by S. E. Akers
The side of the ridge was once again nothing but dirt. I placed my hands firmly on its craggy surface. Just as it had before, the opening began to reveal itself. The earth shifted and the rocks crumbled away to unveil the cavern’s mystical entrance. I followed the stone spiral staircase down to the bottom where (as I’d predicted) I found Tanner Grey sitting on the ground.
Tanner’s eyes were closed. He seemed to be concentrating on something intensely. He wasn’t chanting, not out loud at least, but he was absorbed in some sort of thought as he sat there holding a small stone in his cupped hands. Patiently, I stood aside in silence and watched with utmost intrigue. All of a sudden, the mysterious stone started to cast a vibrant purple glow. The streams of light swirling out of its core and flowing all around his hands were absolutely mesmerizing. After a few more seconds, the brilliant and hypnotic spectacle waned and the Amethyst Talisman opened his eyes.
“You’re late,” Tanner announced.
“You didn’t give me a specific time,” I cracked back.
Tanner rose to his feet and started tossing the stone back and forth in his hands. “I didn’t give you a place either, but you managed to figure that out.”
I rolled my eyes at him — again. If he didn’t lighten up on the wisecracks, my eyes were going to pop right out of their sockets.
“What were you doing?” I asked, curious about the little purple stone that he was now using for his own personal game of catch.
Tanner extended his hand to reveal a small tumbled amethyst, roughly the size of a quarter. He raised one of brows and grinned.
“Charging one of my stones for you,” he replied. “It’s a gift.” I extended my hand, only to have him yank the amethyst back playfully and well out of my reach. “But now I’m thinking you may not need it…Seeing how that gray sky is blue again.”
“No. I want it,” I insisted as I tried to snatch it away from him. He started to laugh. I pretended to pout by crossing my hands and tapping my foot repeatedly on the cavern’s rocky floor. Tanner let out a grunt and tossed me the stone.
“I can’t have you throwing a temper tantrum now can I, little—”
Without hesitation, I cut him off. “DON’T say it!” I knew exactly what was going to roll off the tongue of the charming, but cheeky Tanner Grey. He noted my displeasure with a grin as he approached me.
I held up the stone. “What will this amethyst do exactly?”
“Just like your golden topaz, you’ll be able to draw its energy and wield some of the powers that the stone grants. I thought it would be of some comfort to you during this time…to help with your grief.”
I smiled appreciatively and lowered my head. Professor Grey was even more charming when he allowed his sensitive side to come through that rugged, cocky exterior of his.
“Thank you,” I replied in a gentle and sincere voice. Straightaway, I clutched the amethyst tightly in my hand. I could feel myself being overrun with joyful feelings. He should bottle this stuff and sell it. Tanner noted my instant change in emotions and smiled.
“You’re welcome. Oh, and the stone will only work when it’s touching your skin,” he advised. “It needs to make a connection to you, remember?”
I nodded as I slipped my little present into the front pocket of my jeans.
“So…how do you ‘charge’ a stone?” I asked.
“Do you have the diamond from last night?” Tanner inquired.
“Right here,” I replied as I pulled the raw stone out of my pocket.
Tanner stepped closer and gently took a hold of my hands.
“Okay…Hold the stone in your hands and close your eyes.” I followed his instructions. “Good. Now, in order for a Talisman to share their power, you need to infuse the stone with a small amount of your energy. You do that by concentrating on what ability you want the person to have. I gave your amethyst my powers of tranquility and bliss, as well as my ability to alleviate the effects of various toxins. That will come in handy. Even though your body is now ‘invincible’, per se, you can still be taken down if one were accidentally ingested or entered your skin through an open wound.”
Yes…That’s a must.
Tanner continued, “You only want to give the person what they need — never any more. Since you’re the only Talisman who reigns in the house of The Storm, you can’t pass along any of your body’s invincibility to the stone. It won’t allow you to do so. Even the diamond knows how much of a detriment that would be. You can however, infuse it with your psychic skills, which will not only extend your telepathic powers to them, but it will protect their mind, as well as their soul. Caiden had one he wore…to protect himself from being possessed by the Onyx.”
Daddy’s strange little crystal necklace… It wasn’t a crystal at all. That’s why he had it on the other day — for protection. No wonder it hadn’t helped. The bastard poisoned him. I wonder what happened to it? Tanner was still lecturing, so I redirected my full attention back to his valuable words of wisdom.
Tanner’s voice shifted into a serious tone. “Also, if you trust the Talisman completely, you can share your ability to magnify their own powers, but ONLY if you trust them. I can’t stress that enough. You don’t ever want them to become addicted to the stone. Even though their powers will get a boost, it’s only a fraction of what they experience when they’re around you. A Talisman’s power will increase one-hundred-fold just by being in your presence. In a sense, that’s your greatest disadvantage. A constant reminder of the strength they could possess if they killed you would only fuel their cravings for the diamond wand…if they didn’t have the will or desire to fight them off.”
As I listened to Tanner Grey’s instructions, I thought about how I was a trusting person by nature. Trust was one of my most precious virtues (even though it had left me vulnerable when dealing with Charlotte and Chloe all these years). Now, I had to shelve that notion entirely and be one-hundred-percent skeptical of people from the get-go. That made an uncomfortable feeling of paranoia surface.
I suppose around the wrong person, like Lazarus, just walking down the street in front of him would be like waving crack in front of an addict. Obviously, being a Talisman wasn’t just going to alter my body and mind, but my soul as well.
“So, only another Talisman can draw a stone’s energy and use its powers?”
Tanner shook his head. “Not exactly. Talismans and other supernaturals can receive a stone’s full power. A typical human can only feel a minute trace of its energy…and they can only benefit from some of the stone’s healing abilities and protections. Never any of its supernatural powers.”
“I’d always thought a ‘talisman’ was actually a stone itself…A ‘thing’, not a person,” I admitted openly. I realized I still had a lot to learn about the inner workings and mystique that surrounded this unfamiliar clique.
Tanner postured himself. “Shiloh, many, many years ago, Talismans weren’t such a secret. We didn’t have to be. The world wasn’t as hostile as it is today. Sure there were plenty of wars and a lot of fighting, but that’s simply in man’s nature. There was still compassion for others, and greed wasn’t as prevalent. The world around us today is cold and callous. Everyone is out for themselves, with no regard for the genuine well being of those around them.”
“That’s true,” I acknowledged.
“Talismans helped balance the world, Shiloh. Unfortunately, our powers were very seductive to those with sinister intentions, whether they were supernaturals or not, so we went underground centuries ago. Not only for our protection, but for man’s as well. The legends and lure surrounding the magic of our stones is still out there, but with every year that passes, they become more myth than truth…And that’s exactly the way we want to keep it…a secret.”
“So, that’s why most people don’t believe crystals and gemstones work?” I quizzed.
Tanner displayed a proud smile. “Exactly. They don’t…if they haven’t been ‘charged’. Now, enough with the questions. Close
your eyes and charge that stone of yours. Oh, and keep in mind…you’ll be giving that one to me.”
I cocked my head and looked over at him with one brow raised. “I’m not sure if I can trust you,” I quipped.
Tanner tilted his head back and let out an unamused laugh. “Little girl…You can’t afford not to.”
I turned a deaf ear as I knelt down. I closed my eyes, cupped the rough little diamond in my hands, and did precisely what he’d said. Though I wasn’t exactly sure “what” I should be doing specifically, my general pleas for all the powers that I’d experienced, as well as the ones Tanner had described, swirled in my head and served to guide a newfound raw energy I felt radiating inside me. I immediately sensed a bright, warm light streaming from the diamond, and could actually feel a part of myself fusing with the stone. Thankfully, it didn’t hurt like it had when I’d cut it out of my arm last night. It just tingled. Once the magical phenomena had ended and I knew the ritual was complete, I rose from the ground and tossed the freshly charged diamond over to Tanner.
“You’re welcome,” I said purposely.
Tanner acknowledged my gift with a mere hint of a grin as he placed the stone in his pocket and gave it a little tap. That was it. Not even a formal “thank you”. None whatsoever.
“You’re not going to string it around your neck with a gold chain? Like your tiger’s-eye?” I asked curiously.
Tanner’s mouth stretched into that wide crafty grin I’d come to know all too well. “No. I have other plans for this one…but a diamond shouldn’t be set into gold or silver. It can be of course, but it’s more powerful set in platinum.”
“Noted,” I replied heedfully. His admission of the importance of the what metal the stone should be placed in prompted another question, which I was sure he was going to love coming out of my mouth.
“I take it metals have some kind of energy…if it effects the stone’s strength. Do they have any powers?”
“They do…but there are no Talismans who can reign over any metal or their man-made alloys. Metals naturally emit their energy to all supernaturals. Some are beneficial, while others aren’t. Silver is extremely harmful to a lot of them, but not to us. The only thing that bears an adverse ill effect on certain Talismans is iron. It won’t kill us, but it severely weakens our bodies and drains our powers if it comes in direct contact with our skin. The only Talismans who aren’t affected by it are those who reign over an Earth stone — like the Onyx, for example. Iron is so abundant in the earth that they’re immune to it. Don’t be surprised if you feel a little queasy and extremely weak when you touch it. Try to avoid it if possible. There are small traces of iron in lots of things, just stay away from the objects that have a high concentration of it. Stainless steel isn’t a problem, because it contains chromium. Chromium actually shields us from the iron’s effects. You’ll figure out what to avoid soon enough. Fortunately for us, gloves work a pinch. Not a bad idea to keep a pair handy.”
I thought about when I’d hurled the plant stand through the window the other day. I felt weak as soon as I touched it, and quite nauseous too. Once I’d let it go, the feeling subsided instantly.
“Like wrought iron,” I stated doubtlessly. Tanner confirmed my assessment with a nod of his head.
“As far as some of the other metals go…A lot of supernaturals use copper to cast their spells, because it only directs energy and can’t be permeated. Since brass is one of its metal alloys, you can hone in on the copper’s energy and manipulate its structure easily. Most locks are cast from it, so opening a door is a breeze. That might have been helpful for you to know the other day. You wouldn’t have had to break your window,” Tanner laughed. “You could have discovered that for yourself, if you would have been more patient.”
I threw him a cold glare.
“Lithium’s a fun one,” Tanner added. “Since cell phones and laptops use it in their batteries, you can listen in on people’s conversations, as well as get a mental picture of what they’re looking at on their computers.”
“Isn’t that eavesdropping…and a bit nosey?”
“And listening in on people’s thoughts through telepathy isn’t?” Tanner quickly rebutted.
I smiled mischievously. Well, he’s got me on that one.
“You’re right,” I conceded.
“Okay,” Tanner announced as he pointed up to the mouth of the cave. “Let’s go.” Obediently, I followed him up the winding rock staircase.
“Tanner, can I charge any diamond or does it have to come from me?” I asked as I thought about how painful the whole experience had been last tonight.
“You should ONLY charge your own stones. NEVER any other! No Talisman should!” Tanner continued up the stairs and then stopped. His tone softened as he added, “You can…but it’s difficult to do so, and they’re notoriously unpredictable. Not a wise thing, so get that thought out of your head.”
I nodded back at him. You know, they really ought to print a daggone guidebook to go by. There were so many rules to learn. I pondered, They could call it, The Do’s and Don’ts of Stones, or possibly, A Beginner’s Guide for Talismans, or even better, Talismans for Dummies.
“Are you ready?” Tanner asked eagerly once we’d reached the top.
“Yeah,” I announced, echoing his enthusiasm. “So…What’s the game-plan?”
“We’re going to stretch our legs a bit.” Tanner motioned back to the entrance of the cave. “Close the door, would you?”
I turned and waved my hands over the opening. Fascinated, I watched the rocks and earth shift around, connecting like pieces of a puzzle and sealing the mouth of the cave. I turned back towards Tanner, but all I could see was a trail of purple mist hurtling off into the woods. I shook my head.
Ugh! I guess the “gentleman” has never heard of “ladies first”…
Quickly, I followed behind him. I noticed I was running even faster today. Only a few yards separated us, though I’ll admit he was a lot more agile. While Tanner Grey could dodge trees and leap over bushes with such accuracy, I bounced around behind him like a daggone pinball. I hit pretty much everything in my path. I had no idea where we were going, but I knew it was definitely much further than we had traveled yesterday.
After running for about forty minutes, we came to an almost synchronized stop. Well, at least I didn’t trip this time. My eyes widened as they panned around to take in the breathtaking view — colorfully-kissed rolling mountains that stretched throughout the countryside, peaking and dipping gracefully for as far as the eye could see.
“Do you know where you are now?” Tanner asked confidently.
“Yes. US-19, standing on the New River Gorge Bridge.” It was the largest and highest steel expansion-bridge in the country, and not to mention, equally as impressive as the view. Once a year, daredevils would flock here for “Bridge Day”, the only legal day of the year when you could bungee or BASE jump from its top. It was the perfect place for such an event. Though I didn’t consider myself a “chicken” by any means, I’d never attempted it (nor gave it a crazy second-thought). You could even go white-water rafting in the New River below, but only when they opened up the dam this time of the year.
Tanner fearlessly sat down on the bridge’s narrow concrete guardrail. It made me nervous just watching him. He noted my uneasiness.
“It’s totally safe…Well, I mean it’s not iron, that is. That’s the only thing one-hundred-percent safe about it. Though I can’t say the same about all those iron-rich steel girders underneath us,” he replied with a wink. Tanner paused to take in the view. “Do you remember when you asked me why was the wand hidden here, of all places?”
“Yes,” I replied.
“I ask you…Why not?” Tanner posed as he released his arms from the security of the railing and pointed them out towards the majestic panorama surrounding us. “The wand needed a source of carbon to maintain its energy, but this area has been relatively untouched by time. Could there have been a more secluded or s
erene place? These lands are not only filled with earthly treasures, but raw beauty as well. It was the perfect place — right down to its people.” He took a deep breath as he drank in the delights of the awe-inspiring scenery.
I had lived in West Virginia all of my life. It was a very rural environment, where nature’s bounty was plentiful, but it lacked the availability of jobs for its residents. If you lived here, for the most part, you were either a coalminer, married to a coalminer, or your job catered to the livelihoods of coalminers. I’d always wanted more for myself. Though I desperately longed to escape this area one day, it was refreshing to see West Virginia through the eyes of an outsider. It warmed my soul that someone could see the beauty in the state that we complained about and tended to take for granted.
Carefully, I climbed up and sat beside him, positioning myself securely on the bridge’s narrow concrete railing.
“So why are we here?” I asked.
“For your next lesson, of course.” Tanner flashed a sly grin, just as he swiftly pushed me backward — off the daggone bridge!
I screamed all 876 feet down the gorge. All I could think was, Why the Hell can’t I fly!?! Unbreakable bones or not, this landing was certainly going to hurt — like a mother!
I crashed into the chilly waters below. The force of the fall drove me down to the riverbed, where my body scraped its bottom. The walloping impact hurt of course, but nowhere near how I thought it would. Without a doubt, any normal person wouldn’t have been able to survive such a fall. They certainly couldn’t walk away without numerous broken bones from smacking the water. Fortunately for me, I was no longer a “normal” person.
I maneuvered my feet and forcefully pushed against the river bottom, reaching the surface in less than a second. Furiously, my eyes scanned the riverbank for Tanner Grey. I finally spotted him strolling casually downstream, heading towards me.
