Nykara

by Katie Holland

  Shay: Oh, that’s a breeze. See how easily I managed you today. Lol!

  Alix: Yes, you did. Thank you. Love you, Shay, you’re an awesome friend.

  Shay: Yes, I know I am. ☺ Love you too.

  Alix was called to dinner. After that, it was just time to relax with her book. This time when she picked it up she was able to actually concentrate on the words. She finally got tired enough for bed and fell into a hopefully dreamless sleep.

  Chapter 36

  Alix woke up disoriented. She sat up and looked around realizing she was in her room. She’d had another dream about the hikers. Even though this one was much less detailed it was very intense, and the message was clear; they were running out of time to get to the hikers. She looked at the clock, it was 6:11 am. At least it was almost time for her to get up and not the middle of the night. Alix knew she wasn’t going back to sleep, so she got up and got ready for school. She still had quite a bit of time before Ben picked her up, so she sat down with her coffee and toast and wrote a quick entry in her journal.

  Oct 17

  I had another dream about the hikers last night and it scared me. I think they are dying. I don’t want three people to die because I’m new at this and don’t know how to use my magic to save them. I have to talk to everyone tonight when we meet for our second training session. We can’t wait a week to find them. I have a feeling that they won’t survive past the next couple of days. I could feel the urgency when I was standing in the cave. I have to save them, I just have to.

  Alix heard Ben pull up outside. She grabbed her stuff and went out to his SUV. Shay was already in the front seat, so Alix jumped in the back. She told them about her dream and they all agreed that they needed to act as soon as possible.

  It was hard for Alix to concentrate on school. All she could think about was getting to the hikers in time. Both Miss Fay and Mr. Rollins noticed but she told them she would talk to them when they met later. Alix had never been so happy to hear the final bell of the day before. It had been the longest day of her life so far and she was extremely glad to leave school. She wasn’t even sure what any of the teachers talked about.

  They went straight to Ben’s after school. Both girls let their parents know where they were going to be. Alix found out that both her mom and dad were able to be there for the training meeting later. That was good because then everyone involved would know what was happening.

  They got settled in the kitchen to do homework. All she had was Biology but even then, she didn’t pay attention in class, so Ben had to help her. After a while, they gave up on trying to get it done. It was clear that Alix didn’t have her mind on it.

  “This is pointless,” Alix said. “How can I be expected to act normal when there are three people out there about to die if we don’t get to them?”

  “I understand your frustration Alix, but we can’t do anything until we talk to the others. I think that everyone will agree that we need to act quickly, we just have to be patient for a couple more hours.”

  Alix groaned. A couple of more hours sounded like an eternity to her right now. She needed to be busy in order to take her mind off things for a bit.

  “Do you think your mom would mind if I used the kitchen?” she asked Ben.

  “What do you mean?”

  “I can’t just sit here right now. I need to do something. If I bake it’ll keep me occupied for a while.”

  “Oh, sure. How can I say no to fresh baked goods,” he said smiling? “Do you need any help?”

  “If you could show me where your mom keeps her baking stuff that would be great.”

  Ben showed her where to find what she needed and then Alix was lost in her own little baking world for a while. An hour and a half later there was a fresh batch of brownies and some oatmeal raisin cookies. Natalie and Rick were both home by the time she was done.

  “It smells great in here,” Rick said, walking into the kitchen.

  “It sure does,” Natalie added. “Looks like we won’t need dessert. Thank you, Alix.”

  “No need to thank me, I was just trying to stay busy.”

  “Is everything alright?” Natalie asked, concern showing on her face.

  “Yes and no. I’ll fill everyone in at the same time if that’s okay.”

  “That’s fine.”

  “So, what are you having for dinner?” Ben asked changing the subject.

  “I thought spaghetti and meat sauce with a salad. How does that sound?”

  “Awesome,” Shay answered.

  “Do you need any help?” Alix asked.

  “Sure,” Natalie responded.

  By the time they were finished making dinner, everyone had arrived. Ben and Shay got the table set up and they all sat down to eat. Once everyone had filled their plates Alix decided to fill them in on her latest dream. She described what she saw and the urgency she felt that they needed to be rescued very quickly.

  “I was thinking we should go tomorrow. I know everyone here probably feels like they aren’t prepared to tackle this just yet but I’m not sure how long they have,” she said to the table.

  It was quite until Kris spoke.

  “I agree with Alix. We worked on the shielding yesterday and today I’ll teach you how to create energy balls. I think those two things are going to be the most helpful. And if we’re going to do this tomorrow we need a strategy.”

  “Hang on,” Alix interrupted, “Can everyone be available tomorrow?”

  “Karin and I can probably find subs. What do you think?” Mike asked her.

  “Yes, probably. Let me make a couple of calls after dinner.”

  “I can be available for sure,” Kris said. “I’m self-employed so I set my own hours.”

  “We can be free as well,” Rick said. “We’re here most of the time anyway.”

  “Mom, can I be excused from school tomorrow?” Alix asked.

  “Me too,” Ben and Shay said at the same time.

  Heather and Natalie looked at each other.

  “I don’t like it but considering the circumstances I don’t think we have much of a choice,” Heather said.

  “I agree,” Natalie said, nodding her head.

  “But as for you Shay,” Heather said, “We can’t agree to anything regarding you. You have to talk to your mom.”

  “Can you do it for me, Mrs. D?”

  “Whoa, slow down,” Alix said stopping them. “Shay, you are not coming with us tomorrow.”

  “Of course, I am,” she replied.

  “No, you’re not. It could be too dangerous. I couldn’t stand it if something happened to you. I need to know you’re safe or I’ll be worried about you the entire time instead of focusing on what I need to do. Put yourself in my shoes, what would you do? That goes for you too mom and dad. You guys have to stay here.”

  Shay looked like she was going to argue but she stopped and thought for a moment. “I guess you’re right. I understand what you mean, I don’t like it, but I understand. But how can I go to school knowing what’s happening?”

  “Actually, I think you should skip school tomorrow, with permission of course. You could stay here with mom and dad. Wait, mom do you work tomorrow?”

  “I’m supposed to have an afternoon shift, but I think I’ll try to get one of the other girls to cover me. I’m with Shay, I don’t think I could work thinking about you possibly being in danger.”

  “Dad, do you have a busy day planned?” Alix asked.

  “I’m not sure. I can’t just cancel a whole day’s worth of patients. First thing in the morning I’ll talk to my receptionist and see what can be moved. When are you guys planning to start the rescue?” Ted asked.

  Everyone looked at Kris. “Let me check one thing first before I answer that.” He took out his phone to look at something. “Okay, I was looking at the weather. They’re calling for snow overnight, not much but I think we should wait until later to leave here. That way they can clear the roads and the temperature will be a bit warmer. It wouldn�
��t do any good if we hit the ditch or got in a wreck on the way there. I think we should leave here around eleven. That should get us to the cave area around 1:30 depending on how long the drive is with the snow. We should have plenty of time get them out and get out of the woods before dark.”

  After that, they all went back to eating. They still had training to do tonight. Alix was eating but not really paying attention to anything around her. She was too lost in her thoughts. It was real now. Tomorrow she was going to have to save people and possibly fight the Grynn. She hoped she could do it, people’s lives depended on her.

  When dinner was done they, all helped to clean up quickly and made their way back to the closet with the secret door. Alix was about to put her tattoo on the wall to reveal the door when Ben stopped her.

  “Just a minute Alix, I want to try to open it. We need to know if other Nykara can open the door or if it’s just you.”

  “Okay,” Alix said, stepping back to make room for Ben.

  Ben touched his tattoo to the wall. At first, nothing happened but then slowly the door started to appear.

  “Well at least we know it works, maybe not as fast but it’s good to know that any of us can get down here if we need to.” Ben opened the door and they followed him down the stairs to the outdoor room.

  Kris had everyone stand in a line facing him. They were going to learn how to make energy balls. He explained how to pull energy from around them and form it into a little ball in their hands. He demonstrated for them to see. He stood there with his hands in front of him, one over the other like he was holding an invisible softball. Soon Alix could see what looked like a tiny ball of light appear in his hands. It grew to about the size of a small apple. Then Kris opened his hands and kind of pushed the ball of light towards a tree. Once it hit the tree it seemed to explode and left a big dark spot on the tree trunk.

  “Our goal right now is to be able to get away from the Grynn if we encounter any, not to kill them. Leave that up to the professionals like me. If you hit them with your energy ball it should knock them down and possibly knock them out. Now I want everyone to give it a try. It’s not going to be easy so don’t worry if it doesn’t happen right away.”

  Kris went to stand behind everyone as they began to practice. Most of them had questions for him but Alix didn’t. As with everything else she’s learned this came easily to her as well. She simply had to think about it and an energy ball would form in her hands. She threw her first one at the same tree Kris did and it exploded on impact. Everyone stopped and looked at her. This time she didn’t let that bother her. Learning how to do this could save her life or anyone else’s life that was helping her.

  Alix kept going. She tried pulling more energy in and forming a larger ball. She had no trouble doing that. Again, she threw it at the tree. This time the impact was much bigger. The energy ball broke the tree in half. Alix was shocked, and from the looks, on everyone’s faces, they were as well.

  “Um …” Was all Alix could manage to get out of her mouth.

  “Wow Alix,” Ben said, coming to stand beside her, “that was incredible.”

  Alix blushed at the praise from Ben. She was getting better at coping with the fact that she was able to do the things she did, but something about Ben still made her blush.

  “Uh, thanks,” she said quietly.

  “Everyone keeps practicing,” Kris said to the group. “I need to talk to Alix for a few minutes.”

  “Alix,” he started, “How did you do that to the tree?”

  “Are you mad at me?”

  “Not at all. Impressed and curious, but not mad. Can you explain how you were able to do that?”

  “Um … I kind of just thought if I could make a small one then in order to make a bigger one all I would have to do was pull more energy into myself. And it worked.”

  “Wow, you’re something else. It’s such a privilege to be able to work with you and see what you’re capable of. I do have to warn you though if you hit someone with an energy ball of that size it could kill them. If that would be your intention that’s okay, I just don’t think you want to do that by accident.”

  “No, I wouldn’t. How am I going to be able to tell what size of the ball I would need to accomplish what I want?”

  “Well, mostly it’s just practice.”

  “But we don’t have that kind of time.”

  “I know. I think you should try out a few on me.”

  Alix was about to protest when Kris stopped her. “I’ll have my shield up and I’ll know if they’re getting too powerful. I’ll be alright, I promise. We’ll start with small ones and work our way up. I’d like you to begin with a ball the size of a walnut. Ready?”

  “I guess,” she replied.

  Kris walked a little ways away from her and turned to face her.

  “Okay Alix, go ahead.”

  Alix made her energy ball almost instantly. She threw it at him. It hit his shield and made a tiny explosion.

  “I’m fine, it barely touched my shield. This time try one about the size of a golf ball.”

  She did, and Kris was fine, but he felt that one more than the last. The next test was an energy ball roughly the size of a tennis ball. That one staggered him, but he kept on his feet. Kris told her to try one the size of a softball next. That one knocked him off his feet and he fell backward. Alix went running over to him.

  “Are you okay?”

  “I’m fine, just a little stunned. That was quite a powerful one. See how it knocked me down, and that was with my shield up. If that hit someone with no shield it would most likely render them unconscious.”

  “Wow,” she whispered to herself. She knew she had to be careful of using those to defend herself.

  By this time everyone else had stopped practicing and joined them.

  “Can the Grynn make shields?” she asked Kris.

  “Some of them can,” Kris said getting up. “You’ll find that they have a lot of the same abilities that we do. The major difference is that in cases like making a shield, for example, all Nykara can do it but only some Grynn can. That seems to be how most of their powers work. The only thing universal to all Grynn is that they use their magic for evil.”

  “How will we know what a Grynn can do?” Alix asked.

  “Unfortunately, you won’t until they do it. That’s why your shield is so important. I think you also need to feel what it’s like when your shield gets hit with an energy ball because the Grynn are capable of creating those. Everyone get in a line standing beside each other and get your shields up.”

  Kris then proceeded to hit all of them with a small energy ball. Alix could tell that everyone felt it. She was last in line. Kris hit her with one and she didn’t even really feel it. It was like the rocks and trees from yesterday. He tried a bigger one and again it didn’t have much of an impact.

  “Alix, I’m going to try something that makes me uncomfortable, but I think we need to test you. I’m going to throw an energy ball at you the same size as the one you used to break the tree in half. Are you okay with that?”

  “Yep, go ahead.”

  She fortified her shield and watched as Kris created his energy ball. When this one hit her she definitely felt it. She took a step back as it hit her shield. It was almost as if the energy from his ball was absorbed into her shield instead of tearing it down.

  “How do you feel?” he asked.

  “Great actually.”

  “That didn’t weaken you at all?”

  “No. In fact, it felt like I was able to absorb the energy that you threw at me.”

  “This is amazing,” Kris said in awe. “Alix, if you can maintain your shield I think you’ll be able to withstand almost anything.”

  They continued to practice for another hour. By that time, they were all very tired, well everyone except Alix. They were making their way back upstairs when Karin stumbled beside Alix. She reached out to grab Karin to stop her from falling. When she did she felt an odd sensation p
ass between them. Karin gasped and looked at Alix. Everyone stopped.

  “I don’t believe it,” Karin whispered.

  “Is everything okay?” Rick asked.

  “I’m not sure,” Alix replied. “Karin, what just happened?”

  “I think you gave me some of your energy.”

  “What?” Alix asked extremely puzzled.

  “I was so tired that it was a struggle to get up the stairs, that’s why I stumbled. But when you reached out to keep me from falling down I felt something come from your hands and all of a sudden, I wasn’t tired anymore. I think you were able to channel some of your energy into me and restore what I lost tonight.”

  “How can I transfer energy to someone without even trying?” Alix asked no one in particular.

  “Healers are usually able to transfer energy to restore other Nykara, but not usually by accident. I need to find another word other than amazing to describe you, Alix,” Kris said. “Maybe astounding or unbelievable. You just keep doing things that I didn’t think were possible. I know you’re the Chosen One but you’re so new to magic I just keep being amazed by what you’re capable of.”

  Alix didn’t know what to say. She thought it would be great if she could help out those around her that needed it.

  “I think we should see if you can do that again, but on purpose this time,” Ben said smiling. “I think we should go back to the den or somewhere first though. These stairs don’t seem like the best place to test anything.

  They arrived in the den a few minutes later. Alix was able to replicate the energy transfer on all the other Nykara and it didn’t affect her at all. She still felt great, not tired in the least.

  Shay had been quiet for a long time, but she just had to ask, “Do you think that it would work on a human? Like me for example?”

  It was Natalie that answered. “Healers aren’t able to use their magic to heal humans, but I don’t know of anyone trying to give some energy to one. And because it’s Alix we never know what’s going to happen. It’s worth trying though.”