(Part two)

  Grim releases a breath, sitting back. "Well that went better than I expected." He grumbles, breaking the five minutes of silence we've had since....

   I take a second.

  "Um, excuse me for asking. But what exactly was that?" I ask, still taking deep breaths to control myself.

   That just felt....weird.

   I shiver, rubbing my left hand over the vein-like-scars on my right forearm that were glowing blue no longer than five minutes ago.

   I take notice that the sun is now out, judging the time to be somewhere around six in the morning. The wind has died down, only a small breeze left.

   "That, Callon." Grim slowly stands up. "Was your energy." He simply states, cracking his back.

    I blink.

    "And once again. I have no idea what that means." I tell him, narrowing my eyes.

    He walks over to the dead fire. "Your energy is...well, it's a part of you. Your very essence so to speak." He explains.

    He looks back over at me. "As we like to call it here: Magic." A small smile crinkles at the side of his lips.

    I wince. That's what I was afraid of.

    "Everyone has the potential to use it, as we all have it inside of us." He further explains. "But, though everyone can use it. Some aren't able to harness this, this...power."

   "The creatures all over this world are born with the natural ability to harness their energy." He goes on. "Regular humans on the other hand, need to be taught. Sometimes even for years and years before they even grasp the concept of it." 

   "And you, Callon." His eyes stay on me. "As I explained yesterday." His voice grows noticeably tighter, and I feel another stab of guilt hit me. "Are an Elf."

   "And not just any Elf. A Elf with royal blood." He eyes me. "Which means you have more than just the capabilities needed to perform magic."

    I just stare at him.

   "That happened just like on the cliff the other day." Roxie suddenly says, making my attention snap over to her.

    She's still sitting beside the dead fire, a stick in her hand as she absentmindedly drags it through the dirt.

    "What happened?" Grim asks her, not knowing about that little incident because no ones said anything about it.

     My chest tightens, and I look back to the ground. Images of the charred flesh flashing before my eyes.

    "That's how we ended up in the river in the first place." I see her look over at me from the corner of my eye.

     "We were being chased through the woods by these, these...." She struggles to come up with some sort of way to explain them. "These monstrous wolves." She decides on, her eyes growing wide as she recalls them.

    Grim suddenly stands straighter, his attention caught. "Were they very large? Red eyes?" He questions, holding his hand up to his hip to illustrate a height.

   Roxie nods. Grim only looking more fueled by her answer.

   "And did they have these strange markings on their chests?" Roxie nods again. "Colors mixed in with their coats also?"

   "Yes." Roxie answers. "So what were they since you seem to know what it is I'm talking about." Roxie points out.

    Which he does.

    He bends down, sitting down on a large boulder. "They are Delgaran wolves." He explains. "In Elven that means, red horror."

   Well that's comforting.

  "They're known only to live in the forsaken forest. One of the most ferocious and feared wild animals we have around here." He continues.

  Roxie leans forward. "And exactly why is that?" She further questions.

  And I thought she never wanted to bring this topic up again.

  So much for that.

  "Well." He makes a face. "For starters, they like human flesh." He leans back. "They sometimes purposely go out looking for someone to devour. But usually they just stay in the forest. Waiting for some unfortunate soul to get lost."

   Roxie shudders, wrapping her arms around herself.

   I could've told you earlier they were human eaters. I could see that just from looking at them.

   "Besides just their large size, they're also feared because unlike most wild animals; These are cunning, and intelligent."

   I swallow, remembering the odd, human-like emotions I'd seen in the alphas eyes.

   "No ones' seen one and lived to tell the tale." He finishes, looking back at me. "Except now." His voice drifts off.

   He motions back to Roxie. "But do continue. I'm sorry for interrupting." He apologizes.

   Roxie nods. "So we were being chased through the woods by a pack of...Delgaran wolves." She struggles on the odd word. "Callon here ended up leading us to a cliff that hangs fifteen feet above the river." She pointedly looks at me, expression flat.

   I roll my eyes. Of course she just had to blame it all on me.

   But I guess it was my fault.

  "I honestly thought we were going to die, because here was a pack of hungry wolves at our front, and a roaring river at our back." She dramatically throws her hands up. "Callon ends up smacking one of the wolves with a tree branch as it jumps at us." She continues, and I see Grim look over at me with slight admiration.

   I look back down at the ground as I feel my face warm.

   "But right after that, he just collapses down to the ground. And before I know it, there's this red haze coming off him." She shudders. "It was really creepy. He started getting these red lines along both his arms - even some on his neck. And, and." She glances over at me, almost as if she's afraid to say whatever it is.

  "And his eyes were...glowing...red."

   I wince. A image of myself growing in my mind.

   Great.

   "There's suddenly these hot waves of heat coming off him. And then," she glances back at me.

   "Then he started screaming and everything around him kinda just....exploded outward." She explains.

   "The trees blew backwards, practically snapping in half. Then there was this one really hot explosion that went out around him in a circle. All the wolves....catching on fire." She whispers the last part, her voice fading.

    I stare down at my fisted hands, trying to calm my racing heart.

  "After that, the lead wolf suddenly jumped out of nowhere and Callon pushed me over the side." She shrugs. "And that's how we ended up in the river."

   It's silent for a moment.

  "That is quite the story." Grim breaks the silence. "Hmm, but now how should I put this." He mumbles to himself, tapping his chin.

   "Callon, the energy inside of you has grown each day of your life. It's grown with you." He starts with. "Now as it grows, it also gets harder to conceal. Because well, it's getting bigger."

    "What?" I question, his words not really making sense to me.

     He meets my eyes. "When you lived here in Orelon, you were freely able to let that energy out whenever you felt the need to."

    "But when you were sent to earth, we decided the only way to keep you completely safe was to dampen those abilities." His eyes grow sad.

   "I performed a sealing spell on you which temporarily seals away all energy." He grimace. "I wish I could say it was a simple procedure." He shakes his head. "But it wasn't. And it most definitely was not painless."

    I grimace. Glad I don't remember that part.

   "But alas. The seal doesn't last forever, and after only a few years it was already beginning to weaken."

   "Orenda often gave you a herbal tea for your migraines, yes?" Grim questions me.

   I slowly nod.

    "Well that specific herb was actually from here - In Orelon. A herb which also has the same properties as the sealing spell. It just doesn't have such a lasting affect." Why am I not surprised? "I would deliver her a years worth of supply once each year - which was when I would visited with you, Callon." He smiles.

   "Now all this didn't completely help to quench all your...hyper energy." He runs a hand through his beard.

    "The unrestrained energy would often leak out, resulting in some...unfortunate circumstances." He looks down.

    My heart stops. That's what happened that day....

   So it was my fault.

    He glances over at me, probably knowing what I'm thinking about.

   "You see, your energy reacts to your emotions." He continues. "So when you're over tressed, worried, upset, angered, afraid, or even too excited. It would escape."

   "Sometimes not that much, but other times....other times it was bad." He trails off.

   My mind thinks back to all the mishaps I've had in my life. Where something just didn't make sense.

   That day Orenda gave me the stone, the light exploded in my room. And the last day at school when Brian humiliated me, those lights exploded also. Plus many other 'incidents.'

   Everything suddenly becomes clearer.

  "Think of it like a bottle of soda." Grim says, gaining my attention again.

   Well I guess someone knows a little more about earth than I'd originally expected.

   "Say your energy is the soda inside the container. The lid is the seal plus the herb." He spreads his hands out. 

    "Every time your emotions get too stressed, the bottle shakes from the reaction." He emphasizes.

    "And what happens when you vigorously shake a bottle of soda and open the cap?" He looks between Roxie and me.

    "It explodes." Roxie breaths out after a minute, eyes widening with realization.

    Grim solemnly nods. "Exactly." He agrees.

    I get a sinking feeling in my chest.

    "Your energy was never meant to be restrained, Callon." He stares at me, his voice sad.

    A thought hits me.

    "So all those migraines I've dealt with for thirteen years...." I slowly start. "Was all because of that - my...energy?" I question.

    "Yes. And I'm so very sorry for all the pain you went through because of that." His eyes grow cloudy.

    I cross my arms.

   "But it was necessary to keep you...." He suddenly trails off, his eyes widening as a thought hits him. He stands up - much too quick for a old man, frantically walking towards me.

   "Callon, what exactly were you dreaming about before you woke up?" He questions. "Because it must've been something by the way you were reacting to it." He adds.

   I lean back as he stands over me, his attitude growing worried - more worried than when I had blue tendrils floating in the air.

   The dream.....

   My heart speeds up at the thought of it, my mind having momentarily forgotten it after the whole energy incident.

   But I can't seem to recall the whole exact thing. The dream only bits and pieces floating around in my head.

  "I was somewhere dark." I start with, squinting as I try to remember it. "It smelled horrible." I wrinkle my nose as the smell comes back.

   Wait. Can you even smell things in a dream?

  "I can't really remember everything." I tell Grim who's still looking down at me with frantic eyes. "Just bits and pieces."

   "There were two people."

   "What did they look like?" Grim suddenly interrupts me, scooting closer.

   I shake my head. "I couldn't make out either of their faces." I lick my lips. "But there was this really tall one dressed in black robes. A cowl hanging over his face." I stare over at I tree as more of the dream comes back to me.

    "He, he was holding a whip in his hand." I bring a hand up to my neck, only to feel a stab of guilt as I remember the necklace isn't there anymore.

   Because I ripped it off my neck yesterday night and threw it on the ground like the worthless person I am.

   My eyes automatically glance over to the ground where I know I discarded it yesterday.

   Only it's no longer there anymore.

   My heart unexplainably picks up. Where'd it go?

    I look back up at Grim who's been patiently waiting the whole minute I've spaced out.

   I shudder. "And he was whipping...someone." I whisper out, the horror from watching it coming back full force.

   Grim's eyes widen more, his face growing almost....fearful.

   Huh?

   "Oh my." He taps his chin, eyes going distant. "Could it possible be...." He snaps out of...whatever that was, coming back to the present.

   "Did you hear any words?" He rushes out, shaking his head as I give him a blank stare. "Did anyone speak?" He rewords, looking anxious.

   I lean back further, those two cold words rushing back to me.

   "Yeah, actually." I nod. "Two words."

    Grim motions for me to continue.

     "No escape." I gauge his reaction, wondering why he's making this dream seem like a big deal.

    It was just a worthless dream. My overstressed mind probably just bringing up stuff from horror movies I've watched before....

   Right?

   He runs a hand down his face. "Oh dear." He breaths, looking like he's contemplating something.

   He abruptly straightens up, walking over to his stash of bags.

   I stare at him as he quickly looks through them, confused by his drastic change in attitude.

  He brings a hand up to his mouth, and I wince as he gives a sudden piercing whistle. He throws a bag over his shoulder, picking another one up as he kicks some dirt over the already dead fire.

   "What are you doing?" Roxie questions from her spot by the fireplace, eyeing him.

   "I'm afraid we'll have to eat breakfast 'on-the-go,' as the earthly people like to put it." He says, not even pausing his frantic packing.

    "What. Why?" Roxie stands up, placing her hands on her hips.

    "Because." He straightens up, looking seriously between us. "That 'evil king' I was talking about yesterday, has the ability to mess with someone's mind." He crushes his hands to together. "To manipulate people's dreams to what he wants them to be." He explains.

    It stays quiet for a minute.

    "Soooo." Roxie drawls out, looking over at me. "What he dreamed wasn't actually his dream at all?" She questions. "It was what the 'king-guy' wanted it to be?"

    I don't like where this conversation is going.

    "Yes. Exactly." Grim agrees, walking a few steps to the right. Going suspiciously quiet as he seems to go deep in thought.

   Great. As-If I don't already have enough on my plate, now I've got to add someone messing with my mind to that list.

    "Which is why we need to move now. Because while he's inside your head, he could've been trying to gather information as-to where you are." He states without even drawing a breath.

    I stand up as there's sudden loud footsteps from the right, Roxie glancing over in that direction. I tense, stepping back as I prepare for the worse.

    My eyes land on Grim who's bent down, still gathering up some bags.

    Doesn't he notice there's something coming?....Maybe he's partially deaf?

    "Grim what are you-whoah!" I scramble backwards as something suddenly trots into our little clearing, Roxie falling back from the sudden surprise also.

     Standing there, now muzzling Grim on his shoulder as he pats it compassionately on the neck.

    Is a white horse.

    I just stare.

    Where did that come from?

    Grim quietly talks to it, looking up into its eyes.

    "Where exactly did that come from?" I ask, pointing at the horse.

    I mean come on, we've been camping here for like seventeen hours, and there's been zero signs of a horse during that time.

    "That, Callon." He pointedly looks over at me. "Is Arveldis." He introduces, walking around to the pile of bags he has.

    "She's beautiful." Roxie breaths in awe, taking a step closer to the horse.

    Alright, I have to admit the horse is quite elegant.

    She probably stands around sixteen hands, her slick coat a pure white. The slight feathering at the hooves and her distinguished shape reminding me of a Friesian horse.

    Roxie raises her hand up as-if to pet her, suddenly stopping as she thinks of something.

   She looks over at Grim. "Can I?" She asks.

   Grim looks over towards her from his bent over position, a slight smile on his lips.

    "You may. She loves attention." He oddly looks over at the horse as he speaks - almost like he was talking to a person.

    Arveldis snorts, pawing the ground as she swings her head over towards Grim.

    He holds his hands up defensively. "It's the truth." He says.

    I furrow my brow, looking between the horse and Grim.

   Okay, so either Grim has officially lost it, or.....

    Roxie hesitantly places her hand on the horses neck, gently stroking her. "Why is it you speak to her as-if she understands what you're saying?" She looks questionably over at Grim.

     Grim hoists a bag over Arveldis back. "That's because she does." He answers, not stopping his progress.

    He looks between both Roxie's and my bewildered stare.

    "Most creatures on this world are nothing like the ones on earth." He continues. "They're more intelligent." He taps his head. "But me and Arveldis have a special connection. Don't we Arveldis, dear?" He pats her neck.

     She just snorts, twisting her head to look back at him.

     "You see, Arveldis is my spirit animal." He elaborates, working on adding another bag to his collection already on her back.

     "Spirit animal?" Roxie looks wide eyed at Arveldis.

      "Yes. In Orelon most everyone has one they eventually meet." He grabs another bag. "A spirit animal is a part of you. They feel what you feel, as you feel what they feel." He continues.

     "And eventually. Once you've grown a strong connection." He looks over at Arveldis. "You're able to communicate with each other."

     Roxie's eyes widen more. "Wow." She whispers, still stroking Arveldis.

    Well, I suppose if Roxie can believe this absurd explanation, then I can.

    It's not much worse than what we've already been told. I guess anything is possible now.

    "So." Roxie speaks up. "Doe that mean Callon will have one?" She glances over at me.

    Grim looks over at me also. "Oh yes, most definitely." He confirms.

    I snort, holding my hands up. "Excuse me, I don't know if you remember what I said yesterday. But I in no way want, or need a spirit animal." I walk over to the right, rubbing my bandaged right hand.

    "Oh, I remember quite distinctly, Callon." Grim replies, his voice growing a tinge harder. "But like how you can't simply ignore your energy anymore now that it's grown too strong, you won't be able to escape this either."

    No escape

   The words float into my mind unbidden, freezing me in place.

   Maybe those words have more meaning than what they seem.

   "Which that reminds me." Grim says, walking over towards the path that leads to the river. He disappears, everything growing awkward as I recall all I said yesterday.

    Roxie's still over beside Arveldis, running her fingers through her mane as her eyes grow distant.

   Grim suddenly reappears in only a minute, walking straight for me. He stops two feet in front of me.

    "Hold your hand out." He abruptly says.

    I look up at him, but comply anyway.

    He holds his hand above my open left palm, opening his up. A stone a quarter of the size of my hand plops down into my palm, cold to the touch.

    I stare down at it, wondering why he just gave me a rock.

   "I know you want nothing to do with this world, Callon. But in order for you to be able to live a relatively safe life without you self-destructing, you need to be taught how to control that energy." He steps back.

   I let a breath out, already knowing what he's saying is true.

   I can't let that accident happen again.

   I nod. "Alright, so can you teach me?" I ask, motioning towards him.

   "Yes, yes I can." He walks back to Arveldis, finishing up his little project of fastening his bags to her.

    I wait a minute. "So what do I do?" I peer over at him, waiting for an explanation.

    "Fist your left hand." He simply says, still not facing me.

    I raise an eyebrow, closing my hand with the rock. I look back over at him, expecting him to say a little more.

    "Now open it." He adds.

    I frown, opening my palm.

    "Well, what now?" I take a step closer to him.

    He looks back at me. "Now you repeat what you just did."

    I stare blankly at him, wondering if this is a joke. "That's all I do? Simply open and close my hand?" I have to fight to keep my voice low, agitation boiling to the surface.

   Roxie looks back at me, humor in her eyes.

    "Yes. That is the first step towards learning how to control it." He states, picking up his staff that'd been laying against a rock.

    That just seems stupid to me.

     "Now." He turns to face both Roxie and me. "It's time we get moving. The longer we stay in one spot the faster someone will find us."

   He heads towards the path that leads towards the river. "Let's get going." He urges.

  Arveldis follows Grim down the path. Roxie staring at me a second before she too begins to follow them.

   I run my right hand through my hair, staring down at the rock in my left hand.

  I close my left fist, feeling the smooth stone restrict my hand from closing completely.

   Let's hope this works.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A/N

  Hello!

  So good news. I've got a new book out! So anyone who enjoys Action/Superhero books
Should totally check it out! I'd really appreciate it!☺️

  It's called: Unmasking MidKnight.

  http://my.w.tt/UiNb/MYXQIvsDCE

   Please take a look!

   Now, some bad news. I will most likely not be updating this book, or my FanFic book until I have six parts to my new book. Sorry, but I need to have those chapters written in order to enter it into the Wattys2017. (I know I won't win. But it's worth a shot XD) By August 1st.

   Okay, so I hope this chapter wasn't too boring.

   You know the drill: Vote! Comment! Check out my new book! 📖📖

Maggy