Genesis: Rough Draft Edition (Angel Protocol, Book 1)

Chapter 9: Shawn II

Chapter 9: Shawn

"I shouldn't have lost my temper like that," Jasmine said. She took a couple of breaths and looked at the wall that Lisa made explode. She shook her head. "I'm trying to do the right thing, but I'm scared too. What if I'm not following the right path?"

Everyone in our group always thought of Jasmine as fearless. To a degree she was, but I knew she could be vulnerable. That vulnerability is one of the few things that attracted me to her. She always did what she thought was right and in accordance with faith. She is only human though and she is well aware of when she makes a mistake.

"I don't know what the right move is," I said. "But we do need each other. Now."

"I"m going to apologize and we'll figure out our next move. Tensions are still high, so maybe we should focus on calling these powers."

I agreed with her and we started praying. After that, we meditated on our elements. I could feel the water inside my body. The ambient water in the air around us. The water inside everyone. The feeling washed over my body like a shower. The coldness set in and I started freezing. My limbs couldn't move and felt numb. The cold tried to take over and I panic. I tried to focus on my friends, family, and god. The coldness was too painful though. The feeling of water and cold drown me. My heart races as I tried to move. Tried to open my eyes, but nothing happened. Is this what everyone was going through? Being attacked by their element? Why didn't this happen when I used my power for the first time. Desperation?

The coldness of the room joined in. I still couldn't open my eyes, but I could see water and cold energy submerging me. I thought I would die, either by drowning or frostbite. I didn't think this would happen. Water I thought would be easy to call. How could I misjudge this element? I thought of water as calm and easygoing. I was wrong. Dead wrong. Water was what destroyed the world at one point. Noah and his family had to build an ark. Why did I think my personality could handle an element like that. Water was cold when it attacked as a tsunami. There was no feeling of water disasters. Like there was no feeling from the cold and water trying to kill me. I didn't get the chance to tell Jasmine how I felt about her. To graduate.

My faith wavered as I remembered the night these cursed halos appeared. The Ibis flew around my memories. Egyptian pyramids flashed in my eyes. I thought about the power I manifested that helped free us from our restraints. That gave us clothes. Why didn't the water attacked me like this then? I didn't want to die. Not like this. Not to the water or the cold. I had to calm myself. If this is where I die then at least I helped. I focused on the good things I did in life. Helping Imhotep. The coldness started to waver. The drowning receded. I understood water in a way I never knew. Water was calm, but it could adapt. I had to respect that and I had to be like water. I had to flow and be cold. I thought about the woman Lilith and how I let her scare me. My life is meaningless if I let demons scare me. Now the cold and water joined with me.

My eyes opened and with my staff, I could feel my power. The power of word manifestation. I understood my power and how it worked. Water and the cold would follow me and I would respect both.

I turned to look at Jasmine and her eyes were glowing yellow. She lifted her sword and a burst of light emitted from the tip. Two frogs made of light hopped around before becoming real frogs.

"Well looks like you two managed to tame your elements," Imhotep said.

"You didn't tell us they would attack us," I said. "I think Bruce is right about you."

"They only attack you because you doubted yourself. I told you calling your power is a spiritual experience. If you doubt yourself, you can't call your power. Remember that. In a fight, you will be able to call your weapon, but your power, if there is any doubt. Your power will fail you. You have to know yourself."