The Beginning

It was 10:30 pm. I finally decided that it was time. The house was quiet. All that I could hear was my father’s soft snores. Still, I needed to be careful. My father was a light sleeper. Granted I detested having to sneak out. Especially as it was to learn to manage the abilities, my mother and her family passed down to me. Under normal circumstances, this would have been something to be proud of, but this was not normal circumstances. Therefore, there was no other choice. Just today, I almost set fire to the park, while there were children playing there. Thankfully, no one was hurt. Even better, my father had not heard about it. I did not want him to know.

I mean, how would I explain this all to him? What would I say? Should I just was drop it bluntly? Walk up to him and say, “Hey dad, those abilities that took mom away from us? The same one that killed all her ancestors and half of your family. The ones that left you with that scar on your face and poor hearing? It is flowing through my veins and I can’t control it.”

Yeah that will not work.

He has already been through enough, and I love him to much to let these abilities to take something from him again.

If I could just learn how to control it, then I can stop things from happening unconsciously and unexpectedly. Everything would be fine then.

Luckily, for me, my wandering mind kept me from waking him up. I have a tendency to work better when distracted, and I was now at the backdoor. Quietly I reached out and took the cold doorknob into my palm. Slowly I turned it, and a soft click echoed. I paused to ensure that my father was still asleep and then step out into the cool night.

The beauty of the night always struck me as odd. I grew up with the understanding that late nights were to find me safely indoors, with protection and light to ward off unwanted things.

As I grew older and the fear of the unknown eased, I grew drunk on the alluring pull of the night. At this time, there was peace like no other.

I closed my eyes and breathed in deeply, letting go of everything that had been draining me for the day thus far.

“Peaceful, is it not?” came a soft questioning voice.

I smiled slightly.

“Garb” I said as I exhaled, making his name sound like a sigh.

From the corner of my eye, I saw the owl straighten, and ruffled his feathers as he did earlier when he was annoyed. “It is I, Garbanzo. Are you ready? Ular should be there at the meeting point by now”

I smiled and turned towards the owl. I nodded my head in confirmation.  

“Then let us leave.” He said as he flew up and away.

I could not stop smiling at the grumpy old bird.

 “How does he expect you to follow him if he is all the way up there?” Came a high-pitched voice from down below.

Recognizing it, I turned my smile downwards, where I found Dolcan the Raccoon standing on his hind legs looking up, where Garb disappeared.

I started grinning as the almost human expression of confusion enveloped Dolcan’s face.

“I do not know Dol, maybe that’s why it’s a good thing you are here. You can take me to the training forge.”

“I ooh…yeah, yeah I can do that. Well, I mean, Nori and I can. Don’t worry.” The Raccoon said as he turned and ran off. Looking in the direction he went, just on the edge of the forest, I could see the faint outline of a deer.

I smiled to myself as I walked towards the deer, the raccoon leading the way.

“Hello Dori” I said as I neared.

“Hi Mia! Mind if I tag along?” Nori responded, her innocent voice sounding quite childlike.

“Even better, we’re gonna lead the way!” Dol inserted.

“Oh great, but do we know the way?”

“Urgh, we…we just have to follow that old owl…can you spot him?”

I watched as they both stood looking at the night sky

I joined their search in the sky as I had limited time. My father was an early riser. I needed to get some form of understanding of how to control myself by morning. I did not want to spend another day around people I could potentially harm.

Then I heard an almost inaudible creak of a tree branch. Looking to my left, I tried to spot what and where the sound came from. It could just be the wind, I thought to myself. There was no way someone was out here watching me congregate with forest animals. I shook my head at myself. We needed to move along.

“Hey guys, is there any other way that we can…”

I heard the creaking of the branches again, louder this time.

It could be nothing, but I’m not someone who is usually out this time of the night so my mind is running amok with what I imagine it to be.

I find it difficult to swallow. “Guys!” I spoke louder than I intended to but I was successful in getting the attention of Dol and Nori. They both stood still, looking at me.

Then a voice broke the ensuing silence.

“Why are you all still here?”

I let out a breath I did not know I was holding.

It was Garb.

Old Grumpy Garb who was looking at us with a mix of confusion and annoyance.

“Oh hey Garbanzo Sir, we were just looking for you.” Nori said. Her voice was a pitch or two higher than normal.

“Yeah, how did yah expect us to follow if you’re way up there and we’re way down here?” Dol asked.

“Well for one thing I did not expect either of you to be here,” the owl pompously said despite the validity of the question.

“Yeah well it is a good thing we were here otherwise the human would not be able to find her way to the training grounds.” Dolcon responded, folding his front legs and resting it on his chest.

“Am… I thought it was forge” Nori stated

“Does it matter?” Dol asked

“The sacred training forge has been in existence for more years than you so yes it matters” Garb interjected

 “Oh wow and I guess that makes it special huh?” Dol asked

“Why yes it does,” Garb countered, his tone making it obvious that he thought the question was ridiculous.

“And that’s why you are upset that a human will be seeing it for the first time” Dol accused

Garb seemed to have stood up straighter, like a solider awaiting orders. Except he wasn’t awaiting orders. Judging by the look in his eyes, he was deeply and greatly offended.

While I was interested in Garb’s response, I had a lot more interest invested in not being caught sneaking in by my father. “Hey guys…we’re running out of time. Can we just get this over with?” They all looked at me. “I have to be back home before my father misses me, and I have classes and work and a lot of other stuff to get done. So if we are doing this, we need to get going…”

As though snapping back to reality, they all agreed. Garb flew much lower than before so we were able to follow him.

The journey to the training forge took more than 2 hours.

It was located underground, via a cave. The entrance is in the middle of the forest, or at least what I thought was the middle of the forest. It is indistinguishable from any other cave.

At certain points, the accusation Dol made against Garb earlier made me question what I was doing. I really didn’t know much about them and was going on blind trust with a good dose of naiveté. Nori and Dol seemed friendly. Even though there was something about Garb that inspired you to trust him, there was also something about him that made me think he didn’t trust me.

I thought back to earlier today when we met.

I was at the park, and Erica was at her best again. She and her little gang had once again gotten me cornered. Admittedly, and to my great shame, I was terrified. Nevertheless, if I had to throw a punch, I would. Then I started feeling strange. My body’s temperature kept rising and I felt like I was burning up from the inside out. I started feeling dizzy and it became difficult to focus on anything. I could not even focus on what Erica was saying.

As Erica turn her back on me for whatever reason, I suddenly felt myself go cool. It was as though I was now freezing from the inside out.

Then I look down at my hands and they were on fire. Everything after that was a blur. I remember running away until I found myself hiding behind one of the trees of the forest bordering the park.  I remember hearing screams, although I do not remember screaming.

When I looked at my hands again, it was no longer on fire but as I peeked out from behind the tree, I saw that parts of the park was on fire. Specifically, the path that I had ran through was on fire and it led directly to me.

I was scared; I could not believe what I had done. My mother had died in a fire when I was almost four. So did my aunt, uncle and cousin. Fire was a dangerous ability and I was too scared to think properly.

I began to run again. Run away from all my problems. I needed somewhere safe, but for whose safety? I was not sure if it was for me or for others.

I ran and ran until I fell, and then I just there and cried.

Then heard a soft, innocent child like voice, asking if I was okay. It was Nori.

I met her first, and after the first shock, during which I thought I was losing my mind, she definitely became my favorite animal friend so far.

“We are here.” Garb’s voice snapped me back to reality.

The training forge was dark until Garb lit the torches. His claws holding on to a torch that he used to lit the others. It was a strange thing to see, but I felt as though I would be seeing many strange things from now on.

It was an enormous room with corridors that led to what I assumed were more rooms. It seemed plain, there was nothing much to describe. Except perhaps, for the large brown bear. It sat In the middle of the room, in a meditative pose. Across its lap was a wooden staff with some sort of decoration engraved all over it.

 “Ular, this is Mia. Your new student.” Garb said.

Without opening his eyes, the bear responded.

“So I have heard. Hello Mia. My name, as I am sure you know, is Ular. I am the head of magic in this forest.” He paused, I assume for the information to sink in.

Unfortunately, I did not know much about my mother’s world, other than her ability to manipulate elements.

“I see. I ah…I am Mia Waltler…” I started and then stopped. I swore there was some emotion that flickered in Ular’s eyes but I didn’t quite understand it.

“So this is it?” disappointment and perhaps a tad bit of disgust in Dol’s voice, “This is the oh so special training Ground?” he continued

“Training…Forge” came Garb’s voice, clearly annoyed by the Raccoons disrespect.

“And its secrets will only be revealed to those being trained.”

“Pfft what secret? The secret dirt pi…oh…” Dol’s voice faded as he noticed Ular’s form. He gave a nervous laugh then added,” Oh hi Grandmaster Ular, how is it going?”

“Hello Dolcan, I was just getting to know our young trainee here. She was just about to tell us about herself.

“Is all the formality necessary?” Dol asked, and internally I thank him for his blunt questions.

“The council of Wisdom will decide what is necessary and what is not” Garb stated.

“Okay but how fair is that?” Dol countered

“What exactly are you implying?” Garb asked Dol.

“To train her I need to know what she needs training in.” Ular spoke over them.

“Everything, she knows nothing.” Dol responded on my behalf.

I was both annoyed and wanting to agree with Dol. However, it has been years since I last opened up to someone. It Is not only difficult, but also painful. I have grown comfortable in the walls I built for myself and admitting to not knowing anything was not comfortable for me.

Ular looked at me expectantly, and I could only smile crookedly as a weight began pressing on my chest.

“To help her, I need to understand what aspects of everything she needs help with. Otherwise, we are wasting time. Tell me; are you a child of Mercy Waltler?”

“Yes how do you know my mother’s name?” I asked.

Then it dawned on me, People often told me that mother was always outdoors. Even during the storms. She loved the fierceness of it all. She would often take me on walks in the forest, which a lot of people thought were not safe. Perhaps she was comfortable doing that, because she knew she did not need to be protected from anything here.

Ular nodded slowly almost thoughtfully. The expression of his face making me feel as though he was actually seeing me for the first time. At least that is what I felt; his bear features were a bit stoic.

 “Yes, She was a lovely being” he said softly, and a sadness came over us all.

Not wanting a loss that we all apparently felt, overcome what I came here for, I held back on my pain for another time, preferably one when I was alone.

“I...I have some abilities, I think they are similar to those she had. I am not too sure because my father does not speak of them and my mother died before I really knew her. The thing is that I don’t know how to control them.” I spoke quickly, devoid of emotions.

After a few seconds, Ular sighed and stated “Yes…yes she wasn’t around to teach you how to.” That felt like a wound that would not heal. Ular continued, “This will present a problem. Normally the counsel of each clan trains the younglings in their art. I am an elder member of the counsel of Oora, and I train the animals gifted with these…abilities as you call them.”

“Oh” I said. Did this mean he couldn’t train me?

“So yes, what you are thinking is what I am saying. Another human should train you.

Great how was I supposed to find one? I thought to myself.

“Any idea on how I can get one to?” I asked.

“Well there lies another problem. The council is further divided into groups, each group for a specific clan. So I normally train the bears, Garbanzo here usually trains the owls”

“Wait who trains the Raccoons?” interjected Dol.

“No one because there is no gifted Raccoon!”  Garb responded with frustration in his voice.

“What do you mean exactly?” Nori asked. I almost forgot she was here.

“Are you saying, that I need to be trained by the same person who trained my mom?” I asked, seeking clarification.

“Yes” Ular simply said.

“But if her abilities ran in her family line, and her entire family has died, then there is no one. So I can’t, I don’t …would no one else be able to train me ever?” I asked, trying to hide my growing panic.

Silence engulfed us.

“I just need to learn how to control it so I don’t kill anyone…” I stated aloud to no one in particular.

Looking at Ular, Garb spoke, “This, this is a difficult situation, but she will be helped.”

Then looking at me he added, "We will help find a suitable teacher for you and in the mean time we can perhaps help with the not killing anyone part. How does that sound?”  

The owl’s head tilted slightly as he looked at me, and I felt as though he was trying to be genuinely helpful.

It was something, which was better than nothing was. I nodded because I did not trust myself to speak.

I watched as Ular reached behind him and brought forth a cloth bag. He rummaged through a bit and gathered some items from it. I couldn’t see clearly what the items were. But he opened a container of something and poured a liquid out into a bowl. He then asked me to borrow a bracelet my father gave to me on my 12^th birthday. I have rarely taken it off.

I watched as he closed both of his paws over it and said words that I did not hear. Then he dipped my bracelet once, into the bowl containing the liquid. The he held it up like an offering to no one in particular.

The bracelets glowed bright orange for a bit then it stopped.

He then gave it back to me.

“Never take this off, until you are certain you can control what is within you.”

I nodded and put the bracelet back on. It felt slightly tingly. Then the tingle spread to my arms, and then my entire arm and soon enough my entire body felt it. Then the feeling faded. Once it faded, I started feeling extremely tired and drowsy. Like I hadn’t slept in weeks. Against my better judgement, I lay back and went to sleep.