  Really? I pointed to the box on the side of the page. “Maybe we should conjure you a pair of glasses.”

  He ignored that comment. “Well, I guess we will cross going there off our list,” he noted with a laugh. He stood up and stretched out his back. “I don’t know about you, but I’m beat.” He side-eyed the mound of books and grimaced.

  “I am too,” I added reluctantly. “But I want to try these spells out tomorrow, okay?”

  He nodded, stifling a yawn that I, in turn, caught.

  “Then I guess I will see you bright and early.”

  “Yep.” He leaned down and kissed my lips, taking his time to pull me up and into him. I loved every second my mouth spent on his. Butterflies fluttered within me, dizzying my mind with love. With one last kiss, I threw my arms around his neck and squeezed him tight. We had come so far.

  When I let go, he pulled me just close enough to kiss my forehead and then snatched up the books lying on the bed. “I’m taking these. You need to rest, not read,” he said in a fatherly tone. I laughed and then rolled my eyes as I leaned back against my bed frame. “Night.”

  “Night.”

  Chapter 2

  The Rude Awakening

  FOUR PAIRS OF HOLLOW EYES stared at me heartlessly as they discussed my future. Only I wasn’t me, I was someone else. Zordon’s name was mentioned and I felt the disgust of the person possessing me ripple throughout my being. Anger flared among the four brothers and whoever I was, as heated words were thrown back and forth. Words that I spoke hit a nerve, and one brother stood, on the verge of striking me for my obstinacy. I braced myself for the blow.

  I opened my eyes to the irritating rays of sunshine invading my room. I scowled and pulled the bed sheets up over my face. I need a curtain, I thought with a huff. I rolled away from the window and winced, my muscles protesting against any form of movement.

  Why me?

  About eight years ago, I had lay here, on this very bed, thinking about how I couldn’t sleep and how I had no friends. Then, in the dead of night, I was cruelly robbed of this life and thrown into another realm where I had grown up as an orphan with Fenn.

  I was robbed because of The Fates, because of their mistake — Zordon.

  My memories of this realm were taken from me and hidden until I came of age and started digging into my past. I had taken my new life in a new realm with Fenn for granted, thinking that the simplicity of being normal was boring. If only I had truly understood what I was going to unleash by digging into my past — a dragon side of myself I can’t control and a destiny I had no idea how to live up to.

  I rolled over to stare at the ceiling, trying to decipher the strange dream. It had to be about The Fates, but the images were jumbled up and foggy. It seemed the more I thought about it, the harder it was to remember. Astral may have been a part of it too. The Fates had done something awful…but I couldn’t recall what. I sat up, setting my feet down onto the cold, wooden floor. I was probably just stressed from all the training.

  I quickly changed into my training clothes—a pair of flexible pants and a leather breastplate that dipped low enough around the neckline to show a hint of my family crest — two dragons intertwined at the neck and tail with regal wings spread out in display.

  A family crest is a specific mark that appears on a Mage when they’ve shown great power to their family lineage. My dragon wing
s appeared on my chest during my merge with my dragon side in the cave.

  I took a quick second to run my fingers through my hair and then I decided to throw it up into a messy bun.

  Fenn was in the hallway waiting for me when I left my room. He was dressed in loose fitting black pants and a plain leather breastplate with a black shirt underneath it. His golden hair was a mess from sleep, but his smile was captivating. He took my hand in his and then squeezed it. “Morning, Sunshine.”

  I smiled sweetly back at him. “Morning.” My nose picked up as the smell of breakfast drifted towards us, luring us into the kitchen. We sat down, taking the plates Astral offered us, and dug into the food. “I’m so hungry,” I said mid-stomach growl. “All this training leaves me ravenous.”

  He gave me a funny look and then laughed. “Ravenous, huh? I’ll leave you ravenous,” he said low enough for only us to hear. Astral’s back was to us as he fiddled with something on the stove. I made eyes at Fenn, guiding them over to Astral to tell him not now. Fenn winked at me with a sly grin.

  I tried to think of something clever to say back, but Logan’s thin frame stormed down the hall wearing a crazed look on his face. He had lost a little weight from skipping meals to hideout in Lexi’s room. There was a certain fear in his hazel eyes that touched a nerve. I felt bad for him.

  Lexi must’ve told him the truth about when he could go home, something she has been avoiding since we’ve returned. I rolled my eyes and sighed, bracing myself for the coming argument.

  “Why the hell can’t I go home?” he asked to no one in particular. And then he noticed me. “You,” he condemned, forcefully pointing in my direction.

  “Me?” I asked as innocently as possible. Fenn stood from his chair, eyes narrowed on Logan. Every muscle in his body tensed up.

  “Yes, you,” Logan seethed. A vein bulged against the middle of his pale forehead, flexing with every angry word he threw at me. “You stu —” but before he could finish, he was flying back into the wall, encompassed by a ball of shimmering blue light.

  Fenn defiantly cracked his knuckles as he stood over an unconscious Logan. He had used the immobilizing spell. Amusement teased the corner of his mouth.

  “Now Fenn, that wasn’t very nice,” I said, trying to hide the laughter that was threatening to break free.

  His jaw clenched up a little. “He’s not going to talk to you like that,” he said, more to Logan than to me as he stared him down. Then he turned to look at me and said, “What’s he doing out here anyway? I thought Astral’s stipulation was for him to remain in his room until he found a way to send Logan back.”

  I honestly had no idea. I shrugged as his hand fell to the small of my back, and my heart fluttered to life as our eyes connected. Such a small touch still affected me so deeply. I thought back to our time in the other realm and the security I always felt inside his arms. I lightly kissed his cheek.

  “Uh, Rory,” he said hesitantly, “there’s something I have been wanting to tell you about Lexi and me —” but he was cut off.

  “By The Fates, Fenn! What did you do to him?!” Lexi shrieked, rushing over to Logan. “It’s okay,” she cooed, caressing his hair.

  “Lexi,” I protested, “you can’t be serious.” I placed my hands on my hips and raised my eyes at her. “We’ve discussed this. Until we can take him back, he has to remain in his room. We’ve already tried to let him live amongst us and it didn’t work. He can’t accept this as reality. You know that.”

  Her back stiffened as her head spun around, her eyes narrowed into slits. “You. Don’t. Know. Anything,” she said shrewdly. Then she picked Logan up, heaving him over her shoulder, and stormed off towards her room.

  I looked up at Fenn, shaking my head in dismay. “If I remember correctly,” I began, “that’s the same thing you said to me right before you left me to return to this realm.” I examined his face, scrunching my eyes at him. “You both seem to have the same temper.” A funny feeling rested in the pit of my stomach.

  He looked away again.

  I took a step back, on the verge of asking just what he and Lexi had in common, but he swore that he would be open with me. He would’ve told me already if they were related.

  “I want to tell you something.” He hesitated for only a moment before continuing. “But I don’t want you to get mad.”

  My heart quickened as the funny feeling melted into leaded dread. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to hear this or not. What if it didn’t have anything to do with Lexi? Or worse, what if he had feelings for her?

  “Why would I get mad?” I asked guardedly.

  “First, I just want you to know that I’ve loved you from the very first moment I saw you on the doorstep at Mily’s. You don’t know how fast my heart beats every time I am with you.”

  I felt my face scrunch in confusion. “What does that have to do with what you want to tell me, Fenn?”

  “I’ve promised to let you in. And I want to do that. I just don’t always know how to open up. It’s not easy for me to share everything. I worry about how you will react.” He brushed a hair behind my ear. “I have this overwhelming need to protect you, which hinders me from dumping my issues on you.”

  I grabbed his hand and held it to my face. “I know, but I don’t need to be protected, Fenn. I can handle stuff, you know,” I said, hoping to seed this truth deeply into his brain.

  He smiled crookedly. “I want us to be together and to be happy. That’s why I need to be honest with you.” He sounded sincere, and his eyes burned with intensity.

  My breath caught under his gaze.

  He pulled me closer, leaning in for a kiss. Of course I couldn’t pull away. It felt too good. His kiss was soft and explorative, as if he were savoring every precious moment. Then he squeezed me tighter, crushing his perfect lips against mine. My knees wavered as I clung to him and this moment that I wished would never end.

  But Lexi somehow wormed her way in between us, panic stricken. “He’s gone,” she said, almost deliriously.

  “What do you mean he’s gone? Who’s gone?” I managed, and then I realized she was talking about Logan.

  “Logan, you half-wit. He’s gone. Somehow he snuck away from me.” Her face suddenly blushed.

  I tilted my eyebrows at her, patiently waiting for the truth. She huffed and then popped her hip out, folding her arms in front of her chest. “Okay fine, whatever. I know how he tricked me. But that’s so irrelevant.” She looked off to the left when she spoke.

  I covered my mouth with my hand, trying to hide my smile. “I will just assume that you two were playing hide and go seek. Even though you were supposed to be calming him down,” I added, reproachfully.

  Her eyes expertly evaded my direction.

  I leaned over until my face finally caught her gaze. “That is what you were doing right?”

  Her crimson cheeks went several shades darker, something I didn’t think was possible. Then she breath whooshed out in a rush. “I was calming him down. Just in a...romantically creative way.” Her words trailed off at the end. I continued to stare at her, waiting for the rest of the explanation. “I was blindfolded, okay? Are you happy now?” Her lips twitched in agitation.

  “I’m ecstatic,” I replied with heavy sarcasm.

  She exhaled sharply, staring at us intently.

  Fenn looked at her like she had two heads. After a short pause, he said, “You have one thing, one thing to be responsible for, and you screw it up.”

  Her left eye twitched slightly, and her face screwed up like she was ready to blow. I braced myself, but the blow never came. Instead, Myrdinn walked up behind us and cleared his throat.

  Her anger had found its outlet as she spun around to face Myrdinn, her pointer finger already waving sharply in the air. “Yes, you heard right, I lost Logan. Now how about you al
l stop criticizing me and help me find him before something really bad happens.” After a fierce glare that met each of our gazes, she turned and sloshed wildly towards the front door.

  A slippery smile spread across my face. I loved her. I’d have to remember to tell her that.

  I looked over at Fenn and my dad who threw their hands up in surrender, unsure of how to handle her.

  “She’s so irresponsible,” said Myrdinn, clearly displeased.

  “Tell me about it,” Fenn chuckled. We all started for the front door.

  “I don’t need to,” Myrdinn chimed in with laughter. “She is, after all, your twin sister.” And then we all collided as I came to a sudden halt.

  Chapter 3

  Surprise, Surprise

  “EX-CUUUUSE ME?” I TURNED MY head sharply in my father’s direction. “Do you want to repeat that?”

  Myrdinn’s eyes were like saucers as he turned to walk the rest of the way to the front door. “Lexi needs help,” he quickly averted without looking back.

  I didn’t care if he bailed without explaining. It was Fenn who needed to do the talking. I turned on him.

  “I knew it. I knew she looked familiar. That goofy grin. Just like you.” I tried to keep my voice under control, but it was proving impossible with the anger brewing inside of me. Anger that was fueled by my dragon.

  His mouth fell open as he stumbled with his words, trying to come up with an answer.

  I was past trying to be diplomatic. “This is just lovely, Fenn. Thank you so much for trusting me with that tiny bit of monumental information.” I planted my hands firmly on my hips.