Spirits

Ch.7 Training to Die

I ran all the way through the grass which has now grown to my knees. I am almost there but I can't see my goal which means either he has a trap set or he planning on actually bringing me down on his own. I sweep the entire field once over quickly and I feel the coldness from his breath on my neck. I don't scream, there is no point. No one is going to help me.

I know he is smiling because he intends on taking me now. He thinks he will fulfill the prophecy right now. But I know he is wrong. I know for a fact that I can get away but I have to use courage to distract him. I turn and face him. He puts one hand around my neck and reaches for a knife in the other. He doesn't push me away he just holds me by the neck. I lean in and kiss him then run............

"Papa!" I woke up in a cold sweat and I knew it was all a dream.

I sat back against the pillows drenched in sweat as I heard my clumsy Papa running down the stairs to save me from a nightmare. I couldn't look away from the ceiling. It was like I was in a trance and I couldn't get out of it. "Aleah!" Papa shouted.

I slowly came back to reality and I looked at Papa, " I had the same one again."

"I know this isn't easy on you but you must stay strong."

I wasn't going to let myself cry I forced myself not to. I am having my birthday soon, but there will be no celebrating. My brother isn't here to celebrate with me.  Papa and I will not find him. We have set out more than 50 times in hopes of finding Primo, but he is gone.

Now every-night I cry, but not because he is gone. I cry because it is my fault. If I had just done what was asked of me instead of trying to play hero Primo would be fine. I am almost 15 and it has been nearly 3 years since I lost my brother and my mother. I don't worry too much about getting revenge for mother. Papa and I have killed more than enough dragons and other creatures to make up for her death.Papa is old now and he is frail. Soon this will all be up to me. We still live in the sanctuary, and I still wear the mark of Balgon.

Papa still worries but he is scarred. I mean literally we both are mentally and physically. I have many scars on my arms, shoulders,and my back. Papa has scars on his hands and legs and back. I don't actually know how much longer he will be able to carry on. I am not afraid of being alone. If Papa is gone then I really will be alone. No mother, father, or brother. I will have no one.

I have been training endlessly. I am learning more and more about myself and my powers everyday. I can shoot fireballs out of my hands, but it takes a lot of energy. I can form things like water and anything wet into sharp shards of crystal. I can control fire for now only with my hands. But Papa did say if I get good enough at it I will have control with my mind.

I can move extreme gusts of wind with my mind and I move and create earth. All I mean is I can create mountains and control earthquakes. I feel pretty special at this point except for the little part about I am supposed to die.

My training schedule is off the charts crazy. I get up in the morning and I get to run out into the woods to find wild-berries for breakfast. Then I literally have no more than 5 minutes to eat and be ready for a scheduled surprise attack. Papa of course is the one controlling the whole thing but I have to use my powers and fight.

I now ave studies on the magical creatures I will possibly encounter. I use the book that Papa gave me. It is pocket sized when it isn't open but somehow I think it possesses its own magic because it never runs out of pages. I write in it everyday during studies where Papa teaches me what he knows. He is always telling me that some of this stuff I will have to find out for myself.

I have learned plenty on who I can trust and who I can't. For example I can trust all forest elves and fairies. I can't trust pixies or gnomes. I can trust the centaurs and findolupis which are basically huge dogs without ears. They are really cute. Papa called for one while we were out in the woods.