A Legend Changes

Chapter V: Lessons and Secrets

   ‘You had to bring me here.’

   ‘I can’t exactly start teaching you inside, who knows what you’re capable of.’

   ‘You’re going to start teaching me now?’

   ‘Not much, just something you need to know straight away.’

   ‘But... but they’ll be watching,’ I whispered desperately.

   ‘That doesn’t mean anything, it won’t concern them. They won’t get it. Just concentrate on me, you’ll be fine.’

   ‘They don’t know about me, what do you imagine they’ll begin to think?’

   ‘That you’re stronger than you look. Now come on, I only have today to teach you the essentials.’

   ‘Huh?’ I wasn’t going to get the better of him. ‘Why here? By the way.’

   ‘Because.’

   ‘Because what?’

   ‘That doesn’t matter.’ He sounded a bit friendlier than I had heard him speak before, but only a little less reluctant in answering my questions. ‘Now, first thing you need to know is how to shield yourself, without means of weapons. This shield protects you from attacks, by magic and weapons. However, it won’t protect you from natural occurrences.’

   I cocked my head. ‘Explain.’

   ‘If I were to send a magical produced fire ball at you it wouldn’t touch you. However, if you walked through a house fire you’d get burnt. See the difference?’

   I thought about it, and then nodded. I wanted to prove that I was a quick learner; I believed he didn’t believe that.

   ‘Clear your mind, and think of an invisible wall around you not too far away from your body. Put most of your mind onto that thought. Keep thinking of that. Open your eyes, concentrate.’ I concentrated as hard as possible, but (he didn’t know) I have a very good imagination. ‘Now to see if it works.’ He smiled a crooked smile, and I opened my mouth then shut it again.

   I wanted to tell him he was insane, but I knew I’d lose my focus. He raised his hand and a thin, soundless streak of lightning flew at me. I couldn’t move, if I did my shield would go down (if there was one). I shut my eyes, and waited. Nothing happened. Opening one eye, then the other, I saw him smiling though his eyes looked quite surprised. At least I was in one piece. ‘Well done. It took me about three attempts to get that right. Next, shielding your mind.’

   I knew this would be harder. It took me all day to get that part right. I seemed unable to block my thoughts from interrogation by Delrand (I worried of what he might see). Hopefully he would just see if he could penetrate into my consciousness. That was when I found out how strong he was, mentally. No matter how hard I tried to close him out, it never seemed to be hard enough.

   When he thought I’d never get the hang of it, I had had quite enough. With every last ounce of energy left in me I tried for one last time. Expecting it to fail me again, I waited for the pressure on my mind that was Delrand’s conscious. It never came. I still waited, just in case he was biding his time to crush my sudden hope. Still nothing.

   ‘Elara, it’s okay. I can’t get in there,’ he said. I only just heard him speaking. I opened my eyes and he was smiling as he was when I first completed the body shield.

   ‘No chance at all?’

   ‘No. Now you just have to keep it up and both at the same time.’