Control it, before it controls you.

The day had started as it should have. As any other day normally had. I had training with Eleric, bright and early.

“You need to control the power, before it controls you, Faven.”

That's what he always said, I was rarely convinced. Waking up at sunrise every morning just seemed a little excessive to me. But he was the only family I had, and I trusted him with my life. So if he said to wake up at any ungodly hour, I would listen.

Other than lack of sleep. My life was fine, perfect even, some would say. Or so that was what is seemed to be. Anyone on the outside looking in would be envious of me, my life, how I lived. I lived with Eleric. Deep in the woods, in a massive tree house that was invisible to the naked eye. I could do pretty much whatever I wanted, had close to no rules, and lived like royalty.

And yet I hated my life. And had chosen to hide, for fear of people seeing me for how I really was.

You see, the thing about me, I’m not a normal person. At least, not like you would think I would be. When I was little, my parents decided to do a water birth. My mom collapsed right on top of me and I drowned. I died. I shouldn’t be alive right now. But Eleric was there. He was what we call a Tarrakan. An elemental. He was capable of controlling both water, and air. His water though, was different. He could heal with it, even bring life back into the dead. Hence, how I’m still here.

When he healed me, the power that flowed through my veins triggered something in me. It ignited the same power that he held, in me.

I would grow to manifest with not two, not three, but all four elements.

My parents? They’ve been gone forever now. Killed in a freak storm accident over ten years ago. I just turned 17. I don’t remember much about them. Only that my mother had the softest blue eyes, and my father's hands were rough and calloused from tanning hides and lumberjacking.

Eleric had raised me, trained me. But I was explosive, out of control. Dangerous, even.

I knew I was a threat to people, and I was terrified. Terrified of what I could do, terrified of me. I was too scared. Too anxious. I had to run.

I convinced Eleric that I had to be taken away. Far away. To a secluded forest where I could practice safely, far away from anyone. Where I wouldn’t put anyone else in danger. I hadn’t hurt people before, but I’d gotten way too close for comfort. I would never be able to live normally. Never be able to do as much as step foot into a town. I was too deadly.

It was just another day, another normal day. I got up, I ate, fed my horse, Vee. It was when I was training when things went bad.

I can still remember it like it was yesterday.

“Concentrate Fave!”

Zing.

Yet another arrow flew by my head, nicking my ear. I fought the urge to scream in frustration, throwing my hands up, trying to conjure a shield in front of me. Instead, flames shot from my hands. Setting the nearest tree ablaze.

“Ric please, I can’t do this.”

He tilted his head at me,

“Since when have you ever let something defeat you? Try again, focus, close your eyes, concentrate on the earth beneath you.”

I huffed in frustration, but complied. I closed my eyes, planted my feet, and willed the earth to move. When it didn’t, I got more frustrated.

“This is pointless I- GAH.”

I stumbled back, he’d shot another arrow. This time, it sliced open my cheek. I felt blood trickling down my face.

“What the heck!”

He said nothing, merely knocking another arrow into place, and aiming it directly towards me.

“Eleric, stop!”

But he didn’t. He shot it again, I flung up my hands, trying to guard myself, a gust of wind knocked them slightly to the left of me.

He kept going. Arrow, after arrow, after arrow. Cutting into my flesh, making my skin burn with pain. And I kept stumbling backwards, tripping over tree roots and branches. Yelling out every time a new arrow found its place in my skin.

I heard the sound of him pulling another arrow back, and I screamed.

“STOP!”

That’s when I felt it, a surge of energy, of power. One that was uncontrollable. I tried to tell him, tried to make it stop before it happened, but it was too late.

I arched back, my head thrown backwards at the sheer force of the energy flowing through and out of me.

My hands started shaking, my eyes, forced shut. I was frozen, unable to move. Vines started slowly creeping up my arms. The earth, trembling beneath me, began to split open. I tried in vain to make it stop, tried to call out. But my mouth wouldn’t move. None of me would. I was paralyzed.

I could hear Eleric shouting for me. Trying desperately to snap out of it. But I couldn’t. I screamed in pain, feeling every bone in my body being pushed out of place as I was dragged to the ground. The earth trying to swallow me.

I summoned every drop of strength I could muster, and pushed my eyes open. Then, I pulled my head up, forcing myself through the energy surges, crying out in pain. I didn't give up until I was looking at the sky. I looked at the clouds, and let out my breath. The moment I did, it stopped.

The earth settled, piecing itself back together, my bones popped and cracked as they put themselves back, I collapsed onto the ground, gasping for breath. Tears streaming down my face. My body writhing in agony.

He ran to me, pulling me into his arms, pressing his hands against my temples like he had so many times before. I knew that there was water flowing around my head without having to look. I sighed in relief as the pain eased. It was still there, but more of an achy pain then a sharp cutting pain.

Helping me sit up, staring at me with pride in his eyes.

“You did it.”

I looked at him, my eyebrows knit together tightly,

“Did what?”

“Controlled it. Faven. You controlled it.”

I blinked rapidly.

“I-I did?”

Nodding quickly, he ran over to where his quiver lay and grabbed an arrow.

The second it had left his hand, mine was in the air, swirling around. A stream of water appeared in the air around my hand, stopping it before it could make contact with me.

“Yes!”

He pumped his fist into the air.

“I knew you could do it! You did that!”

I smiled slightly, though my breath was still labored.

“Yeah… I guess I did.”

Four months later.

I was not ready for this. Not in the slightest.

I wanted nothing more than to curl up and disappear. Never to be seen again, anything to keep me from having to do what I was about to do.

I had learned how to control the power. I mastered it now. I wasn’t as afraid anymore. But I was however, not ready to show people my powers, to show them me.

Eleric had rushed into my room this morning, shouting about a village that was under attack, that they needed us. I had pleaded with him, saying he could simply do it on his own. But he just shook his head.

“They need both of us Fave.”

And now, here I was. Riding Vee through the woods, about to be seen, about to have my power be seen. For the first time, in 6 years.

We reached the town, I saw houses burning, heard the sound of children screaming.

I got off my horse, and ran to into the middle of it all. Not caring who saw, or who was around, only knowing that I had to save them.

I closed my eyes, held my arms out, and let the power come.