The Moonstone (Enchantment Book 1) (26 page)

Each time she talks about humans, I feel I want to spit in her face. Is she right? Will I finally lose all my humanity? I don't want to become like her or Black. But I don't feel so different from Flicka and Pax; they seem braver and more adventurous, but that's not so bad on the whole. I think about all the moments I would like to relive, and all those I would rather forget.

"So, how should I do this? Do I just pick a memory? Is that all?"

"Choose an emotion that's easy for you and find a moment in your past that you associate with it."

I think for a moment, what emotion is easy for me? It's hard to say.

"I don't know what emotion to pick. I'm a bit lost with everything that's happened over the past few days."

"I see. You know Lou, the darkest emotions are sometimes the easiest to relive. Think about a moment you felt angry, a time you felt betrayed. Have you ever been betrayed, Lou?"

Bethany tilts her head and looks at me, raising her eyebrow ever so slightly. A sarcastic smile plays on her lips.

"I guess so..."

"Well then, use it. Dive into the deepest reaches of your emotions and use it as a lever that will bring you back to the exact moment you’re thinking about."

Even though I don’t want to relive it, Bethany has opened a door for me and the thing I don't wish to think about has resurfaced for an instant. I feel my anger slowly rise and I close my eyes. I can see them together...laughing hysterically. My throat tightens.

"Ok, I see you’re now submerged. Place your energy."

I concentrate it while keeping my eyes shut. I feel a tear roll down my cheek and in an instant I feel a cool breeze as if the whole room is suddenly filled with air conditioning. I open my eyes and find myself somewhere else altogether. The room is almost too familiar. I am in Joemy's house on that terrible day. I turn because I hear the door to the room opening and I see myself back on the worst day of my life. It's strange to look at yourself from another point of view, as if I were a spectator to my own life, except that this episode is far from being my favorite one. I can see how innocent I was then and I know that I lost that naiveté and optimism on that fateful day.

I enter further into the room; I might as well get it over with as quickly as possible. The scene is pitiful; Marie is there, on Joemy and both seem to be ignoring my existence. How could they show no pity for me at this point? This was my lover and my best friend. Now I see them with some distance, I wonder what I ever saw in them? As I'm thinking about it, the me from the past walks in and I pity her as she looks utterly terrified, or rather, I, look terrified. It's sad to see suffering in its purest form, especially to see it on one's own face. The two bullies hurt me with their taunts and Machiavellian laughter and I watch myself run away. The spectacle of these two accomplices clapping their hands and continuing to laugh long after my flight makes me want to throw up. Maybe Bethany’s right; maybe I will lose my humanity, especially if humans are capable of such cruelty. As I sigh, I feel my body return.

"So, did you succeed?" asks Bethany, a little skeptical.

"Yes, unfortunately."

"And why do you say, unfortunately?"

"Because I never wanted to relive something so painful. Who would choose to relive the worst moments of their lives? Did you want me to suffer? I can see by your smile that you’re happy to have made me feel this again. Am I wrong?"

"Come on, Lou. I think you give me too much credit. My only goal is to help you evolve. I find it fantastic. Just imagine the strength that’s starting to awaken in you. Do you have any idea what this successful exercise means about the strength of your powers?"

If using this power means reliving anger, sadness and pain, I prefer not to have it!

"So I suggest you find vivid enough positive emotions because otherwise you'll never be able to recreate what you just did and that would be a shame."

"Well, I prefer trying with positive emotions and failing rather than feeling like I do now and succeeding."

"Ok, well, whatever. It's you who decides whether or not you become a powerful enchanter or a mediocre one. We'll continue this after lunch and you'll use your insipid little emotions. I'll see you later."

                                                                 ***

I look for Flicka and Pax on our usual sofa and what do I find but Éloï and Pyros sitting with them.

"Here, now finally our master arrives," says Pyros sarcastically.

"Pyros! She is neither our master, nor our leader. She hasn't officially chosen yet, so try to be on your best behavior," orders Éloï, elbowing him in the ribs.

"So, you decided to choose without consulting us," accuses Flicka, crossing her arms across her chest.

"Well, I didn't think I needed to consult you, but yes, I did. I know you'll all get along in the end."

"Speak for yourself, I don't care if we get along or not. All that I want is to be able to work together," adds Pyros, turning his knife as he speaks.

"Ok, let’s do a little test to see if we make a good team. Follow me."

I grab a chocolate croissant on my way by the table and look back to make sure my four amigos are following me. Surprisingly, they’re all there, trailing me. They’re probably more curious than interested, but I don't really care as long as they come.

We go out to the garden where I train with Zach. I look at my team to assess them. Pax has his hands in his pockets, Flicka is playing with Merlin, Éloï is chewing on her fingernails and Pyros is taking the bark off a tree with his knife.

Is this my great team? I can't help but wonder if I've made a right choice. My biggest worry is about my own capacities. Will I be a good chief for this team; am I really the best person to lead them?

I think for a few moments about what I’ll do. I brought them here hoping to be inspired with a great idea that’ll make them feel like a team rather than individuals. I suddenly remember a discussion I had with my father about how he managed to create teams when he was developing his video games. He told me that he looked for three things in each team member: first was their primary strength, next was their weakness, that they worked on so as to turn it into a strength, and finally there was the trigger or the thing that made them smile. That's what helped to create a bond between the members.

"Ok, I’m convinced that you’re the four best possible candidates for this team in the whole Academy. I know it's hard to take my word for it because I’m new to the world of magic."

There, I just revealed my weakness, now for my strength.

"However, as you know, I was raised by humans and I understand a world that you know nothing about. I’ll be able to teach you all about it. My sign is Ether and, according to Bethany, I’m very powerful. That will certainly be to your advantage."

I see I have their attention now, but they still don't seem very motivated. I’ll have to find a way to be more impressive. To that end, I send an enormous ball of energy to a tree branch that cracks and falls on impact.

"Wow! That's too cool!! Did you learn to do that today, or have you known how to do that all along?" asks Flicka, stunned.

"In fact, it was Monday during combat classes with Zach when we realized my potential. So, what do you think?"

The four of them look seriously awed, rather three of them do… Pyros still hasn't raised an eyebrow.

"Flicka, come here."

She joins me at the front of the group, saluting me as if she were a soldier addressing a general.

"Flicka, as we know, can talk to animals. But her primary skill is really impressive. Pyros, come here, please."

Pyros, leaning up against a tree, doesn't move a muscle.

"Come on, Pyros, don't be such a mule-headed fool. Go and help her," orders his sister.

"What do you want?" he asks me.

"Lend me your knife, believe me, you'll like this."

He scowls at me, but to my amazement, he closes his knife and tosses it to me.

I catch and open it. Ignoring Flicka, who is now shaking her head, I slice a deep cut into the palm of my hand.

Flicka sighs and concentrates her energy around my wound, which closes up in a matter of seconds.

"Why didn't you show that off the other day at the ceremony?" argues Éloï, coming to examine my hand.

"I hate to have someone hurt themselves only to show off my skill. I prefer to use my animal tricks."

"Anyways, in combat, a healer will be vital to us."

Suddenly Pyros seems a little more interested and comes forward to retrieve his knife.

"Flicka, your weakness is that you use your relationship with animals for party tricks, but it could really be useful on the battlefield. Your gift as a healer is really incredible, but I think we need to develop techniques to use animals differently."

"I know, you're right, but I feel I lack imagination. Other than Merlin and a few other rodents, I've never actually tried it on other animals."

“It figures, you have the gift of speaking to animals and you content yourself with chatting with rats," snarls Pyros. He's obviously the one that will be the hardest to convince.

"Hey, he’s not a rat, he’s a ferret and you should know that Merlin is brilliant," replies Flicka, visibly upset.

"Ok, that's enough Pyros. We don't know each other very well yet, but I’ve noticed that you never seem to be without your knife. Show us your best Swiss Army knife."

That's it, now I've got his attention; he’s keen to impress. He walks to the front of the group and then further into the field. He opens a section of his gadget and a long metal wire that resembles Indiana Jones' whip pops out. He holds it in one hand and ignites the other with an intense blaze. Then he lights the metal cable. He starts twirling the wire as if he was lion tamer and after a couple of seconds, there is an immense ball of fire surrounding him. It remains for a few seconds after he closes his knife. With his gothic look and his skill with fire, Pyros is certainly impressive.

"Incredible! You see! Pyros, with your power to control fire and your talent with magical weapons, you’re one of the strongest elements of our group. Your only weakness is your attitude. I get that you hate everybody, but could you learn to detest us a little less, or at least to tolerate our presence? You certainly didn't join the Academy to be on a team with your sister alone? You must’ve known that there would be at least two other members of the team with you and that you would have to learn to work with others eventually, didn't you?"

He looks me in the eye, sighs and then in the blink of an eye, throws his knife directly at me where it plants itself into the trunk of the tree, right near my ear.

"Don't push it, Lou. The problem is you. He detests humans. You'll have to give him time to get used to the idea," whispers Éloï in my ear.

I feel like I need to say something, but decide it’s best to drop it. I don't feel like provoking him, certainly not after what he's just shown me.

"Éloï, it's your turn. What you did the other day with the shields was neat. What else can you do?"

Éloï walks out to the part of the field that Pyros is still standing in. She raises her hands to the sky and it suddenly starts to pour rain all around her. She then rotates her fingers and the rain instantly becomes snow. A moment later a shield appears above her head and the beautiful snowflakes turn into ice rain that is easily deflected by the shield.

"Ok, impressive! I hate to think what you could do on the ocean!"

She lowers her arms and the storm ceases.

"Éloï, you’re really gifted, but your weak point is that you don't use your primary gift enough. Your acute senses are an incredible gift and open doors to infinite possibilities."

"Probably, but it's not really an attack..."

"Maybe so, but it could prove to be very useful. We'll figure something out, don't worry about it."

"And last, but not least, Pax..."

He cuts me off and shoots past me into the field. With a single movement, he transforms the garden around us. The objects and the flowers start moving, uprooting themselves and running to attack us like little tin soldiers. As they arrive at our feet, they pass through us as mirages. The field then returns to its natural state and Pax levitates, this time, a few feet off the earth.

"Pax, your gifts are really surprising and practical, but I notice that you always stand off to the side of the group and don't offer your opinion very often. On a team, we must all help each other and find ideas and strategies together. I’m counting on you to integrate and start providing suggestions. This is especially important since you come from another land. I'm sure that we could learn a lot from you and your culture."

Pax looks away and smiles shyly, watching Flicka out of the corner of his eye as she puts her arm around his neck.

"It's true. My little Pax is much too quiet!" she says.

"Ok, is daycare done for the day? I have much more important things to do than stand around here and waste my time. If I'm going to be forced to spend the rest of my life with you, I prefer to spend what time I have left far away."